quite helpless during the last few years of his life from age and infirmities. The faithful wife and mother had preceded her husband to the land of the hereafter nearly twenty years, her death taking place in June, 1865, at the age of forty-six. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church.
   Mrs. Murdoch was the eldest of seven children, one son and six daughters, and was reared under the home roof, acquiring her education in the common school. Under the training of her excellent parents she became imbued with those principles which have constituted her one of the truest women ever becoming the helpmate of a good and worthy man. Of their union there have been born eight children, one of whom, a little daughter, Julia F., died April 13, 1874, when only eighteen months old. Of the survivors the record is as follows: Oliver S. married Miss Ida M. Coleman, and they are living on a 160 acre farm in Gosper County, this State; Henry married Delia Colvin, is also a resident of that county, engaged in the same calling, and is the owner of a fine tract of land of a like extent; Mary is the wife of Scott Norris, and they live on farm in Antelope County; G. Albert, John W., Cyrene and Ruth O. are at home with their parents.
   Mr. and Mrs. Murdoch are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, attending services regularly at Mt. Pleasant. The two eldest sons, departing somewhat from the religious bias of their parents, belong to the United Brethren Church. Mr. Murdoch is a Democrat of pronounced ideas.
   The first studies of Mr. and Mrs. Murdoch, as children, were conducted in the log school-houses of the olden times, structures widely different from those in which is carried on the education of the present generation. Then the temple of learning was built of logs, with a wide fireplace occupying nearly one end of a cabin probably 12x16 feet square, and the chimney built outside of earth and sticks. Light was admitted through a few small panes of glass or greased paper, and the door was made of puncheon -- a log riven and placed with round surface downward. The roof was probably of clapboards held in place by weight poles. The system of learning corresponded with the other surroundings, and the books utilized descended from the elder child to the younger as long as they would hold together. Children in those days were taught to be useful as soon as old enough to labor, and while their hardships were plentiful, there were still many simple sources of enjoyment, and people were probably happier in those times than many are at the present, surrounded with comforts and luxuries. There is an air of romance woven within the history of the old pioneers, which forms a tale ever listened to with readiness and attention both by old and young. Few can relate a more interesting story than the subject of this sketch and his interesting wife.
   The year after the outbreak of the Civil War, although in the midst of his labors and plans in his new home, Mr. Murdoch felt it his duty to lay aside his personal interests, and on the 18th of November, 1862, enlisted in Company H, 2d Nebraska Cavalry, under Capt. Marshall, the commander of the regiment being Gen. Sully. They were assigned to the Army of the Northwest, and operated mostly along the White Stone Valley, Dak., keeping the Indians in subjection, and during which time Mr. Murdoch was under fire in two active engagements. He saw his fill of life on the frontier, and when his services were no further required received his honorable discharge, in December, 1863, at Omaha, and soon thereafter, returning home, he resumed his farm labors, which have since been comparatively uninterrupted.

LBERT A. MILLER, senior member of the firm of Miller & Olmstead, is with his partner conducting a prosperous trade in clothing, hats, caps, trunks and general furnishing goods, forming a house which occupies a leading positition (sic) in trade at this point. Their headquarters are in a fine brick structure, the I. O. O. F. building, and they number among their friends and patrons the best people of Weeping Water and vicinity.
   Mr. Miller first set foot upon the soil of Nebraska in 1869, less than two years after it had been admitted into the Union as a State, on his

