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and makes her home with a daughter in the Empire State. Our subject spent his boyhood under the parental roof, acquiring a common-school education. At the age of seventeen he began his apprenticeship as a painter, which he followed in New York State for a period of four years, and became thoroughly acquainted with all branches of the business. He finally embarked in business for himself at Middleton, Orange Co., N. Y., and was greatly prospered. Finally, however, desirous of a change of location, he came to Nebraska, locating in the city of Beatrice, where he has since remained. The headquarters of the firm are at No. 617 Court street, where they have a convenient location and all the appliances necessary for good work. Mr. Randall, at the age of twenty-three, was married in Sullivan County. N. Y., Oct. 1, 1863, to Miss Polly, daughter of Bradley and Eliza (Burr) Sherwood, who were at that time residents of Sullivan County. The mother of Mrs. Randall was a direct descendant of Aaron Burr, whose career is a matter of history. Mr. Randall's wife was born April 4, 1843, in Sullivan. N. Y. The parental household included eight children, and all are living. To Mr. and Mrs. Randall there have been born five children, three sons and two daughters, namely: George F., Frederick W., William F., Isabel and Carrie. Our subject, politically, affiliates with the Republican party. Socially, he belongs to the Modern Woodman. A portion of his capital is invested in fifty acres of valuable land just outside the city limits, where he resides.
Mr. Leigh has been a stock-dealer for a period of nine years, raising and feeding and shipping to the Eastern markets. He has a large tract of land, 840 acres, provided with suitable buildings and the other appliances necessary for the successful carrying on of this branch of agriculture. He keeps about 200 head of cattle all the year round, and usually about fifty to seventy-five head of calves, which are mostly full-bred. He supplies the cattlemen of this region with some of their best breeding stock. Our subject has been a resident of this county since the fall of 1879, when he located on a part of the land comprising his present farm, he has given his attention mainly since that time to stock-raising. His land lies on sections 29 and 30, and his home is on the former. Formerly he had been a resident of Jersey County, Ill., where he was born June 15, 1849, in the town of Jerseyville. His parents were natives respectively of England and Pennsylvania; the mother was born near Philadelphia. His father was a farmer by occupation, and the parents continued residents of the Keystone State until 1844. Then, resolving upon a change of location, they emigrated with their little family to Jersey County, Ill., where Thomas Leigh engaged in farming, and where with his excellent wife he still lives, both having arrived at an advanced age. Thomas Leigh, the father of our subject, was born in Lancaster, England, and emigrated with his parents to the United States when a little lad six years of age. They located in Bucks County, Pa., where the paternal grandparents of our subject spent the remainder of their days and died when ripe in years. Thomas Leigh is now eighty years old, and has made for himself a record as an honest man and a good citizen. He was reared in a Quaker community and still holds to the religious belief of that peace-loving sect. The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Martha Van Horn, and, like her husband, is a Quaker in religious belief. She is seventy-eight years old, and has fulfilled her duties as wife and mother in the most praiseworthy manner, meriting the esteem and confidence of all who know her. The subject of this sketch is the youngest of three sons and one daughter. One son, Augustus, died in Jerseyville when about twenty-one years old. The other son and the daughter are residents of |
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DWARD
C. LEIGH. The subject of this biography, a leading business man of Blakely
Township, is also one of its most successful farmers and stock-growers, and
makes a specialty of high-grade Durham cattle. At the head of his herd are "Drapo" and
"Geneva George," registered animals, bred in Illinois by Col. Fulkerson.
and which have already attained quite a reputation in the West. The former
brings down the scales at 2.000 pounds, and is the largest of his kind in this
county.
