OAKLEY ADAMS 
Oakley Adams, who since 1895 has lived retired in Emerald, where he has a pleasant home and eight acres of land, was born in Monroe county, New York, in the town of Hamlin in March 1847. His parents, Lewis and Jane (Haggerty) Adams, were natives of New Jersey. The father was a farmer by occupation and followed that pursuit in New York for many years, there passing away in 1897. For more than a quarter of a century he had survived his wife, who died in 1871. Oakley Adams was reared and educated in New York and the total number of days which he spent in school was but two hundred and twenty. 

At the age of fourteen he joined the army, enlisting for service in the Civil war, but his father brought him back home, feeling that he was too young to serve. When sixteen years of age he began firing on the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, now the Erie Railroad, and continued in that employ for twelve years, spending the last seven years of that period as an engineer. He next made his way into the oil country of Pennsylvania and devoted three years to putting down oil wells. At the end of that time he was married and in 1880 he came to Lancaster county, Nebraska, here purchasing eighty acres of land on section 22, Middle Creek precinct. 

He at once began improving this tract and operated it until 1895, when he sold his farm and removed to Emerald, where he purchased a pleasant residence standing in the midst of eight acres of land. He then retired and has since enjoyed a well earned rest, having leisure to engage in those things which are of most interest and pleasure to him. In June 1880, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Katherine Kinney, of Wellsville, New York, where she was born March 14, 1859. They never had any children of their own but reared an adopted daughter, Emma Trumbley, now the wife of Ira Davison, residing in Denver. 

The religious faith of Mr. and Mrs. Adams is that of the Baptist church and he gave an acre of ground to serve as the site upon which to build a house of worship. In politics he is independent and fraternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge of Lincoln. His has been an active and useful life in which diligence and earnest purpose have brought him his success. While upon the farm he spent eighteen years in dairying as well as in general agricultural pursuits and his life record proves what may be accomplished when energy and enterprise lead the way. 

CARL H. BECKER 
On the list of Lancaster county's native sons appears the name of Carl H. Becker, who was born in Middle Creek precinct April 14, 1879, his parents being Carl F. and Mary (Kloeckmeyer) Becker. The father was born in Wisconsin and the mother in Illinois. Carl F. Becker was a farmer by occupation and in 1867 came to Lancaster county, where he purchased land. He made the trip with his parents, who also bought land, and he became the owner of the farm which is now operated by his son, Carl H. Becker. His diligence and determination were soon manifest in the changed appearance of the place, which he set about improving, operating the farm until 1903, when he retired. 

He was also engaged in grain business at Emerald for eighteen years and both branches of his business proved profitable. He is now retired, making his home in Emerald, no longer finding it necessary to resort to active business in order to provide for support as he has accumulated a competence sufficient for his remaining days. Carl H. Becker was reared and educated in this county and continued under the parental roof until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he began farming on his own account by renting the old home place of one hundred and fifty acres.. There he continued to reside until 1911, when he purchased eighty acres of that tract-the farm upon which he was born, on section 26, Middle Creek precinct. 

He has made splendid improvements upon the place and today has one of the fine farm homes in the county. In addition to cultivating his own land he also cultivates a rented farm of one hundred and fifty acres, and carefully, systematically and wisely are his interests carried on that a gratifying measure of success has crowned his efforts. He is now conducting a dairy, milking about twenty head of cows, all high grade Jerseys. He is one of the directors of the Lancaster Milk Producers Association and has been one of its stockholders from its organization. He was also formerly a stockholder in the Emerald State Bank. 

On the 31st of January 1901, Mr. Becker was married to Miss Mary Nobbmann, a daughter of Christian and Wilhemina (Wendt) Nobbmann, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to America in an early day, settling in Iowa, where the father engaged in farming for a number of years, and later they arrived in Lancaster County, Nebraska. There the father purchased land, which he continued to cultivate throughout his remaining days, his death occurring August 28, 1904. His widow still survives and occupies the old homestead in Middle Creek precinct. 

Mr. and Mrs. Becker have became the parents of three children: Otto C., born November 17, 1901; Walter J. H., born April 3, 1903; and Berdina W., born March 2, 1908. Politically Mr. Becker is an earnest republican and for four years he served as assessor of his precinct, while for six years he was road overseer. His religious faith is that of the German Lutheran church and in its teachings he finds the guiding principles of his life, shaping his relations with his fellowmen. Those who know him esteem him highly, recognizing in him one who can be relied upon to follow the dictates of his conscience and to shape his course according to the recognized commercial and business standards.

EDWARD F. BOHL 
Edward F. Bohl was a successful farmer of Centerville precinct and his demise, which occurred in 1904, was recognized as a loss to his community. A native of Lancaster county, his birth occurred in Highland precinct on the 7th of January 1878, and he was a son of Nicholas Bohl. He passed his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and when not attending the public schools devoted his time to assisting his father. On reaching mature years he determined to make farming his life work and purchased eighty acres of land on section 20, Centerville precinct, on which he made his home until called by death on the 11th of October, 1904. He made many improvements upon his farm and his well directed labors as a farmer and stock raiser were rewarded by a good financial return. 

Mr. Bohl was married in Lincoln on the 22nd of January 1901, to Miss Amelia Frohn, who was born in Centerville precinct and is a daughter of William Frohn, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. To this union were born two sons, Elmer William and Clarence Nicholas. Mr. Bohl was a stanch advocate of the principles of the democratic party and loyally supported its candidates at the polls, but never sought office. He had a wide acquaintance throughout the county and was most highly esteemed where best known as his dominant qualities were those which characterize the highest type of manhood. His wife resided in Martel for a number of years after his death in order to afford her toils the advantages of the schools there, but in the spring of 1910 returned to the farm. Mrs. Bohl is a member of the Centerville Methodist church and highly respected in her community.