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ting up good buildings and making many improvements. He disposed of that place in the latter year and came to Brown county, where he took a homestead on section 6, township 28, range 21, his first building here being a sod house in which he lived with his family for two years. He went successfully through the dry years, for it was during those times that he raised his best crops, and was very successful, paying off his mortgage on the place, when many others had a hard time to get along and make a living. He acquired a fine farm of eight hundred acres, one hundred and fifty of which is cultivated, and the balance in hay and pasture land, which he traded for the Osborn House in Ainsworth. This he later exchanged for a fine tract of forty acres near Norfolk, which is highly improved. He since purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 35, southeast of Ainsworth, which he personally superintends, dividing his time between this land and his home in Ainsworth.

     January 4, 1866, Mr. Wanker was married to Miss Sarah Carter, born in Ohio, of American blood. Eight children were born to them, namely: Louis (deceased), Lillian, Frank, Rose, Flora, Mary, Orris and Bessie. Mrs. Wanker died on December 30, 1900, and was interred the first day of the new year. In her loss the family had the sympathy of the entire community. On July 20, 1902, Mr. Wanker was again married, Miss Rebecca McKennon becoming his bride. He is a Republican in politics and a comrade in the Grand Army of the Republic of Ainsworth. He was reared in the Catholic church.

*Portion between the two asterisks in the above bio appears exactly as it is in the original book. Interpretation is left to descendants.      

     Mr. Higgins was born August 7, 1856, in Ritchie county, West Virginia, and made that vicinity his home until he was twenty-four years of age. He was the only boy in a family of six children, received a common school education, and followed farm work as a young man: he learned the blacksmith's trade at which he worked part of the time. His first location after coming west in 1880, was at Nebraska City, in which vicinity he remained for six years engaged in farming and ranching. He came to western Nebraska in March, 1886, and filed on a homestead in section 26, township 16, range 51, Cheyenne county. He built a sod house and began to break up land for crops, raising sod-corn and vegetables the first summer. For several years he found it difficult to make even a bare living, but finally he proved up on his claim. As circumstances permitted he added to his original homestead until he is now owner of nine hundred and sixty acres, devoting two hundred and sixty of it to farming purposes, and the balance to hay and pasture for his stock, running about one hundred head of cattle and sixty horses. In addition to his ranch here Mr. Higgins owns a valuable four hundred-acre farm in eastern Nebraska. He has a complete set of good buildings on his ranch, including a well equipped blacksmith shop, and does considerable work for himself and for his neighbors for miles around.

     Mr. Higgins's parents are both deceased. The father, Thomas Higgins, was a native of Ireland, while the mother, Sidney Wyner, in maidenhood, was born in Pendleton county, West Virginia. Our subject was married in eastern Nebraska, May 16, 1883, to Miss Tabitha Weimer, and after nineteen years of happy domestic felicity, Mrs. Higgins departed this life, April 11, 1902, leaving a sorrowing family and many friends to mourn her death. There were four children born of the marriage, as follows: Charles E., born June 11, 1887; Clare M., born June 11, 1892; Violet P., born March 5, 1896; and Philip R., born January 24, 1899. He was married again, November 26, 1902, in Cheyenne county, to Miss Ella Miller, who formerly lived in Saunders county, Nebraska, where her parents, Henry and Martha (Kidney) Miller, still reside. Of this union three children have been born: Jessie A., Ethel L. and Lulu F.

     Mr. Higgins is serving as postmaster at Clara postoffice, which is located at his home. In political views he is a Democrat, with independent tendencies. He is a member of the Maccabees and the Modern Woodmen at Sidney.

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which he makes his home, and is among the old settlers of the region. He has acquired his entire possessions through energetic labor and good business management, and is now prepared to enjoy his declining years surround by all the comforts of rural life.

