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and mother, her life presented a perfection of beauty seldom met with and never excelled. She was the mother of nine children, four of them being sons. Only four are now living, our subject being the second child. The days of the boyhood, youth and early manhood of our subject were spent in his native Province, and there he received his early education; there, also, in February of the year 1858, he was married, the lady of his choice being Anna Rumka. She was born and brought up within a short distance of her husband's home, and they had practically grown up together. Almost immediately after their marriage they came to this country, and this excellent wife stood by the side of her husband throughout all the days of his early struggles in Illinois. After bringing up a family of four children, this most admirable and excellent lady departed this life upon the 14th of February, 1883, at the age of fifty-two years. Our subject and his wife continued from youth consistent and devout members of the Lutheran Church, and in the same faith their four children have been brought up. These are named as here appended: Harry, who married Sarah Nies, resides upon his farm, which is situated in Lincoln Township; Fred remains at home, the assistant of his father upon the farm; Minnie is the housekeeper for her father, having ever since her mother's death striven to perpetuate the home comforts; John, an intelligent young man, is actively engaged upon his father's farm, and gives promise of much ability. Mr. Endelman and his sons usually vote the Democratic ticket, Mr. E. having been a member of that party since becoming a naturalized citizen. The family is held in high regard in the community, and represents the best class of German-American citizens. A view of their home and surroundings is given on another page.
The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent in Herkimer County, N. Y., where he attended the common school, and being of a studious disposition made good proficiency. At the age of eighteen; leaving the parental roof, he migrated to Ogle County, Ill., where he worked on a farm, the employe of one man until reaching his majority. In 1869 he came to Beatrice, walking into the town from Brownville. His first employment was building a rail fence around the present residence of Albert Towle. Later he worked in a sawmill at Blue Springs. In the meantime he homesteaded 160 acres west of the latter place, and on the 23d of December, the same year, was married to Miss Fanny V. Dodge. The young people spent the following winter in Ogle County, Ill., which had been the home of the bride, and in February, 1870, our subject returned to his homestead claim in this county, and with his young wife took possession, moving into the frame house which he had erected. They resided there six years, when Mr. Richards purchased a farm near the growing city of Beatrice, where they spent another six years. Our subject now sold out again, and in company with O. N. Wheelock, of Beatrice, embarked in the grocery business. Two years later Mr. Wheelock transferred his interest in the business to E. C. Salisbury, and the firm of Richards & Salisbury during the three years of its existence built up a good trade. Our subject then purchased the interest of his partner, and continued alone until in October, 1887, when he associated himself with Mr. F. A. Parker. Richards & Parker carry a full stock of groceries and all other goods in their line, their quarters being in the Masonic Temple and post-office block. Their storeroom is 25x120 feet in dimensions. The family residence is located on Ninth and Market streets, and comprises with its pleasant sur- |
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ESSE
RICHARDS, senior member of the grocery firm of Richards & Parker, is numbered
among the leading men of Beatrice, and became a resident of the county April
8, 1869. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, in Wiltshire,
England, where his birth took place July 3, 1846. When a little had four years
of age his parents emigrated to America and settled on a farm in Herkimer
County. N. Y. There the father, Jasper Richards, is still living, having arrived
at a ripe old age. The mother, Christina (Knee) Richards, departed this life
at the old homestead in New York, Feb. 3, 1857.
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roundings one of the most desirable homes. To our subject and his wife there have been born three children, one of whom, Harry E., died when two years old. The survivors are Jasper W. and Flora N.; they are students in the schools of Beatrice. Mr. Richards while a resident of Sicily Township served as Justice of the Peace and was otherwise prominent in local affairs. Politically, he votes the straight Republican ticket. He is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been Treasurer a period of five years. Socially, he belongs to Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M., Livingston Chapter No. 10, and Mt. Hermon Commandery No. 7. He was Master of the lodge four years, and High Priest three years. He is warmly interested in the principles of Masonry, to the furtherance of which he has generously contributed of his time and means.
