tled in establishments of their own, and the rest live on the home farm with their parents. In political sentiment Mr. Gunderson is a strong Republican and in religion adheres to the faith of the Lutheran church.

     Mr. Gardiner is a native of Canada, born July 16, 1849. His father, Robert Gardiner, was of English birth, married in Ireland to Miss Matilda Becket, of Scotch-English descent. Our subject was the seventh member in a family of eleven children, and came to the United States with his parents when a young lad. When he was nine years old his father died, and after this he remained on their farm in Dallas county, Iowa, assisting his mother up to the time of her remarriage, and then he cared for the three younger children for three years. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Colorado Springs and spent one summer, then took up a claim in Greeley county, Nebraska. After a time he disposed of this and moved into Lincoln, where he lived for three years, following ministerial work in the pulpit of the Seventh Day Baptist. He first struck Cherry county in 1894, locating on a homestead, and has remained on this place up to the present time. He has added to his farm until it now comprises sixteen hundred acres, all lying next to the Niobrara river. Here he engages in stock raising and farming about six hundred acres of tillable land, on a part of which he has a good meadow of timothy hay. He keeps about one hundred head of cattle, a number of horses and sheep, and has at times a drove of two hundred hogs. He has a well improved place, where he has built up a fine home here. Fronting on the Niobrara river, the farm is well supplied with good water and a bountiful supply of wild fruit, etc.

     On March 8, 1881, Mr. Gardiner was married to Miss Nora Weeks, born in St. Clair, Michigan, in 1863. With her mother and one brother she moved to Petersburg, Boone county, Nebraska, in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner have a family of ten children, namely: James R., Myrtle M., Dora, Rosa (deceased), Carol, Lulu (deceased), Erma, Ralph, Emogene and Bernice, eight born and reared in Nebraska: Rosa and Lulu died in infancy.

     Mr. Gardiner takes a deep interest in local and especially school affairs but has never held any office. He is a Republican, but is not a strict party man, voting for the best man every time.

     Mr. Abbot is a native of Prince Edward Island, Dominion of Canada, and was born in 1871. His father, Theodore Abbott, came from England and his mother, Jessie Farquharson, is a native of Prince Edward Island, and sister of the Hon. Donald Farquharson, at one time premier of that province and a prominent member of the Dominion parliament. Our subject was reared in Canada and in 1889 came to the States, where he spent some years in traveling over the country, then came to Nebraska and settled in Hershey in 1891, being employed as agent and operator for the Union Pacific Railway. He held this position up to 1893, making this his headquarters, and then went farther west, traveling all over the western part of the United States.

     In 1900 he returned to Hershey, and was one of the organizers of the Bank of Lincoln County, being elected as cashier of that institution, at the same time engaging in the real estate and insurance business, in which he has been very successful. Under his management the bank has prospered and is one of the most reliable establishments in this part of Nebraska. Mr. E. F. Seeberger, of North Platte, is president of the institution. The town of Hershey has grown wonderfully in the past few years, owing to several large ranches in the locality having been cut up into small farms and sold to men who have gone into the sugar beet culture very extensively, this industry having made great progress in Lincoln county. Fully fifty farmers have located near the town of Hershey during the past two years, and this has been the means of increasing business of all kinds in mostly all lines, the trade have quadrupled in that time. There are about two thousand acres of sugar beets under cultivation near this town at the present time. The Burlington & Missouri railway has surveyed its lines to within one-half mile north of Her-

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shey, and real estate values have gone up accordingly. All the country north of Hershey is well irrigated, and land sells at seventy-five dollars per acre. The farmers are able to obtain five dollars per ton for their beets, and fifteen tons per acres is an average yield.

     Mr. Abbott was married to Myrtle A. Caine, a native of Kansas, and has one child, Charles T. Abbott.

     Mr. Norman was born in Osterjotland, Sweden, in 1847. His parents were born, lived and died in Sweden, following farm work all their lives, and our subject was raised on a farm, where he learned to do all kinds of hard work, which fitted him for the struggles of later life in a new country. At the age of twenty-two he left home and came to America. After landing in New York city he came to Chicago, where he remained for a time, then drifted to the lumber woods of Michigan, where he worked during one winter. He next was employed on the railroad in Missouri for a year, and later was one year in Iowa, following farm work. In 1871 he returned to Chicago, where he was married to Miss Charlotte Boo, also born in Sweden, who came to this country in 1869. After his marriage Mr. Norman worked in Chicago for about nine years, being employed by an ice company, the firm of Griffin & Conley.

