lage. There was one store, which was conducted in a log building, and of this Mr. Garrison soon secured possession. The Indian titles had been only a short time extinguished, and the savages themselves still lingered in the country. But few white people had ventured within the Territory, and they were mostly located along the river. The land was still owned by the Government, and was selling at $1.25 per acre.
   For several years afterward the elder Garrison carried on general merchandising in primitive style, but finally sold out and located on a tract of land northwest of the city. This he improved and occupied until about the time of the outbreak of the Civil War, when he once more gathered together his family and his personal effects, and journeyed to Douglas County, Col., where he now resides.
   Mrs. Mary A. (Crawford) Garrison, the mother of our subject, was born in Richland County, Ohio, and is the daughter of Robert Crawford, a native of Maryland, who emigrated to Ohio and located in Richland Count during its pioneer days. Thence a few years later he pushed still further westward into St. Joseph County, Mich., being also among the first settlers there. He improved a farm, erecting buildings and gathering together all the comforts and conveniences needful, and there closed his eyes upon earthly scenes. Mrs. Garrison is still living, making her home with her son in Plattsmouth. The parental family included six children, five of whom grow to mature years, and are now living.
   The subject of this sketch was but an infant when his parents came to Nebraska Territory, and he has thus literally grown up with the country. He has been a resident of this county all his life, and hag witnessed the growth and development of Southern Nebraska with the warmest interest, and borne no unimportant part as an honest man and a good citizen in building up its reputation. Plattsmouth during this time has grown from a settlement of a few log cabins and frame shanties to one of the most important cities west of the Mississippi, and contains now nearly 10,000 souls. Mr. Garrison spent his boyhood and youth at his father's farm, amid the wild scenes of pioneer life, and upon reaching manhood chose agriculture for his occupation, and gave to this the most of his attention until the spring of 1888, when he disposed of his farm property, and moving into the city established himself as a blacksmith, and is in the enjoyment of a good patronage. He is a natural mechanic, and without having served any regular trade either as blacksmith or carpenter, is a regular expert in the handling of tools. This talent has been the means of saving him many hundreds of dollars on his farm and elsewhere.
   The marriage of H. Greeley Garrison and Miss Harriet N. Bailey was celebrated at the home of the bride in Cass County, July 19, 1883. Mrs. Garrison was born in Schenectady County, N. Y., Sept. 4, 1855, and is the daughter of William P. and Angelique (Van Slike) Bailey, who were natives of New York, and are now residing in this township. (See sketch of Mr. Bailey.) Of this union there is one child, a daughter Letta. Our subject and his family occupy a snug home in the northwestern part of the city, and which is the frequent resort of a large number of friends. Mr. G., politically, is a member of the Democratic party.

EZEKIAH VAN HORN, a highly respected farmer of Plattsmouth Precinct, is pursuing the even tenor of his way on one of its well-cultivated farms, and has built up a good homestead by his own persevering efforts, unaided except by his faithful and devoted wife. He was thrown upon his own resources early in life, and his possessions are the accumulations of industry and economy. He is one of the many men who came to Nebraska with faith in its future, and whose labors have been crowned with their legitimate reward.
   The ancestors of our subject were originally from Holland, where his paternal grandfather, by name Christian Van Horn, was born, and whence he emigrated to the United States when a young man, locating in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pa. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and when his services were no longer needed located in Belmont County, Ohio, about 1836, Thence he re-