John Starr, the father of our subject, was an enterprising farmer and one of the-early settlers of the Buckeye State. Upon settling in Franklin County, he purchased a tract of heavily timbered land, from which he cleared and improved a fine farm, and which, had it been kept in the family, would have proved the source of an independent fortune, as upon it now stands the city of Columbus. John Starr upon reaching manhood was united in marriage with Miss Betsey Havens, who was a native of Groton, Conn. John Stair was born in Nova Scotia, whence he removed to Connecticut during his younger years and from there to the young State of Ohio, settling in Franklin County, as above stated, as early as 1812, and when there was but one log house upon the present site of the city of Columbus. There he spent his last days, and there rested from his earthly labors. The parents of Dr. Starr are long since deceased, the father passing away at the old homestead near Columbus, in 1837. He was a very capable and intelligent man, and spent a portion of his early life as a school teacher. Politically, he was a Whig. The mother of our subject died in May, 1865, in Columbus, Ohio. The boyhood of Calvin Starr was spent after the manner of most farmers' sons, assisting his parents around the homestead and receiving his first book knowledge in the district school, mostly in the summer season. He was bright and ambitious to learn, and when of sutab1e years became a student of Central College, at Blendon, Ohio, where he continued for a period of four years, and at the end of which time in consequence of too close application his health was considerably impaired. After a season of recreation, however, he was restored, and entered upon the study of medicine under the instruction first of Dr. Morrell and later with Dr. B. F. Gard, of Columbus. Later he entered the Sterling Medical College, where he took two full courses of lectures, and then prepared for admission to the Cleveland Homoeopathic College, from which he was graduated on the 20th of February, 1851, with honors. Dr. Starr commenced the practice of his profession in Xenia, Ohio, where he remained one year, then removed to the city of Springfield, Ohio. After a five-years residence at that point he turned his face westward, and crossing the Mississippi in May, 1857, took up his abode in Johnson County, at Iowa City, Iowa, where he built up a large and lucrative practice and continued for a period of twenty years. In November of 1877, desirous of a change of scene and surroundings, he removed with his family to Nebraska City, where he followed his profession until the summer of 1882. He then came to Beatrice, where he has since resided, and is now in the enjoyment of a fine patronage from the best people of this region. His career as a man and as a physician has been such as to commend him to the people generally, among whom he has hosts of friends and patrons. The Doctor has been twice married, his first wife been Miss Sophia J. McPherson, a native of Xenia, Greene Co., Ohio, and who became the mother of five children--George B., Clarence A., Emma H., |
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ALVIN
STARR, M. D. The medical profession of Beatrice is worthily represented by
the subject of this sketch, who was born near the city of Columbus, Franklin
Co., Ohio, on the 2d of April, 1822. He was the youngest son of a family of
eleven children, all of whom lived to mature years. but only three of whom
now survive.
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Mary P. and John A. Mrs. Sophia Starr departed this life at her home in Iowa City, April 23, 1876. The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married June 27, 1878, was formerly Mrs. Julia C. Scudder, nee Candee, of Muscatine, Iowa. Her parents, Nelson S. and Lucy A. Candee, were natives of Connecticut and Ohio respectively, and are now living at Alma, Neb. Mrs. Starr by her first husband has one son, Horace Scudder, who bears the same name as his father. Mrs. Starr is the partner of her husband in his profession, being educated in the medical department of the Iowa State University, and attends upon patients equally with him. Their joint office is at their residence on Sixth street, where they have an attractive home. Both the Doctor and his wife are people of intelligence and culture, and in the duties of their profession are guided by the modern school of medicine, and keep themselves well posted upon the matters pertaining thereto. Socially, they have many friends wherever it has been their lot to reside. He and his wife are both members of the First Congregational Church, of Beatrice.
