Madison, serving his second term. In past years he has been a member of the city council for three years, and served some years on the school board. He is president of the Madison Commercial club, president of the Public Library Association, and connected with several prominent state business associations. He is identified with most of the fraternal and secret organizations of Madison, and is now serving his fifteenth successive year as venerable consul of the local lodge of Modern Woodmen of America; and is in his twelfth year as treasurer of the Madison County Agricultural Association.
     In fact, Mr. Wycoff is a booster for his home town and county, and is closely identified with the business life of this section of Nebraska, and is always a leader in educational and social and moral questions.
     Mr. and Mrs. Wycoff and family enjoy the friendship and esteem of a wide circle of friends.

 

---

STEPHEN N. SWEETLAND.

     One of the most prominent old settlers of Sherman county, Nebraska, is the above named gentleman. For many years he was known as a most successful farmer, and for the last ten years has been a resident of Loup City. He has always been closely identified with all measures affecting the common good, or promoting the general welfare and is well known especially for his work along educational lines.
     Stephen N. Sweetland was born on July 17, 1855, in Liverpool, England, and was the fourth of a family of six children born to Richard and Maria Furnace Sweetland. Both parents were of English birth, and both died in New York state, the father in 1890, and the mother in 1859. The father was married a second and third time, rearing four children of the half blood. Of the large family of children, only six remain, one brother in Colorado, one brother and three sisters in New York, and the subject of this sketch.
     In the fall of 1856, while Stephen was but an infant, his parents emigrated to America, locating in New York, where the boy received his education and later engaged in farming.
     In March of 1879, Mr. Sweetland came to Sherman county and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in the northeast quarter of section fourteen, township fourteen, range fifteen, a few miles from Loup City, and at the same time also took up a timber claim in Custer county. The former homestead was the family residence for many years. This was subsequently sold, together with all his farm property, and the proceeds invested in a fine business block in Loup City, which was finished in May, 1909.
     On November 12, 1885, Mr. Sweetland was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda Goodwin, a native of Bremer county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Sweetland have had six children, four of whom are living: Clarence R., now lives in Loup City is married and has a son; Leslie F., a graduate of Bellevue college, class of 1910, was superintendent of the Winnebago schools for a year and in the fall of 1911 entered the Omaha School of Theology to enter the Presbyterian ministry; Francis J., graduated from Bellevue in 1911, and was appointed principal of the Loup City high school, while Raymond S., is still attending the home school. The entire family is prominent socially and stand high in the estimation of the, community.
     Mr. Sweetland left the farm in 1901 and moved to Loup City, where he erected a beautiful modern home.
     Mr. Sweetland is well known in educational circles, as he has served the public along this line for many years. He is now treasurer of the Loup City schools, and while living on the farm, served on the school board of district number thirty-six for twelve years. He has also served as county. supervisor for district number three for six years, and several terms as township clerk, township treasurer and township assessor, respectively. In 1901 he was elected county treasurer on the peoples' independent ticket, and served the public in that capacity for two terms. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
     Mr: Sweetland has had a touch of real pioneer life, having lived five years in a "sody," while a bachelor on his homestead, and lived two years in one after becoming the head of a new family.

 

---

FRED FISCHER.

     The above named gentleman is one of the most prominent farmers and stockmen of Cedar county, Nebraska. He is respected alike for his industry, ability and native force of character, and belongs to that great army of honest, hard-working farmers that Germany has contributed to the various western states. Never afraid of hard work, he has endured the toil and hardships of those early days, and his thrift, industry and integrity have brought him his present success. He has now a comfortable and beautiful home, pleasantly located on section thirty-two, township thirty-two, and commands the respect of all who know him.
     Mr. Fischer was born in Bronburg, Germany, in 1846, and is the son of Christian and Louise Fischer. He obtained his education in his native land, and in 1866, was called upon for military service.
     Believing that America presented greater opportunities for developing one's career, in 1870, the subscriber came to this country in a sailing vessel, the trip taking him seven weeks. He came first to Wisconsin, where he remained until 1876. In this year, he came to Cedar county, Nebraska, and bought his present home from Henry Tame

for two hundred and fifty dollars. He also took up a timber claim a little later, of about eighty acres. Having so much timber near him, he was not forced to resort to the dugout which so many settlers used, but built himself a log "shack" fourteen by sixteen feet, which served him for a dwelling for six years. He remained here through all the discouragements of the early years, and as he became more prosperous, added improvements to his farm. He now has one of the best farms in the community, and is especially proud of his fine orchard, which comprises about ten acres.
     In 1872, our subscriber was united in marriage to Miss Louise Kramer, and eight children have been born to them, only four of whom are now living: John, Edward, Mary, now Mrs. Joe Noacker, and Bernard.

