Church at Hollowayville for a period of seven years. Thence they removed to Davenport, Iowa, where he preached two and one-half years, and from there came to this county. in which he has labored as a minister for a period of fourteen years. In the meantime he purchased land, and has built up the homestead which he now occupies. He retired from the ministry in the year 1842. While a laborer in the Master's vineyard he did good service. He organized the society, and was also instrumental in building the church edifice of the Lutheran denomination in this precinct, and in his labors has been largely assisted by his worthy wife. They are the parents of three children--John, Mary and William. The daughter is the wife of John Frerich, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. The sons are at home with their parents.
   Mr. Ritter has become thoroughly identified with the interests of his adopted country, and is an earnest supporter of Republican principles. During the Civil War he was greatly desirous of joining the ranks of those who were fighting for union and freedom, but with the care of a young wife and child his duties seemed to he at home. He, however, paid for a substitute, and felt that he had done what he could in the good cause.

ON. JAMES C. BOYD, a gentleman of good education and formerly Superintendent of the county schools, came to this section in March, 1864, and was a resident of Nebraska City and vicinity until the spring of 1867. He then secured a tract of raw prairie land, eighty acres of which was broken. but aside from this there had been no attempt at improvement, no fences and no buildings. He has now a farm of 240 acres on section 2 in Delaware Precinct, all enclosed with good buildings, buildings and one of the finest residences in his precinct. The latter is two stories in height, and the main part covers an area of 16x36 feet, while there is an "L" of one and one-half stories, 16x24 feet, and still an addition to the "L" 16x12, one story. A veranda runs the whole length of the main building in front and across the "L" on one side. The buildings adjacent are in keeping with the dwelling, and indicate in a marked manner the cultivated tastes of the proprietor.
   Our subject was born twenty miles from the city of Knoxville, in Blount County, Tenn., June 10, 1837, and is the son of William Boyd, a native of the same place, and who is long since deceased. James C. was carefully reared, and completed his education at Maryville College in his native county. He subsequently taught school three or four terms in Tennessee, and then set his face toward the West. Mr. Boyd upon coming to this county was at once recognized as a man of more than ordinary ability, warmly interested in the establishment and maintenance of schools. He was elected County Superintendent in the fall of 1879, and re-elected twice in succession, discharging the duties of this office for a period of six years in a most praiseworthy manner. He would have been reinstated again but desired to withdraw, and forbid his name bring used again as a nominee.
   He has always been quite prominent in local affairs, and served as Assessor three or four terms.
   On the 26th of July, 1860, Mr. Boyd was united in marriage with Miss Sibby T. McCulloch, and of this union there were born eight children, seven of whom are living, namely: Laura L., Emily E., John W., Charles F., Edward C., Mary E. and Albert L. Laura is the wife of Malcom Brown, of Papillion, this State; Emily married Herbert G. Stillwell, and they live near Palmyra, being the parents of one child, a daughter, Miley B.; John married Miss Julia Martin, and lives in Berlin Precinct.
   Besides the homestead Mr. Boyd owns 160 acres of good land on section 10 in Delaware Precinct. He is a man highly esteemed by his neighbors, and his wife, a most estimable lady, is a member in good standing of the United Brethren Church.

ON. DAVID BROWN occupies a prominent place among the pioneers of Nebraska, who have been so largely instrumental in the upbuilding of the State, have taken an active part in the administration of its public affairs, and are now closely identified with its most impor-