     About the year 1880 Mr. Norman went to Iowa and there worked on the railway for one year, then came to Wayne county, Nebraska, where he farmed for a short time. He moved to Holt county n 1883, and located in Dawes county two years later, in 1885, driving from Holt county, and camping out along the road at night during the trip. He brought with him two cows and plug team to start with, settling on section 9, where he built a log house. He went through the drouth periods on that place, and met with many losses, and in 1901 moved to section 4. Here he has good buildings, house, barns, sheds, fences, etc., and plenty of good running water the year around, Indian creek running through his farm. His farm consists of nine hundred and sixty acres, and he also owns six hundred and forty acres lying two miles west of Whitney. He engages in stock raising extensively, running three hundred and fifty head of cattle and a few horses. His place is well supplied with timber, and he has a good orchard, and all kinds of wild fruit, etc.

     Mr. Norman's family consists of eleven children, namely: Charles, Edward and Pete, twins: Hilma, Elmer, Ben and Willie, twins: Betsey, Tilda, Harry and Cal.

     Mr. Smith was born at Yonkers, Westchester, county, New York, in 1842.

      His father, Michael Smith, was born in England, a marine engineer by trade, who came to America when a young man of twenty-two years of age, and his mother was a native of New Jersey, born of English parents. In a family of nine children our subject was the fourth member, and he was obliged to strike out for himself at the age of ten years. When he was thirteen years old he obtained employment on a farm in Wisconsin and worked there for five years, then enlisted in Company F, Fifth Wisconsin Infantry.

     He was with the Army of the Potomac in the Peninsula campaign, which included the battle of Fair Oaks and the seven-day fight. He received a wound which disabled him so that he was discharged in September, 1863. He was in the thick of the fight at Shenandoah Valley and was wounded five times. After leaving the army service he returned to Wisconsin, where he learned the blacksmith trade, and for twenty years followed this work, remaining in Wisconsin for three years, then going to Wyoming, where he worked for different stage companies at shoeing horses. He went back to Wisconsin in 1871 and worked as a blacksmith for six years, then came to Nebraska as a pioneer, still working at his trade. In 1882 he moved to Long Pine and opened up a lumber yard, the first ever started in the town, and ran it for a year, then sold out and located on a ranch fourteen miles

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southwest of Long Pine. He followed the ranching business for two years. In 1895 Mr. Smith and a son opened a large general store in Long Pine, and have run this store ever since, building up a good trade and having a complete and up-to-date stock of general merchandise. Mr. Smith was married in 1874 to Miss Alicia Chester, born in Canada and raised in Wisconsin. Her father, William Chester, was a native of the north of Ireland and her mother of old American stock, born in Vermont, she dying in Long Pine in 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born three children, named as follows: L. E., William C. and George A., Jr.

     Mr. Smith has always taken an active and leading part in politics and has stumped Brown county for President McKinley. He is well known all over this section of the country, and is prominent in local and county politics, attending all the county conventions as a delegate. He is a stanch Republican.

     James M. Nelson was born in Lee county, Illinois, February 9, 1876, and Vernon A. in the same house with his brother, his birthday being February 1st of the following year. When small boys their parents came west with their family, settling in Dodge county, Nebraska, there taking up a farm, on which they lived for eight years. They next moved to Soquel, California, residing there three years, then returned to Nebraska and settled Kimball county. James Nelson filed on a homestead and Kincaid claim, both in section 32, township 13, range 52, while Vernon secured a like tract in section 14, township 13, range 53. The former places has been transformed from prairie land to a fertile farm with good buildings, ample water supply with immense tanks for irrigation. He cultivates about two hundred acres, raising good crops, and runs about one hundred and fifty head of cattle and fifteen horses.

     Vernon A. Nelson owns and carries on a ranch and farm which he took as a Kincaid homestead, containing five hundred and twenty acres, situated in section 14, township 13, range 53, Cheyenne county.

     Both parents of our subjects, Lars K. and Anna M. (Dibdale) Nelson, native of Denmark, are living and still occupy and operate a good ranch in Kimball county.

     James M. Nelson was married February 22, 1905, at his father's ranch in Kimball county to Miss Gertrude Rasmussen, a native of Denmark, who came to America as a young girl and was reared and educated in Omaha, South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska, where her parents from time to time resided. They are now living in Cheyenne county, where they own a good farm situated thirteen miles south of Potter, adjoining the Kimball county line. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have two children, namely: Alice Evaline and Freda Shirley.

     Mr. Nelson is active in local political affairs, and an independent voter, and always standing for the best interests of his community, helping to build the schools and taking an active part in their welfare.

