that year teamed for the freighters over the plains, and in the fall engaged with Col. Shoorp, of the 3d Colorado Militia, who was then on the frontier to suppress Indian troubles, as teamster, and he continued with the command on the frontier until the following February, and he then returned to the old homestead to resume the calling of farmer, to which he had been devoted under his father when he first came to live in this country. Ever since he has been actively engaged in agricultural pursuits, and to reward his persistent labors has as fine a form as any in the county, well supplied with substantial buildings for every purpose, and in 1885 he erected a good frame house, in which he and his family live surrounded by every comfort that heart could desire. Mr. Schindler has paid special attention to raising stock, and derives from that branch of agriculture a good annual income.
   Our subject was married, Nov. 25. 1867, to Mary Anna Tschanz, a native of the Canton of Berne, Switzerland. She came to America with the family of her father, John Tschanz, who settled twenty miles east of St. Joseph, Mo. Nine children were born of the marriage of our subject and his wife, namely: Rosa, Edward, Jacob, Lewis, Henry H.; Albert H., Clarence, Emily and Madeline.
   On the 29th of February, 1888, this happy household sustained an irreparable loss in the death of the wife and mother, who had been faithful in all the duties-of life, and had been devoted to the interests of her family. She has left behind her a memory that will be fondly cherished by her relatives, friends and neighbors. Dec. 3, 1888, Mr. Schindler married a second time, the lady of his choice being Miss Lizette Wissler, daughter of Jacob and Eliza (Rufenacht) Wissler, from the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, but now of Humboldt, Richardson Co., Neb.
   Mr. Schindler is one of the best citizens. He is a man of more than ordinary enterprise, practical sagacity, and decision of character. His public-spiritedness and liberality are well known, as he is always among the foremost to encourage and promote any scheme for the advancement of the precinct or county. Otoe Precinct is partly indebted to him for her excellent schools, as he has taken a deep interest in educational matters, and has served several terms as Moderator. He was Road Supervisor for eight years, and in 1884 was a candidate for the State Legislature, but on account of his wife's sickness he was obliged to retire from the canvass. He has always been a Republican, and by voice find vote has worked for the interests of his chosen party.

IEDRICH MISEGADIS, a large landowner and stock-raiser of Rock Creek Precinct, has his home farm on section 16. and this embraces 160 acres. On section 9 he owns 160 acres in one body and fifty acres in another, and on section 17 he has eighty acres. The whole of this is in a good state of cultivation and yields the proprietor a comfortable income. A view of the homestead is given on another page.
   Our subject became a resident of this county on the 27th of October, 1873, and his labors as an agriculturist have been crowned with success. Prior to that date he had been a resident of Grant and LaFayette Counties, Wis., a period of thirteen years, having emigrated to the Badger State from his native Hanover, in Germany, in the fall of 1860. He was then a young man of twenty-five years, having been born on the 12th of May, 1835. His father, Frederick Misegadis, was a native of the same Province, which at the time of his birth was a kingdom by itself, and where for a period of eleven years he worked on the farm and drove the four-horse team of King Frederick. There also he was married to Miss Adeheida Lofrutian, a native of the same section of country. The mother died after the birth of five children, when a young woman. The father lived to be seventy-eight years old, spending his entire life on his native soil. They were Lutheran in religion, and most excellent people, honest and industrious, and respected by all who knew them.
   The fourth child of his parents and their second son, our subject had two brothers and two sisters, two of whom are now in Wisconsin, one in Otoe County, Neb., and a sister in the old country. He remained in his native Province until twenty-five years of age, still unmarried, this interesting event

taking place in Dodge County, Wis. The maiden of his choice was Miss Augusta Chanfish, a native of Prussia, and who was born April 28, 1847. Her father, Ferdinand Chanfish, died when she was quite young, and she came with her mother and stepfather, William Blancke, to America when a little girl eight years of age. They settled in Watertown, Wis., where she lived until her marriage.
   Mr. and Mrs. Misegadis became the parents of ten children, the eldest of whom, Frederick, died at the age of four years. The survivors are all at home with their parents, and form an interesting group, of which the latter may well be proud. They are named respectively: William F., E. W. Emma, Ida A., Lizzie M., Edwin H., George D., Christina A., Louis R. and Alva A. The eldest was twenty-one years of age Oct. 29, 1888, and the youngest one year old at that date. They are all members and regular attendants with their parents of the Lutheran Church. Mr. M., politically, is a conscientious Democrat, and has held the minor offices of his precinct.

