History of Omaha, (Douglas County) Nebraska United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Omaha, (Douglas County) Nebraska, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Robert Harper Clarkson, first P.E. bishop of Nebraska and 76th in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Gettysburg, Pa., Nov. 19, 1826; son of Michael Cooke and Louisa (Harper) Clarkson; great-grandson of Dr. Gerardus Clarkson, and seventh in descent from the Rev. David Clarkson. He was graduated at Pennsylvania college in 1844 and became tutor at the College of St. James, Hagerstown, Md., at the same time studying theology. On June 18, 1848, he was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church and in 1849 became rector of St. James' church at Chicago, Ill. He was ordained priest, Jan. 5, 1851, and in 1865 was elected missionary bishop of Nebraska and Dakota, being consecrated in his own church Nov. 15, 1865. In 1868, Nebraska was erected into a diocese and he was unanimously elected its first bishop, retaining missionary jurisdiction in Dakota until 1883, when he was relieved at his own request. He was eminently successful in his work, building fifty churches, founding two schools, and laboring unceasingly for the good of the community. In 1857 he received the degree of D.D. from Pennsylvania and Racine colleges, and in 1872 was the first to receive the degree of LL. D. from the University of Nebraska. His published writings include Shall This House Lie Waste? (1850); Consider the Years (1859); What am I that I should Withstand God? (1865); and Sketch of the Life of Bishop White. He died at Omaha, Neb., March 10, 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Carroll Walcutt, soldier, was born at Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 12, 1838; son of John Macy and Mariel (Broderick) Walcutt, and grandson of William Walcutt of Loudoun county, Va. His grandfather was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, and his father of the war of 1812. He was graduated from the Kentucky Military institute in 1858; became surveyor of Franklin county, Ohio, in 1859, and in 1860 was married to Phoebe Neill. In June, 1861, he was appointed an inspector on the staff of Gen. Charles W. Hill of the Ohio militia in western Virginia with the rank of major: was promoted colonel in 1862, and transferred to the Army of the Tennessee, where he served in the 1st brigade, Sherman's division, at Shiloh. He commanded the 46th Ohio volunteers in the 2d brigade, 1st division, 16th army corps, at Vicksburg; and commanded the 2d brigade, 4th division, 17th corps, at Chattanooga, after Gen. John M. Corse was wounded. He commanded the 2d brigade, 4th division, 15th army corps, at Dallas, Ga., May 28, 1864, where he reported 244 dead and wounded Confederates left in his fort after the assault by Armstrong; at Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, and at Ezra Chapel, July 28. He was given command of the 2d brigade, 1st division, 15th corps, July 30, 1864; fought at Jonesboro, Aug. 31, and at Griswoldville, November, 1864, where he was again wounded, and after the campaign through Georgia and the Carolinas he reached Washington and was mustered out of the volunteer service, February, 1866, and became warden of the Ohio penitentiary. He was collector of internal revenue, 1869-72; mayor of Columbus, 1883-87; member of the Columbus school board, and its president for several years. He was promoted brigadier-general, July 30, 1864, for gallantry at Atlanta, and brevetted major-general for Griswoldville. He died at Omaha, Neb., May 2, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Warren Lowe, soldier, was born in Indiana, Oct. 12, 1831. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy and brevetted 2d lieutenant of dragoons. July 1, 1853. He was promoted 2d lieutenant, Oct. 22, 1854; was transferred to the 2d cavalry, March 3, 1855, and was on frontier duty and on scouting expeditions in Texas, 1855-60. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, Dec. 1, 1856; and served as adjutant from May 31, 1858 to May 9, 1861. He served in the civil war in the defences of Washington, D.C., 1861; was promoted captain in the 2d cavalry, May 9, 1861, and was transferred to the 5th cavalry, Aug. 3, 1861. He participated in the Manassas campaign of July, 1861; was commissioned colonel of the 5th Iowa volunteer cavalry, Jan. 1, 1862; participated in the Tennessee campaign, being engaged at Fort Donelson, Feb. 13-15, 1862, and in command of Forts Henry, Donelson and Heiman, February, 1862, to March, 1863; and engaged in cavalry operations in middle Tennessee, northern Alabama and Georgia, commanding a brigade or division from March, 1863, to July, 1864. He was brevetted major, Oct. 9, 1863, and lieutenant-colonel, Dec. 15, 1863, for gallant and meritorious services in the cavalry engagement near Chickamauga, Ga., and in the cavalry action near Huntsville, Ala., and was mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 24, 1865. He was brevetted colonel in the U.S. army and brigadier-general of volunteers, and also brigadier-general in the U.S. army, March 13, 1865. He was promoted major of the 6th cavalry, July 31, 1866, and on June 23, 1869, resigned from the army. He established smelting and refining works in Omaha, Neb., engaged in mining in Utah, and built the first smelting works in Idaho. He also constructed a railroad and discovered a well of lubricating oil on the Little Popogie river, Wyoming Territory. He died at Omaha, Neb., May 18, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James E. Boyd, governor of Nebraska, was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, Sept. 9, 1834; son of Joseph and Margaret Boyd. He emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1844 and settled in Belmont, Ohio, removing to Zanseville, Ohio, in 1847. In 1856 he accompanied his brother to Omaha, Neb., and became extensively engaged in stock raising and in the packing business, near Gibbon, Neb., 1872-'87. He was a member of the first state legislature in 1866; a member of the constitutional conventions of 1871 and 1875; mayor of Omaha, 1881-'83 and 1885-'87; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1884, 1888 and 1892, and was elected governor of Nebraska by the Democratic party in 1890, but was removed from office, May 5, 1891, on the alleged ground that his father had never properly completed his naturalization and therefore the son was an alien. He was declared a citizen by the U.S. supreme court and was reinstated as governor, Feb. 8, 1892, serving till Jan. 1, 1893. He became a member of the Chicago board of trade and of the New York stock exchange in 1886.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor