History of Richardson County Archives

Biography of Joseph H. Miles of Miles Farm

Joseph H. Miles, born on December 13, 1850, in Delta, Pennsylvania, was a significant figure in Nebraska’s banking and ranching sectors. A resident of Richardson County, Nebraska, since 1862, Miles was involved in various ventures, including serving as president of the First National Bank of Falls City and the State Bank of Rulo. He managed extensive land holdings, including the 6,000-acre Miles ranch near Dawson. Miles was also a civic leader, serving as mayor of Falls City and actively participating in politics. His marriage to Sue A. Easley in 1882 produced six children.

Biography of Henry W. Shubert of Shubert

Henry W. Shubert, born on June 2, 1834, in Bath County, Kentucky, was a pioneering settler and influential figure in northern Richardson County, Nebraska. He founded the town of Shubert on his land and became a prominent farmer, stockman, and orchardist, establishing Nebraska’s first commercial fruit orchard. Shubert moved to Nebraska in 1865 and expanded his land holdings significantly. Known for his generosity and community spirit, he contributed to local development and assisted many settlers. Shubert passed away on April 19, 1909. He was married twice and fathered eight children.

Biography of Hon. Isham Reavis of Falls City

Judge Isham Reavis, born January 28, 1836, in Beardstown, Illinois, was a distinguished jurist and pioneer of Falls City, Nebraska. Admitted to the bar in 1858, he moved to Falls City in the same year, contributing significantly to its development. Reavis served in Nebraska’s first state Legislature and as district judge. Appointed by President Grant, he was an associate justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court. A respected lawyer and community leader, he practiced law for over 50 years. Reavis passed away on May 8, 1914, leaving a legacy of legal and civic contributions. He was married to Anna Dorrington and fathered five children.

Biography of Judge John D. Spragins of Falls City

Judge John D. Spragins, born December 21, 1840, in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, was a Civil War veteran and pioneer of Falls City, Nebraska. Serving in the Union Army, he participated in eighty battles, including the siege of Vicksburg. In 1869, he moved to Falls City, where he engaged in various businesses before becoming police judge and justice of the peace. Active in community affairs, Spragins was a Mason, Odd Fellow, and Grand Army of the Republic member. He married Lydia Frances Friend in 1868, and they had one son, George. Spragins contributed significantly to the growth and governance of Falls City.

Biography of Millard Lewis Wilson, M. D. of Falls City

Dr. Millard Lewis Wilson, born November 26, 1866, near Nebraska City, Nebraska, is a prominent physician and surgeon in Falls City, Richardson County. After graduating from Cotner University’s medical department in 1896, he began practicing in Humboldt before moving to Falls City in 1907. Active in various medical societies and local politics, Dr. Wilson served as Richardson County coroner and president of the local board of pension examiners. He married Elfrida Eugenie Ruth Osterholm in 1897, and they have a notable family background, with ties to Napoleonic history through her Swedish lineage. Dr. Wilson remains a dedicated and respected figure in his community.

Biography of Stephen Conlee Barlow of Dawson

Stephen Conlee Barlow, born January 15, 1842, in Shelby County, Indiana, is a distinguished Civil War veteran and pioneer of Richardson County, Nebraska. He played a significant role in founding the village of Dawson and contributed to its development through various business ventures, including running a wagon shop and general store. After moving to Nebraska in 1866, Barlow became a prominent community leader, serving on the school board for over 30 years and managing the Dawson-Nemaha Telephone Company. He was married twice, fathering 14 children, and remains an active member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Biography of James Lines Slocum of Falls City

James Lines Slocum, born December 1, 1844, in Linesville, Pennsylvania, was the president of the Richardson County Bank in Falls City, Nebraska, and a former mayor. He moved west at age ten and settled in Richardson County in 1865. Starting in the grain business, he later joined the Richardson County Bank in 1882 and became its president. Slocum also owned over three thousand acres of farmland and held interests in multiple banks. He married Ida E. Hoops in 1874 and had three children. Active in the Christian church and a Mason, Slocum was a prominent figure in Falls City.

Biography of Edwin Falloon of Falls City

Edwin Falloon, a prominent lawyer in eastern Nebraska and the dean of the Richardson County bar at the time of his death in 1917, was born on July 26, 1853, in Montreal, Canada. He moved to the United States as an infant and settled in Ohio. Falloon studied at Ohio University in Athens and was admitted to the bar in 1880. He relocated to Falls City, Nebraska, in 1882, where he practiced law for thirty-five years. Known for his scholarly and ethical approach, Falloon served two terms as county attorney and was active in several fraternal organizations. He married Emma V. Stump in 1886, and they had five children. Falloon passed away on March 28, 1917.

Biography of William Scholl of Arago

William Scholl, born October 19, 1866, in Baden, Germany, was a notable farmer in Richardson County, Nebraska, from 1883 onward. After immigrating to the United States in 1882, he initially worked on a farm in New York before moving to Nebraska. In 1894, Scholl bought and began improving his farm in the Barada precinct, where he resided for many years. He married twice, first to Caroline Hartmann in 1892, with whom he had two children, and then to Anna Scholl in 1905, with whom he had four children. Scholl was a dedicated farmer and community member, active in the Lutheran church and the local school board.

Biography of John White Holt of Falls City

The late Hon. John White Holt, former state senator, county treasurer, and president of the First National Bank of Falls City, was born on November 17, 1834, in Boone County, Missouri. Holt moved to Richardson County, Nebraska, in 1857 and became a prominent figure in business and politics. He initially engaged in mercantile business in Salem and later turned to farming and livestock. Elected as state senator and county treasurer, he also co-founded the First National Bank of Falls City, serving as its president until his death on June 16, 1911. Holt was married four times and left behind a legacy of public service and community involvement.