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Jerseyville. Edward C. remained with his parents in Jerseyville, Ill., until eighteen years of age, then going eastward to Trenton, N. J., completed his education later at the business college there. Upon leaving school he returned to Illinois, and on the 22d of February, 1871, was united in marriage with Miss Nettle J. Snell, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Jerseyville. Mrs. Leigh, like her husband, was also born in Jersey County, Ill., Feb. 12, 1851. Her parents, Asa and Priscilla (Landon) Snell, were natives of Vermont, where they were reared and married, and whence they emigrated afterward to Illinois. They settled in Jersey County about 1840, among the pioneers of that region. The father tilled the soil successfully the remainder of his life, built up a good home from the wilderness, and departed hence in January, 1876. The mother survives, and makes her home with her children at the old farm in Jersey County. Although quite aged. she is still active and industrious, and attends quite regularly the services of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she has been a member for several years. The Snell family included fourteen children, six sons and eight daughters, eleven of whom are living. Mrs. Leigh received careful home training and a good education in the common schools of Jerseyville, where she remained until her marriage. Of her union with our subject there have been born six children, namely: Laura, Nettie, Augustus, Cora, Martha and Lucretia. Mr. and Mrs. Leigh after their marriage lived in Jerseyville for a period of eight years, where Mr. L. was most of the time connected with the banking house of Cross & Swollow, occupying a responsible position as confidential clerk, and enjoying in a more than ordinary degree the confidence and esteem of the firm. This experience proved invaluable to him, giving him a fine insight into the proper methods of transacting business, and in addition to his natural capacities, has been the secret of his success. His excellent wife is a member of the Congregational Church, at Blakely. Mr. L. has always been interested in Sunday-school work, and has proved himself very efficient in the establishment and maintenance of the schools wherever he has been. He takes an active part, officiating as teacher and contributing in a substantial manner to its encouragement and support. Politically, he votes the straight Republican ticket, and socially, belongs to the I. O. O. F. and K. of P.
The subject of this sketch is the offspring of a good family, being the son of George Schock, who was born in Union County, Pa., in 1799. He acquired a good common-school education, and afterward learned the carpenter trade, which he followed a number of years in Ohio, locating in Seneca County near the young town of Bellevue, and giving at that early day as high as $40 an acre. He owned and operated this until the spring of 1870, adding to the labors of general farming that of stock-raising, in which he met with fine success. In the year mentioned he sold his land at $100 per acre, which fact speaks well for the manner in which he had improved the land and cultivated the soil. The homestead was recognized as one of the most desirable in that part of the Buckeye State. From Ohio the father of our subject migrated to St. Joseph County, Mich., settling on 160 acres of land three miles northeast of Three Rivers, and which he still owns. This also he brought to a fine state of cultivation, and has one of the most valuable homesteads in that region. The elder Schock, as the result of a temperate life and correct habits, is still in the enjoyment of health and strength, and every two years visits his children in this State. The mother in her girlhood was Miss Lucy U. Ware, and was born in Union County, Pa., in 1804. She removed with her parents to Ohio at |
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the age of ten years, and continued a member of the household circle until her marriage. She is still living, and with her husband has passed beyond the age usually allotted mankind, being eighty-four years of age, while Mr. Schock is eighty-nine. They are devoted members of the German Reformed Church, and Mr. Schock in his younger years was particularly active in Sunday-school work, officiating as Superintendent from the time he was a young man until the weight of years rendered this impracticable. John Schock, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was also a native of Union County, Pa., and was born about 1778. He acquired a good common-school education, and employed himself in farm pursuits, remaining in his native State until after his majority, he then, in 1815, migrated to Seneca County, Ohio, where he secured a tract of wild land, which in due time he transformed into one of the finest farms of that region. He was the father of eight children, all of whom lived to mature years. After the death of his wife he made his home with his son George, in Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying about 1881. Grandfather Schock was a Lutheran in religion, and a man of good business capacity. Eli Schock, our subject, was born in Seneca County, Ohio, May 14, 1856, and was a resident of his native State until a youth of sixteen years. He received a common-school education, and upon leaving home made his way to St. Joseph County, Mich., with his parents, and completed his studies in the school at Three Rivers. After attaining his majority he worked for his father one year, then making his way to this State, purchased 160 acres of land in Sicily Township, from which he improved a good farm, erected suitable buildings and met with fine success, adding to general agriculture the business of stock-raising. He was thus employed for a period of ten years, then selling out, changed his residence to Blue Springs, and established himself in the business where he may now be found. He is still a young man comparatively, with a prospect of many years yet before him, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of hosts of friends. The marriage of our subject with Miss Susan Steintnetz, of St. Joseph, Mich., was celebrated at the home of the bride, Aug. 16, 1877. The young people commenced the journey of life together in Gage County, Neb., and are now the parents of four children, viz Elson L., Ora Sabilla. Jesse Jasper and Olivia Oretta. They form a bright and interesting group. of whom the parents may well be proud, and are being given those advantages suited to their position in life. Mrs. Schock was born in Northampton County, Pa., March 25, 1860, and is the daughter of Gideon Steintnetz, a native of Pennsylvania, and a farmer by occupation. The family left the Keystone State when their daughter Susan was young in years, emigrating to St. Joseph County, Mich., and at once taking possession of a tract of land, where the father tilled the soil until the spring of 1878. The parents are still living, in Rice County, Kan. Their family consisted of thirteen children, four sons and three daughters still living, residents of Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska. Susan, Mrs. Schock, in common with her brothers and sisters was given a good, practical education and received careful home training. Both she and her husband are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and active in Sunday-school work.
