four other children have been added to their family, but two of them have died, Anna and Benjamin, and the names of the surviving members of the family are: John, Emily, Edward, Harriet, Prather and James. John married Miss Araminta Henton, and now lives on a farm in Marshall County, Kan.; Emily is the wife of James Benjamin, and they live on the homestead farm belonging to our subject; Edward married Miss Mary Thompson, and lives on a farm near Bailey; Harriet is the wife of Thomas Bowen, who is engaged in farming in Holt County, this State; Prather married Miss Annie Rossiter, and lives on a farm in Blakely Township; James is at home and has charge of the farm on which our subject resides.

Mr. Dolan is an enterprising business man of sound judgment, as is evinced by the amount of wealth which he has accumulated and the success with which he has placed his farm under cultivation. He is a reliable man, and possesses the confidence of his fellowmen. In matters of politics he is identified with, the Democratic party.

LBERT D. SAGE. If it were required to summarize in one sentence the history of this gentleman, it could not be better done, perhaps, than by employing the three words, business, enterprise and prosperity. Our subject is one of the well-to-do farmers and highly esteemed citizens of Midland Township, of which he was one of the pioneers. He is the son of Chauncey and Mary (Patterson) Sage. His parents were born in Massachusetts, and there began their married life. Our subject is a worthy descendant of the Sage family, not entirely unknown in the annals of the early history of New England. The first representative of this family to come to the United States was David Sage, who came from England about the year 1630, and whose descendants in the Northern States far as is now known number over 900 families.

 The father of our subject followed the occupation of a cloth dresser, and was skilled in his calling. Not long after his marriage he removed to Oneida County, N. Y., and turned his attention to agriculture; in 1846 he went to Wisconsin, and is still living there at Delavan, and has attained the ripe age of eighty-nine years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died in the year 1876, aged seventy-six years. She was the mother of ten children, whom it was her joy to see enter honorable positions in life. Their names are recorded as follows: Henry, Edward, Chauncey, Mary J., Cordelia, Ellen, Albert D., Frances, James and Frank.

The subject of our sketch was born on the 20th of December, 1835, in Westmoreland Township, Oneida Co., N. Y. He began to attend the district school, and gained some rudiments of education. The removal of his parents to Wisconsin occurred when he was ten years of age, and there he attended school until he was old enough to follow the plow, when he was transferred from the school-house to the field, and began the active duties of agricultural life, which from that time he has continued to follow with the exception of the time in which he was engaged in bricklaying and plastering, which trades he began to learn when he had attained his twentieth year.

The matrimonial experience of our subject is twofold; he was first married in 1860, to Libbie Woolfenden, who was born in Massachusetts, and was the daughter of Robert and Mary Woolfenden. Mr. and Mrs. Sage rented a farm, expecting shortly to follow the "Star of Empire" in its western course. Accordingly, in 1863, he loaded his household effects upon his wagon, and with his wife and two children started upon the long contemplated journey. The "Far West" was then a very vague expression, and was almost synonymous in meaning with "the unknown." In their journeying they passed through Des Moines and Nebraska City, but kept on their way and came to Beatrice, which was then only represented by a gristmill, and perhaps ten or twelve log houses and indifferent shanties. The country was still largely occupied by its original denizens, such as deer, antelope, beaver, wild geese, turkeys, and other game.

The first few years Mr. Sage combined business and agriculture, being successful in both. A beaver colony situated close to his farm numbered several hundred occupants, and they were not there without being a continual temptation to our subject to

enrich himself at their expense. The homestead entry of the property of our subject is dated 1863, although he has since, as above noted, added to the original quarter-section. He built his first house upon this land in 1863. The material used was cottonwood logs. When not engaged on his farm our subject was busily employed in hauling freight to the mountains, Denver City, and Ft. Kearney. His farm produce he was compelled to haul to St. Joseph, the nearest market, and there trade for other merchandise as needed. The hardships, trials and suffering of his pioneer life were without doubt much worse and more severe than anything there is in pioneer life today, and he is happy in being able to enjoy the fruit of his labor. It must not, however, be understood as being entirely of this character; there was a bright and even joyous side to this life, and it was replete with experiences, the memory of which is still treasured.

