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to Helena, then returned to Fort Benton, where, with a party, he started down the Missouri river in a flatboat, for which they had to pay five hundred dollars in cash. On reaching the end of their journey Mr. Prohaska began to learn the tinner's trade, but not liking that work, he secured a position as a farm hand, being thus employed until his marriage.

      At the age of twenty-two he married Miss Matilda Ahlbrecht, daughter of Henry and Louisa Ahlbrecht, who, in 1835, left their home in Hanover, Germany, and by way of Wheeling, West Virginia, made their way to Iowa City, Iowa. The young couple began their domestic life upon a rented farm in Johnson county, Iowa, where they remained until 1878, when they came to York county, Nebraska. Mr. Prohaska here purchased eighty acres of land and afterward bought another eighty-acre tract, so that he is now the owner of the northeast quarter of section 13, Brown township. Here he has a highly cultivated farm, and has planted an excellent orchard of apples, plums and cherries, which will soon be in splendid bearing condition.

      To Mr. and Mrs. Prohaska have been born nine children, all yet living: Ada E., who was married. October 20, 1897, to John Waldron, a farmer residing near her father's home; Charlotta M., who was married December 5, 1894, to Perry Dodd, a farmer living a mile west of the homestead; Florence L., Cora B., Grace L., Henrietta M., Bessie R., Robert A. and Anna A., all at home. The family is one of prominence in the community and the circle of their friends is very extensive.

      Mr. Prohaska has four times been elected to the county board of supervisors, serving six years. In 1893 he was chairman of the finance committee, and in 1894 was elected chairman of the board. Upon the expiration of his last term of service the board presented him with a gold watch and chain in token of their high regard for him. Even his political enemies admit without hesitation that he discharged the duties of the office with marked ability and fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He has always been rather independent in his political affiliations, but believes strongly in the free and unlimited coinage of silver and is willing to vote with any party that will restore silver to its old place in the finances of the country. He and his wife, together with two of their children, are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Prohaska belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has not been disappointed in his hope of securing a good home in Nebraska. He has developed a quarter section of its rich land into a valuable farm and has found that Nature is willing to reward earnest effort and indefatigable labor. He ranks high among the leading agriculturists of York county, is greatly esteemed for his genuine worth and is well deserving of mention in this volume. He also served as director of school district 27 for thirteen years and still had two years to serve when he resigned. 

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NDREW STEWARD MUIR.--This gentleman is well known throughout the vicinity of Goehner as one of Seward county's old settlers and well-to-do farmers. He has a three hundred and twenty acre farm, all of which is improved and tillable and furnished with such home comforts as make life enjoyable.

      Mr. Muir was born August 14, 1849, in Bartholomew county, Indiana, a son of James and Mary Muir, and his maternal grandparents bore the names of John and Mary Moffit. Our subject's father came from Scotland to America at the age of twenty-one years, first settled in New Jersey, where he was united in marriage to
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Miss Mary Moffit, and soon after his marriage, he moved to Bartholomew county, Indiana, where the subject of our sketch was born. Here he spent the remaining years of his life, and died at the age of sixty-five years. Andrew lived with his parents and helped them about the farm until he reached the age of twenty-one years, and then spent three years with his mother after his father's death. At the age of twenty-four he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Garrison, and within a week thereafter he moved to Nebraska and settled on a tract of railroad land, the south half, south-east quarter of section 27, township K, Seward county, and is still making that his home. By his first marriage, our subject has one son, James, who is now twenty-four years of age, and is making his home in Minnesota.

      Two years after their marriage, Mrs. Muir died, leaving her husband and infant son. About a year later our subject remarried, his second wife being Miss Maggie Gibson, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Gibson, of Muskingum county, Ohio. This lady was visiting her sister, Mrs. Jennie Shuck, in Seward county, when she met Mr. Muir, and they were married September 24, 1876. Our subject then returned with his wile to his homestead, arid they have since made that their home. To this congenial union have been born two children, upon whom they have seen fit to bestow the following names: Lizzie M. and Addison L. Miss Lizzie was married October 11, 1896, to Mr. Howard Knurr, son of John Knurr, and they are living on a farm six miles west of our subject's home. They have one child whom, they have named Clide. Addison is now seventeen years of age, and is still living on the old home place with his father.

