PIERCE COUNTY NEBRASKA CIVIL WAR DATABASE – W      

 

 

WAMBOLD, JEREMIAH W.; Plainview

          Burial: Plainview Memorial Cemetery

          Pennsylvania 104 Infantry Company D - Private

          Enlistment Date: 17 September 1861

          Wounded: Fort Putnam; Morris Island, South Carolina

Mustered Out: 25 August 1865 Portsmouth, Virginia

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census (Garfield County)

Cemetery Record

Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

 

WANSER, (WAUSER) WILLIAM; Plainview

          B: 6 March 1826 Amityville, New York D: 5 November 1908 Plainview,

Nebraska Burial: Plainview Memorial Cemetery

          Illinois 47th Infantry Company C - Private

          Enlistment Date: 18 August 1861 Peoria, Illinois

          Mustered Out: 11 October 1864

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census

                   1893 Nebraska Veterans Census

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

The Plainview News; Plainview, Nebraska; 12 November 1908; Page 5

 

Obituary

 

Wm. Wanser was born at Amityville, New York, March 6, 1826, and died in Plainview, Nebraska, November 5, 1908, at the age of 82 years, 7 months, and 29 days. He was married July 3, 1844, to Miss Mary Antha Seeley, and three years later they moved to Peoria, Illinois, where they lived until 1871, at which time they removed to Nebraska.

 

To this union were born nine children, of whom six survive, Mrs. N. A. Peterson, of Orchard, Nebraska; Mrs. E. L. Taylor, of Vivian, South Dakota; Mrs. Adelia Hogue, Ed. And Fred Wanser of Plainview and Wm. Wanser, of Vivian, South Dakota, all of whom were present at the services.

 

Mr. Wanser enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War at Peoria, Illinois, with the 47th Illinois Volunteers for a term of three years, at which time he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war, returning to his family in 1866, thus devoting five years of his life in patriotic service for his country.

 

The deceased was one of the pioneers of Pierce county where he settled as a homesteader 37 years ago. The old homestead where for 15 years the family lived, and enduring the hardships and privations of pioneer life, lies one mile north and on mile west of Plainview.

 

Twenty years ago the family moved to Plainview where he has since resided. Mr. Wanser united with the Methodist church about twenty years ago and although not a member of any church at the time of his death, he continued steadfast in the faith and sought to lead a consistent Christian life.

 

Grandpa Wanser, as he was commonly known, we a familiar personage on our streets. Only last Monday we met him near his place of business and he spoke with his characteristic smile and cheerfulness. He was taken with a severe cold Monday night which soon developed into pneumonia and the decline was rapid. The end came very peacefully and he “fell on sleep” Thursday afternoon.

 

The best eulogy that can be pronounced in honor of any man in his life and the most fitting monument that can be raised to his memory is his character. These Grandpa Wanser has left as way marks for his family and many friends.

 

Besides the wife, children and grandchildren, the deceased leaves scores of friends among the early pioneers of this county and their descendants. He was widely known and highly respected as a man of sterling character and righteous principles.

 

The funeral was held from the Congregational church Saturday, November 7, 1908, at 2:30 p.m., Rev. Francis M. DeWeese officiating. The interment was in the old cemetery.

 

The bereaved relatives have the sympathy of all.

 

 

WATKINS, SYLVIAS H.; Pierce

          B: 27 April 1840 Kalamazoo, Michigan D: 22 March 1901 Burial: Prospect

View Cemetery; Pierce, Nebraska

          New York 9th Cavalry Company H

          Enlistment Date: 05 October 1861

          Prisoner of War: 11 November 1864 Middletown, Virginia

          Mustered Out: 30 May 1865 Elmira, New York

          Sources: Cemetery Record

                   Pension File

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

Pierce County Call; Pierce, Nebraska; 29 March 1901

 

Obituary

 

Died – At his home nine miles southwest of Pierce, Friday, March the 22d, 1901, of pneumonia, Sylvias H. Watkins, at the age of sixty years, ten months and twenty-five days.

