 MR. AND MRS. BECK. |
gages in general farming and raises registered Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Brady was united in marriage to Harriet Elizabeth Janes. Her father was born in Illinois and her mother in Canada. They came early to Kearney, Nebraska, and Mrs. Brady enjoyed excellent educational training and for a number of years prior to her marriage, was an instructor in the Kearney high school. Mr. and Mrs. Brady have one son, John H., who is in business at Seattle, Washington. Mr. Brady has always given his political support to the Republican party. With his family he belongs to the Presbyterian church. For many years he has been active in Masonic circles and assisted in establishing the first Masonic lodge at Minatare. WILLIAM H. BECK, who was one of Banner county's most respected citizens for many years, was horn in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1847 and died in Gering, December 1, 1904. He was an example of the honest, industrious, intelligent and. conscientious pioneer settler, to which class Banner and other counties of this great state owe so much in the way of substantial development. The parents of Mr. Beck were William and Mary Ann (Hartman) Beck, who were married February 29, 1844. At the age of thirty-five years William Beck became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was born at Middletown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1811. William H. Beck grew to manhood in Ohio and when the Civil War came on proved his loyalty to the Union by enlisting as a soldier in Company F, 186th Ohio Infantry, in which he served faithfully and took part in many battles. It was after the war was over that he went to Indiana, where on June 3, 1869, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Brown, who was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, December 22, 1842. Her parents were Tivis H. and Matilda (Banister) Brown, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Beck was the fourth born of their seven children, six of whom were daughters. For four years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Becek (sic) lived in Indiana. In 1884 they came to Nebraska and settled in what was then Cheyenne county, later changed to Banner county, where Mr. Beck preëmpted land and also secured a timber claim. He was a general farmer and at the time of retirement, about 1900, came to Gering and owned 320 acres of well developed land. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beck: Mrs. Nora McCoy, whose husband is a merchant in Oregon; Worthy, who died in infancy; Mrs. Grace Nelly Forman, who lives near Mitchell; Mrs. Sadie Bell McCampsey, who lives in Oregon; Mrs. Mary E. Adcock, who is deceased; and Walter T., who resides near Gering, Nebraska. Mr. Beck was a Republican in politics. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which religious body Mrs. Beck also belongs, in which she is quite active at Gering. She has a small residence in this city and has a wide acquaintance and many friends. FRED L. BURNS, who has passed almost his entire life in the state of Nebraska, is a representative and prominent citizen of Scottsbluff county and is the owner of a fine farm but resides at Gering. He was born in Illinois, October 27, 1869 and accompanied his parents to Nebraska in 1871. Both parents, A. S. and Elizabeth Burns, were born in Canada. The father homesteaded in Fillmore county, but now resides with his son at Gering. The mother died when aged fifty-five years. Fred Burns obtained his education in the public schools. In 1901 he came to Scottsbluff county and in 1906 homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres, eighty-eight of which are under irrigation. He married Miss Nan Fulton, who was born in Missouri. Her parents were J. R. and Mary Fulton, who were born in Ohio, came to Fillmore county, Nebraska, and homesteaded and died in that county aged respectively seventy-six and eighty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Burns have an adopted son, Edward Burns, who is a bright and obedient youth now attending school at Gering. For some years before her marriage, Mrs. Burns taught school in Fillmore county and also in Wyoming and both she and Mr. Burns have been greatly interested in school development in school district number thirty-three. The first sessions were held in a dugout, in 1905, but in 1908 a schoolhouse,18x24 feet in dimensions was provided and in 1910 an addition was built to the structure. Largely through Mr. Burns's influence a commodious, modern school structure took its place in 1915. The first teacher was a Miss Elquist, who had six pupils, while now there are forty or more and when all are present two teachers are required. In politics Mr. Burns is an old-line Republican. He has served in different local offices and was deputy county treasurer from 1907 until 1912, and county treasurer from 1912 to 1916, and Mrs. Burns was deputy under him. Mrs. Burns owns one hundred and sixty acres of fine land southwest of Gering. |
