township nineteen, range thirteen, in Springdale township. He remained on this homestead until 1892, and now lives on section fourteen, township nineteen, range thirteen, where he has one hundred and sixty acres of farm and grazing land. Mr. Drake is one of the first settlers of Springdale township, and for many years has been closely identified with Valley county, and Valley county has been his continuous home, with the exception of two years spent in Oklahoma from the fall of 1894 to the fall of 1896, whither he went on a prospecting tour in the spring of 1892.
   Mr. Drake was married to Miss Jennie Everson, October 2, 1879, in Ord, Nebraska. Miss Everson was a native of Wisconsin, and her stepfather, William Lasure, and family came to Valley county in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have six children, five of whom are living: Luin, who is married, has three children, and lives in Valley county; Cecil, also married, and living in Valley county, has one child; Earl, and Lita, reside at home; Inos, deceased in 1876; and Glenn, who resides under the parental roof.
   Mr. and Mrs. Drake have a wide acquaintance and many friends. They have passed through the different Nebraska years, and are of the pioneer families that stayed with it, and now enjoy the success of the pioneers that hold down the adverse Valley county years.
   Mr. Drake's father and mother, brother George and sister Della came to Valley county in the spring of 1879, where the father took up a homestead, but moved to Missouri in 1894, and, while residing there, died. The mother returned to Valley county, surviving her husband but two years, she passing away in 1896. Our subject's sister, Cornelia, had come to Valley county prior to the family's arrival, and had been united in marriage to D. H. Rathbun, a sketch, of whom appears on another page of this review. Of the Drake family now residing in Nebraska are Mrs. D. H. Rathbun, Mrs. David Strong and Elliott Drake, all living in Valley county. A brother, George, lives in Kansas; Ellsworth resides in Rockford, Illinois; Asa, in Steuben county, New York; Melvin and Bodwell, also of Steuben county, New York.
   Mr. Drake remembers well the blizzard of January 12, 1888. His supply of fuel in the house ran low, and, being too cold to cut wood outside, a quantity was brought into the room, and there sawed into suitable size to keep the fire going until the storm abated.

 

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PAUL RENNER.

   Paul Renner, known throughout Madison county, Nebraska, as a man of good citizenship and untiring energy, is a resident of section ten township twenty-two, range two, west, where he owns a beautiful home, good orchard and grove, and engages in mixed farming. He has been identified with the upbuilding of that locality for the past twenty-eight years, and, while acquiring his property, has gained for himself an enviable reputation.
   Mr. Renner is a native of Germany, his birth occurring at Wurtemberg, May 21, 1860, and is son of Fred and Caroline Renner. Mr. Renner, our subject, received his education and grew to his manhood in his native country. In 1882, he came to America, traveling by way of Switzerland to France, and from thence to England, embarking at Liverpool on the steamship "Germainique." Mr. Renner came to America by this route to escape military service. The laws of Germany require every able-bodied man to serve a certain period in the army. Mr. Renner, not having the military temperament, could not see the philosophy of spending a part of the best years of his life in army service, and to avoid trouble along this line, came over the above-mentioned route to America.
   After landing in New York City, Mr. Renner started for the west, locating in Madison county, Nebraska, in 1886, where for the first few years he worked out until he could get a farm for himself. He then bought what is known as the Johnson homestead, and has steadily improved same, until now he has, as before stated, a beautiful home, a good farm, and orchard and grove, and is engaged in mixed farming. Mr. Renner has experienced his full share of hardships and discouragements during his residence here, and as late as 1894, lost all his crops by the hot winds that were prevalent during the long drouth of that season.
   Mr. Renner was united in marriage in 1885 to Miss Mary Hettinger, and Mr. and Mrs. Renner are the parents of ten children, whose names are as follows: Emil, Clara, Paul, Fred, Otto, Charles, Robert, Emma, John and Albert.

 

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ALBERT SHAFER.

