dinary intelligence, and although having little time to give to books since coming to America has picked up a good fund of general knowledge, which serves him admirably among the practical affairs of life.
   Mrs. Maggie (Hartmann) Albert was born in Germany, June 20, 1856, and is the daughter of Henry and Anne E. (Misinger) Hartmann, the former of whom is deceased, and the latter still living in Germany. In February, 1872, when a young lady of sixteen years Miss Maggie, accompanied by her sister Catherine, emigrated to America, making the voyage on an ocean steamer, and landing after fifteen days in New York City. She also, like her husband, located in Tazewell County, Ill., where she lived until 1875, coming then to this county, where she was married to our subject. This union has resulted in the birth of six children; John H., born July 2, 1876; Anne, March 3, 1878; George, Aug. 17, 1881; Lizzie, March 8, 1883; Philip, Aug. 21, 1885, and Henry, Sept. 12, 1888.
   The precinct of Eight Mile Grove has been particularly fortunate in being settled by a set of sturdy, industrious German citizens, among whom Mr. Albert is a leading spirit. He came to America a stranger in a strange land without means, and has worked his way upward by his own honesty and industry, and is deserving of the highest praise. It is such men as he who have been selected as the representatives of the intelligence and solidity of Cass County, whose names are worthy of being perpetuated in a work of this kind.

ON. JONATHAN N. WISE, Postmaster of Plattsmouth, is an early pioneer of Cass County, landing in this city the 21st day of May, 1856, and most of the time since that date he has been closely identified with both the business and public life of this part of Nebraska.
   He was born in Washington County, Pa., Nov. 27, 1832, and his father, Andrew Wise, was born in the same State. The father of our subject was reared and married in his native State Hannah, daughter of Daniel Leatherman, and a native of Washington County, Pa. and a true and helpful companion she proved to be, and actively assisted him in building up a home. She died in Washington County, Pa., leaving many warm friends to mourn the loss of a good woman. Mr. Wise continued to reside in his native State for many years after marriage, engaging in farming until near middle age, and then turning his attention to the mercantile business in Cannonsburg, Washington County, conducting it with great success for a number of years. In 1838 he sold out, and moved to Adams County, Ind., going with a team to Pittsburg, thence down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, from there on a canal to Piqua, and from there by team to his destination in Adams County. He bought a tract of heavily timbered land sixteen miles from Ft. Wayne, and first built a hewed log house on the place, which a few years later he replaced by a more commodious frame structure. There were no railways in that part of the country, and Ft. Wayne was the nearest market place. Mr. Wise cleared a farm of about 100 acres, and made his home thereon until a few years before his death. He then rented his farm and removed to Ft. Wayne to engage in boating on the Wabash Canal. He died there in 1846, leaving the precious legacy of a good name and an upright life.
   Jonathan N. Wise was in his sixth year when the family moved to Indiana, and amid the pioneer environments of his new home he grew to a self-reliant and manly manhood. He received his education in the primitive schools of that day, the first one that he went to being taught in a log house, heated by a fire in an open fireplace, and the benches made of slabs with wooden pins for legs and a plain board desk. After his father's removal to Ft. Wayne he completed his education in the schools of that city.
   Our subject was, however, imbued with the desire to try life in another part of the country, and in October, 1855, he started for the Northwest, going via stage to White Pigeon, Mich., thence by rail to Galena, and from there by steamer to St. Paul, Minn. He made but a short stop there, and then returned to Adams County. In January, 1856, he again set out on his travels, and went to Princeton, Ill., where he stayed until May, and he then continued his westward journey, going by rail

to Iowa City, Iowa, then the western terminus of the railway, and the only railway in Iowa. From there he proceeded by stage to Plattesmouth. Iowa was at that time but very sparsely settled, and the roads being bad they made but slow progress, finally arriving at the Missouri River, which they crossed on a flatboat, and on the 21st day of May, 1856, were in the embryonic city of Plattsmouth. There were but about fifty inhabitants here at that time and but one store, kept by Slaughter & Vallery.
   Mr. Wise found employment at his trade the first year, and also assisted in erecting a number of houses. But he was soon drawn into public life, and in the fall of 1857 was elected County Clerk, being the second man to hold that position in Cass County. He served two years with great credit, and then retired to private life and turned his attention to the real estate and loan business, continuing thus engaged until 1863. He then spent the winter in St. Joseph as a clerk in a commission house. In the spring of 1864 he returned to Plattsmouth and entered the general store of Tootle & Hanna as bookkeeper, holding that position for one year. At the expiration of that time he went into business as an insurance and real estate agent, continuing thus for some years. In 1871 he gave up his business to accept a position as bookkeeper in the general store of Vallery & Ruffner, and was in their employ for three years. In January, 1874, he was offered the position of assistant County Treasurer and bookkeeper, and concluding to accept it he remained an incumbent of that office seven years, and for one year afterward worked on the County books. He then engaged as bookkeeper for Morrissey Bros., grain dealers, and was with them in that capacity for two and one-half years. In May, 1885, he was appointed to his present position as Postmaster of Plattsmouth. He is a very popular official, as he is courteous, pleasant and obliging under all circumstances, and in him the public finds one of its most capable servants, who is careful and painstaking in the discharge of his duties.
   The rare stability and highly honorable character of our subject have gained him the confidence of his fellow-citizens to a marked degree, and they have often expressed it by calling him to responsible public positions. In the fall of 1862 they elected him to the Territorial Legislature. He has been a member of the City Council and at one time held the office of Mayor by appointment. He has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and has many times been delegate to County and State Conventions. He is prominently identified with the following societies: Capital Lodge No. 3, A. F. & A. M.; Nebraska Chapter No. 3, R. A. M.; Mount Zion Commandery No. 5, K. T. He was Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska from 1865 to 1868; and also Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Nebraska for some years.
   Mr. Wise was united in marriage with Miss Frances E. Wright, youngest daughter of the Rev. Alpha and Arabella Wright, of whom see sketch. They have one of the most comfortable and attractive homes in the city, and four children have been born of their happy wedded life, namely: Evelyn W., Willard B., Bertha C. and J. King. Mr. and Mrs. Wise are valued members of the Presbyterian Church, generously contributing to its support and heartily encouraging its good work.

ILLIS P. PERKINS, manager and grain buyer for the Nebraska City Elevator Company of Union, is a man of large experience and a fine capacity for business. He has been a resident of this point since the establishment of the elevator here in November, 1887, and he has been connected with the company for twelve years, and has never lost a day in their service, and for his intelligent management of their interests and his fidelity, the company trust him implicitly, and consider him one of their most valuable employes. The elevator, of which he has control, has a capacity of 8,000 bushels, and is kept well filled all of the time. Mr. Perkins is well and favorably known by the citizens of this community, and by the grain raisers throughout the county. He was one of the pioneers of 1856, settling then in Nebraska City, and has made his home there a great deal of the time since until coming here. He has been variously engaged as a farmer, freighter, grain dealer, etc., and has had a rich and varied experience of