HARVEY HARWARD, who is a well known, enterprising and highly respected citizen of Scottsbluff county, a successful farmer and public official for a number of years, was born in Iowa, January 9, 1864. His parents were Charles and Nancy Harward, natives of Ohio. The father was a farmer all his life and died in Missouri at the age of sixty-five. Harvey Harward lost his mother when he was eight years old. He has one older brother. He came to Nebraska and on April 13, 1886, homesteaded one hundred and forty-four and a half acres and secured a timber claim, and since that time has improved four farms and has in prospect another. He now has eighty acres ditched and is making extensive improvements. In Scottsbluff county Mr. Harward was united in marriage to Miss Ina Williams. Her parents were T. J. and Lovina (Michel) Williams, the latter of whom died at the age of fifty years. The father of Mrs. Harward was born in Henry county Iowa, February 9, 1849. His parents were Henry and Leah (Stanbrough) Williams, natives of Ohio. Mr. Williams spent twenty-nine years in Iowa, then moved to Dakota and in 1885 to Cheyenne county and homesteaded near Bayard, one hundred and sixty acres of dry land all of which is now ditched. He no longer is active on the farm but Mr. Harward, with whom he lives, looks after his interests. Mr. Williams was county assessor from 1892 until 1896, held school offices many years and was a leading citizen in many ways. His children were as follows: Mrs. Rose Williamson of Iowa; Mrs. Harvey Harward, of Scottsbluff county; Mrs. Gatch, Mrs. Davis and A. O. Williams, all of Scottsbluff county; R. C., of Melbeta; and Guy, deceased. The last named left two children, Lovina and Thomas James, and Mr. Harward is rearing them as his own. In politics, Mr. Harward has always been more or less an independent voter. For a number of years he has held school offices and offices in connection with irrigation projects and has also been assessor. He has been very active in forwarding educational and church movements and on January 22, 1889, helped to organize the First Baptist church in Highland precinct, a charter member with J. M. Adams and L. A. Christian. Both he and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church and he is superitnendent (sic) of the Sunday school. FRANKLIN A REDFIELD was born in Livingston county, New York, November 25, 1834, and died August 26, 1904, in Johnson county, Nebraska. His wife, Mary E. Aldrich, is a native of Ray county, Missouri, where she was born February 4, 1839. She came to Scottsbluff county in 1916 from Johnson county, where she had resided from the time of her husband's death, and now at the age of 80 years she lives by herself in the town of Melbeta and successfully looks after all :her affairs. Mr. Redfield, after his marriage on February 4, 1858, lived in Illinois as a farmer until the outbreak of the Civil War. When the call of the country came for volunteers he enlisted and served three years in the war. He came to Nebraska April 1, 1870 and settled in Johnson county. He was first a farmer and then a merchant there for ten years, was a very successful man, and widely known. Mr. Redfield was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic of Crabb Orchard Post G. A. R. To Mr. and Mrs. Redfield were born two children. The elder of these, Lucien H. Redfield, was born in Illinois June 10, 1859; came to Scottsbluff county in 1911 and purchased land which he has improved and upon which he has been successful in general farming. To him and his wife, Alice (Worley) Redfield, a native of Iowa, eight children have been born, six of whom are living, namely: Clark, now employed in Melbeta, was across the ocean nine times, being in the U. S. navy during the late war on the transport Wilemina; Clara, a nurse in the Midwest hospital in Scottsbluff; Lucy, the wife of Edgar Decker, a merchant in Melbeta; and Mary, John, and Arthur, at home. The other son of the subject of this sketch is William C. Redfield, a banker at Haig, in Scottsbluff county. He was born in Illinois on December 30, 1860. He was married to Mary E. Barrett, a native of New York, and two children have been born to them, namely: Franklin, who has recently been discharged from the United States navy, and Martha, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Redfield were members of the Congregational church in Illinois, but after coming to Nebraska they joined the M. E. church in Johnson county, bringing a letter from the Crabb Orchard M. E. church to the Melbeta church. JOSEPH P. WOOD. -- The subject of this sketch is a native of Iowa, and was born December 11, 1857. His father was George Wood, who was born in Madison, Indiana, and followed the occupation of a blacksmith in Indiana, later moving to Kansas, where he worked |
