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Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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teen years, working on ships that took him all over the world. He visited nearly all Foreign countries, including the East Indies, Australia and South America.

     After a trip to New Zealand in 1881 he returned to Norway and remained at home for about two years, then took passage on an emigrant steamer for America, arriving in New York in the spring of 1886. He struck out across the country for the west, and landed in Albion, Nebraska, on July 7th, of the last mentioned year, spent one week there, then went to Hay Springs, and soon afterward located in Box Butte county. At that time Hemingford boasted of only two stores, one of which was a hardware store which was conducted in a sod shanty. He filed on a homestead in section 8, township 26, range 48, and for a time worked on the railroad, doing grade work. He began to improve his claim, putting up a sod house, and "batched it" for nine years, gradually developing a good farm and cultivating his ground with a team of mules. The drouth seasons came on and he suffered the loss of nearly all his crops. His first good crop was in the year, 1888, when he had a good yield of sod corn, and the following year was also a good one. The year of 1890 was a complete failure and he was compelled to go out by the day to earn money to make a living. He met with many hardships and discouragements, but stuck to his farm, proving up on it, and in 1893 returned to Norway to look after some business affairs which arose on account of the death of a brother there. After being absent a few months he came back, continued to improve his place and bought more land, and is now the owner of a ranch of six hundred and forty acres, cultivating one hundred and forty-five acres of this, and using the balance as a cattle ranch. He raises quite a good many horses, also cattle each year for the markets. Mr. Rasmussen has a fine estate, well supplied with good buildings, having a nice story and a half house, large barns, and other necessary outbuildings.

     Mr. Rasmussen was married in Iowa in 1895, to Miss Julia Lewison, who was born in Norway, coming to this country with her parents when a young girl, the family settling as pioneers in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen have been the parents of five children, who are named as follows; Elida, Hilda, Simon, Marion and Samuel Lewis, the last named dying at the age of twenty-one months.

     Our subject has always lent his best efforts to the building up and improving of conditions in his locality, helping to establish the schools, and taking an active interest in all local school and political matters. He is a Republican in policitics.

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DAVID H. SHULTZ.

     David H. Shultz, a gentleman of superior education and splendid characteristics, is widely known and highly respected alike for his genuine worth of mind and heart, his upright business methods, honesty, and his friendly and courteous spirit. He resides in Potter, Nebraska, where he is engaged in the real estate business.

     Mr. Schultz was born in Marklesburg, Pennsylvania, on March 9, 1843, and lived in his native state for thirty-three years. He was educated at Juniata University, and after coming out of college spent a number of years engaged in educational work at the Juniata Theological Seminary. He went to Lena, Illinois, in 1876, an served as pastor of a Lutheran church there for two years; from there he was transferred to Lanark, Illinois, following the same work for an equal length of time. He was then called to Rising City, Nebraska, and there organized the first Lutheran church, also at Surprise, and also the Bethel church in York county. He afterward organized a church at David City, and served as pastor for one year, then removed to Potter, where he again organized a church and became pastor. He was a faithful worker and was greatly beloved by his parishioners, but on account of failing eyesight was compelled to give up his work. Mr. Shultz is distinctly an organizer, building up the waste and desolate places. He has shown great strength in drawing together weak congregations and making them self-sustaining. After retiring from the ministry he engaged in ranching in 1894, taking up a homestead in section 32, township 16, range 53, which he has since sold. He later purchased a section of table alnd and a hay ranch on Pumpkin Seed creek, containing in all ten hundred and forty acres, which is devoted to ranching interests, and while he resides in Potter and carries on an extensive real estate business, he also personally supervises his ranch. Mr. Shultz takes an active interest in the welfare of the county and state, and is particularly interested in its progress along educational and religious lines, having been a prominent educator nearly all his life. When an effort was made by another denomination to purchase the Lutheran church of Potter, during the dry period in the early nineties when the congregation was scattered, Mr.

     Schultz influenced the synod to send out an energetic and active minister, and together they rejuvenated the organization and they now have a strong and growing congregation.

