My Genealogy Hound

JOHN M. HOUSEHOLDER is a prosperous farmer in the Platte valley and a leading and representative citizen of Kearney county. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., November 27, 1834, and is the son of Adam and Mary (Moss) Householder, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, the former having been born in the year 1799, and the latter in 1795. John M. was the sixth child in a family of seven children — six boys and one girl — and resided with his parents in Philadelphia until fourteen years of age, during which time he attended the public schools, and then, in company with his brother, went to Delaware City, Del. There he resided ten years, serving an apprenticeship of five years at the carpenter’s trade, which he continued to follow while there. In 1858 he removed to Wilmington, Del., where he resided six years and was engaged in Hollingsworth’s shipyard at shipjoining.

November 26, 1862, he responded to his country’s call and enlisted in Company F, Fifth regiment Delaware infantry, and was under Capt. John R. Holt. He was on skirmish duty during Lee’s raid through Virginia and Maryland, and afterwards ordered to join an escort of prisoners to Fort Delaware, where he guarded these and others three months, at which time his enlistment expired and he was discharged at Wilmington, Del., August 10, 1863. In June, 1864, he entered the construction department of the army, and for eight months was engaged in erecting barracks and storehouses for Sherman’s army at Jacksonville and Nashville, Tenn. He next returned to Wilmington, Del., and remained three months, removing to Chester, Pa., where he resided until the spring of 1879, and was engaged as contractor and builder. He was a member of the state militia and during the Pittsburgh riots of July, 1877, commanded, as captain, Company K, Eleventh regiment, 10th division. He was first commissioned second lieutenant, then first lieutenant, and finally captain. His division was the only one provided with battery and artillery. Its members were supplied with ammunition at Malvern, Pa., where they were joined by the governor and took the train for Pittsburgh, and after much difficulty succeeded in reaching that point and dispersing the mob and taking possession of the burnt district. His company was noted for its fearlessness and was the first to escort stock trains from the city. They remained in Pittsburgh until August 8, when, the trouble being over, they returned home. So well did the company of which Mr. Householder was commander deport itself, that it received honorable mention in Adjutant James W. Latta’s state report.

In February, 1878, Mr. Householder emigrated West and entered his present claim of one hundred and sixty acres on the east side of section 22, Newark township, Kearney county, Nebr., on what was originally the old Fort Kearney reservation. The country was new and sparsely settled at that time, and deer and antelope roamed over the valley, filled the sand hills to the south and thronged the neighboring islands of the Platte river. Mr. Householder constructed a frame shanty sixteen by twenty, a sod barn and cave, and began farm life after the manner of pioneers. The first few years were accompanied with many vexations on account of cattlemen driving their cattle over farms and destroying crops, etc. There were a few Omaha and Pawnee Indians who used to come down the Platte river and trap beaver and mink, but never molested the settlers beyond an occasional scare. The cowboys were a source of great annoyance to the settlers, and when one would remonstrate at having his crops run over and ruined, they would pull a revolver from their belts, point it at him and tell him to shut his mouth. In the fall of 1879 a prairie fire swept down the valley, destroying many homes and much property, and was supposed to have been started one hundred and fifty miles up the river by the Indians for the purpose of depriving the cowboys of winter feed for their cattle, so much were they hated by the Indians. Mr. Householder fought the fire until his whiskers and eyebrows were burnt off, and finally succeeded in saving his home from the flames.

Mr. Householder was instrumental in establishing the first school in his neighborhood in 1880. He has had good success at farming, having raised good crops every year except 1887, when they were nearly totally destroyed by hail. He now has seventy acres broken on his farm, a fine growing orchard, and thirteen hundred forest trees of thrifty growth.

Mr. Householder was married, July 11, 1856, to Margaret Allen, by whom he had six children, two of whom are still living. He lost his wife and was married the second time, January 7, 1871, to Fannie E. Brown, widow of James E. Brown, and whose maiden name was Grindle. This union has been blessed with the birth of five children, four boys and one girl, as follows - Earnest B., born October 11, 1871; Bennie G., born March 9, 1873; Christie, born November 16, 1874; Frank M., born July 26, 1878; Thomas D., born November 7, 1880, the last named having died at the age of sixteen months. Mrs. Householder was born April 24, 1842, at Penobscot, Me., and is the daughter of Addison B. and Mary (Grey) Grindle, both of whom were natives of Maine, the former having been born November 18, 1816, and the latter December 28, 1820. In their family were five children — all girls. Mr. Grindle was by occupation a sea captain.

Mr. Householder is a republican in politics, having been one of the prime movers in the organization of that party in the State of Delaware. He has held the office of town clerk several terms, and is now prominently mentioned as a candidate for the office of representative to the state legislature in the interests of the farmers of Kearney county, and it might be casually remarked that no better choice could be made.