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the Indians for these girls from Indiana. Among the most notable trinkets in their possession are war clubs, the pipes of peace, an entire suit of Indian boy clothes, war bonnet, scabbards of note, pipe bags, ceremonial dancing moccasins, saddle blanket which appears on their favorite saddle horse in the illustration above mentioned, besides many minor trophies of their visit to the reservation. What has been accomplished in the sand hill country by these girls reared in luxury and ease in their eastern home, is an inspiration to others of their sex who would attain independence by their own effort, energy and indomitable will.

     On another page of this volume we present an interesting view of the residence and ranch property of the Misses Van Orsdoll.

     Almon Stuart, a prominent resident of Kearney county, Nebraska, has a pleasant home in Minden, where he resides with his family, highly esteemed by all who know him. Mr. Stuart was born in Watertown, New York, December 4th, 1821. He is a son of Asa Chapman Stuart, who fought in the war of 1812. The family moved to Michigan when our subject was a boy, and when a young man went to St. Joseph, Indiana, where he spent some time. The mother of our subject was Miss Elizabeth Sherman Wilcox, whose father was in the Revolutionary war. At the breaking out of the Civil war Mr. Stuart enlisted in the 9th Indiana Infantry. Company I, and served for three years. He was all through West Virginia and in the army of the Tennessee. He was twice wounded at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and once at the battle of Chickamauga, and still carries the ball that he received at the latter place, at the age of eighty-seven years. He fought in all the important battles of the west, and relates with interest many interesting occurrences of that time.

     In 1878 Mr. Stuart came to Nebraska and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Kearney county. He gave the township in which he settled its name when it was organized as Cosmos, and was elected supervisor, also served as a member of the county board for three terms, proving a very efficient official He was assessor for some years, and an active public-spirited citizen. He is proud of the fact that for over thirty years he has not owed any man a cent, and is in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence which enables him and his wife to surround themselves with all the comforts of life in their advanced years. They reside in their home in Minden surrounded by many warm friends, and do their best to make the lives of their family and the community peaceful and happy. For fifty-nine years Mr. and Mrs. Stuart have traveled the path of life together. They are agnostic in faith, if one may so call it, living consistent lives, with charity for all. On another page will be found portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart.

     Mr. Stuart is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and his wife of the Ladies Auxiliary of that post.

     Andrew F. Chalberg, a prosperous agriculturist and stockman of Chappell precinct, has been a resident of Deuel county for the past twenty years, and during that time has gained a valuable estate for himself and the respect and esteem of his fellowmen.

     Our subject was born in Sweden, in 1859. He grew to manhood there, following farming as a boy, remaining in Sweden until he was twenty-four years of age, then came to the United States, and was the only member of his family to leave their native land.

     After arriving in this country Mr. Chalberg located in Muskegon, Michigan, and made that locality his home for about two years, drifting around afterwards for several years, and finally coming to Deuel county, Nebraska, in 1888. Here he filed on homestead rights on section 6, township 12, range 44, proved up on a quarter section, and afterwards took additional land on sections 5 and 6. He erected a rude building as a dwelling, and other farm sheds, and began the improvement of his farm. During the early part of his residence here he planted trees which are now a valuable feature of his place. At different times he met with disappointments in building up his homestead, but constantly added improvements as he was able, and now has the place all in fine shape.

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     Mr. Chalberg devotes about fifty acres to grain raising, and has plenty of good pasture and hayland for his stock, running about sixty head of cattle and some horses. He has been most successful in his farming ventures during later years, but during his early residence here the hardships endured were many and bitter. Conditions are now entirely different, and in the case of our subject's work all comforts of farm life are supplied and all machinery for lightening the farm labor is at hand.

     On March 1st, 1891, our subject was married at Omaha, to Miss Amelia S. Anderson, who was born in Sweden, coming to America in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Chalberg have four children, named as follows: Edward E., born February 11th, 1893, Elsie Sophia, born December 24th, 1894, Ester Caroline, born April 20th, 1902, and Ellen Mary, born October 17th, 1906. They are a happy and congenial family, and have a pleasant home and many friends.

     Mr. Chalberg takes a commendable interest in local affairs and has aided in every way possible to advance the best interests of his community. He has built up a good home and has been a potent factor in the development of the agricultural resources of the locality. He is a Republican politically, and has held school offices.

     Al Willerling is widely known throughout Rock county and the northern part of Nebraska as one of the very first business men to make a permanent home and settlement in the thriving little city of Newport. Only one other business man of Newport is now here who was in that city and engaged in business at the time of his coming. He has met the people as they came to make their homes in the county, and by his accommodating spirit honest methods and genial courtesy has won a host of friends who stand by him from the beginning.

     Mr. Willerling was born on a farm in Defiance county, Ohio, September 26, 1858, a son of Herman and Mary (Ohlinger) Willerling, and was reared and educated in his native community. His father owned a tannery in addition to his farming operations, and divides all his time between the two occupations. His mother, born in this country, came of a German parentage, and the subject of this writing was her second child. In all, her family consisted of four children. When he was seventeen years old Al Willerling left home and sought work for himself in the pine woods of northern Michigan and from time to time he was also employed in the iron mines of that region. In the winter of 1882 and 1883 Mr. Willerling was engaged as a cook for a surveying expedition that penetrated far into western Nebraska, then Sioux county, and in the course of these explorations saw much of what is now Dawes, Box Butte, Scott and Bluff counties as well as many other parts of the state. For a time he was cook at Fort Robinson. In 1884 he came to Stuart, and made a homestead entry in Holt county, on which he put up a sod house. In the course of these enterprises displaying much business ability, A. C. Powell, of Stuart, put him in charge of a general store at Atkinson, where for four years Mr. Willerling remained in his employ. In 1892 he went into partnership with J. W. Henderson, opening a general store in Newport, his partner retiring in his favor the following year. In 1902 he sold out, and for two years made his home in Leigh, Nebraska. In 1904 he set up in the wholesale hay business at Newport, and speedily became interested in several mercantile enterprises. He has a feed and confectionery store which is largely patronized, besides a ranch of seven hundred acres devoted exclusively to hay, of which he at times cuts six hundred tons in a season.