     Mr. Blomberg was born in Skona, Sweden, in 1865. His father lived and died in that county, and his mother still occupies the old homestead there. Our subject grew up in Sweden, received a limited schooling, and during his boyhood learned the butcher's trade, following that occupation for six years in his home vicinity. He left Sweden and came to the United States in 1888, and after spending a short time in New York city came west to Saunders county, Nebraska, at once going on a farm and followed that and railroading for about two year. He then settled in Sioux county, landing here in 1890, and after coming here worked at railroading, employed on section work in this state and Wyoming, acting as foreman for six years. He saved considerable money, and at the end of that time took his present farm as a homestead. This place is situated in section 31, township 31, range 53, and consists of six hundred and forty acres, which lies for a mile along the White river, is well supplied with timber and fuel, and a large part is irrigated. He has about forty acres cultivated, and is engaged in grain and stock raising on quite a large scale, meeting with splendid success along these lines. He is a progressive agriculturist, and has improved the farm in first-class shape, putting up good buildings, including a handsome residence twenty-six by twenty-six feet, with beautiful lawn surrounding it, and every appointment shows good management and taste, and the casual visitor through this section pronounces it one of the most attractive rural homes to be found in the county.

     Mr. Blomberg was united in marriage December 16, 1897, to Julia Gaston, who came to Nebraska from Ohio, where her father and mother were born and raised as well as herself. She was a daughter of Joe and Martha (German) Gaston, both of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Blomberg have a charming family of six children, named as follows: Carrie, Axel, Ethel, Clarence, Lawrence and Earl.

     Our subject is a leader in local public affairs. He is an independent voter, and for some years served as assessor in his district, also as road overseer. He had been active in establishing the schools of his locality, acting as a board member for many years. Since settling here he has been employed by the Chicago & Northwestern railway a great deal as foreman on the section, and is employed by that company at the present time.

     Mr. Lingblom was born in Boone county, Iowa, in 1869. He first saw the light on his father's farm, the latter a native of Sweden, who grew up in that country, was married there and came to America with his bride, where they settled in Iowa about 1868, and going to Nebraska later, locating in Hamilton county, about 1881, taking a rented farm on which they lived for a number of years. In 1887 the whole family came to Perkins county, the father taking a homestead on section 34, township 12, range 36, beginning with a very small capital. During the first few months they lived in a tent and our subject worked on the railroad which was being put through the region, in order to help support the family and get a start on his farm. After a short time our subject went back to the eastern part of the state and worked as a farm hand, being back and forth every year, and about 1890 returned to Perkins county to settle, and started for himself on a farm, taking land in the vicining (sic) of his father's homestead. For some time afterward, however, he still worked out to some extent in eastern Nebraska. He improved the place as rapidly as he was able, making a very productive farm out of it, and in 1902 bought his father's old homestead, at which time the latter moved to Whatcom county, Washington, his death occurring there in 1905.

     Peter O. Lingblom is now owner of three hundred and twenty acres, all good farm and range land, with one hundred acres under cultivation, used for the raising of grain, vegetables, etc., and he engages also extensively in the stock business, running cattle, horses, and other stock. He raises a large drove of chickens each year, and has some very fine specimens of the White Leghorn breed. He is an authority on the breeding and raising of poultry, having made that a special study

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for some years past. Considerable of his income each year is from his poultry. He also has a fine orchard, raising many different kinds of fruit.

     In 1899 Mr. Lingblom was married to Miss Anna Oman, whose parents were old settlers in western Nebraska. They have three children, Victor, Theodore and Carl, all bright and intelligent youngsters, and the family has a pleasant home and are well liked by their associates in the community.