 

Mr. Watkins was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, April 27, 1840, where he grew to manhood. From there he went to New York state to reside. At that time the civil war broke out and young Watkins, like many other true and noble men, offered his services to his country by enlisting as a volunteer in the 9th N. W. Cavalry, company H. He was honorably discharged Dec. 19th 1863, at Culpepper, Va. By reason of re-inlistment (sic) he was appointed Commissary Seargent (sic) under the commanding officer Wm. Sackett, where he served through the remainder of the war. He was then honorably discharged from the service of the United States at Elmira, N. Y., the 30th day of May, 1865. He then took a course of study at the Lowell Commercial College of Binghampton, N. Y., graduating Dec. 14, 1866. He soon afterward came west as far as Iowa, where in 1868 he was married to Mrs. Ann Cave and where they afterwards lived until two years ago when they came to Pierce county, Nebraska where they purchased a farm 9 miles southwest of Pierce. The deceased was a kind and living husband and father; also an honest and upright neighbor in every respect. The bereaved ones have the heartfelt sympathy of their neighbors and friends. Mr. Watkins was a member of the Church of Christ and passed quietly and peacefully away to the other land.

 

The funeral services were conducted Sunday at the house by the Rev. M. Inhelder, of Pierce, after which the I. O. O. F. Lodge of Meadow Grove took charge of the burial, the remains being interred in Prospect View Cemetery south of Pierce. To the bereaved ones we would say:

When thy hopes seem all forsaking, And they very heart seems breaking; Look beyond the cloud of darkness, With its gleaming, silvery sheen, Newer hope take for the morrow, God will help them bear thy sorrow. Go buy it so deeply that ‘twill never come between, Thy plans for future gladness, for ‘twere folly verged on madness, To grope to hopeless darkness, There is sunshine to be seen.

 

J. B. Kelly

 

 

WAX, GEORGE L.; Pierce

B: January 1821 Pennsylvania D: 19 February 1903 Burial: Pilger

Cemetery; Pilger, Nebraska

          Illinois 11th Infantry Company H - Private

          Enlistment Date: 27 November 1861

          Discharged: 1 July 1862

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

 

WEATHERBY, EDMUND P.; Pierce

          B: 1 March 1842 Morrow County, Ohio D: 4 September 1915 Norfolk,

Nebraska Burial: Prospect Hill Cemetery; Norfolk, Nebraska

Iowa 44th Infantry Company C - Corporal

Enlistment Date: 30 April 1864 Delaware County, Iowa

Mustered Out: 15 September 1864 Davenport, Iowa

Sources: Andreas History of Nebraska

          1890 Veterans Census (Madison County)

          Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

 

WEILER, FERDINAND; Plainview

B: 9 October 1849 D: 11 March 1926 Burial: Memorial Cemetery; Plainview, Nebraska

14th US Federal Infantry Company A & G – Corporal

Enlistment Date: 13 January 1862

Discharge Date: 13 January 1865

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census (Antelope County)

1893 Nebraska Veterans Census

Cemetery Record

Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

 

WESTON, BENJAMIN; Pierce

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census

 

 

WILKINSON, HIRAM M.; Pierce

          B: 20 Jun 1846 Biggsville, Illinois D: 27 Feb 1923 Ansley, Nebraska Burial:

Ansley Cemetery; Ansley, Nebraska

          Illinois 11th Infantry Company H - Private

          Enlistment Date: 12 November 1861

          Mustered Out: 30 September 1865 Memphis, Tennessee

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

The Ansley Herald; Ansley, Nebraska; 1 March 1923; Page 4

 

 

 

 

WILSON, ROBERT; Osmond

          B: 1850 D: 1921 Burial: Osmond Cemetery; Osmond, Nebraska

          Sources: Cemetery Record

 

 

WILSON, THOMAS; Pierce

          B: 23 May 1834 Scotland D: 28 March 1906 Pierce, Nebraska Burial:

Prospect View Cemetery; Pierce, Nebraska

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census (Sarpy County)

Cemetery Records

Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

Pierce County Call; Pierce, Nebraska; 29 March 1906

 

Deaths’ Sudden Summons

 

Thos. Wilson died suddenly Wednesday morning from an attack of apoplexy. The day before he was in his usual health and joked and visited with his neighbor, Peter Morrison, and son Ed before retiring the evening before. About 3 o’clock in the morning he was seized with a spell of coughing. His son raised him to a sitting position but noticing a choking, gasping sound in the throat he ran to the nearest telephone for aid. When the doctor arrived the old gentleman had passed away.

 

Deceased was born in Scotland, May 23, 1833, being nearly 73 years of age. About fourteen years ago he moved from Sarpy county to Pierce county, locating on a farm northwest of Pierce in Foster precinct. A year ago he moved to Pierce and built him a little home in the west part of town. Not much is known of his previous life. He was in Missouri during the outbreak of the Civil War and belonged to Gen. Lyon’s Militia and took part in those stirring times. The last few months his feebleness and failing strength had been noticed by his friends and neighbors. Services will be held in the M. E. church this afternoon at 2 o’clock.