   Albert Shafer, a retired farmer, living at Ansley, Nebraska, has been a resident of Custer county for many years, and has passed through the early days of pioneer trials and privations. He won success as a farmer, and a stockman, and has well earned his years of leisure and repose. He was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, April 15, 1868, son of Joseph and Katherine (Gleiss) Shafer, both natives of Germany. The father came to America some time during the forties, and died in Missouri, and the mother, who came to America in 1844, now lives in Ansley. Albert Shafer is the youngest of eight children, and has a sister, Mrs. Josephine Mottinger, living in Broken Bow; another, Mrs. Mary Headington, lives in Iowa; Mrs. Nettie Woodard, another sister lives in Omaha; Mrs. Lavina Perry, another sister, lives in St. Joseph, Missouri.

   In early childhood, Mr. Shafer accompanied his parents to Missouri, and he secured most of his education in the public schools of that state, growing to young manhood on his father's farm. In 1884, the family located in Custer county, and the mother secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres on section thirty, township seventeen, range eighteen, now the home of her son, Albert.
   Mr. Shafer was married in Custer county on September 1, 1889, to Roberta Buckner, a native of Kentucky, who came with her parents to the county in 1887. She is a daughter of Robert W. and Rebecca (Bolton) Buckner, natives of Kentucky, and now residents of Broken Bow. The father served in the Civil war, and came to Nebraska in 1887. Mrs. Shafter has a brother, Thomas L., in Broken Bow; another brother, Frank, in Custer county; a brother, Lawrence, in Moultrie county, Illinois; a sister, Mrs. Flora Alberts, of Ansley; her sister, Mrs. Etta Emerson, lives in Westerville, and her other sister is Miss Stella Buckner.
   After his marriage, Mr. Shafer located on the Shafer homestead, which is now his property, and it was his home many years. Three children were born to him and his wife, namely: Gertrude L., Fred L. and Merl I., all at home. Mr. Shafer owns a well improved and equipped stock and grain farm of two hundred and eighty acres, and has a very pleasant home in Ansley. He retired from active life in March, 1911, after which the family have resided in Ansley, where they have many friends. Mr. Shafer has purchased property in the city of Broken Bow, and will make that place his future home.

 

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NELS DULLERUD.

   Among the prosperous citizens of Wayne county, Nebraska, may be mentioned the above gentleman, who carries on a diversified system of agriculture in a most successful manner, with results which richly reward his thrift and industry. He is the proprietor of a fine farm on section ten, township twenty-five, range four, and has accumulated his property and good name by his persistent and honest labors.
   Mr. Dullerud is a native of the state of Wisconsin, where he was born February 27, 1856. His parents, Ole and Olena Dullerud, were natives of Norway, who came to America in 1855. They came by way of Christiana and Quebec, the voyage taking seven weeks. They came to Wisconsin and bought the farm where Nels Dullerud was born. His early childhood was spent there on the farm, but in 1868, the family moved to Monona county, Iowa. Here the father bought a farm a mile and half from the Missouri river, which was eventually all washed away by that stream. The father died in Iowa in 1870. The balance of the family remained there until 1889, when they came to Wayne county, Nebraska. They at once bought the farm which has been occupied by the subscriber ever since. He has added many extensive improvements to the place since it was purchased, chief among which are the fine orchard and grove which are now in their prime.
   Coming so late as they did, the family escaped many of the hardships which beset the very early settler, but even so, the life of the farmer was not what it is today, when markets are very close, and when the telephone and rural delivery brings the farmers very close to the life of the city.
   Our subscriber has always taken a most commendable interest in public affairs, and is counted among the prominent and influential citizens of the county who can be relied upon to support any measure which will aid in the betterment of existing conditions.

 

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ALBERT TUNKS.