at his trade until his death at the ripe age of seventy-nine years. His mother, Artemisia (Austin) Wood, died at the age of fifty. She was a native of Kentucky. Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Ella Johnson, who was born in Illinois November 24, 1859. Her parents were Horace Johnson, a native of New Hampshire, and Helen (Smith) Johnson, a native of Connecticut. Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are now deceased. They followed the calling of general farming in Illinois and never came to Nebraska Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wood: Delmar, who is married and lives in California; and Elsie, now Mrs. J. E. Clure, living on a farm in Scottsbluff county. Mr. Wood came to Nebraska in 1886 and settled on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. After improving his place, he found, like many other western Nebraskans in the early days, that money was not so plentiful in the short grass region, so he secured employment as manager of a ranch in Wyoming and held the position for twelve years. At the end of that time the prosperous growth of Scottsbluff county was beginning, and he returned to his place here and has successfully followed farming and stockrasing (sic) from that time. He is a Democrat in politics and is widely known among the early settlers as an industrious man, a good friend and neighbor, an upright American citizen. He has seen the country grow and has grown with it. He is one of the many who have proved that the main difference between success and failure is the ability to stick to it, WILLIAM JOHNS is a native of Nebraska, born in Johnson county August 22, 1868, and has spent his life in the state. His father, Ferdinand Johns, was a native of Germany, but came to America in the spring of 1868, where he took a homestead in Johnson county and followed farming there until his death at the age of seventy-six years. His mother, Caroline (Bolt) Johns, also born in Germany, died in Johnson county, aged sixty-eight. Mr. Johns was married to Louise Zinsmaster, a native of Ohio. Her father, Jacob Zinsmaster was born in Germany, coming to America when a young man. He married Maria Sutvarn, a native of Ohio. They were farming people and died in Johnson county, Nebraska. To Mr. and Mrs. Johns eleven children have been born, ten of whom are living. They are: Earnest, Myrtle (now Mrs. Warren Dickinson, living on a farm in Scottsbluff county), Harry, Elnora, Wilber (deceased), Roy, Earl, Nellie, Bernice, Lorine, and Grace. All are living at home except the married daughter. Mr. Johns has farmed in both ends of Nebraska, twenty years in Johnson county and ten years in Scottsbluff. When he came here he purchased four hundred acres of land and has been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He now owns seven hundred and ten acres. He is not inclined to be boastful, but modestly says that he considers himself successful. When a man at middle age has a family of ten children, a prosperous farm and ranch business, and seven hundred and ten acres of Nebraska land that is increasing in value every year--if such a man is not entitled to call himself successful, we must get a new definition of success. C. H. BURK. -- The subject of this notice was born January 29, 1856, in Fountain county, Indiana, the son of John and Mary Burk, both now deceased. John Burk was a native of Kentucky. He dealt in horses, and during the Civil War bought horses for the United States government. He never came to Nebraska, but died at the age of seventy. The mother lived to the advanced age of eighty years. C. H. Burk came to Nebraska in 1883 and settled at Tamora, in Seward county, where he engaged in the lumber business for about two years. He was married at Phillips, Nebraska, on June 30, 1885, to Pet W. Wood, who was a daughter of James W. and Margaret (Showalter) Wood. She was born in Benton county, Iowa, where the father was an early settler and a prominent attorney, having come from London, England, directly to Iowa. Her mother was a native of Ohio. Both the parents are now deceased. One child, Harmon J. Burk, was born to this union, and died at the early age of four years. From 1885 to 1893 Mr. Burk conducted a hardware and lumber business at Phillips, Nebraska, and then entered the banking business at the same place. Since that time he has been a banker and has had the unusual experience of founding and successfully developing some half a dozen banks in western Nebraska, all of which are now prosperous and growing with the fast growing country. His first location in this vicinity was at Bayard, where in company with J. W. Wehn he opened the Bank of Bayard in January, 1900, with a capitalization of $5,000. Later the same men |