life on the frontier and on the plains, and is perfectly familiar with the history of those early days when the country was new, when Indians were numerous, white settlements few and scattering; and there being no railways, goods were carried on the water courses from point to point, or, where rivers were not available, along and weary distance across the seemingly endless plains that were then looked upon as for the most part, barren and fruitless. It has been the privilege of our subject to watch the great change that has been wrought by the energetic hand of man in turning this part of the so-called "Great American Desert" into a fruitful land, teeming with wealth and busy life, and he may be proud to think that he, too, assisted in its development.
   He first began life here as a business man, and in the fall of 1859 had his first experience as a freighter, crossing the plains with the first load of apples ever shipped to Denver. To the little band of settlers on the banks of Cherry Creek, famishing for the good things that they had left behind them in their old homes, the sight of those apples was as welcome as if they had been plucked from the Gardens of the Hesperides, and they readily gave $2.50 to $3.00 a dozen for the luscious fruit. Mr. Perkins followed that trip up by many others, making forty trips in all, the longest one to Salt Lake City, and the last one was made in August, 1865. His journeyings to and fro were made when the Indians were on the rampage, but he fortunately eluded their clutches and met with but little loss from their hands, save a few oxen or cattle. During the five years that he was engaged as a freighter across the great plains he became as familiar with the various trails and routes as with the streets of his own town, and made an extensive acquaintance among the large number of people who were journeying in search of gold.
   Mr. Perkins' next venture wag to engage in the lumber and wood business on the Missouri River, and in that he met with a good degree of success. After that he spent some time in Lancaster County as a farmer, but he lost his crops, which were destroyed by grasshoppers, and his experiment in that direction was a decided failure. Notwithstanding his misfortune, he did not lose his ambition or his courage, but tried something else. He later turned his attention again to freighting, and made two trips to the Black Hills from Sioux City, Iowa. He made considerable money in that way, and thus righted his financial condition. On the occasion of his last trip to the hills, he met the renowned Gen. Custer, who advised him to leave the hills, as he did not consider it safe for civilians, on account of the Indians of that region, and our subject wisely took his counsel and returned to his old home in Nebraska City, and at that time became connected with the company that he now represents.
   We will now give a brief resume of the early life of our subject. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1839, to Thomas M. and Mary J. (Parkenson) Perkins. His parents are now dead, having died in Nebraska City, where they had settled in 1856, the father dying at the age of fifty, in the latter part of the fifties, and his wife one year later, at the age of forty-nine. They were old-time Methodists in religion, and the father was a Whig in politics. They were natives of Greene County, Ohio, and were there reared and married, and Mr. Perkins was quite extensively engaged in the mercantile business for many years. He visited California twice, and was there engaged in mining to some extent.
   He of whom we write was the first son and child of the five children, two sons and three daughters, born to his parents. In his boyhood he went to Iowa with his parents, and was one of the clerks in the establishments which were managed by his father and others, his headquarters being at Eldora, Harding Co., and also at Oskaloosa, in Mahaska Co., Iowa. He finished his education in Mt. Pleasant, Henry Co., Iowa. After leaving his father's employ he engaged in business on his own account for some time in Plum Hollow, Fremont Co., Iowa, ere he came to Nebraska.
   The marriage of our subject to Miss Gertrude W. Wood took place in Nebraska City. Mrs. Perkins was born in Roy, N. J., in 1843, and was the daughter of Daniel and Mary (Rich) Wood, natives of the Eastern States, They were married in New York City, where Mr. Wood was engaged extensively for some years in shipping flour. In 1856 he came with his family to Nebraska, and was engaged in the manufacture of lumber in Nebraska

City for some time. About 1866 he and his family went to Lancaster County, and there he farmed it the rest of his days, twelve miles from Lincoln, his death occurring in 1875, at the age of sixty-eight. In his time he had been an active business man of much acuteness and capacity. His wife survived him until December, 1888, when she too, passed beyond at her home in Nebraska City, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. They were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Perkins was carefully trained by good parents in all that goes to make a true woman. She received her education in Nebraska City, having accompanied her parents to that place in her girlhood. To her and her husband have been born eleven children, one of whom, Emery, died at the age of three years. Those living are: Minnie E., Horace M. and Edith are at home; Ida, the wife of Harry Hugo, of Shenandoah, Iowa; Elizabeth, Thomas, Lola, Ella, Bessie and Roy are all at home. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins are people of high merit, and are held in consideration by their many friends. Mr. Perkins is a sound Democrat, and never hesitates to express his views on proper occasions.

HOMAS E. WILLIAMS is an old settler and a very prominent farmer of Stove Creek Precinct, where he owns and cultivates, on section 32, 240 acres of as fine farming land as is to be found in the whole State of Nebraska.
   Our subject is the son of a Welsh sea-captain, William Williams, and his wife, Ann Reynolds, a native of Waterford, Ireland. His father was a sailor from boyhood, often sailing from English ports to America. He was sometimes engaged as a coaster, and was captain of an English vessel that coasted along the shores of Nova Scotia, and he also made trips to other countries. He was married in New York, and his wife used to go on voyages with him. In the year 1845 he was shipwrecked off the coast of Nova Scotia, and escaped drowning, but took a severe cold, from the effects of which he died four days later. The mother of our subject continued living in the suburbs of New York City until her death in 1851, at the age of thirty-eight years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and was a truly good woman in every respect. She was the mother of four children, of whom three are dead, two (who were twins) and William. The latter was apprenticed to learn the shipbuilder's trade. During the war he went on a whaler for a four years' cruise. The vessel was destroyed by the rebels, and he was never heard of afterward.
   Thomas Williams was born in Morenci, Westchester Co., N. Y., Dec. 10, 1843. At the age of eight years he was left an orphan, and an English lady, Sarah McGrath, of Harlem, N. Y., took him to her home, and he lived with her until he was ten years of age, acting in the meantime as a news boy. He then became self-supporting, going into the city of New York, where he sold papers for a living, until he was twelve years old. After that he went to Danbury, Conn. to serve as an apprentice at the hatter's trade. He continued at that until the war broke out, and he left his apprenticeship at the call for troops. He enlisted, but could not get into a regiment on account of his youthful appearance. He was attached to the musical corps as drummer, and went on the expedition to Port Royal under Admiral Dupont. After that battle he and his comrades were sent ashore and mounted as Infantry to scout the island. Our subject's company continued scouting through Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, and was not consolidated with any regular corps. In the fall of 1863 there was a call for recruits for the navy, and our subject was among the volunteers, and was attached to the vessel Pawnee for the ensuing year. He acted under orders, carrying messages to different places for some time. In 1864 his company was landed at Indianola, Tex., and consolidated with a regiment of mounted infantry, and was engaged in scouting in Texas to protect the borders. The regiment of which our subject was a member was kept busy in continual skirmishes with the enemy until the close of the war, and then was ordered back to New Orleans, where our subject was honorably discharged with his fellow-soldiers.
   After leaving the army our subject returned to New York City, but did not stay long before his return to view Southern battlefields on which he

