.>" "V.^'^ v=.^ -^^0^ ^ /^^^/K-» -^Z ;;^', ^^^^^^ ,.^^», \/ /^^^', u^^^^ :\M./i% \. ^o ■*, ■->'3?:-\^*' '^/-iri-^f--.**' **o--^-\.*' *./■'.f:¥^^o** **o •-•^«;^-\.* Or • »■ ( \' *^ c°^ .':^i'% A" "^. s* A <*k. ^ o «5> * O *r t- -^ :'■'',/' \ ■ "■"- %'^'^^V<** /^\ ^^^*" '^^''^'^^ "IV'V^-.' ^v v^ -.^^ V. ^*l°o ^^ X/ y^-^ %,^ :;<^^^^ ^Z ;^^ %/ •i; ^^"^ v^ 03 Semi-Centennial I' History of Nebraska Historical Sketch BY A. E. SHELDON, A. M. Director of Field Work, Nebraska State Historical Society Illustrations, State and County Statistics, Public Buildings and Biographical Sketches BY THE LEMON PUBLISHING COMPANY Lincoln, Nebraska 1904 M^' THE. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Two Copies Received DEC 19 ia04 ^CopynaM Entry CLASS ^ XXc- Noi COfY A. Copyrighted 1904 By Tilt Lemon Puhlishiny Company Lincoln, Nebraska. The Woodruff-Collins Press Printers, binders FOREWORD Touching the history of the world titty years is but a short stroke of the pendulum, yet what marvelous achievements are wrought during that tleeting swing of time ! The purpose of this volume is to review the development of a great commonwealth, Nebraska, at the close of her semi-centennial, and to recount the principal incidents preparatory to Statehood. For the successful execution of the purpose outlined it has been our good fortune, — and that of the reader as well, — to secure the services of Prof. A. E. Sheldon, A. M., whose elaborate investigations and extensive study of the history of Nebraska, have eminently qualitied him for the task. Supplementary to this historical sketch, and realizing that the best aid to comprehension is comparison, we have sought to assist by a comparative showing, the reader's appreciation of the remarkable progress of a pioneer people. As such accomplishments are attained only through the activities of a sturdy race it is therefore assumed that a history conforming to the needs of the busy life is most essential. With this thought the main points in the state's history are presented, and comparative illustrations of her resources and industries shown. Many of the illustrations have been made for special use in this history and arc published for the first time. To the heroic, progressive Nebraskan this work is sincerely dedicated. Frank L. Lemon. CONTENTS CHAPTER I.— EARLIEST RECORDS. Origin of History. — The Cemetery of the Past. — The Carboniferous Age, The Oldest Document. — The Cretaceous Period; Fossil Leaves, Oysters and Small Sea Animals. — Rec- ord of the Bad Lands, Menagerie of the World-Dead. — Suggestive Lispiration. CHAPTER n.— PREHISTORIC NEBRASKA. Evidences of Ancient Habitations. — Stories of French Trappers. — Discovery of Ancient Flint Mines. — Burial Mounds. — Location of Early Aborigines. — Indian Fire Places. CHAPTER HI.— THE NEBRASKA INDIANS. Three Distinct Indian Peoples — The Pawnee, Location, Advancement, Customs, Wars. — The Otoes. — The Poncas; Romantic Story, Friends of the Whites, Removal to Indian Ter- ritory, Pathetic Parting with Old Home, Standng Bear's Return, Important Suit Securing a Writ of Habeas Corpus, Citizens of the State. — The Omahas; Long Residence, Traditions, Noted Chiefs, Men and Women of Talent, Number, The Men Voters. — The Nebraska Sioux; Scorned Garden Industry and Permanency, Perpetual Wars, Territory Covered, First Killing of White Men, General Harney's Signal Avenge, Spectacular Farewell to Nebraska. — The Cheyenne and Arapahoes ; Hunting Grounds, Language, Ancestry, Disposition. CHAPTER IV.— THE FIRST WHITE MEN. First Explorers, Undisputed Record. — Coronado's Expedition. — The Story of Quivira. — Fables of Spanish and French Literature on Nebraska History. — The Period of the Real Ex- plorer. CHAPTER v.— THE AMERICAN EXPLORATION. The Louisiana Purchase. — Lewis and Clark Expedition. — The First Council. — Pike Ex- ploration.— First Permanent Settlement, Manuel Lisa, Trading Posts Established, The Seat of Western Diplomacy, Introduction of Improved Agriculture. — The Founding of Bellevue. — Ft. Atkinson.. — A New Epoch. — First Rlissions. CHAPTER VI.— EARLY POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. Early Possessors. — Purchase by America, Laws and Government. — Commercial Meth- ods and Legislation. — Immigration of Indians to Territory. — Treaties. — George Catlin, Prince Maxmilian and John C. Fremont Expeditions. — A Parting Glance in the Forties. CHAPTER VII.— ORIGIN OF NAME AND TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION. First Step to Organization. — A War Measure. — Earliest Suggestion of the Name Ne- braska. — First Bill to Create a Territory. — Cause of Measures Being Oppressed, Sectional Conflict. — E^ffect of the Slavery Compromise. — Mormon Emigration. — Establishment of Old Fort Kearney. — Second Nebraska Bill Introduced. — A New Phase, The Railroad Question, Further Complications. — Fierce Debate in Congress Over Nebraska Territory. — The Organ- ization Defeated. — Third Nebraska Bill, New Provisions, and Motive Behind Them. — The Nebraska-Kansas Substitute, The Contest and Passage in the Senate. — Passage in the House of Representatives. — The Rights of the Indians. — The Attitude of Southern States- men. — Nebraska a Territory. — Eflfect in the North ; Influence on Slavery Extension, Migra- tion Westward, The Commercial Trend. CHAPTER VIIL— NEBRASKA TERRITORY. Beginning of Territorial Life. — A Score of Pressing Public Questions. — Location of Townsites. — Rivals for the New Nebraska Capitol. — Territorial Census. — First Session of Nebraska Legislature. — The Agitation for a Pacific Railroad. — Leading Features in First Legislation. — Claim Club Law. — Sioux Raid. — The "Catfish War." — Early Nebraska Reve- nue Systems. — Wild Cat State Banks. — The Census of 1856. — More Nebraska Wild Cats. — Flush Times. — Nebraska's First Real Estate "Boom." — The Panic of 1857. — Bottom Falls Out of the Market for Town Lots. — The Wild Cats' Den. — Hard Times. — The Legislature Passes Bill Moving the Capitol up Salt Creek. — Governor Izard Vetoes It. — Another Leg- islature. — More Capital Revenue Bills. — Free-for-All Legislation Knock Down. — The Flor- ence "Rebellion." — Arrival of Governor Richardson. — Death of Secretary Cuming. — J- Sterl- ing Morton Becomes Secretary of State. — First Organization of Political Parties in Nebras- ka. — The Black Republicans. — Prohibition Repealed. — First Homestead Exemption Law — Nebraska Warrants Selling for Thirty Cents on the Dollar. — The South' Platte "Seces- sion" Movement.- — Convention Asks to Unite with Kansas.— First Contest between Republi- cans and Democrats. — The Pawnee War of 1859. — The LTnited States Census of 1860. — The Morton-Daily Campaign for Congress. — Governor Black Vetoes Bill Abolishing Slavery in Nebraska. — National Republican Administration. — Nebraska's Part in the Civil War. — The Sioux. — Cheyenne W'ar on the Frontier. — The First Homestead 1863. — The Union Pacific Railroad. CHAPTER IX.— THE STRUGGLE TO MAKE A STATE. Earliest Statehood Movement. — Defeated by the People, 1860. — The Campaign of 1866. — The Election Dinner in Rock BlufTs Precinct. — Andrew Johnson's Veto. — The Negro Question Again. — Final Triumph of Statehood. CHAPTER X.— THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, 1S67-190L Early Statehood Days. — The First Capital and Town Lot Sales. — The Union Pacific and Burlington Railroads. — The Tide of Immigration. — Impeachment of Governor Butler.— De- feat of X'ew Constitution, 1871. — Early School Plans. — The Salt Works. — The Grasshopper Visitation. — The Constitution of 1875. — Early Grange Organization.— Beginnings of Anti- Monopoly.— Fight to Tax Railroad Lands.— Census Figures of 1870 and 1880.— The Great Migration to the Plains. — Conflict between Homesteaders and Cattlemen. — Extension of Northwestern Railroad. — South Omaha Stock Market.— Nebraska's Second Real Estate "Boom." — Defeat of Prohibition and Woman SuiTrage. — Growth in Wealth. — Ascendency of Republican Party. — The Drouth Decade. — Depopulation of the Plains. — State Relief. — The Farmers Alliance. — A Political Revolution. — Lines of Conflict. — Legislative Changes. — Changes in Nebraska Public Thought. — The F'ailure to Regulate Railways. — Industrial Discoveries. — x\lfalfa. — Winter Wheat. — Creameries. — Beet Sugar. — Irrigation. — The Last Indian W"ar. — Wounded Knee. — Restoration of the Republican Party. — Present Public Questions. — Conclusion. CHAPTER XL— STATE INSTITUTIONS. Institute for the Blind, Nebraska City. — Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, Omaha. — Hospital for the Insane, Lincoln. — State Penitentiary, Lincoln. — Chronic Insane Asylum, Hastings. — Institution for the Feeble Minded Youth, Beatrice. — Home for the Friendless, Lincoln. — Nebraska Industrial Home, Milford. — Soldiers and Sailors Home, Grand Island. — Boys Industrial School, Kearney. — Girls Industrial School, Geneva. — Branch Soldiers and Saliors Home, Milford. — State University of Nebraska, Lincoln. — School of Agriculture, Lin- coln. — Fisheries, South Bend. — State Normal School, Peru. CHAPTER XII.— MISCELLANEOUS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. The Nebraska State Historical Society. — Nebraska National Guard. — Nebraska Com- mission to the St. Louis Fair. — Nebraska's Grain Productions. — The Beet Sugar Industry. — The .Swine Industry. — The Sheep Industry. — The State Cattle Industry. — The Nebraska Poultry Industry. — The South Omaha Union Stock Yards. — Nebraska Irrigation Associa- tion. — Comparative Illustrations. — Governors of Nebraska. — Nebraska's Representatives in Congress. — State Officials. — County Histories. — Court Houses and County Officials. J. T. MCCLUSKEY Oldest Living Nebraska Fur Trader— 1840-1^04— Relating Early History to the writer of this Sketch SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA CHAPTER I Where does the history of Nebraska be- flints and ashes of fires long ago buried deep gin? This first, fundamental query lies beneath Nebraska soil? Or still beyond, — in across the opening of my story as I have quartzite boulders dropped by glacial ice on seen a cottonwood log lie athwart the door- the hilltops, in the beds of subsoil clay and way of a settler's cabin. Does it begin with sand beneath, in the shales and sandstones be- the written record of the first white explor- low them, in the blocks of solid limestone deep- er? With the first vague accounts carried bv er vet? Scene on Dismal River Indians to distant white men's trading posts? This history shall begin with the oldest Ne- Farther back among the unwritten Indian tra- braska records. These records lie beneath our ditions told for ages about campfires, trans- feet. However obscure the characters or inatle- mitted and transmuted in memory down the quate our ability to read, there it is, a great generations? Does it begin back of all tradi- book of stone and clay and dirt whose story tion — with the bones in the burial mounds will be read with increasing interest through along the Missouri Valley, with the chipped the years as our power to translate it grows. 10 SEMI-CEXTENXIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA At the start one great difficulty is met; the leaves \vill not turn. They lie piled one upon the other in nearly horizontal sheets, some of them deeply buried from sight. There are three principal ways of getting at them to read their contents. The first is to go to the mountains beyond where the leaves are bent up in great folds, crumpled and exposed. The second is to find where the streams of water have cut down through them in Nebraska exposing the edges. The third is to dig into them. All three meth- ods liave been employed and the results com- pared. From them it is possible now to write the Platte, the Blue, the Missouri and other streams which have cut valleys in the lime- stone hills the quarryman works in the ceme- tery of the past, blasting and carving out the skeletons of former inhabitants to serve the purposes of present ones. This was the great coal-forming or Carboniferous Age when the deep beds of coal in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri were being created. Nebraska was too far out on the edge of coal-making conditions to pro- duce any deep beds, but the story of her part in that period of millions of years is written deeply in her rocks. A layer of black, soft A Nebraska Brachiopod. Coal Measure Sea She! much of the history of Nebraska long before there were any human beings here or even any dry land for them to stand on. Anywhere from 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 years ago Nebraska was the bottom of an in- land sea that swept up from the Gulf ofMexico and covered the Mississippi valley. We know it was the bottom of such a sea because sea animals, shell-fish and corals and crinoids, hun- dreds of kinds of them, lived and died, and dy- ing left the imprint of their bodies in the soft, slimy sea bottom. Today that sea bottom is part of the limestone rocks of eastern Nebraska and all along the Nemaha, the Weeping Water, shale filled with vegetable remains tells the story of a period of swamp ; another layer of marly limestone intermingled with fossils tells the story of a shallow sea swarming with ani- mal life ; a thick stratum of solid stone with few fossils tells the tale of a deep sea. Through millions of years these alternations of depres- sion and elevation, of swamp and shoal and sea, went on writing roughly their record in the rocks. These limestone rocks themselves with their interlying layers of shales and softer material are from six hundred to one thousand two hundred feet in thickness. They are the oldest Nebraska history. Thus far only the EARLIEST RECORDS 11 largest events in their story have been puzzled out. For centuries to come scliolars will be deciphering the details of those long ages which speak to us only through their tombs. For the Nebraskan of today, — school child or grown up — there is no more inspiring, instruc- tive lesson than a day among the limestone ledges, noting the differences in dift'erent