tant business interests. Mr. Brown is a resident of Nebraska City, where he is engaged in the business of loaning money and in selling real estate. He is also greatly interested in agriculture, and has owned and developed three different farms in this county. He now has a ranch of 3,000 acres in Frontier County, Neb., which is well stocked with fine graded cattle. He was born Nov. 8, 1837, in Penn's Manor, Bucks Co., Pa. His grandfather, also named David, was a native of the same county, where he was prosperously engaged as a farmer, and where he spent his entire life. He was a man of keen foresight, and of more than ordinary intelligence, and his sound judgment made him invaluable in the councils of his fellow-citizens. He was for twenty years Secretary of the Bucks County Insurance Society. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and reared his children in that faith. Politically, he was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, when he became one of its stanchest supporters. In 1860 this good man passed to his reward, and Bucks County was called upon to mourn the loss of one of her most loyal sons. The maiden name of his wife, grandmother of David Brown, was Sarah Williams, and she was a native of Abingdon, Pa.
   John Brown, the father of our subject, was a native of the same town as himself. He was reared in his native county, and following in the footsteps of his forefathers, adopted the calling of a farmer. But his premature death in 1839, at the age of thirty-two, cut short a useful career and deprived the community of one of its most valued members. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of David, was Mary Eastburn. She was born in Solebury Township, Bucks Co., Penn., and was a daughter of Aaron and Mercy (Bye) Eastburn, natives of the same county, and members of the Society of Friends. Mrs. Brown resided in Bucks County until a few months before her death, when she went to Philadelphia, and died at the home of her daughter there in 1866. She was the mother of four children: Harriet, the wife of Samuel B. Fox, of Philadelphia; Mercy E.; David; and John W., who is engaged in a wholesale grocery business in Philadelphia.
   David Brown, of this biographical sketch, was but two years old when his father died, and he went to live with his paternal grandfather, with whom he made his home until he had grown to maturity. He was carefully reared and received the benefit of a fine education, attending first the district school, and he was then sent to a Quaker academy at Fallsington, Bucks County, and later to the Westtown Academy, Chester Co., Pa. He was thus amply qualified for the profession of teacher, which he adopted for it time, commencing to teach in his native county at the age of sixteen, and continuing thus engaged for two years. After that he went to Philadelphia and entered a law and conveyancing office as a student. He was thus employed for three years, earning his way by doing clerical work, looking up bills and drawing papers, and in the evenings he was an assistant at a public library. In April, 1859, Mr. Brown left his native State to try life in the great and growing West, coming by rail to Pittsburgh, and thence down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to Nebraska City. He spent a few days here looking about the country and making the acquaintance of the leading citizens, to whom he had brought letters of introduction; he then returned to St. Joseph, whence he went to Kansas City. He soon concluded to come back to this part of the country, taking a boat to St. Joseph, and thence he came on a stage to Nebraska City. The roads were bad at that time, rendering the journey a tedious one, the passengers often having to walk and carry a rail to pry the stage out of the mud. This was the time of the great exodus to and from Pike's Peak, and Mr. Brown finding many intelligent men here out of work and out of funds, and all branches of business, especially the professions, more than full, instead of opening an office here as he had intended, started out in search of a suitable tract of Government land, thinking to turn his attention to agriculture. While traveling through the country on foot he had an opportunity to teach in Nemaha County, at a salary of $10 per month and board. He accepted the position, and taught three months. He then went to Missouri and located in Mound City, Holt County, where he was variously engaged as it teacher, lawyer and farmer. He retired and bought stock, and was quite prosperously engaged

in general farming until after the breaking out of war. In February, 1862, he again came to Nebraska City, bringing his stock along with him. He rented land in Four Mile Precinct, and engaged in farming and dealing in stock. During that and the following summer he made several trips to Missouri to buy cattle, and brought them to Nebraska. In the whiter of 1862-63 he taught school in Four Mile Precinct. In the fall of 1863 he engaged in freighting across the plains, which in those days before railroads were introduced West of the Missouri was a very profitable business, as all transportation to the different military posts and mining camps in the mountains was done with teams. Mr. Brown put three teams on the road and made one trip to Denver in the fall of 1863. The following winter he returned to his native State and spent the season in Philadelphia. In the spring he came back to Nebraska City, fitted up six teams, and loaded them with freight for Salt Lake City, which he delivered at the rate of eighteen cents a pound. On subsequent trips he received twenty-five cents per pound. At that time there was it great exodus from the vicinity of Salt Lake to Idaho, and he sold all his wagons at a high price, and returned home with his mules. Indians were plentiful and hostile at that time, as they continued to be the most of the time, until he discontinued the freighting business in 1867. During 1864, however, they were the most troublesome, but Mr. Brown fortunately escaped attack that year, and it was not until the year 1867 that he had an encounter with the savages, which took place near Cheyenne Pass, but one of the whites were killed, and only one redskin bit the dust. During the year 1868 Mr. Brown was engaged almost exclusively in farming, and in 1869 he went East and passed most of the winter. On his return he established himself in the insurance business, continuing his interest in that until 1885, since which time he has engaged in loaning money and in selling real estate besides managing his large farming interests. Mr. Brown was married, in 1871, to Miss Jennie L. Lombard, a daughter of Franklin Lombard, a native of Massachusetts. Of this marriage one son has been born, Herbert W.
   Mr. Brown is a man of sound education and unusual ability and character, and he has always since the early days of his settlement here played an important part in the conduct of public affairs. His record as a Representative to the State Legislature, to which office he was elected in 1870, was such as to confer honor on himself and his constituency. In 1871 he was appointed Postmaster of Nebraska City, and for five years served his fellow-citizens in that capacity to the general satisfaction of all. He is at present a member of the City Council, and looks well to the interests of the community. He takes an intelligent view of the political situation of the day, and is a pronounced Republican.

