 GEORGE C. SNOW. |
now residents of Boulder, Colorado, to which place they removed in 1917. The parents of Mrs. Taylor were born and reared in Iowa and her father became a pioneer settler in Clay county, Nebraska, where he established his home in the seventies and where he remained until his removal to Colorado, as previously noted. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have two children. -- Mina Hope and Wanda Lorraine. GEORGE C. SNOW, editor and proprietor of the Chadron Journal, and a member of the Nebraska State Legislature, worthily occupies a position of great prominence in the state. He has been the recipient of many honors, both political and personal, in his long career, and his fellow citizens have frequently testified to their sincere esteem. Many have known him longest and best in the field of journalism, for Mr. Snow is the oldest editor, in point of service, in this part of the country. George C. Snow was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, March 5, 1874. His parents are Rev. Beecher O. and Stella (Lyon) Snow, natives of New York, born in 1853 and 1854 respectively. They now reside at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the father being a retired minister of the Congregational church, for twenty years having served as Home Missionary Pastor for Nebraska. Of his four children, George C. is the only one living at Chadron. At Franklin Academy and Doane College in Nebraska, Mr. Snow pursued his studies until early manhood, then accepted the superintendency of a Congregational academy at Snohomish, Washington; going from there to Eureka, Kansas, and then came to Chadron, Nebraska. Mr. Snow then bought the Chadron Journal, which is the oldest newspaper west of Valentine. It was established by Edward Egan, the press and cases being set up in a wagon before any railroads had been constructed through this section. It has always been Republican in political policy, and it subscription list since Mr. Snow took charge has extended all through Dawes, Sioux and Box Butte counties, where not only are his editorial talents greatly appreciated but confidence is inspired as to his safe and sane leadership in questions touching upon the treasured basic principle of American independence. Mr. Snow has been publishing the Journal for the past fifteen years. He now has his own building and one of the best fitted offices and finest equipped printing plants in the state and in connection with the newspaper, operates a large and profitable job office, his printing force including a number of competent employes. Mr. Snow was married at Farnam, Dawson county, Nebraska, July 24, 1901, to Miss Mary Batty, who is a daughter of Rev. George and Celestine (Greswold) Batty, and they have four children, namely: Clayton B., Mildred A., George B., and Mary M. Mr. Snow and his family are members of the Congregational church. Mr. Snow has always been a consistent Republican and his work for the party has been loyally and unselfishly performed, has been called to many party councils and given yeoman service in senatorial and gubernational (sic) campaigns. In the late legislative election of the Seventy-fourth District, that includes Dawes and Sioux counties, Mr. Snow was sent to the House of Representatives for the second time, his election being widely welcomed by those who appreciate his ability and honor his sterling character. In local affairs Mr. Snow has never been negligent since becoming a citizen of Chadron, at all times assuming his share of citizenship responsibilities and helping bear the burden of taxation or inconvenience, with better conditions always in hopeful sight. For six years he served as a member of the board of education and during three years was president of this body. He now is president of the Nebraska State Press Association, being elected in February 1921, and is one of five newspaper editors appointed by the governor to attend the World Newspaper Congress in Honolula (sic) in October, 1921. LAFAYETTE O. ROBLEE first came to Nebraska more than thirty years ago, and his original stage of operations was in Custer county, where he brought into effective play the practical knowledge he had gained in connection with farm enterprise in the old Empire state, which figures as the place of his nativity. From Custer county he came to the present Garden county in 1909, and here he not only reclaimed and developed a productive farm but also gained place as one of the representative business men of the village of Lewellen. He finally renewed his allegiance to the basic industries of agriculture and stock-growing and is now giving his attention to the supervision of his well improved farm of a hundred and sixty acres, situated three and one-half miles northeast of Lewellen. Mr. Roblee was born in New York state, October 28, 1861, and in the same state were born his parents, Orlando and Agnes (Cran- |
dall) Roblee, who passed their entire lives there, the father having been a farmer by vocation. Orlando Roblee attained to the venerable age of eighty-three years, his wife having passed away at the age of sixty-eight years. Lafayette O. Roblee was afforded the advantages of the public schools of Sandusky, New York, and in his youth gained practical experience in connection with the work of the home farm. Finally he engaged in independent farm enterprise in his native state and after a period of about four years turned his attention to the operation of a saw mill and grist mill, with which enterprise he was identified for eighteen months. His ambition then led him to make personal investigation of the opportunities afforded in the progressive west, and in 1887, as a young man of twenty-six years, he came to Nebraska and numbered himself among the pioneers of Custer county. He took a pre-emption claim near the present village of Sargent, and was engaged in general farming and stock-raising for five years, within which time he made numerous improvements on his pioneer farm. At the expiration of that period Mr. Roblee went to the state of New York, but four years later returned to Custer county, where he continued his activities as a farmer for the ensuing four years. He then came to that part of Deuel county that is now comprised in Garden county, and entered claim to a homestead, to the reclamation and development of which he applied himself with characteristic energy and discrimination. He made good improvements on the place and was actively engaged in farming until 1909 when he removed to the village of Lewellen and established himself in the furniture and undertaking business, to which he later added a grocery department. He became one of