A Biographical and genealogical history of southeastern Nebraska online

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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY




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Library



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CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY




BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME
OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT
PUND GIVEN IN 1 89 1 BY

HENRY WILUAMS SAGE



A
Biographical and Genealogical History



OF



Southeastern Nebraska



Embellishep with Portraits op Many Well Known People of This Skctios of thk (-{rkat West.
Who Have Been and Are Prominent in Its History and De\-et^t.ment



VOL. I



ILLUSTRATED



CHICAGO NEW YORK

THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

1904 â–  . .






/^fii'f^l



Preface



Out of the depths of his mature wisdom Caiiyle wrote, "History
is the essence of innumerable biographies." Believing this to be the
fact, there is no necessity of advancing any further reason for the com-
pilation of such a work as this, if reliable history is to be the ultimate
object.

Southeastern Nebraska has sustained within its confines men who
have been prominent in public affairs and great industrial enterprises
for half a century. The annals teem with the records of strong and
noble manhood, and, as Sumner has said, "the true grandeur of nations
is in those Cjualities which constitute the greatness of the individual.''
The final causes which shape the fortunes of individuals and the des-
tinies of States are often the same. They are usually i-emote and obscure,
and their influence scarcely perceived until manifestly declared by results.
That nation is the greatest which produces the greatest and most manly
men and faithful women; and the intrinsic safetv of a community
depends not so much upon methods as upon that normal development
from the deep resources of which proceeds all that is precious and per-
manent in life. But such a result may not consciously be contemplated
by the actors in the great social drama. Pursuing each his personal good
by exalted means, they work out national destiny as a logical result.

The elements of success in life consist in both innate capacity and



iv PREFACE.

determination to excel. Where either is wanting, faihirc is ahnost cer-
tain in the outcome. The study of a successful life, therefore, serves
both as a source of information and as a stimulus and encouragement
to those who have the capacity. As an important lesson in this con-
nection we may appropriately ciuote Longfellow, who said : "We judge
ourselves lay what we feel capable of doing, while we judge others by
what they have already done." A faithful personal history is an illus-
tration of the truth of his observation.

In this biographical history the editorial staff, as well as the pub-
lishers, have fully realized the magnitude of the task. In the collection
of the material there has been a constant aim to discriminate carefully
in regard to the selection of subjects. Those who have been prominent
factors in the public, social and industial development of the country
have been given due recognition as far as it has been possible to secure
the requisite data. Names worthy of perpetuation here, it is true,
have in several instances been omitted, either on account of the apathy
of those concerned or the inability of the compilers to secure the informa-
tion necessary for a symmetrical sketch; but even more pains ha.ye been
taken to secure accuracy than were promised in the prospectus. Works
of this nature, therefore, are more reliable and complete than are the
"standard" histories of a country.'

THE PUBLISHERS.



Index.



