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RICHARD OLMER. Richard Olmer owns and occupies an attractive home in Humphrey, about one block from the business center of the town, and here he is living retired, richly meriting the rest which has come to him as the reward of many years closely devoted to agricultural pursuits. He still has valuable farm property yielding to him a gratifying annual income. A native of Wisconsin, he was born March 16, 1852, a son of John and Frederica (Degenhart) Olmer, both of whom were natives of Germany, whence they came to America in 1851, making their way to Wisconsin, where the father purchased government land. He met the usual experiences of pioneer life while developing and improving his farm but in time converted the wild prairie into a valuable property and resided thereon throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in February, 1891, while his wife survived until December 8, 1894, when she, too, was called to her final rest. Richard Olmer was reared and educated in Wisconsin and remained with his parents on the old homestead farm through the period of his minority, during which time he gained a fair English education in the public schools. In 1873 he arrived in Nebraska, settling in Platte county, where he preempted land, but after two years he sold that property and returned to the Badger state, where he engaged in farming from 1875 until 1878. He then again came to Platte county and purchased a homestead right of eighty acres. With the change in the land laws he secured eighty acres more situated in Granville township and at once began the task of breaking the sod and converting the place into productive fields. It was not long before his labors wrought a marked transformation in the condition of his land, which year by year yielded him good crops as a reward for the care and labor which he bestowed upon it. In 1910, however, satisfied with the success which he had already achieved and which placed him among the men of affluence in the county, he retired and removed to Humphrey. Later he bought another one hundred and sixty acres of land and now owns three hundred and twenty acres constituting a splendidly improved property. When he took up his abode in Humphrey he purchased a good home about a block from the main street and has remodeled and added to it until he now has a very attractive residence. While upon the farm he made a specialty of raising shorthorn cattle, this being one of the principal features of his business. He is now a stockholder and director of the Farmers Elevator of Humphrey and a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of the town. In February, 1873, Mr. Olmer was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Pfeifer, a daughter of George and Frances (Wieser) Pfeifer, both of whom were natives of Austria. The father there followed general agricultural pursuits throughout his active life and passed away in 1864. His widow and children subsequently emigrated to the United States, taking up their abode in Wisconsin, in which state Mary Pfeifer became the wife of our subject. Mrs. George Pfeifer came to Nebraska in 1873 and here died the following year. To Mr. and Mrs. Olmer have been born eleven children, as follows: Frederica, who is the wife of Joseph Fangmann, an implement dealer of Humphrey; William, who operates the old home farm; Mary, who is the wife of Joseph Schaefer and resides in Texas; Frances, who is the wife of Killion Ottis and resides on a farm in Platte county; John and Annie, both at home; Joseph, whose demise occurred in 1909; and Julia, Robert, Bryant and Cecelia, who died in infancy.
For several years Mr. Olmer served as assessor of Granville township, discharging his duties with
promptness and fidelity. He has always been a democrat since age conferred upon him the right of franchise
and in religious faith he is a Catholic, also holding membership with the Catholic Order of Foresters. It has
been earnest work that has brought him his success, while a well spent life has gained him the favorable
regard of his many friends.
*Source:
PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY NEBRASKA |