 MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM BARKHOFF AND FAMILY. |
an Cheyenne counties, all of which were originally included in Cheyenne county. Mr. Dailey initiated his active career by obtaining employment as a cowboy and cattle herder, and he was thus employed by Reuben Lisco about two years. He then began farm operations on the homestead which he had secured, and to which he later added by taking a Kinkaid claim, with the result that he now has eight hundred acres of the valuable land of Garden county, four hundred being devoted to general agricultural enterprise and the remainder of the land being used principally for pasturage and general forage purposes. Mr. Dailey is a vigorous worker in all departments of farm industry and his advancement shows that he has made the best possible use of the opportunities that have been afforded him in connection with farm development in the Nebraska Panhandle. He is a stockholder in the farmers' grain elevator at Lisco, which villlage (sic) is his postoffice address, his political allegiance is given to the Democratic party; he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, and both he and his wife are active communicants of the Catholic church. At Sidney, Cheyenne county, February 22, 1911, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Dailey to Miss Anna Vacik, who was born and reared in Nebraska, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Vacik, having been pioneer settlers in Cheyenne county, where the father is now living virtually retired, at Sidney, both he and his wife being active members of the Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Dailey have two children: Mary Bernice, born August 24, 1912, and Robert James, born December 20, 1914. WILLIAM BARKHOFF. -- While industry undoubtedly is one of the fundamentals of material success, yet sound judgment is equally important, and in considering the rapid progress of some men on their way to financial independence, it will usually be found that their efforts have not been haphazard but directed by intelligent foresight and matured judgment. An example may be presented in William Barkhoff, a prominent and respected citizen of Kimball. With many other settlers he came to this county in 1912, an investor in land. Seven years later this land has more than doubled in value and he has entered the ranks of large wheat growers and has made a record as a stockraiser in Kimball County. William Barkhoff was born in Harrison county, Iowa, March 10, 1877. His parents were Henry and Christena Barkhoff, who were born in Germany. They were married in that country from which they came to the United States in 1873, settling in Harrison county, Iowa, where they spent the rest of their estimable lives. After coming here to make this land their permanent home, they became Americans in every sense of the word and during any years thereafter, Harrison county had no more worthy, useful or loyal citizen than Henry Barkhoff. They were members of the German Lutheran church. They had children as follows: Augusta and Frederick, both of whom live in Iowa; William, who belong to Kimball county; Emma, who married a Mr. Davis, of Seattle, Washington; Bert and James, both of whom are farmers in Montana; Edward, who is a farmer in Iowa, and Mary, who married a Mr. Wilkins, of Missouri Valley, Iowa. Both parents are deceased. William Barkhoff grew up on his father's farm in Harrison county, Iowa, obtaining his education in the public schools. It was his father's wish that his children should learn the English language thoroughly, never permitting the use of the German tongue even in the family circle. On April 1, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Pehrs, of Harrison county, a daughter of Julius H. and Mary Pehrs, the former was a farmer and blacksmith near Denison, Crawford county, Iowa, the latter of whom survives and lives in Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Barkhoff have two children: Wallace who was born October 25, 1908, is doing well at school; and Alice, who was born April 29, 1919. In February, 1912, Mr. Barkhoff came to Kimball, buying a lot and comfortbale (sic) residence. After some weeks of prospecting he purchased a section of land situated four miles east and three miles north of Kimball, for which he paid $17.75 per acre, later adding a half section, for which he paid $1,800, and had scarcely completed the transaction when he was offered $5,600 for this tract. He carries on general farming and stockraising and in the latter industry found exceeding profit during the current summer, having sold $1,195 worth. His seventy acres of wheat has returned so great a yield that the acreage will be largely increased in the future. Mr. Barkhoff has done exceedingly well since coming to Kimball county, and in spite of a season of ill health, has devoted himself closely to his business affairs. In 1918 he was prostrated by an acute attack of appendicitis, that called for operation, and on the very day of his mother's death, on the farm in Iowa, he was under the surgeon's knife in the Metho- |
