BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

CHARLES W. AIKINS, County Judge of Polk County, came to Nebraska in the spring of 1873, and took up a homestead on Section 28, Town 15, Range 3 west, Platte Precinct. Here he resided until 1877, when he sold out and moved to Osceola and started to read law in the office of Albinus Nance, the present Governor of Nebraska. In 1881, he was elected to his present office. He was born in Vinton County, Ohio, March 5, 1851; was married in Polk county in 1876, to Miss Emma Graham, by whom he has two children.

HERBERT T. ARNOLD, merchant, is a member of the firm of H. T. Arnold & Co., Osceola; came to Nebraska in September, 1871; homesteaded the place where he now lives, on Section 8, Town 14, Range 2 west, Osceola Precinct. He has been engaged in various enterprises, besides operating his farm, until he engaged in his present business. He was the founder of the first newspaper published in Osceola, and the second in the county, which was entitled the Homesteader; has been County Clerk of Polk County. He served as soldier in the late war, enlisting in Fond du Lac, Wis, in Company B, Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, February, 1864, and served until April, 1866. He is now a member of the G. A. R., J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, at Osceola; is also a member of the A., F. & A. M., and has served as Master of Osceola Lodge, No. 65. He was born in Chenango County, N. Y., August 26, 1846. He was married in April, 1879, to Miss Mary W. Van Horn, who is a daughter of John Van Horn, who was among the earliest settlers of Pleasant Home Precinct.

REV. SIMON BARROWS, Osceola, was born in Monson, Hampden Co., Mass., April 28, 1811. He is the son of William and Asenath, née Osborn, the former being born in Thompson, Conn., and the latter in Sudbury, Mass. He received a common school education in the district schools. At the age of twenty-one, he entered Phillips' Academy, Andover, Mass., where he pursued his studies for three years. He then spent one year in Leicester Academy, Mass., graduating in 1838. He immediately entered Dartmouth College at Hanover, N. H., where he pursued his studies four years more, graduating from there in July, 1842; then in September following he entered Union Theological Seminary of New York City, and remained there nearly two years, after which he read theology one year, at Athol, Mass. In 1845, he was appointed Principal of New Bedford Academy, Mass. From there he took charge of the High School at Dorchester, where he remained for seven years. In the winter of 1852 and 1853, he returned to Andover and reviewed his studies as a Resident Licentiate, in the Theological Seminary. In October, 1853, he made his first step westward, locating in Davenport, Iowa. Here he established the Young Ladies' Seminary, which he ran for a year, when he was called to the office of general agency of the Northwest, for the American and Foreign Christian Union. This position he resigned in the fall of 1856, on account of ill-health, brought on by constant study, locating in Adair County, Iowa. Afterward recovering his health, he was elected to the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and County Surveyor of this county. In 1859, he accepted a proposition to take charge of Des Moines Academy. This position he held until he was elected County Superintendent of Polk County, Iowa. During this service, he was the founder of the public high school at Des Moines, and was its first Principal. Here he remained until 1867; then moved to Quincy, Iowa, where he became pastor of the Congregational Church, remaining there until August, 1870, when he came to Nebraska and took charge of the church at Weeping Water, Cass County. Officiated there until 1874, when he moved to Osceola, Polk County, Neb. During the years 1878 and 1879, he was the School Superintendent of Polk County. He was married January 1, 1861, at Springfield, Ill., to Miss Emily L. Barrows, of that city. Their family consists of four children, three of whom are living--Franklin W., Willard P., George G. and Grace E., the latter died March 26, 1871, at the age of two and a half years.

LEWIS A. BELTZER, family grocer, Osceola, came to Nebraska in January, 1872, and took up a homestead on Section 22, Town 14, Range 2 west, Osceola Precinct, and was one of the first settlers in that precinct. Here he resided, improving his claim till 1875; then moved to Osceola and was engaged in various occupations till the summer of 1876, when he started his present business, except two years. Mr. Beltzer was a soldier in the late war of the rebellion, enlisting in Company F, Eighteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in 1862, and served until the close of the war. He was in all of the principal engagements with his regiment. He was charter member of J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, G. A. R.; is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church society at Osceola.