moved to the vicinity of Xenia, in Greene County, where his death took place in 1858, when he was seventy-five years old. His son James, the father of our subject, was born in Berks County, Pa., in 1817, and accompanied his father to the Buckeye State. He was there married to Miss Lydia Gray, and they became the parents of eight children, viz: Christian, our subject, Caroline, Thompson, James, Zeruiah, William and Edward. The mother died when a young woman, aged about thirty years, in February, 1853, at the home in Ohio.
   The father of our subject was married the second time, in Ohio, in 1857, to Miss Caroline Ruse, a native of Virginia. Of this union there were born six children: John W., Howard; Maggie, who died in August, 1885; Joseph, Ida and Laura. The family lived in Ohio until the year 1863, then decided to push on further westward, and located in the vicinity of Shawneetown, Ill. Not being satisfied with their surroundings at that place, they changed their residence to Posey County, Ind., but later returned to Illinois, settling in Crawford County. Thence in the year 1881 they moved across the Mississippi to Union County, Iowa, where they still live.
   The subject of this sketch was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Nov. 8, 1843, and remained with his father until a youth of fifteen years. He then started out for himself, going first to his uncle, Joseph Van Horn, in Grape Grove, Greene Co., Ohio, with whom he remained one year. He then returned to his father in Greene County, and in 1863 went with his parents to Illinois, and then he journeyed alone to Iowa, in September, 1872. Two year, later he was married, Sept. 10, 1874, to Miss Mercy I. Barlow, and they commenced the journey of life together in Iowa, where they lived until coming to this county, Oct. 19, 1879. Mr. Van Horn was quite prominent in Grant Township, Iowa, serving as a Constable, and occupying other positions of trust. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat. Christian, the oldest brother of our subject, was a soldier in the Union Army during the late war, and was killed at Goldsboro, N. C., about the time of Lee's surrender.
   To our subject and his estimable wife there were born four children, three of whom are living, viz: George C., Albert M. and Emma Laura. One son, James M., died Aug. 27, 1882, when seven years, two months and six days old. Mrs. Van Horn was born Aug. 14, 1851, in Crawford County, Ill., and is the daughter of Henry M. and Laura E. (Barlow) Barlow. The father was a native of Crawford County, Ill., and the mother of Vermont. The parental household consisted of three children, two of whom are now living.

ILLIAM EDGAR came to Nebraska three years ago, and immediately attached himself to the farming community of Cass County, having previously purchased a partly improved farm on section 25, Centre Precinct. He has brought his land to a good state of cultivation, and is continually making improvements. He raises both grain and stock, and is meeting with unqualified success.
   Mr. Edgar was born in Northumberland County, Pa., Sept. 9, 1843, to Moses and Mary (Whiner) Edgar. His father was a native of the Eastern States, although it is not known in which one he was born, as he died when our subject was a child. He spent his last years in Pennsylvania, where he was engaged as a weaver. To him and his wife were born fourteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity. After his death his widow, who was a woman of much capability and energy, moved with her children to Wisconsin, thence to Illinois, and finally to Iowa, where the most of the family are now living.
   He of whom we write was a lad of ten or more years when his mother moved to Wisconsin, and in Green County, that State, he obtained his education in the common schools, and was reared to a practical, useful life. A few years later the family moved to Ogle County, Ill., and he resided there until he came to this State. He has always followed farming, and had a good farm, which he had brought to a high state of cultivation. But in the spring of 1885 he sold all his property in that State to start anew in Cass County, Neb., having previously purchased this one. It was partly improved, but by his wise management and hard labor he has

greatly increased its value, and has made many fine improvements. The past summer (1888) he erected a large and conveniently arranged barn, 36x44 feet in dimensions, with high posts, and well painted. Everything about the place is neat and orderly, denoting the practical, thrifty man in the owner. There is a good orchard and grove, and from the former Mr. Edgar already derives an income. He usually raises about sixty acres of corn and other small grains, the fertile soil yielding large harvests.
   Mr. Edgar was married to Miss Mary Jane Vanderkar, Sept. 22, 1869. She was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., Sept. 14, 1850, and lived there until she was five years old, when she accompanied her parents to Ogle County, Ill. She there grew to womanhood, receiving from her good mother a careful training in all that goes to make a good housewife. She remained in the home of her parents until our subject claimed her assistance to build up another. Her father, Michael Vanderkar, was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., March 29, 1827, and was a son of John B. and Mary (Warrington) Vanderkar, natives of New York. His mother was a daughter of James Warrington, who came from England, and was a pioneer settler of Saratoga County. He improved and owned two farms, clearing them from the unbroken forest, and on one of them he lived and died, having his home on the banks of the beautiful Mohawk River. The father of Mrs. Edgar married Miss Adeline Vandercook, a daughter of Peter and Nancy (Filkins) Vandercook, and a resident of Saratoga County, which was also the place of his birth. He was a farmer by occupation, but later in life he retired from active labor, and died at his home in Cohoes. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderkar spent the early part of their married life in their native county. Later in life, about 1855, they removed with their family to Ogle County, Ill., where they still reside, he owning a valuable farm there. They have had nine children, seven of whom grew to maturity.
   The shadow of a heavy grief has darkened the married life of our subject and his wife, in the death of four of the five children who have been burn to them, Addie being the only one now living. Of the others the following is recorded: Blanche died Jan. 18, 1877, aged six years six months and six days; Carrie died January 24, the same year, aged three years, twenty-four days; Lula died April 4, 1886, aged six years, eight months and twenty-eight days; Arthur, the only son, died Nov. 11, 1888, aged five years, eight months and twenty-seven days. The first two died of membranous croup. In this great bereavement Mr. and Mrs. Edgar do not sorrow without the hope that their darlings will be restored to them in a future and brighter life, and to them, in the beautiful words of the poet;