   In presenting to the public a history of Nebraska, the list would not be complete without having mentioned the name of this gentleman. Mr. Tunks is one of the leading old settlers and prominent agriculturists of eastern Nebraska, having spent the last forty years and more in this part of the state.
   Albert Tunks, son of William Z. and Paulina (Winchester) Tunks, was born in Stephenson county, Illinois, January 9, 1847, and was second in a family of five children. He has one sister living in Freeport, Illinois, another in Davis, Illinois, the other children being deceased, as are also the parents, the father's death occurring in 1888, and the mother's in 1849, both in Illinois. Our subject received his education in his home state, and later engaged in farming.
   On April 21, 1871, Mr. Tunks was united in marriage to Miss Bell Martin, also of Illinois. Mrs. Tunks parents are deceased, and she has one brother in Kansas, and a sister residing in Clarks, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Tunks have had four children, three of whom are living: Edith, wife of H. C. McGrath, has five children and lives in North Bend, Nebraska; Elmer, died in infancy in 1875; Ethel, wife of Clare Betts, has two children and lives in Merrick county; and Glen B., a student at state university at Lincoln.
   In May of 1871, Mr. Tunks and wife came overland to Merrick county, Nebraska, being three weeks on the way, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section thirty-four, township fifteen, range six, west, where they resided for ten years, when they sold out, and purchased three hundred and sixty acres eleven miles northeast of Central City. Here they resided until 1893 when Mr. Tunks retired from the farm and moved to Central City, where he purchased

twenty acres just outside of the city limits and built a good home, where they now live. In the early days Mr. Tunks helped to organize school district number twenty-one. He has served on Central City school board. He also spent one year in the army, enlisting in January, 1865, in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and received his discharge at Springeld [sic], Illinois, in January of 1866. He took part in a number of skirmishes, doing mostly provost duty in Georgia, his military service having all been in that state.
   Mr. Tunks has been prosperous and successful, and has pased [sic] through all the trying experiences and hardships incidental to frontier life. He is a man of affairs, and is interested in all pertaining to the welfare of state and county. Mr. and Mrs. Tunks are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Tunks is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Grand Army of Republic. He is a republican in politics.

 

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J. B. McCOY.

   Of the native sons of Nebraska who have remained within her borders and prospered, J. B. McCoy of the "Crofton Journal," is not the least conspicuous. He was born on his father's farm, twelve miles west of Creighton, February 26, 1880. He is a son of Hugh and Catherine (Gaskell) McCoy, who came to Nebraska in 1879 and settled in Knox county. Hugh McCoy lived on the farm west of Creighton until 1893, when he retired and moved to town. A stock company had been formed to start a paper in Creighton, and Mr. McCoy was selected to run it; later he bought the entire plant and was for nine years the editor and publisher of the "News." The mother died August 6, 1910, the body being taken back to Creighton for interment.
   J. B. McCoy attended school until eighteen years of age, when he began to learn the printers' trade in the "News" office at Creighton, then under his father's management. From here he went to Utah and worked for a time on the "Ogden Standard" and then returned to Creighton. Afterwards he found work on the "Coon Rapids Reporter" of Coon Rapids, Iowa, remaining one year.
   Returning to Knox county, he was employed in the office of the "Monitor" under W. H. Needham, at Bloomfield, and later went to Monowi and was again in the employ of his father in the lumber business. Later he established the "Monowi News," which he published for a time, and then returned to Bloomfield and filled his old place on the "Monitor" until coming to Crofton in October, 1908, when he bought the "Journal," a paper supporting the republican party's candidates. He issues a live country paper and receives his due share of job work, for which his office is amply equipped. The columns of the "Journal" are filled with well written, live news, and the advertising pages are well patronized by the business men of the community.
   Mr. McCoy was married in Bloomfield, December 25, 1904, to Miss Ada Elnora Needham, daughter of Mr. W. H. Needham, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this work. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McCoy, a daughter named Naomi.
   Mr. McCoy is republican in political faith, and a member of the Masonic fraternity.
   At the time of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, the elder McCoy and a neighbor were caught out in the storm; by good fortune their team, in wandering around, ran into the windmill on a distant farm and aroused the owner, with whom the wanderers spent the night. The mother happened to be away from home, too, when the storm struck, making a social visit at a nearby farm. The man of the house by following a wire fence and a half mile line of trees brought her safely home and then made his own way back to shelter. The boy and a hired man, seeing the storm approaching, got all their cattle safely into the shed so that none were lost; but a herd of forty to fifty hogs fattened and ready for the market were frozen or smothered in the blinding drifting snow. Antelope were still to be seen in Knox county when Mr. McCoy was a boy, and so tame were some of them that they came near the house.
   Mr. McCoy is a musician of more than ordinary merit, and is leader and manager of the McCoy orchestra; Mrs. McCoy is an able assistant presiding at the piano. Mr McCoy has had a love for music since childhood, and began the study of the violin at the age of seventeen. That he has made a success of it is evidenced by the almost continuous engagement of the organization over which he presides.