 

---

ADDISON J. PARKER.

     Addison J. Parker was born in Bellevue, Sarpy county, Nebraska, August 12, 1856, and was the eldest of three children in the family of Jason and Submitta (Wakefield) Parker. Two children died in infancy leaving Mr. Parker the only child of this union, but the father had five children by a former marriage.
     Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm situated about two mlies [sic] southeast of Central City. Up to his tenth year he did not have the usual school advantages, as there were no schools within sixty miles, but after that age he had local school advantages, and in his twentieth year attended a graded school one year in New York state.
     November 9, 1879, at the home of H. D. Reynolds, in Central City, Nebraska, Mr. Parker married Miss Almeda Reynolds, a sister of H. D. Reynolds, who were natives of New York state, the brother having come to Nebraska in 1871 and was joined by his sister in 1878.
     Mr. Parker, in the spring of 1878, bought the first quarter section of land south of the Loup river that was put up for purchase at the time the Pawnee Indian reservation was thrown open for settlement in Nance county, Nebraska. Mr. Parker built on this land and prepared to farm and stock it. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Parker made Nance county their home until 1901.
     Mr. and Mrs. Parker have had seven children born to them, two of whom are now living: Alpha A.; and Diton J., who married on June 26, 1907, Miss Alvina Holtorf, daughter of John Holtorf, at the home of the parents in Merrick county, and have one child.
     May 1, 1901, Mr. Parker and family moved to Merrick county, going on their farm two miles northeast of Central City, where they resided five years. After selling this farm they then purchased forty acres adjoining the corporation limit of Central City to the southwest where they now reside.
     While living in Nance county Mr. Parker served on the school board and held other offices in his township. He is now county supervisor of Lone Tree, Central and Prairie Island townships, having been elected first in 1909 to fill an unexpired term and re-elected in the fall of 1910 for the full term of two years. He is a self-made man, his boyhood being passed in the pioneer days when he went through all the experiences of early frontier life.
     Mr. Parker has always been active and energetic along all lines towards the building up and advancement of his native home.
     Trueman Franklin Parker, deceased, half-brother of the subject of this sketch, was born in New York state, June 13, 1841, and was the second in a family of five children, of whom one brother and two sisters reside in Merrick county, Nebraska. The parents (deceased) were Jason and Fannie (Conrad) Parker.
     In 1856 the family went to Bellevue, Nebraska, where they lived one year, then located in Potawatamie county, Iowa, for two years, after which Mr. Parker engaged in ranching in what is now Merrick county, Nebraska, and in 1863 homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section fourteen, township thirteen, range six.
     On January 22, 1865, Mr. Parker married Miss Sarah Eatough, who was born in England and came to America with her parents in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Parker lived on the homestead until 1898, when they retired from the farm and moved into Central City, where Mr. Parker purchased a good home and lived until the time of his death, December 1, 1898, survived by his wife and five children: Ellice M., married to Doctor W. Y. R. Gawne, and living in Central City; Frank, married, has seven children, and also resides in Central City; Louis, married, has two children and lives on the original homestead; Della, married to Ralph Cox, has one child, and lives in Alma, Nebraska; and Roy, who is married and lives in Central City, Nebraska.
     Mr. Parker was a democrat, politically, and had the distinction of being the first judge of election of Merrick county. In April, 1867, he was appointed sheriff to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of P. S. Reed, who had been elected to that office. Later Mr. Parker served the county as assessor He was prosperous and successful, and owned two hundred and sixty acres in Merrick county, as well as good city property. He was a public-spirited man of affairs, widely and favorably known.
     Mrs. Parker lives in her Central City home surrounded by a large circle of friends.
     Jason Parker, deceased, father of Addison J., and Trueman Franklin Parker, was born in New York state in 1812, where he grew to manhood on a farm. Here he married Fannie Conrad and resided until 1856, when he came to the state of