   More homelike seems the vast unknown
      Since they have entered there;
   To follow them were not so hard,
      Wherever they may fare;
   They cannot be where
       God is not, on any sea or shore,
   Whate'er betides. Thy love abides,
       Our God, forevermore.

   Mr. Edgar is a man of good understanding, keen and prompt, and, withal, honorable in his dealings. Although he has been a resident of this place but a comparatively short time, yet he has made a favorable impression upon the people by his manly, straightforward ways, and, with his wife, is justly regarded with feelings of respect and friendship by all in the community. He keeps well informed on the political issues of the day, and is decidedly in favor of the Republican party.
   Mr. Edgar had three brothers in the Union Army -John, Reuben and Lazarus. John was killed at the battle of South Mountain; the other two were spared to return home, but broken down in health, as were so many of our bravest soldiers.

ANIEL G. MENDENHALL, an old settler of Stove Creek Precinct, is now numbered among its most successful farmers, and is one of its leading citizens. He is a son of Pennell and Mariah (West) Mendenhall, natives of Lancaster County, Pa., the father born April 27, 1811, and the mother May 17, 1811. Both his paternal and maternal grandfather were of English descent, and the former was a native of the Keystone State. His father passed his early years in the State of his nativity, and while a youth learned

the shoemaker's trade. When a young man he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and was there married. He carried on shoemaking in that city a short time, and then moved to Indiana, and became one of the first settlers of Randolph County. He bought timber land there, improved a good farm of 140 acres, built up a nice home for himself and family, and was prosperously engaged in agriculture there until his death in 1871, at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow died in Indiana, in 1881, at the age of sixty-five years. They were active members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and occupied a high position in the society of their community, where they were valued for their many good traits of character. They had eleven children, as follows: Jesse, Sarah, Joseph (deceased), James, Lydia, Susan, Daniel G., Eliza, Margaret, Ann (deceased), William. Joseph enlisted in the defense of the Union as a member of an Indiana regiment, went to the front, and in Tennessee died of diarrhoea. James enlisted in an Ohio regiment in 1861, served three years without a wound, and was honorably discharged in 1864.
   Daniel G., the subject of this biographical notice, was born near Ridgeville, Randolph Co., Intl., July 7, 1846. He passed his early years on his father's farm, and in the winter seasons attended school. In February, 1865, when a youth of eighteen years, he enlisted in the 147th Indiana Infantry, was mustered in at Richmond, Ind., and with his regiment sent to join the Army of the Potomac in Virginia, but did not arrive in Richmond until Lee had surrendered. Our subject acted mostly as guard in the Shenandoah Valley, and was finally mustered out at Harper's Ferry, and discharged at Indianapolis, having shown himself to be possessed of the valor, patriotism, endurance and other qualities necessary to make a good soldier. After his military experience he went back to his father's farm, and worked for him until he attained his majority. He then rented the home farm for three years. In the fall of 1871 he determined to come farther West to build up for himself a home, and, coming to Nebraska City by rail, he came from there to Stove Creek Precinct, and bought the west eighty acres of the northeast quarter of section 25. He broke the land, built on it, improved and farmed it for two years, and then sold it, and purchased 160 acres on the northwest corner of the same section, from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company. This was also wild prairie land, with not a tree on it. He broke the soil, set out a large grove of forest trees, six acres of orchard, containing 600 choice fruit trees, besides a vineyard and plenty of small fruits. He had to draw the timber for his first house, from McKesick Island, in the Missouri River. He had not paid for the whole of his land when the grasshopper raid come, still for two years he was the only one who held on to railroad land in Stove Creek Precinct, the others having to leave, starvation staring them in the face, He pitted himself against the grasshopper, and, though these insects left nothing but the soil, his staying powers proved the stronger, and he won in the end, and has now much more than retrieved his losses. His farm is in a fine condition, and is one of the best appointed in the precinct, with a large, well-arranged house, good burns, corn cribs, windmill, tank, etc. It is well supplied with running water, and is willow hedged and wire fenced. It is admirably fitted for a stock firm, and he raises and feeds fine Durham cattle, full-blooded Poland-China hogs, with a thoroughbred sow, and he has three teams of graded horses.
   The marriage that united our subject to Miss Jane Smithson, a native of Randolph County, Ind., took place Aug. 29, 1868, and of their pleasant wedded life seven children have been born, as follows; Rosetta B., born Aug. 21, 1869; Elizabeth F., Sept. 4, 1870; John W., May 7, 1872; Charley, born March 13, 1874, died May 22, 1874; Margaret A., born Oct. 10, 1875; William H., May 19, 1877; Frankie O. S., Nov. 27, 1884.
    Mr. Mendenhall is a practical man, endowed with sufficient enterprise and tenacity of purpose to make him successful in whatever he undertakes. That he is an intelligent and skillful agriculturist is demonstrated by the appearance of his farm, with its well-tilled fields, and well-kept, finely graded stock. He stands high in the esteem of his fellow citizens, who show their confidence in his ability and integrity by entrusting to him such responsible offices as the Supervisorship of the precinct,