Our subject received a good education in his native country, and since coming to America has learned sufficient to form quite a good English education. He came to this county in 1883, and settled where he now resides, upon section 32, where he owns 200 acres of land; he also owns eighty acres in Marshall County, Kan., both being operated as general grain and stock farms. His property is quite valuable, well watered and unusually |
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ERD GERDES. Barneston Township has few more honorable, thoroughly practical and successful farmers or stock-raisers than the subject of this biographical sketch. He is a native of Germany, and was born on the 10th of November, 1852, in Hanover, to Gerd and Trantje Gerdes, both natives of the same country, and the former of whom is deceased. The family emigrated to the United States in the year 1869, and after some prospecting settled in Atchison County, Mo.
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fertile; his harvests as a rule are quite large, and his stock of the highest order. The parents of our subject were the recipients of seven children, of whom Gard. our subject, is the youngest. His father died in 1874, in Atchison County, Mo., having lived to the age of seventy-three years. His mother, who has reached the advanced age of seventy-four, makes her home with our subject at Barneston. Mr. Genies was reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church in his native country, and has continued in the same ever since, and is at present affiliated with the congregation in Barneston Township, and is among the most devout of the communion.
Before coming to this State Mr. Langworthy was a resident of Woodford County, Ill., where he had carried on farming for a period of sixteen years. He had removed from Peoria County to that section in 1861, and came to Nebraska in 1876. In Peoria, Ill., he had carried on carpentering, at which he had served a regular apprenticeship, and had operated considerably in the South, largely in Alabama. In Illinois he was a contractor, and as the result of his labors handled a large amount of money, and was very successful. Mr. Langworthy is a native of Devonshire, England, where his birth took place July 1, 1812. He came to the United States in 1836, when a young man twenty-four years of age, and soon went South, traveling over a large portion of that region both for pleasure and recreation and in pursuit of his business. His father, Robert Langworthy, was born and spent his entire life in Devonshire, where he, too, carried on the trade of carpenter in connection with undertaking. The mother, Mrs. Sarah (Oldrey) Langworthy, was born and reared not far from the home of her husband, and there passed away some years after the death of her husband. They were people of the highest respectability and worth, and members in good standing of the Church of England. Their family consisted of ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom William, our subject, is the sole survivor. In his native England Mr. Langworthy received a good education, and was reared in a manner befitting the son of worthy and intelligent parents. He learned the carpenter trade under the instruction of his father, and was well qualified upon coming to this country to make his own way in the world. Upon taking up his abode in Woodford County, Ill., he abandoned the bench for farming. He had met and married in New York City Miss Caroline Oldrey, who was also of English birth and parentage, and who first opened her eyes to the light among the Devonshire hills, on the 10th of March, 1813. Mrs. Langworthy is the only daughter of her father, Samuel Oldrey, by his last marriage, her mother in her girlhood having been Miss Ann Furneaux. The Oldrey family was an old and highly respected one in Devonshire, and generally well-to-do, accumulating a large amount of property. The parents of Mrs. Langworthy lived to a ripe old age, maintaining that consistent Christian character in keeping with their almost lifelong connection with the Church of England. Their family consisted of five children, three of whom are living in England. Miss Caroline received the advantages of the best local schools, and was taught by a careful mother those household duties which are so important to the comfort and happiness of a home. Being bright and ambitious to do for herself, she went to the city of London when quite young, and after the manner of those times applied herself to domestic employments, and also became a skilled seamstress. She finally became a lady's maid, and thence advanced to the position of trusted housekeeper. Subsequently she was raised to the post of companion, and in this capacity traveled over the whole of the English Empire, including Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France. Being possessed of more than usual intelligence, this oppor- |
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ILLIAM O. LANGWORTHY. About thirteen years ago the subject of this sketch decided to cast his lot with the people of Southern Nebraska, and accordingly pitched his tent upon a portion of the land which he now occupies, and which is eligibly located on section 32, in Blakely Township. Here he has effected the improvements naturally resulting from continued industry upon the spot which a man calls home, and where his interests most closely center.
