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Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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ZADOK F. ANTRIM

     Zadok F. Antrim, one of the best known pioneers of Sioux county, Nebraska, is a prosperous agriculturist of section 3, township 32, range 55, where he has spent the past seventeen years. He has followed farming nearly all his lifetime, and despite many discouragements during his early residence in this section has acquired a thoroughly improved farm and become one of the well-to-do men of that locality.

     Mr. Antrim was born in Delaware county, Indiana, in 1853. His father, William Antrim, was a farmer of American birth and breeding, and he married Phoebe Stewart, born and raised in Indiana, of American blood. When our subject was an infant the family left Indiana and settled in Cass county, Iowa, on a farm, situated fifty miles from Council Bluffs, which was their nearest trading point and supply station. He grew up on the frontier, and in 1867 went with his parents to Missouri, where they settled on an entirely unimproved farm, and eventually succeeded in clearing it up and improving it in good shape. In 1885 he left home and emigrated to Sherman county, Kansas, there taking up a homestead, and batched it for about two years, and then was married to Carrie Clark, and together they succeeded in building up a good home and spent in all about seven years in that state, but were unable to get ahead rapidly enough to suit them, as he raised but one crop during all the time he lived on that place, and was compelled to work out most of the time to make a living for his family. They had gathered together a few head of cattle and some chickens, and from these obtained most of their living. They lived in a sod shanty. and also had sod stable and outbuildings. Finally he was obliged to give up the struggle and leave Kansas, so he decided to try Nebraska, and disposed of the farm and came to Sioux county, landing here in 1892, driving the entire distance with a team and wagon containing their household goods, the family coming by the same route, and their nights were spent in a tent which they pitched wherever they happened to strike. They were twenty-one days on the road, and passed through some severe storms during the journey. Upon arriving in this vicinity Mr. Antrim purchased his present farm, which is located on Hat creek, in section 3, township 32. range 55. He at once went to work and put up good buildings, erecting a comfortable log house and barn, and started his farm. This place is called the "O. K. ranch," and had been established back in the seventies by Thomas J. Bingy. It was all good land, with quite a good deal of timber, plenty of fuel and good water. Since coming here Mr. Antrim has opened up about one hundred and fifty acres to cultivation, all of which is irrigated, and he has many trees and small fruit orchards planted, and the place abounds with berries, etc. Mr. Antrim has built a dam twenty-two feet high on Hat creek, which makes a reservoir for his irrigating system. There are fifteen hundred acres in the ranch, all fenced, and he has put good improvements of every description on it. He has met with many failures since locating here, the principal one being the loss of his barns with other property by fire in 1896.

     Our subject and his estimable wife have a family of four children, named as follows: William F., Laura M., Model A. and Vern K. Mrs. Antrim's father, William Clark, was a well known farmer and old settler in Missouri, where she grew to womanhood.

     Our subject has been one of the leading men of his community ever since settling here. He has always taken an active part in building up the schools and has held school office for seven years, having acted as treasurer and also director. Mr. Antrim has also served as township assessor for two terms, and justice of the peace for the same space of time. He is a Republican.

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DELBERT L. SHERMAN

     Among the enterprising and prosperous business men of Cherry comity none is better known or more universally esteemed than the subject of this review.

     Mr. Sherman was born in the city of Aurora, Illinois, in 1857. His father, L. W. Sherman, was a contractor and builder, a native of New York state, as was his mother, Miss Electa Bathrick. Our subject, the eldest of three children, was reared and educated in Boone, Iowa, where his parents had settled in 1861. At the age of thirteen years he became self-supporting, doing farm work for a period of several years before coming west to Custer county in 1879. Here he located one hundred miles from a railroad, working as a cowboy until 1882, during which time he traveled over the entire west end of the state in the saddle. On his return to Iowa that year he was married to Miss Elveretta Boyer, daughter of a prosperous farmer of that state. Two children have resulted from this union, namely. Elsie and Ethel.


Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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     Mr. Sherman with his wife returned to Custer county, where he resided for two years prior to his advent to Cherry county in 1884. He at once settled on a homestead six miles south of Valentine, perfecting his title in five years, occupying a roughly built log house having no floors. It is men and women who cheerfully endure such deprivations that constitute the bone and sinew of our western country.

     In 1889 Mr. Sherman moved to Valentine and opened a harness shop, which he conducted some eight years, being one of the oldest business men of the town. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster of Valentine under McKinley and reappointed in 1898 when this was made a third-class office. In January,1902, he was again appointed under Roosevelt, and in 1906 was reappointed for a term of four years.

     Mr. Sherman has always held positions of trust since coming to Valentine, being at present a member of the school board, having served one term as deputy sheriff of the county some years before. He is always interested in all commercial and social affairs of the town, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America.

     Mr. Sherman has the distinction of introducing and operating the first threshing machine in Custer county.

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SAMUEL H. POWELL.

     Samuel H. Powell. an enterprising business man of Burwell, engaged in the real estate business at that place, is one of the substantial citizens of Garfield county. He is well known throughout the county as a worthy member of society, and has spent many years of his life in this section of the country. He has built up a successful business and enjoys a comfortable competence as a result of his earnest endeavors and strict integrity.

     Mr. Powell was born in Crawford county. Pennsylvania, in 1862. His parents were natives of New York state, of Welsh and good old Yankee stock, and still live in Pennsylvania. Our subject was the youngest of four children and was reared on a farm, attending the common schools and later the high school, receiving a very good education, which well fitted him for a business career. In July, 1888, Mr. Powell came to Nebraska and established a drug business in Burwell, having associated with him F. A. Webster, and they developed a good business. He remained in that line of work up to 1893, then engaged in the insurance and real estate business, in which he has continued ever since. He now has connected with him in this business W. P. Thorp, and the firm has met with marked success, dealing in land all over Garfield and the adjoining counties, and they are well known throughout the western part of the state and enjoy an enviable reputation as good business men and successful dealers. Mr. Powell is of the opinion that Nebraska is the best state of all for the poor man to start in, and says that any one having the energy and a small amount of ability, who will work hard and stick to it, can have no reason to complain, and is sure to gain a comfortable competence here. He has been successful in accumulating a nice property, and is well liked by all who have ever had dealings with him in a business or social way.

     In 1891 Mr. Powell was married to Miss Ola M. Blair, a native of Marshalltown, Iowa, born of German parents, and raised and educated in her native state. To Mr. and Mrs. 'Powell the following children have been born: Lela, Frank, Mildred, Dorothy, Noah and Samuel. Mr. Powell is not a party man, but always votes for the best men, whether Democrat or Republican. In 1897 he was elected county treasurer on a petition and served for two years.

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JOHN CLINTON WALCOTT.

     Among those who have taken part in the upbuilding of the western part of Nebraska from its early settlement, the gentleman above named occupies a first place, and his name is familiar to all of the old-timers in that section as a man of integrity and energetic labors, always doing his full share for the good of his community. Mr. Walcott resides in section 24, township 32, range 49, where he has a comfortable home and valuable property.

     Mr. Walcott was born in the British West Indies in 1857. His father, Edward Walcott, was an Englishman, and he married Miss Anna Pasmore, also born in England. Our subject grew to manhood in the West Indies, where his father was employed by the government as a custom house official, and the son was educated there. He came to the United States when he was twenty years of age, locating in Iowa, remaining there for a number of years, then came on to Nebraska in 1887. He at once filed on a homestead in section 25, township 32, range 49, and put up a board shanty, in which he lived in one room, "batching" for some time, and during the first years was employed on railroad construction work whenever he could get it to do, filling in his odd time working on ranches and anything which came


Compendium of History Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska

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handy, constantly building up his farm and home. For a time he did well, then the dry years came on and he had a hard time to get along. losing several crops in succession and was only able to make a living, and barely that, never raising a crop for seven years, living entirely from the product of a few cattle and some chickens. He stuck to his place, however, and gradually the times grew better and he improved the place, put up good buildings, fences, and kept buying more land, and is now the owner of nine hundred and twenty acres, part timber land, and runs a large number of cattle and other stock, and has done well. He has one hundred acres under cultivation, and raises splendid crops each season. There is a nice, clear stream running through his land, Chadron creek, and this furnishes an abundant supply of good living water for his stock and domestic use.

