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steady courage and good feeling and has won out in good shape. He is fine companion, a fluent conversationalist, and is always full of good cheer and friendliness. These characteristics have won for him a large circle of friends who always have a good word for Charlie Vaught.

     Jens Thomsen, who resides on section 1, township 34, range 29, in Cherry county, is one of the leading old-timers in this section, who has always done his full share in the betterment of conditions throughout the community in which he lives. Mr. Thomsen was born in Denmark, July 29, 1856. His father, Thomas, was engaged in making wooden shoes for many years in his native land and died in Denmark in 1892

     There were seven children in his father's family, of whom Jens was the fourth member, all being reared in Denmark. In early life he worked out on farms in the vicinity of his home, and learned the brickmaker's trade, following this occupation for many years. When he was thirty-two years of age he left his home and came to America. After landing in New York city he came west to Omaha, Nebraska, where he secured work in the brick yards and remained for some time. He next went to Schuyler, Colfax county, and there engaged in ranching and farm work, but in the spring of 1890 returned to Omaha and again obtained work in the brick yards for one summer. During that fall he moved to the western part of Cherry county, establishing a brick yard, but owing to hard times could not sell the product of his first kiln. The following spring he returned to the brick yards at Omaha, where he found work for one season. During the years of hard times his debts accumulated and for money to purchase a team he was required to pay twenty-four per cent., which, running for four years, virtually caused him to pay double for his horses. It is over such obstacles as these that the early settlers have come through to success.

     In 1892 Mr. Thomsen moved to Gordon, taking up a homestead in the western part of Cherry county. Here he lived in a sod shanty, and went through many hard experiences, losing crops by drouth (sic) and hail, everything seeming to be leagued against him for a time. He stuck to the farm, however, and proved up, then sold out and went to Valentine, where he rented a truck farm located south of the town. Here for seven years he devoted his time very successfully to gardening, and with a good market in Valentine for his produce, of which he raised an excellent quality.

     In the spring of 1906 he bought his present farm located northwest of Valentine, comprising three hundred and twenty acres, over one hundred of which are cultivated. Besides operating this he leases considerable land in the vicinity, and is engaged in dairying as well as grain and stock raising. It is equipped with good substantial buildings, windmill, tanks and so forth, making it one of the most desirable estates on the table.

     Mr. Thomsen was married in 1891 to Miss Caroline Stropp, a native of Denmark, who came to this country in 1890. Nine children were born to them, named as follows: Thomas, Sophia, Minnie, Lauritz, Emma, Jens, Lina and Lily (twins), and Annie, all the eldest born in Cherry county.

     Mr. and Mrs. Thomsen are members of the Fraternal Union of America and of the Lutheran church.

     A view of the family residence and its surroundings will be found elsewhere in this work.

     The gentleman above mentioned is counted among the oldest settlers in Sioux county, Nebraska, and since locating here, in 1889, has taken a foremost part in the development of this region. Incidentally he has built up a good home and farm in section 21, township 33, range 57.

     Mr. Wilson was born in Springfield, Keokuk county, Iowa, in 1860, descended of Dutch-Irish stock. His father, John P. Wilson, was a well known physician in Iowa, practicing there for many years, and died in Springfield when our subject was a small boy. Lorenzo Wilson's great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was captured by the British, held in irons for nine months, and nine months without irons, total eighteen months in prison. Until he died there plainly showed on his legs the cruel scars made by the irons he was bound in so long.

     Our subject's mother was Frances A. Linville, of an old Quaker family, born in Pennsylvania.

     Our subject grew up in Iowa, obtained a common school education, and was early obliged to make his own way in the world, starting for himself at the age of fourteen years, working on farms in the vicinity of his home town. In 1880 he came to Frontier county, Nebraska, where he remained for a short time. That part of the state was at that time.

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entirely undeveloped country, and he was not very favorably impressed with region, so returned to Iowa and followed farming for nine years, where he managed his grandfather's farm. The latter, Isaac G. Wilson, was one of the pioneers in Iowa, and died there in 1887, at the age of ninety years. Mr. Wilson came to Nebraska to locate permanently in the summer of 1889, filing on a pre-emption and tree claim situated in section 21, township 33, range 57, and here built a log shack and "batched it" up to 1903, continuing to improve his farm in good shape. He was quite extensively engaged in the cattle business during the first years he was in this locality and made some money in his stock raising operations. Mr. Wilson is now in very comfortable circumstances, but passed through many hardships and privations during his early settlement here, being obliged to work as a cowboy when he roughed it, camping out on the ground in all sorts of severe weather for weeks at a time, and suffering from exposure. He is now the owner of a ranch of eight hundred and eighty acres, also leases six hundred and forty acres near his ranch, and besides this extensive place manages his mother's farm of six hundred and forty acres located in sections 15 and 21.

