 MR. AND MRS. THOMAS M. HOWARD. |
tion was one of the best equipments for the furtherance of his life's plan, so after finishing the grades he entered the high school, pursued a full course and after graduating matriculated in the pharmacy department of Northwestern University in the city of Chicago. Being a good and conscientious student he in due time received his degree and was registered as a graduate pharmacist and licensed to practice in 1895. Within a short time Mr. Fugate became established in the practice of his profession in Iowa, where he engaged in business until 1906. During his years in business he realized that the man of property is more independent than one tied to such an exacting business as a pharmacist. Being a student of affairs he came to realize that many men were making money in the west and at the same time becoming owners of valuable land. He studied on the question and having been reared on a farm determined to follow in the footsteps of his father and took up a homestead in Scottsbluff county. He at once began the improvement of his land, erected good and permanent farm buildings, built a comfortable home, proved up and for five years was engaged in agricultural pursuits, finding that the practical experience he had gained as a boy came in more than handy now that he was a landed proprietor. Mr. Fugate was alive to every opportunity to make money and at the same time to assist in the development of this western country, and realizing the necessity of a village where the residents of his section could obtain supplies and sell their produce he became one of the prime movers in the establishment of the town. He moved into the village, one of the first families to take up their residence there where the family lived until 1912, when they removed to Henry, locating here July 13, Mr. Fugate entered actively into the business interests of his new community, became interested in various enterprises and on September 14, 1914, was appointed postmaster, an office which he has efficiently filled up to the present time. Since assuming office he has inaugurated many reforms which have tended to facilitate and expediate (sic) the handling of mail which has proved of great value to the residents. Realizing of what benefit a well conducted newspaper would be in this thriving community in 1917, Mr. Fugate established the Henry Messenger, which has grown rapidly and now has a wide circulation in the immediate vicinity of the town and also up and down the valley, showing what success it has attained under his able management. It is bright, clean, enterprising and wholesome, and has gained many fast friends among the reading public, being also well deserving of the support it receives as an advertising medium. In connection with the paper Mr. Fugate conducts an up-to-date job printing office. May 15, 1888, Mr. Fugate married Miss Sunsan M. Satterfield, of Pike county, and to them one child was born, Mabelle, who married William F. Young and now lives in Brementown, Washington. Mr. Fugate with his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of which they are liberal supporters. He is a member of the Democratic party in politics, while his fraternal associations are with the Masonic order. THOMAS M. HOWARD, the founder of the business that is now conducted by his family in Scottsbluff under the name of the Howard Greenhouse and Flower Shop, was born at Perry Center, New York, December 26, 1855, and died at Scottsbluff, Nebraska, December 4, 1918. His life was an illustration of the principle that while many people admire nature in the abstract, not so many feel the impulse that leads to the cultivation of flowers or the scientific study of the mysterious results of grafting and propagation. As a business it may prove exceedingly profitable, as has been abundantly proved by the Howards, but it is one that demands special talents, hence every individual would not be successful at it. The large florist business belonging to the Howards and ably managed by Mrs. Howard and her sons includes plants at both Scottsbluff and Gering. Thomas M. Howard was married at Batavia, New York, November 30, 1887, to Deborah Tompkins, a native of Ireland. She was born July 2, 1860, and when eleven years of age came with her parents to the United States in 1871. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Howard came to Nebraska and located at Weeping Water, where Mr. Howard engaged in the banking business and also handled real estate, the latter enterprise he continued after coming to Scottsbluff in 1902 in partnership with John A. Orr and the late William H. Wright, and after Mr. Wright's death he continued the same business with Mr. Orr for several years. The firm name was Wright, Orr & Howard, and it was the leading real estate firm in the North Platte Valley. Mr. Howard was an active citizen in public affairs at both Weeping Water and Scottsbluff, serving on the town board in both cities. He was a man of influence in the Republican party, and both himself and wife were most |
worthy members of the Presbyterian church. No man stood higher in the estimation of his friends and neighbors than he, and he has left behind him the memory of a man who was the soul of honor, a loyal friend, and a successful business man. A lover of flowers all his life, he was endowed with the gift that enabled him to handle them successfully. He started the florist business in a small way while engaged in other enterprises, it being to a large extent a recreation with him and Mrs. Howard, and they spent many of their happiest hours working together in the greenhouses, but as the community grew the business grew with it until it became their major occupation. To Mr. and Mrs. Howard seven children have been born, all of whom are living. Albert T. Howard is the third in age of the seven children. He was born at Weeping Water, Nebraska, April 6, 1893; was graduated from the Scottsbluff high school in 1910, and afterwards taught school for one year. He then accepted the position of chemist with the Great Western Sugar Company at their Scottsbluff factory, resigning after two years to enter upon the duties of assistant postmaster, in which position he remained five years. He then resigned in order to enter the service of his country during the World War, being a member of Company G, Fourth Nebraska Infantry, Battery D, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Field Artillery, serving from September 19, 1917, to December 5, 191.8. For ten months he was at Camp Cody, New Mexico, having been commissioned at Camp Zachary Taylor. After his return from the army he resumed his peaceful activities in the florist business and has ably carried it on. In politics he is a stalwart Republican, and he is a member of the Presbyterian church. S. Morton Howard, who attends to the Howard floral interests at Gering, was born at Weeping Water, Nebraska, March 30, 1896. After completing his course. in the Scottsbluff High School he took a course in stock judging, and for one season was with Jesse Harris at Fort Collins, Colorado. From there he entered the National army in Battery A, Three Hundred and thirty-eighth Field Artillery, and was trained at Camp Dodge, Iowa. During his period of overseas service he was stationed at Winchester, England, and Bordeaux, France, between May 23, 1919, and December 25, 1918. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dodge on January 26, 1919, returned home immediately, and since then has been located at Gering. Richard L. Howard is pronounced by his brothers to be the most capable member of the family as a florist. In 1918 his father had retired from active business and left the management of the flower culture and sale to the three sons. When the two older sons joined the army Richard consented to remain at home and look after the business, since he was under the draft age, being only twenty years old, although he was eager to go as a volunteer and would have done so if his sense of duty to his mother had not prevented. While his brothers were absent in the service he shouldered the entire care and responsibility of managing the greenhouses and truck gardens, and ably performed the duty. An additional burden was the death of his father, which occurred during that time. Richard was born at Weeping Water, Nebraska, April 25, 1898, and was educated in Scottsbluff. Since boyhood he has been connected with the floral business and expects to make that his life work. The family now owns a five-acre tract of land, with five greenhouses and an up-town shop, in addition to the plant at Gering. Mr. Howard left quite a valuable estate, the accumulation of a lifetime of concentrated effort and honorable industry, and all his sons are highly esteemed as good citizens and capable business men. Mrs. Howard is also a good business woman and expects to continue active in carrying on the business in connection with her sons. Her interest and pleasure in life are her family, flowers, and home. The other children are four daughters: R. Janet, who has been a teacher in Wyoming, and now resides at home; Roxa L., the wife of Mark M. Patterson, superintendent of schools at Hamilton, New York; Marianna, now attending the University of Nebraska, at Lincoln, and Lydia A., a student in the Scottsbluff high school. WILLIAM BARNES, who is now to be designated as one of the progresive (sic) and successful representatives of agricultural and live stock enterprises in Scottsbluff county, gained in his youth experience as a cowboy on the great open ranges in the Lone State state, and the vigor and self-reliance which this service involved have never left him in the later years which he has given to productive enterprise along other lines of activity. He is one of the substantial and popular citizens of the northern part of Scottsbluff county, where his well improved farm is situated about five miles distant from Mitchell. Mr. Barnes was born it St. Clair county, Missouri, March 8, 1857, and is a son of |
Lindsey and Mary (Preston) Barnes, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee. Of the family of nine children the first born was Martha, who is deceased, and the second is William, the immediate subject of this sketch; George Robert and Lindsey Francis are deceased; Ann Eliza is the wife of Charles Hilton, of Appleton City, Missouri; Mary Ellen is the wife of Edward Shrewsberry, of Osceola, that state; Ada and Elizabeth are deceased; and O. K., who has been prominent identified with government reclamation service in western Nebraska, maintains his residence at Mitchell, Scottsbluff county. Lindsey Barnes, a scion of an old and honored Virginia family, became a prosperous farmer in Missouri, where he continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits until he had attained middle life. He was influential in political and public affairs in Clark county, that state, where he served some time as deputy county sheriff, the cause of the Democratic party having recived (sic) his unwavering support. He was a member of the Baptist church, as is also his venerable widow, who celebrated in 1919, the eighty-seventh anniversary of her birth and whose home is at Appleton City, Missouri, though she endeavors to pass a portion of her time in the homes of her several children, all of whom accord to her the deepest love and veneration. The common schools of his native state provided William Barnes with his early educational advantages, and there also he gained his initial experience in connection with farm activities. As a young man of twenty years he made his way to Texas, where he found employment in herding cattle on the range, his service as a cowboy having continued for seventeen years and the free and vigorous life having given him a vigor that stands him well in these later years. He has been actively concerned in the construction of irrigation systems in Nebraska and other states, and in this connection he aided in the building of twelve miles of government irrigation ditch in Scottsbluff county. Here he took up a homestead in the year 1906, but was absent from the county thereafter until 1908, when he established his permanent residence on his land, to the development and improvement of which he has since given his close attention. He has a quarter section of land, upon which he has made good improvements, and practically the entire tract is under effective irrigation. He has erected good buildings on the place and has one of the attractive farm homes of the county. The land is most productive, and in addition to the propagation of the various crops best suited to this locality he gives attention also to the raising of good types of live stock. Mr. Barnes maintains an independent attitude in politics, and takes lively interest in community affairs, as a loyal and public-spirited citizen. He is affiliated with the time honored Masonic fraternity. JAMES FINN, one of the large landholders and successful farmers of the Broadwater district, who is known for his business ability was born in Wisconsin, January 10, 1853, the son of John and Celia (McGuire) Finn, both born and reared in Canada. To them were born eight children, six of whom are living: James, of this review; Mary Jane, deceased; John, of Morrill county; Josephine, who lives in Mason City, Iowa; William W., of Wesley, Iowa; Jarvis, deceased; Frank, of