way to the Pacific Coast, While pleased with the face of the country he did not locate here until about 1881, when he began business as one of the firm of Reed Bros. & Co., of whom mention is made in the sketch of E. L. Reed, found elsewhere in this volume. That partnership continued a period of three years. The career of Mr. Miller in this county has been been (sic) uniformly fortunate, and he has invested considerable capital in town property, putting up two good residences, one of which he sold at a round sum.
   The firm of Miller & Olmstead was established in October, 1888, and both partners are men of first-class business capacities. Mr. Miller started out in life dependent mostly upon his own resources, but Providence endowed him with that genial and courteous manner and fine integrity which has gained him the friendship and confidence of those with whom he has been associated. He is a stanch Republican politically, although having no desire for the responsibilities of office. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Knights of Pythias. In religious matters he is a prominent member of the Regular Baptist Church, in which he officiates as Deacon, Financial Secretary and Trustee.
   Mr. Miller was born in Liberty Township, Trumbull Co., Ohio, August 5, 1848, and lived there with his parents until he was about five years old. They then removed to Warren, Ohio, where he completed a good education and whence he went at the age of twenty years to Indianapolis, Ind., where he sojourned a period of twelve years, engaged in business as salesman. Mr. Miller was connected with several mercantile houses and lived in Indianapolis until 1881. In the meantime he was married, Oct. 10, 1872, to Miss Frances Seaman. Of this union there have been born five children, three only of whom are living, namely; Francis, Laura and Clara. They are all at home with their parents and are being given the training and education suitable to their station in life, which will make of them worthy and respected citizens.
   Mrs. Miller was born in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 11, 1853, and is the daughter of Edwin and Cynthia (Crutchfield) Seaman. Her father was engaged in mercantile business the greater part of his life. He was born in Ohio, Sept. 3, 1824, and came to Nebraska in 1881. He now makes his home with his son-in-law, Mr. Miller. He has been a prominent light in mercantile circles. Since coming to Nebraska he has served as a Justice of the Peace in Weeping Water, and like Mr. Miller belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P. Mrs. Seaman died in October, 1864. Mrs. Miller was her only child.
   Reuben Miller, the father of our subject, was born in New Jersey, Jan. 11, 1811. When an infant he was taken by his parents to the city of Washington, D. C., where he lived until a young man of twenty years. Then starting out for himself he made his way to the vicinity of Liberty, Trumbull Co., Ohio, where he was engaged in manufacturing in connection with farming. In the Buckeye State he married Miss Emeline Fuller, and they became the parents of six children, of whom but two are living, Albert A. and Laura M., Mrs. Titus, of Minneapolis. Mr. Miller departed this life at his home in Pennsylvania in February, 1867. The mother had preceded her husband to the silent land, dying in November, 1862. She was born in Orange County, N. Y., August 28, 1815, and was the daughter of Ira and Sallie Fuller. The paternal grandfather of our subject was James Miller.

ILLIAM W. GULLION. Among the many extensive land-owners within the confines of Cass County we find the subject of our sketch, who was one of the earliest of the early settlers in the county. He settled near Plattsmouth in 1854, and on the 14th of June of that year, he and his brother-in-law, William H. Sheffer, both laid the foundations for rude log houses on their respective claims, at a time when there was but one house in Plattsmouth, and that was a trading-house belonging to Samuel Martin, who was perhaps the first settler in Cass County.
   The brother-in-law Sheffer built the first house, and our subject helped him, completing his own afterward. At the first election, in the spring of 1855, Mr. Gullion was elected Constable, the first person filling that office in the county. In those days justice was administered in a primitive, yet