     In 1893 he started for himself, buying one hundred and sixty acres of land near Keystone, living in the sod house he found on the place when he purchased it, for four years, building a comfortable frame house in 1897. He has one of the finest ranches in the county, with buildings best adapted to ranch purposes of any in the region. He owns over four thousand five hundred acres of fine hill and bottom land, on which he runs about six hundred head of cattle, two hundred and fifty head of hogs and twenty-five fine horses. He has excellent buildings and improvements, his corrals and pens being constructed largely of cement blocks. He has many fine trees started and his premises have a homelike and prosperous appearance. There are several spring branches on the place and from one of these he has piped a never failing supply to the house and tanks conveniently placed about the corrals and pastures.

     Mr. Sillasen was married October 18, 1899, to Miss Mayme Mathews, a native of Chariton county, Missouri, a daughter of Benjamin G. and Lucy (Henderson) Mathews, of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. They have two children, Doris and Ardis.

     Jens Sillasen has been a successful man and acquired a good competency and a delightful home. He has been prominently connected with the public affairs of his community and has held several offices. He is a strong supporter of the Democratic party, was reared in the Lutheran church and affiliates with the Masonic fraternity at Ogallala.

     A view of his fine ranch buildings with recent improvements is to be found on another page of our work.

     For some three years Mr. Micheel had charge of Willis Barnard's ranch, after which he rented for two years. Starting out with three horses and a bunch of forty cattle, he at once began to establish a farm, putting up a good log house on his first farm and breaking up land for crops. He has been exceptionally fortunate and although he has

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gone through some hard times, has never experienced the privations and suffering that so many of the pioneers of this section endured. There is a fine grove of forest trees surrounding the home place to which several hundred poplar and willow trees were added in the spring of 1908, with a thrifty orchard growing.

     Mr. Micheel was married March 22, 1888, to Miss Gerda Thiel, a native of Flensburg, province of Schleswig, Germany, who came to this country on the same boat which brought her husband. Her father, Henry Thiel, died in Germany, and the mother, Margaretta Jansen, at sea, on the voyage to America. Miss Thiel lived for five years in Chicago, coming to Cherry county to visit the family of Henry Micheel. They have a family of nine children, who are named as follows: Eric, Wilhelm, Marie, Emma, Carl, Myrtle, Florence, Herbert and Otto, all of whom were born and reared in the county.

     Mr. Micheel is a Republican, but has never held any office, although he is always active in the advancement of educational affairs in his community and has done his share in the development of this territory. He has a fine estate, and has been richly rewarded for his industrious habits and perseverance in overcoming many obstacles and difficulties that beset the pioneer settlers of this locality. He was reared in the Lutheran church, and is, fraternally, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Wood Lake.

     Mr. McCracken was born in Fremont county, Iowa, February 23, 1869, and raised and educated on his parents' farm. His father, Andrew McCracken, was born in Ireland and came to America at the age of ten years, where he grew up in Illinois, enlisting at Monmouth, with an Illinois regiment just before the close of the war, serving until the struggle was over. He soon afterwards came to Keya Paha county, Nebraska, and took up a tree claim in section 11, township 33, range 19, and developed and improved the place, farming up to the time of death, which occurred in 1892. He left a wife and seven children, our subject being the oldest, and the mother now resides with him. When he was twenty-one years of age he began farming for himself, working the home place, and later took a tree claim adjoining his home place, which he still owns. In 1902 he took a homestead in the same section in which his father's farm is located. Mr. McCracken now operates one thousand two hundred acres of good land, cultivating two hundred acres, with about three hundred and fifty acres in hay land, and large pastures for his stock. He keeps a hundred cattle, twenty horses, and raises about forty hogs each season for the market.

     Our subject has many improvements on his ranch, good buildings, with a nice house, large commodious barn, which he has recently built, and all other farm buildings, fences, etc. He also has a good grove of forest trees on his tree claim, and plenty of good water, Spring creek running through the place.

     On February 24, 1901, Mr. McCracken was married to Miss Priscilla Koenig, of Bohemian stock, born in Knox county, Nebraska, in 1877, a daughter of Thomas and Antonia Koenig. Her people were early settlers in Keya Paha county, also in Knox county, where she was reared. Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have three children, namely: Henry, Idalia and Frank.

