These biographies were transcribed from Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton Counties. They are only the biographies for individuals who resided in Hall County Nebraska in 1890 whose surname starts with the letter J.
JOEHNCK, Henry
Henry Joehnck is an influential pioneer citizen of Hall County, Neb., and for some time has been engaged in market-gardening at Grand Island. He was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, April 28, 1835, and is a son of Christian and Katharina H. Joehnck. He spent his youth in his native county and attended school until he was sixteen years of age, after which he went to Berlin and spent four years learning the trade of a wagon-maker. At the age of twenty years he accompanied his father and mother, two brothers and three sisters to America, and on reaching this country the family came westward to Davenport, Iowa, and two months later the parents, with five of their children, settled on a farm in Clinton County, where the former spent the remainder of their days. The father died August 12, 1885, at the age of ninety-one years, and the mother February 20, 1889, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Henry Joehnck did not accompany his relatives to Clinton County, but preferred to fight his own way in the world, and accordingly remained in Davenport two years longer, working at his trade. March 27, 1857, he was married in that city to Miss Margaret Goos, a daughter of Carl F. G. and Maria (Peterson) Goos. Mrs. Joehnck was born in Schleswig, Germany, February 4, 1840, and, with her parents, one brother and two sisters, came to America in the fall of 1851. On reaching this country they also settled in Davenport, and here Mr. Goos followed the occupation of wagon-making. He died June 27, 1867, at the age of fifty-four years. His wife survives him, is a resident of Davenport and is seventy-seven years of age. Two months after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Joehnck, in company with twenty-three men and five women, one young girl and one child, started from Davenport for the territory of Nebraska, overland, and came to the present site of Grand Island, which town was founded by them and named. It will be seen from this that Mr. Joehnck and his wife are among the very earliest settlers. After working at his trade for two years he turned his attention to farming, gardening and stock-raising, and has successfully followed these pursuits ever since. The following family have been born to this couple: William, Fred, Henry, Carl, Dora, Laura, Christian, Augusta, Metha and Detlef. The eldest of these is thirty and the youngest ten years of age, and five of the children are married. The entire family are members of the German Lutheran Church. March 27, 1882, Mr. and Mrs. Joehnck celebrated their silver wedding, at which time their relatives and friends assembled in large numbers and left them many handsome and valuable presents as a token of their respect, good will and esteem.
JONES, Stephen
Stephen Jones is one of Hall County’s prosperous agriculturists, but is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Luzerne County, March 3, 1842, being a son of Daniel and Catherine (Jenkins) Jones, the former being also born in Pennsylvania, his birth occurring in 1807, and there he continued to make his home until his death in 1876. A Whig in early life, he afterward became a Republican, and during the Civil War was a strong Union man and served for some time as deputy provost marshal. He was a man of very energetic temperament, but his body was unequal to the duties which he imposed upon it, and his health was very feeble during the declining years of his life. His wife was born November 29, 1808, in Pennsylvania, and is still a resident of that State, being hale for her years. The Jones family were originally from Wales, and the Jenkins from Germany. Stephan Jones attained manhood in his native State and supplemented his common-school education by attending Wyoming Seminary. When twenty years of age he enlisted in the Federal army, in Schooly’s independent battery, but it was subsequently transferred to the Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, Company M, Second Regiment, and was on duty at Fort Delaware and Washington, D. C., until May, 1864, when his regiment joined Grant at Cold Harbor, and was with him until the fall of Petersburg. Following the last battle in which Mr. Jones participated he was appointed division mail agent in Gen. Hartsuff’s headquarters. He received his discharge June 21, 1865, was mustered out at Petersburg and retuned to his native State, and after farming for a short time began teaching school, continuing one term. After acting as foreman of a gang of men on the construction of a railroad for six months, he remained at home for the three following months, then went to Texas with a brother and made his home in the West for two years. After farming in his native State the two following years he was married May 10, 1869, to Miss Margaret Furman, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1842, and with her removed to Effingham County, Ill., where he found employment until the following year, then settling on his present farm in Hall County, Neb., which comprises 240 acres. He is a Republican, a member of the A. F. & A. M., and G. A. R. He and wife have two daughters: Lulu (who is a teacher in the graded school of Wood River), Lena M. (who is also a teacher and a graduate of the Wood River Schools.)
JONES, H. M.
H. M. Jones, farmer, Wood River, Neb. Among the successful agriculturists of Hall County, whose merits are such as to entitle him to representation in the present work is Mr. Jones, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Luzerne County, Pa., July 13, 1846, and is the son of Daniel and Catherine (Jenkins) Jones, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born also in Luzerne County, May 30, 1807, and lived on one farm for forty years. He died there in October, 1876. He was a great traveler and wandered all over Michigan and the Western States. He owned at one time 1,000 acres of land where the city of Chicago is now standing, and sold it for 50 cents an acre. He was married, October 8, 1826, to Miss Jenkins, who was born November 29, 1808, and who is still living in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom grew to maturity. The maternal grandfather was a child at the time of the Wyoming massacre, and was saved from death by being dressed in the clothes of a woman. H. M. Jones attained his growth in Pennsylvania, and received a common and high-school education. He worked on his father’s farm until grown and February 14, 1871, he left home and emigrated West. He joined his brother, Steve Jones [see sketch], in Illinois, and they took wagons and after a tedious journey arrived at Lone Tree, Neb. This was the in an unsettled condition and the present cities were then but villages. They had enough money to make a start, but the dry weather and grasshoppers made times very hare. Mr. Jones entered 240 acres of land, which he has since improved very much. He was married, May 12, 1873, to Miss Rebecca Hillman, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1851, and to them have been born two children: Claude D. and Grace C. Mrs. Jones came with her parents to Nebraska, in 1872, and received a superior education in her native county. She was a school-teacher, and the first one in District 8. Her father, Michael Hillman, was born June 23, 1818, was a native of Pennsylvania, and of Dutch descent. Her mother, whose maiden name was Caroline Crissman, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1831, was married to Mr. Hillman in 1847 and is now living. Of our subject’s brothers and sisters three are deceased: D. W. (born September 5, 1840, died in June, 1841), Merritt B. (born November 8, 1834, died January 1, 1870, at Fort Clark, Tex.; he was a government employee) and France (born November 23, 1827, grew to womanhood, married M. W. Cooley, and died in 1881, leaving six children). The family of Mr. and Mrs. Jones consists of Susanna B. (now Mrs. H. K. Ebert, resides in Wood River, Neb.), Hester (a widow), Elizabeth, Helen M. (the wife of Mr. Day), Elvira (married) and Louisa, all in Pennsylvania, and T. J. Jones, in Michigan. Mr. Jones is a Republican in politics and belongs to the M. W. A.