strata, finding the curious forms there en- tombed, and trying to frame some conception of how distant the time, and how vast the changes since they were the living inhabitants of Nebraska. The carboniferous limestone book is the old- est document in Nebraska history. Next oldest of Nebraska documents is a curious one in four volumes called the "Cretaceous Period." These four volumes have striking differences of color, of texture, of arrangement, of fossil remains, but all four relate chapters in the story of a second great sea, covering what is now the great plains, and stretching from Texas to Part of Ancient Oyster Bed Nebraska Red Sandstone Leaf British America. The lowest of the four vol- umes is the Dakota red sandstone formation, named from Dakota City in this state, where it was first studied. It is from 200 to 300 feet thick and appears on the surface in num- erous places in the eastern part of the state. The most interesting story it has to tell is the story of the woods of long ago which grew around the borders of the vast inland sea. The leaves of the maple, the willow, the oak, the magnolia and of many others are as perfectly preserved in the hard rock as though it were yesterday instead of millions of years ago that they fell. Next above the red sandstone lies the Benton book, named from Fort Benton in Da- kota, where it appears in its full thickness — about two hundred feet. The most prominent feature in the history it has to relate is that of ancient oyster beds. Little oysters and big oysters, sheet upon sheet, and layer above lay- 12 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA er, packed so closely that one cannot drive a shingle nail without piercing a dead oyster. What a feast for some of the present day in- habitants of Nebraska if they might have raked the bottom of the shallow oyster bed bays of this period. Next above these Benton oyster rocks lies about three hundred feet of Nio- brara chalk rocks, named from the Niobrara river where they are exposed in perpendicular cliffs. In these the oyster beds disappear and are succeeded by the skeletons of very small lived and died and another variety of sea shell whose long glistening skeletons found today, are called "petrified snakes." The record of the next chapter in Nebraska's history is found only in the Bad Lands of the northwestern corner of the state. There the soft mud, five hundred to a thousand feet thick, which formed the bottom of an interior lake, has been cut into guHies and canyons by the winds and waters. Here today is found the most remarkable menagerie in the world— dead. A Nebraska Titanotherium from the Bad Lands of Northwest Nebraska sea animals. The last volume in this series is ca;lled the Pierre shale, from Pierre, South Da- kota. This is the bulkiest book of all, varying from three hundred feet along the Blue river to three thousand or four thousand in the high plains of western Nebraska. Its leaves tell of the time when vast quantities of mineral mud were washed into the inland sea, packing its bottom with soda which reappears today in the alkali lakes of the sand hills. During this time monstrous coiled sea shells called ammonites The skulls and teeth of sabre-toothed tigers, the huge hip bones and tusks of rhinoceroses, the leg bones of three toed horses are all found in this ancient cemetery. Hither come scientific expeditions from all parts of the world, to bear away to their museums the bones of the early inhabitants of northwestern Nebraska. Higher up, above the Bad Lands muds are the sands and butte clays which form the top and the picturesque scenery of western Ne- braska. In some places this formation takes EARLIEST RECORDS 13 the shape of lofty pinnacles and spires crowned with pine forests : in other places, the wash from these sands has created the great sand hills. Layers of volcanic dust fused by intense heat into glassy fragments and now resting between other layers of sand or clay tell un- mistakably of a time long ages ago when vol- canoes were near enough neighbors to Ne- braska to leave their mark upon her landscape. After all the ages, wdiose history is written in rock and sand and shale, came the more re- hills, long grooves cut in the exposed surface of limestone ledges and i)anks of rounded peb- l)les and gravel. This hasty glance at the long and mighty prelude to human history in Nebraska would perhaps find no place in so brief a sketch as I purpose writing. Hut more «ind more, true history becomes — not the mere stringing of events like beads upon a thread, but a philos- ophy as well ; a suggestion of underlying causes and sequences, which shall stimulate Scene in Sioux County cent one, wdiose record is found in the black al- luvial soil which covers the surface of the greater part of Nebraska and makes it one of the richest gardens that ever the hand of man was set to cultivate. In these upper sheets are foun^- ji^^^-^'^' .-•J '•'jf.Oi«J,.-iy^,, , J3i?S- . ■...j.fc.. Bellevue, Nebraska in 1865 honeymoon. She was, beyond doubt, the first white woman in Nebraska. He gave rich presents to his Omaha wife to avoid trouble and left each of his half-breed children two thousand dollars to give them an education. He died at St. Louis in 1820. The site of Fort Lisa was visited by the writer in August, 1904, and the picture is from a photograph taken there. Besides Lisa among the early builders of trading posts in Nebraska were Robert Mc- Lellan and Ramsey Crooks who had an estab- lishment near the mouth of Papillion creek in 1810. Bellevue, only a short distance from this early trading post, is conceded to be the oldest town in Nebraska, but the exact date of seventy men on their way to Astoria, Oregon. Along with theexpedition came John Bradbury and Thomas Nuttall, two English scientists. Their coming marks an epoch in the history of our state — the time when its plants and ani- mals were first named and compared with those of other parts of the world. The Hunt expedition reached Oregon after severe hard- ships. The next year four men, — Robert Steuart, Ramsey Crooks, Joseph Miller and Robert McLellan, — started on the return trip from Oregon to St. Louis. After long wan- derings in the mountains they reached the North Platte river late in December, 1812, fol- lowed it down past its wild canon into the present Nebraska and went into winter AMERICAN EXPLORATIONS ib Site of Old Fort Atkinson quarters in a bend of the river a few miles above Scott's Bliiflf. They were tlie first known white explorers of northwestern Ne- braska. March 8, 1813, they broke camp and followed the Platte to the Otoe village near Ashland Avhere they traded an old horse they had brought across the mountains for a canoe and went down the Missouri. Their story is told in Washington Irving's Astoria and is filled with startling adventures. The founding of Bellevue and its contem- porary stations mark the first period in Ne- braska's permanent settlement — the fur-trad- ing period. The second period — the military and steam engine period — begins in 1819. The fur traders continue, but are no longer the controlling force.The army and a little later the United States Indian agent come in as the ruling powers. The first steamboat to navigate Nebraska waters — the Western Engineer — ar- rived at Fort Lisa September 19, 1819. She was a steamer built at Pittsburg Pennsylvania, expressly for the use of the United States gov- ernment, was a stern wheeler, seventy-five feet long, thirteen feet beam and drew 19 inches of water. The boat carried Major Stephen H. Long with a party of engineers, scientists and soldiers designed to explore the region be- tween the Missouri and the Rocky mountains. The expedition built log houses under the shel- ter of the bluff about half a mile above Fort Lisa and made winter quarters there. During the winter councils were held with the Otoe, Omaha, Pawnee and Sioux Indians who came there. June 6, 18'20, the party, numbering twenty-three men, left the Missouri and pro- ceeded up the north bank of the Platte, halting at the Grand Pawnee village on the Loup. The Wood river valley was followed for some miles. June 22 they reached the forks of the Platte, crossed the North Platte and on the 23d the South Platte, whicli they ascended to the mountains. The party returned by way of the Arkansas. This expedition discovered and named some hundreds of plants, animals and fossils. The name of Thomas Say, botanist and zoologist, is forever linked in scientific his- tory with these discoveries, many of which he had the honor of naming. The judgment of the expedition upon the value of the country is summed up in one sentence which asserts that the ''plains on either side of the Platte river have an elevation of fifty to one hundred feet and present the aspect of hopeless and irreclaimable sterility." Ten days after the arrival of the Western Engineer at Fort Lisa with Major Long's par- ty came Colonel Henry Atkinson with the Sixth regiment United States infantry in keef boats. This force was ordered to Council 46 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Bluff, the site of the first Lewis and Clark In- dian council, — five miles above Fort Lisa where it at once began work on the first United States military post in our state. For several years this pc^t appears in the report of the secretary of war as Council Blufif, — later as Fort Atkinson in honor of its first commander and finally when Nebraska is organized as a territory the town located on the site is known as Fort Calhoun. From 1819 to 1827 this is the center of Nebraska life and activity. Lisa, the early ruler of the region, is dead and his post is moved to Bf^llevue. At Council Bluff is an army of 600 to 1,000 soldiers, besides a host of traders and hangers-on. Hither came the distant tribes of the plains to get a glimpse of the military strength of the great father. Caravans were made up here which went as far as Santa Fe. Here came in 1824 an ex- pedition of 26 Spaniards from the Rio Grande and Arkansas to make peace with the Pawnees who raided that far away. Through Major O'Fallon's influence the peace was made. Steamers going up the Missouri made this one of their principal stopping places. Here farm- ing was first carried on in Nebraska by white men. Colonel Leavenworth in command of the post wrote John C. Calhoun, secretary of war, on August 30, 1823 : "Our spring wheat has done well and all our crops are very good." In another letter he says they have raised enough crop to feed an extra regiment which it was proposed to send there. Here, also, was the first civilized cemetery. Over one hun- dred soldiers died the first year of scurvy and beyond doubt many others in the years which followed. Here was military and naval head- quarters during the hostilities known in our early annals as "the Arickaree War of 1823." This war was brought on by an attack of the Arickaree Indians, who then lived in two large villages in South Dakota where the Grand river meets the Missouri, upon General Ash- ley's company of boatmen and trappers bound for the upper Missouri. Fourteen trappers were killed and nine wounded. -The fight took place June 2. The news reached Council Bluff June 18th and June 22nd six companies of the Sixth infantry with two six-pounder cannon left the fort under command of Col- onel Leavenworth and started up the river by steamboat. Joshua Pilcher, who had taken the place of Manuel Lisa in management of the Missouri Fur company, got together forty white frontiersmen, took another cannon from the fort at Council Bluff, collected about five hundred Sioux allies and came on in two other boats. Other parties of trappers and Indians joined and the whole army numbering eleven hundred men with four cannon appeared in front of the Arickaree villages August 8. The Arickarees were calculated to have about eight hundred warriors and had surrounded their villages with a wall of wood and dirt. After two da3's of skirmishing in which the Arickarees lost twenty or thirty killed and the whites but two wounded while the Sioux had two killed and seven wounded the Arick- arees escaped at night and their villages were burned. The expedition returned to Council Bluff with a very bitter feeling between Col- onel Leavenworth and Pilcher over the con- duct of the campaign. It is thirty years after this before another Indian war affects Ne- braska. Fort Atkinson or Council Bluff' was aban- doned as a military post in 1827, the troops go- ing to Fort Leavenworth which thenceforth becomes headquarters for the Santa Fe trade and the plains Indians. Although three-quart- AMERICAN EXPLORATIONS 47 Coins Found on the Site of Old Fort Ati\inson ers of a century has passed the evidence of human activity at this first Nebraska fort are still abundant. Great piles of brick and stone still cover the soil and every year the farmer's plow and gardener's rake bring to light evi- dence of those pioneer days. Probably near a hundred gold, silver and copper coins have been found there and thousands of military buttons and tools. IMarked as the site of the first Indian council and first United States fort in Nebraska it will become in the centur- ies to be the great early historic spot within our borders. With the departure of the military in 1827 the Indian, Indian trader and Indian agent were left the masters of Nebraska. But a new epoch was at hand — that of the overland wag- on trail, the missionary, the school. The early expeditions across our soil, — military, scienti- fic, commercial, — were made on horseback or on foot. There has been dispute who was the first pioneer to make a wagon trail across the state. The honor seems to belong to William L. Sublette who left St. Louis April 10, 1830. with eighty-one men on mules, ten wagons loaded with goods and drawn by five mules each, two dearborns with one mule each, twelve head of cattle and one milch cow. The route was, in the main, the one later known as the Oregon Trail, — up the Big Blue, the Little Blue, the Big Sandy, across the divide to the Platte and up the North Platte. Sublette's party arrived in the Wind river