 

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H. C. HAFNER.

   Prominent among the residents of Knox county, Nebraska, is the gentleman above named, who has lived in this locality since the year 1886, and has built up a pleasant home and enviable reputation as a worthy citizen, esteemed by all who know him. Mr. Hafner resides in Morton township, on section sixteen, township thirty, range three.
   Mr. Hafner is a native of Germany, he having been born in the province of Holstein in the year 1864. He is the son of John and Mary (Lange) Hafner, both natives of Germany. Our subject's father served the land of his nativity in the war of 1848 between Germany and Denmark. Our subject remained at home with his parents, receiving his education in his native land, and also helping his father on the farm.
   Mr. Hafner, with his parents, left his native

land in 1881 to come to America, where the opportunities to get a start in life were much better. They sailed from Hamburg by way of Hull and Liverpool to New York, where they remained one week. The family then went. to the western country, settling in Omaha, Nebraska, where they lived five years. Later our subject came to Knox county, Nebraska, where he bought land in the southeast quarter of section twenty-one, township thirty, range three, which he greatly improved, and on which he built a good home for himself. He later sold to his brother John, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this review, and bought where he now lives. He again improved his farm, and now has a good home, and engages in mixed farming; also raising fine stock.
   Mr. Hafner, as before stated, is a worthy citizen, and highly esteemed in his locality and county. He has served his constituents in the capacity of county commisioner [sic], having creditably filled that office from 1898 to 1900. In politics he is at republican.
   Mr. Hafner has gone though the many discouraging experiences of loss of crops and stock through wind, hail, etc., and in the memorable blizzard of January 12, 1888, he lost a part of his stock in the terriffic wind and sleet.
   But those pioneer days have passed to history and remain but a memory, and Mr. Hafner is now enjoying the prosperity and comfort of a modern Nebraska land owner, and has accumulated ten hundred and forty acres of choice land.
   In 1891, Mr. Hafner was united in marriage to Miss Emma Elliegson, and they are the parents of five, children, namely: John, Ida, Charles, Albert and Helen.

 

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JACOB HENDERSON.