HENRY C. and ADA M. BITTENBENDER, attorneys at law, Osceola. Henry C. was born June 19, 1851, at Afton, Columbia Co., Penn.; in 1856, removed with his parents near Bloomsburg, same county, and in 1868 to Bloomsburg; is the son of Conrad and Livina Bittenbender, who were of German descent. The subject of this sketch took his preparatory course at the State Normal School of the Sixth District of Pennsylvania, at Bloomsburg; graduated from Princeton College, N. J., in class of 1874, which class consisted of 100 students. He then returned to Bloomsburg, and commenced reading law in the office of Col. S. Knorr. Here he remained for two years, when he was admitted to practice in the fall of 1876, and at the same time became a partner with Col. Knorr. In the fall of 1878, he sold out his interest and came West and settled at Osceola. Here he was admitted to practice in the State of Nebraska, before Hon. G. W. Post, in the Fourth Judicial District. In April, 1879, he purchased the Osceola Record, which for nearly two years was published under the firm name of Bittenbender & Buell. During this time it was ably edited by Ada M. Bittenbender, his wife. The paper was Republican in politics, and always advocated temperance principles and the general agricultural interests of the State and county. During this time Mr. B. had continued to practice his profession; is one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church at Osceola, and was one of the first Elders, and the first Clerk of the society; also was one of the Directors of the Nebraska Wesleyan University from its beginning until its removal from Osceola, and is a member of I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge No. 75, at Osceola. He was married August 9, 1878, in Rome, Bradford Co., Penn., to Miss Ada M. Cole, daughter of Daniel and Emily A. Cole, the former being of German origin, and the latter of the old New England stock. Ada began her studies in various private schools; is a graduate of the State Normal School, situated at Bloomsburg; also a graduate of the Binghamton, N. Y., Commercial College, and of the National Kindergarten of Washington, D. C. Upon graduating at the Normal School, June 17, 1875, was elected one of the faculty, where she taught the following year; then went to Washington and took the Kindergarten course, at the close of which was re-elected a member of the Normal School faculty, to the position of Principal of the Model School and Principal of Department of Physical Culture. At the end of this year's teaching, was awarded the second diploma by the State of Pennsylvania, conferring the degree of M. E. She has, therefore, four diplomas. At the close of this year's work she was married, and came with her husband to Nebraska, and became the editor of the Osceola Record. While editing this paper, she began reading law in the office of her husband. She was elected Secretary of Polk County Agricultural Association in 1880, and in 1881 was sent as delegate for the association to the annual meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, held at Lincoln, and is now Treasurer of this association. In January, 1881, at the organization of the Nebraska Woman Suffrage Association, she was elected Secretary, and at the following annual meeting in 1882, was elected President, which position she now holds. During the year 1881, she was one of the three lady lecturers of the State, advocating the cause of woman suffrage, being elected by the association. March 4, 1882, was elected by the Polk County Farmers' Alliance to the editorial management of the Polk County Farmers' Advocate, the first number of which was issued April 6, 1882. While continuing her law studies, in practice before the County Court, she won the first case tried by a woman in the State, receiving high compliments from members of the profession and the press of the State for the able manner in which she conducted the suit. May 17, 1882, she passed a highly creditable examination in open court before Hon. G. W. Post, at the regular term of District Court of Polk County, and was admitted to practice--becoming the first lady lawyer of Nebraska.

Portrait
[Portrait of L. J. Blowers.]

View
[Residence of L. J. Blowers.]

LYMAN J. BLOWERS, Treasurer of Polk County, and dealer in grain, also largely interested in farming and stock-raising, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1870; took up a homestead on Section 12, Town 13, Range 1 west, and engaged in successful farming until the fall of 1874, when he moved to Osceola and engaged in the agricultural implement business, until he was elected to the office of County Treasurer, in the fall of 1879. He was also re-elected, without opposition, in the fall of 1881. He built, owned and ran the first hardware store, also the first lumber yard in Polk County. He was born in Noble County, Ind., October 2, 1842; enlisted in the Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, September 2, 1861; was discharged on account of general disability in 1863; re-enlisted in the Fifty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry in 1864, and served until the close of the war. He was married to Miss Sarah J. Tinklepaugh, his present wife, January 30, 1864. They became members of the first M. E. Church organized in the county. He is also a member of the A., F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., and G. A. R.

BENJAMIN F. BUFFINGTON, School Superintendent of Polk County, came to Nebraska in September of 1877, first locating in Schuyler, where he filled the position of Principal of the Schuyler Graded School for two years. At the expiration of that time, he removed to Osceola, for the purpose of practicing law, having been admitted to the bar at Schuyler in March of 1879. The Wesleyan University, being at that time located at Osceola, he took charge of the Mathematical Department until the spring of 1881. He was then appointed Principal of the District School at that place, and, in the fall of the same year, was elected County Superintendent of Public Instruction, which position he is admirably adapted to fill. The subject of this sketch was born in Highland County, Ohio, on the 13th of September, 1850, and received his education at the Salem Academy. He is a member of the M. E. Church at Osceola, and also of the A., F. & A. M. He was married September 17, 1875, in Ohio, to Miss Isabel Ellis, of that State.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, farmer, Section 8, P. O. Osceola, came to Nebraska in 1871, taking up a homestead on the 5th of September of the same year. In the following spring, he brought out his family and settled at once on his claim, which he has continued to work ever since, and is constantly adding improvements. The subject of this sketch enlisted in the Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company F, of Edgar County, Ill., in February, 1862, and re-enlisted as a veteran in 1864, serving until the close of the war. Returning to Illinois, he was married, March, 1868, in Champaign County, to Miss Lucy C. Parkhurst, of that place, by whom he has four children--Frederick C., Charles H., Nellie G. and George E. When Mr.. Campbell moved onto his claim, he first erected a sod-house, which he replaced with a frame 14x20, and one and one-half stories high, in 1874.

GEORGE H. CARMINE, dealer in grain and live stock at Osceola, came to Nebraska in 1873, settling in Polk County, where he took up a homestead on Section 6, Town 13, Range 1 west, Hackberry Precinct, where he resided until 1879, when he moved into Osceola and started in the stock business. In the fall of 1881, commenced buying grain, shipping during that year over one hundred car-loads of stock and grain. He was born in Jefferson County, Ind. on the 14th of February, 1848, and was married at Madison, Ind., in 1869, to Miss Emma Woodfill, by whom he has four children--Alvin B., Lena Leota, Walter A. and Abba L. Mr. Carmine is a member of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75.

WILLIAM A. SNIDER, farmer, Section 18, Town 14, Range 1 west, P. O. Shelby, came to Nebraska, April 3, 1873, locating in Polk County, where he took up a homestead where he now lives. He was born in Canada, April 17, 1829. He was here married to Miss Sarah Jane Fox, December 25, 1854. When Mr. Snider first landed in Polk County, Neb., he was just $4.50 worse off than nothing, and now owns 160 acres of land, of which 120 are under cultivation, and a comfortable home.

EDWARD P. SCULL, farmer, Section 32, Town 14, Range 1 west, Hackberry Precinct, P. O. Shelby, was born in Champaign County, Ohio, January 8, 1827. In 1839, he removed to Iowa, settling in Louisa County, where he followed farming until 1870. He then went West to Nebraska, and took up a homestead on Section 4, Hackberry Precinct, it being not far from where he now lives, and on which he remained for six years. He was one of the very first settlers in that part, there being at that time only seventeen voters in Polk County. In the fall of 1871, he was appointed by the County Commissioners to take charge of the highways and open roads throughout the county, also to build bridges, etc. He is one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal Church society in the county. He was married to his present wife, Mrs. Mary Story, in 1858.

GUY BEEBE, farmer, Section 28, Town 15, Range 3 west, P. O. Silver Creek, Merrick County, came to Nebraska and settled on the place where he now lives, homesteading it from the Government April 12, 1871, and has the honor of being the first white settler in that precinct, also erecting the first house in the precinct, although others had entered some land within its limits. Mr. Beebe, at the time he made his settlement, was accompanied by two other brothers, who took up soldier claims on the same section as his. The subject of this sketch was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Washington County, Ohio, in 1861, in Company F, Seventy-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war, there also being four other brothers who served as soldiers in the war, and all lived to pass through without a scratch. Mr. Beebe was born in Athens County, Ohio, March 29, 1839; was married in 1860, in Ohio, to Miss Sarah Heald. They have seven children, three boys and four girls. Mr. B. was one of the first School Directors in his precinct.

CAPT. WILLIAM T. DODGE, farmer, Section 2, Town 14, Range 4 west, P. O. Clarks, Merrick County, came to Nebraska in December, 1870, and in March, 1871, located on the farm where he now lives, which he took up as a homestead from the Government, being one of the first settlers, and erecting the first frame house in Platte Precinct. He now owns 360 acres of land. He served on the first Board of Commissioners in Polk County, holding that office for three years. The subject of this sketch was born in Portland, Me., February 26, 1844, received his literary education at Yarmouth and Westbrook Academies of that State. April 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, First Maine Infantry, being the seventh man to enlist from that state. He served in the Tenth, Twenty-ninth and Sixteenth Maine Regiments during the war, until the close of the war, and during that time was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and at the close of the war was brevetted as First Lieutenant, and then to Captain for gallant and meritorious service during the rebellion. At the close of the war, February 26, 1866, he entered the regular army, being commissioned Second Lieutenant of the Seventh United States Infantry, quartered in Florida, and in July, 1866, was promoted to First Lieutenant of the same regiment, but was afterward transferred, in June, 1868, to the Twenty-first United States Infantry, quartered at Arizona, where he remained until 1870. He was one of the original members of the J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, of the G. A. R., and was the First Officer of the Day. He was married on July 31, 1867, at Oxford, Me., to Miss Pauline King. They have five children living and two deceased--Kate I., Frederick W. (who the first white child born in Platte Precinct, born November 18, 1871), Clara M., Walter E. and Mark K. Richard I., born May 8, 1868, In Oxford, Me., died March 2, 1878, and Florence W., born February 18, 1873, and died July 18, 1875.

PHILANDER C. KING, farmer, Section 2, P. O. Clarks, Merrick County, came to Nebraska in April, 1868, first locating at Omaha, where he engaged with the U. P. R. R. Co., and remained in their employ till the winter of 1869, when he returned East to the State of Maine. In May, 1870, he was married to Miss Mary Harpper; then returned to Omaha. Here he remained till February, 1871; thence removing to Polk County, and homesteaded the place where he now lives, and has the honor of being the first white settler in that Precinct. He served as Assessor of the precinct two terms; was elected a member of the Board of County Commissioners in the fall of 1880; was born April 21, 1845, in the State of Maine. Their family consists of two children--Lizzie P. and John H. Mr. King remembers the first election in 1871. There were but nine votes cast in what is now Pleasant Home and Platte Precincts, said election being held at the residence of James Beebe.

LEWIS H. COHOON, farmer, Section 20, Town 13, Range 4 west, P. O. Arborville, York County, Neb., was born in Morrow County, Ohio, August 16, 1843; came to Wisconsin with his parents when he was only five years of age, who settled in Dodge County. Here the subject of this sketch resided till the breaking-out of the rebellion, when he enlisted in Company A, Nineteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served till the close of the war. He was in all the principal engagements of his regiment; was wounded in the head at the battle of Petersburg, Va., which was only slightly. After the close of the rebellion, he returned to Wisconsin, and resided in Sauk County, where he followed farming till the fall of 1872, when he came to Nebraska and settled on the place where he now lives; he is now Justice of the Peace in his precinct, and has filled that office for eight years; was married in Sauk County, Wis., February 10, 1867, to Miss Sarah Wheeler, who is a native of Ohio. They are both original members of the Christian Church of Pleasant Home Precinct. He was one of the very first settlers in that precinct. During the war, he was promoted to First Lieutenant of Company A, for meritorious service.

BUCKLEY BROS., grain and live-stock dealers, Stromsburg. Pete T. Buckley, senior member of this firm, was born in Sweden, July 21, 1847; emigrated to the United States with his parents, who first settled in Knox County, Ill. Here Pete remained till the spring of 1871, when he moved to Nebraska and took up a homestead on Section 6, Town 13, Range 2 west, in Polk County, Stromsburg Precinct. He was the original purchaser of the present town platte of Stromsburg, after turning it over to the town company. He was one of the first settlers of that precinct, and has served one term as Assessor of that town. He was married December 2, 1880, to Miss Tillie C. Ross, who was born in Nebraska City, Neb.

JOHN B. BUCKLEY, junior member of the above firm, was born in Sweden September 17, 1849; came to Nebraska in the spring of 1873, also taking up a homestead on Section 12, Town 13, Range 3 west, where he still resides. He also served one term as Assessor of his precinct; was married March 17, 1878, to Miss Christine Wedga, who was born in Sweden. John was the first grain buyer at Stromsburg, and shipped the first car load of grain from that town, January 1, 1880. In 1881, this firm shipped over three hundred and fifty cars of grain and live stock from that station.