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tunity for instruction and observation was improved by her to the utmost, and she retains to this day a clear recollection of the cities she visited and the incidents connected therewith. In addition to this she has been an exhaustive reader of English and Scotch history. It is seldom there is met with a lady of brighter intellect, or one who has made such good use of her time and opportunities. Mrs. Langworthy made the acquaintance of our subject in England, having been born in the same parish, and by previous arrangement joined him in the United States, May 4, 1853. They were married in New York City, on the 16th of May, 1853, and commenced the journey of life together in a snug home at Peoria, Ill. Mrs. L. has been the efficient helper of her husband in all his undertakings, being equally interested with him in the building up of their homestead. Their union has been blessed by the birth of six children, two of whom, Sarah O. and Sarah J., died in early childhood; John owns a farm in Jefferson County, but lives with his parents; William H. owns and operates a farm in Chase County; he married Miss Florence Stansbury, of Jefferson County. Lewis manages the home farm; and Carrie is the wife of W. N. Sparks, a well-to-do farmer of Lincoln Township. Mr. Langworthy, upon becoming a naturalized citizen, identified himself with the Republican party, of which he has since been a cordial supporter. Both he and his wife belong to the Episcopal Church, but they give liberal contributions to other churches. They occupy a good position among the better element of Gage County, and have contributed materially to its moral and intellectual advancement.
For two years he was engaged in filling a contract on the Miami Canal, building several sections, his part of it being in the vicinity known as Shaker Swamps. When he was about forty years old he moved to Fountain County, Ind., on the Wabash River, in which place he bought a farm and spent some time in making improvements on it. Then selling this land, he crossed the Wabash River into Warren County, and there improved 400 acres of land, on which he resided until the time of his death in 1854. As to his birth our subject cannot tell positively, but in the year 1856, while tramping across a field in New Jersey, in the neighborhood of his late father's home, he found a turtle with the name of his father and the date 1815 cut on it. About the year 1816 the father of our subject married Miss Hulda Crane, of New Jersey. They were the parents of eight children, of whom four are still living, all having arrived at the age of maturity save one, whose death occurred at time age of nineteen, and a sister at fourteen years of age. Those who are surviving are Col. Frank Wilcox, of Champaign, Ill.; Mrs. Annie Adkison, of Winterset, Iowa; John Wilcox, a farmer at Storm Lake, and our subject. Hulda Crane was the daughter of John Crane, of New Jersey, her death occurring in Indiana in the year 1837, at about thirty-seven years of age. Her father was a farmer in New Jersey, his land lying along the Passaic River one mile from New Providence. He belonged to Capt. Wood's minute men of Revolutionary War fame. He was born about the year 1762, and died on the 4th of March, 1844. His wife was Miss Betsey Mulfurd, who died in 1828. Levi Wilcox, the grandfather of our subject, was born in New Jersey about the year 1760. He was a farmer in Essex County (now known as Union County) and he also belonged to Capt. Wood's minute men. He married Miss Esther Valentine, and to them were born four children, as follows: Daniel M. Wilcox; Rachel, who married William Van Blarkam, of Paterson, N.J. ; Betsey, who married Capt. Joseph Doly, of the same section, and for her second husband Joseph Wilson. of Morristown, N. J. ; and Levi V., the father of our subject. Levi Wilcox died in 1843, aged about fourscore years. |
