building up of a home and its general appearance. Mrs. Bahr in this respect has been the most efficient helpmate of her husband, and being a lady of fine tastes, and believing with St. Paul that "cleanliness is next to godliness," there are few more pleasant places as a resort for both friends and neighbors than the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bahr, while the stranger is treated with the courtesy inseparable from good breeding.
   Our subject was born in what was then the Province of Lorraine, France, near the city of Salzburg, April 30,1830, and in that beautiful stretch of country of which his parents, Jacob and Sophia (Young) Bahr, were also natives. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Bahr, Sr., a native of the same Province, was of German ancestry, and a farmer by occupation. He was a man highly respected in his community, active and industrious, of the strictest integrity, and lived to the advanced age of ninety years. Grandfather Nicholas Young, also a native of Lorraine, was a well-to-do farmer, and emigrated to America in 1831, locating on a tract of land not far from that of the Bahr family, in Jefferson County, N. Y. He there spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1849, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. His estimable wife, Mrs. Caroline (Martsloff) Young, a native of Salzburg, died in 1860, aged ninety-three years.
   The father of our subject carried on farming in a modest way until 1831, and when his son Jacob J. was an infant of a few months, resolved to seek his fortunes in the United States. Gathering together his family and personal effects he embarked on the long voyage, and arrived safely upon American soil, locating not long afterward upon a farm in the vicinity of Lora, Jefferson Co., N. Y. He was successful in his labors as a tiller of the soil, and moved from there to Fayette County, Iowa, but only lived six months after going to Iowa, where he died in 1849, at the advanced age of seventy-three years. He had been a man of large and ripe experience, and during his sojourn in his native country served as a soldier in the French Army under Napoleon Bonaparte, being present at the surrender of his army at the close of his last disastrous campaign. His superior officers would gladly have promoted him, but on account of the responsibilities in connection therewith he declined the proffered honor. He was under fire in many a hard-fought battle and upon one occasion was saved from being killed by the ball passing through his knapsack. He was thrown down by the concussion, but escaped uninjured. It was not long after the close of the war that Jacob Bahr, the father of our subject, decided to cross the Atlantic. In the meantime he had engaged quite extensively in the distillation of oils from various herbs, having his own apparatus. The family after coming to the United States sojourned in Jefferson County, N. Y., and the father carried on farming and stock-raising, building up a good homestead from a tract of indifferently cultivated land, and instituting many good improvements. In the course of years his children all left home to start out for themselves, and the father was finally persuaded to join his son, our subject, in Iowa, selling out his property interests in the Empire State. He died in Iowa in the fall of 1849, after he had reached his fourscore years and two. The mother had died in 1842 at the age of forty-four years.
   The six children of the parental family of our subject were named respectively: Caroline, who died when about forty-four years old; Sophia, Catherine, Jacob J., our subject; Julia and Frederick. The latter, during the late Civil War, enlisted in the 92d New York Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, was captured by the rebels, and finally sent home on parole. He is now living in Minnesota. The other surviving children are located in various States.
   Jacob J. Bahr, our subject, was reared to man's estate in Jefferson County, N. Y., pursuing his first studies in the district school, and later attending the seminary at Grosvenor. He completed his studies when about eighteen years old, and then began learning the carpenter trade, serving his apprenticeship and later operating as a journeyman. At the age of twenty-two he started out for himself by purchasing a tract of land in New York State, the improvement of which he carried on in connection with his trade, and remained a resident of the Empire State until the spring of 1865.
   Mr. Bahr now decided to see what lay beyond

the Mississippi, and migrated to Fayette County, Iowa. For two years afterward he worked at his trade in Fayette, but in the meantime secured 380 acres of raw land in that county. He moved upon this and began farming and stock-raising, laboring there for a period of fifteen years and effecting good improvements. He was, however, not quite satisfied with his condition in the Hawkeye State, and in the spring of 1880 disposed of his interest there and came to this county, locating on section 17, which was then a wild and uncultivated tract. The first few years of his residence here he experienced the hardships and difficulties common to pioneer life, but happily possessed unbounded perseverance, and being blessed with good health, has come out of it all with flying colors. It is difficult to believe that the beautiful farm, with its appurtenances, is the work of nine years.