The offspring of an excellent family, our subject is the son of Stephen and Jemima (Kinsel) Trekell, the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of Ohio. His paternal ancestors were of Scotch origin, and the mother traced her forefathers to Germany. Adam Kinser, the maternal grandfather, it is believed served as a soldier under Gen. Harrison at Tippecanoe. To Stephen and Jemima Trekell there were born nine children, of whom the following survive: Thomas J., of Henry County, Ill.; George W., living in Washington Territory; William H., residing in California; John K., our subject; Harriet, Mrs. Fry, and Rebecca, the wife of John May, also residents of the Golden State. When John K. was a little lad two years of age his patents left Indiana, and took up their abode in Stark County, Ill., where the father followed farming, and where they lived for a period of ten years. Thence they removed to Henry County, that State, where our subject attained his majority, and became acquainted with the labors of pioneer life, the family being among the earliest settlers of that region. The educational advantages of young Trekell, like those of his brothers and sisters, were exceedingly limited, far inferior to those extended to the generation of to-day. His services were utilized on the farm as soon as he was old enough to be of service, and he also worked considerably in a saw and grist mill. He also became quite expert as a carpenter, at which trade he labored when not otherwise engaged. He was married in Henry County, Ill., March 3, 1862, his bride being Miss Theresa Walters, who was born in Ohio, in Tuscarawas County, and is the daughter of David and Susan (Baltzly) Walters, natives also of the Buckeye State, and who came to Nebraska in 1880, where the father still resides. The mother departed this life at her home in Highland Township, Aug. 19, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Trekell after their marriage settled in Henry County, Ill., where they lived until the spring of 1882, then came with their little family to this county. They have three children: George H. and Frank, who are residents of Alliance, Neb.; Fred, who lives in Cortland. The property of our subject lies two miles west of the latter place, and comprises 320 acres.. which he purchased from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company; he also owns 365 acres of well-improved land in Illinois. The homestead proper comprises eighty acres, to which Mr. Trekell has given particular attention, putting up a very fine residence, and a large and commodious barn, besides planting fruit and shade trees, and adding other embellishments. A self-made man in the closest sense of the word, he has accumulated his property solely through his own efforts, and accordingly knows how to take care of it. He is progressive in his ideas, interested in |
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those projects tending to the building up of his county, and uniformly gives his support to Republican principles. The Trekell homestead, a view of which will be found on another page, bears fair comparison with its neighbors, and is fully worthy of representation in a work designed to perpetuate the lives and labors of the leading men of Gage County.
In the beginning of his military service our subject took his place in the ranks as private, in which he continued about one year and until the battle of Vicksburg, where he received special mention for bravery and efficiency, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant. In October, 1864, he was again promoted and received the First Lieutenancy of his company. In 1865 he was appointed Captain of Company C, and served until the 25th of August, the same year, when he was mustered out of the service. He was an active combatant in twenty-three general engagements, besides a number of lesser important skirmishes, etc. Upon being mustered out he returned home to Athens County. When he had left it he had marched in the ranks a simple private in his company; upon his return he was at its head, its Captain and Commander. Our subject now resumed the old occupation of farming, and continued in the same until the spring of 1871, when he removed to Iowa and settled in Warren County, and purchased a farm and made it his home until February, 1876. The next two years were spent farming in Fremont County; from there he removed at the end of that period and settled on section 23, Glenwood Township, of this county, where he bought of the Government eighty acres of good laud which formed a part of the Otoe Indian Reservation, which he has improved by cultivation and upon which he erected the usual farm buildings and residence. While a resident of Ohio our subject had made the acquaintance of a lady of most amiable disposition and attractive womanly character, and upon the 13th of January, 1866, consummated this acquaintance by making her his wife. The lady of his choice was Miss Nancy A. Criss, who was born in Washington County, Pa., on the 1st of January, 1815. They became the parents of six children, three of whom survive. Those deceased were named Esther I., Alice and Dallas; those still living are Effie and Etta, who are twins, and Mattie. Our subject was called upon to part from his most estimable and faithful partner in life on the 20th of December, 1873, and has since that time never fully recovered the brightness that was previously his. The parents of Mr. Brooks, Mathew and Lydia (Reeves) Brooks, were born in Athens County, Ohio, and continued to make their home in that county until 1853, when the father of our subject was called to his long home on the 18th of September. Not long after this his widow removed to Warren County, and made her home with our subject until her death, which occurred on the 28th of July, 1875. Their family included ten children, five of either sex; of these our subject was the sixth child. Mrs. Brooks is the daughter of William and Hester (Gilmore) Criss, natives of Pennsylvania. Their family comprised seven children, all of whom are dead with the exception of the eldest daughter. The husband died in Athens County, Ohio, in the year 1885, and Mrs. Criss in Harrisonville, Meigs County, about the year 1883. Mr. Brooks is most devoted to all that pertains to the religious life, and is one of the most respected members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which communion, also, his wife was a lifelong member. At the age of sixteen years he was appointed Class-Leader, and has never since been long out of office. For several years he has been one of the Stewards of the church, and has at some time or other filled every office connected with the church. In the engagements incidental to his connection with this communion, our subject finds his |
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