country July 16th and returned to St. Louis the same fall bringing back their ten wagons loaded with furs and the milch cow. A picture of that cow herself which made the trip froiu the Mis- souri to the Wind river mountains and back would be worthy a place in a gallery of Ne- braska pioneers. After the Sublette wagon trail came that of Captain Benjamin Bonneville. Bonneville left the Missouri river near Independence, Missouri, on May Day, 1832, with an outfit of 110 men and forty wagons, bound for Pierre's Hole in the Wind river country. His route was up the Kansas river, across the divide to the l?ig Blue, up the Little Blue and Big Sandy and across the divide to the Platfe which he struck about twenty-five miles below the head of Grand Island, — thence crossing the Platte near the forks up the North Platte, past Chimney Rock and Scotts BuifF to the Laramie fork where he arrived June 2G. Washington Irving has told his story, more in the form of a romance than of history, in his "Adventures 48 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Chimney Rock of Captain Bonneville," and claimed for him the honor of first blazing the wagon track which soon after became the Oregon Overland Trail. After Bonneville came Nathaniel J. Wyeth, who followed Bonneville with a train of pack horses in the summer of 1833, crossed the mountains to Oregon and arrived at the mouth of the Columbia in October. In 1833 he returned to Massachusetts, but April 28, 1834, found him starting again from the Missouri river with a company of seventy men and two hundred and fifty horses on their way to Ore- gon. In the party were two scientists. Thomas Nuttall (whom we have met before) and J. K. Townsend. There are also five mis- sionaries, among them Jason and Henry Lee. This party entered Nebraska May 13 in what is now Pawnee county and passed out of the present state June 1 when it reached Laramie fork, where it found a party of trappers build- ing the first stockade which was afterward to become so noted as Fort Laramie. This expe- dition begins the real Oregon emigrant move- ment across the plains and continued in the general course taken two years' before, — up the Blues and Big Sandy, across the divide to the Platte and up the North Platte to South Pass. , On November 18, 1833, Rev. Closes P. Mer- rill and wife, the first missionaries to Nebraska arrived at Bellevue. They found there John Daugherty, United States Indian agent, his brother Hannibal, sub-agent, Gilmore and La- Flesche, government blacksmiths, Lucien Fontenelle. a Frencli trader, Charlo the inter- preter, and half a dozen other white families or rather families with a white father and Indian mother. Joshua Pilcher was in charge of Cabanne's old trading post about a mile be- low the site of Fort Lisa and Roubidoux had a trading station up the Platte about twenty miles, near the principal Otoe village. An old log house whose floor was piled with dirt the rats had brought in was the missionary home. It was cleaned and here, on November 25, 1833, the first Nebraska school began with Mrs. Merrill as teacher. The scholars were half breed and Indian children. A Sabbath school conducted by Mr. ^Merrill was begun the same week. One of the features of both schools was singing and in a few weeks the melodv of religious hvnins from the lips of AMERICAN EXPLORATIONS 49 ^t' _ ^ •Ji ^^L ' '- ^>ii^^^^^^l Oldest Mission Church Indian children rejoiced the heart of the mis- sionaries. The first convert, a boy of twelve years, was baptized by Mr. Merrill April 30, 1834. For the first eighteen months Mr. Mer- rill applied himself to the task of learning the Otoe language that he might preach to the people in their own tongue. On April 1, 1835, a contract between Moses Merrill and John Daugherty provided that the missionary was to teach the Otoe and Missouri children of lioth sexes and receive therefor the sum of $500 per year from the government. The same year the Baptist missionary society, which had sent out Mr. Merrill, made an appropriation of $1,000 to erect mission buildings at the Otoe Agency about six miles above the mouth of the Platte where the main Otoe village had been moved. In 1834 appeared the first Ne- l)raska book, a little pamphlet of four- teen pages containing familiar hymns trans- lated into the Otoe language by Mr. Merrill. It was printed at the Shawanoe (Bap- tist) Indian Mission at Shawanoe, Missouri. For the next five years the life of Mr. Merrill was crowded with the labors of both teacher and missionary. His diary (a copy of which is among the archives of the state historical society) is filled with incidents of frontier life, l)ut most of all with the missionary's struggles against the indifiference of the Indians and the terrible effects of trader's whisky in the tribe. The Otoes would exchange the furs of a whole }ear's chase for a few tin cups of poor whisky adulterated with water. Over and over on nearly every page is the record of more whisky l)rought into camp with the acompaniment of ilrunken stabbings and shootings. At one lime the missionary when on a visit at Roubi- doux's trading post writes : "This is not the house of God nor the gate of heaven. It is rather the house of Satan and the gate of Hell. Eight Otoes arrived who had come sixty miles to exchange their furs for whisky." In the summer of 1838 Mr. Merrill spent sev- eral weeks with the tribe on their summer buf- falo hunt. February 6, 1840, the missionary pioneer passed away and the Otoes mourned the friend they called "The-One-, 1853. In 185() he and remained there four years, instructing the built the Omaha mission school, a substantial older Indians in farming and the children in structure of Nebraska stone, on a beautiful the rudiments of an education, — and bearing liill a few hundred yards from the Missouri the gospel to l^oth old and young. The con- river. Here for the next thirty years was the tinual raids of the Sioux upon the Pawnee vil- center of Christian and intellectual life in the lages finally broke up the mission work — and Omaha tribe and from this center went forth the government had failed to station the troops the young men and women who have made the so as to protect it. tribe one of the most progressive and civilized The first mission to the Omahas was in of Indian peoples. Father Hamilton died at charge of Rev. Samuel Curtis and wife who Decatur in 1893. His widow still lives there. 1^ -' ms- Pil t — Dedication of Lewis and Clark Monument EARLY POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS CHAPTER VI Nebraska was claimed by Spain, I'Vanco and England in the period of early voyages and discovery along the coast. The grants of the king of England to the \'ii-ginia and New England colonial companies ran "from sea to sea" and of course included this state, but these were purely paper pretenses. .Spain sent an occasional military expedition out upon the plains at intervals of a century or more. But France, by her hardy sons of the forest and plains, first explored and made temporary set- tlement here. By virtue of this exploration and settlement Nebraska was part of the pro- vince of Louisiana, — and as such subject to the King of France, — from about the year 1700 until November 3, 17(i2, when by the secret treaty of Paris it was transferred to Spain. The king of Spain was the ruler from that date until October 1, 1800, when it was ceded back to F'rance by the treaty of San Ildefonso. The Spanish governor, however, remained in possession until the time it was turned over to the I'nited -States which, for upper I.oiiisiana. was .March JO, isn4. From that date until ( )ctober 1, 18(U, this region was under a military government, under an act of congress, passed October 13, 1803, which au- thorized the president to take possession of the new territory and that all civil and judicial powers there should be vested temporarily in persons appointed by him. Under this act Captain Amos Stoddard, of the United States army was governor at St. Louis and had jur- isdiction over Nebraska. I'Tom October 1, 1804, until July 4, 1805, our state was part of the District of Louisiana and annexed to the territory of Indiana, whose capital was then at ^^incennes. William Henry Harrison was then governor of Indiana and with the judges for that territory, appointed by the president, en- acted the laws for this region — the people hav- ing no voice in the matter. From July 4, 180.5 until December 7, 1812, this was part of the territory of Lotiisiana, with a governor and judges of its own, appointed by the pres- ident, who enacted the law. From Decem- ber ';, 1S12, until IS-.'l it was part of the ter- ritorv of Missouri. .\11 free white males over Wreck of Missouri River Steamer. 52 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA 21 years old who had lived in the territory twelve months and had paid a territorial or county tax and whose homes were on lands to which the Indian title had been extinguished, were entitled to vote for members of a lower house of the legislature, which lower house in turn nominated eighteen candidates for an upper house of whom the president chose nine as members. The Indian title not being ex- tinguished to Nebraska none of the few white men here could vote. From the date of the ad- mission of the state of Missouri in 1821 until "club law" the governing force in our state. The Indians settled their disputes according to Indian custom and white men theirs ac- cording to their own inclination. It was, in fact, the darkest period of our social history. Rival fur traders went everywhere carrying their vile liquor without hindrance. The In- dians, debauched with drink, fought with each other, and sold their ponies and even their wives to get more liquor. White men were killed in the frontier brawls and the murderers wTiit unpunished. After the withdrawal of The Yellowstone. The First Regular June 30, 1834 Nebraska was an unorganized, unattached, wilderness. The state of Mis- souri was cut out of the old Territory of Mis- souri, and apparently in the heat of the light over the admission of the state the rest of the territory was forgotten. The only provision in the United States laws applying to Ne- braska was the eighth section of the Missouri bill — "the Missouri Compromise" — which for- ever prohibited slavery. As Nebraska was not a part of any judicial or other civil dis- trict there were no courts in which suits could be tried and no sheriff or marshal with au- thoritv to serve writs. This virtually made Steamer Plying on Nebraska Waters the garrison at Fort Atkinson in 1837 disorders 111' all kinds grew worse. It was the period ' ^ -i ■!( v.; i].; \ •Sm :-^.: \ Captain Carlisle's California Train Nooning in tlie Platte Valley ORGANIZATION 61 L-S/ i> ,^,-1^^-.-, The First Claim Cabin in Nebraska, Built by Daniel Norton in 1853, Between Omaha and Bellevue. portation and development similar. They were wliy the two wests,— the northwest and south- linked together in interest by the great river west,— should not work together for common which drew them into one focus of navigation jjolitical and social ends in the new nation, and exchange. There seemed no good reason That was, in fact, their tendency and the night- Wliere Three btates Meet. Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri Descendants of Joseph Roubidou.x, Early Fiench Fur Trader. 62 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA mare of the older states along the Atlantic, gle. We now recognize it as the beginning of One fundamental difference turned into border that struggle. So when the first bill to organ- conflict what should have been harmony. Back ize the territory of Nebraska was put away of one group of pioneers was a slave labor so- to its last dusty slumber in the winter of 1845, ciety ; back of the other a free labor society. we understand now why it Mas so. Other Missouri overlapped the western front of phases of the slavery question absorbed the both streams of migration. Both of them public mind and heated the congressional flowed in. Then it was first realized, north arena; the annexation of Texas, the war with and south, that a fundamental ditYerence of Mexico and the fierce debate whether the terri- labor svstems meant a war nf institutions. The tory acquired from Mexico shall be slave or -gpr jjj.jii|)iwyi" gy-: ^i^nttt. Steamer Omaha Landing Mormons at Florence, Nebraska bitter conflict in congress which followed was concluded by the Missouri Comjiromise of ls-20 which fixed for more than thirty years the status of Nebraska with reference to slavery. This act provided for the admission of Mis- souri with her slave constitution, but that "in all the remainder of the Louisiana Purchase west of Missouri and north of ■U^ degrees and 30 minutes north latitude, slavery .... is for- ever prohibited." This compromise, — one of the great lanilmarks in American as well as Nebraska history, — was regarded at the time as a settlement of the sectional slavery strug- free, consume congressional hours. But while the Nebraska Bill sleeps in its pigeon hole the emigrant's wagon marches on. By 1846 there are r2,000 Americans in the Oregon country. Summer of the same year witnesses the strangest migration Nebraska prairies have yet seen — the ^lormon exodus. Ten thousand Mormons emptied from Missouri river steam- boats upon the Nebraska shores at Florence, — an entire church on the march, — more white people in one bod}- than Nebraska had ever seen before. Several hundred more land at Niobrara and during the winter of 1S4G-T tlie I ORGANIZATION 63 Rockportand Old Fort Lisa— Site of Old Saw Mill Mormon population in this state was large enough to organize a commonwealth with their leader Brigham Young for governor, and in which none but Mormons might hold office. But these are birds of passage. In the spring the overland trail is trodden smoother than it has been before by the feet, the cart wheels, and the cattle of these pilgrims for another promised land. The same j'ear which saw the' Mormons land on our shores witnessed the erection of tlie second I'nited States military post within the borders of the present state at Old Fort Kearney— established April 22.1840— on the bluflf where today stands Nebraska City. A garrison was maintained there until 1848 when the new Ft. Kearney was located on the south liank of the Platte river, opposite the present city of Kearney and Old Ft. Kear- ney is left in charge of a sergeant's s<|uad un- til 1854, when it is abandoned. The southern democratic administration of President Polk has compromised our Oregon claim with (jreat Britain, cutting it in two in order to have a IrvL- hand I'nr the acquisition of Texas and tiie war with Mexico. Te.xas and Oregon, — not the old Texas or the Old Oregon, but an Ore- gon shorn of half its territory and a Texas grown intt) an Empire which includes Arizona, Ojlorado. Utah, Nevada and California, — come into the American Republic at one long na- tional breath. The PIvinoiith Rock and (ames- town streams have touciied Pacific tidewater at the same moment. -March lo, 1848, Senator Stephen .