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His wife died in 1836, our subject living with her at the time. William Wilcox was born in New Jersey, and died at the age of sixty-six years, having lived on the same tract of land as that occupied by his family, his death occurring before the memory of our subject. He had four sons, one of whom followed Daniel Boone to Kentucky, and soon lost his life there. Peter Wilcox, the father of William, arrived from England in 1736, and the Elizabethtown Association surveyed to him 400 acres of land in New Jersey. This is shown by the records in the Presbyterian Church at Westfield, N. J. Levi V. Wilcox served as Deputy Sheriff in his native State. All of these ancestors of our subject were members of the Methodist Church, and with his grandfather Wilcox, Lorenzo Dow used frequently to stop. The descendants are still living on the family farm, the only living brother of Hulda Crane now residing near Vallisca, Iowa, aged eighty-six years. Elias C. Wilcox, our subject, was born on the 4th of February, 1822, in Essex County, N. J. He received a good common-school education, after which he worked on the farm of his grandfather, living with him until seventeen years of age. He then clerked for two years for Woodruff & Co., of Elizabethtown, and in 1841 he went to Indiana, and joined his parents. For awhile he worked on a farm, after which he clerked in a store until 1847, when he was appointed Collector of Tolls on the Wabash Canal, at Covington, Ind. He received his appointment from Stearns Fisher, well known as the Superintendent of the State Public Works, and held his position until the fall of 1854, when he was elected Clerk of the Court for Fountain County on the Republican ticket, or rather Whig, the Republican party hardly being then born. He was reelected in 1858 for the same office, and held his position until November. 1862. From that date until the close of the war our subject occupied the position of Provost Marshal for Fountain County, having his headquarters in Covington, the place of his home. He spent the summer of 1866 in traveling over the State of Arkansas in behalf of the Western Stage Company. He was there opening mail routes and appointing postmasters, for which he had a commission from the Government already signed; our subject taking bond and returning to the Government. The next year he moved to Champaign County. Ill., where he raised a very large crop of grain and 160 acres of corn, the latter selling at eighty cents per bushel. In the spring of 1868 our subject moved to Union County. Iowa, where he bought a new farm of 160 acres, and improved it with a house, barn and other farm buildings he remained there two years. and in the fall of 1869 he was selected by the people without any effort on his part, and was nominated for County Auditor. The nomination resulted in his election, and after occupying the position for two years he was re-elected in 1871, and held the office until 1873. To the end of the year during this term he lived at Afton, Iowa. In 1874 he moved to Sheridan in the same State, and engaged in the lumber business, which he continued for three years, and thence went to Farragut, where he had charge of a stock of goods until 1881. afterward selling, and coming to Wymore when the city had just been platted. In June, 1882, the Blue Valley Bank was organized, and our subject became its cashier, serving in that capacity for five years. In the meantime he was elected City Treasurer, to which position he has successively been elected until the present time. He is also the Treasurer of the School Board, and is engaged in the real-estate and insurance business. Our subject attended the convention held at Philadelphia in 1856, which nominated John C. Fremont, and he has since been with the Republican party. He is also a Chapter member and Master of the Blue Lodge, of Wymore. On the 8th of February. 1848, Mr. Wilcox was united in marriage with Miss Rachael V. Fields, at Covington, Ind., which union has been blessed with four children, of whom three are living, viz: Albert C., Kate L. and Frank. The wife of our subject was born at Clarksburg, Va., in 1828, and is a daughter of John Fields, who was born in Pennsylvania about the year 1802. He lived for awhile at Clarksburg, Va., then moved to Covington, Ind., in which place he was Postmaster and Justice of the Peace, and died there in 1876. Mrs. Wilcox re- |
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ceived a common-school education, and lived with her parents until the time of her marriage. Her mother was Miss Harris, a native of Virginia, her death occurring about 1856. Albert C. Wilcox married Miss Carrie Wallace, of Sheridan, Iowa, and they are the parents of two children--Anna and Laird E; they live in McPherson County, Kan., the husband having charge of the McKinley Hellicker Investment Company for the State of Kansas. Frank is engaged in the loan business in Horace, Greeley Co., Kan. Our subject has been a resident of Wymore from the time it was platted out through the corn fields to its present enterprising state, and has done very much to help bring about its improvements.