     Mr. Willerling was married June 16, 1890, to Miss Mary Butler, daughter of Finley and Margarett Butler, old settlers of Holt county. In political matters he is a Democrat, and has long taken an active part in local affairs. He holds membership in the Odd Fellows, the Workmen and the Woodmen lodges of Newport.

     Gustav Carlson, one of the prominent citizens of Valentine, is among the early settlers of Cherry county, where he has gained an enviable reputation as a business man.

     Mr. Carlson was horn in Engelholm, a village in the southern part of Sweden, in 1848, the eldest in a family of nine children. He grew to manhood in Sweden, and learned the carpenter trade with his father, beginning at the early age of twelve years. When twenty-one he left' his parents' home and followed his trade for a year and a half, as overseer of a large force of carpenters on a farm in Sweden. He came to America in 1871, landing in New York after a voyage of seven days. Going to Pennsylvania he secured employment with a railroad company, remaining in their service for two years. From there he went to Hornels-

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ville, New York, where he worked at his former trade. Later he returned to Pennsylvania and entered the employ of George Lepert, a furniture manufacturer, with whom he worked as employee for ten years. Gradually rising in the work in that factory he soon became superintendent and had charge of all of the machinery for seven years.

     In 1884 our subject came to Valentine and filed on a homestead eighteen miles northeast of the town. Here he built and lived in a sod house for a short time, during the building of a log house in which he lived the first years, farming while proving up on his homestead. He has since filed on a Kincaid homestead of four hundred and eighty acres one mile south of Valentine.

     In 1880 Mr. Carlson was married to Miss Amanda Anderson, a native of Sweden, who came to America with her parents when a child. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, namely, Alma, Amy, Effie, Hazel, Lloyd, Edgar and Levina.

     In 1891 the family moved to Valentine where Mr. Carlson follows his trade, doing all kinds of carpenter and cabinet work. He has a fine shop twenty-two by one hundred and eight, and also does picture framing, plumbing, etc. He has erected nearly all of the principal buildings in Valentine, and was appointed superintendent of construction of the Cherry county court house.

     In 1898 he started a hardware store but ran this for two years only, selling the business to return to his trade. In politics he is an Independent, takes an active interest in all local affairs, and is now on the town council serving his second term. Is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

     Charles J. Osborn, an agriculturist of prominence in Cheyenne county, resides on his fine farm in Sidney precinct. He has been closely identified with the public affairs of his locality' from the early stages of its development, serving in different capacities at various times, during the period 1894-'96 holding the office of county clerk, and has always taken an active part in county and state politics.

     Mr. Osborn was born five miles from Hillsboro, in Montgomery county, Illinois, June 30th, 1862, a son of Samuel C. and Lydia (Kendrick) Osborn who are now deceased. He lived on the home farm and received the usual schooling of the farmer lad in those times, remaining with his parents until 1885, when he came to Nebraska and located in Cheyenne county, where he spent a few months, then turned back to the eastern part of the state for a time, returning to Cheyenne county in the spring of 1886, and he has made this section his home ever since. He filed on a homestead in section 22, township 16, range 49, which he later sold, filing on another claim in section 14, township 14, range 50. now owning four hundred and eighty acres of deeded land, together with a full section, making a ranch of one thousand one hundred and twenty acres, which is known as the "Idlewild Ranch and Dairy Farm." He is engaged to a large extent in dairying, and keeps a large number of cows, besides other stock. He was among the first to raise high-grade Shorthorn cattle in this part of the state, and has made a complete success of his venture.

     Mr. Osborn farms about one hundred and thirty acres, raising corn and small grains. He has erected good buildings of all kinds, and every portion of the ranch bears evidence of good management and prosperity.

     Mr. Osborn married Miss Iva Bewley, a native of Montgomery county, Illinois. The wedding occurred there November 4th, 1883, the twenty-fifth anniversary of which was duly celebrated in 1908 by all their neighbors and friends from Sidney and the surrounding country. The parents of Mrs. Osborn, Oliver H. and Sarepta (Meisenheimer) Bewley, have both passed away. Mr. Osborn's family consists of the following children: Leo E., engaged in the decorating and painting business, residing in Sidney. One son, Maynard Waldo, now living in Sidney, married Winnifred Bixby. Viola Blanche, Jesse R. and Clifford are still at home. They are a most interesting family, and have a pleasant home, surrounded by a large number of warm friends in their community.

     Mr. Osborn and his wife are both active in neighborhood affairs, the former now acting as school moderator, while the latter holds the office of treasurer, school district No. 77. Mr. Osborn is independent of party lines, voting for principle and men rather than political affiliation. He is a member of the Methodist church of Sidney.

     Daniel Truax. a resident on section 34, township 32, range 34, is one who can say that he has seen Cherry county from its first development through storms. drouths, and wild Indian scares until it has become the prosperous and orderly community which is now presented to the world. It was a grand heroic

© 2001 NEGenWeb Project Resource Center, Marilyn J. Estrada, T&C Miller