   Jacob Henderson was born in Norway, October 31, 1862, and was youngest of eight children in the family of Hender and Thera Satre, who have seven sons and one daughter, In the fall of 1879, father, mother, and brothers, Ole and Iver Satre, and our subject came to America, and in September, 1879, came to Boone county, Nebraska, where the father took up a homestead in the spring of 1880; during the winter of 1879, our subject worked on a farm receiving his keep for his labor. After at residence of seven or eight years in Boone county, the parents returned to Norway, where they resided until the time of their death. Mr. Henderson and brother, Iver Satre, are now the only members of the family living in America, the brother now residing in Boone county.
   In the spring of 1880, Mr. Henderson came into Madison county, going to work for Richard Ballard on his farm. Mr. Henderson at this time could not speak the English language and went to work amongst English speaking people in order to become acquainted with the language. In the winter of 1880, he worked on the farm of Levi Jenkins and attended the local schools, and for three successive winters atteneded [sic] school, doing farm work in the summer months.
   In the spring of 1884 Mr. Henderson came to Madison, going to work for Henry Becker in the furniture and undertaking business, in which he continued until 1888, and during Mr. Becker's absence, at times, had charge of the business. In the spring of 1888 Mr. Becker sold his business to A. B. Richardson, with whom our subject continued until the spring of 1890; this business changed hands several times during the next few years, Mr. Becker coming back into the firm later on. In the spring of 1890, Mr. Henderson went to David City and engaged in the same business for about eight months, returning to Madison during the holidays of the same year, and in March of 1891 went to work for the Union Pacific railroad in the bridge and building department, where he remained a little over two years. In the spring of 1892, he returned to Madison and again became connected with Henry Becker, who had repurchased all interests in his old business, which was the pioneer furniture and undertaking house of Madison.
   Mr. Henderson was a member of Company F, First Nebraska National Guard, and April 27, 1898, this company joined the regiment at Lincoln, Nebraska, and went from there to the Philipines, boarding train out of Lincoln May 16, 1898, for San Francisco; and on June 15 went on board vessel for the Philippines via Honolulu, arriving in Manila Bay on July 16, and landing on the twentieth, at Camp Dewey, six miles south of Manila. Mr. Henderson went out as Second Lieutenant of Company F, Nebraska National Guards and remained in the Philippines until March 25, 1899, when he came home on a furlough on account of illness, having spent three months in the hospital; and June 1, 1899, while on his furlough, was mustered out at Lincoln, Nebraska, as First Lieutenant of Company B, Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, he having received promotion while in the government hospital at Manila.
   Mr. Henderson, in the spring of 1899 returned to Madison and in October of that year again went into the employ of Mr. Becker. In 1901 Mr. Becker disposed of his business to J. A. Edinger, with whom Mr. Henderson continued until July 1, 1902. Mr. Henderson then purchased the business from Mr. Edinger, and has continued it to this date. He has a large store and is known as one of the foremost business men of Madison county.
   On June 10, 1906, Mr. Henderson was married to Mrs. Winifred Loomer at Madison, Nebraska, and they have two children: Thomas H., and Thora Marie.
   Mr. Henderson is a self-made man, having bor-

rowed his passage money upon leaving Norway for America. He is a wide-a-wake business man, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and Ben Hur orders, and also the Commercial club of Madison.

 

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SAMPSON GIVEN.

   Sampson Given, a progressive and prosperous pioneer farmer and stock man, is practically a self-made man, and since 1883 has been actively identified with the upbuilding and development of the county and state. He was born in West Virginia, March 17, 1857, next to the oldest of nine children of Robert and Mahulda (Jordan) Given, who were farmers there. A sketch of the father appears in this work. Mr. Given came to Fillmore county, Nebraska, with his parents, in 1878, and in the spring of 1883 he left the home farm there and came to Custer county. He took up a homestead comprising the southeast quarter of section twenty-eight, township eighteen, range twenty-one. and also a timber claim on section thirty-two. He now resides on the homestead secured by his father, comprising the southwest quarter of section twenty-eight, just west of his original homestead, which he also still owns. He has a well improved and equipped estate and a fine orchard, and in connection with his farm is engaged in the dairy business.
   September 25, 1886, Mr. Given married Auta Read, daughter of Sylvester and Mary (Davis) Read, pioneers of Custer county. The Read family came from Clarke county, Iowa, to Custer county in 1883. Ten children have been born to Mr. Given and wife, of whom six now survive: Edith, wife of Abram R. Horton, living on a farm six miles west of Merna, has two daughters, Inez, and a baby sister; Maplet, at home; Esther, wife of J. Leroy Stratton, living in Julesburg, Colorado; Thurston, at home; Johnnie, deceased; Edna, Edwin and Edgar, triplets, all deceased; Mansel and Jay, at home. The family are well known in social and educational circles and lend their influence for the betterment and welfare of the community. They have many friends, among whom they are highly esteemed.
   Mr. Given was out nearly the entire day of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, looking after his stock; few ventured beyond their doors in such a storm.
   He is a democrat in politics and fraternally a member of the Odd Fellows, the Royal Highlanders, and the Modern Brotherhood of America.