Achenbach, Lewis 402

Akin, Alraon M S95

Aldrich, Benton 353

Allpress, Henry A 808

Allvord, William H 52

Ammerman, U. S 629

Andrews, A. D 269

Armstrong, George B 100

Ashenfelter, J. W 239

Aumiller, John 507

Avery, W. H 689

Axtell, Daniel 685

Bacon. Caleb M 681

Bailey, Benjamin H 515

Baker, Luther S 569

Baker, William H. 444

Barclay, Andrew D 904

Barnes, Casner 112

Barnes, C D 539

Barnhart, John W 129

Beeler, J. A 1063

Belding, G. T 66

Bell, Alexander 805

Bell, James T 806

Bennett, Robert D 284

Bill, Edwin J 695

Binger, Henry 769

Black, Toliver P 672

Blandin, John F 784

Blessing, Clayton E 44

Borst, Alanson ]\I 479

Bower, Henry T 693

Boyd, Edward M 854

Boyd, Robert C 42

Brandow, William 499

Brandt, John H 975

Bridges, Henry C 878

Brown, Harvey A 521

Brown, Jefferson D 388

Brown, J. P 666

Brown, M. M 880

Biirress, James M 248

Bush, Walter D 291

Butler, Chatfield H 873

Caldwell, Samuel L 37



Caley, Lewis 861

Callen, Harvey J 208

Callison, Jesse B 977

Camp, Chester R 116

Carey, Peter 97

Carmichael, John 894

Carmony, Frank A 193

Carmony, John W 567

Carpenter, Jonathan 471

Carr, Preston W 1064

Castor, Bernard L 772

Chaffin, Shadrach M 224

Chaney, William R 87

Chase, Lumon 761

Chubbuck, Carlton K 530

Clapp, Robert A 60s

Clark, Mrs. Mary E 312

Clark, William A 19S

Clark, William L 495

Coatney, John H 185

Cole, Sanford D 425

Collins, Andrew G 650

Colman, Allen 847

Confer, Daniel 153

Conner, Monroe T 187

Copeland, Thomas 49

Cornell, John F 256

Coulter, Robert 803

Cowel, James 108

Cowperthwait, S. J 943

Cramb, E. M 541

Crane, William H 560

Cravens, Joseph M 383

Creuz, Charles 201

Crinklaw, Robert 552

Crook, Jesse 474

Croop, Morton 1052

Crow, George 306

Cussins, Jackson, 424

Cussins, James 421

Dalbey, J. Lee 294

Darnell, George 856

Darr, Francis D 818

Davidson, S. P 536

Davies, John 267

Davis, Daniel D 160



VI



INDEX.



Davis, Nathaniel E 6oo

Day, E. H 663

Day, Harry A 963

Dean, Lewis H 281

Deffer, Augustus 787

DeKalb, Thomas J 668

Deubler, Conrad 513

Diller, Andrew 825

Diller, Jacob K 587

Diller, W. H 631

Doane College 832

Dodge, Seth W 603

Dooley, Samuel B 183

Dort, Edward H 63

Dorrington, William E 418

Downey, W. F 641

Downs, Mrs. Catherine 429

Doyle, James E 80

Druery, Jonas 325

Dundas, John H 82

Dustin, George T 25

Dye, George E 12

Easley, Drury T 367

Easley, Stephen R. 919

Eckhardt, August 21a

Edgar, W. H 871

Edgerton, William 816

Ellis, William A 1016

Engel, J. Louis 8g

Enlow, O. M 410

Enoch, Absalom M 149

Erisman, Henry B 191

Fairall, Truman E 538

Fall, C. P 903

Fallstead, George H 390

Feather, Peter W 1034

Forney, Joseph 1041

Fowler, Charles L 554

Frankforter, David 763

Frankforter, Noah 766

Frederick, John 76

Freel, Oliver 901

Friday, John H S50

Frieze, John 1 1044

Fritz, L. R 447

Fry, Isaac M 914

Fuller, Mrs. Sarah E 103

Fulton, Wesley M 351

Furnas, Robert W 2

Gaede, William 22

Gage, Edward D. and Family 983

Gallant, William 653

Gardner, L S 697

Gillpspie, P. L 431



Gilliland, Josiah 163

Gilmore, Andrew H 145

Gilmore, Robert G 40

Gilmore, William M S84

Given, H. A 428

Glasgow, Sterling P 955

Goin, James K. 458

Goin, Phillip 1029

Goldner, William 422

Goodman, Daniel 123

Graff, Gus 456

Graves, Albion, 968

Griffin, E. P 836

Grimes, Joseph W 857

Green, Francis 626

Greenwood, H- A 870

Grout, Arnold W 906

Hacker, Charles R 78

Haddan, John C I

Hageman, Gaddis P 798

Haggard, George T 638

Hahn, Frederick J 524

Hahn, Mrs. Catherine 526

Hamersham, James 1031

Flarden, Charles 349

Harmon, Henry 10

Harris, G. A 973

Hassler, Fred. S 274

Hastings, George H 728

Hawley, William H 518

Hazard, Ashbel P 648

Heilman, W- L 490

Helvey, Henry W 675

Flelvey, Hiram P 1053

Helvey, Jasper 574

Flensel, Claude P 807

Hepperlen, H. M 266

Heskett, John W 264

Hibbert, Thomas E 1074

Hickman, Isaac N 399

Hildebrand, Arthur E ^ 741

Hileman, Milton 941

Hockman, Noah 72C

Holbrook, Stephen F 1057

Holroyd, William 211

Holtgrewe, John F 511

Hoover, Mrs. Harriet 74

Hoover, Harry G 296

Horney, Joseph M 742

Hosford, James W 358

Hossack, John 378

Houck, James 654

Houseman, Harry 814

How-e, Seymour 896

Huffman, Elisha 376

Hughes, Amos T. D 958



INDEX.



