friends. In 1889 our subject was married the second time, to Minnie Sass, of Box Butte county. She was born in Hamburg, Germany, coming to the United States when a young girl, and was one of the early settlers in Nebraska.

     Mr. Weinel takes a leading part in every movement started for the good of his community, and has done his full share in the up building of this section. A picture showing the homestead ranch of Mr. Weinel appears on another page.

     Mr. Huntington was born in Compton county, Canada, November 1, 1845. His father, Benjamin Huntington, was born in Vermont and went to Canada when a young man, settling on a farm there, and his wife was also a native of Vermont. Of a family of five children our subject was the youngest, and is now the only one living. His father died when he was fourteen months old, so he has no recollection whatever of him, and he was raised on a farm where he had to help in the work and from the time he was ten years old helped to support his mother, doing hard work on neighboring farms for which he received twenty-five cents per day. Often after the day's work was done he and his mother together would make a pair of pants in the evening, for which they would receive fifty cents, which helped in making the living for the family. His mother died when he was about twenty-one years of age, and soon after this the children came to Wisconsin, landing there on March 28, and they farmed in Sauk county for a year, then moved to Minnesota and farmed for three years near Plainview. They then returned to Wisconsin and remained for twelve years engaged in farming, and owned eighty acres of good land and was in fairly good circumstances. His wife's people had settled in Nebraska, and her mother was anxious to have them move there, and urged them to come and settle on her land in Sheridan county, so he sold off his personal property and came on with his family, arriving here October 10, 1888. His mother-in-law mortgaged his stock and he paid the interest, which acknowledged the debt, and he finally lost all his property in 1892, leaving him with only one horse. He then went on to rented land and tried farming during the dry season but had to give a third of everything he raised. He got small crops every season and had a little grain to sell each year so he managed to get along. In 1891 he had bought a threshing machine and during the dry years threshed through the country from Pine Ridge to the river, often doing three jobs of threshing in one day, and in that one season threshed for one hundred and six days. During the hard times his wife wanted him to leave the place and try it somewhere else, but he had nothing to start over with, so stayed on here, and since the better years began he has added to his farm until he has eight hundred acres, besides a farm which he gave to his son, and in 1904 he cleared up his last debt and put one thousand one dollars in the bank. He has seen as hard times as any man in Sheridan county, but has come out in good shape, and thinks he is worth more today than if he had remained in Wisconsin and is satisfied to stay here unless he has a good chance to dispose of his property, in which event he will go still further west. He now rents out his farm, keeping a small piece of ground for himself and runs a few head of stock and some chickens, which more than keeps him, and he is also able to lay up a little as he goes along.

     Mr. Huntington was married in 1869 to Miss Alma Young, a native of New Hampshire, born in 1853 and raised there until twelve years old, then went to Canada with her parents. Her father was of Scotch descent, as farmer and blacksmith by trade, and her mother of English blood. To Mr. and Mrs. Huntington five children have been born, namely: Amos, Edna, Anna, Edith and Ida, all living near the old home. Mr. Huntington has never give much time to politics and has never held an office, devoting his attention to the building up of his home. He is a Democrat.

     Mr. McDonald is a native of Tennessee.

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      His father, Alex. McDonald, was a native of Virginia, and lived there until the year 1791, when the family came west, settling in Jefferson county, Tennessee, where the subject of this sketch was born October 25, 1826. His great-grandfather, Alex. McDonald, was an old settler in Virginia before the Revolutionary war, and during that struggle between the nations he was staff officer in George Washington's staff. Our subject's mother was Miss Mary McClister, whose father was also a soldier in that war, and was one of the army who crossed the Delaware and Washington at the battle of Trenton.