     Mr. Shultz has been married twice, his first wife dying in Potter, March 24, 1907, leaving no children. She was a lady of most estimable


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character and charming personality, and her death was sincerely deplored by a large circle of friends.

     Mr. Shultz is a Republican in political views, and lends his influence for good government.

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GEORGE HAAS.

     Constant industry, careful management and unswerving honesty are the secret of the noblest success possible on American soil. He who can work hard, plan and manage well, and stand "four-square to all the winds that blow," may be rich or poor, but he will be honored and respected by all who know him. Such a man is George Haas, who has borne his full share in the making of western Nebraska, and well merits an honored place among its pioneer and early settler. Mr. Haas was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, August 4, 1847. His father, George Haas, Sr. came to American shores with part of his family about 1853, settling in Ohio on a farm, our subject following his father to this country in 1862, sailing from Hamburg in May and after a stormy passage of fifty-three days, landed in New York. Up to1878 he made Ross county, Ohio, his home, having there a farm of forty-four acres, with a comfortable little house.

     He came to Nebraska in 1878 and settled on a farm near Johnstown and remained there for five years, then bought his present homestead in section 9, township 30, range 23, where he has lived continuously since. He has seen hard times since coming here, going through the dry years when he lost two crops entirely and experienced all the discouragements of those years.

     He has now built up a good home and farm, owning one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred and fifteen acres of which is in a high state of cultivation, and all improved with food buildings including comfortable house, large barns, granary and other farm buildings, with his land all fenced and fitted with an ample supply of modern farm machinery. He devotes all his time to the building up of his place and well deserves the success he has attained. There is a grove of over a thousand trees on his place, affording shade in the summer and a windbreak in the winter.

     Mr. Haas was married in 1870 while living in Ohio to Miss Phoebe Lamenshimer, at native of the state of Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Hass have been born the following children; Effie, Lizzie, Fred, Kate, John, Okey, William, Charles, Albert and Minnie. The family are highly esteemed in the community in which they reside, and are popular members of society. Politically, Mr. Haas votes with the Democratic party.

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HENRY E. GOODALL.

     Henry E. Goodall was born in London, England, September 1849. His father, Thomas Goodall, was an importer of olive oil and remained in this business all his life. His mother, Ann Aldrich, was a descendant of Henry Aldrich, who was dean of Christ Church College, Oxford, England, in 1636. A great many of her people were college professors and clergymen. Our subject was reared and educated at a private school in Leeds, England, and after leaving this school he studied law with two different law firms. He also worked in the John Fowler Company steam plow works.

     In 1872 he left Liverpool for America, embarking on the 26th day of March and coming direct to Nebraska. Our subject and his partner told the trainmen that they wanted to go as far as the train would take them. The last rail was then laid to Harvard, Clay county, and here he filed on a homestead on section 14, township 7, range 7. He has built up a home, improved it and proved up on the claim which was his home for ten years.

     Part of this time our subject drove an ox team, which was the first team he had ever learned to handle. The first building on his claim was a sod house, in which he witnessed the grasshopper raids. After losing three crops by hail our subject leased his farm and moved to Clay Center, where he lived for some time. He was deputy clerk for one year, and deputy clerk of the district court.

     He was married in 1885 to Miss Carrie A. Boyd, only daughter of Robert W. Boyd, an attorney at Eddyville, Iowa. In November, 1887, he moved to the town of Grant in Perkins county, where he opened the first abstract office in the county , and went into the real estate business. In May 1889, he was admitted to the bar before Judge A. H. Church, and has practiced law continuously ever since. He was elected county attorney n Perkins county and has served as county attorney in both Perkins and Keith counties.

     Feeling the need of a change, our subject bought a ranch in Keith county, where he has resided for several years. This ranch is located at Korty, between Ogallala and Paxton, in the South Platte river valley. He has all improvements on this ranch, good buildings and fences. Here he does considerable farming, having one hundred and forty acres under cultivation. The ranch comprises one thousand nine hundred and fifty acres, on which are growing numerous


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shade and fruit trees. He also has property in Ogallala, which town our subject calls his home. He moved from Grant to Ogallala in 1897, engaging in the practice of law. Here his wife, who is a woman of remarkable literary attainments, became owner, editor and publisher of the Republican Argus, a weekly paper published in the town of Ogallala. Our subject has taken an active part in the affairs of his community for over thirty-six years and has watched the growth and advancement of the region in which he has resided and is regarded as one of the most progressive of the old settlers of the state. He has taken an active part in the development of the county and state in which he lives, and is a leader in all matters of public interest.