 

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JABEZ I. BOWMAN.

   The Bowman family were among the very early settlers of Nebraska, where they located in 1862, when Jabez I. Bowman was about four years of age. He was born in Keokuk county, Iowa, November 20, 1858, seventh born of the ten children of Albert and Mary (Covault), Bowman, and one of four sons. The parents moved from Iowa to Denver, Colorado, in the spring of 1862 and in the fall of that year moved to Plattsmonth, Cass county, Nebraska, where the father engaged in the trade of harness maker. He was, an enterprising business man and had also learned the trades of carpenter and tinner. Later he secured a homestead three and one-quarter miles northeast of Greenwood, Cass county, and the family lived for some time on this farm. The parents afterward moved to Broken Bow, Custer county, where they died. One daughter, Mrs. E. V. Phillips, and one son, G. W. Bowman, live in Broken Bow; Mrs. Rhoda Carnes lives in Greenwood, Nebraska, and Mrs. Elizabeth E. Russell lives in Broken Bow.
   Jabez I. Bowman lived on his father's homestead until his marriage, January 2, 1881, to Sarah, daughter of Columbus and Phoebe Jenkins, which took place in Louisville, Cass county. Mrs, Bowman was born in Iowa and came to Nebraska with her parents about 1868. They were among the pioneer families of Cass county and Mr. Jenkins was a veteran of the civil war. After his marriage Mr. Bowman moved to a rented farm in Cass county and in the fall of 1883 came to Custer county, securing a homestead where, in the following spring the family located. They occupied this place several years, and he had improved and developed it to a considerable degree, then they sold out and since then Mr. Bowman has operated various farms in the vicinity. At the present time he is carrying on the old Caywood farm, which is the property of his sister, Mrs. Eliza V. Phillips, before mentioned. He is an energetic and industrious farmer and an excellent business manager and he and his family stand well in the community, where they enjoy the regard of a large number of friends. Six children were born to him and his wife, namely: Elmer Dexter; Albert Columbus, deceased; Claude Lester and Clyde Leroy, twins, the latter deceased; Jabie Leeson and Willis Talbot. All were born in Nebraska except Jabie, who was born in Harrison county, Iowa. Both Mr. Bowman and his wife have passed through the years of hardship and privation incident to pioneer life, and both have always held themselves in readiness to do anything they could to advance the interests and welfare of the county and state. Mrs. Bowman's parents are both dceased [sic], and the only one of the Jenkins family living in Nebraska is her brother Benjamin of Havelock, the others being residents, of Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are both members of the fraternal order, the Yoemen of America. A family group picture of the Bowman family is presented on another page.

J. I. Bowman and Family Group.

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O. JOHNSON.

   O. Johnson, the subject of this personal history, was an early settler of this portion of the state, and watched its development and growth, lending his aid in the upbuilding of the community, and was highly estemed [sic] by all who knew him.
   Mr. Johnson was born in 1857, in the state of Indiana, and later in life moved to Chicago, Illinois, and in 1883, came to Pierce county, Nebraska, where he homesteaded land in section twenty-seven, township twenty-seven, range four, and on this land built a frame house, and planted ten acres in trees. Here he resided some little time, and then bought land in section thirty, township twenty-seven, range four, where he lived until January 21, 1911, on which day, while laboring under a period of temporary aberration, he killed himself and wife. In the early days, Mr. Johnson had his full share of hardships and losses experienced by those sturdy people who braved unknown experiences in the pioneer days, he lost numerous cattle in the blizzard of 1888, and in 1895, lost his entire crops in the hailstorm.
   Mr. Johnson was united in matrimony in 1888 to Miss Anna North, who was born in England. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had ten children born to them: Nellie, wife of Charles Brockesb; Mary, who is married to Charles LaBord; Lilliam, Howard, Charles, John James, LeRoy, Clifford and Leonard. They are a fine family.
   Mr. Johnson's two brothers enlisted in 1860, and served the union cause in the civil war, Olaf being wounded.
   Mr. Johnson was one of the leading citizens of his locality, and aided materially in the upbuilding of his community. He owned four hundred acres of land in Pierce county, and one hundred and sixty acres in Antelope county. His homestead was a well-improved and desirable property. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was also affiliated with the Order of Odd Fellows. In political faith he voted the republican ticket.