      Mr. Muir's farm, which comprises three hundred and twenty acres of good farming land, although a raw, unbroken stretch of prairie when he first settled upon it, is now well improved, being furnished with buildings, shade and fruit trees, and such things as make home pleasant and attractive. Politically, our subject has been a life-long Republican and his first presidental (sic) ballot was cast for Abraham Lincoln. Religiously, both he and his wife were reared in the Presbyterian faith, but are not now members of any denomination. They are both, however, in sympathy with the cause of the church and appreciate its value to civilization and the cause of education, and contribute to its support as their circumstances will allow. 

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RANK H. FENTON is one of the enterprising, progressive citizens of York county, who has chosen agriculture as his life work, and is now successfully engaged in the operation of the old homestead on section 34, Stewart township, where his family located on coming to this state. His father, Dator Fenton, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, April 16, 1834, and was a son of Stanley Fenton, who also claimed New York as his birthplace. During early life the former removed to Illinois, and there married Miss Amanda Warren, a native of Steuben county, New York, and a daughter of Russell Warren, of the Empire state. They began their domestic life upon a farm in Whiteside county, Illinois, and were residing there when the war of the Rebellion broke out. In August, 1861, Mr. Fenton enlisted as a private in Company C, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and the following winter was taken sick. He was transferred, July 15, 1863, to Company H, Fifteenth Reserved Corps, and was engaged in guarding rebel prisoners at different points until honorably discharged, July 15, 1865.

      Returning to his home in Whiteside county, Illinois, Mr. Fenton continued to

reside there until 1871, when he came to York county, Nebraska, and secured the homestead now occupied by his son, the subject of this sketch. He built one of the first two-story sod houses in this locality, and into it moved his family the following year. The year of his arrival he broke some prairie, and in 1872 raised a crop upon forty acres, but he was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for death claimed him in 1874. His wife survived him many years, dying in December, 1896. Both were earnest and faithful members of the United Brethren church, and he took quite an active part in its work. In their family were four children, who are still living: Frank, Harriet, Lizzie, wife of George Goodwin, by whom she has five children--Lloyd, Clara, Ira, Ivy Rose and George and Fred, who completes the family.

      Since his father's death Frank Fenton has had charge of the home farm, and has met with a well deserved success in its management. The place consists of one hundred and sixty acres, of which one hundred and twenty acres are now under excellent cultivation, the result of his persistent effort and untiring industry. He is interested in stock raising as well as general farming, and thoroughly understands both branches of his business. He is one of the leading members of the United Brethren church, in which he has served as a class leader. He has held the office of school director in district No. 35, and is at present road overseer of his township, the duties of which he is most satisfactorily discharging. 

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EORGE HAHN.--Mr. Hahn belongs to the sturdy farmer-folk who have gone through fire and flood to redeem the state from the wilderness, and make it the garden spot of the west. He possesses a fine farm of over four hundred acres in Linwood township, section 30, where he established himself under the homestead law in 1871, and where he still makes his home.

      George Hahn was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1842. His parents, George and Elizabeth Hahn, were of German nativity, but their home had been in America since 1828, and they married in St. Louis, from which point they had gone east to Chambersburg. Previous to his marriage the senior Hahn had been employed in a store, at Natchez, Mississippi. He led an adventurous career, and is still living in Louisa county, Iowa, where he removed his family and made his home in 1850. The subject of this writing was still a mere lad at the outbreak of the Civil war, but he did not long delay his response to the nation's call for aid, enlisting in September, 1861, and was enrolled in Company K, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The following spring he was wounded in his first fight, and sent to the hospital. He returned to duty the day before the evacuation of Corinth, and was on picket when the retreat of the Confederate army was discovered. Mr. Hahn participated in many of the most important engagements of the war. lie was at Iuka, Mississippi, charged on Vicksburg, and fought at Raymond, Brandon, and at Memphis. He was at New Orleans, and assisted in the capture of the Spanish Fort. The declaration of peace found him at Montgomery, Alabama, but he continued in the army for nearly a year thereafter, as an agent of the Freedmen's Bureau, at Tuskego, in that state. Mr. Hahn was sent north and mustered out of the government service at Davenport, Iowa, May 9, 1866.