the leading business man of the village and that he gained unqualified popularity in the community is evidenced by the fact that in 1910, he became postmaster of the village, a position he held until 1917. In 1918, he sold his business at Lewellen and purchased his present farm, to the active management of which he has since given his attention, as one of the successful and representative agriculturists and stock-growers of Garden county. His land is well irrigated by water from the Bratt ditch, of which he is one of the owners. A man of well ordered convictions in relation to political affairs, Mr. Roblee is a Republican, and he is always ready to lend his support to those agencies that tend to conserve the progress and prosperity of his home county and state. August 2, 1881, Mr. Roblee wedded Miss Ella Fuller, who was born in the state of Iowa, but who was reared and educated in the state of New York, having been a milliner by occupation at the time of her marriage. Mrs. Roblee is a daughter of Alonzo and Emily (Brady) Fuller, who were born and reared in the state of New York, the father having served as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and died in 1865, while enroute to his home, after having received his honorable discharge; his widow passed away at the age of forty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Roblee have four children: Dean S., of Lewellen, married Miss Maude Sargent, and they have three children; Roy L., who likewise resides at Lewellen, married Miss Ina Durand and they have two children; Agnes is living at home; Lawrence, who is associated with his father in the management of the farm, married Vinnie Rickard and they have one child, Darline. FRED JOHNSON, known and honored as one of the sterling pioneers of Garden county, has shown the energy and good judgment that gain success in connection with ranch and farm enterprise. He came to Garden county about thirty-five years ago, when it was still a part of old Cheyenne county, and in developing his farm property he encountered his full share of the burdens and trials that marked the careers of all pioneers in this section of the state. Success has crowned his efforts and he is a citizen who commands the high regard of the people of the county in which he has long maintained his home. Fred Johnson was born in Germany, December 19, 1855, and was a lad of about twelve years at the time the family immigrated to America. He was reared and educated in the state of Wisconsin, where his parents established their home in 1867. He is a son of Henry and Mary (Russ) Johnson, who left their native land in 1867, as above noted, and came to the United States. They settled in Greenfield township, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, where the father reclaimed and developed a good farm, and they passed the remainder of their lives there; the father died at the age of seventy-three years and the mother at the age of seventy-five years. Fred Johnson made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of the Badger state, and as a youth of seventeen years made his way to Michigan City, Indiana, where for seven years he was employed in that now gigantic railroad-car factory of the Haskell & Barker Company. For about eighteen months |
thereafter Mr. Johnson was employed in a gas factory at Michigan City, and later he was for five years an employe in the chair factory of Ford & Johnson, which is still one of the important furniture manufacturing concerns of the country. In 1885, Mr. Johnson came to that part of old Cheyenne county, Nebraska, that now comprises Garden county, and took up a homestead, seven miles southwest of the present village of Lewellen. He instituted the improvement of his claim, to which he proved title in due course, and with the passing years he proved successful in his agricultural and live-stock operations. He has developed one of the model farms of the county, and still gives his personal supervision to the same, besides which he has done a prosperous business in the raising of cattle and horses. He has been a helpful force in community advancement, is a Republican in politics, is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and he and his wife are communicants of the Lutheran church. September 16, 1880, recorded the marriage of Mr. Johnson to Miss Anna Lambke, of Michigan City, Indiana, in which state she was born and reared. Mrs. Johnson is a daughter of Henry Lambke, who was born in Germany and was a young man when he came to America. For many years he was identified with railroad operations, and for twenty-one years was in the employ of the New Albany Railroad Company of Indiana. In conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Mrs. Florence Wilson resides at Lewellen and is the mother of three sons; Elmer likewise resides at Lewellen; Mrs. Emma Emerson, of Lewellen, has three children; Archie has returned to Garden county after loyal service with the One Hundred and Ninth Engineers during the World War; Mrs. Edmona DeLatour, of Lewellen, has three children, and Harry, Gordon and Fred, Jr., remain at home. JAMES COPLEY is one of the representative farmers of the younger generation in the Lewellen district of Garden county, where he purchased and still owns the fine homestead which was here taken by his father, James S. Copley, of whom more specific mention is made on other pages, in the sketch of the career of an older son, Ira Copley, so that a repetition of the family record is not demanded in the present review. James Copley was born in Wayne county, West Virginia, and was reared and educated in his native state, the date of his birth having been April 6, 1889. He has been a resident of Garden county since 1907, in which year he came to Nebraska from West Virginia, and for several years was in the employ of the Western Land & Cattle Company. In 1916, he entered claim to the homestead upon which he now resides and upon which he has made good improvements, besides which, as previously stated, he owns the old homestead of his father, who was one of the pioneers of what is now Garden county and who is still engaged in farming and live-stock enterprise. The farm property of James Copley now comprises a section of valuable land, and his attractive home is situated about six miles west of the village of Lewellen, which is his postoffice address. He is a Republican in his political views and he and his wife are popular factors in the social life of their community. At Oshkosh, Garden county, December 4, 1916, Mr. Copley was united in marriage to Miss Mabel Nash, whose parents were pioneer settlers in the vicinity of Oshkosh, where