 

 

 

WOOD, WILLIAM H.; Plainview

          Burial: Memorial Cemetery; Plainview, Nebraska

Iowa 29th Infantry Company B - Private

          Sources: 1890 Veteran Census (Antelope County) 

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

 

WORKER, CHARLES; Pierce

          B: 5 November 1829 England D: 28 May 1925 Burial: Prospect View

Cemetery; Pierce, Nebraska

          New York 122nd Infantry Company B - Private

          Enlistment Date: 15 August 1862

          Mustered Out: 23 June 1865 Washington, DC

          Sources: 1890 Veterans Census

                   1893 Nebraska Veterans Census

                   Pension File

                   Cemetery Record

                   Sons of Union Veterans Database     

 

Pierce County Call; Pierce, Nebraska; 4 June 1925; Page 1

 

Old Soldier Mustered Out

 

Chas. Worker Answered the Last Roll Call Last Thursday Afternoon

 

Col. Chas. Worker, who for over two score years was a familiar figure in the Grand Army of the Republic and county politics, answered the final roll call last Thursday afternoon, shortly after five o’clock.

 

Col. Worker, as he was familiarly known, had been gradually failing for some months past but his strong constitution and indominitable (sic) will power came to his rescue and kept him alive much longer than has been the case with men much younger than he. Col. Worker had been ill from congestion of the lungs for two or three weeks and owing to his extreme old age his many friends held out very little hope for recovery.

 

Upon the announcement of his death, the flag he fought for during the Civil War and which he always revered, was hung from the flag pole at half mast.

 

The funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at the Methodist church. The pastor, Rev. R. F. Farley, paid a beautiful tribute to the deceased comrade’s memory—calling particular attention to the part of his life in which he participated in the forming of a new political party back in 1856 when the Republican party was formed and nominated John C. Fremont for President of the United States.

 

The Methodist quartet choir, consisting of Mrs. M. H. Leamy and daughter Florence, and Messrs. Byron Vanderpool and Prof. F. E. Alder, with Miss Mary Leamy as accompanist rendered three appropriate hymns.

 

Many beautiful floral emblems were in evidence, showing the honor and respect in which Mr. Worker was held in the community.

 

A number of old soldiers from Plainview and Norfolk were also present at the services.

 

Burial took place at Prospect View cemetery. The following sons of veterans were pall bearers: Messrs. Lewis Hall, E. A. Kinkaid, F. H. Gleason, A. L. Brande, Frank Littell and E. R. Dunn.

 

At the grave Miss Florence Leamy sang “Tenting Tonight”, and was assisted in the chorus by others.

 

A squad of American Legion boys were present and fired a salute over the grave, after which Chas. H. Chilvers, as bugular (sic), sounded taps.

 

The following obituary was read by Rev. Farley at the services at the church:

 

Charles Worker was born in the village Ailsoe, Bedfordshire, England, November 5th, 1829, a son of Philip and Mary (Kemp) Worker, both natives of England, living in Bedfordshire until death. They were both of a long-lived race. Mr. Worker’s grandmother attained the extreme age of one hundred and seven years, and an uncle lived to one hundred and five.

 

He lived in his native country until the age of nineteen, having learned the butcher’s trade in London and while under his father’s roof, worked as a gardener. Embarking at London on the sailship “Wisconsin” he landed in New York, after a voyage of nine weeks, going to Syracuse where the was for a time employed at the butcher’s trade and later at farming making Syracuse his home for twenty-five years.

 

He was a delegate to the Republican convention at Philadelphia in 1856 which nominated General John C. Fremont for president and is probably the lasting surviving member who was a delegate to that convention.

 

In 1862 Mr. Worker left a wife and four little ones, and enlisted in the army to help preserve the country of his adoption. He served the last three years of the war in Company D, 122nd New York Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the following battles of Antietam, Williamsburg, Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, the second battle of Fredricksburg Heights, Deep Run, Rappanhannock, Mine Run, the battle of the Wilderness, Gettysburg, for which has the Gettysburg Bronze Medal for service, Spottsylvania Court House, Petersburg, For Stevens, Winchester, Cedar Creek and Fisher’s Hill. He was with Grant in the battles around Richmond and Petersburg and and fought until Lee surrendered, and participated in the Grand Review at the close of the ware. March 1,1863, he advanced over one hundred thirty-three in line and was promoted to be Quarter Master Sergeant, which he held until the close of the war. Mr. Worker carried four wounds as marks of service rendered to his adopted country.