 

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FREDERICK W. VOGT.
(Deceased.)

   Frederick W. Vogt was well known as one of the oldest settlers of Howard county, and a popular resident of Fairdale precinct. He was born September 24, 1846, in Coshocton county, Ohio, and died July 29, 1910, at Elba, Nebraska.
   Mr. Vogt was the ninth in a family of ten children, of whom but two brothers and three sisters are now living, father and mother also being deceased. He lived in Ohio until he was fourteen years of age, at that time going to Defiance county, that state, where he followed farm work up to his twenty-first year. At that time he emigrated to Mills county, Iowa, and remained for three years, previously spending one year in Illinois. In 1872, he came to Howard county, Nebraska, landing in the region in March of that year, and soon afterwards filed on a homestead, and proved up on the same. This was his home for a number of years and during those early days, he passed through the usual pioneer experiences, meeting with many discouragements in getting his home started. He later removed to section two, township fifteen, range eleven, which was their home farm until they moved to Elba in October, 1909. He owned about two hundred and seventy-eight acres of land, all lying along the North Loup river, consisting of good bottom land, and on which he raises fine crops of grain. He had the place improved with good buildings of all kinds, well stocked, and was recognized as a successful agriculturist.
   Mr. Vogt was married, December 29, 1872, at Silver City, Iowa, to Lulu Mothershed, who is a native of Clay county, Missouri, and who is now the only remaining member of her family. Mr. and Mrs. Vogt had nine children, seven now living, named as follows: E. L., who is county superintendent of schools in Howard county; Ernest William, married, and living near Elba; Frank A., residing in the same vicinity; Arthur N., farming on a homestead, adjoining his father's place; Thomas J., Samuel H. and Lizzie Maud, living with their mother in Elba. They are very popular in the locality, having many friends, and the esteem of all with whom they came in contact in a business or social way.
   Mr. Vogt was always active in local politics and educational interests, lending his best efforts to promote the general welfare. He was one of the prominent pioneers of Howard county, and as such was well know to hundreds throughout this country, and during his entire residence in this section, nothing but of good of him has ever been known. He was everyone's friend, and, indeed, to know him was to be his friend. His funeral was held at the United Brethren church, Rev. Mason conducting the services, but the church was not near large enough to hold the immense crowd who were present to pay their last respects to a departed friend and neighbor. The remains were laid to rest in the Fairdale cemetery, and he sleeps beside two of his children, who died some years ago. The floral offerings from loving relatives and friends were many and beautiful, and the entire community tendered heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family.

 

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JOEL F. LANUM.

   Among the best-known men of Custer county, Nebraska, is Joel F. Lanum, now a prominent business man of Ansley, who has passed through the most important years of Nebraska's history. He is a native of Morrow county, Ohio, born March 20, 1851, eldest of six children born to Dennis and Phebe (Brown) Lamum, of Irish and