   Mr. Bahr completed his present residence in 1880, and has set out three acres of forest trees and 300 apple trees, besides erecting the barn and other outbuildings necessary for the storage of grain and the shelter of stock. The land is supplied with running water -- a branch of Camp Creek. The farm is devoted largely to the raising of fine stock, including cattle, horses and swine. Three teams are required to operate it, and besides these Mr. Bahr has ten fine horses. His sons labor on the farm while he works considerably as a carpenter and builder. His mechanical skill has been of good service in the construction of his homestead, saving him hundreds of dollars, while at the same time he has placed around him the various little conveniences which have so much to do with the happiness and comfort of a home.
   The marriage of our subject with Miss Lucy A. Timmerman was celebrated June 9, 1859, at the home of the bride in Lora, N. Y. This lady is the daughter of Lawrence and Polly (Conley) Timmerman, and comes of a family thoroughly Americanized, her paternal grandfather, Henry Timmerman, having served in the Revolutionary War. He died in New York State about 1834. Grandfather Solomon Conley was a native of Canada, whence he removed early in life to New York State, settling in Jefferson County, where he spent the remainder of his days. Grandmother Margaret (Sheldon) Timmerman was a native of Herkimer County, N. Y., and died in 1831. The maternal grandmother, Elizabeth (Howe) Conley, was of English descent, and a native of Brockville, Province of Ontario, Canada. She was left an orphan at an early age, and was reared by Shakers. She also spent her last days in Jefferson County, N. Y.
   The father of Mrs. Bahr was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1791, and when a youth of nineteen years enlisted in the American Army, serving all through the War of 1812. He had lived in Jefferson County from a lad of seven years, at which time his parents changed their residence to that county. They were among the earliest settlers there, locating in the forest when there were no signs of a white man, but lying around were various Indian relics, arrow heads and other implements of savage warfare. The father cleared a farm from the wilderness, and after bringing the land to a state of cultivation made a specialty of stock-raising, he passed away in October, 1883, at a ripe old age.
   The mother of Mrs. Bahr was born in the Providence of Ontario, Canada, in 1801; she died in May, 1875, some years prior to the decease of her husband. They were good people in the strictest sense of the word, and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The seven children of the household were named respectively: Mary A.; Abigail, who died when about fifty-nine years old; Caroline, Jane and Frederick; Lucy A. and Melissa M.
   Mrs. Lucy A. Bahr was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., July 30, 1833, and received a good education, completing her studies in the High School at Evans' Mills. She remained a member of her father's household until her marriage. Of this union there have been born seven children: Eva M. is the wife of Mory Alexander, a well-to-do farmer of Lincoln County, this State; they have two children -- Frankie and Freddie. William A. is farming in Tipton Precinct, this county; Polly S. married Mr. William Schoorp, a grain buyer of Eagle; Ada M., Mrs. J. D. Freeman, lives with her husband on a farm in Banner County, Neb.; they have one child, Orval V. Fred J., Orson K. and Thomas J. are at home with their parents.
   Mr. and Mrs. B. are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, attending serv-

ices at Eagle and contributing liberally and cheerfully to the upbuilding of the Master's cause. Mr. Bahr was originally a Whig, and later affiliated with the Republicans, identified himself for a long time with the Greenbackers, but finally wheeled back into the ranks of the old Republican party, which he thinks is about the only place of political safety. He has been quite prominent in local affairs, officiated as Justice of the Peace, Postmaster and Supervisor, and is usually connected with the School Board of his district. Socially, he belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of the lodge at Greenwood. A man upright and correct in his business methods, hospitable and kind in his intercourse with his neighbors, he is held in high esteem, and amply worthy of representation in a work designed to commemorate the early settlers and prominent citizens of Cass County.

AMES G. ROMINE. The main points in the history of this highly respected resident of South Bend Precinct, whose portrait is presented on the opposite page, are substantially as follows: The second son of John and Maria (Romine) Romine, he was born in Rappahannock County, Va., April 30, 1825, and was one of a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom three brothers, one elder and two younger than our subject, are deceased. The others are residents mostly of Virginia.