founded the Deuel County Bank, at Oshkosh, with $10,000 capital, and Mr. Burk made his residence in Oshkosh for two years directing the affairs of this bank. Next he spent two years with the Bank of Lewellen, in the same county, another $10,000 institution. In 1909 the Broadwater Bank, in Morrill county, was opened with $10,000 capital, and in 1911 Mr. Burk went to McGrew, in Scottsbluff county, where he opened a bank with $15,000 capital. He sold this in February, 1914, and since that time has been retired from active business pursuits. Mr. Burk is a Republican in politics, and belongs to the Woodmen and Highlanders. Mrs. Burk is a member of the Presbyterian church. G. R. CONKLIN.-- Born in Polk county, Iowa, September 18, 1872, Mr. Conklin came to Nebraska in 1886 with his parents. His father, Gilbert Conklin, was a native of New York and a farmer. His mother, Lucy M. Conklin, was likewise born in New York but was reared in Iowa. The parents took a homestead in Nebraska, and the father dying before final proof was made, the mother completed the proof. She is since deceased at the age of sixty-one years. The subject of this sketch was married at Gering to Florence Alberts, a native of Iowa. Of the five children born to them, one son, Clifford, died at the age of eighteen months. The others, all living at home, are: Walter, Clayton, Charles and Leslie. Mr. Conklin proved up on a homestead near McGrew, Nebraska, which he sold. He also bought and sold several otehr (sic) places before locating on his present farm where he is engaged in general farming and preparing to make extensive improvements. He has, like practically all early Nebraska settlers, raised cattle. Furthermore, like all the other early settlers, he took a hand at every side line that offered a chance to make an honest dollar in the days when dollars were as scarce as steamboats on these western prairies. He hauled the first load of freight into Gering from Sidney. He drove a prairie schooner through from Missouri, and saw all the hardships of the pioneer days. Some of those who took part in those early struggles, gave up and left; others stuck it out, and they are now the successful and prosperous members of the community in its present days of great development and growing riches. Mr. Conklin was one of those who stuck. He is road overseer of district number six and was a member of the school board of district number eighteen. He belongs to the W. O. W., while his wife is a member of the Woodmen Circle and of the Presbyterian church. GEORGE KEIPER WHITAKER was born June 14, 1862, in Morgan county, Indiana. His father, Bland Whitaker, was a native of Kentucky, a farmer by occupation, and lived to the age of seventy years. His mother, Fanny Whitaker, died at the age of fifty-four. Mr. Whitaker was married at Kearney, Nebraska, to Miranda Carpenter, whose parents were early settlers in Buffalo county. Her father, E. W. Carpenter, came to that locality in 1872. Both he and his, wife, Emily, are now deceased. Eight children have come to bless the home life of Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker, and all of them are living at home. Their names are, Nigel, Dell, Clarabell, Ruth, Harry, Emma, Jackson, and George K., Jr. The subject of this sketch came to Nebraska in 1880 with his mother, and both of them took up homesteads in Buffalo county, near Kearney. After living there twenty-eight years, engaged in extensive farming and stockraising operations, Mr. Whitaker came to Scottsbluff county in 1909 and bought his present home. This is a well improved place of three hundred and twenty acres, of which eighty acres is now under irrigation, and all the balance will be irrigated by the new Government ditch which is now being constructed. Coming to this section of the state with the first railroad, Mr. Whitaker has seen it develop from a sparsely settled range country to one of the wealthiest sections of the United States, all in a few years, and he has had his share of the prosperity. He now confines himself to a general farming business, although up until 1918 he had raised cattle. In that year he closed out his cattle and retired from stock raising. In politics he is a Republican, and is a member of the Methodist church. He is well and favorably known to all of the pioneers of the county, and there is between them the bond of friendship that comes from pioneering together in the days of hard times. CHARLES E. NEELEY was born in Schuyler county, Missouri, September 3, 1866. His father was Robert S. Neeley, a native of Lancaster, Ohio, and his mother, Sarah M. Neeley, a native of Kentucky. Both lived to an advanced age, the mother dying at eighty-five and the father at eighty-seven. The fath- |
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