My Genealogy Hound

JACOB GABRIEL is one of Kearney’s oldest, and has been one of her most industrious citizens. He is a native of Prussia and comes of Prussian-born parents. His father, Jacob Gabriel, Sr., was born in the town of Sarlonis, Prussia, in the year 1797. He was reared in his native country, served in the Austro-Prussian war, married a few years after and immigrated to the United States, coming in 1841 and settling in Grant county, Wis., where he shortly afterwards died, and was buried at the town of Plattville, that county. He was an industrious, upright, useful citizen, a devout member of the Catholic church and a devoted husband and father. Mr. Gabriel’s mother came to the United States a year or so after her husband did, bringing with her the subject of this sketch. He was then quite small, having been born in 1841 in Sarlonis. He was reared in Grant county, Wis., and as soon as he was old enough began the battle of life alone and unaided. He followed his first employment as a laborer in the lead mines in Grant county; then, in his twentieth year, he started for the great mining region of the Pacific coast, making his way across the “plains” in the early days before the time of the railroads. He lived in California for six years, engaged in mining in one locality and another, and making during the time some money and gathering a world of experience. Returning in 1867, he paid a short visit to his old home in Grant county, Wis., and then went to Memphis, Tenn., where he engaged as overseer on a cotton plantation. Two years later he came to Nebraska, and, settling at Nebraska City, in Otoe county, began stock-raising and boring wells. In 1872 he came to Buffalo county, locating at Kearney, which was then just starting. He took a homestead at that date in the county and continued farming, stock-raising and well-boring. In 1878 he opened a saloon in Kearney, which he conducted successfully for some years. He built the third brick house that was erected in Kearney, which was occupied by him as a saloon, he furnishing the capital and his partner, Casper Cornelius, conducting the business till 1886, when they closed out. He has since gone into the stock business, for which he has always had a liking and at which he has been very successful.

Mr. Gabriel married, February 10, 1879 — his wife being Miss Jennie Pearson, of Kearney. This union has never been blessed with any issue, but in 1884 Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel adopted a bright little fellow, now thirteen years old, whom they have named Joseph Cower Gabriel and to whom they are greatly attached. Mr. Gabriel is a member of the Catholic church, while Mrs. Gabriel is a member of the Lutheran church, and, being of a kind and generous disposition, give liberally to all benevolent purposes.