   Mr. Romine remained with his father on the farm until twenty-five years of age, then entered the employ of one Crittendon as an overseer of slaves, and with whom he remained two years, at a salary of $150 per annum. At the expiration of this time he returned to his father, with whom he remained until the spring of 1852. He now decided upon a change of location, and securing transportation for his trunk he started, in company with others, on foot, over the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains to Wheeling, before the days of railroads, and at that point embarked on the steamboat "Reindeer," bound down the Ohio River to Cairo, thence up the Mississippi and Missouri to St. Joseph, Mo., where they arrived in the latter part of May.
   From that point Mr. Romine proceeded to Savannah, about seventeen miles from St. Joseph, and engaged to work with a farmer by the name of Kleiser, an old Virginian, with whom he sojourned one month for the consideration of $12. Mr. R. then formed a partnership with one G. D. Connelly, whose acquaintance he had formed on the way up the river from St. Louis, and who was engaged in the leather business. Purchasing a tannery in Andrew County, Mo., they started in business, also selling boots and shoes, and continued together about eighteen months at that point. Then selling out they proceeded to the vicinity of Sciola, Montgomery Co., Iowa, where they engaged in farming and stock-raising, and also carried on a grocery and provision store about two years, and until the fall of 1856.
   Our subject and his partner now sold out again, and still in company came to this county and engaged in farming and stock-raising near the then unimportant town of Rock Bluff. In the latter part of November, 1856, they crossed the Missouri River at Plattsmouth with the last of their cattle, meeting with great difficulty both in getting themselves and their animals over the river, and landing about one mile below the regular lauding place, the river being full of mush ice and exceedingly difficult to cross. Messrs. Romine and Connelly had already purchased of one Abraham Towner a claim of 320 acres of land for $2,000, and which lay just south of Rock Bluff. This they afterward secured by pre-empting each a quarter-section, and paying the Government therefor $1.25 per acre. The winter which followed was exceedingly severe, with deep snows, and in consequence the greater portion of their stock perished. In 1859 the partnership was dissolved, and each engaged in business for himself.
   In the spring of 1861 Mr. Romine began freighting from the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains, making his headquarters at Nebraska City, and was thus engaged until the fall of 1865. In the meantime he had resumed partnership with his old friend Mr. Connelly, which now continued until they were "cleaned out" by the Indians in the vicinity of Julesburg, with a loss of about $27,000, which claim will probably be paid by the Govern-

ment during the present year (1889). The savages made their raid about Jan. 7, 1865, running off a portion of the stock, and in the meantime Mr. Romine and his men engaged in quite a skirmish with them. The night before the overland stage laid arrived, and reported that they had been attacked by Indians about two miles east. There was a train of about fifty wagons owned by Keith & Cook, whose men were all well armed, and on the arrival of the coach all hands prepared for an attack at early dawn. Mr. Romine immediately sent two men to the post at Ft. Sedgwick, informing the commanding officer of the alarming reports, and received the following reply: "We have heard enough of these d--d Indian scares, and don't believe anything of it." By the time the messengers returned day was dawning. Four men volunteered their services, and taking some of the best horses went to the point where the coach was attacked, where they found several hundred Indians, who killed two of the brave volunteers outright, and mortally wounded the third, who died soon after returning to the post. By daylight Romine and company discovered Indians all around them, and started off another messsenger (sic) to Ft. Sedgwick, two miles West.
   The commanding officer at this post called out the troops, and attacking the Indiana, followed them some three miles, the latter making a grand display just out of range of shots until they decoyed the troops into the bluffs, then turning on them, forced them to retreat, with a loss of twenty-three soldiers and citizens, the principal fight occurring very near the ranch. The wagonmaster of the train spoken of went into the fight, leaving orders that the teams be got in readiness to move at once. A portion of them being ready when the stampede occurred, the men took the ready teams and struck for the fort, leaving a portion of their train to the mercy of the Indians. Mr. Romine and four men remained at the ranch. The Indians took possession of the stage station and a large amount of provisions. The commanding officer at the post rallied his men and opened fire with two mountain howitzers, and succeeded in driving the savages off for that day.
   The Indians troubled the ranchmen more or less for several days, but the latter finally succeeded in getting to the fort, where they remained about one month, then returned to Nebraska City. The Indians drove off all the stock of Romine & Co. on the south side of the river, about 150 head, and near the last of February set fire to the ranch. That morning a squad of soldiers volunteered to go out as scouts, and about fifteen of Mr. Romine's men, with himself, repaired to the ranch after some hay. They had placed sentinels around, and hearing a brisk firing up the road west, Mr. R. being posted as a picket, while the men were loading the hay, espied a band of Indians coming from the southwest, with the evident intention to cut off the retreat to the post. Both horses, men and footmen now made preparations for flight with their horses and ponies, leaving the oxen with the wagons partially loaded. By means of a flanking party from the post, they managed to save the men on foot from death or capture. The Indians then took possession of the ranch, taking away with them whatever they desired, driving off the stock and setting fire to what was left.
