My Genealogy Hound

PHILIP C. FUNK, the subject of this biographical memoir, is an early settler and a much honored and respected citizen of Phelps county. He was born in Germany, August 19, 1847, and is the only child of Philip and Elizabeth (Springer) Funk, both natives of Germany. His parents embarked for America when he was but five years old, and he, in consequence, has but a faint recollection of his native country and the voyage which cast his lot in a foreign land. His parents located on a farm in Wood county, Ohio, which was at that time one vast swale known as Black Swamp. Philip’s mother died three years after their arrival and his father one year later, leaving him an orphan in a strange land at the youthful age of nine years. Kind Providence, ever mindful of the orphan, found for him a home in a good family where he was taken and reared, receiving a good education and moral training. When the war came on, Mr. Funk enlisted in Company A, Third Ohio cavalry, joining the regiment at Columbia, Tenn. He took part in the Atlanta campaign, and later followed up Gen. Hood’s retreating army from Nashville, Tenn., to Gravel Springs, Ala. He was also with the Wilson raiders and participated in the taking of Selma and Montgomery, Ala.; Columbus and Macon, Ga. He was with the expedition sent out in search of Jefferson Davis, during which time he did the hardest marching in his whole experience. August, 1865, he was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., after which he returned to Wood county, Ohio, where he continued his residence for one year, then emigrated West, locating in Benton county, Iowa, and engaged in farming till 1878. In the spring of that year he came to Phelps county, Nebr., and purchased a quarter section of railroad land in section 9, township 6, range 17. When Mr. Funk landed in Phelps county he had a team, some stock and a few farm implements to begin with. He erected a small frame house and began farming with the vigor that has characterized his entire life. He has been very successful, never having had an entire failure of crops, and has, from time to time, as his means would allow, purchased more land until he now owns over 400 acres of fine land, 260 of which are under cultivation. He also owns an interest in the town site of Funk, which bears his name, he having been instrumental in getting the officials of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad to place a station there. Mr. Funk was married July 2, 1874, the lady whom he selected for a life partner being Miss Almeda Hesseltine, who is a native of New York. She was born July 13, 1848. This union has been blessed with three children, as follows — Alice, born July 11, 1875; Harry, born April 1, 1877; and Nettie, born February 24, 1883. Politically, Mr. Funk is a strong believer in the principles of the republican party. He held the office of supervisor of his township in 1886-7. Considering the loss of Mr. Funk’s parents at such an early period in the history of his eventful life, and the fact of his being left practically upon his own resources and that, too, in a foreign land, he is deserving of much credit; and the confidence and esteem in which he is held by his neighbors and acquaintances speaks move fully of the success of his life-struggle than the pen of the historian is able to record.