     Mr. McDonald came to Nebraska in 1855 and located in Pawnee county. In 1860 he came to Lincoln county, which he helped to organize, then called Shorter county, and afterwards was properly organized and renamed as Lincoln county. At this time he lived at Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska, where he operated an overland ranch and store where Fort McPherson was afterwards built. He was the first county official, being elected judge of the country immediately at its organization. He also held the office of county clerk for one term and lived at Cottonwood Springs up to April 24, 1872. Mr. McDonald then sold out his property at Cottonwood Springs and moved to North Platte, where he has resided ever since. The government purchased his ranch and store, where the reservation was established, paying him six thousand dollars for the property. After moving to North Platte, Mr. McDonald was elected county superintendent of schools and served for two years, and afterwards held the office of county commissioner for one term. In 1873 he opened a general merchandise establishment in North Platte, and continued in this business up to 1899, meeting with great success, and carried on a flourishing trade from all over Lincoln and adjoining counties. He has accumulated a large fortune and owns valuable property in North Platte, also several hundred acres of the best land in the county located near the city in which he now resides. He has a fine home, and is one of the wealthiest men in this locality. In 1878 he purchased the bank of which he is now president, which was the first banking institution in North Platte, and it is one of the most reliable and solid in this section, and is now incorporated under the name of the McDonald State Bank.

     October 14, 1858, Mr. McDonald was married to Miss Orra B. Henry, of Omaha, a native of Hamilton, New York, born in 1840. She came west in 1856 and was the first white woman to locate in this county. One son, W. H. McDonald, was the first white child born in Lincoln county, and he is now cashier of the bank of which his father is president. Another son, James Boyd McDonald, is a merchant in North Platte. He is a member of the state Democratic committee, also secretary of the county Democratic committee, and widely know all over the county as a man of active public spirit. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald also have two daughters, Mrs. W. C. Reynolds (see sketch in this book), and Mrs. F. S. Mooney, both residents of this city. The latter' s husband is cashier of the First National Bank of North Platte.

     Mr. McDonald has been a Mason since 1857. In political faith he is strong Democrat, and has always voted that ticket.

     Our subject was born in Russia in 1869, of German ancestry and grew up there, receiving a common school education, remaining in the land of his birth up to the age of fifteen years, then came to America with his father and mother and together they came to Nebraska, locating in the eastern part of the state. Adolph followed farming, working out by the month for two years in Dodge county, and when he was seventeen years old came to Box Butte county, and worked at railroading for a few years. For the first few years after locating in this region he went through many hardships and bitter experiences, but was brave and faithful, and with his brothers and parents managed to get along very well and built up a good home for themselves. The original homestead was taken in section 28, township 27, range 51, by our subject's father in 1886, and both father and mother died there. And our subject now occupies the old original homestead that his father and mother did on settling here in pioneer days.

     After working long and faithfully to build up a comfortable home and improve his place, and getting along very well, in the spring of 1907 Mr. Nikont was burned out, losing hay, barn, harness and many other things, which was a severe loss to him. Mr. Nikont is a hard worker, honest and industrious, and richly deserves all the success which has come to him since locating here. All of his time is

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devoted to his farming and ranching interests, and he is highly esteemed in the neighborhood as a worthy citizen.

     Mr. Farr was born on a farm in the town of Brandon, Franklin county, New York, March 15, 1860, and was reared to a life of hones industry after the old American fashion. His father, Chauncey Farr, was born in Massachusetts, and came of an ancestry long known in New England, as did his mother, Sarah Drew. They were the parents of three children, the subject of this writing being the second member of the family. When he was twenty years of age it seemed the time had come for him to care for himself. In 1872 he went to Vernon county, Wisconsin, where he was engaged in farming for some ten years, acquiring familiarity with western agriculture, and becoming ready for the crowning test of his ability to make a home of the great prairies on the far side of Missouri. This test he successfully passed in 1882, when he came to Rock, then a part of Brown county, Nebraska, and took up a pre-emption claim in section 2, township 29, range 17, which he presently brought into fine farming condition.