BERG & CASTILE, merchants, Stromsburg, commenced business in 1880. The building which they occupy is 22x70, and well filled with a complete stock of dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes, etc. John E. Castile, of the above firm, was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, December 4, 1854, and August Burg was born in Sweden in 1849, coming to the United States in 1869, and to Nebraska in November, 1880.

ANDREW V. CARLSON, of the firm of Carlson & Co., hardware merchants, Stromsburg, came to Nebraska in 1873 with his parents, who bought a farm on Section 1, Town 13, Range 2 west. In 1876, the subject of this sketch went to Osceola and started to clerking in a general merchandise store for Bates & Woods. Here he remained until the fall of 1879, then moved to Stromsburg, and, in the spring following, started his present business, which was the first hardware store started in that town; was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, July 22, 1856. He was Census Enumerator for Stromsburg Precinct in 1880. For the year 1881, this firm did about $18,000 business.

OLOF HEADSTROM, wagon and carriage manufacturer, Stromsburg, also dealer in farm machinery, was born in Sweden, September 21, 1850, and here learned the trade of wagon and carriage manufacturing. He came to the United States in July, 1871, first locating in Henry County, Ill., where he worked at different kinds of work until 1873, at which time he came West to Nebraska and took up a homestead in Polk County, on Section 2, Town 13, Range 3 west, Stromsburg Precinct. Here he lived on the farm until the fall of 1878, when he moved to the town of Stromsburg and started a wagon and blacksmith shop, under the firm name of Headstrom & Olson, so continuing until November, 1881, when they dissolved, and Mr. H. started in business for himself. He served as Assessor of Stromsburg Precinct in 1879, and is at present Secretary of Stromsburg town. He was married in 1879, to Miss Jennie Falk, who was born in Sweden, and by whom he has one son--Fridolf Leonard.

LEWIS HEADSTROM, Postmaster and real estate agent at Stromsburg, also agent for the U. P. R. R., was born in Sweden, May 24, 1834. He came to the United States in 1856, locating first at Galesburg, Ill., where he remained for three years working at the carpenter's trade, and then removed to Galva, where he started a cabinet shop, and was also superintendent of Olof Johnson's farm for two years. He was married in Galesburg, Ill., in 1859, to Miss Carrie Anderson, who was also a native of Sweden. In 1869, he took a trip back to the old country to see his friends, and when he returned be brought over a number of emigrants. In the spring of 1871, he was the instigator of the Scandinavian colony that came to Nebraska in the same year, settling in Polk County, where the present village of Stromsburg now stands, the subject of this sketch being the founder of said town and also laying it out. He made his home at Galva, Ill., until 1872, when he moved his family to Stromsburg, Neb., and in 1873 was appointed Postmaster at that place, and also started the first store there.

NELS. F. PETERSON, furniture dealer and undertaker, Stromsburg, was born in Sweden November 27, 1844. When old enough he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked until the fall of 1867, when he came to the United States, first locating in Knox County, Ill., where he still worked at his trade, and afterward farmed until the spring of 1871, at which time he came West to Nebraska, settling in Polk County, where he entered a homestead on Section 32, Town 14, Range 2 west, Stromsburg Precinct. Here he resided, improving his farm and working at his trade until the fall of 1878, when he removed to the village of Stromsburg and opened a furniture store, it being the first one in the place. Mr. Peterson was married in 1875, at Columbus, Neb., to Miss Matilda Nelson, who was also born in Sweden.

JACOB P. SMITH, Notary Public and dealer in agricultural implements, Stromsburg, came to Nebraska in March, 1871, and took up a homestead on Section 8, Town 13, Range 2 west, on which he has lived since that time. He introduced farm machinery into Polk County in the spring of 1873, opening an office at the above-mentioned place. The subject of this sketch was born in Belknap County, N. H., on the 14th of January, 1829, and in 1862, crossed the plains, returning in 1864, during which year he was married to Miss Ada Shoemaker. Mr. S. was the first Justice of the Peace of his precinct, holding that office for two terms, and is, at this writing, one of the Trustees of Stromsburg Town Company.