dist Episcopal hospital at Omaha. Mr. and Mrs. Barkhoff are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Kimball. ROY ALLEN BABCOCK, banker, financier and large land holder is one of the younger and rising generation which today holds the responsible positions that formerly were filled only by men of middle age and many years of experience. The short life record of Roy Babcock is an illustration of what may be accomplished by a laudable ambition and a determination to succeed. From the modest circumstances in which he found himself when he arrived in Cheyenne county, twelve years ago, Mr. Babcock is today the owner of three thousand acres of fine land in the vicinity of Potter, in the Pole creek valley, has large interests in many of the prosperous commercial enterprises of this section and is a heavy stockholder in several banks and the vice-president of the Citizens State Bank of Potter. Little more than a decade's connection with the banking interests of Potter, during which time he has risen from a clerkship to his present position in banking circles, has made Roy Babcock one of the best known figures in the financial circles of western Nebraska and eastern Colorado. Mr. Babcock is a native son of the west, born in Fillmore county, Nebraska, December 23, 1893, the son of Elmer and Ann (Corbin) Babcock, the former native of Indiana, where he was reared and educated and after attaining manhood's estate engaged in business there as a farmer. In 1880, he came to Nebraska, becoming one of the later pioneer settlers of our great state. He was a comfortably successful farmer until he retired from active participation in business and now lives quietly in Atkinson, Nebraska, enjoying his sunset years in ease and comfort. Mrs. Babcock was born in Iowa, where she was reared, receiving a good practical education in the public schools and after her marriage became a sturdy helpmate and devoted mother. Roy Babcock was reared and educated in Sherman county, Nebraska, where his parents were living during his childhood and early youth. He attended the common schools of his district and after graduating from the high school desired to widen his educational facilities and attended a business college in Grand Island for two years, devoting particular attention to commercial subjects. His first position was in Potter, as he entered the Potter State Bank as bookkeeper February 28, 1912. At the start, Mr. Babcock received the munificent salary of twenty-five dollars a month and paid out practically all of it for his mere living expenses, but he had faith in himself and felt that it would be only a question of time until the financial outlook would brighten. He applied himself to the business, learning practical banking from actual experience and as time passed his income increased, until at the close of his third year he drew fifty dollars a month, but he had greater ambitions than to remain a bank clerk and after looking the financial field over decided that just then one of the best propositions on which a quick return could be made was land, so he bought a four hundred and eighty acre tract on time. Mr. Babcock believed that the best way to get a thing done was to do it himself and went out on the farm to see that the improvements he made were of the right character, and evidently they were for after nine months he disposed of the property, making a profit of four thousand dollars, rather good returns for less than a year's time and for so young a man. His business ability had already become well known in Potter and as soon as he was foot loose was engaged to take charge of the Farmers Elevator, holding the position two years, during which time its business was handled in an able and efficient manner. Mr. Babcock had not, however, given up his idea of becoming a banker and having by 1917 accumulated considerable capital by his various business ventures he became the prime mover in the organization of the Citizens State Bank; was one of the original stockholders, and from its inauguration as a banking house has been the efficient cashier of the prosperous, sound and progressive institution. The bank was opened in 1917. That the men who have shaped the policy and methods have been successful need not be said when we learn that today the Citizens Bank is the third largest in Cheyenne county and has deposits of over a quarter of a million dollars. This rapid growth and progress has been largely due to the initiative and executive ability of the men who are devoting their time and energies to its management and Mr. Babcock has played an important part in furthering the precedence which it has gained, not only in the county but in the Panhandle. As one of the representative business men and public-spirited citizens of Potter, he merits special recognition in a history of the county. Mr. Babcock has become a stockholder and vice-president of the Peets State Bank, at Peets, Colorado, and also a stockholder and director of the Curley State Bank so that he is widely known not only throughout western |
Nebraska but in Colorado for his able executive control of the varied banking institutions with which he is associated. He is no narrow guage (sic) man as he is the owner of the elevator at Egbert, Wyoming; owns a half interest in the Bennet Grain Company of Potter and a half interest in the elevator at Dix, Nebraska.. Mr. Babcock has ever had great faith in the future of this section of Nebraska and to demonstrate this has from time to time invested largely in land of Cheyenne county, and is today the owner of three thousand acres on which he has had excellent improvements in the way of a fine country home, numerous and substantial farm buildings, while the cultivated land has been brought to a high state of fertility. For some time he has been a heavy investor in the Coulter Live Stock Company, owning a third interest in that concern which runs over a thousand head of sheep and five hundred head of cattle annually. Having carved an independent career for himself, it is but natural that Mr. Babcock has developed into an independent thinker as he is a widely read man and directs his interest to the election of the best man who will serve the people honestly and well. His fraternal relations are with the Masonic order, while with his wife he is a supporter of the church which they attend in Potter. November 3, 1913, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Babcock and Miss Olga Cords, at Omaha, Nebraska. She was a native of Grand Island, reared and educated in that city, the daughter of Emil Cords, who now resides in Rockville, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Babcock have one little girl. CHARLES S. ANDERSON. -- Cheyenne County has no resident more widely known in either private or public life than the prosperous and progressive farmer and public spirited citizen whose name initiates this paragraph. He is a native son of Nebraska and this county, having the distinction of being the second white child born in this region. He first saw the light of day down in the Lodge Pole valley near Bronson, on September 15, 1874, the son of John and Mary (Johnson) Anderson. His father was a native of Denmark who came to America when a young man with his wife, and brought with him many of the admirable qualities and traits of the people of that sturdy little country, and success came to him through honorable participation in legitimate business enterprises. Mrs. Anderson also was a native of Denmark where she was reared, educated, met and married her husband. They were courageous souls who desired to make headway in the world and to this end broke all the dear home ties and sailed away for the United States, the "Land of Promise" to so many European emigrants. Soon after landing on our shores Mr. and Mrs. Anderson came west, locating in Cheyenne county. Nearly a haif (sic) century has passed since these sturdy, confident young Danes came into this section and settled on a homestead in the Lodge Pole valley on a homestead in pioneer style amidst a veritable wilderness. In addition to the homestead the father took up a tree claim and in due time proved up on all his land. For fifteen years he labored slowly and arduously developing the farm and establishing a home for his family, and watching and assisting in the advancement and progress which were making the countryside flourish and thrive. As soon as his capital admitted Mr. Anderson gave up his work on the railroad and devoted his entire energies to his farm business and stockraising, becoming recognized as one of the leading and most prosperous exponents of agricultural industry. He was ever active in all civic improvement and lived to see this country most wonderfully transformed from the prairie to a veritable farm paradise, as he lived to be an old man, passing away in November, 1917. Mrs. Anderson survived her husband and now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Sherwin, of Sterling, Colorado. Charles Anderson was reared on his father's farm near Bronson and received his education in the public schools provided at that early day, growing up as most farmers' sons on the frontier. When old enough he assisted in the development of the homestead and thus in a practical way learned farming and stock-raising as conducted in this section and at that period. After completing his course in school he helped his father for a time and then embarked for himself as a farmer to raise cattle and horses. He carried on some general farming for ten years, then went west to Utah where he remained five years, but the Panhandle seemed to him a far better country than that west of the mountains and he returned to the state and county of his brith (sic). He now manages the original homestead of his father where he specializes in high bred cattle and hogs, being one of the largest shippers of meat animals to the packing centers of Nebraska and Kansas, as he prepared at least two car load lots each year. While a good and progressive citizen and the supporter of all worthwhile movements, he has been contented to remain a farmer, though he has filled his civic duty as a member of the |
community by filling the office of county assessor for eight years, has been a member of the school board for fifteen years and road overseer about that same period, and today can feel that he has done his best for the community which he has served faithfully and well. In politics Mr. Anderson is an adherent of the Democratic party and has been proud of the record it made during the recent war. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Anderson has not confined his entire energies to his land alone but has engaged in extensive financial affairs of the locality as a stockholder in the Liberty Oil Company of Potter, owns a large block of stock in the Farmers Elevator of Bronson and stock in the Liberty State Bank of Sidney. On June 10, 1903, Mr. Anderson married Miss F. E. Yoakhim, at Kimball, Nebraska. She was born in Johnson county, Iowa, but her parents came to Kimball county, Nebraska, where she grew to womanhood and was educated in the public schools. After completing her studies she became a teacher, a profession she was engaged in for seven years before her marriage, and today she is a worthy descendent of her pioneer parents who played their part in the development and upbuilding of this great commonwealth. There are six children in the Anderson family: Susie Lucille, Russell R., Ella, Bernadine, Max and Jack, all of whom are still under the happy family roof-tree (sic). MRS. LYDIA WALLACE, one of the best known, and most popular pioneer women of Garden county, has marked her residence in this section of Nebraska with large and noteworthy achievement in connection with agricultural and live-stock industry, and her gracious personality, her fine intellectual attainments and her distinctive business acumen have given her no slight degree of leadership in community affairs. She was one of the early school teachers in what is now Garden county, and in many ways she has contributed to the civic and material development and progress of the county in which she is the owner of a large and valuable landed estate and to which her loyalty is marked by deep appreciation. Mrs. Lydia (Morgan) Wallace was born in Shropshire, England, and was twelve years of age when she came with her widowed mother to America, her rudimentary education having thus been received in her native land. She is a daughter of Thomas and Emma (Timmis) Morgan, the former of whom passed his entire life in England, where he was a farmer by vocation, having been only thirty-seven years of age at the time of his death. After the death of her young husband Mrs. Morgan finally came with her eight children to the United States and settled in Rock Island, Illinois, where later she became the wife of Francis Bailey, one of the sterling pioneer citizens of that county. There she passed her life, and was about seventy-two years of age when she died, secure in the affectionate regard of all who had come within the compass of her gentle and kindly influence. In Illinois Miss Lydia Morgan was afforded not only the advantages of the public schools, the high school at Moline, but also those of Knox College, from which she graduated. After leaving college she took a course in stenography and typewriting, in a leading business college in the city of Chicago. A young woman of spirit and ambition Miss Morgan had abundant confidence and self-reliance when, in 1889, she came to western Nebraska and numbered herself among the pioneer settlers in that part of Deuel county that is now comprised in Garden county. Here she filed entry on a homestead, a pre-emption and a tree claim, to all of which she perfected title in due time. In the meantime she was instrumental in the establishment of the Orlando postoffice and was made its first postmistress. While developing her land and engaging in the raising of live-stock, Miss Morgan had the distinction of teaching the first term in the pioneer school of her district. With increasing prosperity she purchased an additional tract of eight hundred acres but this she later sold to Charles Avery. In 1900, she purchased the Spohn Creek ranch, and here, for the ensuing five years, she ran an average of three hundred head of cattle. She then decreased the stock to one hundred and fifty head and after disposing of the ranch she purchased her present well improved place, which comprises six hundred and forty acres, which is given over to successful agriculture and stock-raising. Mrs. Wallace has taken very deep interest in everything pertaining to the social, moral and industrial development of the community, and is essentially liberal and public-spirited. Under the woman-suffrage law of Nebraska she is duly registered and takes advantage of the franchise, and is a Republican in her political allegiance, her religious faith being that of the Presbyterian Church. She still maintains affiliation with the sorority with which she identified herself while a student in Knox college. In 1896, was solemnized the marriage of Miss Lydia Morgan to William B. Wallace, a |
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