     He was married in Rock county, October 10, 1885, when Miss Addie Muselman became his wife. Her people were early settlers in Iowa, and were very highly regarded by all who knew them for their excellent character and worth. To Mr. And Mrs. Farr have come the following children: Gertrude, Clifford, Eugene, Fern and Roy. For some two years prior to his marriage Mr. Farr lived alone, making his home in a frame shanty, the material for which he had hauled from Stuart. The farm where he is found at present writing was bought by him in 1900, and today he is the proprietor of a fine body of land consisting of nine hundred and sixty acres peculiarly adapted to the raising of hay and a general stock business. In stock he aims to keep on hand about one hundred and seventy-five head, and makes a habit of selling about three hundred and fifty tons of hay a year.

     Thus is may be justly said that Mr. Farr has developed two farms since coming to the state. Good groves are flourishing on both placed, and nearly all the tress on both were planted by him. He is a Democrat and a strong Bryan man, but takes no very active part in party affairs, as he prefers to give hearty and strength to the home its interests. Socially he is a member of the lodge of Odd Fellows and Workmen of Newport.

     Mr. McIntosh was born in Trimble county, Kentucky, on October 9, 1851, growing up to the age of six years in that county, then removing with father and mother to Illinois, where they made their home for nine years. The family came to Nebraska in 1866, locating on Blue creek, in Butler county, and lived there for a number of years. Our subject came into Deuel county in 1887, homesteading on sections 1 and 2, township 16, range 44, proved up on the claim, and later removed to his present location, where he has a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, taken under the Kincaid act. He has erected good buildings and put many improvements on the place, cultivating fifty acres, and is also engaged in the stock business, running a bunch of cattle and horses. During his younger years Mr. McIntosh learned the carpenter's and builder's trade, and has worked at this off and on during his career.

     Mr. McIntosh was married in Atchison county, Missouri, in 1882, to Miss Nancy I. Pebley, who is a native of that state. Six children have come to bless their union, named as follows: J. C., Owen, Emmett, Leonia and Robert, who are single and live at home, while William F. is married and resides on a ranch in Deuel county. The parents of both our subject and his wife are deceased. Mr. McIntosh is classed among the leading old-timers of his county and has done much to further the interests of the community in which he chose his home. He is prosperous and successful and is held in the highest esteem as a worthy citizen and good neighbor. He is a Republican in political sentiment.

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      Joseph O. Barton is one of the most prominent and successful of the pioneers of Blaine county, Nebraska. He has always had strong faith in himself and in his adopted state and by intelligently following up-to-date methods has accumulated a competency to bring him comfort with advancing years. He rejoices in the confidence of his fellows and wields a strong influence in his community.

     Mr. Barton's native state is Wisconsin, where he was born on a farm on the Sugar river, December 15, 1847. His father, Alexander, was born in Paris and came to America when he was a young man. Our subject's mother was Angeline Erno in her girlhoods days and was a native of St. Johns, Canada, being of French ancestry. Our subject was reared on a Wisconsin farm and became inured to hard work, imbibing the principles of thrift and enterprise which have strongly characterized his whole life. His father died when Joseph was six years of and as soon as he was large enough he helped to support the widowed mother.

      The years of toil and self-sacrifice for those who depended on him left their inevitable stamp upon him, and gave him traits of character that have materially aided in his march to success.

     Joseph O. Barton was married January 5, 1872, to Miss Edna R. Davenport, who, although American born, was of French and German blood. Her parents were Nora and Louise (Buzzle) Davenport, the father being a miller by occupation. Mr. And Mrs. Barton have had three children: Edward T., Laura May, and Guy C., now dead.

     In 1874 our subject left Wisconsin in a covered wagon and started on a long drive to the great new west, coming to Garfield county, Nebraska, settling on land about two miles from where now stands, and living there for eight years. His brother George slept in a barn for a long time after coming here to guard the horses from the Indians. The Indians were still in the country and they committed many depredations, even going so far as to commit two murders in our subject's neighborhood, and at times these marauders of the west made it extremely dangerous for the pioneers. Horses were stolen and many things of usefulness and value were carried away.