Nebraska and followed his occupation of farming. Mr. Parker's first wife died in New York state following which he married Submitta Wakefield.
     In 1856 Mr. Parker and family of wife and five children moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, where they remained one year, moving from there to Potawatamie county, Iowa. After a residence of two years in the latter place they came to what is now Merrick county, Nebraska. Mr. Parker preceded his family, coming here in April, 1859, when he took up a squatter's right and then returned to Iowa; and in May of the same year came with his family to this land.
     About 1878 Mr. Parker went into the Black Hills, returning to Nebraska about 1888. In the later years of his life he made his home with his son, Addison J., in Nance county, Nebraska, until the time of his death which. occurred in March, 1895.
     This family has been prominent in building up this now prosperous section of the west.

 

---

GEORGE C. JAMES.

     Among the leading old settlers and public-spirited citizens of Knox county, Nebraska, the gentleman above mentioned deserves a foremost place. Mr. James aided in no slight degree in the development of the commercial resources of this region and has done his full share in building up the schools, and has done all in his power for the betterment of conditions socially and politically.
     Mr. James was born in the state of Indiana, February 22, 1845, a son of Henry and Mariar James; his father is a native of Germany, and the mother of New York state.
     In 1863 Mr. James enlisted in the army during the civil war, joining Company D, Seventh Indiana Cavalry, under Generals Greyson and Sheridan, and participated in all the battles fought under these generals in Mississippi and Tennessee. Mr. James finished an excellent war record in 1866, receiving his honorable discharge in that year.
     After the war Mr. James went to Iowa remaining there two years, when he decided to go further west, driving to his homestead in Knox county, Nebraska, which still remains the old homestead farm to the present day; on this land he first built a sod house, which was later replaced by a dwelling built of logs, both of which have been succeeded by a beautiful frame residence, which together with the fine farm and orchard and beautiful grove of trees, makes this one of the finest farm homes in this section of the country.
     In the first years of his residence in Knox county, Mr. James went through the many hardships and great suffering due to a new and unsettled country which had as yet scarcely known the tread of a white man's foot, and whose virgin soil had not felt the cut of a plow. And after our subject's coming to this region, dire misfortune seemed to pursue him at every turn; the grasshopper pests that infested that part of the western country in those earliest days of settlement destroyed the entire crops the first two years; and another source of danger was the fires that swept over the open prairies of this western country which devastated everything in its wake, and which our subject had to fight many times to save his life, home and possessions.
     In 1867, Mr. James was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Mortoff, and they were the parents of one child, True S. James. In 1898 Mr. James again married, the bride of this second union being Miss Retta Hill. In 1910 Mrs. James died, survived by her husband and family by whom she was deeply mourned.
     Mr. James is a highly respected and esteemed citizen of his locality, and holds the full confidence of the people. While he was in Nebraska he served his community well for two years as assessor, and through his strict adherence to his full duty has added dignity to that office.
     Mr. James moved to Angola, Indiana, April 18, 1911, purchased nice property there and. retired from hard labor. He expects to spend the rest of his days there.

 

---

JOHN W. WILLIAMSON.

     John W. Williamson, one of the truly self-made men of Nance county, has prospered as an agriculturalist, and is owner of a well improved farm in Boone county, as well as a residence in Genoa, which he occupies with his family, all of whom are popular members of their neighborhood social set.
     Mr. Williamson is a native of Delavan, Wisconsin, born on June 28, 1850. He was the eldest of thirteen children in the family of Ole and Mary Williamson, and lived in Wisconsin until he was twenty-one years of age, receiving his education in the country schools and assisting his parents in carrying on the farm work. In 1871 he started out with a team and wagon to drive across the plains to Nebraska, and picked out a location in Boone county on which he filed as a homestead. He was in the government service, his work being on the Pawnee Indian reservation, which at that time embraced the whole of Nance county. His work was in teaching the red men to farm, and came to know their language and habits well, many times hunting buffalo with them, and of those days he tells some very interesting and exciting incidents. He remained in the government service up to the fall of 1874, at which time the Indians were transferred at their request, to Indian territory, our subject acting as their pilot and friends on the journey. There were in all a party of twenty-four hundred In-

