OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 739 Today's Topics: #1 ISAAC TEMPLE MERCHANT - PAULDING C [MARGARET A KAROL To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <380ca3ab19d901infonet88*@x400gw.infonet.com> Subject: ISAAC TEMPLE MERCHANT - PAULDING COUNTY & FAYETTE COUNTY HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA A NARRATIVE OF THE PAST, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS UPON THE PIONEER PERIOD OF THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, ITS SOCIAL, COMMERCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CIVIC DEVELOPMENT FROM THE EARLY DAYS TO THE PRESENT TIME. By HUGH J. DOBBS LINCOLN, NEBRASKA WESTERN PUBLISHING AND ENGRAVING COMPANY 1918 - Page 485 - 486 I. T. MERCHANT, the efficient postmaster at Adams, Gage county, claims the old Buckeye state as the place of his nativity. He was born in Paulding county, Ohio on the 19th day of March, 1856, a son of Isaac and Nancy (Caylor) Merchant. The father was born at a place eighteen miles southwest of Washington Court House, Ohio, on the 25th of November, 1823. He was a prosperous farmer in Ohio when the civil war was precipitated, and he showed his intrinsic patriotism by enlisting in an Ohio volunteer regiment and serving valiantly with the same during the period of the great conflict between the states of the north and the south. When his country no longer needed his services as a soldier he returned to Ohio, and in 1866 he removed to Kingston, Missouri. In that locality he was engaged in farming until the time of his election to the position of county judge. In this office he served until 1873, when he came to Lincoln, Nebraska. In the following year he went to Custer county, this state, where he took up a homestead claim and became one of the pioneer settlers of that large and now prosperous section of Nebraska. He there continued his agricultural activities in 1885, when he sold his farm and established his residence at Broken Bow, the county seat, where he practiced law for several years thereafter. In 1911, after having spent some time in a visit to his native state, Mr. Merchant came to Adams, Gage county, where he passed the closing period of his life in the home of his son, the subject of this review, his death having here occurred November 10, 1913. His wife was born February 5, 1830, her birthplace having been not far distant from that of her husband, in Washington county, Ohio. She died at Broken Bow, Nebraska, January 22, 1892, and in the cemetery at that place were laid to rest the mortal remains of both her and her husband. They became the parents of ten children, concerning whom the following brief record is available: Mrs. T. J. Todhunter lives at Washington Court House, Ohio; John was a soldier of the Union at the time of his death, which occurred in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, within the progress of the Civil war; George W. is a resident of Bedford, Iowa; Mrs. W. H. Huffer lives in Urbana, Ohio; the subject of this sketch was the next in order of birth; Mrs. John Armstrong resides in San Francisco, California; Emma and William are deceased; and Mrs. R. D. Ross lives at Anselmo, Custer county, Nebraska. I. T. Merchant continued his studies in the public schools until his graduation in the high school at Kingston, Missouri, as a member of the class of 1873. In 1873, as previously noted, the family removed to Lincoln, Nebraska, and there he became a bookkeeper in his father's hotel. In the following year he accompanied his parents to Custer county, this state, where he entered claim to a homestead and engaged in the feeding of sheep and cattle. He finally disposed of his farming interests and removed to Broken Bow, where he became the deputy sheriff of Custer county. Thereafter he was appointed postmaster at Broken Bow, an office of which he continued the incumbent until 1890. Thereafter he was engaged in buying and shipping grain and live stock until 1893, when he became the keeper of the shops of the Nebraska penitentiary, at Lincoln. The next year he went to Toronto, Canada, where he became actively identified with lumbering enterprise. In 1900, Mr. Merchant established his residence at Liberty, Gage county, Nebraska, where he continued to be engaged in the buying and shipping of grain for the ensuing nine years. He then removed to the village of Adams, this county, and here he was successfully engaged in buying and shipping grain and other farm produce until 1913, when he was appointed postmaster of the village, a position in which he has since continued his effective