had fought, revisiting Jacksonville, Fort Royal, etc. On his return to New York he was not satisfied with his prospects in that city, and decided to try the West. In February, 1866, he went to Fort Scott, where he hired out as a freighter on a train bound for Montana. When the train arrived in Denver he let it proceed to its destination without him, he staying in that city to form a partnership with William H. Hutton for the purpose of prospecting at the Sweet Water mines. That enterprise proved a failure, and our subject was glad enough to obtain employment in hauling bailed hay on the Laramie stage ranche, continuing to work at that until Jan. 1869, when he once more revisited the scenes of his boyhood in the metropolis of the Empire State, going by the Union Pacific to Omaha, and thence on another railway to New York, going on an excursion. Dissatisfied with his situation there, the same spring finds him in Nebraska, he having traveled the last stage of his journey from Fort Leavenworth on foot, at times, and then on horseback, until he arrived in Plattsmouth, in 1869, in the month of March. He then went to work for Captain Palmer of Plattsmouth, and was engaged in buying grain, remaining with him until the 20th of April, when he went with Col. Peck to assist in surveying the route for the Burlington and Missouri River Railway, from Plattsmouth to Lincoln, and while with the colonel he took up his present homestead, then comprising eighty acres of unbroken prairie land. May 14, 1869, he went to Nebraska City, and after working there two or three months, came back to try and dispose of his land, but could not get rid of it, except at a sacrifice, so concluded to improve it. He set out a grove of four or five acres of forest trees, an orchard of 300 choice fruit trees, and made many other improvements. He drew lumber from Plattsmouth, and himself erected a house, one of the first built in the precinct. In common with other pioneers, he experienced many trials before prosperity smiled on him, suffering much from grasshopper raids, drouths, etc. But amid all these discouragements he was cheerful and hopeful, and kept steadily at work, and as a result no man in his neighborhood can boast of a more productive or desirable farm than he. He has done so well financially that he has been able to buy 160 acres of land adjoining his homestead, and now has 240 acres of land, well fenced, well cultivated, and in every way well improved, with ample buildings. On his land is a fine spring, a fountain spring, the head waters of the middle fork of the Nehama, bubbling above the ground. Mr. Williams pays special attention to raising stock, and has a fine little herd of Polled Angus cattle, and twelve head of well graded horses.
   Our subject has been twice married. His first marriage, which took place in Leon, Iowa, Jan. 7, 1875, was with Miss Delilah E., daughter of Jacob and Jane E. (Beavers) Lentz. Her father was born in Hardy County, Va., July 14, 1829; and her mother was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, Sept. 3, 1833. Her father was of German descent. He moved to Ohio in 1840, and was married in Pickaway County in 1850, he having been a farmer and pioneer settler of that part of Ohio. In 1853 he moved to Leon, Decatur Co., Iowa, becoming one of the first settlers. He purchased 160 acres of government land, and has been farming there ever since, with such success that he now owns 700 acres of well improved land, with good buildings, and everything for carrying on agriculture to the best advantage, he superintending the whole thing himself. He is a Democrat, dyed in the wool, cannot fade. To him and his wife have been born eleven children, namely: Delilah E. and Lewis C., deceased; Oolita I., Caroline C., Mary N., Josephine E., James E., Ellen J., Adelia D., Osphia F., Clara C. Mrs. Williams was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, March 20, 1852, and died Jan. 31, 1880. She left three children, all of whom are at home: William J., Axia J., Delilah A. Mr. Williams second marriage which occurred Feb. 7, 1884, was to Miss Laura E. Cane, who was born in Dubuque, Iowa, Feb., 1858. August 9, 1887, our subject was a second time bereaved of a devoted wife.
   Our subject is a veteran of the late Civil War, giving the best years of his youth and early manhood to the service of his imperiled country, and as the citizen then proved a good soldier, so has the soldier since proved a good citizen. He is a man of wide and varied experience, as from the time he was a little newsboy in the streets of a great city until he settled down on his present