Mrs. Copley was reared and educated, she being a native of Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Copley have a fine little son, Kenneth, who was born August 16, 1918, and who holds undisputed dominion in the pleasant home. HJALMAR E. OLSON conducts a successful business in the buying and shipping of live stock, with residence and general headquarters in the village of Lewellen, Garden county, and he also has developed a prosperous business as a skilled and resourceful auctioneer, a capacity in which his services are much in demand. He is one of the alert and progressive young men of Garden county, where he had been engaged in farm enterprise prior to his removal to Lewellen. Mr. Olson was born in Kearney county, Nebraska, March 2, 1887, and is a son of Andrew and Catherine Olson, the former of whom was born in Sweden and the latter in Denmark. After their marriage the parents continued their residence in Sweden until 1885, when they came to the United States and settled in Kearney county, Nebraska, where the father became a successful agriculturist and stockgrower, he having continued his active association with farm enterprise in that county until 1912, when he retired and established his residence at Minden, where he and his wife have since maintained their home. They have reared a fine family of twelve children-nine sons and three daughters--all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having been the seventh in order of birth. Hjalmar E. Olson passed the period of his |
childhood and early youth on the home farm of his father and is indebted to the excellent schools of Kearney county for his educational training. At the age of twenty-one years he engaged in independent farm enterprise in his native county, where he continued operations eight years, with special attention given to the raising of hogs. At the expiration of that period he came to Garden county and purchased a tract of land, upon which he was successfully engaged in general farming and stockraising for the ensuing two years. He then removed to Lewellen and engaged in his present line of business, in which his success has been enhanced by his thorough knowledge of live-stock values. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party, and while he has shown no desire for official preferment he served as treasurer of school district No. 50, Garden county, from 1916 to 1919. November 10, 1908, recorded the marriage of Mr. Olson to Miss Mattie Jones, who was reared and educated in Kearney county, and who is a daughter of Edmond N. and Sarah Jones, natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Jones established their residence in Kearney county in 1880, and there he took up a homestead and instituted the development of a farm. He perfected his title to the place and there his death occurred in 1897, his widow being now a resident of Minden, that county. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have five children--Avis, Doris, Vera and Verna (twins) and Irene. Mrs. Olson is a member of the Baptist church. IRA PAISLEY has been prominently and worthily identified with the civic and industrial interests of Garden county since the pioneer period when it was still a part of old Cheyenne county, and after many years of earnest and active service in connection with the development of the agricultural resources and live-stock interests of this section of the state, is now living virtually retired, in a pleasant home in the village of Lewellen. As one of the honored and influential pioneers of the county he is entitled to special tribute in this history. Ira Paisley, a scion of the staunchest of Scotch ancestry, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, February 16, 1851, and is a son of Hugh C. and Mary Anna (Haynes) Paisley, the latter of whom was born and reared in Ohio, her death having occurred in Louisa county, Iowa, in May, 1865. Hugh C. Paisley was a member of an old and influential family of Scotland, and was born in the city of Paisley, where he was reared and educated. As young man he severed the ties that bound him to his native land and set forth to seek his fortunes in the United States. He settled in Ohio, where he followed the trade of carpenter for some time, but eventually became a farmer. His marriage was solemnized in the old Buckeye state where he continued to reside until 1850, when he removed with his family to Illinois. About two years later he settled in Iowa, where he secured a tract of land about twenty miles north of the present city of Burlington. There he continued his activities as a pioneer farmer about thirteen years, and, in 1880 came with his family to Nebraska and established his residence in Polk county, where he passed the residue of his life, having been sixty-nine years of age at the time of his death. Of his nine children the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth. Three of the sons, Findley, Isaiah and Frank, were soldiers of the Union in the Civil War. Findley and Isaiah enlisted in the Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and Frank became a member of Company M, Eighth Iowa Cavalry. All three served during the great conflict and all were confined for a time in the historic Andersonville Prison. Findley met his death at the battle of Shiloh, and Frank was severely wounded at the battle of Gregory Station. Ira Paisley was reared under the influence of the pioneer era in the state of Iowa, where he was afforded the advantages of the public schools, and in 1870, he came to Nebraska and settled in Polk county, where he began to farm. About four years later he returned to Iowa, and remained about two years. He then came again to Polk county, Nebraska, to live there until 1884, when he came to the western part of the state as a pioneer settler of that part of Cheyenne county that constitutes the present Garden county. He took up a pre-emption claim on the Blue river, northwest of the present village of Lewellen, and became one of the early farmers and live-stock men in this now opulent section of the state. He perfected title to his claim, and also to a homestead, which likewise he developed and improved and owned until 1904. Thereafter he secured three-fourths of a section of land, under the provisions of the Kincaid law, and he continued his active association with farm industry until 1918, when he sold his land and removed to Lewellen, where he has since lived in well earned retirement, the labors and well directed enterprise of earlier years having gained to him a competency. He takes great pride in the progress that has been made in this section of the state and also in the fact |
 |
 |
 |
 |