     Mr. McCracken is a Democrat, and a man of broad mind, progressive and well-read in all matters of public importance, although he does not take an active part in political affairs, preferring to devote his whole time to his farm and home.

     Frank E. Forsling was born in Sweden on January 15, 1871. His parents were also natives of that country, and he grew to the age of twelve years in the land of his birth, then came to America with father, mother and two brothers and one sister, locating at first in Chicago, and after a short time in that city, came to Phelps county, Nebraska, landing there in the spring of 1884. After two years in that county they came to Kimball county, the father homesteading and proving up on

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a tract of land. Our subject filed on a claim for himself in 1890, and is now located on section 2, township 14, range 57, where he has a good farm. He has about forty acres cultivated, and engages in mixed farming and stock raising, running about fifty head of cattle and a small bunch of horses.

     Oscar E. Forsling, a brother of our subject, has followed about the same career as himself, locating in Kimball county in 1885. He was elected deputy sheriff of the county in 1904, served his term, and in 1907 was elected sheriff, now holding that position. He is a Republican, and one of the leading public men of the section. A sketch of his life will be found on another page of this work.

     On November 25, 1900, our subject was married to Miss Alice Ellis, and at the same time Oscar E. Forsling was united in marriage to Miss Ethel Whitman, and the two families have been closely united since that event, and are among the popular members of society in their community.

     Our subject has had a varied and interesting experience in western life, and is well and favorably known throughout the locality in which he lives. During the early years much of his time was spent in hunting and trapping through the fall and winter, and in riding the range and breaking horses during the summer months.

     Mr. Robbins was born in Jefferson, Green county, Iowa, in 1873. His father, John Robbins, was of English stock, whose father and mother were both born in England and came to this country as emigrants in an early day. When our subject was seven years of age the family came to Nebraska and settled near Hastings, living in that vicinity until he was about fourteen years old. Fred left home in 1894 and started for himself, coming to the western part of the state, locating on a homestead sixteen miles from Alliance and proving up on the place in due time. This was an entirely new country and he went through the usual pioneer experiences, handling ox teams, freighting throughout the country, at the same time developing his farm in good shape, and while he did not get ahead very fast the first few years, had the good luck not to meet with any severe losses in the way of failures of crops, as did so many of his neighbors. Mr. Robbins remained on that place up to 1905, then sold out and moved on a Kincaid homestead in section 33, township 24, range 49, and there he has done well, opening up a fine ranch and built a good home, owning in all about eight hundred acres of good land, and is numbered among the successful and up-to-date agriculturists and ranchmen of his community. Our subject is engaged extensively in raising both cattle and horses.

     In 1897 Mr. Robbins was married to Hattie Fisher. She was born in Missouri and reared in Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Robbins' father now resides in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins have had four children, namely: Walter, Freddie and Hazel, deceased; and Thelma. They form a most interesting and charming family, all well liked by their associates, and they enjoy a happy and pleasant home, surrounded by a host of warm friends.

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Hannah Nelson. After coming to America, in 1868, they were located for a time at Clifton, Iroquois county, Illinois, and in 1882 came to their present home. Mr. Rasmussen bought one hundred and sixty acres in 1889, paying for the land three thousand dollars, and it is now worth sixteen thousand dollars, showing a steady advance during the past eighteen years. Since locating here he has added to his farm and now owns three hundred and twenty acres, on which he raises considerable fine stock, and engages in mixed farming. Besides his farming interests, he is engaged in numerous business enterprises. He is one of the organizers of the Home Telephone Company, started in 1904 with a capital of ten thousand dollars, and is treasurer of and a director in this company. Mr. Rasmussen has always stood for the best interests of his community, and take (sic) an active interest in all local affairs for the improvement and upbuilding of Naponee. He has been treasurer of the high school board for nine years, and was aggressively active and insistent in securing the erection of the new and creditable high school building here. Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen are the parents of the following children: John E., living on the home farm; Henry, also at home; Edward T., cashier of the Riverton Valley Bank, Riverton, Nebraska; and Camelia, married to Professor G. M. Wiley, of Shenandoah College, in Iowa.