     Our subject is an Episcopal churchman, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the State Bar Association. He has one son, Robert Aldrich Goodall, who was born October 8, 1891. Mr. Goodall is widely known throughout the state and is one of the most popular men in the state, where he is honored for his honesty of purpose and other sterling traits of character. He is a Republican in his political affiliations and has held many offices, the duties of which he has executed with great satisfaction to the people.

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PHILIP CONARD.

     Among those who have settled more recently in Garfield count, but nevertheless, during his short residence here, accumulated a nice property through his industrious habits and strict attention to duty, is the gentleman who name heads this review. Mr. Conard Owns a well developed farm in section 11, township 22, range 15, and is well known and highly respected in the community.

     Philips Conard was born in Lee county, Illinois, in 1863. He is a German descent, his parents being natives of Pennsylvania, both dying when our subject was a small boy. He grew up in Iowa and Nebraska. In 1888 Mr Conard came to Nebraska and settled in Rock county, where he took up a pre-emption of one hundred and sixty acres, remaining there up to 1892, then moved to Garfield county. Here he bought one hundred and sixty acres, also took three hundred and twenty acres under the Kincaid act, and now owns a valuable piece of property, engaging principally in the culture of small grains, and since locating here he has never had a crop failure and has made money. Mr. Conard much prefers this country to any in the east for the poor man, and says there is no excuse for a man not getting along who is willing to work and exercise good judgment in his line of business, and especially if he follows farming. His farm is well improved with good buildings, commodious barns and other farm necessities. He is a thoroughly practical farmer, employing modern methods in all his operations, and is recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of his locality.

     Mr. Conard has never married. Politically he is a Republican, but has never aspired to office.

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JOHN E. HUNT.

     John E. Hunt, who although comparatively a newcomer in Morrill county, has been a resident of Nebraska for many years past, is owner of a valuable property in Bayard precinct. Mr. Hunt is a native of Knox county, Ohio, born June 9, 1848, a son of George W. and Elizabeth R. (Eirp) Hunt, natives of Ohio and the District of Columbia respectively.

     About 1855 the family, consisting of five sons and three daughters, moved to Fayette county, Illinois, where they lived for about six years, the father engaged in farming. From there they moved to Christian county and remained in Illinois near Pana until 1875, when our subject left home and emigrated to Nebraska, his first location being Fillmore county.

     Remaining there for about fourteen ears, he moved to Box Butte county, where he took up some land and farmed for nine years, improving a good place.

     Mr. Hunt finally settled in Morrill, formerly Cheyenne, county, in 1898, purchasing a home in section 36, township 21, range 52, and afterwards acquired sufficient additional land to make a ranch of two hundred and twenty acres are irrigable . Here he has made a success in building up a good home and is fast becoming one of the wealthy men of his locality. He is progressive and up-to-date in his methods, industrious and thrifty and enjoys the esteem and respect of all who know him. Vigorous of mind and body, his epigrammatic expressions, short and crisp, are of never failing interest to his listeners. Quiet a portion of his farm is devoted to grain raising and he also has plenty of hay land, With thirty-five acres of alfalfa. Beside his present about one hundred and fifty head, including cattle, horses and hogs. He has improved his estate by erecting a good residence, large barns and other buildings and has a fine grove of tall trees surrounding the the home buildings, with a thrifty orchard of a variety of fruit trees in bearing. A view of the dwelling in its fine grove and surrounding buildings is to be found on another page.