     The subject of this history spent his youthful days in Cattaraugus county, New York, and in the village of Allegheny on the banks of the Allegheny river. He learned his father's trade and worked at it a considerable portion of the time, having a shop of his own in Allegheny up to year 1884.

     The marriage of Valentine Hyde took place in 1871 when he was wedded to Miss Malissa A. Holl. This union has resulted in ten children - Henry, Garrison, Vina (married), Fred, Susan (married), Roy, Guy, Stella, Leo and Jessie. Mrs. Hyde's parents were David Holl, a farmer and lumberman, and Amanda (Garrison) Holl, of Mohawk German descent.

     In 1884 the lure of the far west fell upon Mr. Hyde, and gathering his effects together he came with is family and settled in Loup county, Nebraska, locating a prairie home-

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stead on section 19, township 21, range 19. These were early days and the nearest railroad point was North Loup, sixty miles away. Mr. Hyde had but little means to start with, but he had pluck and untiring energy and he kept adding to his possessions every year. He built a sod house, which was usually the first home of every pioneer settler, and commenced improving his land. The succeeding years brought many hardships, the years of drouth being among the hardest to bear, but he always raised a little of various crops and success crowned his efforts in the end. He now owns a fine ranch of six hundred and fifty-eight acres, good buildings and a fine grove of forest trees and a nice orchard of various fruit trees. He cultivates about one hundred acres, the balance of his farm being devoted to pasture for his cattle and his horses.

     Mr. Hyde has witnessed the country grow from a wild expanse of raw prairie to a land covered with fine homes and widespread evidences of thrift and prosperity. And in all this advance Mr. Hyde has largely contributed. It marks a great change from the day when deer and antelope were occasionally seen roaming the almost deserted prairies in the vicinity of Mr. Hyde's farm.

     Mr. Mittelstadt was born in Germany December 18, 1863. When he was but three years of age his family, including father and mother, two sons and one daughter, immigrated to the Unites States, settling in Effingham, Illinois, where the father worked on the railroad and at his trade, that of a blacksmith, remaining there for several years. They went to Iron Mountain, Missouri, next, where Mr. Mittelstadt, Sr., was foreman at the smelting works for five years. Returning to Illinois, they settled at Altamount, engaged in blacksmithing until 1886, when they came to Nebraska, becoming residents of Cheyenne county. Here the father filed on a homestead in section 10, township 13, range 47, the place being situated four miles west and three miles south of Lodgepole, still occupied by the old folks. Gustav lived at home for a few years after coming here, then started out for himself, filing on a tract in the same section with the old folks, on which he proved up in due time, working in Cheyenne in a wagon shop to support himself and help the old folks until he could prove up on his claim.

     Selling this he bought in section 10, township 20, range 51, in 1897, and now owns two hundred and eighty acres of fine land. A large part of the place is under irrigation, on which he raises grain, hay and alfalfa, of which he has forty acres growing. Besides farming he engages to quite an extent in stock raising, running a large bunch of cattle and horses. He is developing interest in dairying, shipping the cream produced by ten or twelve cows. Mr. Mittelstadt has his place all in first-class condition, improved with a new residence and other good buildings, plenty of good water and windmills, fences and groves, and it is one of the valuable estates in the locality.

     In 1888 Mr. Mittelstadt was united in marriage to Miss Freeland Abby at Lodgepole. She was a faithful wife and loving mother, and in 1902 departed this life, leaving five children, who are named as follows: Edith, Elma, Albert, Josephine and Edward. Mr. Mittelstadt was married to Miss Emma Reupke at Siegel, Illinois, December 25, 1906.

     Our subject is a man of active public spirit, taking a commendable interest in all affairs which tend to the benefit of his locality, and in political views is a stanch Democrat. He was reared in the Lutheran church.

     In 1885 he came west to Nebraska, locating on his present farm in section 32, township 16, range 41, in Keith county. At that time provisions had to be hauled from Ogallala, thirty miles distant, the trip consuming two days. There being no bridges, the North Platte had

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with no improvements. He put up a small shack and commenced work in earnest. He was fortunate in spite of the years of drouth in the country, losing only one crop, while the other settlers lost several crops. Mr. Green continued improving his land and now has a splendid ranch of three hundred and twenty acres on the bottoms of the North Platte river, two hundred acres of which are irrigated with one hundred sixty acres in highly productive alfalfa. In 1908 the seed from one fifteen-acre lot of this netted nearly six hundred and fifty dollars. He has a grove of fine trees and two acres of orchard that are hard to equal in the county. We show a view of the home and surroundings on another page that may give some impression of the luxuriance and beauty of his orchard and groves. Ruthton Station, with section house, stockyards and siding, are on his ranch.