   In the retreat there was one Lieutenant and six men who were cut off from the rest, and sought the ranch for protection, where the seven men there, by careful work and watching, managed to save their scalps, Mr. Romine among the rest. After the Indians had taken the provisions from the stage station they tried to burn the ranch, hay, and other material by firing the grass. In the Spring of 1865 Messrs. Romine and Connelly, with some of their men and effects, returned to Nebraska City, and recruiting a few teams, resumed freighting until in 1867, when the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad destroyed the business. Mr. Romine then began buying grain and shipping it from Nebraska City, and was thus occupied until 1871. Mr. Romine then established himself at Plattsmouth, still continuing in the grain trade, and following the line of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad until it was completed to Ashland. He was the first man shipping a load from that point, this being a carload of corn. In the fall of 1870 he erected a warehouse on the line of this road at Ashland, in partnership with S. P. Decker, and which was the first grain warehouse put up in the town. They

operated together until 1874, when Mr. R. disposed of his interests in the business to his partner, who is still operating at Ashland, and has become very wealthy.
   Our subject now commenced feeding cattle, but in the winter of 1874-75 resumed business as a grain dealer, also adding swine, in company with Mr. Mable, of Ashland, with whom he remained one year. In the fall of 1876 he moved to the farm which he now occupies, one mile and a half South of the town of South Bend. He put up his residence and some of the other buildings soon afterward. There being a fine spring upon the place, Mr. Romine conceived the idea of starting a fish pond, built a dam, and secured a quantity of brook trout shipped from Wisconsin. He was successful in this enterprise from the start, and in the year 1879, finding in Sarpy County a splendid location for this business, purchased a tract of 160 acres of land about three miles from his other farm, and on the north side of the Platte River.
   In partnership with Ransom Decker, Mr. Romine established ponds on a portion of this land, which they jointly owned, stocking these also with brook trout, and in the meantime also established a drug business at South Bend. Three years later they sold their fish interest to the State of Nebraska, together with fifty-two acres of land containing the ponds. This enterprise, now known as the Nebraska State Fishery, is considered one of the best in the United States. The ponds are now supplied with German carp by the Government. The first of these Mr. Romine brought from St. Louis about 1881, together with spawn of the California salmon to the amount of about 1,000,000, which were hatched and distributed in streams and lakes throughout the State. The salmon, however, proved of little or no value. The carp and trout seem to have been a success.
   In 1882 Mr. Romine visited Washington City as Superintendent of the State Fishery, and secured about 5,000 young German carp, which were planted in the State ponds. Soon afterward, returning to his farm, he turned his attention largely to stock-raising and for three or four years was highly successful. The hog cholera then made its appearance, during which he suffered a loss of about $1,500.
   He then returned to his farm in this county, and resumed the culture of the German carp in the home ponds, which he enlarged to cover about six acres, and now has probably about 5,000, which vary in size from spring hatchings to eight-pound fish the oldest being three years, and all doing well.
   After giving the particulars of his life to the biographer, Mr. Romine says to the rising generation: "Now, having lived a bachelor life, and enduring all the hardships of such a miserable existence for more than forty years, and being now sixty-three years old. and seeing my folly perhaps too late, I advise all young men to seek the companionship of some worthy member of the gentler sex, and strive to live according to the design of the Creator. and not wholly for self. Mr. Romine is at present living alone on his farm in South Bend Precinct, where he is often visited by his old friends, and expresses himself its always willing to form new ones. He is genial and companionable, and a man possessing a large fund of general information. the result of an ample experience and of keeping his eyes open to what has been going on around him in the world.

ILLIAM MURPHY, deceased, formerly a resident of Mt. Pleasant Precinct, was a gentleman held in the highest respect by all who knew him. He was born on Staten Island, N. Y., in 1849, and was the son of John and Johanna (Demsey) Murphy, who were natives of Ireland. The latter, when William was a small boy, emigrated to the vicinity of Madison. Wis., where the father engaged in farming, and where his death took place when his son, the subject of this sketch, was in the sixteenth year of his age. The mother died in 1886.