The wife of our subject died in 1870, leaving to the care of her husband four children, viz: Alfred, Mary, Frances and Albert. Of these Alfred has a homestead well improved in Rollins County, Kan.; Mary is still at home with her father; Frances is happily married to William Patmore, and Albert is a machinist successfully engaged in his business at Freeport, Ill. Our subject was married a second time, the lady being Miss Mary Thing, daughter of Charles H. and Adelia (McKee) Thing. The father of this lady was born in New Hampshire, and her mother in Vermont. The family is of Welsh-English descent on the paternal side, and French on that of the mother, whose great-grandparents came from France in Colonial days, and were of Huguenot blood.

The father of Mrs. Sage was a merchant in Olean, N. Y., and also a banker. He was engaged in the oil business, and was very successful financially, but was taken with the oil fever, and died in the year 1865, leaving three children, namely: Mary N., Maria A., and Adelia P., now Mrs. Sage, who was born in the above town, on the 27th of May, 1841. Her father was enabled to provide her with first-class private instruction until she attained the age of fifteen years, when she was ready to enter Mt. Holyoke Seminary. She was a careful, intelligent and persevering student, constant and assiduous in her attention to her school duties, and would doubtless have been graduated with honor, but her health gave way, and she was reluctantly compelled to forego that honor of entering the above seminary. She gave special attention to languages and music.

 One memorable period in the life of Mrs. Sage was that wherein she accompanied her aunt, Laura A. McKee, upon her lecturing tour in behalf of the anti-slavery cause, through the States of Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. The time thus occupied afforded many pleasing and valuable experiences to the ladies, and it was at Delavan, Wis., that she met, and finally married, our subject, on the 5th of March, 1872. Her aunt will be remembered as being almost the first lady "stump speaker" and political lecturer in the country, and although so many have since occupied a like position, the name of this pioneer in that department is not overshadowed and forgotten thereby.

Our subject has an experience as a pioneer settler worthy of more extended notice than is possible in this volume, some of them startling and almost tragic. He has fought the elements, snatching his property from them as they threatened by fire or storm. The grasshoppers also have been met, arid, in spite of all they could do, they could not conquer the indomitable spirit of our subject. At the time of the Indian raids he did not leave his family and property, as did so many of his neighbors, but remained to stand by and protect them, and fortune has continued to smile upon him. It is his intention to spend the remainder of his days upon his beautiful property, and in his pleasant home upon the banks of the Big Blue River. He is still an active, energetic man, enjoying good health, and is able to carry on his farm as heretofore.

Of late years Mr. Sage has directed his attention to the breeding of high-grade road horses, and general stock-raising. In this department he has seen much success, and is the owner of Hambletonian horses, and high-grades of cattle, of the Short-horn varieties. He has set out a very fine orchard, which includes some 300 trees, and also some beautiful groves of shade and forest trees. From his first coming in the community Mr. Sage has been foremost in every project that promised to advance its

interests. He has always sought to encourage such enterprises as the county fair, which is so calculated to stimulate the ambition, increase the enterprise, and extend the knowledge of those attending. He has frequently exhibited fruit grown upon his farm, and in several instances has carried off the first prize. Recognizing the benefit a railroad would be to the community, he gladly gave right of way to the Burlington & Missouri Rivet. Railroad, the first railroad in the county.

The subject of our sketch is one of those whose privilege it was to vote for the State Constitution of Nebraska, in the year 1866. He has always been a strong advocate of temperance, and at all times energetic in its behalf. Although several public offices have been at different times pressed upon his acceptance, he has never seen his way clear to devote to them such time and attention as would be required in order to do justice to the interests of the people, and has consequently declined. In politics, he is a stanch Republican, and a strong Harrisonian. The portrait of this gentleman we present on an adjoining page.

ONATHAN A. DORNING, V. S. In the study and contemplation of works of art, the play and effect of light and shade is marked, and frequently the true beauty of the subject contemplated is greatly enhanced if not produced by such light and shadow. So in some lives, with their kaleidoscopic changes, their effectiveness and points of interest are revealed by the same play and contrast. In the present biography this is well illustrated.

Mr. Dorning is of English birth and parentage. He is the son of Jonathan and Ann Dorning, who were born respectively in Lancashire and Yorkshire of that country. His father was by occupation a farmer, and operated about forty acres of land in Lancashire This he sold in order to come to the United States, bringing his family, at that time comprising his wife, six sons and two daughters, wishing to provide for them a home in the new country. His object in removal was to give his sons a better chance in life, and bring them up surrounded by the influences and institutions of this free country. He first settled in Racine County, Wis., and purchased a section of land of the Government and immediately began to improve it. This was in the year 1844. He became a very influential and leading citizen, and more especially so in connection with the Baptist Church, of which he was a member. Previous to his death he had amassed considerable wealth and real estate. He was called to his last rest in the month of February, 1854, at the advanced age of sixty-two years. His widow is still residing on the same homestead, and is eighty years of age. They were the parents of nine children, whose names are recorded as follows: Helen (died in England), Joseph, Jonathan A., Robert, Samuel, Peter, John, Margaret and Ann.

 Our subject was born in Lancashire, England, on the 30th of October, 1839, but removed to this country with his parents at an age too tender for any recollections to be retained concerning the life there. The home in Wisconsin supplies his early memories, and there he was brought up, received his education in the usual institution, and made his acquaintance with farm work. Quite early in life he developed a liking that was almost a passion for every kind of stock, but more especially of cattle and horses, and from seeing them in sickness very early formed the desire to become a veterinary surgeon. As soon as he had come to years of early manhood he began to read for this profession under the careful instruction of Dr. Lawton, of Racine, who had quite an extensive practice, and was thins enabled to offer daily practical illustration of what his pupil read in his text-books. In his twentieth year he went to Chicago and entered the veterinary institution in that city, and took a three-years course of lectures under Profs. Coleman and Dadd, being graduated with the class of '61.

Our subject then enlisted in the army as Veterinary Surgeon of the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry, and in that connection obtained valuable experience. He was in a number of engagements; among them were Tupelo, Miss., and Prairie Grove, Ark. In the latter battle our subject received a wound in the calf of the leg, but speedily recovered and took his place again in the ranks. He received his discharge at Prairie Du Chien, Wis., on the 25th of July, 1865,

having served in the Western Division of the army at the front for three years and nine months, and only receiving his discharge because of physical disability. He returned to his home, and upon recuperating he commenced farming on part of the original homestead.

On the 2d of November, 1865, our subject became the husband of Miss Frances Ann Yates, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Conway) Yates, who were natives of Lancashire, England. Her father followed the business of pharmaceutical chemist in England, and upon coming to this country with his family he settled in Kenosha County, Wis., and engaged in farming. He died in the year 1854, aged forty-five years. He was survived about ten years by his wife, who died about the close of the war, aged seventy years. Their children number in all eight, whose names are recorded as follows: Martha, James, Deborah, Thomas, Samuel, Dorothea, Francis A. and Elizabeth. The wife of our subject was born July 25, 1844, in Kenosha County. She made the acquaintance of our subject while quite young, and attended the same school with him, and without doubt the intimate acquaintance there begun had grown stronger, broader and deeper until the happy result of their union was attained. The subsequent history of their lives has abundantly proved that the step was a right one. Their family includes eight children, whose names are as subjoined: Francis E., Jonathan, Jr., Elizabeth, Amy, James, Kate, Ida and Helen.

Upon his marriage our subject settled in Racine, and perfected arrangements for working in his profession, in which he continued with an ever-increasingly lucrative practice, which he supplemented by some farming until the fall of 1878. Then for the same reasons that actuated the removal of his father from England to America. He determined to go West, and accordingly removed to this county, purchasing his farm of eighty acres situated in Nemaha Township. At the time of purchase there were only thirty acres broken, but he immediately set to work to improve the property, and has made for himself a beautiful home and highly cultivated and productive farm. His house, whether for situation, arrangement or finish, is an ideal residence for one in the position of our subject, and all his farm buildings are in keeping. Owing to his success in his profession and farming, he is one of the few disabled soldiers who have never applied for a pension. His practice has grown to be one of the largest in the district, and is more than one person can readily handle. As may be surmised, it is quite extensive also in regard to territory, and our subject cannot travel less than 1,500 miles per annum in order to attend to it.