dians, many of whom walked the entire distance to their new home. On one occasion, while on a buffalo hunt in the Republican river region, Mr. Williamson and his companions met a tribe of over fifteen hundred warriors of the Sioux band, and a terrible massacre occurred, between three and four. hundred Pawnees being killed, and many of the Sioux. This took place on August 5, 1873.
     Mr. Williamson is still in the Indian service as a regular employee, his duty being gardner and dairyman in connection with the Indian Industrial school at Genoa. He has been successful along agricultural lines, and is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Boone county, also has a comfortable home in Genoa, where with his family he has lived for the past several years. In all he has made Nance county his home for forty years, which is a longer period than any other white man can boast of.
     On April 25, 1874, Mr. Williamson was married to Miss Carrie Atwood, of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, whose family dates back to the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame. Mrs. Williamson came to Boone county with her parents in 1871, they also being among the prominent old timers of the region. Four children were born to our subject and his esteemed wife, who are named as follows: Harry V., Lois Gertrude, Eugene, and Anna May. Eugene died in 1880, while the others are married; the two daughters live in Nebraska, while the son is a druggist at Delta, Colorado.

 

---

DR. JAMES S. STOCKWELL.

     One of the oldest and best known practitioners of the northwest is found in the person of Doctor James S. Stockwell, of Butte, who, while well along in years, is still as young in heart, mind and body as many who are his junior by a score of years.
     James S. Stockwell was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, September 3, 1834, and is a son of Ephraim and Margaret (Streeter) Stockwell, who moved to Licking county, Ohio, about 1837, and after a short time in that vicinity went to La Grange county, Indiana. James' early education was obtained through attendance at the country schools in these various places. At an early age he learned the carpenter trade, and supported himself, while studying for a higher profession. He early evinced a liking for medicine, and determined to fit himself for that work, so began his studies in Kendallville, Indiana, and in 1859, removed to Sturgis, St. Joseph county, Michigan, where he could have better advantages. Having finally saved enough money to commence his college career, he went to Ann Arbor, and entered the medical department. He was married and his wife also took up a course of study.
     After completing his studies and receiving his diploma, he located in South Bend, Indiana, where he established an office and practiced for ten years, then gave up his work there to go farther west. In 1883, he settled in Parkston, South Dakota, remaining for five years, and then removed to Phoenix, Holt county, Nebraska. In the spring of 1890, he filed on a homestead situated three miles southeast of Butte, and after residing on the land for two years, purchased a house in Butte, removed his family to town, and has since that time made it his home.
     During the course of his practice in different locations, Doctor Stockwell has encountered many severe storms on the plains, etc., the worst probably being the blizzard of January 12, 1888. He had a call to a sick bed eight miles from town and was on his way home when the storm overtook him. For two hours he battled with the blinding, frozen blast, and became confused as to direction, so was finally forced to give his team their heads, they going to the house of a settler who gave him shelter for the night. On other occasion he had experiences with prairie fires which might have resulted seriously. When in South Dakota at one time his escape from one was effected only by speedily starting a back fire and driving out the flames, thus giving him a chance to get his team into the burned space.
     Doctor Stockwell has enjoyed a wide practice throughout Holt, Boyd and other counties in Nebraska, as well as in Gregory county, South Dakota, and while younger physicians have entered the field with diplomas of a much later date, the old doctor holds his own against all competition. He is a typical pupil of the old school, kindly and sympathetic, in whom his patients have the utmost confidence, and for whom they have an affection that is almost that of a beloved blood kin.
     Doctor Stockwell was first married at Kendallville, Indiana, in 1856, to Miss Sarah Fowler, a native of Michigan. Two children blessed this union: Adelbert, now in business at South Bend, Indiana, and Lillian, an artist of flattering attainments, at present making her home with her brother in South Bend. Doctor Stockwell's wife died in 1884.
     June 29, 1888, our subject was married the second time, in Holt county, to Miss Amelia Damero, a native of Wisconsin. Her family came to Nebraska, settling in Holt county, and are well known old timers in that vicinity. Dr. and Mrs. Stockwell have three children: Ver, Lynn, now attending Butte high school; and Mabel.
     Doctor Stockwell is a democrat, and has always evinced a deep interest in party affairs. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Butte.

FREDERICK H. GLEASON.