     Among the men who came to Nebraska in the early seventies is the subject of this sketch, John R. Worthley, now retired, residing at North Platte, Lincoln county.

     Mr. Worthley was born at the top of Worthley Hill, near Manchester, New Hampshire, and was reared and educated there. In 1859 he obtained employment with the Hannibal & St. Joe Railway and was connected with that road during the Civil war. In 1868 he came to Nebraska and went to work for the Union Pacific Railway, being pit boss and machinist in the shops of the company at Omaha. He had learned the machinist's trade while still living in Manchester during his boyhood days. In 1873 he moved to Lincoln county, continuing at railroad work for eleven years, and then in 1885 he settled on a ranch located three miles north of North Platte, engaging in the live stock and milk business. He remained on this ranch up to 1905, then rented the place and moved to North Platte. The ranch comprised one thousand acres of good land, part bottom and part hill land, and is a valuable property. Mr. Worthley was very successful in its operation, and has been well rewarded financially for the years of hard labor he put in there.

     Mr. Worthley was married in 1861 to Miss Mary Parke, of Brookfield, Missouri, daughter of John and Sarah (Berry) Parke, who came west from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1840, settling in Iowa. A son of Mr. Worthley is connected with the Union Pacific Railway at Ogden, holding a responsible position with the company at that point.

     The Worthleys came from England and Scotland to America during the seventeenth century, settling in New England, and the family name and history is among the first and best of the old New Englanders. Our subject's mother was Miss Phoebe Roby, whose family was one of the first to settle in New England.

     Mr. Worthley is one of the leading citizens of North Platte, and a man who has always striven to identify himself with the best interests of his community, and is respected and esteemed by all who know him. He is a member of the Masonic blue lodge.

     William M. Iodence, one of the old settlers of the region where he chose his home in the early days, occupies a good home and valuable property in section 30, township 28, range 47, Box Butte county. He has done his share in the upbuilding of his locality, and is well and favorably known throughout this part of the state.

     Mr. Iodence is a native of Christian county, Illinois, born on a farm in 1860. His father, Henry, was born in Germany and came to America when a boy twelve years of age, and is the only member of his family who ever left the mother country. He married Jane Miller, a native of Illinois, whose parents were Kentuckians and early settlers in Illinois. Our subject was raised in his birthplace until he was eighteen years of age, receiving his education in the country schools and helping his father work the home farm, and in 1878 the whole family came to Nebraska, settling in Seward county, where William started out for himself. He had a pretty good practical training in a business way, a fair education for those days, and made some money by teaching school in the vicinity of their home, also keeping up his own studies and constantly forging ahead. He soon afterwards began studying law at Seward, and was admitted to the bar in 1887, and the same year located in this county, at Hemingford. He began practicing law at Hemingford, and was one of the first

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attorneys to open an office in that town, and remained there for sixteen years, building up a good practice and an enviable reputation extending throughout Dawes, Sheridan, Sioux and Scotts Bluff counties. In 1897 he started purchasing land and laid the foundation of his present extensive ranch, moving to the place in 1903. He now has one of the most valuable estates and best improved ranches in this section, engaging almost exclusively in horse and cattle raising. He owns in all thirty-six hundred acres in sections 17, 18, 19, 20, and 30, in township 28, range 47, and also in sections 13, 23 and 26, in township 28, range 48.

     Mr. Iodence was united in marriage at Seward, in 1885, to Mary Culliford, who was born in England in 1860 and came to America when a young girl. Her father, Thomas Culliford, was a well-to-do seed merchant of Bath, England. Mr. and Mrs. Iodence are the parents of two children, Charles Gladstone, aged twenty years, and Mary, eighteen years of age.

     Mr. Iodence is a strong Democrat and ha held public office, serving as county attorney, being elected in 1896.

     Among the prosperous citizens of Brown county who have spent many years in this locality is the subject of this review, John Timm, owner of a valuable estate in Garfield precinct.