      The war-worn veteran betook himself to his paternal home in Louisa county, where he remained for a year, when he was married in February, 1867, to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Krahl, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Peter and Susan Krahl. There they remained until 1871, when, at-

tracted by the glowing reports of the possibilities of Nebraska, Mr. and Mrs. Hahn with all their effects came into this state. They reached Butler county in September of that year, bringing with them three horses and six cows, and immediately proceeded to the erection of the first frame house in that part of the country. It was but a modest structure, 14 x 24 feet, but it was regarded as a palace in that day. It is still standing, and is part of the present residence of the family. To show the fertility of the soil, it might be mentioned that there are trees on his farm which are now twenty-four inches in diameter, that were then set out as slips. His original homestead entry of one hundred and sixty acres has been added to until he now own four hundred acres, a highly cultivated and remarkably fertile farm.

      Mr. and Mrs. Hahn have here a very pleasant home, with handsome buildings, and are greatly respected in every relation of life. They are the parents of an interesting family of seven children, of whom three, Harley S., Susan and Mary, were born in Iowa. The other four, William F., Alta, Lewis and George, Jr., are natives of this county. He takes an active part in all local affairs, and is a stanch Republican. He has served as a commissioner of the county, and was a candidate for the state legislature, but without election. The reaction was too strong to stem, though he made a gallant fight against odds. He belongs to the Ancient Order of the United Workmen, and Lincoln post, No. 10, G. A. R. He is recognized as one of the leading farmers of this region, and is well known throughout the county. 

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AMES B. CARLISLE is one of the leading and representative citizens of York county who devote their energies to agricultural pursuits and are meeting with excellent success in their chosen calling. He is a native of Indiana, born in Noble county, in 1857, and is a son of George W. and Rebecca (Richards) Carlisle, who were married in Ohio, November 24, 1846. The father's only brother went to Kansas at an early day and was one of the Indian traders of that territory long before the state was admitted to the Union. He is now a resident of Toronto, Woodson county, Kansas.

      During the Mexcian (sic) war, George W. Carlisle manifested his patriotism by enlisting in one of the Ohio Volunteer regiments. When a young man he was often employed in driving cattle and hogs to eastern markets, traveling on the great national pike which passed through Ohio and West Virginia, to Baltimore, Maryland. He was one of the pioneers of Noble county, Indiana, and from a heavily timbered tract he developed a good farm, in the meantime living principally on wild game and corn bread. In 1865 he removed to Marshall county, the same state, and again settled in the midst of the forest, where the same process was gone through with an ax and mattock hoe before planting the cereals was a possibility. He died upon that farm in 1881, at the age of sixteen years, his wife in 1897, at the age of seventy-three. They were the parents of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, who in order of birth are as follows: John A., Mary J., Thomas K., Galucia, M., James B., and Jahugh B., twins, George W., Rescadela P. and Hiram V. Our subject is the fifth child.

      On leaving his father's home James B. Carlisle went to Toulon, Illinois, where he lived for four years, during which time he became acquainted with Miss Laura B. Jackson, and they were married. Her father, John Jackson, was a native of Ohio, and a pioneer of Illinois, where he married Miss Ann Mahany, on the 14th of October,

1857. The nationality of their ancestors is unknown, but it is supposed that the Mahanys were originally from Ireland. For many generations both families have been tillers of the soil. Mr. Jackson had two brothers, Jacob and William, who were members of an Illinois regiment during the Civil war, were honorably discharged and are now worthy of pensions from the United States government. Mrs. Carlisle is second in order of birth in a family of five children, the others being as follows: Lydia Ellen, William A., Ursula A. and John M. She was born in 1861, and by her marriage has become the mother of seven children, namely: William S., Watt, Cora, Flora J., Fred, Walter and Roy, twins.