extremely effectual manner, the entire legal system being exclusively managed by a vigilance committee, and it can be said in favor of those times that justice was generally rendered. He pre-empted a claim of 160 acres adjoining Plattsmouth on the north.
   On the breaking out of the gold excitement in 1858, our subject went to Pike's Peak and Denver, where he passed one winter, after which he returned to Plattsmouth and engaged in freighting across the plains, which business he followed with varying success for six years. As he has prospered he has from time to time added to his ownership of land, until he now owns an extensive tract in Salt Creek Precinct. It is not possible to enter into a full history of the earlier years of this gentleman in Nebraska. To do so would require a volume. Coming to the State at the time he did, when there were but very few settlers within what is now the limits of the county, at a great distance from the markets, he had his full share of the discomforts and troubles attending the life of a pioneer, which for a verity, in this case, he was. He possesses a large fund of information regarding the early times of the State, having had an active part in making its history, and none should know it better than he. Then again, it would not be possible for the pen to paint sufficiently vivid word pictures, that would convey to the reader such knowledge as would enable them to comprehend, in all its bearings, the life they were compelled to lead.
   Among the least of the dangers our subject was obliged to endure was the treachery of the Indians who were then thickly scattered over the broad domain, which they claimed as their it birthright, and on which they consider white man to be a trespasser. To appreciate this life one must bear the description from the lips of those who went through it, and it is time well spent in engaging the subject of this sketch in conversation relative to those frontier times, when men and women took their lives in their hands, and dared to undertake that which they knew beforehand to be fraught with untold dangers.
   Our subject was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Mayfield, the daughter of LeRoy and Martha (Baskett) Mayfield. The lady's mother is still living, at the ripe old age of eighty-two years, and makes her home with our subject. Mrs. Gullion was born in 1839, in Monroe County, Ind. Her father died in 1851, aged fifty-two years. Herself and husband are the parents of two children -- John Willmer and James E.
   Our subject came to his present farm in the year 1879; it contains 240 acres of nicely located land, a large portion of which he has improved. Like many others he has not proved to be a successful financier, but whatever troubles may have come to him from this source, they cannot in any instance, or in any way, he attributed to any failure on his part to act fairly, honestly and uprightly with every man with whom he has had business relations. In fact his honesty and integrity of character have become proverbial, and he is above reproach.
   The subject of this sketch is one of the best citizens of the precinct. He is public-spirited and generous to a fault, and every suggestion that has for its object the advancement or improvement of the locality in any sense of the word meets with his earnest and hearty approval. Since reaching years of maturity he has voted at every election, never voting but once outside the State. He was the first Constable and Deputy Sheriff elected in Cass County, the duties of which he performed in a highly acceptable manner.

OHN CORBET. The sons of Scotland are always pardoned for pride in their nationality. The subject of this record, one of the solid men of Avoca Precinct, was born in Lanarkshire, the land of the thistle, Feb. 2, 1837, and crossed the Atlantic with his parents at an early period of his life, they settling in Trumbull County, Ohio, where he received his education and was reared to man's estate.
   Mr. Corbet is now the owner of 240 acres of fine land on section 2, all of which has been brought to a high state of cultivation. It is embellished with neat and substantial buildings and forms the ideal country home. Stock-raising is made a specialty of at this farm, Short-horn cattle taking the lead.

The land became the property of Mr. Corbet in 1859, when it was in a wild and uncultivated state, and he did not settle upon it until eight years later. Upon taking up his residence here in the April of 1868, he began in earnest the cultivation of the soil, the planting of trees, the erection of buildings, and the gathering about him and his family the conveniences and comforts necessary to modern life. No man is more highly respected in his community, and none have contributed in a greater degree to build up its reputation and develop its resources.
   While a resident of Trumbull County, Ohio, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Catherine Jameson, a native of his own shire in Scotland, and born July 10, 1839. Mrs. Corbet is the daughter of William and Jannett (Hamilton) Jameson, excellent families of Scotch birth and ancestry, who came to the United States about 1842 and settled in Trumbull County, Ohio. They sojourned there until the death of the mother, about 1881. Later Mr. Jameson came to Nebraska and is still living, making his home with A. Jameson in Avoca Precinct, and is now quite aged.
   Mrs. Corbet was reared and educated in Trumbull County, Ohio, and of her marriage with our subject there have been born four children: Frank is a student of the Commercial College at Lincoln; Robert is attending school; Jarrett and Katie are pursuing their childish studies in the district school. Mrs. Corbet is a very estimable lady and a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject, politically, is a stanch supporter of Republican principles, public-spirited, high-minded and intelligent, prompt to meet his business obligations, in fact, one of the most valued members of his community.
   Robert Corbet, the father of our subject, also a native of Lanarkshire, married a lady of his own county, who died after the birth of three children of whom John, our subject, was the second born. He was only three years old at the time of his mother's death and knows very little of her history. His father was a second time married in Lanarkshire to Miss Catherine Currie. This lady was also of pure Scotch descent, and after the birth of one child by this marriage the family all came to America, being on the ocean four weeks less two days, and landing in New York City. That same year, 1849, they settled in Trumbull County, Ohio, where the father engaged in farming in Fowler Township, of which he continued a resident until within a few years of his death. He then removed to Vernon Township where his death occurred in 1886, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. His last wife is still living with her children in Trumbull County, and is now ripe in years. They were Presbyterians in religion, and the father, after coming to America, identified himself with the Republican party.
   Janet, the own sister of our subject, is now the wife of John Cleland, a well-to-do farmer of Crawford County, Pa.; Andrew, his brother, lives on a farm to Berlin Precinct, Otoe County, this State.