      There were twelve families in the neighborhood and they took turns about going for supplies to Grand Island, the nearest market town, a hundred miles away, and our subject has slept under his wagon many a night on these long freighting trips. His experiences of hardships of the pioneer days were most severe and only a sturdy and worthy nature brought him through to success.. He lived a long time in a sod house and he was not surrounded with many of the luxuries of life. It was a hard everyday struggle for maintenance and improve his land. He saw the grasshoppers come in clouds and overrun the country, eating and totally destroying the crops for three successive season--these fierce little insects even ate the clothes on the line and the curtains at the windows of the houses. They were the most terrible pest ever known in the country and wherever they went they wrought ruin and devastation. Our subject had six total failure of crops and had to make a living by hauling posts and railroad ties which could be gotten out of the territory in those days.

     In 1882, almost broken in fortune, our subject determined to move and he came to his present location in Blaine county, and started anew. He put up a sod house and started at the lowest round of the ladder. But times were better and he has steadily advanced in prosperity in all lines. He has now a splendid farm of four hundred and eighty acres and his son has six hundred and forty acres. His fine house, barns, granary, corn cribs and groves of forest trees (of which he has fifteen acres) all emphasize his success. His farm is known all over the country as the Riverside Ranch, and he is widely known as a successful stock raiser and farmer. He has struggled hard for a competency and now in his advancing years, he views with complacency and satisfaction the abundant fruits of his persistent labors.

     Mr. Barton has always exhibited a strong interest in political affairs, --helped to organize Blaine county ;and was one of the first county commissioners and has been a member of the school board for years. As a progressive citizen and leader of public sentiment he stands in the front ranks. He served his country with honor and credit in the Civil war and during the days when the Indians were terrorizing the west. He joined the Twentieth United States Infantry and saw service in the south and after ninety days he was sent up to Minnesota to help quell the Indian outbreak just after the well known New Ulm massacre. With his company he was after the Indians in Minnesota, Dakota and other localities. Throughout his life Mr. Barton has been in the forefront of affairs and has come to occupy an important place in the modern development of the locality in which he lives.

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     Mr. Saltsgaber is a native of Ohio. His father, George Saltsgaber, came to Nebraska in 1892, and died here in 1897. He was a native of Reading county, Pennsylvania, where the family had resided for generations, and they have an annual reunion in Ohio, which is attended by all the relatives. In 1906 this was attended by two hundred and seventy people. This association keeps all family records, which go back for two hundred years. Our subject's mother, Anna Stoutsenbarger, is a daughter of Daniel and Rowenski Stoutsenbarger, and his paternal grandmother was Hannah Keller, of Reading, Pennsylvania. In 1873 Mr. Saltsgaber began work as an apprentice, going into the building and contracting business at Pioneer, Williams county, Ohio, when but seventeen years of age, and has followed his trade ever since. In this county, Adams and Buffalo counties he has, since 1876, contracted and built a large number of farm houses and barns, and he has put up many of the best residences of this section. Most of the farm buildings in Easton township have been put up by him, and he has contributed largely for the past many years to the general prosperity of this locality and had all the building contracts he could handle, often being obliged to turn them away. He has a foreman who has worked for him for twenty-one years, and he is trusted and liked by every one with whom he comes in contact, either in a business or social way. Besides his contracting Mr. Saltsgaber owns a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, one hundred and sixty acres being on section 11, of Liberty township. The other one hundred and sixty acres are on section 2, Liberty township. He took up a homestead on May 24, 1876, and still occupies this home, and the farm is carried on by his sons, who engage in mixed farming and stock raising.