     Our subject is a man of sterling character, and in every respect a highly valued member of his community.

     Mr. Rasmussen was one of the incorporators and is a director of the Republican Valley Bank, of Naponee, Nebraska. This bank was established in 1908. George M. Wilmot, is president; Emil Sindt, vice-president; A. W. Polly, cashier; S. Y. Hart and Peter Rasmussen, directors. A general banking business is transacted. The bank is in a flourishing condition and is one of the growing institutions of Franklin county.

     A portrait of Mr. Hemmett, together with a picture of his residence, appears on another page of this work.

     Mr. Schuler was born in the village of Bruederhausen, Schorndorf, Wertemburg, Germany, November 12, 1860, a son of Gotlieb F. and Rosa (Ruhe) Schuler, who died in the fatherland. In 1881, William came to America, with an uncle, the two going to Lee county, Iowa, where they spent about two and a half years, working in a saw-mill and lumber camp. From there our subject migrated to eastern Nebraska, settling in Cass county, following farming for three years, and then came to Cheyenne county, arriving in this locality in the spring of 1887. He at once filed on a

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homestead and started to build up a home, beginning with very little, and often meeting with discouragement and failure from drouths, (sic) hail and prairie fires, but stuck to his farm through many hardships and disappointments, gradually improving the land with good buildings and working into ranching. He has lived on his homestead continuously ever since coming here, and has accumulated a fine property, now owning one thousand six hundred acres. He has about two hundred acres of farm land, raising small grain, and runs one hundred and twenty-five head of cattle and twenty-five horses. He is known as one of the most successful swine breeders in the country, raising about one hundred and fifty head each year. A fine two-story dwelling was erected in 1907, and soon after, a large substantial barn, which we are pleased to illustrate in this work.

     Mr. Schuler is active in local affairs, and is a firm supporter of the Republican party in national politics. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Dalton, while Mrs. Schuler holds membership in the Royal Neighbors.

     Mr. Stamper was born in England, in 1863, and raised there until he was eighteen years of age. His father, John Stamper, was a lumberman, which business he has always followed in England. Our subject was next to the youngest in a family of ten children. He left home when fourteen years old, and from that time on has always made his own way in the world. When he was eighteen years old, he left England and came to America, and since that time has never seen any member of his family. He located in Wisconsin, working out by the month for seven years, engaged in farming and railroading. In 1889 he came to Nebraska, where he followed farming for five years, working for different ranchmen, one year being spent in freighting from Rushville to Pine Ridge, receiving twenty dollars per month, on which he managed to support his family. In 1895 he went to the Sand Hills, locating on Pine creek, and remained there for six years. When he struck the Hills he was in debt to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars, and the first two years he gained a livelihood by keeping cows and chickens and selling the produce. He soon got a start, managing to raise a little stuff to sell and got along very well until 1901, when he sold his farm there and bought his present farm of one thousand two hundred and eighty acres, which is all good land. This cost him an average of four hundred and twenty-five dollars per quarter section at the time, the land now being worth fifteen to twenty dollars per acres. He has his place all fenced and farms about one hundred and thirty acres. He keeps about one hundred and fifty head of stock and has his place well improved with a fine stone house. During his early days in Nebraska, he saw some pretty hard times. At the times he was obliged to make a trip to town for provisions, he used to leave home in the night, so that he would not be gone long enough to miss one milking time.