and electing him to a position on the School Board. He is influential in the councils of the Republican party of his locality, being a strong believer in the principles promulgated by that party. He has served as a juryman. Religiously, he adheres to the doctrines of the Free-Will Baptist Church.

EORGE W. GRIMES, who settled in Otoe County, Neb., in May, 1865, in McWilliams Precinct, and Sept. 20, 1869, moved to his present home, owns an extensive farm in Liberty Precinct, and is classed among the most substantial and well-to-do representative agriculturists of Cass County. His farm is supplied with good buildings and all the necessary improvements to make it one of the most desirable estates for many miles around. It comprises 380 acres of finely tilled land, which is distributed on different sections as follows: 140 on section 19, eighty acres on section 30, and 160 acres on section 17. It has living water on it and many other advantages, adapting it admirably to stock-raising or any other purpose to which the owner chooses to apply it.
   Mr. Grimes was born in Howard County, Mo., Nov. 19, 1826. His father, Robert Grimes, was a native of what is now West Virginia, and a son of Aaron Grimes, a native of Ireland, who, coming to America prior to the Revolutionary War, cast in his lot with the struggling colonists and gallantly assisted them in obtaining their freedom from the mother country. After the war he settled in that part of Virginia now known as West Virginia, and there spent his remaining years, his wife preceding him to the grave. They had a large family of children, and Robert Grimes, father of our subject, was one of the youngest members of the family. He attained his majority in Randolph County, where was the home of his birth, and while yet a single man, accompanied by his elder brother George, he made his way to Kentucky, living there some years, near Lexington. His brother became a prominent man in public life, and represented either Bourbon or Clark County in the State Legislature for a number of terms. He was married, but died without children. Robert Grimes was married not far from Lexington, Ky., to Miss Temperance Swetman, a native of either Clark or Bourbon County where she was reared and lived until marriage, after which Mr. Grimes began life as a farmer in Kentucky. Subsequent to the birth of four children, he moved with his family to Howard County, Mo., and was among its earliest settlers, having arrived there in the fall of 1826. The Indians were numerous and troublesome at that time, and Mr. Grimes took an active part in suppressing their outrages during the various raids made by the savages. He had also been a patriotic soldier in the War of 1812, while he was still a resident of his native State, Virginia. Mr. Grimes later in life made another move, and with his wife and children settled in Randolph County, Mo., and began to farm in Prairie Township, and there he and his wife made a comfortable home. He served as Major of Militia in the Mormon War in Missouri at the time they were driven out of that State and located in Nauvoo, Ill. During the last part of their lives they moved to the northern part of the same county, where they both died, he at the age of sixty-three, Nov. 1, 1847, and she eight years later, when past sixty years old. They were members of the Christian Church, and their daily lives exemplified the beauties of its teachings.
   Our subject was the first son and the fifth child in order of birth of the six sons and seven daughters born to his parents and of this large family, all are living but two. He comes of a long-lived, hardy race, and inherits many of their independent, sturdy traits of character, that make him invaluable as a citizen and successful as a man. He was married in Randolph County, Mo., June 15, 1854, to Miss Nancy M. Goddard, a native of that county. She was born Feb. 10, 1834, and was a daughter of John G. and Talitha (Fipps) Goddard, now deceased, they having died in Randolph County. The father's death was tragic, for as he was standing on his own doorstep he was shot by bushwhackers, Feb. 26, 1865. He was then over fifty years old. During the war he had stood on neutral ground. His first wife, the mother of Mrs. Grimes, ten years before his death had departed this life, and he had married a second time. He and his first wife were natives of Kentucky, but were married

