ing some fourteen days. They landed in New York City and immediately proceeded West, coming together to Lancaster County. They arrived in May, and in the autumn Thomas returned to Iceland. Larus preferred to remain here, and for the following eight years was engaged at work among the farmers in the ordinary labor of a farm hand, in the meantime making his home with Hon. T. R. Burling, of Firth. Larus had labored diligently, had been economical, and in the year 1884 was enabled to settle upon his present farm. Here he owns eighty acres of good laud, which has been developed by his own labor.
   After coming to this county, on the 25th of April, 1884, Mr. Barnason was united in marriage with Victoria Carter. This lady is a native of Kentucky, and has become the mother of one child, who was born Feb. 19, 1885. Mr. Barnason is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen, and considering the limited advantages which he has enjoyed has wielded considerable influence toward the improvement and betterment of the precinct, and the years of his greater usefulness are yet to be enjoyed, for, as above mentioned, Mr. Barnason is yet a young man.

OSEPH Z. BRISCOE, one of the leading business men and merchants of Lincoln, has been an important factor in developing its material, social and religious interests, having with great generosity and liberality devoted a large share of the wealth that he has accumulated here by patient toil and characteristic energy and enterprise to the moral and educational elevation of the community. He is of Pennsylvanian origin and ancestry, first opening his eyes to the light of the world March 1, 1838, in the Keystone State, in the home of his parents, Frisby W. and Eva (Logan) Briscoe, in the beautiful county of Somerset. His father was born of French origin in 1809, and the mother in Westmoreland County, Pa., in 1816.
   Frisby Briscoe was a pioneer of Nebraska, coming here in the fall of 1863, in Territorial days, and locating in Omaha, finally dying in 1881, in Sarpy County, full of years and honors. He was, in every sense of the word, a noble man, self-made and self-educated. He was left an orphan when quite young, and had to struggle hard for the education that made him one of the most prominent literary men and educators of his time and State of Pennsylvania, and he taught for many years in the academies at Berlin and Somerset. The latter part of his life was spent on a farm in Nebraska. His good wife is still living, and although seventy-two years of age, retains much of her youthful mental and physical vigor, owing, perhaps, to the fact that she comes of a long-lived family, her father having attained the remarkable age of one hundred and three years. Her husband was a member of the Christian Church, and she has likewise belonged to it for many years, having joined when she was a small girl. She is very much interested in theology, in which she is well versed, and can discuss with zeal and animation the doctrines of the different churches. The marriage of herself and husband was blessed by the birth of the following children: Mary, wife of Prof. Manoah Eberhardt, of Iowa; Joseph Z.; Sarah, wife of Samuel Cotner, of Omaha, Neb.; William W.. a farmer of Sarpy County; John L. and Fred E.
   Our subject early became a student in the common schools of his native State, and he was later sent to Duff's Merchant's College, at Pittsburgh, Pa., where he received a fine and complete business education. At the age of sixteen he began his career as a teacher in a common school at Oakland, Md., and afterward taught a select school at Westville, Ind. The family moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana, and remained about six years. He then came to Nebraska, and locating in Sarpy County, was for some time actively and profitably engaged in farming. While a resident of that County he took a somewhat active part in public affairs, and at one time was County Commissioner, which office he has also held for one term in this county. In the winter seasons our subject resumed his profession as teacher, and was for several seasons pleasantly engaged in the occupation of teaching the youth of Sarpy County. In 1880 Mr. Briscoe removed to Lincoln and established himself in the boot and shoe business. He afterward sold out, but subsequently formed a partnership

with Mr. Webster in the same line, and they are now carrying on a flourishing trade, under the firm name of Webster & Briscoe, in a nicely fitted up store at No. 1043 O street, carrying a stock of $30,000, and by their courteous manners and thoroughly honest and honorable dealings they have secured a large amount of custom, and are patronized by some of the best people in the city. In the year 1887 Mr. Briscoe erected an elegant and commodious dwelling on the corner of Seventeenth and Locust streets, at a cost of $5,000.
   Mr. Briscoe was one of the members of the City Council who disobeyed the restraining order of Judge Brewer, of the United States District Court, in regard to ousting from office the Police Judge of Lincoln, for dereliction of duty. Judge Brewer regarded their action as contempt of court, and imposed a fine on the council of $5,000, which the council refused to pay. The Judge then commanded the United States Marshal to place them in custody until the fine be paid. The case was taken before the Supreme Court at Washington, and the decision of that court was that the action of Judge Brewer was that of judicial usurpation, and the council was therefore released.
   September 16, 1858, the marriage of our subject with Miss Eleanora Brandt was solemnized, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. D. O. Stewart, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Briscoe was born in Bloomington, Va., April 9, 1840, and is a daughter of Elijah P. and Sarah (Kite) Brandt, natives of Maryland. Her father died in his native State at Oakland, the mother is still living, and she is a faithful member of the Christian Church. Mr. Brandt was a farmer by occupation, and was a prominent citizen of the community where he resided, his great integrity and sterling worth commanding the confidence of his fellowmen. He was in his daily life a true and conscientious Christian, and was a pillar of the Lutheran Church. To him and his wife six children were born, namely: Hettie M., Ptolma, Eleanora, Martin, Thomas and John.
   The happy married life of our subject and his wife has been blessed to them by the birth of a daughter, Florence V., who is now an accomplished young lady. She is a student in the art department of the Christian University, where her fine natural talent as an artist is receiving careful cultivation, and also her musical talents. Her pictures in oil and her crayon work are said to be unsurpassed by any amateur in the city. Our subject and his family are active and prominent members of the Christian Church, and the daughter is a teacher in the Sunday-school. Mr. Briscoe has been an ordained Elder of the church for twenty years, and, in fact, is one of the leading members; has been President of the Missionary Society for eight years; has taught in the Sunday-school for many years, and was greatly instrumental in building the first Christian Church of this city. To his exertions it is due in great part that the Christian University was located in this city, as he was Chairman of the committee appointed to look up a suitable site for the proposed literary institution, and he has nobly endowed the Bible chair of the university with the munificent sum of $25,000. In politics, our subject proudly claims to be a member of the Democratic party, which has no more vigorous supporter of its principles than he.

AVID JACKSON. While there is an American history the name of Jackson will hold one of the most honored places in its pages, both as connected with the Presidential chair and its military achievements, for although the leader in the latter was mistaken in his opinions, he was a most able General, honorable man and Christian. He was the originator of the first colored Sunday-school, and the largest south of the Mason and Dixon line, and until the last was held in most affectionate regard by the colored people of his native city, and the name "Stonewall Jackson" should be associated rather with this incident and that at Fredericksburg as indicative of the man, than with any position his mistaken opinion led him to take. In the history of Nebraska the name as connected with our subject will be also held in affectionate remembrance as one who did much for the development and success of the State.
   Our subject is a direct descendant of President Jackson, and Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson was his