\ . Doug- las introduced a second Nebraska Bill. Some- one had evidently given him a hint, for this new proposed Nebraska is only half as large as the former one, lying between the fortieth and forty-third degrees of latitude— as the present Nebraska does— but extending from the Missouri river to the summit of the Rockv mountains. There is no mention of slavery in the bill and the laws of Iowa are to be ex- tended over the new territory until its inhabi- tants frame new ones. I'his bill has the same fate as its predecessor-death without a hearing, but a recommendation to mercy from the com- mittee on territories. There is a new phase to the Nebraska ques- tion now — one not mentioned bv anv of the historians who have written upon the topic. The Oregon dispute is settled. There is no l(jnger need for Nebraska as a base of war against England. But the organization and settlement of this region is a long step toward making the Platte valley mule for a Pacific railroad and far-sighted leaders north and south have grasped that point. Senator Ben- ton, of Missouri, pioneer in tiie propagation of Pacific railroad plans, on b'ebruarv 7, 1849, in- troduced the first Pacific railroad liill in con- gress. 1"he hill is suggestive of how the west- 64 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA ern mind began to attack the gigantic problem of those days, — a railroad across the mountains and desert to the Pacific ocean. It provided for the reservation of a right of way one mile wide from St. Louis to San Francisco, and that 75% of the proceeds of all land sales in Cali- fornia and Oregon, and 50% of the proceeds in other states should constitute a railroad building fund, — the road to be built by the United States government. Now begins to ap- pear, in the fierce southern opposition to Sena- tor Benton's Pacific railroad bill, the identical opposition which all bills for the orgnaization of Nebraska must meet. The next ten years in congress is one continuous skirmish and bat- tle, plot and counterplot, between the repre- sentatives of the north and south on the sub- ject of Pacific railroad. At first the position of the south is against any railroad built by the government. All the old arguments of the Madison, Monroe and Jackson vetoes against federal internal improvements, against the constitutionality of such measures, are set up in order of battle. When, after a time, it begins to appear that the Pacific railroad will be built in the not distant future, — by a clever fiank movement, the flight is shifted to the question, which of several routes is the best. Then there are surveys and reports, more sur- veys and more reports, but the Pacific railroad bill never gets further in congress than the stage of debate until after the climax of con- tention comes and war between the north and south has taken the place of debate. The question of organizing the territory of Nebraska was therefore complicated with two other questions, — the opening of a northern route for the future Pacific railroad and the crowding of Indian population further south and west to still farther obstruct white settle- ment in those regions. Rival commercial in- terests north and south, thus become partici- pants in the struggle which is about to ensue. Missouri is a slave state, but her people have become the pioneers of the west; her great city of St. Louis is the metropolis of the west- ern trade and the interests of her active ruling class of merchants and politicians are enlisted in favor of every proposition to develop the \\ est. Accordingly the next move in behalf of organizing the new territory originates in Mis- souri. December 12, 1852, Representative Hall of ^Missouri introduces a bill to organize the territory of Platte, which is simply another name for Nebraska. This bill was referred to the house committee on territories, of which \\ . A. Richardson of Illinois, Senator Doug- las' personal friend was chairman. Congress- man Richardson made over Congressman Hall's bill into a new one which he reported from his committee February 2, 1853. It pro- posed to organize the territory of Nebraska — bound on the south by the line of 36 degrees, ;>t) minutes, on the north by the present north- ern line of Nebraska, on the east by Missouri and Iowa and on the west by the summit of the Rocky mountains. Again no mention is made of slavery, but the provision in former bills that the laws of Iowa should extend over the new territory until changed by its legis- lature is left out. The student feels certain, while he does not find the proof of his be- lief in the documents of the time, that this was done as a concession to southern votes in Con- gress which would oppose any effort to organ- ize territory where free state laws should gov- ern during the formative period. On February 10, 1853, this bill reaches the stage of debate in the house. To appreciate the exquisite irony, the boundless sarcasm, of this debate. ORGANIZATION 65 we must recall the compromise of 1850 which settled the slavery dispute forever ; — so said the active politicians of both whig and demo- cratic parties who were trying to keep their respective organizations from going to pieces upon the issue. Pioth the whig and democratic parties in the presidential campaign of 1853 had declared the act of 1850 the "final settle- ment" of the subject. The very mention of slav- ery or slave disputewas taboo in polite political circles. No well-bred congressman, least of all, a southern member, dared discuss the sub- ject. Therefore when the bill to organize the territor\' of Nebraska, freighted as it was with formidable future results, with the opening of the Platte Valley route for a Pacific railroad, with advantage to northern emigration, and ultimate superiority of free state votes in the national government, — came up there was a wild rush of pro-slavery southern members for a masc[uerade fighting costume. Indian Rights was the suit. Houston of Alabama, Howard of Texas, Brooks of New York, hotly denounce the bill as a violation of sacred Indian guar- antees. The framers of the bill had endeav- ored to meet this criticism by providing that both the land and the government of the In- dians should be left undisturbed. This mere- Iv inflamed its opponents the more. They want to know how many white men live in a region where it is proposed to go to the expense of organizing a territorial government. Rich- ardson and 1 lall are obliged in tell tliem that the law in force forbids white men settling there at all ; but there are, however, between five hundred and twelve hundred whites living in the region and between fifty thousand and sixty thousand emigrants traveling across this territory every year on their way to the Pacific Ruins of Old Town of Rockport near Site of Fort Lisa coast beyond. It is interesting to note in the debate some of the touches, both of temper and argument, which appear in recent debates upon the Philippine question. Congressman Howard, of Texas, in particular, boiled over with indignation at this ruthless violation of Indian rights — organizing a territory over their heads without their consent. He was asked how long it was since Texas began to measure her conduct toward Indians by the Golden Rule. Congressman Brooks, of New York, dwelt upon the extravagance of setting up a territorial government for the benefit of the few hundred people. He was answered that there were ten to fifteen ihonsand people in Missouri ready to move on these lands as soon as they were open to settlement. The more one reads of the debate the plainer the situa- tion is. This was a fight between Chicago and St. Louis, on the one band, looking forward to the opening of the Platte Valley Pacific rail- road ; New Orleans and Texas, on the other, trying to block tlie northern route, until they can push a railrcjad through on southern paral- 66 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Old Cannon used by Gen. Hamev against Indians and later to drive Sioux from Ponca Agency. Now at Niobrara, Nebraska lels ; and New York City helping the southern- ers to keep her own hold on the California trade by sea and the Isthmus of Panama. There is one single reference to slavery dur- ing the debate in the house. Giddings, the well-known radical anti-slavery member from Ohio, was a member of the committee on ter- ritories which reported the bill. Howe, of Pennsylvania, asked Giddings why the Ordi- nance of 1787 excluding slavery was not in the bill, adding, "I should like to know whether he or the committee were intimidated on ac- count of the platforms of 1852. (Laughter.) The gentleman pretends to be something of an anti-slavery man, at least I have understood so." Giddings replied by quoting the words of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and said "The south line of this new proposed ter- ritory is 36 degrees, 30 minutes. It is very clear that the territory (in the Louisiana Pur- chase) north of that line must be forever free, unless the Missouri Compromise be repealed." Hall, of Missouri, in closing his speech in favor of the bill, exclaimed : "^Vhy, everybody is talking about a railroad to the Pacific ocean. In the name of God, how is the railroad to be made if you will never let people live on the lands through which the road passes? Are vou going to construct a road through the In- dian territory at an expense of $200,000,000 and say no one shall live on the land through which it passes?" At the end of this debate the bill passed the house by a vote of 98 to 43, — the north and west furnishing the majority while South Car- olina and other southern states were solidly op- posed. The next day the bill was in the senate and was taken in charge by Senator Douglas, at the head of the senate committee on terri- tories. February 17 he reported it favorably without changing a line. It is not until the crowded hours after midnight of an all-night session of the senate about to die March 4,1853, that Douglas sees a chance to call up the bill. Texas is instantly in opposition. Senator Rusk, of that state, exclaims : "I hope the bill will not be taken up. It will lead to discussion be- yond all question." Senator Atchison, strong pro-slavery democrat from Missouri, tries to break this opposition and pleads with the south to let the bill be taken up, urging that Missouri is more deeply interested than any state in the Union. He at first hints at the real difificulty (slavery) without naming it. Finally he boldly takes that bull by the horns : "Mr. President : I did not expect opposition to this measure from the quarter whence it comes, — from Texas and from Mississippi. I had objections myself to the bill early in the session. One of them was the ^Missouri Com- promise. But when I came to look into that ORGANIZATION 67 question I found tliere was no prospect, no hope of a repeal of the Missouri Compromise, excluding slavery from that territory. Now, sir I am free to admit that at this moment, at this hour, and for all time to come, I should oppose the organization or the settlement of that territory unless my constituents and the constituents of the whole south, of the slave states of the union, could go into it on the same footing, with equal rights and equal privileges, carrying that species of property with them as other people of this Union. I have always been of the opinion that the first great error in the political history of the coun- try was the ordinance of 1787, rendering the Northwest Territory free territory. The next great error was the Missouri Compromise. But they are both irremediable. We must sub- mit to them. I am prepared to do it. It is evi- dent the Missouri Compromise cannot be re- pealed. So far as that question is concerned we might as well agree to the admission of this territory now as next year, or five or ten years hence." "But I must not stop here. The senator from Texas suggested another idea. His ob- jection was that the Indians in the Nebraska Territory would be turned down upon the bor- der of Texas." (Senator Rusk of Texas : "And scalp the wo- men and children upon the border of Texas.") Senator Atchison : "Sir, it is the wild Indians of whom we are in danger and the Shawnees, the Delawares and the Kickapoos and others upon your western frontier would be your best guard against the wild Comanches, Pawnees and others." Senator Sam Houston, of Texas, made per- haps the most effective speech against taking up the l)ill. He spoke from the standpoint of a man who had spent his life in Indian camps, living the life of an Indian, and made a strong plea against disturbing them in their homes be- yond the Missouri. Senator Bell, of Tennessee, also opposed the bill and remarked, "The morning of March 4th is breaking, and only five or six hours of the present congress re- main." Then Douglas rose to conclude the ar- gument for his pet measure. Just a few sen- tences from his speech may show its force. "The object of this bill is to create a terri- torial government extending from the western l)Oundary of Missouri and Iowa to Utah and Oregon. In other words, it is to form