AMUEL RICHARDSON is certainly entitled to take a front rank among the pioneers of two States, being born a member of one of the first families that settled in Ohio, which at that time was wild and unsettled, and coming to Nebraska while it also was in a comparatively new condition. In 1860 he settled on a farm on section 1 of Mt. Pleasant Precinct, where he now resides on his highly cultivated and well-improved farm, surrounded by the comforts and conveniences of life, accumulated by many years of hard and anxious toil.
   This gentleman was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Dec. 12, 1827, a son of Thomas and Sarah Richardson. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of West Virginia. They were the earliest settlers in Belmont County, and their family, including our subject, were reared amid the scenes of a wild country. He lived there with his parents until he was about seventeen years of age, when he went to what is now known as Noble County. When he was eight years old his mother died, leaving a large family of children, of whom the following named survive: Rebecca is now the wife of John H. Pool, and resides in Cass County; Sophia is now the wife of William Preshaw, and lives in Ottawa, Kan.; and Samuel. The deceased

members of the family were named; Margaret, Jane, Thomas A., Mary A., James and Sarah.
   The paternal ancestors of our subject were of English-Irish origin; the ancestors on the maternal side were English. As far as can be learned, the Richardson family are supposed to have first located in Pennsylvannia (sic), but nothing definite can be ascertained upon this point.
   Our subject lived in Noble County, Ohio, until he was married, Nov. 29, 1849, to Jane E. Thomas, who bore him five children, one of whom, Mary E., who is now the wife of J. R. Vallery, and resides in Cass County, survives. The four deceased children were named Sarah L., Melissa J., Margaret E. and Jennie C. The first wife of Mr. Richardson departed this life at her home in Mt. Pleasant Precinct March 24, 1864. She was a model wife and living mother, and her death was felt to be a great loss to the community as well as to the family.
   On Aug. 21, 1864, our subject married Mrs. Mary E. Kennedy, the widow of James B. Kennedy, who was a resident of Cass County, Neb. This lady is a native of Ohio, having been born in Muskingum County, Aug. 15, 1837. She was the daughter of William and Mary (Richey) Colvin.
   This lady's parents were both natives of Muskingum County. Her paternal ancestors were English. When she was a child of about five years old her parents removed with their family to Franklin County, Ohio, where they lived until she was sixteen years old, when the family moved west to Marion County, Iowa, where they lived until she reached her maturity, and was there married on Jan. 31, 1857, to Mr. J. B. Kennedy, by whom she had two children: Loran V., now residing in California, and May, now the wife of J. M. Hamilton, Attorney at Law in Lincoln, Neb. James B. Kennedy, her first husband, met his death in Colorado while out with two companions prospecting, under the following circumstances: Being short of provisions he and one of his comrades had gone to the top of the mountain to procure some game, for breakfast; while they were looking for game five Indians came and took supper in their tent. The Indians pretended to be going on down to Denver; instead of doing so they hid in the bluff and killed Mr. Kennedy and his companion, a Mr. Shanks of Omaha. A Mr. Slaughter, who was one of the trio, alone escaped to tell the tale.
   The first wife of Mr. Richardson was a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Thomas. By the second marriage, and his present wife he is the father of four children: William T., now at home with his parents; Lily A., deceased: Frank S., now attending the Lincoln Business College, and Florence E., who is attending school at Lincoln.
   In the spring of 1860 our subject came to Cass County and settled on his present farm, which at that time contained 160 acres of land, for which he paid $1,000. The improvements at the time of his purchase consisted of a log cabin and twenty acres of plowed land. From the day of his arrival on his farm to the present, he has devoted his time and energies to the further development of the resources of his property, until he now owns one of the finest improved farms in the precinct. His large and elegant residence, roomy and well designed, is furnished handsomely, and is well equipped with all of the conveniences necessary to make the task of the wife one of pleasure and satisfaction. The grounds surrounding his home are elegantly arranged and beautified with fine ornamental trees, shrubbery and flowering plants.
   The large and conveniently arranged barns are models of their kind, designed as they are with a view to accommodate his large herds of stock, and to storing and handling the grain products of the farm economically and to the best advantage. A large orchard of thrifty trees of the choicest varieties of fruit best adapted to the climate, and a number of groves, both natural and planted, add value and beauty to the homestead. He has at different times made additions to his original purchase, until he is now the owner of 320 acres of land.
   When the first husband of Mrs. Richardson (Mr. Kennedy) came to Mt. Pleasant Precinct in 1857, there was not a house between their home and Plattsmouth, and no land had been plowed within that distance. This lady during the life of her first husband, and also since her marriage with our subject, has borne many of the privations of pioneer life with great bravery, and she deserves a proud place in the roll of honor containing the names of