Our subject was born in Switzerland on the 7th of May, 1844, and was but eighteen months old when his parents emigrated to this country. He spent his early life in New Jersey and Ohio, coming from the latter State to Nebraska in 1867. His father carried on the coopering business in the small village of Etna, Ohio, in which place our subject was reared to manhood, he received a common-school education, and lived at home until he came to this State, with the exception of three years and eight months spent in the service of his country as a soldier. On the 29th of October, 1861, Mr. Arnold enlisted as a private in Company E, 76th Ohio Infantry, and was afterward promoted to the rank of Sergeant. During his connection with the army he participated in thirty-three general engagements, together with battles of lesser note. At the battle of Ringgold, Ga., he was wounded in the right arm and side, and was incapacitated for service for about two months, which time he spent in the hospital. For his loyalty in the service of the country, and because of the wound which he received, he is allowed a pension by the Government. Although a stated amount of money at intervals can hardly be said to be a fair exchange for the health and comfort of any man, it is yet his just due, and a mark of appreciation which should never be withheld from those who gave much in so good a cause. At the expiration of his term of service our subject returned to Ohio, and after remaining in that State for one year, he came to Falls City, Richardson Co., Neb. He then engaged in farming, and after a residence there of three years he came to this county, in the spring of 1870. He settled in Midland Township, where he lived for thirteen years, and in 1883 he moved to Glenwood Township, in which he owns a farm of 200 acres on sections 9 and 16. He has erected a good house and buildings, and has made many noticeable improvements on his land. On the 20th of February, 1870, Mr. Arnold was united in marriage, in Falls City. with Miss Kate M. Paxton. who is a daughter of William and Lucinda (Moss) Paxton. She was born in Barren County, Ky., on the 17th of March, 1848, and came to this State in 1865. To their home has come a family of ten children, all of whom were born in this county, and their names are mentioned as follows: George P., Charles W.. Alice M., Edward L., Ernest J., Archie, Arthur G., May B., Maggie E., and an infant son unnamed. Mrs. Arnold is a member of the Christian Church. The older members of the family were afforded the advantages for receiving good educations, and are fitting themselves to adorn the stations in life in which they may be placed, and are an honor to their parents, while the younger members are still in time enjoyment of their childhood days, and are happy and free from care. While our subject has given careful attention to his occupation, and has made very fair improve |
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ments on his farm, he has not forgotten that it is the duty of every man to take a certain share of the responsibilities of public affairs, and during the year 1887 he served as Supervisor of Glenwood Township. While living in Midland Township he held the office of School Director for ten years, being amply qualified by education and general executive ability to fill that office. He is an advocate of the policy of the Democratic organization, and is a highly esteemed member of the Reserve Post of the G. A. R. at Odell. Under the management of just such men as our subject will the county continue to improve, until finally it will reach the rank of the older settled counties, and its advantages for educational and religious growth be unexcelled.
The Feese family is believed to be of German ancestry, settling in the South after coming to this country. David Feese, the father of our subject, was born in Ashe County, N. C., and upon reaching manhood was married to Miss Lucinda Hill, who was a native of Hardin County, Ky. They first settled in Melborough County, Ill., and from there in 1834 removed to Des Moines County, Iowa, settling among the earliest pioneers of the Hawkeye State. Mr. Feese took up a tract of Government land in what is now Flint River Township, and there with his estimable wife carried on farming and spent the remainder of his days, passing away March 10, 1888, at the advanced age of eighty years. He was a good man in the best sense of the term, industrious, honest and public-spirited. He was affectionately known throughout that region as "Father Feese,” and is kindly remembered by hosts of friends. A consistent member of the Christian Church, he took an active part in its deliberations, and contributed liberally to its support from the abundance of means with which Providence had blessed him. The hospitable roof of David Feese was ever ready to shelter the destitute and needy, and his hand ever ready to assist the deserving poor. As a bright exponent of the Christian virtues, the father of our subject fulfilled conscientiously every known duty. He set before his children the example of thrift, industry, economy, and those moral traits of character which won their confidence when young, and which, now they are further advanced in years, shines brighter as memory holds them within its most sacred precincts. The mother, too, was amply fitted for her position as the wife of such a man, being in all good works his sympathizer and helper. They lived congenially together for a period of forty-four years, and then the mother passed to her rest at the homestead in Iowa, Oct. 7, 1879. They differed somewhat in religious views, the mother being a Baptist, and belonging to the Baptist Church at Danville. They were married in 1827, and became the parents of fifteen children, four sons and eleven daughters, twelve of whom survive. The subject of this sketch was the seventh child of the parental family, and was born in Flint River Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa, Nov. 26, 1842. He was reared as a farmer's boy and educated in the district school, remaining under the home roof until reaching his majority, he then commenced working for himself, continuing in his native county two years longer, he then purchased a farm in Henry County, Iowa, but in less then a year returned to his early tramping ground. He engaged in mercantile pursuits in Danville a few months, then sold out and invested his capital in another farm, this time in Flint River Township, and upon which he continued three years. Thence he changed his residence to Fremont County, Iowa, purchasing another farm, and living there until |
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ACOB FEESE, widely and favorably known throughout the Southwestern part of this county, has been a member of the community of Glenwood Township since the fall of 1883, when he settled upon his present farm, which comprises 153 acres of productive land on section 1. During the five years of his residence here he has established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens by his energy, enterprise, and his qualities as a desirable. and useful member of society. He is making good improvements on his farm, bringing the land to a fine state of cultivation, and in all respects contributing his quota to the upbuilding of the rich territory of Southern Nebraska.
