Hooper Township, Dodge County, Nebraska

On the east line of Dodge County and the second from the northern line is Hooper civil township, which contains all of congressional township 19, range 8, east, or 23,040 acres of land. The township is bounded on the north by Logan Township, on the east by Washington County, on the south by Nickerson Township, and on the west by Everett Township.

The German element obtains almost wholly here and has from the first settlement. The United States census in 1890 placed this township at 569 inhabitants. The same authority gave it in 1900 as 1,439, including the two villages of Hooper and Winslow. In 1910 the population was 1,496. At the last named date the Village of Hooper had 741 and Winslow had 99.

Organization, Railroads, Etc.

Hooper was organized into a separate precinct (as then called) very early in the 70s. Its precinct and later its township government has been managed fully up to the standard of other Dodge County sub-divisions. The Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad (Northwestern System) passes through this township with stations and villages named Hooper and Winslow. For the history of these see later.

First Settlement

The first man to locate in this township was Hiram H. Ladd, who came to section 30, in 1856, He it was who built the first house in the now famous Elkhorn Valley, north of Fontanelle.

The next pioneers were Jerry Denslow, Jr., accompanied by his mother, a widow at the time, to Dodge County in 1856. The son was only eleven years of age. The mother pre-empted a quarter section of land at Fontanelle.

John Osterloh came to section 8 in 1858. As soon as the homestead law came into effect in the '60s, he took him a homestead. The same year, 1858, W. C. Hecker came to the township. He was a single man and took eighty acres of land upon which he subsequently made excellent improvements. Another settler in 1858 was Christ Henneman.

Charles Baker located in Hooper Township in the 70s. He came to Dodge County with his parents in 1860, locating near Nickerson.

In 1861 came George Wagner to section 11, Jacob Schwab, section 4, came in the spring of 1861 with his parents, who settled in section 9, where the father homesteaded a quarter section of land.

Albert Wagner came in 1861 to section 11, also Adam Schwab and Henry Schwab, Jr.

In 1863 George Weigle settled on Logan Creek. He remained on his farm until 1890, then moved to the Village of Hooper. At the same time came Edward Fleischhauer and claimed land rights on Logan Creek. Henry Busch located in section 9. He came with his father to Fontanelle in 1862. Two years later Henry moved to Hooper Township.

The year 1864, first year in which homesteads were to be taken, saw a very heavy immigration in this part of Dodge County. Oswald Uehling took his homestead that year: others settled there, including Henry Penning, Jr., James F. Briggs, August J. Heller, Martin Luttherns, Christ Easier, John Phelps, W. H. Patterson, G. W. Wolcott, Chris Kroger, R. A. Calkins, William Hartung and A. Y. Sutton.

Later Settlers

While the names of all the persons who invaded this township cannot be here named, it is certain that in addition to those already mentioned came Jacob Lurk. Nicholas Parkert, in 1868: Winfield S. Bishop, 1870; J. H. Caldwell, John M. Kreader and Samuel Kreader, in 1871; Thomas Bullock, 1872; Charles Bayer, who later moved' to Hooper Village and engaged in the pottery business; also W. H. Aldrich and Carl Geiser, settlers in 1873.

Jacob C. Schaffer effected his settlement in the township in 1876; Charles Diehl, of section 23, came in 1885, and later moved to Nickerson Township; John Haje, section 26, moved to the township in 1890.

Great has been the transformation of the scenes of Hooper Township since the days of the Civil war period, when all was wild and undeveloped.

The land is all taken up and finely improved by a thrifty class of Germans and other European peoples. The villages are enterprising, and though not large, are just such places as farmers desire in their communities. The churches, schools and all that is dear to the average father and mother are here found in all of their latter-day excellence.

Village of Hooper

This enterprising, thrifty-going incorporation in Hooper Township is in the eastern part of Dodge County and is within Congressional township 19, range 8, and is in sections 17 and 20. It was named for a prominent railroad official of an early date. The winding Elkhorn River courses its way along the eastern boundary of the village, making the scenery really beautiful. The main portion of the place is nestled at the foot of a high bluff. It was platted by that great "railroad king," Hon. John I. Blair, of New Jersey, who had so much to do with building the Northwestern, Illinois Central Railroad, and was the president of Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad Company.

The United States and state census reports show that its population at various periods was as follows: In 1890 it was 670; in 1892 it had grown to 800; in 1900 it was 840, but in the next decade it decreased to 741, but at the present it is estimated at about 1,000.

Special chapters on the schools, lodges, churches and banks of Dodge County will contain such topics for the Village of Hooper, hence are not further mentioned in this chapter.

Business Beginnings

Aside from the railroad depot and buildings, the first house in Hooper was one built by Myers & Sherman in 1871, and in it was kept a general merchandise stock for a half dozen years. In reality, the earliest house on what became the village plat of Hooper, was that built for a residence by O. A. Heimbaugh. This gentleman built the first grain warehouse and started a lumber yard.

The first schoolhouse was hauled in from a district west of the village platting.

James Caldwell was the pioneer blacksmith.