     In politics Mr. Green affiliates with the Republican party and has held several local offices, among them assessor and road overseer. Mr. Green has won his way by reason of his industry and his sterling traits of character and has filled a prominent place among the pioneer settler of the county.

     Mr. Banigan was born in Lena, Stephenson county, Illinois, November 25, 1867, and came to Hardin county, Iowa, with his parents in his childhood, where he was reared on a farm. His father, Peter Banigan, was born in Ireland, and when one week old sailed for America with his parents, who settled first in Canada, later moving to New York. He married Celestia Seaberry, whose ancestors were among the first settlers in America. Our subject was the third member of a family of six children, and when nineteen years of age started out for himself, having prior to that been employed as a jockey on the race tracks. He came to Cherry county in 1885, took up a homestead, but was unable to prove up, so he relinquished it and sought employment on one of the many farms of the Boiling Spring flats. In 1901 he took up his present farm and owns a section of good land, farming part of it and keeping a few good horses, but not dealing in stock to any great extent.

     Mr. Banigan likes Nebraska as a place of residence and intends to make it his permanent home. Politically our subject is a Republican.

     Mr. Falk was born in Sweden in 1855 and came to the United States when a young man, settling in Goodhue county, Minnesota, in 1867. In 1892 he came west and located in Holdrege, where he has lived ever since with a brief exception. Previous to this, about 1878, he settled on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres located in section 32, Center township, and farmed this land for two years, when he took up his work as a builder, and since then has followed this exclusively. He had learned this trade in Goodhue, Minnesota, where he did a good deal of carpenter work in the locality where he resided. During the past twenty-seven years he has built residences and taken contracts all over Phelps and some in the adjoining counties, and his reputation is of the very best and his work all first-class. For the past several years since residing in Holdrege he has put up many of the finest residences. In 1905 he built sixteen house here, many of them large, all fitted with modern improvements, both in town and country.

     Mr. Falk was married in 1880 to Miss Ellen Swanson, born in Sweden. He has two children, a son, Frank Falk, holding the position of bookkeeper with the Phelps County Lumber Company, located in Holdrege, and a daughter, Tillie.

     Mr. Falk is a member of the Swedish Mission church here, and has filled the office of trustee for some time past. He is an earnest worker in all religious matters, and a man of active public spirit. He does not seek public preferment in political affairs, but gives his whole attention to attending strictly to his business requirements in contracting. 

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      Robert Harrison was born in Texas, in 1859. His parents were residents of the town of Indianola, Calhoun county, which lies along the gulf of Mexico, and his father followed the sea as an occupation for many years, being captain and pilot on a large ship in southern waters. He married Margaret Smith, of German descent, who died when our subject was a lad of four years.

He was reared and educated in Texas, and when he was but seven years of age was obliged to shift for himself, living as best he could, and his father died when he was ten years old. He lived with different families, working for his board and keep, mostly on the ranches in that section of the country, and attended school when he was able, at times when he could not work at home, during the dull seasons, receiving a limited schooling. He began working as a cowboy when but a lad and rode all over the Texas ranges for years, and when but about seventeen trailed cattle from that state to Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota. After that he worked on the White River range and was appointed foreman of Half Diamond E ranch. Seven years were spent on Chadron creek, in Dawes county, and, in fact, during those years he worked all over this country as a cowboy and ranchman, traveling from South Platte into South Dakota and Wyoming, leading the roughest kind of a life, and passed through many thrilling experiences in following his work.

      After the region became more thickly settled Mr. Harrison went to Chadron, where he spent one year, and in 1887 came to Hat creek valley, locating on a homestead in section 13, township 33, range 54, in the foothills of Pine Ridge. There he built a log cabin and gathered together a few head of cattle and started in the ranching business. He worked hard and gradually accumulated property, added to his original ranch, and now has twenty-eight hundred acres of his own, besides leasing six hundred and forty acres, which he uses as pasture for his stock. The place is all fenced and in first-class shape, having some timer and numerous springs of running water, which he uses to good advantage in irrigating many acres. He has planted many trees, and has one of the finest apple orchards in the section, in1905 having a yield of over two hundred bushels of the fruit from his trees. He also has many cherry and plum trees in bearing, and smaller fruits, such as currants, gooseberries, etc. Our subject has erected all good buildings, including a fine residence, with all kinds of barns, sheds and corrals, and altogether has one of the best improved properties in the country.