     Mr. Saltsgaber's wife was Miss Ida Kirkpatrick, born and reared in Pennsylvania, daughter of James K. and Catherine (Wright) Kirkpatrick, who came here in 1879. Their marriage took place in 1880, and to them have been born the following children: Roy, Jay, Guy, George, Mona and Pearl. Our subject has two brothers in Kearney county - Levi, residing at Kearney, and Dan of Minden. Another brother, William, died here in 1898, aged fifty-two.

     Mr. Saltsgaber is a fine type of the German citizen, many of whom were raised in Pennsylvania. He is intelligent and broad-minded, alive to the best interests of his community and always ready to do all in his power to advance conditions for the people. He has filled all the local township offices and is a leader in township affairs. In politics he is an independent. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, and also a Woodman.

     Mr. DeGraw first saw the light of day in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was born November 5, 1863. There he grew to the age of eleven years, when his parents moved to Nodaway county, Missouri, where they resided five years prior to moving to Smith county, Kansas. In 1880 Mr. DeGraw left home and for seven years made his home in Marshall county, Kansas. That year they came to that part of Cheyenne county that was in 1908 set off as Morrill county and filed upon and proved up a homestead in section 34, township 17, range 50, which later was sold to Mr. Tom Freeman.

      In 1901 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 12, township 20, range 51, which he is developing into one of the finest dairy ranches in western Nebraska. All of it is irrigable and about one hundred acres have been seeded to alfalfa. The balance will be sowed to that plant for plowing under from time to time to enrich the soil. Mr. DeGraw is increasing his dairy herd as rapidly as he can breed the kind of stock he desires.

      Comfortable buildings are on the place and shortly larger and more commodious structures will replace the primitive ones first built on the place. His farm is considered on of the best under ditch in the vicinity, on which he raises splendid crops of small grain,

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raising as high as forty bushels of excellent hard wheat to the acre.

     Mr. McGraw's parents, Frederick C. and Elizabeth (Todd) DeGraw, have since 1889 been living in the Big Horn basin, Wyoming, where they have a fine property.

     Our subject was married to Miss Stella Wymer, a native of Minnesota, their wedding occurring in Sidney, Nebraska, December 7, 1897. That Mr. DeGraw is a true adherent of the Roosevelt idea is evidenced by his interesting family of seven children, who are named as follows: Frederick C., Hannah, Iris, May, Nellie, Georgia and Eugene. Their home is one of the pleasant spots to be found in that region, and they have a host of friends and acquaintances by whom they are held in high esteem.

     Our subject is a stanch Republican and fraternally a member of the Masonic lodge at Sidney.

     A view of the farm buildings, with a view of the hill and valley landscape surrounding, is to be found elsewhere in our work.

     Mr. Foster was born in Charleston, Coles county, Illinois, on October 8, 1868, a son of Josiah and Susan F. (Hayden) Foster. The family moved to Douglas county, Illinois, about 1876, locating at Tuscola, and it was here that Mr. Foster was reared, attending the common schools and working on the farm. The parents moved to Cheyenne county, Nebraska, locating six miles north of Potter, where they established a ranch. The father, a minister of the Methodist church, became circuit rider, holding meetings throughout the region. For one year he was in charge of the pulpit at Harrisburg, but later he returned to the ranch.

     Newton came to Nebraska in the fall of 1887, settling in Sidney, and soon afterwards he filed on a homestead in section 32, township 16, range 50, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he has added another quarter section of Kincaid homestead. He has a well improved estate, farming about two hundred and thirty acres, and is a progressive, up-to-date agriculturist, having his ranch fitted with necessary buildings, fences, windmills, reservoirs, cisterns, etc. He has been through all the old Nebraska pioneer times, and tells many interesting experiences occurring while he was an old-time "cowpuncher." He was imployel (sic) four years on the TwoBa r (sic) ranch and was manager and foreman of the Camp Stool ranch in Wyoming for five years. He farmed in Missouri in 1896 and followed the same occupation two years in Kansas. During the winter of 1904 and 1905 he was proprietor of the LeGrand Hotel in Sidney. From June, 1902, to 1906, he had the contract for carrying the mail between Sidney and Ickes, on the route to Camp Clark.