     Mr. Stamper was married, in 1894, to Miss Maud O. Ryno, a native of Michigan, born in 1872, of American stock. Her father, Louis Ryno, was born and raised in New York state, now living in Sheridan county, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Stamper have four children, namely: Louis E., Martha I., John H. and Grace Winifred, all born and raised in this county. For three years Mr. Stamper was in poor health and unable to do the work on his farm without assistance, and was obliged to hire most of the farm work done. For this reason, he thought he would like to dispose of his property and move to town, but he has now recovered his former good health and does not wish to sell his fine estate.

     Mr. Stamper takes an active interest in educational matters in his locality, and has been director of his district for the past six years. He is a Republican, but never votes a straight ticket. He has, at different times, held local offices.

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     Mr. Carlson was born in Sweden, July 8, 1864. He was the eldest of a family of five children, all growing up in their native land, and each trained as children to do all kinds of hard work, as is the custom among the sturdy people of that country. The parents, C. J. and Ida (Holtgruen) Carlson, came to America with their family in 1882, and secured a quarter section of land in section 22, township 16, range 52, which since their death has been secured by our subject.

     Emil Carlson came to America about 1882, sailing from Stockholm directly for New York. Locating at first in Colfax county, Nebraska, where he lived for about five years, he moved on to Cheyenne county in the spring of 1887, and filed on a homestead in section 10, township 16, range 52. There he built up a good home, going through all the pioneer experiences in getting started and often had a hard time to make a living, but gradually was able to raise some crops and improve the place. About 1900 he purchased the quarter section owned by his father, and here cultivates one hundred and fifty acres, running about one hundred head of cattle and a bunch of horses. He is progressive in his methods of operating his estate, and has an enviable reputation as a worthy citizen and energetic, industrious worker.

     On October 10, 1903, Mr. Carlson was married to Christina Erickson, she having, in 1901, come to the United States from Sweden, where she was born. Sailing from Gottenburg to Hull, England, she proceeded to Glasgow, and landed in New York, October 9th, her birthday. Proceeding to Nebraska, she reached her destination just a month from the time she left home. Her mother joined her in 1904, the father having died in her infancy. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Carlson: Eda, Esther and Vera.

     Mr. Carlson takes a commendable interest in local affairs, and he and his family are highly respected in the community in which they live: their home is one of good cheer and hospitality. Politically, he is an Independent voter. The family was reared in the Swedish Lutheran church.

     JOHN CARLSON, a brother of Emil's, is also one of the prominent residents of the county. He was born June 30, 1882. He is now a well-to-do ranchman, owning a fine one-hundred-and-sixty-acre tract of land southwest of his brother's. Here he devotes his time mostly to stock raising. He has about one hundred head of cattle and quite a number of horses, farming eighty acres, and has been most successful since locating in this vicinity. He was married at Sidney, Nebraska, in August, 1900, to Sarah Willis. Mrs. Carlson was born in Vermont, and came to Nebraska in 1888. Here they have a pleasant home, and are esteemed by all as substantial and worthy members of society. Mr. Carlson is a Republican.

     Mr. Danielson was born in Knox county, Illinois, in 1859, his parents having settled there in 1849. He came to Holdrege, Nebraska, in 1886, invested in farming lands, and is now proprietor of two sections in Phelps county, four hundred acres of which, located in Prairie township, is fine farming land, well improved, six hundred and forty acres in Cottonwood township, one-half interest in three hundred and twenty acres in Anderson township, eighty acres located in Sheridan township, besides three hundred and twenty acres in Prairie township owned by his father, Andrew Danielson, a wealthy farmer and stockman of Knox county, Illinois. Mr. Danielson runs all of these lands except the three hundred and twenty acres in Prairie township, on which he, together with a partner, are breeding horses, mules and hogs. On this farm they raise Percheron high-grade, general purpose horses for the market, and over three hundred hogs. They also have several cars of cattle which they market each winter. Mr. Danielson's experience with stock began on his father's farm when he was sixteen years of age, and before coming to Nebraska, he operated as fair a ranch as there was in all Iowa, also spent two years in Kansas on ranches there, and is of the opinion that west-