Geneva, Iowa, and Bert of Dumont, Iowa. The father was a farmer in Wisconsin, who moved to Iowa, when James was sixteen years of age. The family lived there many years; the mother died in 1910 and the father in 1907. James Finn spent his early youth in Wisconsin, attended the public schools for his education and when that was finished began to farm. After coming to Iowa he farmer (sic) some and then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he was employed for fifteen years before coming to western Nebraska, thirty-one years ago last March, settling in old Cheyenne county when it was little developed. During the early days of Sidney, Mr. Finn worked on many of the buildings of that growing town, spending three years as a builder there. He then moved two and a half miles west of Bridgeport to a homestead of eighty acres. Farming was well known to him, he made a success of it even at this early date, made money and from time to time bought more land until today he owns more than seven hundred acres, all well omproved (sic) land. For years he has been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He is a shrewd man of foresight and by short buying and long selling has made a comfortable fortune here in the west. In 1888, Mr. Finn married Miss Louise Fuchs, and to them have been born two children: Frank, who, died in infancy, and Albert, who is at home. Mr. Finn is a member of the Catholic church and is a Republican. He takes an active interest in local affairs and backs all movements to develop his section of the county. |
HERBERT G. RUSSELL. -- In every community will be found quiet, industrious, business men, following various vocation (sic), without whom the many industries of civilized life could not go on, and very often it will be found that they are self made men, having, unaided, built up their own fortunes. One of the leading men of the generation who typifies this class is Herbert Russell, who not only has but still is, taking an important part in the development of this western section of Nebraska. Mr. Russell was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, February 28, 1877, being the son of Calvin W. Russell, a pioneer settler of the Badger state, who became a prosperous farmer there. Herbert Russell received his elementary education in the public schools of Nebraska, after his family moved to this state. After completing the graded work he continued his studies in the high school, graduating from a four year course. Having been a good and rather brilliant scholar he was urged to take the teacher's examination, which he passed brilliantly and the following fall found him a full fledged pedagogue. Finding the scholastic profession to his liking and being so successful in this line, Mr. Russell continued teaching for some years. He realized the full benefits to be gained from higher education and during the summer vacations attended the State University at Lincoln, thus gaining not only benefits for his year's work in school but at the same time broadening his view of life. While he had achieved an enviable reputation as a teacher, Mr. Russell soon felt that there was not enough of a future in teaching and decided to enter commercial life where his constructive talents would have greater opportunities for use and development. Coming to Henry, Mr. Russell opened a real estate office with an allied line, insurance, and to this business he has since devoted his time and attention. As correct surveys are of the utmost importance in land deals, Mr. Russell became interested in surveying, studied that subject and has done a considerable amount of the surveying in the western part of the state in the vicinity of Henry. Of a pleasing personality, a man of high ideals both in his private and business life, it is but natural that Mr. Russell gained warm friends in Scottsbluff county where he has a reputation for straight dealing, personal honesty and the careful execution of all business obligations. He has built up a lucrative business which brings in most gratifying returns and is well and favorably known throughout the Panhandle. Mr. Russell is really a pioneer of this section as he first came here when the valley was thinly populated and it is most interesting to get him to recount his early experiences, which in many cases were privations and hardships but not so according to his telling. His brother, James Russell, was one of the earliest settlers of the Mitchell district, long before it was known by that or any name and he recalls how the postoffice of Mitchell, a frame structure of one room only, about ten feet square, was put up over night of necessity. James Russell became the first postmaster and Herbert was often in the office with him. Thus the youthful school master aided in shaping the future development of a section which he has seen change from raw, unbroken prairie to rich, arable farm land where bounteous crops reward the labors of the husbandman. Knowing the country as only an early settler could, has greatly aided Mr. Russell in his business to the end that he is regarded as one of the best buyers and sellers of real estate in the valley. Mr. Russell is an independent in politics, casting his vote for the man best qualified to hold office, whether in the community, state or nation. The family are members of the Chritian (sic) church while Mr. Russell has fraternal affiliations with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Yeomen. In the fall of 1912, Mr. Russell married Miss Nellie Robertson, a native daughter of Nebraska, and to them one child has been born, Ralph Keith. BERT R. WEBER, who is numbered among the successful younger exponents of agricultural and live-stock industry in Scottsbluff county, has the distinction of being a native son of this country, his birth having taken place on the home farm of his father, near Gering, on November 14, 1890. Of the family genealogy adequate record is given on other pages, in the sketch of the career of his father, William Weber. Bert R. Weber early gained his quota of experience in connection with the activities of the home farm and his youthful educational advantages included those of the public schools of Gering. He continued to be associated with his father in the operation of the latter's ranch until he had attained to his legal majority, when he initiated his independent career in connection with the same important line of industry. As a general agriculturist and stockgrower he is emphatically alert and progressive and he conducts operations on a well improved place of two hundred and seventeen acres, all of which will eventually have ample |
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