      In the fall of 1887 Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Sarah McIntyre, whose father was a well known old settler in Dawes county. Mrs. Harrison was born in Illinois and reared in Nebraska. To them have been born three children, namely: Robert W., Margaret E. and Helen.

      Mr. Daugherty was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 29th of August, 1855. He spent his early life and received his early schooling in his native county, remaining there until 12886. On reaching early manhood he began life on his own account and engaged in the grocery business in Dawson, Sangamon county, Illinois, following this from 1880 to 1885. His next move was to Nebraska. He reached Cheyenne county in March, 1886, and took a homestead on section 24, township 16, range 53, which he sold in 1907. His present home on section 12, township 15, range 51, shows evidence of thrift and prosperity. Previous to taking up his present home--during 1891-1893--Mr. Daugherty was engaged in the grocery business in Sidney, and met with success in that vocation. He was elected sheriff of Cheyenne county in 1894, serving one term, and then entered the employ of the Union Pacific railroad and continued in train service and yard work up to 1906.

He is at present filling the office of county assessor, elected in 1908, and will serve up to 1912. He has always been active in local affairs, taking an active part in politics, is a stanch

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tant function pertaining to state or county matters of moment.

      Mr. Daugherty was married in Sangamon county, Illinois, to Miss Arabella Conway on February 13, 1878. She was a native of Indiana and a daughter of Reuben Conway. She made a brave helpmeet and was greatly beloved by all who knew her for her many womanly qualities and sweet disposition. She departed this life in November, 1897, sincerely mourned by her family and many friends. Two daughters had been born of their union--Bertah C., who followed the profession of a trained nurse, and who is now the widow of J. C. Newbauer, and Grace C., living at home.

      In September, 1899, our subject was married to Miss Kizzie Cushing, a native of England, who came to America with her parents in 1872. She was a child of ten years when the family located on the North Platte near the edge of the Pawnee reservation. At one time they fled to the roundhouse at Sidney, fearing an uprising of the tribe. Of his second marriage Mr. Daugherty has three sons, namely: John Peter, Charles Henry and Arthur Harris.

      The family have a pleasant home and are among the prominent residents of their community. Mr. Daugherty is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Workmen and the Knights of Pythias at Sidney.

      Mr. Micheel is a native of the village of Rellin, Holstein, Germany, born January 13, 1851. His father, Carol Micheel, was a farmer, who lived and died in Germany. In a family of seven children our subject was the oldest member, and he was reared and educated in his native land, at the age of seventeen starting out for himself, learning agriculture on a large farm, where he remained for three years. He then worked on another farm as foreman for one year and again as foreman and inspector for two years.

     Following that he entered the army and served for six and a half years, rising to the rank of sergeant in eighteen months. After leaving the army service he spent a year at home, then came to the United States, sailing from Hamburg on the steamer Selesia, landing in New York after a thirteen days' voyage in November, 1880. He came across the states to Nebraska, locating in Dixon county, and there settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land, renting also two hundred and sixty acres adjoining, and there farmed for two years. In 1883 he sold out his holding there and moved to Cherry county, where he took up a homestead and timber claim, some five miles south from Wood Lake, living in a tent for three weeks. He then built a house. The following year a tornado swept the vicinity in July, which turned his house about half way around on its foundation, and a severe hailstorm which struck them at the same time greatly injured his crops, a misfortune that happened time and again while living in Cherry county. In 1889 he sold that place and moved to Johnstown.

      At the end of that time he sold out and went back to farming and worked on rented land for five years, then bought his present farm in 1897, located in section 8, township 29, range 24, which was entirely unimproved land, except for a fine growth of natural timber. Here he put on many improvements, building a good house and farm buildings. He has a ranch of six hundred and forty acres and engages in stock and grain raising. While farming in this county he lost seven crops, tow years from excess of water and the other year through dearth of it. He has seen hard times, especially during the dry years, but came through all to final success and is now well satisfied with what he has accomplished here. He was the first settler in Fisher valley, his nearest neighbor being five miles away. While living in Johnstown he was active in local affairs, acting as constable, and also held several school offices.

      Mr. Micheel was married in Dixon county in 1882 to Miss Bertha Reimers, a native of Germany, who came to this country in 1881, landing in New York in August of that year. To them have been born five children, named as follows: Carl, Harry, Nannie, Ella and Fritz.

      Mr. Micheel is independent in politics, a member of the Lutheran church and affiliates with the Odd Fellows.

      

      

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