ATHROP ELLIS, a well-known and honored resident of Four Mile Precinct, has for more than twenty years been identified with its highest interests. He is prosperously engaged in agricultural pursuits, and from the wild prairie, on which he settled when first coming here, he has developed a fine farm which, in point of cultivation, comfortable buildings and neat surroundings, compares favorably with the best in this locality.
   Mr. Ellis was born in Henrietta, Monroe Co., N. Y., April 30, 1818, and is a descendant of an old Connecticut family. His father, William Ellis, was born in that New England State, in the town of Norwich, and his father, Deacon William Ellis, was likewise a native of that State. He was a son of that famous New England divine, the Rev. John Ellis, a chaplain in the Continental Army during the Revolution. After the war he spent his last years in Connecticut, dying in 1805, at a ripe old age. Deacon Ellis, the grandfather of our subject, went into the army with his father to take care of his horse, and, at eighteen years of age enlisted and served in the ranks six months, and for that during the last years of his life was a pensioner. He taught school in Connecticut for many years, but finally removed from there to New York about 1817, and located in Henrietta, where he bought a tract of land, improved a farm, and March 1, 1837, closed a useful life.
   The father of our subject enlisted in the War of 1812, and served a short time. He married in his

native State Miss Polly Lathrop, likewise of Connecticut birth and ancestry, and a daughter of Asher and Temperance Lathrop. Mr. Ellis went to New York in 1816 with his brother-in-law, Martin Edgerton, making the journey in a one-horse wagon, and he selected a tract of land in Henrietta. He then went back to Connecticut to settle up his affairs in that State, and in 1817 moved with his family, then consisting of his wife and one child, to his future home in New York State. He built a log house on his land, the one in which our subject was afterward born, and cleared quite a tract of land, on which he resided until 1821. In that year he went to Bergen, Genesee County, and bought another tract of land, which he improved into a fine farm, and he there rounded out a long life of eighty years, dying in November, 1872. His estimable wife also died in Bergen. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom are living.
   Lathrop Ellis was the second child born to his parents, and he was reared in Bergen, receiving the preliminaries of his education in the LeRoy public schools. He was a thoughtful, studious lad, and greatly desired to improve his education, so with that end in view he worked hard to earn money to pay his tuition at the academy at LeRoy, N. Y. It was a classical school. under the supervision of Prof. F. W. Olmsted, where he pursued a thorough course of study, and he also attended the academy at Henrietta. With this sound mental equipment at the age of twenty-three he entered upon the profession of teacher, and for some years was thus engaged in the winter seasons. In 1844 he went to Wisconsin by way of the lakes, and landing at Milwaukee, then a village, penetrated into the interior in search of a suitable location where he could build up a home. He entered eighty acres of land in Fond du Lac County from the Government, built a house, and then went back to New York for his promised bride. He was there married, in 1845, to Miss Almeria Vienna Ward, who was born in Genesee County, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1821. She was a daughter of Abel C. Ward, who was born in Killingsworth, Conn., in 1796. His father, John Ward, was also a native of Connecticut, and it is supposed that his grandfather, Deacon Levi Ward, was likewise a native of that New England State. He was a Deacon in the Congregational Church, and he removed to New York in 1808, and settled in Genesee County. He bought a tract of land of the Holland Purchase Company, and spent the remainder of his life in that county, dying at the venerable age of ninety-six. Mrs. Ellis' grandfather was reared and married in Connecticut, mad moved to New York with his family in 1808, the removal being made with ox-teams through the wilderness to the town of Bergen, where he bought a tract of timber land. He cleared a farm, on which he spent his last years. The maiden name of his wife was Lucinda Meigs. The father of Mrs. Ellis was twelve years old when his father moved to New York. After attaining manhood he bought a tract of land in Bergen, on which he settled at the time of his marriage. For several years he officiated its a minister of the Congregational Church. In 1851 he sold there, and moved to Fond du Lac County, Wis., where he bought a tract of land, and farmed there for many years. He subsequently removed to the city of Fond du Lac, and lived there in retirement until his death at the age of seventy-six.
   On his return to Wisconsin Mr. Lathrop Ellis brought a wagon, and at Milwaukee purchased a pair of oxen, and drove with his wife and one child to Fond du Lac County, a distance of sixty-six miles. He soon became identified with the public affairs of the county, and was made Deputy Surveyor in 1846, and served in that capacity for a short time, was then elected County Surveyor, and served for many years, resigning the office in the year 1866. From about 1850 up to 1863 he devoted most of his time to civil engineering on the line now known as the Chicago & Northwestern. He surveyed from Watertown to Lake Superior. A part of the time he had been quite extensively engaged in the lumber business, and when the first railway was projected in Wisconsin he was employed on the survey, and worked at that and on other railways in the State more or less for many years. In 1861; he came to Otoe County, and bought a tract of wild land now included in his present farm. By the quiet force of steady work, seconded by good management, he has improved a good farm, whose well-tilled acres yield him an ample income.
   Six children have been born to our subject and