a line of territorial governments extending from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific ocean, so that we can have continuous settlements from one to the other. We cannot expect, or hope even, to maintain our Pacific possessions unless they can be connected in feeling and interest and communication with the Atlantic states. That can only be done by continuous lines of settle- ments, and those settlements can only be formed where the laws will furnish protection to those who settle upon and cultivate the soil." "Sir, what have you done for these Pacific possessions? What have you done to bind them to us? When a proposition was brought forward here to establish a railroad connection it met with determined resistance. The project was crushed and destroyed. When a proposi- tion was made for stockades and military colo- nization, that also was beaten down. When a proposition was made for a telegraph line you would not permit that to be established. You refused to allow settlers to go there; and when 68 SEMI-CEXTEXXIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA man and I wish to propose to him a comprom- ise on this subject, and that is. that by com- mon consent it lie postponed until the Friday after the first JNIonday of December next, then we shall have ample time and opportunity to discuss and in\-estigate it and if we think it right we can then pass the bill."' Senator Douglas : "I must remind my friend from Mississippi that eight years ago, when he and I were members of the House of Rep- resentatives, I was then pressing the Nebras- ka bill, and I had ever since been pressing it. I have tried to get it through for eight long years. I would take it as iiiuch more kind if my friend should propose that by common con- sent we take up and pass the bill." I asked for a territorial government you as- A motion was then made that the Nebraska si^n the absence of settlers as a reason for not bill be laid upon the table. Roll call upon this Old Omaha Mission School, Omaha Reservation, Built 1856 granting it. motion resulted. — veas, 23, navs 17 and so the "I have been struck with the zeal of some bill was killed for that session. An analysis of gentlemen in behalf of the poor Indians. Sir, the vote on this motion proves the real na- it is necessary for them to avail themselves ture of the opposition — a combination of com- of some ar"-uments to resist this bill, and mercial rivals with slave jealousy which is de- sympathy for the poor Indian is the argument termined to ])rcvent a Pacific railroad up the that was resorted to. It is expressly stipu- Platte valley. Eighteen out of the twenty- lated that the Indians do not come under the three votes to lay on the table are from the jurisdiction of the territory; that they are not south — both whigs and democrats from that embraced within its limits ; that they do not section voting against Douglas' bill. The other come under the operation of its laws and are five senators are from the commercial states never to be a part of that territory unless by of the northeast. On the other hand, every one treaty the Indians shall choose to do so here- of the seventeen senators for the bill are from after. It is said by this act, you will drive the the north and northwest, excepting the two Indians all down upon Texas. Does the bill senators from Missouri. Before another Ne- do it in any way? The Indians now occupy braska bill could be debated in the next con- that country. The bill leaves them there. \\'ill gress the southern interests controlling the thcv 1)0 any more likely to go down now than Pierce administration had rushed the Gadsden they were before?" treaty from Mexico to Washington where it Senator Adams of Mississippi: "I know that was ratified, — paying ten million dollars of the my friend from Illinois is a good compromise people's money for a strip of desert in New ORGANIZATION 69 IMexico and Arizona whose onl\- use was to open up a better route for a southern Pacific railroad. Senator Dodge, of Iowa, introduced the next Neliraska bill on December 14, 1853, when the new congress met. It was practically the same bill which had been laid upon the table March 4. It was referred to the senate committee on territories, Senator Douglas, chairman. Janu- ary 4, 1854, the Nebraska bill cunies back from the committee on territories, but not the Ne- braska bill that went to it. New features, never before seen, have been grafted upon the measure in the committee room. It is provided that when Nebraska is admitted into the Union as a state or states it shall be "with or without slavery, as their constitution may prescribe at the time of their admission." Besides this there is the famous section 21— the "stump speech in the belly of the l)iir' — as Benton called it, declaring that it is the true intent and meaning of the act to carry into practical operation the principles of the compromise of 1850 : First, that all questions pertaining to slavery in the territories and the new states formed there- from are to be left to the decision of the people residing in them : Second, that all questions involving title to slaves or questions of per- sonal freedom are left to local courts with right of appeal to the United States Supreme court. Early Steamboat Navigation on the Missouri historians, and especially Rhodes and Schoul- er, emphasize this proposition. Since Doug- las' death this view has generally been adopted, and I ha\e not seen it anywhere dis- puted in print, viz : that Douglas Avas an ac- tive candidate for president of the United States ; that he realized it was impossible to procure the support of the southern democracy unless he gave proof of his disposition to pro- tect their peculiar interests ; and that the incor- poration of the ".Squatter Sovereignty" princi- ple into the new Nebraska bill, was the best means in his power of giving such proof. Is there not another — and a sufficient reason for Douglas' action without this one? For ten years he had been trying to open this country ying straight in the ]Kith of commerce and Third, that the Fugitive Slave Law is to be emigration from his own state. For five years carried into execution in the territories as well he had seen Pacific railroad and even Pacific as the states. AVhat was Douglas' motive in proposing thus to make Nebraska a cock])it where slav- ery and freedom should fight it out? The com- mon republican opinion then and since was that Douglas was conciliating the south to pave his own path to the presidency. The telegraph projects blocked by conunercial riv- als, south and east. He had seen that those interests were strong enough to kill his bill the spring before, even when it was strongly supported by the slave state of Missouri. He knew that a hasty treaty with Mexico was being pushed to prepare the way for a Pacific 70 SEMI-CEXTEXXIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA railroad along southern parallels that would build up the rivals of both Chicago and St. Louis. No one knew better than he that com- merce and migration to the Pacific would fol- low the route of the first railroad. No one was closer than he to the railroad and commercial interests of Illinois. He had secured the first land grant ever made by the United States to a railroad company — the one to the Illinois Cen- tral. The Rock Island, first of all Illinois railroads to reach the Mississippi, had just been completed to the town whose name it now bears. Railroads were destined very soon to be constructed across Iowa. The natural route to the Pacific thence was tip the broad valley of the Platte. If this region were open to white settlement the rush of population would carry the railroad on its shoulders and with it the trade not onh' of the west, but of the world that lay beyond, to Chicago. The price to pay, — ah, there was a price to pay — Douglas had learned that lesson well by ten years of defeat, — the price to pay, — was to sat- isfy the slave sentimentalists of the south, — the sticklers for states' rights, — the "constitu- tional" politicians — to offer them, prima facie, an equal opportunity with the north in settling the new territory and bring with them their own peculiar "property," knowing as Douglas knew, — as every shrewd observer of events might know, — that the superior energy and push of the free state migration would win in Nebraska as it already had won in Oregon and California. Such an offer would cut the ground from beneath the feet of the New Orleans-Texas- Mississippi opponents of the bill. They could no longer unite the south against a measure on the score of pretended sympathy for the In- dian. It is significant that Douglas wrote the plan for the new Nebraska bill alone. The south itself was surprised ; the north was dumbfounded. Senator Atchison's speech, al- ready quoted, undoubtedly expressed the view of conservative southern men. They did not hope for the repeal of the Missouri Comprom- ise ; still less did they expect the proposition for this repeal from a northern political leader. It was like picking up privileges in the road, but, human-like, after the first shock of sur- prise the southern demand was for "More." Besides this, the southerners were afraid of Douglas. His moves were too shrewd for them and as they did not understand them, they naturally concluded there was some sub- tle, hidden purpose which they could not fathom. They would be satisfied with nothing less than an absolute, unequivocal repeal of the Missouri Compromise which any southern planter could vmderstand without hiring a law- yer to guess at its meaning. Senator Di.xon, of Kentucky, therefore expressed the southern mind when he gave notice on January 16, that he should offer an amendment when the Ne- braska bill came up for consideration ex- pressly repealing, in plain words, the obnox- ious Missouri Compromise, and clinching the repeal with this sentence : "The citizens of the several states or territories shall be at lib- erty to take and hold their slaves within any of the territories of the United States or of the States to be formed therefrom, as if the said act (to-wit, the Missouri Compromise) had never been passed.'" This amendment was certainly a bold slap in the face of the north. Douglas at once went to Senator Dixon's seat and remonstrated against it. Dixon stood his ground firmly, saying that the -Missouri Com- J ORGANIZATION 71 Francisco Salway and Family, Noted Frontiersman promise had not been repealed by the com- promise of 1850, and that the south was de- termined to have the question settled l)eyond doubt. On the next day, Tuesday, January 17, 1854, Senator Douglas ordered a carriage and going to the home of Senator Dixon, the two men went out on a long drive. The his- torian would pay something to know the con- versation during that carriage drive. What arguments were used, what motives appealed to, may be surmised. Tlie conclusion only is known. When the drive ended Senator Doug- las had adopted the Dixon idea and promised to put it in the bill. But Douglas was too wary a political general to risk so great a change in his plans and so hard a battle at the north as he knew must follow without making sure of carrying the measure. One thing more was needed to insure the passage of the bill in its proposed form — that was the active sup- port of President Pierce's administration, and with that the assistance of every pie-counter patron from Maine to Oregon. Jefferson Da- vis, then Secretary of War, now plays the im- portant role, the story of which he relates in his own book. Davis was all powerful with President Pierce; they had fought together as fellow soldiers in the Mexican War and to the fraternal ties formed by that experience was added the fact that Davis was the stronger man intellectually. On Sunday, Januarj' 32, Davis accompanied Senator Douglas to the \Vhite House and secured for him a favor rarely granted by Pierce, — A Sunday audience iin a political subject. The situation, the Ne- braska bill and the proposed changes were discussed and the visitors carried away from the White House the president's promise to make the bill an administration measure — enough, with the party discipline of that day, to insure its passage. Monday morning, January 23, Douglas in- troduced a substitute — no longer the Nebraska bill — but the Nebraska-Kansas bill, providing for two territories with the dividing line where it now stands between the states of Nebraska and Kansas. The bill further declared that the Missouri Compromise "approved March 6, 1820, which was superceded by the principles of the legislation of 1850 commonly called the Compromise measures, is declared inopera- tive." On the next day the W^ashington Union newspaper, the official democratic administra- tion organ, declared the amended Nebraska- Kansas bill had the endorsement of the na- tional administration and required the support of all faithful democrats. But while these politicians' combination.s were being formed the north was rising in re- bellion. Whig and democrat and abolitionist had now a common cause. On the very day that the Union declared the Nebraska-Kansas bill a test of democratic faith, there appeared in print the "Appeal of the Independent Demo- 72 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA An Old French Canadian Trapper crats," signed by Salmon P. Chase, Joshua R. ern democrats, fourteen southern democrats, and nine southern whigs voted "aye." Four northern democrats, six northern whigs, two free soilers, one southern whig (Bell of Ten- nessee) and one lone southern democrat (Sam Houston of Texas) voted "nay." One import- ant amendment had been attached to the bill against the wish of its friends. This was called the "Clayton amendment," proposed by Senator Clayton of Delaware. It provided that only citizens of the United States should vote or hold office in the new territories. This was designed to shut foreign immigrants, who had declared their intention of becoming citi- zens, from settlement in the new region and was fastened to the bill by the close vote of 23 for to 31 against. The Know-Nothing movement was just then in the flood of its rising power and honeycombed both whig and democratic jiarties with its followers. The bill now went to the house where Rich- Giddings, Charles Sumner, Gerritt Smith, Ed- ardson was still at the head of the committee ward Wade, Alexander DeWitt — a fiery re- on territories. In order to secure its early con- view of the iniquity of the Nebraska-Kansas sideration he moved, March 21, its reference bill and a stirring call of the free states to to that committee. But there were other rocks action. The free states responded. Mass and rapids in the river besides those raised by meetings, newspapers, pulpits, voiced a mighty northern abolitionists. There was a big demo- chorus of protest. The legislatures of five cratic quarrel in the all important state of New northern states sent solemn resolutions against York as to who should hold the offices. There the bill to Congress. Douglas discovered that were two factions, the "Hards" and the "Softs" he must drive hard, and he drove. From Jan- or as they were more picturesquely called, the uary 30 until March 3 the bill was debated in "Hunkers" and "Barnburners." The "Hards" the senate every day in the intervals of other were the fellows who always voted the demo- business, with Douglas urging every day to- cratic ticket no matter who was nominated or ward a final vote. On the night of March 3, what was in the platform. They naturally felt Douglas spoke from midnight until daybreak, that their superior democratic virtue entitled closing the debate. them to all the federal offices and were ag- The roll Avas called and the senate passed grieved just at this juncture because they were the bill by a vote of 37 to 14. Fourteen north- not getting them all. They hung out their ORGANIZATION 73 democratic faniil}- washing on the congres- meiits were held back until the bill was passed sional clothesline to air, and page upon page Every democratic congressman felt the mighty of the congressional record at this period is force of the party machine, joined with the filled with the i^ap of lacerated democratic pleadings of its personal friends at home for shirt tails. When Mr. Richardson, acting his office. The business of getting out of the way appointed part as the lieutenant of Senator those fifty bills on the calendar which had Douglas, moved that the Nebraska-Kansas precedence of the Nebraska-Kansas bill was bill be referred to his committee, Mr. Cutting, pushed with extraordinary energy, and on a "Hunker" democrat from New York, moved I\Iay 8, Richardson moved that the House re- to refer it. to the committee of the whole, where solve itself into a committee of the whole for there were fifty bills ahead of it which must be the purpose of laying aside, one by one, the disposed of before it could be reached. In eighteen bills which then remained ahead of spite of all that Richardson and Douglas could his own Nebraska bill. This was done, — the do the House api)ro\-ed Cutting's proposition minority fighting every inch of the road. Rich- by a vote of lid to !).j, and there the Nebraska- ardson then moved a substitute for his own Kansas bill lay beneath an avalanche of other bill. This substitute was the senate bill with legislation. A fist fight between Cutting and a the Clayton amendment cut out. The demo- fellow democrat, — Breckenridge of Kentucky, crats of the north had found that too heavy a —was one of the features of the occasion. burden to carry. It meant losing their foreign The opposition of the north grew louder born voters en masse and certain defeat in sev- every day. It astonished those who had reck- eral northern states. oned on an uprising. Out of 3,800 clergymen Debate on the senate bill went on in the of all denominations in New England, three house until May 11, when Richardson rose and thousand signed a protest which was sent to moved to close debate the next day at twelve congress. In the northwest five hundred o'clock and on that motion demanded the pre- clergymen signed a similar protest and sent it vious question. The opposition implored, de- to Douglas himself to present, — which he did nounced and threatened, but Richardson would with some caustic remarks upon preachers not yield. Then began a filibuster, similar to who meddled in politics. The leading north- the one that marked the repeal of the silver ern newspapers were filled with reports of purchasing clause in the summer of 1893. mass meetings of laborers, farmers and mer- Every known means to prevent a vote was chants to protest against any further extension employed by the minority. All day the 11th, of the system of negro slavery. But there was all night, all the next day and until midnight another power in the field, — mightier for the was spent in ceaseless roll calls on dilatory moment than pulpit or press, — the power of motions. Both sides were worn out and ad- the pie-counter. The Pierce administration journed. On Monday, IMay 15, the fight was made it distinctly known that no democrats renewed. The Pacific railroad bill here ap- need apply for office who did not push for the peared again on the scene, — inseparable from Nebraska-Kansas bill. Important apjioint- the fate of Nebraska. It had been made a spe- 74 SE^II-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Artesian Well at Lynch, Nebraska cial order for consideration that week. A two- thirds majority was required to postpone the special order. There was not a two-thirds majority in favor of the Nebraska bill, but there were enough opponents of the Pacific railroad among those voting against the Ne- braska measure to give Richardson the two- thirds majority for its postponement. A mo- tion to close debate on the Nebraska bill at the end of the week then prevailed. General debate was thus closed, but there still re- mained under the rules the privilege of mov- ing amendments and making five minute speeches upon them. How to cut oflf the flood of amendments and five minute speeches in the committee of the whole was the knotty ORGANIZATION 75 problem for the majority. It was solved by Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, who moved to strike out the enacting clause. This took precedence over any other inotion to amend. Mr. Stephens explained upon the floor that his motion was made for the purpose of getting the bill bej'ond the reach of amendment or debate and that therefore the friends of the bill should support his motion. They did so. The enacting clause was accordingly stricken out. This was equivalent to rejecting the bill and made it necessary at once for the commit- tee of the whole to rise and report its action to the house. The house voted down the report of the committee of the whole and then had the bill in its own hands where a simple majority could close debate and order a vote whenever it desired. The end so long fought for was reached, and at midnight, May 22, the House roll was called on the passage of the Senate bill, with the Clayton amendment stricken out. The vote was 113 to 100 in favor of the bill. Forty-four northern democrats, fifty-seven southern democrats and twelve southern whigs voted for the bill ; forty-five northern whigs, forty-two northern democrats, seven southern whigs and two southern democrats voted against the bill. One thought — neglected by the average par- tisan mind — is suggested to the retrospective reader at the close of this long, fierce, sectional fight upon the subject of slave versus free ter- ritory : What has become of the rights of the Indian? No better illustration can, perhaps, be found in the annals of American history of the hypocrisy of political discussion than a comparison of the debate upon the Nebraska bill in the winter of 1853 with the debate upon the Nebraska-Kansas bill in 1854. The real issues involved on both occasions are the same, a year's time only intervenes, but the discussion of 1853 turns almost wholly upon Indian rights, and slavery is scarcely men- tioned, while the discussion of 1854 turns al- most wholly upon the slavery issue and the rights of the Indian are forgotten, except by one or two real friends of the Indian like Sen- ator Sam Houston. The southern statesmen who fought against the Nebraska bill of 1S53, because of their high regard for the sacred pledges made in the Indian treaties, in 1854 are ready to fight with their fists as well as their tongues in favor of a bill meaning the same thing for the Indian. If it is true that the dominant motive in Douglas' mind was to widen the commercial and political horizon of his own state and his own city, — to make Chi- cago what she is today, the metropolis of the Mississippi Valley and the future greatest city in the world, — no better tribute can be found to his own far-sighted political shrewdness than this changed attitude of the south. On May 25 the senate agreed to the changes made by the house, thus striking out the Clay- ton amendment, and on May 30, 1854, Presi- dent Pierce signed the bill and Nebraska Ter- ritory was born after the fiercest political tight in the nation's history. The slave sentimental- ists of the south had swallowed the Douglas bait. They had secured the "equality" their constituents had clamored for — the right to take their slaves with them into the Nebraska and Kansas territory, — an empty privilege. To get this they had wrought a revolution in the north. They had welded the minds of northern whigs, democrats and abolitionists into one controlling political determination — no more slave territorv in the United States. 76 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA This determination appeared forthwith in the organization of the republican party, — which owes its origin to, and dates its birth from the summer which witnessed, the enactment of the Nebraska-Kansas bill. and valleys of Nebraska and Kansas were fill- ing with frontiersmen and the broad emigrant trail up tlie Platte grew broader every year, its margin dotted with ranches, inviting the advent of the coming iron track binding the The shortsighted slavery statesmen of the cast and the west together? Is it any surprise south were the best friends of the republican party from the day of its organization. Their action drove the German immigrants into its ranks. The passage of the Nebraska-Kansas bill opened the northern path to the Pacific for settlement and survey. What use to agitate for a Pacific railroad across the sands of New Mexico and .\rizona while the fertile prairies that among the rivals of Chicago and St. Louis, — in New Orleans, in Texas and in Mississippi, — the newspapers of the day report no rejoic- ing over the passage of the Nebraska bill? There, at least, were southerners smart enough to know they had lost a battle — a battle for commercial supremacy, the foundation for all other supremacy. NEBRASKA TERRITORY CHAPTER VIII Gov. Francis Burt The territorial life of Nebraska began with the arrival of Governor Francis Burt, of South Carolina, who arrived at Bellevue October 7, lSr)4, took his official oath of office October 16, and died October IS. Thomas E. Cuming, of Michigan, had been appointed Secretary of State and became acting governor upon his death. There were a score of pressing public questions at the threshold of the new territory. The governor was given authority by law to take a territorial census, to divide the territory into legislative districts, to call an election for members of the first territorial legislature and to fix the place where they should hold their first session. By treaty with the Omaha and Otoe Indians in April, 1854, while the Nebras- ka-Kansas bill was yet pending in Congress, the United States had acquired title to Ne- liraska land fronting on the .Missouri river and extending west about one hundred miles. This was not yet surveyed, but was open for white settlement and adventurous spirits swarmed across the river all the way from Rulo to Nio- brara, to locate townsites and take their pick of choice tracts of land. Council Bluft's, Iowa, was then a town of about two thousand peo- ple, the largest place on the Missouri river op- posite the Nebraska shore. Enterprising citi- zens of Council BluiTs had already driven stakes, in the year 1853, on the Nebraska hill- side directly opposite their town. In 1854 the townsite and ferry company began booming the new location as the future capital of Ne- braska and the river crossing of the Pacific raliroad. In this work they had of course the active assistance of the entire population of Council Bluft's who planned thereby to make their town the real terminus and departure point for the Pacific coast. C)maha and Bellevue. then, became imme- diate rivals for the Nebraska territorial capital. Florence, Plattsmouth and Nebraska City were also candidates. Bellevue had the advantage of possession, the advantage of the l)etter site, the advantage of long historic set- tlement and association in men's minds as the principal, — nay, the only, — town in eastern Nebraska. It was the site of the Omaha, Otoe 78 SE^^II-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Gov. Thomas B. Cuming and Pawnee Indian Agency, the site of the Presbyterian mission church and school, the location of the first newspaper, — the Nebraska Palladium, printed on Nebraska soil, the head- quarters of the fur trade and the residence of the acting governor and other territorial offi- cers. Naturally, the citizens of Bellevue felt they had a sure thing and in their case, as so often in human experience, over-confidence ended in defeat. The first step in proceedings was the territorial census, which was taken simultan- eously in all districts bordering on the Missouri river, beginning October 31, 1854. The returns showed two thousand, seven hundred and nine- teen white settlers and thirteen slaves in Ne- braska territory. More than half of these, un- questionably, were actual residents of Iowa and Missouri. Governor Cuming's next step was the division of eastern Nebraska into coun- ties and the apportionment of members of the first territorial legislature among them. In this apportionment