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HISTORY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF LOUISVILLE NEBRASKA;
continued
S.A. MORRISON
S.A. MORRISON, the subject of this sketch, was born in Sarpy
county, Nebraska, on hisfather's farm about eight miles from
Louisville, Nebraska, which is now his adopted home. Hisboyhood days
were spent on the old home farm, where he assisted in the work of the
farm insummer and attended the district school of his neighborhood in
the winter until he wasseventeen years of age. He then undertook the
task of securing for himself a good education,and this he did by
teaching and studying and attending school as his means would allow.
Hespent two terms at the Fremont Normal school, at Fremont, Nebraska.
He taught variousdistrict schools in his own and Cass county, at
Alvo, Eagle and Union, where he gave the bestof satisfaction as a
teacher, to both patrons and scholars. This he could not help, as
anyonewho knows him will understand, as it comes to him by nature to
be pleasant, polite andagreeable to all with whom he meets,
especially is this so with children. And there is no higherstandard
by which we can judge men than this. A happy trait of character to
possess.
At this time Mr. MORRISON had grown to young manhood and having
the pride and spirit inhim to do something in life, and that to do
this it was necessary that he should fit himself forthe task, so he
decided that he would attend the Lincoln Normal university, at
Lincoln,Nebraska, where he spent one year, graduating with credit.
This I say of my own accord, andof a truth, that Mr. Morrison is a
most worthy young man, and one whose influence willalways be felt in
any place or community he may live. He is a young man that has grown
up byhis own efforts, and much to his credit, has left off the bad
and vulgar habits common to somany of our young men of today. He is
moral in his habits and speech and has not become avictim of that
vile and dirty use of tobacco or drink. And while he is fond of
society and hiscompany is sought and enjoyed by his friends, he is
not one that can be easily led away. Aftercompleting his university
course he did not sit down and wait for something to come to him
ofitself, but set about the task of looking up something that he
might do that would be of good tohimself and a benefit to others, for
while Mr. Morrison is enterprising he is not selfish. At thistime the
Eagle Beacon, a newspaper at Eagle, Nebraska, was offered for sale
and Mr.Morrison at once purchased that paper and took charge and
became its editor for three yearsand by ability and energy he raised
the subscription and general standard of the paper to oneof the best
in the county. In July, 1902, he sold his paper at Eagle, Nebraska,
and bought TheLouisville Courier, a Republican paper, and the only
newspaper published in that little city.
Mr. Morrison is Republican in politics,
but is of that class of men who are broad minded, justand generous to
those with whom he may differ. He has the confidence and good will of
allwho know him. He is a man of high character and is worthy of any
place or position of trust towhich he might aspire or his friends
might give him.John H. SEXTON
OTTO BECKER
OTTO BECKER was born in Germany December 14, 1857, was
educated in the Germanschools at Brunswick, and served three years in
the army. He came to the United States whenhe was twenty-five years
of age and settled in Chicago where he was engaged as architect
forfour years. He then went to Brown county, in the north-west part
of Nebraska, where hebecame the owner of a large ranch and engaged in
farming and stock raising on a large scale.This was at a time when
everything was high. The years that followed were hard ones. Thestock
that he had paid high prices for had dropped in price until he lost
all he had invested,about $6,000. He then engaged in the saloon
business in Ainsworth, Nebraska, and also atButte, Nebraska, where he
done[sic] a fairly good business for several years. He then cameto
Louisville, in 1894, where he again engaged in the same trade. Mr.
Becker prides himselfon the neatness of his place, having modern
fixtures and furniture, as up-to-date as the citysaloons. His
gentlemanly ways have won for him a good trade, and the respect of
all. Herecently erected a beautiful home here, having a wife and four
children who share in itspleasantness.
A.L. TIDD
MR. TIDD is a native of the presidential state, Ohio, and is
proud of it. He came to Nebraskaa year ago and as yet has not felt
that the move was a bad one. He attended the ValparisoNormal school
of Indiana, graduating in 1888. But not feeling that the school room
was hisplace he decided to study law, which he did, graduating from
the law department of theUniversity of Missouri in 1894, and has to
be shown. He is a careful thinker and when hegives you his opinion
you can rest assured that it is judgment formed from careful thought,
andnot the rattling off of first impressions as is often the case.