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Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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     Mr. Hunt was married in 1872 to Miss Catherine Secrest. To them were born three children, Eva M., Lily M. and George H., but the wife and mother died in 1880. On December 27, 1886, our subject was married the second time to Miss Lily M. Gilmore, the first white child born in York county, Nebraska, where her parents were pioneers. The father, Jacob Rush Gilmore was a direct descendent of Benjamin Rush, of Revolutionary fame. He enlisted in the ninety-day service of the Union army in April, 1861, in Company D, Twentieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at Pontiac, Illinois, Re-enlisted June 1, 1861, for three years, at Joliet, Illinois, and again April 9, 1865, at Black Run, Mississippi. He was discharged because of disabilities at Goldsboro, North Carolina. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg and was one of the few who escaped alive from the awful explosion at "the crater" at Fort Hill.

     To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt have been born the following children: Susa Bell, now the wife of Arthur Jones, they living in Moorfield, Nebraska; John E., Jr., Omar T. (deceased), Col E. and Nellie Hattie, all at home.

     Both of Mr. Hunt's parents are dead, while Mrs. Hunt's father resides in California.

     Mr. Hunt is a staunch Democrat in politics and his opponents know he is not a passive one. When he goes into a campaign the opposing side knows it has a fight to the finish on hand. Together with his wife he is a member of the Methodist church and the Loyal Mystic Legion.

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JOHN E. SANDERS.

     John E. Sanders, widely known as a gentleman of enterprise and ability, is a prosperous farmer and ranchman of Davison precinct. He has followed farming since his boyhood, has a thorough knowledge of the same, an has met with marked success in his endeavors. He is one of the prominent old settlers of Cheyenne county, having lived there for the past twenty years, and since his residence there has done his full share toward the development of the resources of the county where he chose his home in the early days.

     Mr. Sanders was born in Erie county, New York, August 19, 1853, and three years later, after the death of the father, the mother took her little family and emigrated to the state of Iowa, locating in Washington county, where John was reared and educated, receiving a good training: he followed farm work during his boyhood, remaining in Iowa up to 1883. After a year in Lancaster county, Nebraska, he returned to Iowa, where he remained five years. In 1889 he again turned westward, arriving in Sidney April 19. In the fall of that year he filed a homestead in section 8, township 16, range 51. He proved up on the land and later took an additional Kincaid homestead of four hundred and eighty acres in section 6, which is now the home ranch. His first buildings were constructed of sod, and his start necessarily slow, owing to his limited means, but as be became able to raise good crops, he constantly improved his land with good buildings, and worked into the stock business until he is now one of the most successful and well-to-do men of his community. At present he farms about two hundred acres, and run fifty to sixty head of cattle and sixty horses and mules. He is proprietor of six hundred and forty acres, all good farm and rand land, whith a good water supply, and every necessary piece of farm machinery. The dwelling was reconstructed in the spring of 1909, making a commodious country home. A view of the premises is shown on another page.

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     Mr. Sanders was married when he reached his twenty-first year, to Miss Elizabeth Pfeiffer, a native of Iowa, the event taking place in Brighton, Washington county, Iowa, on July 23, 1874. Twelve children were born to them, who are named as follows: Emmons H., married and living on section 12, west of his father's ranch; Edward C., owner of a good homestead on section 18; Frederick and John E., both deceased; Augustus R., who suffered an injury to his foot by a gunshot wound some years ago, is at home; Julia A., wife of George Moore, residing in Sidney; Myra A., married to Dan Aldrich, also living in Sidney; Grover C., who died in 1888; Leslie V., married and living in Cheyenne county; Luthera May, who sustained a severe bodily injury from a snake bite when eight years of age; with Sadie F. and Ida E., are living at home. They form a most interesting family, and are upright, energetic young people, and a credit to their parents, all filling useful places in the world. Mr. Sander's mother is now living in Iowa, our subject and younger brother being her only children by her first marriage.

     In political views Mr. Sanders adheres to the Democratic party, is a loyal supporter of his political faith and one of the prominent old-timers of the region in which he has spent so many years. Mrs. Sanders is a member of the Methodist church.

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MARTIN ROCHFORD.

     The gentleman whose name heads this review resides in section 13, township 24, range 43, Sheridan county, Nebraska. Mr. Rochfold was born in Rochester, New York, in 1869, and


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