Tekamah and Vicinity, Noteworthy Men of

ship, this county, in April, 1870. In 1879 Mr. Smith associated himself with his brother H. A. and together they purchased the mercantile stock of Nelson & Chilcott in this city. Since that time he has been continuously engaged in the mercantile business and the name of Smith Brothers is familiar in every home in the county.
   Mr. Smith was united in marriage January 24th, 1894, to Miss Lydia M. Worth.

   E. F. SISSON was born in 1846, in Huron county, Ohio. At the age of nine years he accompanied his parents upon their removal to Michigan. He resided in that state until 1875 when he came to this county, settling first in Riverside township, afterwards moving to Arizona township where he now resides.
   Mr. Sisson is a man of ability and has been called upon to fill many public positions of trust and honor. For six years he served as County Commissioner. He represented the county in the twenty-second and and (sic) twenty-third sessions of the State Legislature and, commencing January, 1904, is serving as County Assessor for a term of four years
   Mr. Sisson was united in marriage May 2nd, 1869, to Miss Ursula Cole, at Middleville, Mich.

   EUGENE BROOKINGS was born in Silver Creek township, this county, February 15th, 1875. He has spent his life here coming to Tekamah with his parents when he was quite young. He attended and graduated from the Tekamah schools after which he attended the Wayne Normal School from which he also graduated. He then attended the State University for four and one-half years and in 1901 was elected County Superintendent of Schools for this county. Under his organization and management Burt county schools have retained the high standard for excellency that has always marked them, bringing them into the first rank of schools of the state. In 1903 he was reelected for a second term.

175

   DAVID CLAY WALLACE was born July 29th, 1832, at New Philadelphia, Ohio. Early in life Mr. Wallace entered upon a mercantile career which continued throughout his life. He was located for a number of years at Cleveland, Ohio, and later at Lacon, Ill., where he was a very prominent man in the business circles of that section of the state. In addition to conducting a mercantile business at this time, he also owned a fleet of boats on the Illinois river and was engaged in transportation.
   Mr. Wallace came to Tekamah, December 17th, 1878, and engaged in the mercantile business conducting a large store here for many years. He died in this city March 11th, 1901.
   Mr. Wallace was united in marriage to Miss Matilda B. McMichel, April 4th, 1855.

   M. J. GILKERSON was born July 22nd, 1843, in Caledonia county, Vermont. At eleven years of age he went to DuPage county, Illinois, and in 1855, one year later, to Marshall county, Iowa. Here he resided for ten years and in 1865 came to Nebraska, settling in Pawnee county. In April, 1878, he came to Tekamah and has resided here continuously since that time.
   Mr. Gilkerson is a physician, graduating from the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1876. Since coming to Tekamah he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession.
   During the war of the rebellion Mr. Gilkerson enlisted in the 44th Iowa Infantry. For years he has served the county as one of its Board of Insanity and is also a member of the U. S. Pension Examining Board for this district.
   Mr. Gilkerson was united in marriage March 24th, 1877, to Miss Nellie J. Clark.

   HARRY I. VAN NOSTRAND was born April 5th, 1872, in Washington, Iowa. When three years of age he accompanied his parents to Leon, Iowa, where they

176

177


© 2002 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller