Town: Grand Island

Bice — Tilley Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Ethel Bice, born near Chapman in 1901, was the daughter of William H. and Etta Campbell Bice. She married Ralph W. Tilley in 1929. Ralph, born near Grand Island in 1902, was the son of Will F. and Floy S. Wilcox Tilley. The couple had two sons: Donald, born in Alda, Nebraska, and Loran, born in Central City. Ethel and Ralph, both graduates of Grand Island Baptist College, were active in education and community work. They taught high school in Nebraska, and Ralph held superintendent positions. Later, they raised turkeys commercially and moved to Grand Island in 1950.

William & Etta Bice Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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William & Etta Bice 50th Anniversary

William H. Bice was born on July 21, 1860, in Schenectady, New York, to Jeremiah and Irene Bice. His grandfather, Joshua Bice, was born in New York State in the late 1700s. In the 1870s, Jeremiah moved his family to Iowa and later to Merrick County, Nebraska, where he bought a farm near Chapman. William joined in 1884, farming and teaching. He married Anna McQuiston in 1887, who died in childbirth in 1889. In 1892, he married Etta V. Campbell, and they had three children: Lawrence, Ethel, and Stanley. William, an active community member and educator, built a modern farmhouse in 1914 and was known for his orchard, vineyard, and beekeeping. He died in 1944 and is buried in the Chapman Cemetery.

Stanley & Opal Bice Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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Stanley and Opal Bice

On July 19, 1931, Stanley B. Bice and Opal Daniels eloped and married secretly in Papillion, Nebraska, later announcing their marriage on Stanley’s birthday, October 17, 1931. Stanley, the son of William H. and Etta Campbell Bice, and Opal, daughter of B.D. and Emily Roark Daniels, began their married life on the Bice family farm near Central City. Due to the drought and depression, Stanley transitioned to welding and worked in various industries, including war work and heating and air conditioning. The couple lived in Denver for 32 years before retiring to Central City in 1978. They have one son, Thomas Newell, who, along with his wife Marilanne, joined them in Central City, where they run an antique business. Stanley and Opal are active in the Christian Church and enjoy various hobbies and community activities.

Donald & Shirley Berg Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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Donald Berg Family

Donald Berg was raised near Elm Creek, Nebraska, by his parents, Ernest and Mildred (Einspah) Berg. He attended school in Overton and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church. After his father’s death, his family moved to Grand Island, Nebraska. Donald worked at the Twin Rivers Egg Plant before joining the Aluminum Supply Company in 1964, later part of Gifford Hill, where he has worked for sixteen years. In 1965, he married Shirley Schuette, with whom he has four sons: Bradley, Calvin, Steven, and Travis. The family is active in the Messiah Lutheran Church in Grand Island and resides near Chapman.

Henry & Minnie Beltner Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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Beltner Family

Henry W. Beltner was born on February 2, 1862, in Hannover, Germany. He immigrated to the United States, working as a farmhand in Chapman, Nebraska. Henry had three children with his first wife: Fred, Herman, and Lena. After her death, he married Minnie C. Herre on October 6, 1907. The couple bought a farm near Chapman, where Henry was also a township overseer. He died on September 24, 1924.

Minnie Caroline Beltner, born on March 2, 1882, in Germany, immigrated to Nebraska at age 24. After Henry’s death, she lived with her nephew, William Schuette, and later moved to Chapman and Grand Island. Minnie was an active Lutheran church member and known for her love of gardening. She passed away on May 4, 1969.

Joe Beck Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Rosalie Beck, née Brand, was born on May 22, 1955, in Stromsburg, Nebraska, to Charles and Mrs. Brand of Silver Creek. She graduated from Silver Creek Public School in 1973 and the Grand Island School of Business in 1974. Rosalie worked as an admittance clerk at Lutheran Hospital and later as an insurance secretary for Drs. Dalton & Bass in Genoa. On October 25, 1975, she married Joe Beck, a member of the Bar Lazy D partnership with his father and brother. They have two daughters, Jody Marie (born 1977) and Gayle Dawn (born 1979), and live on their ranch near Silver Creek.

Harold Lavern Beck Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Harold Lavern Beck was born northwest of Clarks in the Pleasant Hill-Pierce Chapel community to David and Fern Trullinger Beck. Educated at Pleasant Hill School, Harold excelled in baseball and farming. He met his wife, Viola Tyler, at the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, and they married in 1942. Harold, the first volunteer from Merrick County for WWII, served three years in the U.S. Army. After the war, they purchased a farm near Clarks and had five children: Leslie, Lynn, Shannon, Shelli, and Sherilyn. Harold, a conservationist, focused on land reclamation and irrigation, establishing a successful land-leveling business. He enjoyed extensive travels with Viola, exploring agricultural practices worldwide. Harold passed away from lung cancer in 1980.

William Brage Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

William Brage, born June 17, 1860, and his wife Louise, born January 10, 1863, in Wolderheim, Germany, emigrated to the United States, initially landing in New Jersey before settling near Central City, Nebraska. William, nicknamed “Leap Frog Brage” for his energetic tree planting, and Louise built a homestead six and a half miles north of Central City. Their children included Fredrick Brage, who became an architect in Grand Island and later Dallas, Texas. After William’s death on May 1, 1889, Louise continued to manage the household until her death on May 4, 1938. William H. Hayes, another family member, moved from England to the U.S., eventually settling near the Brage family in Nebraska.

Cash Baird Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Cash Baird, born September 7, 1898, in Redding, Iowa, and his wife Eileen, born April 23, 1904, in Grand Island, Nebraska, moved to Merrick County on December 1, 1945. They settled on a farm in Midland Township, previously known as the Bert Crouch farm. The couple married on January 1, 1926, and had two children, Jack and Betty. Jack, born July 7, 1928, became a soil science expert in North Carolina, while Betty, born October 26, 1931, married Howard Zeilinger and resided in Kimball, Nebraska. Cash transitioned from farming to insurance before retiring due to health issues, passing away on May 21, 1980.

Alfred & Elizabeth Bader of Merrick County, Nebraska

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A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Alfred William Fredrick Bader, born on August 9, 1903, in Chapman, Nebraska, was a pivotal figure in local agriculture and community service. Son of Fredrick William Bader and Mary Amelia Loeffelbein, Alfred married Elizabeth Louise Giesler on March 10, 1925. The couple were known for their extensive contributions to community infrastructure, including donations to local medical facilities and public utilities, and for their support of various civic boards and community organizations. Notably, Alfred’s innovative farming techniques included the early adoption of mechanized combines. His legacy is commemorated through various local landmarks and community awards recognizing his service and philanthropy.