     Mr. Foster was united in marriage June 24, 1896, at Seymour, Missouri, to Miss Irene Brooks, who was born in Michigan and came as a child with her parents, Philo and Laura (Marvin) Brooks, to Cheyenne county, where she was reared and educated. Two children have been born of their union, Crystal and Eugene. They occupy a prominent place in neighborhood affairs, and their home is one of the most pleasant and hospitable to be found. A view of the premises is to be found elsewhere in this work.

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     When Mr. Hendricks landed here this region was all Sioux county, and he was among the first settlers to come in west of Valentine. He has seen all the ups and downs of western Nebraska, and has done his share in building up the country. He was the first constable of this precinct and has always taken an active part in local political affairs, voting the straight Democratic ticket. During the winter of 1884-1885 he conducted a roadhouse at Cody, and this was the first building in the now thriving town.

     Mr. Hendricks was married June 5, 1888, to Miss Martha Craig, a native of Blue Earth county, Minnesota. She is the daughter of American parents, who were early settler in Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Hendricks have a family of five children, all born and raised in Cherry county, named as follows: Pearl, Fay, Myrtle, Ernest and Clifford.

     Mr. Hendricks is a member of the Cody lodge of Yeomen.

     Mr. Peterson was born in the province of Helsingland, Sweden, and came to this country in 1868. He located in Knox county, Illinois, for some time, then came to Phelps county in 1887. He has no recollection of his father, he having been accidentally killed before our subject was born.

     After settling in this county in 1887 he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, and afterwards bought an adjoining one hundred and sixty-acre tract, and on this three hundred and twenty acres he now resides.

      Our subject's two sons own four hundred and eighty acres in section 31, this township. The land are mostly pasture, and they run from one hundred to one hundred and twenty cattle all the time, and do considerable hog raising.

      They also raise grain with good success on the level uplands, together with plenty of hay, but as yet they have not started any alfalfa. Mr. Peterson is assisted in his farm work by his sons, Peter Peterson, Jr., and Samuel, who have always lived at home, and this family is a good example of the progressive, thrifty and successful Swedish settlers of Phelps county. They have built up a fine farm and comfortable home, and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.

     On May 14, 1865, Mr. Peterson was married to Miss Ellen Samuelson, also a native of Sweden. They have a family of seven children living, including the two sons mentioned above, and two younger sons and three daughters.

     Mr. Peterson takes a commendable interest in all commercial affairs in his community, is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he is a most earnest worker, and lends his influence to the up building of the better interests of the locality in which he makes his home. In politics he is a Republican.

     Mr. Land was born in Germany in 1856, and with his father, Charles Lange, came to America in 1868, the family settling in Henry county, Illinois.

      They remained there up to 1871, then moved to Nebraska, locating near Lincoln, where they began as pioneers, opening up a farm and beginning the work of establishing a good home and accumulating a competence. Our subject was but a boy and he attended the country schools and during his leisure hours assisted the family in carrying on the farm, remaining with his parent up to 1889, when he came to Dawes county and located on his present farm.

      This was all wild prairie land with no improvements whatever, and he had not much to start with, but gave his whole time and energy to the development of his farm, and succeeded in a marked degree, as he now owner of four hundred and eighty acres of good land, three hundred of which are highly cultivated, and the balance is in pasture and hay land. He has built a good house, substantial barns and other buildings, and his land is all fenced. Ash creek runs through the place, furnishing plenty of good living water the year round, and he ahs also plenty of timber and shade trees on the farm.

     In 1884 Mr. Lange was married to Miss Augusta Nieman, born in Germany, where her father was a merchant, and never left the old country until very late in life. He died in Lincoln, Nebraska, soon after coming over to the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Lange have a

 

 

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