it became perfectly plain that Governor Cuming was in favor of Omaha. A majority of the members of both houses was apportioned north of the Platte and Omaha and Bellevue were grouped together in the one county of Douglas. At the election which fol- lowed no party lines were drawn, no political parties were in fact organized. In Douglas county the struggle was between an Omaha ticket and a Bellevue ticket for members of the legislature and Omaha won. The ferry be- tween Council Blufifs and Omaha was in good working condition. On December 20, 1854, Governor Cuming issued his proclamation con- vening the first session of the Nebraska legis- lature in Omaha January 16, 1855. The citi- zens of Bellevue might rave and gnash their teeth, denounce the governor as a boodler and demand his removal. They did all these things. But there was no going back on the returns. The governor was master of the situation. Oma- ha became the capital of Nebraska and Belle- \ue a quiet village of historic memories and the seat of a Presbyterian college. It re- quired nerve to do all these things, to face the storm they roused, but Cuming had the nerve and to him Omaha owes her place on the map. Omaha had about one hundred and fifty peo- ple and a brick building hastily erected near Ninth and Farnam and donated by the Ferry company was the place where the first territor- ial legislature met pursuant to the governor's proclamation. The senate (or council as it was then called) was composed of thirteen mem- bers, — the house of twenty-six. The leading theme in the message of Acting Governor Cuming was — the Pacific railroad. He urged that the valley of the Platte was the natural route of the road and pictured the commerce of India, China and the Pacificlslands crossing Nebraska. He recommended a memorial to congress for the transcontinental telegraph as the precursor of a railroad, asked liberal provi- sion for education and concluded his reference NEBRASKA TERRITORY 79 in the center of this great confederacy. Our fellow citizens are brothers from nearly every state. In our admission geographical lines were erased between the north and the south. Let us institute no line of demarcation within our territorial boundaries, separating commun- ities of embittered feelings. Let mutual conces- sion and conciliation characterize our public acts, so that tranquility and satisfaction may the more speedily prevail over the conflict of local interests." The leading features of this first session were, a bitter fight to take the capital from Omaha, which failed, — the adoption of the Iowa code of laws, the granting of numerous ferry, bridge and college charters, provision for a public school system — the enactment of a prohibitory liquor law and of a territorial claim club law. This last act was practically an at- tempt to abrogate the United States statute for the acquisition of land. It has been stated that the Indian title had been extinguished in eastern Nebraska. No surveys were made un- til 185.5 and 1856. All the first settlers were therefore "squatters." When the land was sur- veyed and the land office opened each would be entitled to a pre-emption not exceeding 160 acres. ''Claim clubs" were organizations de- signed to secure for each pioneer "Squatter" 320 acres instead of the 160 granted by the United States. They were botuid together by a secret ritual and oath, to protect each other in this undertaking. The theory was tliat each pioneer was equitably entitled to 320 acres and should hold the extra quarter section until some tenderfoot came on from the east to whom he might sell his "right" thereby harvesting enough cash to pay L^ncle Sam $1.25 per acre for the quarter said uncle permitted him to pre-empt. Claim club members respected each other's claims and if an outsider attempted to "squat" on any tract so claimed he was "visited" by a mass meeting of the club, — generally provided with a rope of convenient length. These claim clubs were the real government of the territory for the first few years in the all-important matter of land titles. Distinguished men like John M. Thayer and A. J. Poppleton were presidents of the Omaha claim club. The first legislature, be- ing composed of members of claim clubs, passed an act legalizing claims of 320 acres and providing penalties for trespassing upon them. The act was never tested in court, its enforce- ment generally being by the swift and vigorous claim club mass meetings. One of the first acts the aspiring democratic statesmen of the new territory felt called upon to do was to pass resolutions approving the principle of "popular sovereignty" as em- bodied in Douglas' bill. This resolution passed the house by a vote of 21 to 4 and the senate by 9 to 4. Douglas was the rising star in the democratic sky at this time and that no doubt influenced the vote. Indicative of the senti- ment on the negro question is the fact that a bill to prevent the settlement of free negroes in Nebraska passed the house but was killed in the senate. The first free public school act in Nebraska was passed March 16, 1855. The state librarian was also state superintendent of schools. The old-fashioned plan of examining teachers by the school board which employed them was in the law. The county superintendent organ- ized school districts upon petition, but levied the scfiool tax himself — not less than three. 80 se:mi-cextexxjal history of Nebraska nor more than five mills. Two '"universities" were incorporated by this first session, — Ne- braska University at Fontanelle in Dodge county, and Simpson university at Omaha, — besides the Nebraska City Collegiate and Pre- paratory Institute. About a dozen other univer- sities and colleges were incorporated in the next two years. During this first legislative session Mark AV. raid. Two persons had been killed and the community stampeded. Under orders of Gov- ernor Izard. Jolm M. Tha}-er, who had just been appointed a brigadier general of militia, gathered a company of forty men and made a rapid march to Fontanelle. No Indians were seen by the militia and they were probably a hundred miles away when the troops arrived. To protect the outer settlers a companv was Sioux Indian Fourth of July Celebration, July 4, 1903 Izard, of Arkansas, who had been appointed governor by President Pierce to fill the vacan- cy made by the death of Governor Burt, ar- rived and assumed his duties, making an ad- dress before both houses on February 20, 1S.-).t. Among the events which marked this year of Nebraska life was the Fontanelle or "Cat- fish War" as it was called bj^ some of the participants. July 30 a courier arrived at Omaha from Fontanelle with news of a Sioux stationed during the rest of the summer at Elkhorn City and another at Tekamah. The soldiers at these posts beguiled the time by fishing and owing to their remarkable luck in landing big channel cat named the hostilities the "Catfish War." The cost to the territorial treasury was $9,100. The Fontanelle settlement deserves a word in this place. It was the only colony of these earliest settlement days and was the outgrowth NEBRASKA TERRITORY 81 of the "Ouincy Colony" organized al (Juincy, Illinois, June '24, 1854. In September, 1854, the advance guard of the colony came to Bellevnc and under the guidance of Logan Fontanelle located a tract of land on the east side of the Elkhorn river, about twelve miles northeast of where Fremont now stands. In the early spring of 1855 the colonists came on. Plans for the future were made. Two miles square were laid off for a townsite and grounds for the coming state capitol and university. The university was chartered bv the legislature lage on the high bluff southof Fremont theysaw with jealous eye the steady encroachment of the white man on their hunting grounds. .Small parties of young men would slip away and while too prudent to attack the settlers, they were not disposed to miss any good chances at stealing cattle. In answer to frequent com- plaints Gov. Izard appointed John M. Thayer and ( ). I). Richardson as representatives of the dignity of the Territory of Nebraska to visit the Pawnees and stop the outrages. May 30 they left Bellevue with a guide and inter- Island in Platte River, opposite Old and sciiool was actually opened in 185S. the Congregational association having taken the institution under its patronage. l-"or a num- ber of years the town and school struggled on, but in 18G5 the school building burned and the location of the Union Pacific road a few miles away ended the ambitions of Fontanelle, once a prosperous village of five hundred ]ieople, now mostly a cornfield, whose site may be seen by the traveler on the Northwestern railroad up the Elkhorn valley. Early in the spring of 1855 the Pawnee In- dians began to make free with the property of settlers in the Fdkhorn vallcv. I'rom their vil- Pawnee Village, Fremont, Nebraska preter and arri\ed at Peta-le-sharu's lodge the second day. The council which followed was the first meeting of official representatives of Xebraska with the aboriginal inhabitants. It was held in the great council lodge on the bluff overlooking Fremont, and was attended by all the principal chiefs of the village. They denied any knowledge of raiding the white peo- ple and professed themselves friends of the great father and all the little fathers. General rha\ er delivered his "ultimatum" — which was, no more stealing or war on the Pawnees, and returned across the i'latte ri\-cr — where he found that in his absence the Pawnees had 82 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA stolen all the commissary supplies of the expe- The charters of these concerns is an inter- dition from his wagon and the representatives esting one for the student of financial experi- of the Territory of Nebraska were obliged to ments. Each bank was authorized to open go hungry. The original receipt for $86.75 ex- doors and begin business as soon as half of penses of this expedition — on old style blue its initial capital was, — not paid in, but "sub- paper is amons; the archives of the historical scribed." Each bank was authorized to issue society. its notes and transact a general banking busi- The second annual census of the territory ness and "to buy and sell property of all taken October 15, 1855, disclosed a population kinds." The charters were to run for twen- of 4,494, near two-thirds of them south of ty-five years and the stockholders were indi- the Platte. The assessed valuation of the ter- vidually liable to redeem the notes issued in ritory was $617,822. The territorial treasury gold and silver. In actual practice these acts was empty and the second session of the terri- of incorporation permitted a bank to issue its torial legislature — which met in Omaha De- own paper money notes and to receive deposits cember 18, 1855, — authorized the treasurer without a dollar of capital stock being paid in. to borrow $4,000 on the credit of the territory, The door for unlimited speculation was left paving not more than fifteen per cent interest, open by permitting banks "to buy and sell any The tax for territorial purposes was two mills kind of property." The stock of the banks was on the dollar, — and very little money coming also transferable, — so that the original incor- in. porators might, if they chose, issue the full This second session of the Nebraska legisla- amount of notes authorized — half a million dol- ture, lasting from December IS, 1855, until lars — and then by transferring the stock to ir- Tanuary 26, 1856, may appropriately be named responsible parties leave the note holders the "Wild Cat Session." The great economic without recourse. feature was the incorporation of territorial There were a few men in the territorial leg- banks of issue, whose paper promises were islature who had sense and courage enough to soon to flood the little frontier fringe of settle- oppose such bare-faced swindling schemes as ments, and swell the rising tide of a great real these acts. Conspicuous among them were Dr. estate "boom." This first crop of Nebraska (ieorge L. jNIiller and J. Sterling Morton, but wild cats included the following: the opposition was walked over like an out- Initial Authorized classed football team in the general mad rush Capital. Capital. ^^^ fictitious prosperity. Flush times followed. Bank of Florence, at Flor- 4.u u c i ence $100,000 $500,000 ^he year 18o6 was the golden era of specula- Bank of Nebraska, at Om- tion in infant Nebraska. Townsites sprang alia • . ■ 100,000 500,000 ^^^ ^^.^^^. ,^j,i ^j^^ ^^ ^^^ Missouri river Platte Valley Bank, at Ne- ' • . '' braska Citv 100,000 500 000 ^"d even the interior as far as the Elkhorn and Fontanelle Bank, at Belle- the headwaters of Salt Creek was dotted over vue 100,000 500,000 . , . . , . j -i j ^ T.T 1 -vr ,1 r. 1 4- With future countv seats and railroad centers. Nemaha Valley Bank, at Brownville .' 