      On the 1st of March, 1885, Mr. Carlisle and wife left their farm near Toulon, Illinois, and made their way across the "Big Muddy" at Plattsmouth, to York county, Nebraska, and settled upon the southwest quarter of section 1, township 11, range 4 west, where he at once commenced breaking prairie and planting trees. He now has one of the finest orchards in the county, containing six hundred apple trees of the best modern grafts, which in the shape of luscious fruit is beginning to yield a return for the care and labor bestowed upon it. He also has a peach orchard of two hundred trees, and cherries and plums in abundance, having raised during the year 1897 about forty bushels of plums alone.

      In his social relations, Mr. Carlisle is identified with the Ancieni Order of United Workmen, and both he and his wife belong to the Degree of Honor. For the past decade they have been faithful members of the United Brethren church, and are alive to the best interests of humanity and of the neighborhood in which they reside. Mr. Carlisle is a representative of a family of Jeffersonian Democrats, but of late years he has cast his ballot with the People's party, which at present is the dominant party in Nebraska. Among his cherished possessions is an old gun with which his father used to hunt in Indiana during pioneer days. 

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ANIEL AXLINE, one of the leading farmers of precinct N, Seward county, Nebraska, was horn on the 22nd of June, 1856, in Putnam county, Illinois, and is a son of Aaron and Ann (Street) Axline, and a grandson of Jacob and Tracy Street. At an early day his father located in Putnam county, Illinois, and from there removed to Marshall county, that state, where he purchased four eighty-acre tracts of land and engaged in farming until within three years of his death, which occurred in the autumn of 1884, when in his seventy-fourth year. In his family were seven children, namely: John W., Kate, Theodore, Clara A., Mary E., Clarence A. and Daniel, all of whom are married and have homes of their own.

      The boyhood and youth of Daniel Axline were passed on his father's farm, where he remained until his marriage, on the 22d of February, 1877, Miss Mary Evangeline Homer becoming his wife. She was born in La Salle county, Illinois, and they had been acquainted for about six years. Her father, James Homer, was a native of the north of Ireland, and when a lad of eight years was brought to the new world by his parents, John and Jane (Spears) Homer, who settled in Illinois about twenty-four miles north of Chicago, which at that time was only a small village on a wet prairie. There James Homer grew to manhood and married Miss Almira Angeline Day, who was born near Rome, Oneida county, New York. He was one of a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, in order of their birth being as follows: Mary, James, William, David, John, Amos, Loftus, Eliza and Laura Jane. Mr. and Mrs. Homer removed to La Salle county, Illinois, where Mrs. Axline was born, June 10, 1853, and

attended the common schools, completing her education, however, in the high school of the city of Wenona, Illinois. She is the third in order of birth in a family of eight children, the others being as follows: Josephine, Thomas, Ida F., Delbert J., Grant W., Eddie D. and Ira S. With the exception of Grant W., who makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Axline, all are married and have good homes of their own.

      For nine years after his marriage Mr. Axline engaged in agricultural pursuits upon one of his father's farms in Illinois, and then loading his effects into cars started for Seward county, Nebraska. Here, they located on a farm on section 25, precinct N, belonging to Mrs. Axline's father, and to its cultivation and improvement he has devoted his energies with marked success. Five children have come to brighten the home, namely: James H., Ida L., Laura I., Ernest R. and Oral D., who are still under the parental roof and are able assistants of their parents in the work of the house and fields. Mr. and Mrs. Axline take an active interest in every enterprise calculated to advance the moral, educational and material welfare of the community, and are recognized as valued and useful citizens of sterling worth and strict integrity. 