   Mr. Murphy received a fair education, and being a youth of more than ordinary intelligence and forethought, he made good books his companions, and thus became well informed upon matters of general interest. He was reared to farming pursuits, and until a man nearly thirty years of age continued a resident of the Hawkeye State. At this period of his life he was married at Storm Lake, Iowa, July 13, 1879, to Miss Elicit Nagle. Mrs. Murphy was

a native of the State of Maine, and born April 24, 1856. Her parents, Richard and Maggie (Golden) Nagle, were natives of Ireland, and are still living, being residents of Storm Lake. Iowa.
   Richard Nagle emigrated to America when a lad of about fourteen years, settling first in the Pine Tree State, where he made his own living by the honest labor of his hands, and being dependent upon his own resources attained to a vigorous and healthful manhood. The parents were married in Maine, and lived there until after the birth of one child. In due time the household circle included five sons and four daughters. The survivors, of whom Mrs. Murphy is the eldest, are located, as follows: James, David and Maggie are residents of Rock Valley, Iowa; Richard, Mary, Patrick and Garrett live at Storm Lake.
   Mrs. Murphy was an infant of eight months when her parents emigrated to the wilds of Madison County, Wis., and she was there reared to womanhood, received a common-school education. and was trained by a careful mother to all useful housewifely duties. Of her union with our subject there were born two daughters: Maggie J., April 25, 1880, and Miry E., March 26, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy located in Mt. Pleasant Precinct soon after their marriage, where Mr. Murphy engaged in farming, His sudden death from heart disease occurred at Weeping Water, Aug. 9, 1862. Although not a long-time resident of this county he had made many friends, being recognized as a man of worth, intelligence and of the strictest integrity. In the home circle he was kind and indulgent. He was a devout member of the Catholic Church, and, politically, voted the straight Democratic ticket.
   The Murphy homestead is finely situated on section 2, and comprises 160 acres of land, with buildings comfortable and convenient, and which compare favorably with those of the other intelligent people of this section. Mrs. Murphy, since the death of her husband, has managed the farm with good judgment and ability, and is spoken of highly by her neighbors. She also is a member in good standing of the Catholic Church.
   The mother of Mr. Murphy was the second wife of his father, her first husband having been William Ford, by whom she had two children: Margaret, the wife of Martin Omaha, residing near Madison, Wis., and one deceased. Of her marriage with John Murphy there were born six children: Hannah, the wife of Patrick Downey, of Wisconsin; John, who died when forty-five years old; Cornelius, resident of Seward County, this State; Mary, Mrs. Hart, living near Madison, Wis.; Elizabeth, Mrs. Whalen, of Seward County, and William, deceased.

RANCIS A. CREMER. Cass County has within its limits numerous enterprising young men who have come in "to lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes," and prominent among them is the subject of our sketch, who is a farmer, leasing and operating a tract of 160 acres of well-selected land in South Bead precinct. He is the only child of John and Sarah Cremer, and was born in Kankakee County, Ill., at Grant Park. He was a boy of ten years of age when his father died. At the age of eighteen his mother died.
   After the death of his father our subject and his mother moved to the house of his uncle, Joseph Cremer, where he lived until his uncle, with the entire family, including our subject, moved to Nebraska in 1876, settling in Cass County. Mr. Cremer and Miss Sarah Lee were married in 1882. This lady is the daughter of John W. and Emma J. (White) Lee; both parents were born in Maryland. Grandfather Frederick Lee was also a native of Maryland. Grandfather Dudley was a private in the Revolutionary War. The parents of Mrs. Cremer moved to Washington County, Iowa, in 1852. She is the second eldest in a family of eleven children. The other members of the family are named as follows: Martha A., Guavara, LeRoy, William, Victor, Charles, Kingsley, Webb, Harry and Etta. Her parents moved to Maryland in 1860, and still reside there.
   The parents of our subject were exceedingly fond of their only child, and the father up to the time of his death, which occurred in Illinois when he was sixty years old, had anticipated a brilliant future for his boy; but death intervening, a change was necessary, and he was not able to obtain the position in life which doubtless would have been