20 August 2010

Julius Neumann

1848 — 1927

Biographical Material

engraved portrait of Julius Neumann

JULIUS NEUMANN, Mayor of Wymore, and engaged in general merchandising, besides having other important interests in the city, and whose portrait is herewith presented, is one of its most prominent and influential business men.  Besides his proprietorship in the Wymore Rolling Mills, he owns the Neumann Block, a beautiful residence on Newton street, and other valuable city property.  He holds the warranty deed to a fine farm of 160 acres in Pawnee County, and a whole section in this State and Kansas.

The Neumann family is of pure German ancestry, William G., the father of our subject, having been born July 26, 1790.  In 1812 he was drafted into the German army.  The mother, Mrs. Catherine (Kehl) [sic] Neumann, was born March 18, 1805, at Meisenheim, and was the daughter of well-to-do parents, with whom she was reared, and remained with them until her marriage.  She became the mother of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, all of whom lived to mature years, and of whom our subject was next to the youngest.  After the return of the father from the wars he removed to Meisenheim, where he married, then settled at Langenlonshime [sic], where he held a Government position until sixty-eight years of age.

In the fall of 1857 Mr. Neumann with his family emigrated to America, settling first in Henry County, Ill., where he secured a tract of land, upon which he followed farming until his death, which occurred on the 25th of December, 1861.  The mother survived until Aug. 4, 1880, making her home with her son, our subject, the last six years of her life.  All of their children had been given a good education, and with their parents were members of the German Lutheran Church.  The sons are generally engaged in merchandising, and hold good positions in their community.

Julius Neumann was born in Langenlonshime [sic], July 7, 1848, and there remained until a lad nine years of age, when he came with his parents to the United States.  His education was completed in the schools of Henry County, Ill.; he was for a time a student at the Cambridge High School.  Afterward he worked on the farm with his father until seventeen years old, and then started in business for himself, establishing a hardware store at Bishop Hill, which he carried on successfully for a period of three years.  Next he embarked in the dry-goods trade at San Jose, Ill., and since that time has been in this business, having now an experience of twenty years.

Mr. Neumann came to this county in the spring of 1882, and that same year put up a fine brick block on Niagara avenue.  In partnership with A. E. Winter he conducted a successful business until the spring of 1888, then, desiring a rest, sold out.  Among the men most largely engaged in those enterprises which have furnished an impetus to the business interests of the town, the subject of this sketch has occupied no unimportant position.  He has been a member of the School Board most of the time since coming here, and holds the office of President, both of the Building and Loan Association and the Board of Trade.  Of the Methodist Episcopal Church he has been a generous contributing member for years, also holding the office of Trustee, and serving on the Building Committee and in other positions where he could do effective work.

The marriage of our subject and Miss Amelia Wellmeyer [sic], of Wapello, Iowa, was celebrated at the home of the bride, June 3, 1874.  Mrs. Neumann was born Sept. 1, 1854, in Iowa, and is the daughter of W. H. and Elizabeth Wellmeyer [sic], who were natives of Germany.  Of this union there have been born six children:  Clarence, who died in 1879, at the age of six years; Rawley W., Clarice, Mahlon, Gertrude and Wilhemina.  The eldest is twelve years of age and the youngest two.  They are being carefully trained and educated, and there is every reason to suppose will grow up an honor to their parents and ornaments to society.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Gage, County, Nebraska, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of all the Govenors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States (Chicago, Illinois: Chapman Brothers, 1888); portrait on page 174, biographical sketch on pages 175-176.


Julius Neumann - The enduring satisfaction of successful achievement rightfully belongs to Julius Neumann, for along well defined lines of enterprise he has advanced until he now holds a prominent position in the commercial circles of Gage county.

Mr. Neumann was born at Longenglonsheim [sic], Bingen on the Rhine, July 7, 1848.  His father, Gotlieb Neumann, was born July 26, 1790, and as a young man served in the German army.  Later he held a government position until he was sixty-eight years of age.  In 1857 he immigrated to America and settled on a farm near Cambridge, Henry county, Illinois, and there his death occurred December 25, 1861.  His wife, who bore the name of Catherine Kehl [sic], was born at Meisenheim, Germany, March 18, 1805, and died August 4, 1880, the last years of her life being spent in the home of her son Julius.  Of the family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, all grew to maturity.  Four of the sons each served full three years in the Civil war.  Frederick and Valentine were in the Forty-second Illinois Infantry, Charles in the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, and Jacob in the Forty-eighth Illinois Cavalry.  All of the sons are living except Valentine, who died in May, 1917.  The oldest lives in the city of Omaha at the age of eighty-five years.  Julius was the second youngest.

