My Genealogy Hound

ROSS GAMBLE, the subject of this biographical notice, is one of Kearney’s foremost business men and her chief benefactor. He is not an old settler, strictly speaking, but he has been in Kearney long enough and identified with her interests intimately enough to rank, in point of accomplishments, beyond many who came even while the “buffalo were here.” Mr. Gamble came to this country in 1879, reaching Kearney on the fourth day of July, that year. He has been a resident of the town continuously since, and is one of the few men who have made a success of all their business undertakings since coming here. Having a good record as a business man prior to that time, his biography will be of value to many and will be read with interest by all.

Mr. Gamble is a native of Maine, having been born in the village of Linneus, county of Aroostook, that state, August 15, 1831. He is of Scotch extraction, his parents being both natives of Scotland, where they were married. They came to this country, however, when young, where they began life. His father was Alexander Gamble, and his mother bore the maiden name of Mary Reed. In 1847, after their marriage, they moved to Rhode Island, and in 1850 to Wisconsin, settling in the vicinity of old Fort Winneberg, then on the outskirts of civilization. The old fort is no longer remembered, but Portage City, which has grown up on its site, is a town of some pretentions, and is recognized as the old family seat of this branch of the Gamble family in the West. There the father died in 1876, aged sixty-six, and the mother in 1883, also well advanced in years. There the children, of which they had eight, the subject hereof being next to the oldest, grew up, and from that point took their several starts in life.

From the dates already given, it will be seen that our subject was sixteen years of age when his parents moved to Wisconsin. Two years later he left home, went into the pineries on the Wisconsin river and began life for himself. He at first went to work as a laborer in the lumber districts, accumulated some capital, and afterwards went into business for himself. He spent twenty-seven years of the best part of his life in this locality, and engaged in this business. His beginning was humble enough, but his success in the end was complete. He built up one of the largest trades in the Northwest, and at the time he gave up his interest there had acquaintances and business connections in every town from Wansaw and Stephen’s Point, where he operated to St. Louis, covering an area of several hundred miles, and embracing some of the largest lumber jobbing points, as well as general business centers, in the country. Mr. Gamble decided to quit the lumber business in 1879 and to change his place of residence. He came, as above stated, to Nebraska that year, and established a ranch twenty-five miles northwest of Kearney, in Buffalo county, on the South Loup, and stocked it with cattle. A year and a half later he sold this and established another between the Dismal and Middle Loup, to the northwest, which he conducted successfully for four years. In the spring of 1884, he sold out his entire ranching interests and also his lumber interests in Wisconsin, a large part of which he had retained up to that date and purchased of Wiley Bros., of Kearney, the Buffalo County Bank. This bank was then a private institution, and he conducted it as such until July, 1886, when having interested others in it, he re-organized it as a national bank, increasing the capital from $60,000 to $100,000. Mr. Gamble became president and still holds that position. The Buffalo County National Bank is one of the most prosperous institutions of the kind in the city of Kearney. It has paid good dividends from the beginning, and has accumulated a surplus of over $50,000, besides some of the best business men of Kearney and Buffalo county are stockholders in it, and its board of directors is composed of men of unquestioned ability and integrity. Mr. Gamble is the recognized head of the institution, and to his judgment and good management is due much of the success it has attained. In April, 1889, Mr. Gamble, in connection with others, organized the Midway Loan and Trust Company of Kearney, with a capital of $100,000. Of this he was elected treasurer and now holds that position. July following, he, with others, started the Kearney Savings Bank, organizing it under the state laws. It has a capital of $100,000. He is president of it. The Savings Bank is comparatively new, but starts out under favorable auspices. It occupies an elegant three-story brick block, on the corner of Central avenue and Twenty-third street. This is one of the most commodious and striking buildings in the city. In its construction Mr. Gamble has taken a lively interest and looks with some pride, as he has every reason to do, on the work accomplished. Besides his interests in these three corporations, Mr. Gamble owns considerable realty in Kearney, and some also in Wisconsin, having a fine farm in Columbia county, that state, and timber lands on the Wisconsin river.

From these facts it is clear that Mr. Gamble’s life has been an active and an eminently successful one, far more so than that of the average business man. The secret of his success, if there be any secret in it, is to be found in two qualities which he possesses in a large measure, namely, persevering industry and strict attention to business. He was brought up to hard work and his whole life has been one of constant, unremitting labor. He has eschewed politics and the fatal allurements of office, and all other distracting pursuits and diversions, and concentrated his whole time and thought on his own personal affairs. And should one step into his office in the bank any time, he can always be found at his desk at work, receiving callers, considering applications for loans, answering letters and giving directions about the business of the bank. His life is a splendid vindication of the dignity of labor and a most excellent example of the success that crowns attention to details. Yet when this is said the best has not been told of him. Men may make money by fortunate speculation, or they may accumulate it by niggardly practices, living hard themselves and denying help to others, or they may get it by the exercise of the better virtues of industry, perseverance and reasonable self-denial, and yet their lives fall short of the true standard of manhood and fail to teach any valuable lasting lesson. The proper use of money is the true test of wisdom and the best evidence of manly character. If the subject of this sketch has established a reputation for anything in the city of his adoption it is for disinterested public spirit, benevolence, charity. Giving wisely, yet with a liberal hand, his wealth has blessed all on whom it has been bestowed. The evidences are on every hand. To mention only a few of his contributions to public improvements: he gave for the erection of the Midway hotel, $600; to the Kearney Street Railway Company, $700; to the pickle factory, $250; to the pork packing establishment, $500; to the paper mill, $200; to the Enterprise newspaper, $1,000, and to the First Methodist church, $300. In smaller amounts he has contributed liberally to numberless other purposes, and to the poor, destitute and distressed he always extends a helping hand.

Mr. Gamble has a family — a wife and two sons. He was married in July, 1862, in Portage City, Wis. His wife was Elizabeth S., daughter of Russell Spicer, and she was born and reared in Portage City. Mr. Gamble’s sons are grown, and each has an interest with and occupies a position of trust under him; Albert T., the elder, being cashier of, and Walter R., teller in, the Buffalo County National Bank.

Mr. Gamble and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Gamble is a member. He was a zealous member of the Masonic fraternity in former years and took all the degrees conferred in this state. Lately, however, he has not been an active worker. In personal appearance Mr. Gamble is plain and unpretentious. In conversation he is somewhat reserved, unless warmed up on a subject in which he feels a special interest. He is very conservative, and, to one who does not know him, his slowness to act might be taken as an evidence of indecision of character, but it is only his habitual way of feeling the ground before he steps. He has made but few false moves in life, and he owes it to the fact that he has always insisted, whatever the pressure, on feeling his way and being assured of the security of his footing. Such men are usually men of positiveness, men of individuality, men of character. They are the ones around whom weaker natures generally revolve. They are a recognized force in affairs. They do not say or do brilliant things. They have not taste or talent for shining. They weigh and consider. They see events as they shape themselves with reference to causes. They estimate things at their real value. To the rash they are often stumbling blocks; to the weak of heart and short of sight they are towers of strength and beacons of light. Men who aspire to be leaders are often found in council with them. Perhaps the highest quality of intellect ever attributed to them is “level-headedness.” But “level-headedness” in the race of life is much, and this joined to the heart that beats in tender sympathy with the wants of struggling humanity, constitutes Heaven’s best gift to the race. In these qualities the subject of this brief biographical notice rises to the full stature of man. Mr. Gamble has a beautiful residence on Avenue “A,” No. 2108, where he and his family reside.