FRANK KRULL 
Frank Krull was a well known and prosperous farn1er of Centerville precinct and his death, which occurred in 1911 when he had reached an advanced age, was deeply regretted. A native of Mecklenburg, Germany, he was born in 1834, one of a family of eight boys and two girls, and remained in the. fatherland until he was eighteen years old, receiving in the meantime a thorough education. On leaving Germany he emigrated to the United States and located near La Forte, Indiana, where he worked by the month. He carefully saved his earnings and at length invested his capital in farm land. Subsequently he accompanied his brothers and sisters to St. Joseph; Missouri, where they purchased a farm and there he was married. Later he became a resident of Dubuque county, Iowa, and worked as a farm hand near the city of Dubuque. 

He came to Lancaster county in 1876 and, after renting land for a time, bought a quarter section of school land in Centerville precinct which he operated for about nine years. He then sold that place and purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 33, where he engaged in fanning until called by death in 1911. He was seventy-seven years of age at the time of his demise, but retained his health and vigor in remarkable degree until a short time before his death. His widow holds title to eighty acres of the farm and their son Fred owns the other eighty acres. Mr. Krull was married at St. Joseph, Missouri, to Miss Adaline Turow, who was born in Salina, New York, in March, 1840. When about ten years of age she was taken to St. Joseph, Missouri, and there she lived until her marriage. 

Following Mr. Krull's death she removed from the farm to the town of Sprague, where she bought a residence and where she still lives. She rents the eighty acres which she owns and derives there from a comfortable income. Mr. and Mrs. Krull had ten children, five sons and five daughters, but only three are now living: Lena, the wife of Frank Spellman, a retired farmer residing in Sprague ; Frederick, who is farming in Lancaster county; and Lula, the wife of Arthur Spellman, a farmer of this county. Mr. Krull gave his political allegiance to the republican party but was not , an aspirant for public office. He was a man of high principles and his many admirable qualities won him a warm place in the regard of his fellow men. When he came to this country he was practically penniless, but by hard work and careful management he accumulated more than a competence. His widow is a member of the United Presbyterian church and is highly esteemed by all who know her. 

JOHN FRED KURTZ. 
John Fred Kurtz, an active partner in the Sprague Hardware Company, and also president of the Farmers Grain & Lumber Company of Sprague, is ranked among the energetic and successful business men of his town. He was born near Mount Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa, on the 9th of July, 1865, a son of Frederick Kurtz, whose birth occurred in Wurtemberg, Germany, where he remained until he was nineteen years of age. He then came to America and bought three hundred and twenty acres of railroad land in Olive Branch township, Lancaster county, Nebraska, on which he erected a frame house, fourteen by sixteen feet in dimensions. He at once began the task of breaking his land, which was virgin prairie, and after bringing it under cultivation devoted his time to the raising of grain and stock there until 1889. He then disposed of the farm and removed to Salem, Oregon, where he bought land which he devoted to the growing of fruit. 

He is now living retired in Salem, enjoying leisure made possible by his former well directed labor. He was married in Jefferson county, Iowa, to Miss Carolina Pfifer, who was born in that county. She also survives. John F. Kurtz was reared upon his father's farm in Lancaster county and was associated with him in agricultural pursuits until his marriage in 1888. Following that event he took charge of one hundred and sixty acres of the home place, which he purchased from his father and which he operated for several years. On selling that farm he bought eighty acres on section 16, Centerville precinct, which he farmed successfully until 1915, when he sold and removed to Sprague, where he built a fine residence. He joined with four other men in organizing the Sprague Hardware Company, in which he still owns a fifth interest. 

He gives much of his time to the conduct of that business but also has other interests as he is a stockholder in the Bank of Sprague, which he aided in organizing, is president of the Fanners Grain & Lumber Company of Sprague, which he organized, and is interested in the Martel Company, which he helped to organize and of which he was manager for five years. Mr. Kurtz was married on the 9th of September, 1888, in the Centerville church, to Miss Bertha Sonnemann, who was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. September 17, 1866. Her parents, John and Christina Sonnemann, were both natives of Germany but were early settlers of Sheboygan, whence they came to Lancaster county in 1868. The father took up a homestead in Centerville precinct and engaged in farming there for many years. 

The last twelve years of his life. however, were spent in the home of Mrs. Kurtz, who was two years of age when brought to this county by her parents and has since resided here. She is a member of the German Methodist Episcopal church and is very active in foreign missionary work, having served for twenty-one years as secretary of the Topeka branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of that church. At a conference held at Lincoln in 1915 she was presented with a handsome linen drawn work table set made by hand in India. She is recognized as an authority upon all matters pertaining to foreign missions and has proved very capable in the discharge of the duties of her important office. 

Mr. Kurtz votes independently at local elections but. where national issues are at stake supports the republican party. He belongs to Sprague Camp, No. 1577, M. W. A., and has served as banker and adviser. His religious faith is that of the German Methodist Episcopal church. He and his wife took up their residence in Salem, Oregon, two separate times but only remained there for nine months at one time and for six months at the other time. They have thoroughly identified their interests with those of Sprague and expect to make their permanent home here. Both are widely known and are held in the highest esteem. 

CLYDE E. MITCHELL. 
Clyde E. Mitchell has gained a gratifying measure of success as a farmer and stock raiser and, in addition to his home farm of two hundred and forty acres in Centerville precinct, owns a quarter section in Highland precinct and three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas. He was born in Cherokee county, Kansas, on the 5th of September, 1873, and is a son of Henry F. Mitchell, further mention of whom appears elsewhere in this work. When but four weeks old he was brought by his parents to this county and was reared upon the home farm in Centerville precinct. After completing his public school education he began farming on eighty acres of land, which was unimproved when it came into his possession, but which he soon brought under cultivation. 

His first home was fourteen by twenty-four feet in dimensions and there he lived for fifteen years, but his present residence, which he built in 1912, and which was planned by his wife, is commodious, well designed and attractively furnish