the good wives and mothers of Nebraska, and since her marriage to our subject she has contributed largely to their present prosperity by her wise counsel and excellent management.
   William T. Richardson, the son of our subject, is now at home. He was for three years foreman in a large lumber-yard in Omaha, and filled responsible positions for the same firm elsewhere, and has traveled over the greater portion of the West, visiting the various States and Territories. He attended the State University at Lincoln one year, and for a time attended the Business College in Omaha.
   The subject of this sketch holds a prominent position among the people of the precinct. He has been called upon by them at various times to fulfill certain public duties requiring the highest integrity. He was elected Commissioner of Cass County in the autumn of 1878, re-elected in 1881, serving two terms of three years each, with credit to himself and benefit to his constituents. He has discharged the duties pertaining to the office of Justice of the Peace. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, where he has served as Steward for many years. They both take an active interest in society, and are widely and favorably known, and they stand among the leading and representative pioneer families of Cass County, and we are pleased to represent Mr. and Mrs. Richardson in this ALBUM.

OHN HOLSCHUH, one of the most enterprising German farmers of Cass County, first opened his eyes to the light in what was then Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, July 6, 1824. He is the son of J. William and Sophia (Grenc) Holschuh, who were also of German birth and ancestry. He spent the first years of his life in his native country, where he united his fortunes May 24, 1853, with a maiden of his own Province, and the same month in which they were married they started to the United States, landing in New York City on the 6th of August, 1853. They made the voyage on a sailing-vessel, spending fifty-two days on the high seas. Visiting with friends a few days in the metropolis they proceeded on their journey into Franklin County, Ohio, where they arrived August 14, and established themselves in the city of Columbus, where they lived until July, 1885, then gathering together their personal effects, they started once more westward, halting in Washington, Tazewell Co., Ill., where Mr. Holschuh rented a tract of land upon which he operated until the spring of 1857. He now concluded to cast his lot among the people of Nebraska Territory, and accordingly set out with his little family via the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to St. Louis, thence up the Missouri to Plattsmouth, where they arrived on the 17th of April, and our subject, establishing his family comfortably began working by the day.
   Mr. Holschuh had been accompanied from Illinois by Jacob Horn, and the two purchased a lot in Plattsmouth and a team of mules. Later they dissolved partnership, dividing their property, Mr. Horn taking the team and Mr. HoIschuh the lot. Our subject traded his property for two yoke of oxen and a plow, and thus equipped began breaking prairie for the settlers around. He managed to save a little money and after a time invested his capital in another lot and put up a house which he sold later, he operated considerably in real estate after this, in a small way buying lots, building houses and selling, and has traded considerably in city property, besides timber land, etc. he at one time cleared quite a tract of timber, then sold the land at a good profit.
   Mr. Holschuh finally after years of labor purchased forty acres of land two miles northwest of Plattsmouth, and later added to it sixty more, whereon he made improvements, and finally sold the 100 acres for the snug sum of $10,500. This transaction was completed in May; 1887, and later Mr. H. purchased the farm of 142 acres where he now lives. Of this he took possession in March, 1888. It is one of the finest in the precinct and he has effected various improvements, putting up a barn and corn cribs and making a large amount of fencing. He also in 1888 bought another farm west of his present homestead, in this precinct, of 120 acres.
   The wife of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Catharine Michel, and they were married May 24, 1853, in their native Province of Hesse-Darmstadt,