     Energetic efforts and intelligence go hand in hand in the building up of one's fortune, regardless of the vocation to which they are applied. One of the well-developed and improved estates of Pierce county is that owned and operated by F. H. Gleason, who resides in section three, township twenty-five, range two, and is the possessor of three hundred and twenty acres of excellent ranch and farming land.
     Mr. Gleason came to Pierce county in 1885 with his parents, who were natives of Massachusetts, and his father bought and improved a farm situated three miles south of Foster, Nebraska.
     Our subject was born on August 27, 1862, in Worcester, Massachusetts. His father, Frank Gleason, was born in Massachusetts in 1840 and died in 1898. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the sixty-first Massachusetts regiment, and participated in the battles of Mission Ridge, Chattanooga, Shiloh, and Nashville, Tennessee; during his term of service he was wounded three times. The mother, Miss Lizzie Hyde, was born in 1840, in Massachusetts, and died in 1894.
     Frederick H. Gleason was married to Miss Matilda Klug in 1894; two children were born to them: Ervin and Beulah.
     Mr. and Mrs. Gleason have a beautiful home situated on a high point which can be seen for miles around. and which commands a view of the city of Pierce and the surrounding country. This home is encircled by one of the best cedar groves in the county, and gives evidence of the taste of its owner and his pride in improving its appearance. We are pleased to publish an engraving of the dwelling and surroundings that give a better idea of its fine appearance than could be done in many words. Mr. and Mrs. Gleason are held in the highest esteem by all who know them, and their friends are many.
     Mr. Gleason votes the republican ticket.

"Hillcrest Farm," Residence of F. H. Gleason.

---

GEORGE ALLEN.

     George Allen may be truly numbered among the leading old-timers of Antelope county, Nebraska. He has made this region his home for the past twenty-seven years, and during that time has acquired a half section of valuable land. He has a comfortable home and farm on section two township twenty-five, range six. He came here when this section of the country was very sparsely populated and by his industry and perserverance [sic] has gained a wide reputation as a successful agriculturist and worthy citizen. A view of his residence appears on another page.
     Mr. Allen is a native of Stephenson county, Illinois and was born four and one-half miles southeast of Lena, March 22, 1855. He is the son of Hiram and Lois (Bearden) Allen. both being natives of Canada. Our subject lived in his native state many years, receiving his education there, while helping his father on the farm. Mr. Allen came to Antelope county, Nebraska, April 3, 1883, taking up a homestead in section two, township twenty-five, range six, which remained the original homestead farm today. He bought an adjoining quarter section making a goodly farm which is improved with a comfortable frame house for his dwelling home. Here Mr. Allen went through all the hardships and disappointments incident to those days, losing crops through failures caused by storms of every description, the most sever being the memorable blizzard of 1888 when he lost several head of cattle in the icy blast. In 1894 he lost his entire crops through the drouth of that year, the hot winds burning thing in the northeastern part of the state. Then one season he lost his crops in part from the effects of a hail storm, all of his corn being killed. Prairie fires were a source of great danger at times and in fighting a particularly severe prairie fire, Mr. Allen was seriously burned.
     Mr. Allen was married in 1882 at Freeport to Miss Rosa Beck, a native of Stephenson county, Illinois, a daughter of John and Mary Beck. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one daughter, Pearl, married to H. Peterson; they have two children and live on a farm a few miles north of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Allen.
     Mr. and Mrs. Allen enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them, and they are surrounded by a host of friends and acquaintances.
     Politically, Mr. Allen is independent of party ties, voting for the man he thinks is best qualified to give the people the most satisfactory service.

"Fairview Stock Farm," Residence of George Allen.

---

ARTHUR W. LADD.

     The subject of this sketch was born at Oneida, Knox county, Illinois, on the twenty-ninth day of July, 1858. His parents lived on a farm until he was about twelve years old, when they moved to town, where he attended school for three years. Although he had not completed the high school course, he was compelled to leave school and start in the battle of life. As a boy he was employed as a clerk in a restaurant, dry goods and grocery stores, and finally as assistant postmaster in his native town. While thus employed he purchased one of the amateur printing outfits for printing cards or other small matter. Being fascinated with the taste of the printing business, and being discharged from his position in the post-office on account of a change of administration, he conceived the idea of starting a newspaper. The town had never had a printing office, and had always been considered too small to support a paper. Such obstacles looked small to the eighteen-year-old boy, and he found a friend who "staked" him to the amount of sixty dollars. This with a small amount he had