Vll



Hummel, Wesley G. _ 231

Humphreys, Thomas W S02

Hurlburt, M. C 885

Hurst, Charles B 220

Hutchinson, Osvvin S 927

Huyck, Isaac 488

Isaac, Swen A 261

Jacobs, William 746

James, P. H- 54

Jeffrey, J. 862

Jelinek, Joseph, Jr loii

Jenkins, Philip 226

Johnson, James 724

Johnson, Porter C 531

Johnston, William J 701

Jones, Benjamin F 320

Jones, Joel T 965

Jones, William W 372

Jump, John D 1035

Karten, Frank 709

KaufTman, William M 141

Kechely, Mechior 1014

Keedy, Thomas J 57

Kennedy, George L 435

Kennedy, Stephen W 436

Kimball, F. E 362

King, John P 302

Kinney, Samuel A 364

Kirk, Mrs. Laura D 1013

Koeppel, Albert 215

Lake, D. B 293

Lambert, John E 126

Langley, Moses 533

Lapp, Henry C 400

La\Â¥rence, Abraham L- 68

Lawrence, John A 482

Leedom, Conoway 921

Leeper, Albert C 213

Legate, Elward K 448

Lescher, Joseph 405

Lewis, George B 343

Lewis, John B 314

Lightbody, Isaac 677

Lilly, Guilford 13S

Lilly, Wilson S 866

Little, George F 945

Littrell, Dan L 565

Loch, 6. H 287

Lohr, William H 194

London, John 547

Loofljourrow. Abner R 131

Lore, George L- 8



Louderback, Mills 610

Lowery, W. B 883

Lum, George 243

Lutgen, Sidney B S4S

Lyford, Victor G 737

Lynch, John H 1050

JNIajors, Thomas J 204

Manley, Abram F 473

Marlatt, Jeremiah 158

Marrs, Frank L 1042

Marshall, Thomas C 1047

Martin, Everard 812

Massey, T. E- 491

Masters, Joseph D 618

Mather, Daniel 1023

Maust, Elias A 411

Maxwell, Edward J 311

Maxwell, Mrs. Ann 309

Maxwell, Jackson 464

McAdams, Robert T 1008

McBride, Daniel L 478

McCandlass, A. D 824

McComas, Edward 'M 439

McComas, Mortimer M 443

McDowell, Joseph B 542

McElhose, Robert 392

McGuire, James A 432

Mclninch, William H- 93

jNIcKibben, J. W 346

McKinney, Alfred 1017

McMullen, Adam 869

McNickle, A. B 416

McNown, Frank L 254

Mead, Giles H 792

Meader, Cyrus C 276

Aleliza, Michael 233

Meyers, Henry S 406

Millar, Appollas H 375

Miller, Franklin 907

Miller, John 924

Miller, Theodore li 730

Moffitt, Andrew 888

Moles, James S 581

Moore, Jacob W., 385

Moore, Thomas 797

Morris, Lewis H 369

Moses, Ebenezer 8c2

Muff, Mrs. Catharine 70^

Muir, Robert V ,ir

Mutz, Albert B W

Mutz, Austin C â– .'.'". 15

Nelson, Ross W 355

Nider, John g^-j

Nutzman, Louis J rnft

N3'e,c.F •.:.•;:;:.■ '34



vm



INDEX.