 There are three things in the immediate vicinity of his home that add largely to its attractiveness: The elegant and well-developed shade trees, the large orchard, containing besides plums, cherries and abundance of small fruits, over 100 choice, select apple trees, that produce some of the finest fruit in the district; the orchard is supplemented by an extensive vinery, from which an abundant supply of grapes of various kinds is obtained. Another attractive feature is a large and well-stocked fish pond, which the Doctor put in in the year 1887, and from it he obtains some very choice specimens of the finny tribe, and is enabled to supply his table with piscatorial dainties of an unusually high quality.

There are few citizens in the United States more thoroughly Republican in their sentiments than Dr. Dorning, and in all political campaigns he is found taking a prominent part in the interests of his party. His army service has given him a deep interest in the G. A. R., and he occupies the position of Commander of the J. B. Wyman Post No. 101, and is looked up to by its membership with much esteem, which sentiment is shared in by the community at large, and embraces not simply our subject, but also his wife and family.

A. GRAY, the present Treasurer of Adams Township, is a man of widespread influence, who is prominently identified with village and township affairs, and especially are his services and influence valued in the Presbyterian Church. He possesses the confidence and admiration of all who know him, counting his friends by the scores, and winning new admirers at every turn

by his genial and generous disposition and his truly Christian and consistent walk. His parents, William and Christiana (Alexander) Gray, were natives of Bedford County, Pa. His great-grandfather, William Gray, came from England and made his home near Camden, N. J., at the time of the Revolutionary War, sending three of his sons to defend his adopted country against the incursions of his native land. The Alexanders were natives of Ireland, but our subject's mother was born in Pennsylvania, in which place she was married. After their marriage the parents of our subject kept a hotel for several years, and in the latter part of their lives they engaged in farming until the death of the father, on the 24th of April, 1872, at the age of eighty-two years. The mother died in 1827, on the 19th of July, at the age of forty-one years, leaving one child, our subject, named William Alexander. The father married a second time, Miss Elizabeth Enslow, of Ray's Hill, Bedford Co., Pa., by whom he had two children, named Mary A. and Sarah.

Our subject was born on the 21st of August, 1822, in Bedford County, Pa., at Bloody Run, now called Everett. He has vivid recollections of the events and scenes of his youth, and after the death of his mother, which occurred when he was four years and eleven months old, he was brought up by his aunt, Mrs. Sarah Bradley, one of the family of Alexanders. She had no children, so she and her husband became as loving parents to him, bestowing upon him all the wealth of love which parents lavish upon their own children. He grew up under their care only a few miles from his father's home, receiving some early lessons in agriculture and cultivating his mind for the future life work, whatever it might be. The first school which he attended was held in a log house, with floor of earth, and all its appurtenances, rude as well as rustic, in Wells Valley, known also as "Double Alexander's Valley," bearing the latter name from the name of one of the ancestors of our subject, Alexander Alexander, who was its first permanent settler, making his home there prior to the Revolutionary War.

 Our subject has always looked with great interest on the development of his country, and well remembers the time of the rate school system, the free system of public schools being established in 1834. At the age of twenty-four years he entered the academy of Tuscarora Valley, in which he took a course of two years' instruction, and by that time (1848) another academy, known as the Melwood Academy, was started nearer home, in which he also took a two-years course. Not satisfied, however, with his educational attainments, he entered Jefferson College, where he pursued a special course, but was not allowed to complete it because his aunt was in delicate health, and leaving the college with the rank of junior, he remained at home until the death of that dear relative.

On the 31st of December, 1856, Mr. Gray was united in marriage with Miss Julia A. Moore, a daughter of Dr. and Harriet Moore, of Wells Valley. The father was from Juniata County, and the mother from Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County, and further notice of them will be found in the sketch of B. Frank Moore. They had eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, and all the brothers of Mrs. Gray were in the Union service in the late war, in which they distinguished themselves nobly. Mrs. Gray was born in Shirleysburg, Huntingdon Co., Pa., on the 28th of January, 1829, and during her early years she attended a seminary in her native town, moving to Wells Valley in 1841. After their marriage our subject and his wife engaged in farming, in which they were very prosperous, and the former was made Superintendent of the county schools, which office he was eminently qualified to fill, retaining it for five years, until the breaking out of the war.