himself was used for the purchase of a very small printing outfit. The paper as first started had four columns to the page, and it was printed one page at a time. It proved to be capable of supplying "a long felt want," and it waxed strong with every passing month. Additional equipment was added as fast as any surplus funds cumulated, until at the end of three years a nice little country newspaper was being printed.
     Mr. Ladd now being twenty-one years of age, and having developed the newspaper business of his native town to its full extent, yearned for other worlds to conquer, and decided to "go west and grow up with the country." He made a prospecting trip through Nebraska, and the first place he visited was Albion. This place was then fifty miles from a railroad, Columbus being the nearest station. However, bonds had been voted and the Union Pacific was sure to be built to Albion the following year. The prospect looked good to him, and he decided to locate in Albion. This was in September, 1879; in thirty days he had returned to Illinois, closed up his business, and was on the ground at Albion, where he commenced the publication of the Albion News. At this writing he has just completed thirty years as publisher of this paper, which he started in 1879. This is a record very seldom heard of in the country newspaper business.
     The News is one of the leading weekly papers of the state, and has developed into a good business property. It occupies a nice brick building built especially for a printing office. Mr. Ladd has also built one of the best residences in the town, and has acquired other business interests. He is vice president of the Albion National bank, one of the "roll of honor" banks of the state. He is a stockholder and director of the Albion Milling Company. On the whole his thirty years of newspaper business seem to have resulted in a fair return.
     In September, 1887, Mr. Ladd was united in marriage with Miss Amy I. Fox, and to them one daughter was born.
     In 1890, under the administration of Benjamin Harrison, Mr. Ladd was appointed postmaster for Albion, and he served the term of four years, when a democratic president passed the office along to a member of his own party. As a member of the school board and city council, Mr. Ladd was drafted several times. When the commercial club was organized, he was elected president for two consecutive years. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and served the local lodge in all of its several official capacities.
     Mr. Ladd organized the first brass band in Boone county in 1880, and continued to play in or conduct, a band at Albion for more than twenty years. He was also musical director of the Philharmonic orchestra, which for several years was a musical organization of more than local reputation.
     Mr. Ladd has been a member of the State Press Association for more than twenty-five years, and in 1904 he was elected president of that association.
     In 1900 the republicans of his senatorial district nominated Mr. Ladd for state senator, but as this was in the days of populist supremacy he was defeated in the district, although he carried his own county by a nice majority. He has never sought public office, being content to exert his efforts for the election of others. He has always been a consistent republican, and of late years of the "progressive" type.

 

---

WILLIAM W. BLACK.

     William W. Black is a prominent farmer and stockman of Wayne county, Nebraska, and is known throughout this part of the state as a successful and progressive agriculutrist [sic]. He has a good home situated on section seventeen, township twenty-seven, range two, where he has developed a fine farm.
     Mr. Black was born in Henry county, Iowa, April 22, 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Mary Black, who were parents of six children. Samuel Black enlisted in the Civil war, but a short time after entering the service was taken sick and died. He had one son, Abram, who served in Company B, twenty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining in the army from 1861 until 1865, and participating in many important battles. He marched with Sherman on the historic trip from Atlanta to the sea, and was a brave and faithful soldier. At the time of Samuel Black's death, his son, William W., was only eleven years old, but being the oldest son at home, although the youngest of the family, he took charge of his mother's farm until four years after he was married, then moving to Potawatamie county, Iowa, where he rented for four years.
     Mr. Black received his education in his native state and was there married. In 1886, he came to Wayne county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present place, which then contained no improvements, being in a raw state. Mr. Black broke all the land on the homestead quarter. He first built a small house, sixteen by twenty-four, where the family lived until 1905, when the present home was erected. He has also built a large barn, granary, hog houses, and other out-buildings, and has planted a ten-acre grove and two orchards. Mr. Black has, since coming to Wayne county, added two hundred and forty acres to his first purchase, now owning four hundred acres, for which he paid from eleven to thirty-five dollars per acre, and none of which he would now sell for less than one hundred dollars per acre.
     Mr. Black is an energetic and ambitious farmer, and has achieved very good results by his efforts, being now one of the well-to-do men

of his locality. He is always interested in the public welfare and progress; is upright and reliable in his dealings, and has many firm friends.
     In 1880, Mr. Black was united in marriage with Miss Mary McPherron, daughter of John Wesley and Mary Elizabeth (Cook) McPherron, and a native of Iowa. Five children have been born of this union: Edith Pearl, Otto Lewis, Della Octavia, Jessie May, and Minnie Francis.
     Mr. and Mrs. Black are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Carroll, and Mr. Black is a republican.