ON. JAMES FITCHIE, of Nebraska City, occupies a prominent position among the intelligent and cultured citizens of this county, who, as pioneers, have witnessed and assisted in its development. He is thoroughly conversant with its history -- indeed, is regarded as an authority on the subject -- and he has written many interesting articles concerning its early settlement. He was at one time conspicuously identified with the civic life of the county; was early appointed Justice of the Peace, and by his vigorous and impartial administration of the affairs of his office during the four years that he was an incumbent thereof, he contributed greatly to the peaceful settlement of the county and to its general prosperity by assisting in the maintenance of law and order, winning the commendations of his fellow-citizens. In 1869, he was a member of the State Legislature, and his record at the capitol stamped him as an honorable and enlightened legislator,
   Our subject is a native of Ireland, but descended from a good old Scotch family, who had settled in County Down many years previous to the birth of our subject, which occurred May 3, 1810, in that county. Thomas Fitchie, his father, was a native and lifelong resident of the same locality, where he carried on farming for many years. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Elizabeth Hays, and she was likewise of Scotch ancestry and a native of County Down, where she always made her home. There were nine children born to the parents of our subject, eight of whom grew up, namely: John, Samuel, William, Margaret, James, Jennie, Mary and Thomas. John, Samuel and our subject were the only three who came to America. John settled in Newburg, N. Y., and Samuel in Brooklyn, that State.
   James Fitchie, of whom we write, was reared and married in his native county, Miss Eliza Douglas becoming his wife Oct. 29, 1833. She was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1812, a daughter of Samuel and Alice (Wood) Douglas, natives of Ireland, and of Scotch ancestry. James Fitchie learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, and followed it in Ireland until 1834, when, with his wife he set sail from Belfast for America, coming by the way of Liverpool to New York, where he landed on our National holiday. He first located in Newburg, and worked as a carpenter there until 1837. From there he went to Pittsburgh, Pa., going by the way of Philadelphia to Harrisburg, which was then the western terminus of the railway in that State, and thence to his destination. He worked at his trade for awhile, and then engaged in the grocery business, continuing his residence in Pittsburgh until 1852. In that year he cast in his lot with the pioneers of Iowa, still keeping ahead of the railway, as Central Illinois was then its western terminus.
   Mr. Fitchie was employed at carpentering in Muscatine until 1855, when he concluded to explore Nebraska for the purpose of securing a home in that part of Uncle Sam's domain. Accordingly, in the spring of that year, he started in company with a neighbor, Mr. Hays, equipped with a pair of oxen and a wagon, and crossed the river above Omaha, proceeding thence to Tekamah, Burt County, where he took up a claim. The "city" consisted of one log house covered with bark, and two tents, and his

claim was one mile distant from its present site. He spent but two nights on his land, and then returned to Omaha, which was at that time but an insignificant village, with the post-office in a sod house, and the other buildings of pretty much the same rude description. Mr. Fitchie stopped at that place about a week, and then came to Nebraska City to spend a few days before retracing his steps to Muscatine. He walked nearly the entire distance, and slept two nights on the open prairie.
   After settling his affairs in Iowa, Mr. Fitchie started with a team, accompanied by his family, to take up his abode on the wild prairies of Nebraska. He arrived with his wife and children in Nebraska City on the 10th day of October, 1855, and moved into a vacant log cabin in that part of the town now known as Kearney. There were then probably about 100 families in the city, and but one store to supply all their wants. He had shipped his chest of carpentry tools by the river, but they did not arrive until the following spring. So here he was, a stranger in a strange land, without money or the means of obtaining it. But he was not one to sit down and mourn over what could not be helped without stirring himself actively to find a remedy. He immediately went to a store and bought some tools on time; and was thus enabled to obtain plenty of work. After a few weeks he made a claim on Camp Creek, nine miles south of the city, built a house, partly with sod and partly with logs, and in midwinter moved into it with his family. There were no settlers west of him at that time, and no other than log houses anywhere in the vicinity. The land was nearly all owned by the Government, and for sale at $1.25 an acre. Deer were plentiful and roamed at will over the broad prairies. There was a gristmill two miles distant from where he had located; it was worked by water power, but it took so long to grind the grist that one would get very hungry waiting its slow movements.
   In the fall of that year Mr. Fitchie ingeniously contrived a grater, and picking the corn before it was hard, grated it to make bread. Having cows, milk was plentiful, and mush and milk was the principal food of the family for a time. A few months after coming to Nebraska City Mr. F. bought a house and lot in that part of the city now called Kearney, paying $100 for both. He made a few repairs, and in a short time the boom came and he sold his little property for the snug sum of $775, taking stock in part payment, and he was thus enabled to settle on his land and improve a farm. He resided on it until 1877, and by that time it had greatly increased in value, and he sold it for a sum far above the original cost. Since that time he and his wife have made their home in Nebraska City with their son in-law, Hon. William CampbelL
   Mr. and Mrs. Fitchie have six children living: Martha D., widow of John K. Gilman, resides in Nebraska City; Margaret C., widow of S. B. Davis, in California; Samuel D. resides in Weeping Water; Elizabeth A. is the wife of Jeremiah Gilman, and Jennie, the wife of William Campbell; Thomas resides in Nebraska City. William N., their fourth child, died at the age of eighteen years; Ella I., the eighth child, died in infancy; John T., the ninth child, died at the age of thirty-three.
   October 29, 1883, marked the golden milestone of the wedded life of our subject and his wife, who for fifty years have walked hand in hand through sunshine and shadow, and in sharing each other's joys and griefs have grown nearer and dearer to each other. On the occasion of the golden wedding, commemorative of that other wedding day that lay back in the past half century, when they united their fresh young lives for better or for worse, a large concourse of friends gathered to congratulate them, and showed the warm place they occupied in many hearts by the expression of kind and loving wishes and the presentation of many valuable gifts.
   Mr. Fitchie identified himself with the Democratic party when he was a young man, and continued to advocate the policy of that party until 1860, when he voted for Lincoln, as his views in regard to the course to be pursued relative to suppressing the Rebellion coincided with those of the leaders of the Republican party. and he has been a stanch supporter of that party since that time. At the age of fifty-three years, when the Indian outbreak occurred in Nebraska, Mr. Fitchie, shouldering his musket and buckling on his armor, went out to defend his county and the firesides of the