The first merchandise sold at Hooper was by George W. Pew.

Asa Briggs was the first station-master and a most capable man he was and did much toward aiding the first business interests of Hooper.

Hotel No. 1 at Hooper was built in 1870 by August Koppelcom, and later was styled the Tillman House.

The first exclusive hardware store was kept by Charles Eisley, in 1871. He continued until 1881 and sold to Jack Dorsey, who in turn sold to A. F. Bott & Co., and finally they sold to Peague & Uehling. In 1892 the business was handled by the firm of Uehling & Monnich.

The first to handle drugs was G. S. Peyton, 1873-4. He remained in trade until 1889.

The first furniture dealer was Charles Buchholz, in 1875.

Original Flour Mill of Hooper

The Hooper Roller Mills were first built on Logan Creek by A. C. Briggs, but owing to the unsteady current of water, the expense of keeping up the mill-dam, etc., it was sold to Oswald Uehling, who moved the plant to Hooper in 1888, converting it into a roller process mill. It had six rolls, giving a daily capacity of seventy-five barrels. It was run by an eighty-horsepower steam engine. In 1889 a large grain elevator was constructed alongside the mill and the two were covered with galvanized iron sheeting. It produced large quantities of excellent family flour that found ready sale all the year round in Dodge and adjoining counties. This mill cost (in cheap times) $20,000.

The milling interests of Hooper are now (1920) in the hands of the Hooper Milling & Grain Company.

Commercial Interests-1920

Agricultural Implements-A. E. Tunberg.
Auto Garages-Dan & Son, Anton Tunberg, Ewald & Schwab.
Banks-The First National and Dodge County Bank.
Barber Shops-S. L. Whitcomb, Frank A. A. Sellman, E. R. Talley.
Bakery-F. H. Crisman.
Cream Station-Peter Eberhard, C. S. Basler, manager of Beatrice Creamery.
Cement Blocks, etc.-Alfred Stroh.
Confectionery-R. R. Marshall, F. H. Crisman.
Drugs-L. E. Davies, E. L. Geisert.
Dentists-Drs. J. Sherman Zellers, Howard C. N. Ralp.
Elevators-Latta Grain Company, Farmers Union Co-operative Company, Nye, Schneider, Fowler Company.
Electric Light Supplies-Frank Basler.
Feed Store-Julius Bott.
Furniture-Buchholz Brothers.
Grocers (exclusive)-Peter Eberhard, Jacob Sanders.
General Dealers-H. Cullamore, A. H. Harms, Uehling & Cahoon.
Hotel-"Hooper Inn."
Hardware-Olson Hardware Company (G. S., A. G. and O. G. Olson), E. H. Schwab.
Harness Shop-Martin Martinsen.
Jewelry-William M. Kusel, John Ring.
Ice Dealer-The municipal plant, called the "Hooper Ice Company."
Lumbermen-Farmers Union Co-operative Company, Nye, Schneider, Fowler Company.
Laundry-Minnie Marlinsen.
Meat Market-R. Stroh, Uhlig Market.
Mills-Hooper Milling and Grain Company.
Millinery-Mrs. John Feinaigle.
Newspaper- Hooper Sentinel, by Herbert T. Ring.
Opera House-Tilson's Opera House, Mrs. Annie Tilson, proprietor.
Physicians-Drs. M. T. Zellers, J. Howard Heine, Clinton D. Heine, B. B. Hauser.
Photographs-P. Traulsen.
Plumber-William Parkert.
Pantatorium-A. J. Wiswall, proprietor.
Photoplay House-Sanders & Shaffer.
Real Estate-Bernard Monnich.
Restaurant-Mrs. C. W. Tilson.
Telephone Company-The Hooper, M. E. Shipley, manager.
Tailor-J. E. Stipsky.
Veterinary-P. Simonson, Charles M. Elliott, Doctor Darling.

Other branches of trade include the "Standard" Oil Station, the extensive brick works by the Builders Brick Manufacturing Company, J. Schole, shoe repair shop, and Hi Hogroefe, blacksmithing, and the new works of the Hudkins Auto Body Company. The proprietor of this concern is Perry Hudkins. Perhaps one of the best enterprises, and the most far-reaching in its trade, is the serum making plant near the village and which is known far and near, through its circulars and its numerous traveling salesmen.

Municipality of Hooper

Hooper was legally incorporated and placed under a board of trustees in October, 1876. The first board consisted of the following gentlemen: A. D. Harwood (chairman). William Pellens. E. H. Aris, Peter Dressen, John Beebe, trustees; George B. Parsons, clerk. By years the boards have been made up as follows:

1877-A. D. Harwood (chairman), William Pellens, E. H. Aris, John Heimrich, Charles F. Eisley, Jacob Lurk, trustees; George B. Parsons, clerk.
1878-John Heimrich (chairman), Jacob Lurk, George F. Heine, C. F. Eisley, W. A. G. Cobb, trustees; George B. Parsons, clerk. 1879-W. J. Smith (chairman), H. Steen, Peter Dressen, C. F. Eisley, E. H. Aris, trustees; Goethe B. Parsons, clerk.
1880-E. Van Buren (chairman), E. H. Aris, H. Steen, George F. Heine. C. F. Eisley trustees: Henry H. Looschen, clerk.
1881-E. Van Buren (chairman), E. H. Aris, C. F. Eisley, George F. Heine, Chester L. Morse, trustees; H. H. Looschen, clerk. 1882-O. A. Heimbaugh (chairman), John Henrich, Carl Kroeger, C. L. Morse, Henry H. Looschen, trustees; C. C. Stanley, clerk.
1883-O. A. Heimbaugh (chairman), John Henrich, Henry H. Looschen. Carl Kroeger. E. Van Buren, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk.
1884-F. M. Tillman, chairman; A. M. Spooner, H. H. Looschen, John Dern, John F. Heine, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk.
1885-Same as for 1884.
1886-F. M. Tillman (chairman), John Dern, E. H. Aris, John F. Heine, G. S. Peyton, trustees; W. A. Crandall, clerk.
1887-F. M. Tillman (chairman), William F. Basler, Charles Buchholz, John Dern, John F. Heine, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk. 1888-John F. Heine (chairman), Louis Keller, W. F. Basler, G. Thomsen, E. Fleischhauer, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk.
1889-F. M. Tillman (chairman), Ed Fleischhauer, John F. Heine, Louis Keller, Carl Kroeger, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk. 1890-F. M. Tillman (chairman), Ed Fleischhauer, John F. Heine, Louis Keller, W. S. Basler, trustees; T. W. Lyman, clerk. 1891-J. F. Briggs, John F. Heine, Louis Keller, E. W. Renkin (chairman); T. W. Lyman, clerk.
1892-John F. Heine, Louis Keller, Carl Kroeger, E. W. Renkin {chairman). T. W. Lyman, clerk.
1893-E. W. Renkin, chairman; H. H. Looschen, clerk.
1894-E. W. Renkin, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1895-E. W. Renkin, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1896-J. F. Heine, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1897-J. F. Heine, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1898-J. F. Heine, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1899-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1900-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1901-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1902-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1903-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1904-John Hough, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1905-Jacob Sanders, chairman; Henry H. Looschen.
1906-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. G. Thompson.
1907-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. G. Thompson.
1908-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. G. Thompson.
1909-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. G. Thompson.
1910-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. A. Hecker.
1911-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. A. Hecker.
1912-18-Jacob Sanders, chairman; W. A. Hecker.
1918-Wm. G. J. Dau, chairman; Stephen Broene.
1919-Wm. G. J. Dau, chairman; Stephen Broene.
1920-Perry Hudkins, mayor; Charence Dahl.

The 1920 officers of the village are as follows: Mayor-Perry Hudkins; clerk-Clarence Dahl; treasurer-Henry Schroeder; the above and Edwin Edelman and William E. Frock are of the board.

The village now has an indebtedness of water bonds amounting to $6,900; of town hall bonds, $8,000.

Electric lights are furnished by the Hooper Electric Light Company. It is estimated carefully that the present census will give Hooper a population of 1,000.

Waterworks

Hooper was provided with a splendid waterworks system in 1890, at an expense of $5,600, which was the best outlay ever made by any corporation in the history of Nebraska. Fifty "points" or drive wells were put in and these furnished an abundance of the purest water. A pumping plant forced the water to a tank on the nearby bluff, the same having a capacity of 32,000 gallons. With a volunteer fire company of hook and ladder the village has been safe against great fires, which was not true prior to the construction of this practical system of waterworks. The first five years the village had a contract with Mr. Uehling, proprietor of the roller flouring mills, by which he furnished steam power for forcing the water to the tank on the bluffs overlooking the village from the west.

Village of Winslow

Winslow was platted in 1906. Its present population is about 275. It has a German Lutheran Church, mentioned elsewhere in detail. The village was incorporated May 28, 1909. It has a volunteer fire department, whose chief is now Julius Borcherbing. Electric lights are furnished by the plant at Fremont. The 1920 village officers include the following: C. J. Kruse, chairman; O. H. Black, clerk; VV. A. Lallman, treasurer; other members of the board are H. P. Weitkamp and Fred Borcherbing.

Commercial Interests, 1920

Banks-The Winslow State Bank, The Farmers State Bank.
General Merchandise Stores-Lallman Brothers; C. J. Kruse.
Grain Elevators - Farmers' Union Co-operative Association; Nebraska-Iowa Grain and Coal Company.
Lumber Dealers-Handled by the grain men of the village above named.
Hardware and Furniture-H. P. Weitkamp.
Blacksmithing-Chris Martinsen.
Cream Buyers-E. M. Fletcher.
Druggists' Sundries-O. R. Marks.
Postmaster-O. R. Marks. Garage-Schmidt & Son.
Livery and Draying-Fred Borcherbing.
Soft Drinks-Henry Kruse; also runs a pool hall.

Dodge County | Nebraska AHGP

Source: History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, Rev. William H. Buss and Thomas T. Osterman, Volume 1, The American Historical Society, Chicago, 1921.

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