Julius Neumann acquired his education in the public schools of Cambridge, Illinois, and when a young man of twenty-one he found employment in a mercantile establishment in Henry county, that state.  He was in business in several places in that state and finally established himself in business in San Jose, Illinois.  March 19, 1882, he came to Wymore, Gage county, Nebraska.  Here he built a fine brick block, on Niagara avenue, and here he has been engaged successfully in business since that time.  Seventeen years ago he erected his present business block, a two-story building with one hundred foot frontage, the main floor being occupied by his business establishment, in which is the largest stock of general merchandise in the city.  The upper story is used as offices by professional men, besides providing headquarters for the local Masonic bodies.

June 3, 1874, recorded the marriage of Mr. Neumann to Miss Amelia Wellmeyer [sic], who was born at Wapello, Iowa, September 1, 1854, a daughter of W. H. and Elizabeth Wellmeyer [sic], natives of Germany.  Mr. and Mrs. Neumann are the parents of seven children:  B. W. is married and resides in Philadelphia, where he is engaged in the laundry business; Clarice is the wife of Fred J. Kelly, Chancellor of the University of Kansas at Lawrence; Mahlon J., who is married to Miss Bertha Pirie, is associated with his father in business; Gertrude is the wife of Harry W. Hinman, an instructor in the Case technical school at Detroit, Michigan; Wilhelmina is the wife of Dr. D. M. Ausmus, of Nashville, Tennessee; Cecil H. married Miss Edith Kruger and he is associated with his father's business; Warren R. is a student in the University of Kansas.

The religious views of Mr. Neumann coincide with the teachings of the Methodist church, in which he and his wife are active workers and liberal supporters.  In politics he is a "dyed-in-the-wool" Democrat, and he has served efficiently as mayor of Wymore for three terms, besides having been a member of the municipal council and the school board for many years.  He is affiliated with the blue lodge, the chapter, and the council of the Masonic fraternity.

Mr. Neumann has always upheld those things which he thought were best for his city and state, and for thirty-six years he worked in implacable opposition to the saloon and liquor traffic.  While he has made a signal success of his own business, he has not been remiss in any duty incidental to the religious, educational, and general civic uplift of his community, and he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.  Mr. Neumann is proud to have been born in Germany, the land of his fathers, but is as loyal an American as were his brothers who served three years for the preservation of the Union during the Civil war.

Source: Hugh Jackson Dobbs, 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 (Lincoln, Nebraska: Western Publishing and Engraving Company, 1918); pages 760-761.


NEUMANN, Julius, Wymore. Neb.

Merchant, banker; b. in Germany, July 7, 1848; s. William G. and Catherine (Kale) Neumann; ed. in Longensousheim, Germany, and at Cambridge, Henry County, Ill.; m. Wapples [sic]. Iowa, June 3, 1874, Amelia G. Wellemeyer: seven children. Entered general merchandise business at St. Joseph, Mo., 1871, after having been engaged in farming from 1865-1871; removed to Orion, Henry County, Ill., 1874, remaining there until 1882, when removed to Wymore, Gage County, Neb., where has resided ever since, and has followed up his general merchandise business there: pres. and mgr. Julius Neumann Co.; dir. Farmers' and Merchants' Bank; pres. Blue Valley Milling Co. V.-pres. Laymen's Assn.; trus. Methodist Episcopal Church; United Workman; member of Knights and Ladies of Security.  Democrat.  Methodist.

Source: Who's Who in Finance and Banking; a Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries, 1920-1922, edited by John William Leonard (Brooklyn, New York: Who's Who in Finance, Inc., 1922); page 496.

Brief Genealogy

Julius Neumann's family

Amelia Christine Wellemeyer's family

Neumann - Wellemeyer family

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