     Mr. Timm was born in Henerau, Holstein, Germany, January 16, 1854, and there raised on his father's farm. He is the fourth member in a family of six children, and lived at home assisting his parents on the farm until his father's death, when he left home and began a career for himself. In 1879 he came to America, sailing from Hamburg in November on the steamship Selesia, and landed in New York. He came to Valparaiso, Indiana, which he reached December 4, and where he remained for ten years, working on the railroad during this time. In 1889 he traveled farther west, locating in Brown county, Nebraska, and settled on his present farm in section 6, township 31, range 21, where he built a log house of one room, in which he lived for several years. His start was on a very small scale, consisting of one horse, one pony and one cow. He at once went to work breaking up the prairie land and improving his farm, and was getting along fairly well when, in 1897, he lost his entire crop by hail and suffered other losses the same year, so he was obliged to give up the place. He then took a homestead in section 1, township 31, range 21, put up a shanty, and lived in this for five years, proving up on his claim. In 1905 he moved back to his first farm, where he built a fine new two-story house, a new barn, granary and other buildings, until he now has a ranch of one thousand acres, of which two hundred and twenty acres are cultivated, the remainder being in pasture and meadow. He engages principally in the cattle raising business, which he finds most profitable, and had he devoted his attention to this line of work in earlier years he would have been much better off, and would not have been affected so much by the dry years which caused him such heavy losses when he first came to Nebraska. In the spring of 1907 he rented the farm and purchasing a small place adjoining Ainsworth, is taking life easy in town.

     Mr. Timm was married March 7, 1877, while living in Germany, to Miss Katie Storm, whose parent came on to America after their daughter had settled here, locating in Grand Island, Nebraska, where her father's death occurred in 1886. One child came to bless this union, Anna, born in Germany in 1879. She is now Mrs. Arthur Daniels, living in this locality. Mr. Timm is one of the old settlers in this part of the county, and has done his full share in the building up of the country, well meriting his high standing as a substantial business man and worthy citizen. He is independent in politics and a member of the Lutheran church.

     James A. Brown, proprietor of one of the most valuable estates in Franklin county, Nebraska, has been a resident of that locality for twenty-five years. He is prominently known throughout the western part of the state as one of the foremost farmers and stockmen in Nebraska, and after many years hard labor in building up his business is now prepared to enjoy the remaining years of his life in peace and comfort, surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances. He still looks after his farm and business. Mr. Brown is a native of Massachusetts, and born in Rowe, four miles from the Hoosac Tunnel, in 1849. His father was Hezekiah Brown, son of Captain James Brown, who fought in the Revolutionary war.

     Our subject was raised in the east and came to Iowa in 1876, where he was engaged in farming and stock raising for a number of years. In 1883 he located in Grant township, Franklin county, Nebraska, where he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land,

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also leasing six hundred and forty acres of school land, and began farming, continuing at this work up to the present time. During the years he has followed farming he met with marked success in every enterprise, and from his experience in other states, finds Nebraska far ahead of some eastern states.

     Mr. Brown owns one thousand one hundred and twenty acres of good land in all, and has three houses and three large barns on his estate. He rents a part of the land now, having tenants living on the land. He has about one hundred and fifty cattle, all thoroughbred Shorthorns, and forty-five grades. The thoroughbreds are from stock brought here from Iowa by Dr. Finley, and the herd is one of the finest in this part of the state. He also has a great many Poland China hogs, and he feeds all the grain he raises on his place and then is compelled to buy some. Mr. Brown has one brother, John, who owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Grant township. Wm. D. lives at Rosehill, Kansas and Ida in Massachusetts.

     Our subject was married in 1889 to Ella Olson, who was born in Wisconsin. Mrs. Brown has two children from a former marriage, Ellery and Paul. Mr. Brown is a Republican, and takes an active interest in local affairs in his community. He has been a member of the school board for a number of years, and is one of the substantial and worthy citizens of his county, held in the highest esteem by his fellowmen.

     In compiling a list of the representative farmers and ranchmen of Keith county, Nebraska, a prominent place is accorded the name of William W. Stickler. For many years past he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in Paxton precinct, and has done his full share as an old settler towards the development of the better interests of his community, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. He has a comfortable home on section 22, township 14, range 35, and is the owner of a good farm.

     Mr. Stickler was born in the city of Joliet, Illinois, July 10, 1863. His father, Jacob, was a farmer, born in Pennsylvania, of German stock, who married Sarah Bentz, also of German parentage. Our subject grew up in Benton county, Indiana, where his parents moved when he was a small child, remaining at home until he was twenty-one years of age, then emigrated to Lexington, Dawson county, Nebraska, where he spent a short time, then came to Keith county. Here he filed on a homestead, taking possession May 1, 1886, the claim being located on section 12, township 12, range 37. When he landed in the region all the money he had in the world was thirteen dollars, and he worked out during the first summer, and earned money with which to put a few improvements on the place. His first team was of oxen, which he broke and used for two seasons. His first buildings were of sod, his shanty being a rude shack, and in this he lived, "batching it" for five years. Much of his time was spent working out in the vicinity of his homestead, and during these years he witnessed all the pioneer times, going through droughts, losing several crops by the dry seasons, also experience severe hailstorms which destroyed what the droughts did not take. However, he stuck to his claim up to 1900, then sold out and moved to a rented farm, which was situated in the North Platte valley, remaining there for three years, when he purchased his present homestead on section 22, township 14, range 35. This was an old farm which had run to weeds, and he went to work improving it, putting up good buildings, fenced it, and now has everything in good shape. He has nice large hog pastures, keeping quite a drove of this stock, thirty acres of alfalfa, ten acres of sugar beets, the same amount in oats, and thirty acres of corn. This is for the present season of 1908.