EPHRAIM F. SMELSER, farmer, Section 22, P. O. Osceola, was born in Bedford County, Penn., April 20, 1821. He left his native State with his family in April, 1855, and came to Benton County, Iowa, where he followed the trade of plastering. From here he enlisted in August, 1862, in Company A, Twenty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He then returned to Iowa and commenced farming. In 1866, he moved to Marshall County and continued his former occupation until 1872; at that time removed to Nebraska and took up a homestead on which he now lives. He moved his family on to it the following spring. Mr. Smelser is Justice of the Peace in Stromsburg Precinct. He is a member of the G. A. R., and a charter member of the J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, of Osceola, being also a member of the A., F. & A. M. He was married in June, 1843, in Pennsylvania, to Miss Dorothy Snider. They have eight children--Mary J., Susanna, Tobias C., Charles W., Benjamin F., John B., Ellen and Altha E.

JOHN VAN HORN, farmer Section 23, Town 13 Range 4 west, P. O. Stromsburg, was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., on April 17, 1818. When he was about ten years of age, his parents moved to Columbiana County, Ohio, and settled on a farm, where the subject of this sketch lived and received a common school education until 1839. He then went to Scott County, Iowa where he purchased an interest in a saw-mill, which he operated until the spring of 1843, when he moved to Jackson County and engaged at farming and stock-raising until 1872. He then came to Nebraska, and after making preliminary surveys, he finally bought a half section of land, where he now lives, and in 1873 brought out some teams with which he began to improve his farm. In June, 1874, he moved his family on to his farm and has since made that his home, and now owns 560 acres, of which 320 are under cultivation. Mr. Van Horn has served six years as Commissioner of Polk County. He was married in Jackson County, Iowa, on May 1, 1844, to Miss Catherine A. Waldo, of New York. They have nine children living--Orison H., Milo M., Mary A., Charles H., Chauncy H., Estella, Edward D., Litta and John. The two oldest sons were soldiers in the rebellion.

FERDINAND F. VOGEL, of the firm of F. F. Vogel & Bros., farmers and dealers in agricultural implements, Section 8, Town 13, Range 2 west P. O. Stromsburg, was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, February 9, 1846. He is the son of Gottfried and Christina Vogel, who came to the United States, the former in 1835, the latter in 1817, locating in Columbiana County, Ohio, where they were married and lived until 1845, when they moved West to Iowa, where they lived until 1880, when they removed to Nebraska to live with the subject of this sketch, who removed there in February, 1872, and taking up the homestead described at the heading of this sketch. After coming here he lived in a sod house for four years, at the end of which time he replaced it with a fine frame building, 22x26, and one and a half stories high. Mr. Vogel was married November 23, 1871, to Miss Amy E. Murrow, of Jefferson County, Iowa. Their family consists of three children--Ethis M., Alvin C. and Iven G. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and was a charter member of Rising Star Lodge, No. 65, at Osceola.

JOSEPH D. WOODS, of the firm of L. M. Woods & Co., merchants, Stromsburg, came to Nebraska in 1870, and took up a homestead on Section 24, Town 14, Range 2 west, Butler County, where he resided four years, and then removed to Seward, where he kept hotel, and in 1878, came to Osceola and started a hotel, which he ran till January, 1882, when he removed to Stromsburg and became a member of the present firm of L. M. Woods & Co. He was born in Mercer County, Penn., on June 19, 1819. He served three years as a soldier in the rebellion, enlisting in Company G, Eighty-third Volunteer Infantry. L. M. Woods, of this firm, was born in February, 1850.

CHARLES R. CLARK, farmer, Section 2, Town 15, Range 3 west, P. O. Silver Creek, Merrick County, came to Nebraska, December 1, 1870, and took up his claim where he now lives. He was among the very first settlers of that precinct. April 16, 1871, he moved his family and settled on his claim. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Logan County, Ill., February, 1863, in Company B, Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He was one of the County Commissioners from the fall of 1872 to 1873, during which time the first court house was built in the county. He was born in Logan County, Ill., April 23, 1846. He was married in Illinois in 1868, to Miss Elizabeth Harding. They have one son--Albinus Florus.

ROBERT CURREN, farmer, Section 14, P. O. Osceola, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1871, and took up a homestead where he now resides with a surplus capital of just $11, but, with his indomitable energy and perseverance, he pulled through grasshopper pests, etc., etc., and gained the possession of one of the finest farms in Polk County, consisting of 400 acres well stocked and with comfortable buildings. Mr. Curren is a native of Ireland, being born April 9, 1842; emigrated to the United States in 1853, first settling in Ohio, where he followed various occupations till the breaking-out of the war; then enlisted in Company A, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly three years, and was taken prisoner at the siege of Vicksburg; was carried to Jackson, Miss., where he escaped the enemy, and was nine months in reaching the Union lines.