JORDAN, S. M.
S. M. Jordan, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Wood River, Neb., and treasurer of Wood River Township, Hall County, of that State, was born in Gentry County, Mo., in 1860, and remained on a farm there until twenty years of age. He graduated from the Northwest Normal and Business Institute at Stanberry, Mo., in 1885, and afterward taught in the common schools for some time. Later he was made principal of the Stanberry public schools, which position he held for two years, and in May, 1888, he moved to Wood River, Neb., where, besides teaching, he has held the above-mentioned positions of trust and honor. He was elected treasurer of Wood River Township in November, 1889, and fills that position as well as collector of the township taxes. He was married in Stanberry, Mo., in June, 1889, to Miss Stella Flowers, a native of Missouri, born in 1863. His parents, Samuel and Ann (Puterbaugh) Jordan, were both natives of Pennsylvania, the father born in 1821, and the mother in 1829. The latter died in 1883, but the father is still living and resides at Stanberry, Mo. The latter was quite well educated, and followed the teacher’s profession in his younger days i Pennsylvania, and after his marriage to Miss Puterbaugh he came West, locating in Ohio, thence to Illinois, afterward to Wisconsin, Iowa, and finall to Missouri, where they located at Stanberry, on a farm in 1858. The father, who was in the Union service during the late war, was judge of the county court of Gentry four years. His grandfather came from England and was married in Philadelphia. He took part in the War of 1812; his wife died in her ninety-sixth year. His father and mother were both born in Bedford County, Pa. The former held the office of justice of the peace for over twenty years, and was an old line Whig, being a great friend of Henry Clay, and mastered the political subjects of the day. He said that he was never drunk but once, and that was the day the news of peace between this country and England was received. He died at the age of seventy years. His family consisted of ten children, eight boys and two girls. One brother and one sister died at the ages of three and five years. David, the eldest, was self-taught, mastered geometry and surveying, took yellow fever while locating a railroad in Mississippi and died and was buried at Natchez. Francis, the second, graduated in Marshall College, in Pennsylvania, was admitted to the bar of Dedford County, practiced law several years and was then sent to the State Senate. He was among the first paymasters Lincoln appointed, and went to Vicksburg to pay the troops, being there when it was taken, then went to Natchez and became sick, when he returned home and resigned. Subsequently he was appointed lieutenant colonel under Gov. Curtain’s staff, and State agent for Pennsylvania troops, with headquarters at Washington D. C. Going to Harrisburg he was appointed secretary of State under gov. Curtain and reappointed under Gen. Geery, himself coming within one vote of being nominated Governor of Pennsylvania. He is now practicing law in circuit and supreme courts in Pennsylvania, and is over seventy years of age. Samuel was the third son and William the next. His health failed early in life and he died in Pennsylvania. John M., the fifth, went by wagon from Chicago to Oregon, thence to California when gold was discovered, but retuned to Oregon. On his return from California he was shipwrecked and lost all but the clothes he wore. He was a good business man and soon accumulated a fortune. Finally he went back to Pennsylvania, where he died, leaving a daughter and son, the latter now a physician in Philadelphia. Thomas, the sixth, died; had a short but eventful career. He mastered all he undertook. Possessing a great memory, he had a good command of language and wonderful powers of oratory. Overwork in books destroyed his health. He went to Mississippi, then went to Europe with a son of Gen. Quitman, visited England, Germany, France, Ireland, Scotland and Italy. Returning home, the next year he started for the Sandwich Islands. He began teaching there on a good salary, but had to give it up, and started for home by way of California. He reached Sacramento, and in company with his brother John started for Pennsylvania. On reaching New Orleans Thomas died and was taken to Natchez and buried by his oldest brother. James, the next, died at the age of twenty-three from mental over work. The sister graduated at the Young Ladies’ Seminary in Philadelphia, but also lost her health from hard study and died at the age of seventeen. None of the boys were ever drunk, and but one ever used tobacco. the ancestors on the mother’s side came fro Germany and Ireland and located in Pennsylvania. To Samuel and Ann (Puterbaugh) Jordan were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters, our subject being fifth in order of birth. They are named as follows: Louis and James (both in the furniture business at Stanberry), William (in St. Joseph, with the Motor Street Car Line), S. M., George F. (cashier of Sherman County State Bank, in Sherman County, Kas.), Minnie (at home), John (book-keeper for the above-mentioned bank in Sherman County, Kas.), Walter (a student at St. Joseph Business College), Mary (who died at the age of two and a half years). None of the boys use whisky or tobacco.
Source: Goodspeed brothers. Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state: a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties… Chicago: The Goodspeed publishing co., 1890.
Back to: 1890 Hall County Biographies
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