     Mr. Stickler was married on August 1, 1900, to Miss Lena Lark, born in Boone county, Iowa. To them have been born the following children: Mildred, Erma and Wilma. Mr. Stickler takes an active interest in local affairs, voting the Populist ticket. He is a member of the Paxton camp, Modern Woodmen of America.

     Luther Lydell is a native of Missouri, and was born on the White river, in Berry county, May 11, 1873. His parents, Lyman Lydell and Laura (Scott) Lydell, were farmers by occupation and emigrated to Loup county, Nebraska, in 1879. They drove through from Missouri in a covered wagon in the orthodox emigrant way and located near the village of Taylor. During the first fall they lived in a tent, enduring many hardships and often having to fight prairie fires for hours in order to save their property from utter destruction. Once, when the father was away, a fire swept up, partly consuming the tent, and the most strenuous efforts of Mrs. Lydell and the children were necessary or everything would have

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been destroyed. At this time the nearest railroad point was Central City, one hundred and twenty miles away, and many times Luther and his father camped out and slept on the ground on their long trips for supplies. They built a sod house and other buildings in the fall, and winter found them more comfortably situated. It was on this farm that Luther grew up and learned the ways of farming.

     The subject of our sketch remained at home working for his father until the spring of 1892, when he struck out for himself, working out at different kinds of labor until the spring of 1895. At this time he drove overland with team and wagon to Walla Walla, Washington, enjoying on the trip many interesting experiences, camping out, hunting, etc. From 1897 to 1899 Mr. Lydell lived in Taylor and conducted a prosperous freighting business. He settled at his present farm in 1899, giving his principal attention to stock raising, at which he is making a good success. He is well and favorably known as a successful business man, farmer and stock raiser, and he has in many ways added to the material growth and solid improvement of the community.

     In the spring of 1897 occurred the wedding of Mr. Lydell and Miss Minnie Clark, whose father was a pioneer of Illinois and a veteran of the Civil war. In an early day her father came to Loup county, Nebraska, where he died. Mrs. Lydell's mother was Katherine Ridgeway before her marriage.

     The marriage of Mr. and Mr. Lydell has been blessed with five children--Edna, Esther, Ruth, Ralph and Theresa--a most interesting group, and all go to school near their home.

     It would be impossible to give a sketch of the history of western Nebraska without including a sketch of the life of Adam S. Garman, who is one of the most prominent of the old settlers. He was born in York county, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1849. His father, Peter Garman, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer by occupation. His mother, Marry Swartz, was also born in the Keystone state.

     Mr. Garman lived in Pennsylvania for several years and received a good common school education. In 1871 he came to Illinois and settled in Fulton county, where he farmed. He then want to Iowa, where he spent one summer, after which he returned to Fulton county, going into the well drilling business, which he followed for eight years in Fulton and McConough counties before coming to Hall county, Nebraska, in 1883, where he farmed for four years.

     In the spring of 1887 he came to Deuel county, Nebraska, and settled on a homestead thirty-five miles northwest from Ogallala. He built a sod house on the claim and after proving up he sold the homestead and returned to Hall county after seven years' absence. During the hard time of the early nineties Mrs. Garman taught school to keep the family in provisions while Mr. Garman attended to the heavier duties of the ranch.

     He returned to Ogallala in 1899 and opened a restaurant, which he conducted for fifteen months. He opened his present fruit and confectionery store in 1900, and since that time he has added to the stock from time to time. He also buys and ships cream, and from a very small beginning he has built up a very successful business and is regarded as a good type of the old settler. He owns three lots and a comfortable residence in Ogallala.

     He was married in 1879 to Miss Cristine Weese, who was born and reared in Fulton county, Illinois, where her father, Samuel Weese, a native of Tennessee, was a successful farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Garman have five children--Charles, Frank, Dolly, formerly a teacher, now the wife of Leroy Dodson, now living in Detroit; Sam, and Cora, bookkeeper and typewriter in the county judge's office.

     Mr. Garman is a Republican and a member of the Lutheran church.