his wife, of whom the following is the record: Emma Jane married the Rev. George M. Darley; Myron L., the only son is connected with the quartermaster's department in the regular army as wagonmaster in Arizona; M. Adell married James H. McLellan; Celia F. married Amsdell Sheldon; Dora married Dr. William A. Wyman; Vina M. is now a teacher in Cass County. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis gave their children good educations, and the daughters have all taught school. Mrs. Ellis, the mother of the children above mentioned, died at their home in Fond du Lac, Wis., Sept. 10, 1861, and Mr. Ellis married his present wife, L. Marilla Ward, sister of his first wife, their wedding taking place in Fond du Lac, April 20, 1864.
   Mr. Ellis is a man of deep, earnest nature, and his liberal education gives him a broad outlook on life, He is progressive and practical in his views, and in his social relations he is genial, hospitable and helpful. In his wedded life he has been very happy, as in his wife he finds a companion and friend, who can enter into his thoughts, and sympathize with him in his aims, and her cheerful, amiable disposition endears her to those about her, She is indeed it true "homemaker."
   Mr. Ellis is a pronounced Republican in his political views, becoming a member of that party on its formation. In his early days he was a Whig, and cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. W. H. Harrison, and now, forty-eight years later, has voted for the illustrious grandson of the old son of Tippecanoe, the Gen. Harrison of to-day, now President-elect.

L. WOOD, editor of the Nebraska Press, was born in Iowa City, Iowa, Sept. 18, 1856. He went to Cincinnati, Ohio, when fifteen years old, to make his own way, and was connected with the Canal Elevator Company until 1878, during the latter part of the time doing some newspaper work for which he had always shown a predilection. A year was spent in Colorado in various pursuits, and two years at the State University of Iowa, from the law department of which he was graduated in 1881. During these two years he was connected with the Iowa City Republican and other papers, and contributed to Eastern periodicals. He returned to Cincinnati from another Western trip in July, 1882, and for it year did more or less work on the Commercial Gazette and the Cincinnati Enquirer, and at this time and later wrote poems and sketches for the Week (Cincinnati), the Current (Chicago), the Continent (Philadelphia), the Critic (New York), the Comet (Chicago), and other literary weeklies and minor magazines.
   Mr. Wood went to Leadville, Col., in April, 1883, assuming the city editorship of, the Chronicle, was then city editor of the Democrat, and for a time managing editor of both papers. In June, 1885, he bought the editorial interest in the Nebraska Daily Press, which has prospered remarkably under his management, and is to-day one of the foremost papers of the great State of Nebraska.
   Mr. Wood was married, Sept. 3, 1885, to Miss Jennie Hanford, of Vinton, Iowa.