in Randolph County, Mo., to which county they had gone from Kentucky some years before. Mr. Goddard was a lifelong farmer. Mrs. Grimes was the eldest of a large family of children, and she was reared and educated in the county of her nativity. She is the mother of ten children, five of whom early passed to the great beyond, two of them being named Francis E. and George E., the other three died in infancy. The record of the living children is as follows: Talitha T. is the wife of E. M. Smith, a farmer of this precinct; Louvina is the wife of W. P. Comer, a farmer of this precinct; Mary A., Floreta and John E. are at home with their parents.
   Mr. Grimes has not achieved success without hard labor, but his toils have been directed by a clear head and cool judgment. He is shrewd in his dealings, and his credit stands high in financial circles. He and his good wife are active members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Union Village, and he is an Elder. In politics he is a sound Democrat, and has been true to his party ever since he became a voter.

ILLIAM HENRY H. CASSEL is a practical farmer, who is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits on section 26, Weeping Water Precinct. He is the son of one of Nebraska's pioneers, his father, John Cassel, having been an early settler of Otoe County, where he evolved a valuable farm from the wild prairie near Nebraska City. Our subject was only a boy when he accompanied his parents to this State in 1856, but he may well be denominated a pioneer of Nebraska, not only for his share of the pioneer labor needed to improve his father's farm, but for the hard work that he has performed since coming here in developing his own farm from a state of nature, and thus materially assisting in advancing the agricultural interests of Cass County.
   Our subject was born in Indiana, May 7, 1844, and there the first twelve years of his life were passed, and he gained the rudiments of his education in the public schools of his native State. His father was a native of South Carolina, and there lived until he had attained manhood. He then sought the wilds of Ohio, and was there married to Sarah Thomas, and with her valuable aid hewed out a farm from the forest-covered land. They subsequently moved to Indiana, and later to Nebraska, always keeping on the frontier, and again began the pioneer task of building up a home far from the haunts of civilization. On the tract of wild prairie not far from Nebraska City he improved a farm, and there spent his remaining years, dying in 1882. He left the record of a life of usefulness and good deeds, and his memory is respected by his early associates in pioneer days, and by later comers, as that of a just and upright man, whose kind hand was readily extended to them in times of trouble. He was an earnest Christian, and a member of the Baptist Church, as is also his esteemed wife, who still survives him. Of their wedded life twelve children were born, nine of whom lived to maturity.
   Their son, of whom we write, was a strong and active boy of twelve years when they came to Nebraska, and thus it has been his privilege to witness the growth of the State, its upbuilding from the wild prairies, from which the buffalo, deer and antelope had not fled when he first came, and where the Indian still lingered. He can remember when Nebraska City was an insignificant trading post with less than 100 habitations, and most of them of rude style of architecture, or of no architecture at all. In the early schools of that city he completed his education, and on his father's homestead he gained a good knowledge of agriculture. He remained an inmate of the parental household until 1871, when he came to Cass County and purchased the land comprised in his present farm of ninety-two acres, finely located on section 6, township 10, range 11, Weeping Water Precinct. From that cultivated prairie he has developed one of the most productive farms in this region, and every improvement has been the work of his own hand. He planted a lovely grove of forest trees that adds greatly to the attractiveness of his place; a good orchard, and small fruits in abundance. His farm is mostly fenced with hedge, and the buildings that he has erected are in good order, and look neat and substantial. He devotes his time principally to