     Prominent among Cherry county's old settlers is Peter Riege, who since the fall of 1883 has made this region his home and done his share in the developing of the agricultural resources of this section of the country. Mr. Riege is a native of the village of Rosenweide, province of Hanover, Germany, born September 4, 1849. His father, Peter, Sr., was a gardener and laborer in the fatherland, where both he and his wife lived and died. There was a family of six children, our subject being the only one who grew to manhood. He was reared in his native country, following gardening until he was forty-one years old, when he came to America. Sailing from Hamburg, March 9, on the steamship Lessing, he landed in New York city March 27, and immediately started for the west, arriving in Platte county, Nebraska, where he had friends from the old

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country. Here he rented land for three years, then left and moved to Cherry county, driving from Valentine with an ox team and wagon, in which he carried his household goods and farming tools. He located on the Niobrara river and put up a log house and the necessary sheds for the stock and then found himself two hundred dollars in debt. He worked hard, broke sod and planted his first crop, reaping a bountiful harvest. During the succeeding years he saw hard times and had a struggle to make a living for his family. By perseverance he added to his land, erected a better dwelling and several miles of fence. He is now proprietor of nine hundred and sixty acres in this county, and operates besides this one hundred and sixty adjoining, belong to his son Herman. This place is well supplied with timber, and a large part is used for hay land, with quite a portion of it in a high state of cultivation.

     Mr. Riege was married in Germany, April 15, 1864, to Miss Lizzie Richman. Her parents were also engaged in gardening in the old country, and lived and died there. Mr. and Mrs. Riege had a family of six children, three of whom are dead, the surviving three named as follows: August, now employed in San Francisco; Herman, who lives with his father and assists him in the management of the home farm, and William, who is farming four miles west of his father's farm. Mrs. Riege died February 28, 1886, only a few years after the advent of the family to Nebraska. All are members of the Lutheran church of German precinct.

     When the family first came here they suffered many hardships, especially during the dry years, and when their crops failed had a hard time to get the necessary supplies, being often compelled to go without coffee for want of money to buy it, but in spite of many discouragements and hardships they prospered and now enjoy the fruits of their hard labors. In 1906 Herman visited his native village, where he remained three months among childhood scenes with relatives.

     Located very pleasantly in section 20, township 34, range 28, is to be found the somewhat notable gentleman whose name introduces this biographical writing. He has been identified with the history of Cherry county from a very early date, and his contributions to the making of northwestern Nebraska, while they have largely consisted of those unobtrusive ways and habits of which little mention is ordinarily made, have been such industrious habits, such persistent and invariable honesty of purpose and force of character, and such an earnest desire to live the best American life, that he is widely known as one of the leading and influential early settlers of the county.

     Mr. Kalblinger was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, May 26, 1858, his birthplace being a farm house, and his associations from the first being with agricultural interests. It is natural therefore that he should be a farmer, and that he should find success in life's endeavors in the tilling of the soil.

     Andrew Kalblinger, the father of Joseph S., was born in Germany and found a home in the United States in 1855. His wife, Barbara, died when the subject of this sketch was six months old, leaving him the youngest of a family of seven children. The father did not long survive the loss of his wife, and with his death the young orphan became a member of the household of his uncle, where he remained until he had passed the age of six years. For the ensuing twelve years he made his home with John Heyls, of Prospect, Butler county, Pennsylvania, and when he was eighteen years of age betook himself to the oil country, where he was employed at Petroleum, Pennsylvania, as a tool dresser for some two years. In 1877 Mr. Kalblinger came into Nebraska and engaged in farming near Nebraska City for some six years. While here he was married in March, 1885, to Miss Sarah J. Mapel. Her father, William Mapel, was of German descent, and her mother, Martha (Jenkins) Mapel, belonged to an old American family. Mr. and Mrs. Kalblinger have a bright and interesting family of nine children--Eunice Maude, Nettie Belle, Andrew Joseph, Harold Ernest, William Melvin, Harry Clinton, Jennie Gladys, Roy Arlington and Guy Kitchner--all of whom were born in Nebraska.

     In the spring of 1886 Mr. Kalblinger came to Cherry county and filed on a claim on section 19, township 35, range 28, and built a sod house. Mrs. Kalblinger joined him in the fall following and their home has been in Cherry county ever since. In 1898 they bought the farm where we find them at this writing. Then he acquired a title to two hundred and eighty acres, consisting chiefly of raw prairie land, which they have greatly improved with the needed farm buildings, fences and the bringing of some fifty acres under cultivation. Mr. Kalblinger is largely engaged in dairying, and plans to do much more in this line in the very near future. So far as he knows he is the first to discover that western

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