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ACOB L. HINER, the proprietor of a neat and well kept farm on section 20, West Blue township, York county, is one of the men in whose coming to the state all good people of Nebraska might well rejoice. He has devoted his life to agriculture, and his career should teach the boys to stand by the farm. When he came to the state he had a span of old horses, and five dollars in money. Three of these dollars went to pay the cost of preemption and the other two bought eight bushels of corn. And from this exceedingly unpromising condition he has won a modest fortune.

      Mr. Hiner was born in Ripley county, Indiana, January 31, 1845, and was a son of George and Margaret (Funkhouser) Hiner. His father was a native of Indiana, but his mother came from Pennsylvania. They moved to Appanoose county, Iowa, in 1849, and settled on prairie land. She died there, but he lived until 1887, when he died in Nebraska.

      Jacob Hiner was born and bred a farmer. He attained his majority on the Iowa farm, and began a career for himself by working out among the neighboring farmers. He wedded Miss Susan Ford in 1870. She was a native of Vermillion county, Indiana, where she was born October 2, 1849. Her parents were Jacob and Catherine (Jordan) Ford, and her father was a native of Ohio, and her mother of Kentucky. He brought the family to Iowa in 1853, and died in August, 1897, at Exeter, Nebraska. Her mother is still living, and is tenderly cherished by her children and grandchildren. In 1872 Mr. and Mrs. Hiner came into Nebraska, and settled where they are now to be found. There beginnings were humble, and such as fitted in with the simple life of the community. For seven years they lived in a sod house, and in 1880 moved into their present comfortable and pleasing residence. In 1872 Mr. Hiner raised some sod corn, and the next year quite a crop of wheat. He rented a quarter section and raised corn on it. In 1874 he raised a large crop of wheat, and had the best intentions regarding corn, but the grasshoppers anticipated his purpose in that direction, and cleaned out the corn fields thoroughly. He now owns two hundred and forty acres, of which one hundred and eighty is under thorough cultivation. He carries on general farming, and is interested in Durham cattle and Poland-China hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Hiner have seven children now living. Mary Styer is the oldest daughter, is married, lives in Thurston county, and is the mother

of two children, Elsie and Willard. John W., the oldest son, is unmarried. Minerva Lafferty has her home in York county, and is the mother of one daughter, Zelma. The other younger children are Clerinda, Nevada, Amy and Vertie. One child, Florence, died in early life. He and his wife are members of the Christian church, of which he has been an official and a devoted member for many years. He advocates free silver, and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Exeter. He has. been road supervisor, and is a member of the school board of district No. 7. He is regarded as an honorable man, and is respected throughout the country. 

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DMUND SHREFFLER owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Stanton precinct, Fillmore county, it being the northwest quarter of section 4, which he has transformed from a wild, unbroken, tract of prairie land into rich and fertile fields under excellent cultivation. He is numbered among the self-made men of the county, having come here empty-handed, and his accumulations are the result of his own industry, enterprise and good management. He came to the county in the fall of 1870, and since that time this has been his field of operations and the center of his interests and hopes.

      Mr. Shreffler was born in Hicksburg, Perry county, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1824, a son of William and Mary Shreffler, who died in Illinois, the former in 1852, at the age of fifty-two years, the latter in 1875, at the age of seventy-five, and both were buried in Hinkle cemetery. Our subject received a limited common-school education, the greater part of his boyhood and youth being spent in making shingles and rails. At the age of twelve he removed with his parents to Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and on the 7th of June, 1846, the family started for Peoria, Illinois, where they arrived on the 23d of that month. There our subject and his father worked in a cooper shop.

      On the 17th of January, 1850, Mr. Shreffler was united in marriage with Mary E. Gish, who was born in Pennsylvania, July 17, 1834, a daughter of Isaiah and Sarah (Mattox) Saylor, she being the oldest in their family of thirteen children. Both parents have been dead many years. To our subject and his wife were born twelve children, but six died in infancy. The others are William, who is unmarried and lives in Colorado; Raphael K., who is married and lives in Fillmore county; Wesley, who is married and lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Lydia, wife of F. Deal, the present superintendent of the poor farm of Fillmore county; Sarah, a resident of Oklahoma, and Minnie, a resident of Fillmore county, Nebraska. A grandson and granddaughter now live with our subject.