homestead to the peaceful pursuit of agriculture, he has seen much of life, and with keen perceptive qualities and a quick mind his profited by what he has seen. Early becoming self-reliant, self-helpful, active and enterprising, to those characteristics his success is largely attributed. Socially, he is identified with the A. O. U. W. of Elmwood. Politically, he is a republican, earnestly believing that in his support of that partly he is promoting the best interests of our country.

ARTIN W. WALTZ, farmer, is pleasantly located on the northeast quarter of section 13, Stove Creek Precinct, is a man of genuine worth, highly esteemed for his many sterling qualities; having the entire trust and confidence of his neighbors and a large circle of friends and acquaintances, He was born in Lebanon Township, Lebanon Co., Pa., Nov. 17, 1845. Martin Waltz, paternal grandfather of our subject, was of German descent, though American born, and followed the occupations of farmer and carpenter through life. David Waltz, father of our subject, was born in 1816, in Lebanon County, Pa., and married Miss Elizabeth Shreckengost, a native of the same place, born in 1818. After their marriage they settled on a-small farm in the place of their nativity, and remained there until 1859, when they removed to Randolph County, Ind. There Mr. Waltz established himself in the carpenters, trade, at which he had formerly worked with his father, who is still there engaged in the same business. Both he and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church, and are leading consistent, Christian lives, To them have been born ten children, namely: Caroline, deceased, Mary deceased, Kate, Martin W., Leah, Samuel, Adam, deceased, Lizzie, Rebecca and Sallie.
   Martin, of whom we write, was educated in the public schools of Pennsylvania, remaining in the town of his birth until 1859, when he moved with his parents to Indiana. From then until eighteen years of age he worked at anything that he found to do. But in 1863, when only eighteen years old, he enlisted in Company G, 124th Indiana Infantry, and was mustered into service at Winchester; his regiment forming a part of the division under Generals Harvey and Cox, his division being known as "Harvey's Babies." Our subject was with the Army of the Cumberland, and during the siege of Atlanta took part in the following battles: Dalton, Resaca, Allatoona Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochee Run, Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta, Ga. He subsequently formed one of the number who went back with Thomas to assist him in his unsuccessful attempt to capture Hood, taking part in the battles of Columbia, Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. The command to which Mr. Waltz belonged was ordered to Newbern, N. C., to meet Sherman, and there take charge of the officer's baggage. Two weeks later they rejoined their regiment. But as a package of books had been left at Kingston, N. C., while moving the baggage, he and a comrade were sent back to get them. While returning they were met by six guerillas, who stopped them and ordered them to dismount. They then burned the books and took Mr. Waltz and his comrade toward Richmond on foot. Twenty-one days later they, were parolled at Halifax, N. C., and at the close of the war were turned loose. They immediately started for Petersburg, thence for Columbus, Ohio, where they were mustered out of service and honorably discharged, having been in the army twenty-two months. Our subject then returned to Indiana and began working for himself, first renting land, then bought a small farm and continued farming and milling for some years. In 1878 Mr. Waltz determined to come to Nebraska and establish a permanent home for himself and family under its clear and sunny skies. He came by rail to South Bend, thence to Stove Creek Precinct, where he worked on a farm for one year. He then purchased an improved farm in Syracuse Precinct, Otoe County, and operated it three years. Disposing of that property, Mr. Waltz bought his present homestead of 160 acres, twenty-three of which had been broken, but no improvements made. He has labored unceasingly and now has it all under a high state of culture, with beautiful groves of trees, a fine bearing orchard, fields well fenced, a a (sic) wind-mill and water tank, and all other necessary improvements. He has erected a neat and pleasant dwell-