English descent, respectively. The father was born in Virginia, and the mother in Ohio, and both died in the latter state, he in July, 1896, and she, August 17, 1865. One daughter, Mrs. Mary Bell, lives in Ohio, and four children are now deceased.
   Mr. Lanum grew to manhood on a farm in his native state, and later engaged in farming on his own account. In 1868, he located on a farm in Macon county, Illinois, and he was married in that county, at the home of the bride's parents, to Miss Esther Ann Davis, a native of Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Joseph and Mary A. (Arnold) Davis, natives of Pennsylvania, and the father of German descent. He died in January, 1901, and Mrs. Davis in 1897, both in Custer county. The Davis family came to Custer county in 1880, and secured a homestead. They are given further mention in connection with the sketch of John Davis, which appears in this work. Mrs. Lanum's brothers and one sister are as follows: John Davis, of Ansley; William Davis, of Broken Bow; Mrs. Hattie Arnold, of Custer county; George, of Wisconsin.
   Mr. and Mrs. Lanum made their first home on their Illinois farm, and in the fall of 1881, he came west, looking for a suitable location for his family, securing a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, comprising the southeast quarter of section ten, township sixteen, range eighteen, which was the home place for a number of years. He secured a tree claim of the same size, also, in Custer county, and developed a fine farm. He took an active interest in local affairs; and for many years served on the school board. In the early days of his residence in the state, he carried on freighting between Grand Island and Westerville, a distance of eighty miles. In 1898, he left the farm, and moved to Ansley, where he erected a modern home for the family, and he has since conducted a large feed barn and livery. He is an enterprising and able business manager, and has been successful in his various investments. The family stand well in the community, and have many friends.
   Nine children have been born to Mr. Lanum and wife, as follows: Mrs. Mary B. Arnold, of Ansley; Rufus, of Custer county, has six children; J. Dennis, of San Francisco, has five children; Franklin, who lives near Ansley, has two children; John G., of Custer county, has one child; Perry of Ansley, has one child; William Kem, married, and living in Ravenna; Mrs. Lulu E. Gooch, of Ansley, has one child; Judson C., at home. Mr. Lanum is known as a prosperous and energetic man of affairs, and besides several other desirable properties, owns three hundred and twenty acres of well-improved and equipped stock and grain farm land.

 

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OSCAR REEVES.

   Prominent among Madison county's old settlers is Oscar Reeves, who has made this region his home many years, and during that time has always done his full share in aiding in the developulent of the agricultural resources of this section of the country. Mr. Reeves lives on section twenty-one, township twenty-two, range three, where he has a fine home and valuable estate, and where he and his family enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.
   Mr. Reeves is a native of old Virginia, in which state his birth occurred, August 3, 1875. He is a son of J. C. and Cynthia (Cox) Reeves, who were natives of North Carolina and Virginia, respectively.
   In 1876, our subject's father came to Madison, county, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead in section twenty-one, School Craft, township range three, and immediately began to improve same, which was done under very great difficulties and many discouragements.
   The first few years of residence here, the grasshopper pests, which devastated that region, destroyed every spear of crops to be found for miles around. After their visits, the ground would be bare, with scarcely stubble enough to tell there had been anything growing there before. Prairie fires were another source of anxiety and danger in the pioneer days, and many times our subjects father and family were compelled to fight the treacherous flames that would come rustling on them almost unawares, the family often just barely saving their homes and lives. Deer and antelope were plentiful in those days, and the family often saw them in herds, grazing on the open prairies. As late as 1894, which, by the way, was about the last calamity to visit this section of country, our subject lost the entire crops by the hot winds that burned all vegetation to a crisp, the winds being due to the terrible drouth which prevailed in that year.
   Mr. Reeves was united in marriage, February 22, 1900, to Miss Beatrice Clark, a native of Nebraska, and a daughter of James and Sally (Casey) Clark. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves became the parents of three fine children, named as follows: Howard, who died March 30, 1908; Cleava, who died April 20, 1908, and Norah, who died May 10, 1908, all dying of scarlet fever.

 

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DENTON V. JOYNER.

   Denton V. Joyner, a prominent citizen of Broken Bow, is one of Custer county's early settlers, and has been identified with various business interests there. He has been actively interested in public affairs, and has held office as deputy under several county treasurers. He is, perhaps, best known for his good work in the newspaper fieId, and has also been prominent as an educator. Mr. Joyner was born in Taylor, New York, July

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