      After his marriage Mr. Shreffler continued to work at his trade as a cooper until February 23, 1865, when he enlisted in Company B, Seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Cosgrove, and with his company proceeded at once to the front, by rail and foot, going from Peoria to Springfield, and on to Lafayette, Indiana; Toledo, Summerville and Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Albany and New York City; then to Morehead City, Newbury, Goldsboro, Raleigh and Alexandria, and from there back to Cincinnati, Parkersburg, and Louisville, Kentucky. From Louisville the regiment proceeded to Evansville, Ind., then to Camp Butler, Indianapolis, from which place they were ordered back to Washington, District of Columbia, to participate in the grand review. Returning to Louisville, they were discharged July 9, 1865, and at Camp Butler were mustered out.

      After the war Mr. Shreffler continued to

make his home in Peoria county, Illinois, until September 22, 1869, when he decided to try his fortune in Nebraska, and, by wagon, he and his family, then numbering nine persons, came to this state, landing in Saline county, November 1, The following spring, however, he came to Fillmore county, and secured a homestead on the northwest quarter of section 4, Stanton precinct. In the fall the family located on his claim, making their home for three years in a dugout. A sod house was then constructed, and in that they lived comfortably for the following three years, it being replaced at the end of that time by a good frame residence. In his efforts to make for himself and his family a home, Mr. Shreffler had to contend with years of drought and grasshoppers, besides other trials and difficulties incident to pioneer life, but at length prosperity seemed to smile upon his efforts, and he now has a comfortable borne and competence. Although seventy-five years of age, he is still hale and hearty and able to manage his farm, doing much of the work himself. Socially he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and religiously has been a faithful member of the Missionary Baptist church for some years. He is not identified with any political party, but by his ballot endeavors to support the best man for the office. 

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ENRY H. BRABHAM, deceased, was for a quarter of a century one of the prominent and representative farmers of York county. In his life span of almost sixty years he accomplished much and left behind him an honorable record well worthy of perpetuation. He was a man of the highest respectability, and those who were most intimately associated with him speak in unqualified terms of his sterling integrity, his honor in business and his fidelity to all the duties of public and private life. He was faithful to his church, to his country and to his friends, and in his home was a most exemplary husband and father. His death, which occurred January 21, 1897, occasioned the deepest regret throughout the community, and York county thereby lost one of its most valued citizens. His portrait appears on another page of this volume.

      Mr. Brabham was born in Morgan county, Ohio, March 14, 1838, a son of John and Elizabeth (Powers) Brabham, who had removed to that state from Pennsylvania at an early day and there spent their remaining years. Our subject was reared and educated in Washington county, Ohio, and there followed farming and also worked some at the cooper's trade in early life. On the 28th of September, 1861, he manifested his patriotism by enlisting in Company H, Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service for three years and three months, participating in the battle of Shiloh and many other engagements of less importance. While doing duty as a train guard in Arkansas, he was shot in the leg. He was honorably discharged December 22, 1864, with the rank of second sergeant.

      At the close of the war Mr. Brabham went to Moultrie county, Illinois, where he made his home for seven years, coming to York county, Nebraska, in the fall of 1872, and taking up a homestead on section 32, Arborville township, on which he located the following spring. His first home here was a dugout, later he lived in a sod house for one year, and then erected a good frame house, in which the family still reside. He broke and improved his land, and at his death left a good farm of three hundred and twenty acres, under a high state of cultivation and supplied with good and substantial buildings.

     On July 30, 1863, Mr. Brabham wedded Miss Margaret J. Fisher, a daughter of John

 

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COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY.

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HENRY H. BRABHAM.

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