There being still more vital questions to agitate the minds of American citizens than the one of education, our subject left the field of learning to engage on time dangerous field of war, and enlisted as a private under Capt. Decker of Company K, 202d Pennsylvania Infantry, in 1864, being then forty-two years old. Prompted by patriotism he could not withstand the desire to place himself at the service of his country, and he was mustered in at Harrisburg, sent to Eastern Virginia, defended the outer defenses of Washington, and was on duty assisting to guard the National Capitol. At midnight on the 14th of April, 1865, news of the assassination of President Lincoln came to their ears,

and the guards were immediately doubled, great excitement and sorrow prevailing everywhere. The negroes presented a woeful appearance as they sadly uttered "Uncle Sam is killed!" and no doubt at the time there seemed ample cause for lamentation lest the freedom that was dawning upon their horizon should be revoked; but there have been other great and noble men to continue what that master-mind conceived and began, and the institution which he protected is now dear to the hearts of all tine Americans. Our subject was mustered out at Harrisburg, and honorably discharged after having acquitted himself in a valiant and courageous manner.

After the close of the war Mr. Gray returned to his home in Wells Valley, where his family welcomed him with outstretched arms, but while he received a loving greeting from his wife and three children, his heart was saddened because of the absence of one little child who had died while he was away from home. He then continued the peaceful pursuit in which he had been engaged before the war until the spring of 1868, when with his wife and family he came to Nebraska, having traveled extensively during the previous year, and purchased 640 acres of land in Adams Township. He built a sod house, and being determined to successfully combat the hardships of pioneer life, he philosophically took things as they came and made the best of them. He was among the number of early settlers who voted for the adoption of the State Constitution, and ever since his first act in behalf of the advancement of our glorious State, he has proved an able abettor of her institutions. In the year 1874 there was an entire failure of the corn crop, and a period of great want was anticipated, but some of the other harvests were more abundant, so that our subject saved enough to pay his taxes, and obtain the necessities of life. In various ways has he suffered a loss in common with the farmers of this State, but he has been able to overcome those misfortunes, and has risen to a position of affluence and ease.

 Our subject now owns 460 acres of splendid land in one farm in Adams Township, on which there are two good houses, barns, stables, and other necessary out-buildings, all in good condition. Twenty-five acres are planted in timber, consisting of cottonwood, maple, elm and other kinds of trees, and these trees were all planted by the hands of our subject. Besides the necessary work and time devoted to the improvement of his farm, he has taken an active part in the organization of the township, his influence being great and wide-spreading. He is identified with the Republican party in politics, but has refused to accept any public offices tendered him from their hands. He was a strong anti-slavery man, a Whig, and voted for John C. Fremont. He is now occupying the office of Treasurer of the township, and in every contingent of public affairs in which the advice of a thoughtful and careful mind is needed our subject is consulted, and his mature and wise counsel received with general approval. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which the former is a charter member and one of the Elders, while he endears himself to the younger people of the community in his capacity of teacher in the Sunday-school.

To these loving and considerate parents there have been given six children, of whom we have the following record; Anna is at home; Edward Everett died when young, in Pennsylvania; Caroline is the wife of R. C. Pierson, a grain buyer, and resides in Adams; Emma died while our subject was in the war; William C. is at home, engaged in the grocery business, in which our subject is also interested; James K. is deceased. The mother is a refined and talented lady, a true Christian woman, sensitive, social and generous, and is the warm friend of a host of admirers among both young and old. Her husband is also distinguished as a man of admirable social qualifications, and the words of our pen are insufficient to portray his excellent and Christian disposition and character.

EREMIAH BAILEY. Among the names of the early pioneer settlers of Highland Township will be found that of the subject of this sketch, and there are, few more worthy of a place in a biographical work of this description than he. Since the fall of 1887 Mr. Bailey has resided in Cortland, after enduring for many years such