Ogle, Joseph i8o

Ord, Clarence E 170

Ottens, Bernard 178

Overman, James H 270

Ozman, William L 781

Pace, James W 409

Page, Alfred, 228

Palmer, John 251

Palmer, Phillip 252

Parker, Fred 175

Parks, Robert B. 799

Parriott, William C 59

Peabody, Valentine P 328

Percival, Judson 929

Perry, David P 828

Perry, James K 937

Pettit, Samuel 9S0

Phillips, W. H 859

Pickrell, William 899

Pittman, Joseph K no

Pittenger, Reuben S 930

Place, George M 1059

Poe, Thomas B 1025

Pohlman, John H iiS

Porterfield, James N 381

Prouty, Francis L- 1019

Pyle, George W 1027

Randall, Myron G 83

Randall, Orlando T 874

Raynor, James 104

Reed, Enos H 426

Reed, Francis B 527

Reed, Harrison 462

Reid, D. J 492

Retchless, William 467

Richards, W. H 21

Riddle, W. M 633

Riesenberg, Frank W 155

Robinson, Edward 571

Rodebaugh, Daniel F. 1071

Roe, Joseph E 849

Rogers, Edwin J 623

Rogers, George A 621

Rogge, J. H. F 94fi

Rohmeyer, Louis H 114

Root, Mrs. Emeretta 961

Rounds, Lorin 61

Rubelman, George J 537

Sanders, William W 4So

Schoonover, Fliram 469

Scott, Henry A :65

Scott, Robert T 278

Shade, Daniel A 1060

Shafer, Michael 288



Shannon, Greenville G 459

Shaw, James 1 341

Shepherd, Alexander 841

Shepstall, Daniel S38

Shepstall, George W 839

Shepstall, Nathaniel 1 840

Sherwood, David A. 953

Shook, John H 17

Showalter, Benjamin F 497

Shubert, Henry W 1065

Shubert, John D 297

Shufeldt, H. W 717

Skeen, tJenjamin T 135

Skeen, Thomas B 29

Skinner, John B 643

Sloan, W. T 301

Slocum, Samuel E 395

Smith, Albert F 891

Smith, George Y 577

Smith, Mrs. Eliza C 245

Smith, William 949

Smith, William W 453

Snyder, Anthony W 300

Snyder, Edward W 484

Snyder, James A 651

Spirk, John F 776

Stainbrook, Marcus 658

Stainbrook, W- B 661

Starr, Joseph W 932

Starr, Peter D 748

Stephenson, James A 70

Stewart, Washington 636

Stewart, Charles F 8

Stockman, Thomas J 152

Stowell, William H 91

Sullivan, Michael 715

Sykes, Jasper M 876

Taylor, J. S. 558

Taylor, William M 241

Teale, Joseph 721

Thacker, Levi 336

Thompson, Isaac N 591

Tidball, John L- 909

Tigard, Samuel 720

Tout, John M 863

Towne, Reuben J 1049

Tramblie, Julius 1055

Trimmer, Thaddeus 699

Tucker, Edward J 172

Turner, Robert T 1045

Twedell, Simon 493

Tynon, William igS

Upton, David 753

Vance, George C 597



INDEX.



IX



VanDeventer, Morgan H 332

Van Valkenburg, Dudley 347

Vertrees, Samuel D 1033

Viette, William 1037

Vilda, Wencil 751

VoUbehr, John 936

Waldter, Louis 796

Walker, Benjamin 615

Walker, W. H 238

Ward, George E 972

Ward, H. L 971

Ward, John A 280

Watson, Henrick L 125

Watson, William, 218

Welch, Henry C 756

Wells, Horace M 711

Welton, Charles M 322

Welsh, John B 606

Wendorff, Ferdinand 790

Weston, William ' 864



Wetmore, H. J 446

Wey, Charles A 143

Wheeler, Theodore M 779

Whitaker Brothers 734

White, William 28

Whitfield, Needham B ,. 845

Whitlow, Peter 801

Whitney, William L 646

Wilkie, David 338

Williams, James A. 1040

Willoughby, Winfield S 612

Wilson, Joseph D 759

Wilson, Walter H 923

Wilson, W. P 974

Winter, F. W 1039

Wirick, John 504

Wirth, Lewis P 433

Woodman, John H 820

Wright, W. W 397

Zook, Abraham 216



BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY



JOHN C. HADDAN.



John C. Haddan, of Wymore, Gage county, Nebraska, one of the
leading residents of that locality and a prominent veteran of the Civil
war, has lived in Nebraska for thirty-two years and in this county for
nineteen years.

His enlistment took place at Putnam, Putnam county, Indiana, in
August, 1861, in Company I, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteer In-
fantry, Colonel Silas Colgrove in command. After a long and exciting
term of service he was honorably discharged in February, 1863, and
returned home. During his service at one time it was supposed he was
taken prisoner, but he escaped as he was at that time guarding a train
of supplies. He was in the battles of Vv'"inchester, Virginia, Straws-
burg, Virginia, Banks' retreat in the Shenandoah Valley, Cedar Moun-
tain, second battle of Bull Run.