administration. At Broken Bow, Custer county, on the 4th of September, 1890, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Merchant to Miss Sarah E. North, who was born in the Dominion of Canada, and who is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Kilpatrick) North, natives of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Merchant have one son, T. O., who has become a member of the national army and who is, in the spring of 1918, stationed at Camp Cody, New Mexico. Mr. and Mrs. Merchant belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is a Democrat. He has rendered efficient service as a member of the township board, as justice of the peace and a police judge. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Merchant is a man of ability and civil loyalty and he takes deep interest in all things pertaining to the communal welfare. The bio from the History of Gage County is really sanitized. Mary Susan Bishop was Isaac first wife and I think they married in 1882 (will have to look up the exact date) and they had 7 kids. They were divorced and Isaac kept my Grandfather Temple and his sister Violet and Mary Susan took the rest of the kids. So a marriage date of 1890 for Isaac and Sarah North seems really suspicious. My grandfather was so bitter all his life, he never spoke of his mother. In fact my mother thought Sarah was her biological grandmother until she was about 21. She found out about Mary Susan by accident. When she asked her Dad, he just turned and walked away. Anyway, divorce was a really big scandal in those times, so I suppose it would never be mentioned in a county bio. This bio also states that Grandfather was Isaac and Sarah's son, which isn't true. Oh well, it is still an interesting article. ************** NEGenWeb Project - Gage County Who's Who in Nebraska, 1940 MERCHANT, ISAAC TEMPLE: Retired; b Fayette Co, 0 Mar 19, 1856; s of Isaac Merchant-Nancy Callor; ed Ohio; m Mary S Bishop Oct 10, 1880 Broken Bow (dec 1920); s Temple Orvel, William (dec), Grover Ernest (dec); d Nora (dec), Susie (dec), Violet (Mrs 0 0 DeCamp), Ruby; came to Neb 1872, father opr of the Clifton House, Lincoln; 1873 father homesteaded in Custer Co on Victoria creek; when Custer Co was org & Broken Bow estab as co seat, moved with father to Broken Bow; father was first mayor & supplied logs for bldg first sch in Custer Co; records show marriage license issued to Isaac Temple was first one granted in Custer Co; opr gen merc store & breeder of Percheron horses, also rounded up & shipped wild horses; P M during administration of Pres Cleveland; dep sheriff of Custer Co under Charles Foote; 1904 came to Adams & engaged in grain & produce bus; 1913-21 P M Adams; past mayor & police judge many years; 1921 ret because of failing health; friend of William J Bryan & Gilbert Hitchcock & took active part in old Populist party; res Adams. MERCHANT, TEMPLE ORVEL: Attorney; b Broken Bow, Neb Aug 5, 1888; ed Adams HS; U of N, LLB; m Louise Townsend Dec 31, 1912 Fremont; s Temple Orvel Jr, Harold Iora; d Margaret Louise, Elizabeth Adelaide; 1910-12 accounting dept CB&Q RR, Omaha; 1913-14 accounting dept Beatrice Creamery Co, Lincoln; 1915-17 accounting dept Ewart Grain Co of Lincoln, stationed at Superior; 1919-22 gen mgr Beatrice branch Nebraska Corn Mills, 1922-26 pur Beatrice branch, renamed Merchants Supply Co; 1926-29 traveling representative, Gerlach-Barklow Co of Joliet Ill, hdqrs Beatrice, 1929-33 hdqrs at Hastings; 1933-39 state examiner, sr acct under state auditors William B Price, Fred Ayres, William H Price; helped inaugurate uniform accounting system in all counties; 1927 adm to Neb bar; 1939- prac law in Adams; Gage Co, Neb St & Amer Bar Assns; past grand IOOF; past councilor Beatrice coun 79 UCT, past grand councilor Neb UCT; 1910-12 active in YMCA work, Omaha; 1919-29 mbr bd Beatrice C of C; mbr bd Beatrice YMCA; during World War with US army July 16, 1917-July 26, 1919 ordnance dept, 2no army hdqrs Domgermain France, ordnance base Toul France, 11 mos O/S; 1939-40 comm Adams Amer Leg, past mbr exec com. 1929-33 past gen secy Meth SS, Hastings; since 1904 has att Dem state convs, past mbr Dem St Central Com; hobbies, fishing, gathering unusual rock; res Adams. *************************************** Although Temple Merchant was not born in Ohio, he is the son and grandson of men who were. I have included his bio so those doing research on this family will have more complete information. Submitted by Peggy Karol -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #739 *******************************************