 

After the ware he farmed near Syracuse until 1872, when he removed to Clinton county, Iowa, and eleven years alter came here and took up a homestead in section thirty-two, township twenty-five, range three, bringing lumber for his buildings all the way from Clinton, Iowa, occupying three cars with lumber, cattle and household goods. He took a timber claim in section thirty-three, township twenty-five, range three which he has improved until it became one of the finest in this part of the country. There is a fifteen acre grove of large trees on the place all set out by Mr. Workers. It can be truthfully said of him that he has “made the desert to blossom as a rose.” He has not only made two blades of grass to grow where one grew, but has gone farther and made blades of grass to grow where none grew.

 

Mr. Workers was married in 1854 to Miss Fanny Welch—this union being blessed with four children, as follows: Lillian, Mary, Cornelia and Maggie married Leroy Munger, now deceased. Maggie married Abner Munger, now deceased and Lillian married William Coltman, also deceased. Mrs. Worker died in 1888, since which time his daughter, Miss Cornelia, has been his constant companion and housekeeper. About fifteen years ago he and Miss Cornelia retired form the farm and moved to Pierce, where they have since resided. Since coming to Pierce, each summer Mr. Worker has spent his spare time in gardening, which to a great extent has been in the nature of experiments with different field crops, potatoes, corn, alfalfa and garden vegetables, and has won many prizes at both county and state fairs with his products. He labored and spent his money for the development of a better farm life and not for financial gain.

 

Mr. Worker was intensely patriotic and was never afraid to show his patriotism wherever he was, and if each school district in the state of Nebraska had had a man like Colonel Worker there would have been no need for the state legislature to have passed a law that at every school house on every pleasant day, while school is in session, that the flag should be displayed. Long before this law had been passed the Colonel had erected a flag pole and presented the school with a flag at the rural school where he was a school officer for many years. If you should pass this rural school I know that you would say “well how different from the ordinary country school, I wonder who planted all those trees? The answer would be “Colonel Worker.” The Colonel took as much are of this rural school in the way of improvements as he did of his own farm and today this school with its flag pole and flag, its beautiful grove and splendid location stand as a tribute of loyalty and devotion to his country for which he fought so nobly and well.

 

Mr. Worker went through the hardships of the early settler when he first came to Nebraska, experiencing the blizzard of 1888, at which time he lost many of his cattle. He also los his entire crop in the hail storm of 1892, and harvested little during the years of successive drought. Many time he fought prairie fires to save his home.

 

Mr. Worker served as county commissioner for six years during which time the present court house was erected. His personal history vouches for the high esteem in which he is held in the whole county. He was a member of the school board for 35 years in his community and constantly labored to make the school a beautiful and useful community center.

 

Three of his daughters were at his bedside as he passed away, but Mrs. Maggie Munger, of Montana, was not able to be present. He was confirmed in the Episcopal church in early life, but since coming to Pierce he regarded the Methodist ministers as his pastors, his daughter Cornelia being prominent in the work of that church. About two weeks ago he told his pastor that he had prayed his way through and was ready to meet his God. He added “I have not always fought a good fight, but I have kept the faith, I love my God and have asked him to forgive me for all wrongs and feel that he has. I love my country and have been as loyal as I could be to her. I love my home and have tried to be a true man to my loved ones. I love my old comrades and have tried to make their lives as pleasant as I might.”

 

He took up his burden early in life and carried it cheerfully through the varied years. He has crossed the mystic river to the other shore. The web of life is finished, the loom is still—The Weaver Sleeps.

 

The Call might add that Col. Worker rendered valuable service to the county during his six years term as Commissioner. The court house was erected in 1889 and 1890 and Mr. Worker was always on the job to see that everything was carried out according to contract. Then there was the defalcation of Carl Korth, the County Treasurer. Many said he never would be brought to justice, but Mr. Worker thought differently. We will remember that when the case came up for trial in Antelope county, that Mr. Worker and County Clerk R. A. Tawney drove over here from Neligh and had documents prepared for the trial and were in Neligh the next morning when court convened. He received the thanks of many of the bondsmen for his part in bring the guilty to justice. During his later years he served on the Soldier’s Relief Commission and did all in his power to bring comfort and cheer to his comrades in the county.

 

 

WRIGHT, GEORGE C.; Plainview

          B: 1856 Ohio D: 1923 Burial: Pleasant View Cemetery; Plainview, Nebraska

          Sources: 1893 Nebraska Veterans Census

          ? Birth Date ?