 

---

JULIUS ECKERT.

     It is a notable fact that in many localities in the western states, we find communities made up almost entirely of foreign-born people and their American-born descendants, with but few of the descendants of the eastern Yankee. In Nebraska especially, we find many of the sturdy citizens who first saw the light in a land under the German skies. Prominent among the German settlers we find the name above given, Julius Eckert, who has been a resident of Stanton county for about forty years.
     Mr. Eckert was born in 1850, in West Prussia, Germany, and is the son of Wilhelm and Augusta Eckert. He grew up in his native country and obtained his education in the schools there.
     In 1870, Mr. Eckert determined to come to America where the poor man had a better chance than in his native land. He accordingly came by steamship from Bremen to New York, and from thence to the prairie lands of Illinois. He remained here but one year, then came to Stanton county, Nebraska,. where he took up a homestead. He first built a dugout, and this served as a dwelling for him and his wife for several years.
     The settlers of that time and place met with many discouragements and losses, and those who remained must needs have possessed more than ordinary will power and determination in order to overcome the obstacles thrown in their way. The first few years, their crops were almost total failures, owing to the ravages of the grasshoppers. Several times they were compelled to fight prairie fires in order to prevent the destruction of their property. Even as late as 1894, the crops were almost a total failure, owing to the hot, dry winds prevailing that year. Neighbors were few and far between, and Wisner was the nearest postoffice and market place. However, they did not lose heart but persevered, and now have received their reward. They have watched the phenominal [sic] development of this treeless wilderness to its present high status, and have the satisfaction of knowing that chiefly through the efforts of these early settlers, this development has been made.
     Mr. Eckert was married in 1870 to Miss Augusta Schultze, of Stanton county, and six children have come to bless their union. The children are named as follows: Otto, Ernest, Hulda, Theodore Max and Agust [sic].
     Mr. Eckert has retired from active management of his farm, and is comfortably situated in his town residence in Stanton, where he enjoys what comes to a man in affluent circumstances, who has passed the meridian of this life.

 

---

ANTON DROBNY.

     For the past quarter of a century the subject of this review has been a resident of Knox county, Nebraska, and on the original farm which was first purchased by his father and later bought by our subject, which is located in section twenty-six, township thirty, range six, Mr. Drobny and his father before him have been potent factors in the advancement and upbuilding of the best interests of the state in which they chose their home on coming to American shores.
     Mr. Drobny is a native of Bohemia, having been born in Satski village, in the year 1875; he was the youngest of seven children in the family of Frank and Katie Drobny, both natives of Satski village, Bohemia. When but ten years of age, in 1885, our subject with his parents, came to America, embarking on a sail boat bound from Bremen to New York. After landing in the United States, they at once proceeded to the far West, locating in Knox county, Nebraska, where they bought outright the land on which our subject now lives, which, as before stated, is located in section twenty-six, township thirty, range six, they began at once to improve the land, steadily adding by degrees to its advancement, until now it is one of the finest and most valuable estates in this part of the county. Later our subject bought the farm and since his possession of same has strictly adhered to the standard of progression set by his father before him. Losses from various causes have been experienced by our subject, when in the years of 1896 and the early part of 1910, hailstorms destroyed the greater portion of the crops for those years; and in the drouth of 1894 the hot winds of that year burned every spear of crops that in the beginning gave such good promise of a plentiful harvest.
     In 1893 Mr. Drobny was united in marriage to Miss Rosa Slanido, and Mr. and Mrs. Drobny are the parents of two fine children, named as follows: Frank A. and Mary Kate.
     Mr. and Mrs. Drobny and family are highly respected in their community, and are surrounded by a wide circle of kind friends and acquaintances; and Mr. Drobny is known throughout the county as a man of sterling qualities who can be always relied upon.

---

© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for NEGenWeb Project by T&C Miller, P Ebel, P Shipley, L Cook