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Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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then went back to his farm. He has lived on it continuously since that time, and now has eight hundred acres, well stocked and improved with good buildings, etc. Of this he farms two hundred and eighty acres, and uses the rest as a stock farm, having plenty of pasture and hayland.

     Mr. Myers was married in 1882, at Clayton, Adams county, Illinois, to Miss Louise C. Conn, and to them have been born two children, T. Wayne and Porter H.

     Politically, Mr. Myers is a Democrat, and has always devoted considerable time to the upbuilding of his locality and the good of his fellowmen. He has served in different capacities, holding the office of township assessor during one year. Mr. Myers is now "building up' a second farm, this being for his son, Porter H., who was married November 15, 1908.

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BENJAMIN F. PRICE

     Benjamin F. Price, a capable and prosperous farmer, is a gentleman possessed of a broad mind and excellent business ability, and has ben prominent in agricultural circles in Box Butte county for over twenty years. He was born in Berrien county, Michigan, in 1862. His father, John P. Price, was a farmer all his life descended from Welsh-Irish stock, who married Katherine Hines, of Pennsylvania-Dutch blood.

     Our subject was reared and educated in his native county, and grew up on his father's farm, where he had plenty of hard work to do during his boyhood years, receiving his education at the country schools. Both parents died before he reached the age of fourteen years, and he was obliged to hustle for himself from that time on, following farm work, hiring out by the month in the vicinity of his home, and he remained in Michigan until he was twenty-three years old. In the spring of 1886 he came west, and located in Box Butte county, filing on a homestead in Nonpareil precinct. When he landed here he had nothing to start with excepting $160.00 This money he had brought with him from Michigan, and he used it in opening up his farm, at once building a ten by twelve frame shanty in which he lived for a time, then built a sod house and held down his claim until proving up on it. During this time he lived all alone, "batching it," and experienced some pretty hard times in getting a start. He occupied this place up to 1901, then sold out and went back to his native state where he spent nine months, then returned to Nebraska, and purchased his present farm, situated in section 11, township 27, range 50. During the time he lived on his first farm in the region, he had several total failures of crops, and in the eight years he was there only raised enough grain to thresh twice.

     Mr. Price now owns a ranch of eight hundred and sixty acres, farming seventy-five acres of it, and keeping the rest for hay and pasture for his stock, as he raises cattle and horses for the market. He has erected good buildings, has a good well with windmills, tanks, etc., and every corner of his place kept in the best possible shape. Our subject has met with fine success in his agricultural ventures, and is numbered among the well-to-do men of his locality who have always taken an active part in the history of this region from its early development and done their full share as an old settler in helping to build up the schools in his locality.

     Mr. Price resides about three miles from the town of Hemingford, which place is his postoffice address. A picture of Mr. Price's ranch residence appears on another page.

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     In 1890 Mr. Price was united in marriage to Miss Luzilla Best, also of Michigan, her parents being pioneer settlers of Box Butte county. The marriage was celebrated near Alliance, Nebraska. Two children were born of this union, Gail, aged eleven years; and Merle, aged six years.

     Soon after Mr. and Mrs. Price were married they took stock, and found that their sole possessions in the way of personal property was a team of horses and one or two cows, and they experienced a great deal of hardship and privation during the hard times which swept their locality in the dry years, from 1891 to 1896. For a time they gave it up, and went to Denver, where they spent a few months, but decided to come back stick it through, and are now very glad that they did.

     Politically, Mr. Price is a Democrat.

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ADAM FRICKEY

     Although one of the recent settlers in Phelps county, the gentleman herein named has gained the esteem and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact by his industrious habits, and honesty of dealing with his fellowmen. Mr. Frickey was born in 1854. His father, August Frickey, came from Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Illinois, where he farmed for many years.