Mr. Tidd has contributed severalarticles on important law subjects to
leading law magazines. He is associated in business withMr. Spurlock
and the firm is one of the strongest legal teams in our county,
either one havingno superior at the bar.
GEORGE M. SPURLOCK.
GEO. M. SPURLOCK was born at Plattsmouth, Nebraska. He
attended public schoolsthere and later at York, Nebraska, where his
father, Burwell Spurlock, now resides. Enteredthe State University at
Lincoln in the latter part of the eighties. After spending a few
yearsthere he became a student at DePauw University, at Greencastle,
Indiana, where he graduatedin the law course. Returned to Plattsmouth
in 1894 and was admitted to practice law. Waselected county judge of
Cass county as a republican in 1895, and held the office for
twosuccessive terms, from 1896 to 1899, inclusive. Declined to accept
the nomination for a thirdterm by his party. In 1900 he formed a law
partnership with Mr. A.L. Tidd, under the firmname and style of
Spurlock & Tidd, and has been actively and successfully engaged in
thepractice of law since that time at Plattsmouth. He was nominated
by the republican party andelected last year as float representative,
from Cass and Otoe counties, to fill the vacancycaused by the death
of Hon. David Brown, of Nebraska City, and was again nominated bythe
republican party for re-election by the convention held in Nebraska
City in September,1902. Mr. Spurlock is possessed of a strong
personality, good address, and a forciblespeaker, and is always in
demand where good speaking is desired. In November, 1898, hemarried
Maybird Smith, of Marysville, Missouri. His family consists of his
wife and a risingyoung attorney he calls son.
THOMAS E. JOHNSON
MR JOHNSON was born April 21st, 1859, in Schuyler county,
Missouri. When he was sixyears old his parents moved to Plattsmouth,
Cass county, Nebraska, where they lived for twoyears, and then moved
back south traveling through the states of Missouri and
Arkansas.After wandering for some time they finally came back to Cass
county and settled on a farmthree miles south-west of Louisville,
where his father afterwards bought a farm. Thomasremained on the farm
with his parents until grown, going to school as he could catch the
timebetween working seasons. When he was about twenty years of age he
made up his mind tosee the world, going west to Colorado, Montana and
Wyoming, and to the National Park,working his way from place to
place. Coming back to Nebraska he stayed a short time andthen took a
trip through the southern states, coming again back to Nebraska in
1892, settlingon a farm in Cass county where he farmed for three
years when he bought the livery barn inLouisville where he now has a
good business. Mr. Johnson is a well posted and all roundpleasant
gentleman to meet. He was married on October 16th, 1886, to Miss
Lizzie Halpin, ofOtoe county, Nebraska. They have had three children
born to them two of which are living.
W.F. DIERS
MR. DIERS was born April 26th, 1867, at Comunnia, Iowa, his
parents at that time living ona farm. Here his boyhood days were
spent attending school and helping with the farm affairs.While
educating himself at school he was being given a practical training
at home, which hassince been instrumental in his being the successful
business man he is today. As all successfulmen, Mr. Diers is richly
endowed with the pleasant, gentlemanly way, which gains for all
whoare the possessors of such, many friends.
In the fall of 1888 he started out in life for himself, first
going to Ulysses, Nebraska, where hewent into the mercantile business
with his brother. Two years later the Diers Brothers openedtheir
first branch store, its location being at Gresham, Nebraska, W.F.
Diers taking charge ofthe business at that place. In the spring of
1900 this firm purchased the general merchandisestock of Stander
Brothers, at Louisville, where Mr. Diers was transferred to take
charge ofthat branch. He moved his family to Louisville at that time
and has since made that his home.
The firm have here a building which would be a credit to towns
much larger, and thestock it contains is large and well selected. As
in their several stores of this state they enjoy alarge trade and the
confidence of their customers. They have stores located in eight
differenttowns in this state namely, Ulysses, Rising City, Fullerton,
Cedar Rapids, Madison, Humphry,Gresham and Louisville. Six brothers
are jointly interested as the firm of Diers Bros. Mr. Dierswas
married on May 17th, 1900, to Miss Hoth, of Gresham, Nebraska. The
subject of thissketch is fitly represented by his portrait on another
page.
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