     Mr. Walcott was united in marriage in 1892 to Miss Lizzie Morgan, daughter of Thomas Morgan, an early settler in Illinois, he dying when Mrs. Walcott was a child three years of age. Her mother was Miss Sarah Williams, whose parents were both born in Wales. Mr. and Mrs. Walcott are the parents of one son, Edward.

     Mr. Walcott is a Republican and has been treasurer of the school district for many years.

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H. E. TECKER.

     H. E. Tecker, of Franklin, is one of the earliest settlers in western Nebraska, having come here in 1878. He is a prominent farmer and stockman, and during the past thirty years has raised, bought, fed and shipped stock from this locality, dealing only in high-grade stock.

     Mr. Tecker is a native of Illinois, where he grew up. His father, Herman Tecker, was born in Hanover, Germany, and came to America about 1830, locating in Lake county, Illinois, where he spent many years. He was there engaged in farming and stock raising and feeding, and became very familiar with that country and in Chicago along this line of work, as he was a large shipper of cattle and hogs to that place. He remembers the city from its small beginning up to the size it has now grown.

     The mother was Miss Ellen Elliott, a native of London England. In 1884 our subject came to Franklin county, purchasing a one hundred and sixty-acre farm in Bloomington township, located on Center creek, and has since added to the place a farm adjoining the south part on the bottom lands, lying just south of Franklin; also in 1906 a farm north of the town, consisting of six hundred acres. Has since sold one hundred and sixty acres and now owns four hundred and forty acres. Here he feeds from one hundred to one hundred and fifty head of cattle and from one hundred and fifty to two hundred hogs each year, and intends going into the stock business on even a larger scale. He keeps only high-grade animals and finds it a profitable enterprise. He also engages in mixed farming. and raises one hundred and seventy-five to one hundred and eighty acres of corn and other feed annually, and buys considerable to keep his stock on. Thirty acres is used for an alfalfa patch, and he cuts several good crops of this each season. Mr. Tecker considers this a great feeding country, and on the same amount of money invested will make twenty per cent, here to four per cent. in Illinois.

     In 1877 Mr. Tecker married Miss Mary Marferding, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are the parents of eight children, namely: H. M., Harry, Walter, all of whom assist their father in the farming and stock business; Mrs. Blanch Austin, of Franklin; Mrs. Maud Rayburn, of Kansas City; Ruth, married to Steve Murray; Mabel and Mary, living at home. The family occupy a fine residence in Franklin and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

     Politically Mr. Tecker is a Republican and has taken an active part in public affairs in the town and county for many years.

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RALPH H. HAGBERG.

     Among the well known railroad men of western Nebraska, the above mentioned gentleman occupies a prominent place. He resides in McCook, Redwillow county, and is recognized as one of the leading citizens of that thriving city.

     Mr. Hagberg was born in Sweden, August 1, 1867, and came to America with his parents in 1870. His father. Alex. Hagherg, settled in Galeshurg, Illinois, with his family in that year, remaining there for two years, then removed to eastern Nebraska, locating at Harvard. They lived there until 1872, then came on to Furnas county and took a homestead and pre-emption, also tree claim, situated near Arapahoe. This was then only a wilderness and very sparsely settled, there being only two families within a radius of twenty miles from the place they located on, they being at Elk creek. The father was a very active and hardworking man and one of the pioneers who aided materially in the development and growth of this section of the country by per-

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