     Mr. Frickey came to Nebraska twenty-nine years ago, and later bought a farm in York county, in 1877, on which he lived for twenty-one years. He was engaged in the livery business at Benedict, and also in the horse business, dealing in imported animals. In 1905, our sub-


Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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page 322

ject settled in Laird township, Phelps county, and here he has raised three as good crops as he ever saw any place, his wheat in 1906 running thirty bushels and corn from fifty to sixty bushels per acre. He states that farming is much easier here, the soil is better and there are less obstacles to contend with in wet weather, the roads are better, as a man can drive a load over them at any time without any trouble. He intends to start in raising registered red hogs soon, as he thinks this an ideal place for the raising of hogs and cattle. He took a trip through the west some years ago, and of all the places he encountered says there is no better than this county for farming and stock raising.

     Mr. Frickey was married in 1878 to Miss Regalia Troutman. To Mr. and Mrs. Frickey six children have been born, four sons and two daughters, namely: Lillian, Warren, Earl, Scott, Ford and Lucile.

     Politically, our subject is a stanch Republican.

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JOSEPH HULINSKY

     Joseph Hulinsky, one of the best known men in Valley county, Nebraska, is also one of the oldest settlers in his locality, having located here with his parents in 1880, and has lived here ever since that time. He now resides in section 6, township 20, range 16, owning a nice property and enjoying a comfortable home.

     Mr. Hulinsky was born in Austria in 1871. He, with his parents, came to America when he was a boy of eight year, the father, Albert Hulinsky, taking up a government tract as a homestead in Valley county, and proved up on it, and at the time of his death which occurred in 1898, he owned a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all good land. The mother continued to live on the home farm until she also died, in 1905, when it went to the children.

     Our subject is now proprietor of three hundred and twenty acres of farm land, on which he raises fine crops of corn, oats, wheat, etc. He also handles considerable stock each year, and has met with decided success in his different enterprises. He is a practical farmer, industrious and a good manager, as every appointment of his farm and home bears evidence, and is classed among the well-to-do citizens of his locality.

     On another page will be found a picture of Mr. Hulinsky's residence together with his family.

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     In 1898 Mr. Hulinsky was married to Miss Mary Hosticka, also a native of Austria, who came to America with her parents in 1881, the family settling in Valley county, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Hulinsky are the parents of four children, one son and three daughters, named as follows: Annie, Frank, Mary and Agnes. The family are devoted members of the Bohemian Catholic church of Valley county, Nebraska.

     Our subject has always taken an active part in local affairs and has done his share in advancing the interests of his community. He has served as justice of the peace and township clerk, representing the Democratic party; has always voted that ticket since a young man, and is a supporter and admirer of William Jennings Bryan.

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JOHN A. MACUMBER

     The above named gentleman is one of the prominent old-timers of Dawes county, Nebraska, where he has materially aided in the growth of that region. Mr. Macumber is familiarly known as "The Headlight of Bordeaux," the cognomen which was applied to him through the Alliance meeting. He is a warm friend and admirer of James C. Dahlman, the "cowboy mayor" of Omaha, with whom he became acquainted when he first came to this country.

     Mr. Macumber was born in Gallia county, Ohio, on April 8, 1852. His father, J. A. Macumber, was also a native of Gallia county, and died January 23, 1907, having settled in Madison county, Iowa, in 1853, when our subject was but one year of age, he having been a twin, and one of a family of eight children by the second marriage of his father who also had four children by a first marriage. The homestead in Iowa where they lived for many years is still owned by a nephew, Emory Calison, and it was there that the children all grew up. There John learned to do all sorts of hard farm work and assisted his parents in building up a good home and farm, going through pioneer experiences when they were obliged to suffer many hardships and privation, handle ox teams, etc., and at the age of twenty-one years started in for himself, following farm work. He owned a two hundred acre farm there, and went through the panic of 1873, coming out of the trouble in very good shape financially.

     In 1886 Mr. Macumber came west, arriving in Dawes county in the month of March; went back to Iowa, sold his farm and returned with his family on the 8th of April 1886. They located in section 34, township 34, range 48, on Bordeaux creek, this stream also running through his land. He has plenty of natural timber on the place, and ninety acres is irrigated, on which he raises fine crops, and in all has one hundred and

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