John C. Haddan was born in Putnam county, Indiana, not far
from Putnaraville, July 15, 1840, the year William H. Harrison was
elected president. He was a son of Isaac Haddan and Mary (Wilson)
Haddan, the former of whom died in Page county, Iowa, at the age of
sixty-five years, while the mother, who was born in 1808, died aged
eighty-six years. These worthy people had eight sons ancl three daugh-
ters.

Mr. Haddan is a grandson of John Haddan, a native of Virginia,



2 SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA.

born and reared a farmer. John moved to Ktentucky with his parents
when a young man and they settled in Owen county. John Haddan
fought under General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe. After that
war he moved from Kentucky to Putnam county, Indiana, where he
died aged one hundred years. He had two brothers, William and
Robert, and they all served in the war under General Harrison. Robert
was one of General Harrison's aides. John C. Haddan resided in Iowa
for some years after having come to that state with his parents, and
in 1872 he removed to Nebraska. While still residing in Iowa, he was
married to Mary I. Wymore, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Mc-
Mann) Wymore. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wymore were:
Abram E., who served in the Fortieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, died
at Helena, Arkansas ; Mathew, who died while a member of the Fortieth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry; James H., of the same regiment.

Working steadily to gain a comfortable home for himself and
family Mr. Haddan is now the owner of four houses and lots and his
home place is surrounded by four acres of ground. His house is a
pleasant five-room cottage, comfortably furnished. In politics he is a
Republican, and he is past commander of Coleman Post No. 115, G. A.
R. Mrs. Haddan is a member of the Christian Science Club. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Haddan are well and favorably known throughout the
entire community.

EX- GOVERNOR ROBERT W. FURNAS.

Robert Wilkinson Furnas was born on a farm near Troy, Miami
county, Ohio, May 5, 1824, being a son of William and Martha (Jen-
kins) Furnas, both natives of Newberry, South Carolina, where the
father was born in 1804 and the latter in 1800. In the paternal line the



SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA. 3

family is traced back to the great-grandfather of our subject, John
FurnaSj who was born at Standing Stone, Cumberland, England, March
5, 1736, while his son, Thomas Wilkinson, the grandfather of Robert
W., was born at Bush River, South Carolina, March 23, 1768. Both
the paternal and m'aternal ancestors were Friends or Quakers. William
and Martha Furnas died of cholera within a few days of each other, at
Troy, Ohio, in the year 1832. In their family were three children, the
twin brother of Robert W. dying in infancy, and the daughter, Mary
Elizabeth, died at the age of eighteen years.

Robert Wilkinson Furnas was reared in the home of his grand-
father Furnas until twelve years of age, receiving but limited educational
advantages in his youth, and his school days were limited to about
twelve months. For two years, from the age of twelve to fourteen
years, he served as "chore boy" in the general store of Singer &. Brown,
of Troy, Ohio. At the age of fourteen years he was apprenticed to
the tinsmith's trade, in which he served for four years, and then served
a four years' apprenticeship to Rich C. Langdon, of the Licking Valley
Register, Covington, Kentucky, there learning in detail the art of
printing. After the expiration of his term of apprenticeship he, with
A. G. Sparhawk, for some years conducted a book and job printing
house in Cincinnati, Ohio, during which time he was also the publisher
of' several periodicals. Returning to his native county of Troy in
1846, he there purchased and published The Times at the county seat,
but after a number of years thus spent he retired from the newspaper
business and engaged in the clock, watch, jewelry and notion trade-in the
same town, also serving as the village clerk and deputy postmaster. On
the completion of the Dayton & Michigan Railroad to Troy, he entered
the employ of that company as railroad and express agent and conductor.