pioneers in the western part of this State. He furnished his own horse, served four months, and accepted his pay in an honorable discharge. As will be observed, he was one of the old pioneers, and from an article which he wrote for the Nebraska City Press in connection with the early reminiscences of Otoe County, we clip the following;
   "For want of better timber they made a 'Squire of your humble servant, and it was fortunate for both myself and the solemnity of the ceremony, that the first pair I married were so Dutchy they scarcely knew what I said, and it would have been hard to tell who was the worse frightened, they or I. The fees were an item in those days, I have heard of editors being compelled to take pumpkins and saw logs on subscription, but I suppose there are few men who have taken cottonwood rails as a fee for performing the marriage ceremony. Let me tell of one in particular who requested that I should wait for my fee until he could make and haul some posts, and to-day this man is worth over a cool $100,000, a credit to himself and all honor to old Otoe County, as showing what a thoroughly hard-working man can do in this great country of ours."

REDERICK ZUCK. The German element of Rock Creek Precinct, here as elsewhere, has aided largely in the growth and prosperity of the community. The subject of this sketch is one of its most successful farmers, and a native of the Fatherland, born in one of the Rhine Provinces, Nov. 6, 1840. He owns a good farm of eighty acres on section 36, and in addition to general agriculture, is interested in livestock, making a specialty of the popular Jersey-Red swine.
   Mr. Zuck settled upon his present farm sixteen years ago, in the spring of 1873. He took the land in its wild and uncultivated state, and has transformed it into one of the most desirable homesteads of his precinct. He has labored early and late, through sunshine and storm, battled against difficulties and hardships, and is now enjoying the fruit of his labors. He came to Nebraska in October, 1867, landing in this county on the 30th day of the month, locating first in Nebraska City. The Territory had become a State two months previously. He has watched the growth and prosperity of the people around him, and in the building up of one of the best farms in his precinct has largely contributed to the position which it occupies among the intelligent communities of this section.
   Mr. Zuck crossed the Atlantic when a young man of twenty-five years, and took up his residence first in Perry County, Ind., whence he removed to Rock Island, Ill., and from the Prairie State came to Nebraska. In his native Empire he had served three years in the German Army, and when at home had been engaged with his father in agricultural pursuits. He had little capital aside from his strong hands when coming to the West, and these have served him well.
   Mr. Zuck was married in Nebraska City, March 28, 1873, to Miss Fredricka Schomeius, who was born in Hanover, Germany, July 6, 1836, and is the sister of D. J. Schomeius, a prosperous boot and shoe merchant of Nebraska City, and a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
   The wife of our subject came to America with her mother in 1871, and lived in Nebraska City until her marriage. Of their union there is one child only, a daughter. Mary E., who was born Dec. 20, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Z. are members in good standing of that German Lutheran Church, and our subject, politically, votes the Democratic ticket.
   A view of Mr. Zack's homestead is presented in connection with this brief personal sketch of its proprietor.

AMES CARLIN has carried on farming successfully in Rock Creek Precinct since the spring of 1871, when he purchased on section 16, 160 acres of school land from the State. It was in its wild and uncultivated state, and for two years Mr. C. employed himself at teaming before settling upon his purchase. In 1872 he put up a dwelling, and gradually added the other buildings necessary for the successful prosecution of his calling, the comfort of his family, the storage of grain and the shelter of stock. He was prospered in his labors, and in due time pur-