ENRY OLIVER McCART, of Palmyra Precinct, is operating a small farm in a very thorough and skillful manner, making a specialty of market gardening. His land lies on section 4, and embraces forty acres, which he has brought to a thorough state of cultivation. He completed, in the year 1888, it neat and substantial dwelling, and has around him all the conveniences and comforts of modern life. He raises horses, cattle and swine, also operates a boring and drilling machine, and his various interests afford him a handsome income.
   The offspring of most excellent ancestry, our subject is the son of Henry and Massy (Wilkins) McCart, who were born and reared in Morgan County, Tenn., where also they were married. The paternal grandfather, Robert McCart, was it native of Virginia, whence he removed to Tennessee early in life, being numbered among its pioneer settlers. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, under the command of Gen. Jackson, and participated in the battle of New Orleans. The great-grandfather was a scion of one of the best Scotch-Irish families

in the North of Ireland, while on the Wilkins side of the house our subject traces a portion of his ancestry to England.
   Grandfather Wilkins was of New England birth, but in early manhood went to Tennessee, and from there later to Marion County, Ill. He was a farmer by occupation, and became a large land-owner in the Prairie State. where he spent his last years. The parents of our subject also became residents of Marion County, Ill., where the father was greatly prospered in his farming operations, but finally, about 1855, with his wife went back to Tennessee, where they died within a few days of each other, when only middle aged, being the victims of an epidemic.
   The parental household included two sons and four daughters, namely: Mary A., Carrie N. C., Hannah E., Henry Oliver (our subject), Margaret and Louisa J. One besides our subject, Louisa, is living, and a resident of Kentucky. Henry O. was born in Marion County, Ill., Dec. 25, 1838, and lived there until a lad of eleven years, when he accompanied his parents to Tennessee. He and an elder brother remained on the farm there one year, then Henry, repairing to Nashville, engaged as a boat hand on the Cumberland River a few months, then returned to the farm. His brother subsequently moved to Illinois, but Henry remained in Tennessee until the outbreak of the Rebellion. Their property, comprising a farm of 100 acres, lay ten miles South of Jamestown.
   Notwithstanding our subject was the child of Southern parents, he had been imbued with antislavery and Union sentiments, and upon the approach of the great conflict went into Kentucky and enlisted as a Union soldier in Company H, 12th Kentucky Infantry, being mustered in Oct. 3, 1861. for the three-years service. Although only twenty-three years of age, he was thoughtful beyond his years, and was solemnly convinced of the justice of the Union cause and the wickedness of human slavery. He had in Tennessee seen the unhappy victims of the peculiar institution tied down and whipped cruelly, and witnessed other scenes which could not fail to arouse the sympathies of a human being. He first saw the smoke of battle at Camp Hoskins, and in February, 1862, fought at Mills Spring, at Shiloh, and was subsequently in many of the important battles of the war. During all the trials and hardships incident to army life he was sustained and encouraged by the consciousness of being in the path of duty. In going from the Ohio River to North Carolina with his regiment he, with his comrades, swam and forded rivers, and were at one time on the forced march of forty-two days, during which they saw little rest, and were indifferently supplied with food.
   At Corinth Mr. McCart, while serving on Ppcket duty, was attacked with measles on account of the exposure incident to his position, suffering greatly both at that time and on account of the after effects, from which he has never recovered. He was obliged to accept his honorable discharge on account of disability, and return to his old home in Tennessee. Although able no more to engage in active fighting he lost no opportunity to assist the Union cause and encourage men to enter the ranks, frequently piloting them from Eastern Tennessee across the Cumberland Mountains into Kentucky for this purpose. On one of these journeys he was captured by guerrillas, but succeeded in making his escape. In February, 1863, Mr. McCart, having somewhat recovered his health, again entered the service, and was happy in being able to continue until the close of the war.
   Mr. McCart, before his re-enlistment, was married April 12, 1863, in Scott County, Tenn., to Miss Minerva Blevins, who was born in Wayne County, Ky., June 5, 1839. She is the daughter of Jonathan and Amy (Chittwood) Blevins, who were natives of Tennessee, and at an early day removed to Missouri, where they remained until 1866. The mother had died in 1841, leaving six children. The father is still living, being now a resident of Pulaski County, Ky., and having attained the advanced age of seventy-nine years. He contracted a second marriage, and became the father of six more children. Six of his sons and daughters are living, and residents of the United States and Scotland.
   After peace had been declared Mr. McCart returned on a visit to his old home in Tennessee, and for the purpose also of straightening up matters connected with his father's estate. A few weeks later he decided to make his home in Lawrence