In March, 1856, Mr. Furnas came to Brownville, Nebraska, bring-



4 SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA.

ing with him a printing press and outfit and again ventured into the
journalistic field. He established, published and edited the Nebraska
Advertiser, which is still published in Nemaha county, and in 1868
published and edited the Nebraska Farmer, that being the first agri-
cultural paper edited in Nebraska. In the same fall in which he came
to the state he was elected to the council branch of the territorial legisla-
ture, serving four consecutive years, and was elected by that body the
public printer, printing the laws and journals of the fourth session of the
legislature. During his first session he was the author of the first com-
mon school law for Nebraska, also the law creating the territorial, now
state, board of agriculture. During his term as a legislator he intro-
duced and secured the passage of many acts of both local and general im-
portance, naver having failed in securing the passage of a bill when
introduced. He was conspicuous in the passage of an act declaring
against holding slaves in Nebraska.

At the breaking out of the war between the states Mr. Furnas was
commissioned by the then acting governor J. Sterling Morton, colonel
of the territorial militia and was afterward commissioned, by acting
governor A. S. Paddock, brigadier general in the same service for the
district south of the Platte river. Without solicitation on his part he
was appointed and commissioned by President Lincoln, March 22, 1862,
colonel in the regular army, being mustered into the service by Lieti-
tenant C. S. Bowman, of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, May 22, 1862, and
under this commission organized three Indian regiments from the Indian
Nation, composed of Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chickasaws and
Cherokee Indians, cdmmanding the brigade. In this campaign Colonel
Furnas had with him as members of his staff and Indian advisers the
two noted Seminole chiefs, Opotholoholo, then said to be over one hun-
dred years old, and Billy Bow Legs. These two Indian leaders, it will



SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA. 5

be remembered, were conspicuous characters in the Florida-Seminole
war of 1838. While in this service Colonel Furnas captured the cele-
brated Cherokee Indian chief, John Ross, and family, sending them to
Washington, D. C, for conference with the president of the United
States. This terminated the trouble in the Indian nation. With these
Indians he fought several successful battles against white confederate
soldiers on the border of the Missouri and in the Indian territory.
Colonel Furnas was detailed from this service with a special commission
from the noted "Jim Lane" to recruit in Nebraska, recruiting largely the
Second Nebraska Cavalry. He entered that service as a private, but was
later commissioned captain of Company E, and when the regiment was
completed was by Governor Alvin Saunders commissioned colonel of
the same and served undei- General Sully in his northern Indian expedi-
tion against the Sioux and other hostile Indians north, near British pos-
sessions. The Second Nebraska Cavalry successfully fought the battle
of White Stone Hill against a treble number of the Sioux Indians.

After the expiration of his term of service Colonel Furnas was hon-
orably discharged, and soon afterward, without his knowledge, was ap-
pointed by President Lincoln agent for the Omaha Indians iii northern
Nebraska, serving nearly four years, during which time he also had
charge of the Winnebago and Ponca Indian tribes. During his term as
Indian agent, from a condition of annual support by the general govern-
ment, he elevated the Omaha Indians agriculturally to the production
and sale of forthy thousand bushels of surplus corn in one year. Through
his efforts the mission school increased from thirty-five to one hundred
and forty-five pupils. For political disloyalty to "Andy" Johnson he
was removed by him, he having succeeded Lincoln after his assassin-
ation. Returning to Brownville. Mr. Furnas engaged again in the
newspaper business and later turned his attention to farming in Nemaha



6 SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA.

county. Politically he was an old-line Whig and afterward a Republi-
can, and in 1872 he was elected the governor of Nebraska. After his
term of service expired he returned to Brownville, where he has ever
since been engaged in farming and fruit and forest-tree growing. Since
coming to this state he has also held numei'ovis other official positions,
as follows : president and secretary of the state board of agriculture,
president and secretary oi the state horticultural society, president of the
state horticultural society, president of the Nebraska soldiers' union,
vice president of the American Pomological Society, president of inter-
national fairs and expositions, president of the American Fair Associa-
tion, president of the first trans-Mississippi irrigation convention at Den-
ver, Colorado, in 1879, a delegate to the convention at Topeka, Kansas,
in 1857, to form a new territory composed of land between the mouth
of the Kaw and Platte rivers, United States commissioner to Phila-
delphia centennial, the New Orleans cotton centennial, Chicago Colum-
bian exposition and special commissioner of the international exposi-
tion at London, England. For two years Mr. Furnas was special agent
for the United States pension bureau, and was a member of the first
board of regents of the University of Nebraska, a portion of the time
being president of the board. He was also special agent of the United
States department of agriculture to investigate the agricultural needs