50,000 500,000 The favorite plan was to issue townsite NEBRASKA TERRITORY 83 Dr. Geo. L. Miller "stock" with beautiful, lithographed certifi- cates which were freely traded for all kinds of property. Settlers from the east came flocking in to enjoy the wonderful prosperity of the frontier. They, too, were soon infected and engaged in the business of buying town lots, staking out additional townsites and projecting new banks. The census taken in October, 185G found a population of 10,716 — more than double what it had been twelve months be- fore. The business of starting new universities and colleges prospered proportionately with the increase in new townsites. A large num- ber of ferry and brid,ge charters were granted by the legislature to afford easy communica- tion between the embryo cities, which included such well-known places as St. John City, Cali- fornia City, Jacksonville, Marietta and Brad- ford. A Saline company was incorporated to carry on the business of manufacturing salt in the Salt Creek basin with a capital of $50,- 000. To relieve the legislative mind from the tension of these large speculative projects there was the usual annual fight over the re moval of the capital. In this r)maha"s shrewd ness was again victorious by tlie narrow ma jority of two votes. When the third territorial legislature met in December 1856, there was a large demand for more banks in the territory. As one of the de- baters expressed it "having supplied all the towns in the territory with banks, they now proposed to have one at every crossroads." Acts of incorporation were passed for six more banks, — the Clinton Bank, Bank of Columbus, Pacific Bank, Waubeek Bank, of Desoto, Bank of Plattsmouth and Tekamah Bank. All of these bills were vetoed by Governor Izard. The charters for the Bank of Tekamah and Desoto Bank were passed over the Governor's veto, the others failed by a close vote. To make the financial situation still more interesting some of the banks which had failed to get charters from the legislature had on hand a fine stock of nicely lithographed notes which they pro- ceeded to issue without any charter. There were numerous charges of bribery in connec- tion with the passage of these bank bills and assertions that the banks which had been chartered the year before in their selfish desire to monopolize the money business in Nebraska had prevented the incorporation of others. Including two or three insurance companies which had secured charters per- mitting them to do a banking business there was now a bank for every thou- sand people and $750 banking capital for every man, woman and child in the territory. The total issue of Wildcat paper notes by these concerns is stated by a newspaper of the day at $480,000. In the autumn of 1857 the crash came. The banks suspended payments. The individual liability of the stockholders vanished like an early October frost and al- most every dollar of the entire paper money- issue proved a total loss in the hands of the 84 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA people. Some of them are now preserved as were revived by a libel suit brought by Gover- relics of past folly. At the very same time the nor Furnas against the Omaha Herald. The price of town lots and paper pictures repre- enemies of Omaha were able to accomplish one senting townsite shares sank out of sight, thing, however. The southern part of Doug- Misery and despair drove out prosperity and las county, including Bellevue, was cut oiif and speculation. Everybody was insolvent. Ef- erected into Sarpy county, which it has re- forts to collect debts were ridiculous.An execu- mained ever since. tion issued against the Bank of Tekamah, The election for delegate to congress in the which had $90,000 in paper notes outstanding, fall of 1857 was a four-sided contest, in which brought a return from the sherifT that the only Fenner Ferguson received 1,654 votes, Bird property he could find was a ten by twelve B. Chapman, 1,597, B. F. Rankin, 1,30-1 and board shanty, used as the banking house, and John M. Thayer, 1,288. All of these candi- furniture consisting of an old table and brok- dates were democratic, but no party lines lie- en stove. This bitter experience of territorial ing drawn as yet in the territory every man Nebraska effectually killed wildcat banking. ran independent on his own nomination and Part of the work of the legislature of 1856-7 organized his own campaign, was the renewal of the assault upon Omaha On December 9, 1857 the fourth territorial by the South Platte members of the legisla- legislature convened — which was to become ture who had never forgiven the citizens of the most famous in Nebraska's territorial an- that town for their sharp practice in seizing nals. The center of the storm area again was and holding the capital. The South Platte was the question of capital removal. Congress had now strong enough to control things and appropriated $50,000 to erect a suitable capital promptly passed a bill removing the capital building, which had been begun on the site to the town of Douglas near the head of Salt where now stands the Omaha high school Creek, in Lancaster county. Governor Izard building. Governor Izard had the disburse- as promptly vetoed the bill, assigning, among ment of the $50,000 and had handled it so well other reasons that there was not a house in that it did not finish the first story. The city the town of Douglas, that no one knew where of Omaha had taken the matter in hand and it was, and the onlv evidence of its existence issued $(10,000 in city scrip which circulated as was in the shape of $500 printed stock certifi- money. Some of the people who held this cates which were being freely circulated about scrip became anxious about security for the the legislature. The effort to pass the bill over same and the Omaha people had given in a the governor's veto was almost successful, but statement of assets which included the ground here again ( )maha's luck did not desert her. where the unfinished capitol stood. These Two members from the South Platte country, transactions led to an investigation by the leg- — Furnas and Finney of Nemaha, — changed islature and the development of a good deal of their votes and the capital remained at Omaha, animosity. An Otoe county member intro- Bitter charges were made in connection with duced a new capital remo\al liill. The people these votes and long years afterward they of ( )maha were by this time very tired of caj)i- NEBRASKA TERRITORY 85 tal removal hills. The Douglas county mem- bers declared that no more bills of any kind should pass the legislature until the capital re- nmval hill was withdrawn and began to kill time with moot iliscussions to make the threat good. January T, 1S58 the trouble reached its climax in the house. Speaker Decker, when attempting to take the chair was seized by some of the Omaha members, assisted by the Omaha lobljy, thrown on the floor and rolled under a table. A free-for-all fracas followed.. The next day both the house and the senate passed a resolution adjourning to meet at Flor- ence. Accordingly a majority of both houses met at Florence and proceeded with legisla- tive business until January 1(5, when the ses- sion expired by limitation. During this time numerous bills were passed, one of them re- moving the capital to the city of Neapolis on the Platte river — a paper town which the im- agination may plausibly locate near the present town of Cedar Bluffs. Governor Izard had left the territory October ,^8, 1857. On January 11, 1858 his successor, W . .\. Richardson, of Illi- nois, arrived, — the same Richardson who as Douglas' lieutenant had charge of the Nebras- ka-Kansas Bill during the struggle of 1854 in congress. Governor Richardson declined to recognize the Florence legislature on the ground that it was not in session at the seat of government. The legislature replied in a letter reciting the insults and indignities heaped upon their members at Omaha and de- claring that it was unsafe to hold its sessions there. On ;\rarch 23, Secretary of State Cuming died, — probably the ablest of all the early ter- ritorial leaders in Nebraska political life. President Buchannan a])pointe-'' The Oldest Apple-tree in Nebraska. Planted in 1856. Ft. Calhoun An illustration of their aims is found in the resolutions adopted by Peru Grange, Thomas J. Majors, Secretary, in the autumn of 1873. The resolutions "request the State Grange to effect a plan by which the price of grain and stock can be regulated all over the United States so that we may live whilst employed in agricultural pursuits, and that we buy no goods from merchants who denounce our order." Women took an active part in the work and discussions of the grange. No grange could be organized without a certain number of women the companies were selling the lands every day, guaranteeing the title and as soon as a settler bought a tract it was at once taxed in his hands. They further alleged that the com- panies had mortgaged some of these very lands and that if they had title enough to mortgage they had title enough to tax. A meeting of county commissioners was held at Lincoln, August 7, 1873, at which York, Clay, Hamil- ton, Fillmore, Gage, Kearney, Adams, Lancas- ter, Saline, Seward, and Butler Counties were represented. It was resolved to engage coun- THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 111 sel to fight these land tax cases. Meanwhile the United States Supreme court in a similar case in Kansas had held that the land was not sub- ject to tax for two reasons : First, because the company had not paid the fees and received their patents; Second, Ix^cause if the land was sold for taxes and the title acquired by a tax purchaser it might defeat the provision of the land grant act which provided that under cer- tain conditions the land should revert back to the public for settlement. The editor of The Lincoln State Journal dared to pronounce this decision in the United States Supreme Court : "Sheer nonsense which would defeat any tax ever being collected on the land." Many of the counties had issued bonds and warrants based on calculations including the taxes on these lands. They now found themselves unable to meet their obligations and their paper greatly depreciated. The revenue system of the state was a fail- ure. The Omaha Herald of August 23, 1873, declared that for four years one-third of all the property owners in the state had refused to pay taxes. More than half the Otoe county real estate was delinquent for ta.xes prior to 1873. Single individuals owed from $2,000 to $3,000 for taxes. The county and municipal bonds which had been so lavishly voted to aid railroad and other schemes were now an intol- erable burden. When the legislature met in 1873 Governor Furnas told them that there were $300,000 taxes delinquent and more than that of local taxes, that there was great stringency in money and a meagre price for farm products. The legislature was advised to authorize a con- stitutional convention. There were two factions in the Legislature. One of them wanted to comply with the constitution then in force which provided a plan for making a new con- stitution, — requiring two years time. The oth- er faction from the v\estern counties of the state were determined not to wait that long. They proposed framing a constitution imme- diately and submitting it at once to the people regardless of what the old constitution said. They pointed out that while some counties in the eastern part of the state had three or four members to the Legislature the same popula- tion further west had only part of one. The radical party prevailed and passed a bill for a hurry-up constitution, which Governor Furnas vetoed. A new bill was passed which provided for the submission to the people of the question whether a convention should be called to frame a new constitution. This could not be voted upon— under the old constitution— until the fall election of 1874, when it carried by a vote of 18,067 in favor to 3,880 against. Another cloud appeared upon the horizon,— a cloud of grasshoppers. In July 1874, the air was suddenly filled with uncounted millions of the flying insects. Corn fields disappeared from sight and in their stead stood a dreary waste of little sticks. The gardens were de- voured, fruit trees destroyed and even rail- road trains stopped by this avalanche of lo- custs. The sod corn which was the settlers main reliance in the western part of the state was a complete loss. There was real destitution in the sod houses and dug-outs along the border. The Nebraska Relief and Aid Society was organized, with Alvin Saunders as treasurer, and disbursed over $08,000 in relief. Congress appropriated $130,000 for relief and seed which was distributed by United States army officers. Bills were passed permitting homesteaders to leave their claims without losing them. With 112 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA all these forms of organized aid the memory of "grasshopper days" will always be associated in the minds of those who lived through them as the hardest times in Nebraska history. The state was newer in development than it was twenty years later when it passed through a similar hard times experience, there was far less accumulated capital, railroads were more "Red Ribbon" revival meetings which stirred every Nebraska community. In the years 1877 and 18TS the leader of the Red Ribbon work in Nebraska, — John B. Finch, one of the most gifted public speakers ever heard on any plat- form, — received 50,000 signatures to the tem- perance pledge and raised $20,000 to found public reading rooms as a counter attraction to Scene at Miltord, Nebraska remote and the normal conditions of life more the saloon. From this time there was an or- severe than they have been since. ganized political prohibition movement in the These hard times years were also marked state, by the appearance of that remarkable social When the legislature of 1875 met it faced manifestation, — the "Woman's Crusade" — in these conditions : The state's floating debt Nebraska. Beginning in Hillsdale, Ohio, it reached $432,000. Delinquent taxes due the spread like an autumnal prairie fire and soon state were $599,000. The previous legislature bands of praying and singing women were vis- had appropriated $600,000, and if all the taxes iting Nebraska saloons, pleading with the oro- had been paid there would have been only prietors and customers to abandon their prac- $400,000 to meet the appropriation. The local tices. The incidents of that movement might debts of the state were estimated at $4,500,000. alone make an interesting volume. When the The incoming governor, Silas Garber, insisted bands of praying women disappeared froin the upon rigid economy. Bills to remove the cap- saloon corners their place was taken by the ital were again numerous. The legislative ses- THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 113 Snake River Falls. — Twenty Feet Fall sion was marked by acrimonious debate and a bitter fight over the United States senatorship resulting in the selection of A. S. Paddock by a combination of democratic and republican votes. A resolution to expunge the impeach- ment record standing against Governor Butler was carried after a heated controversy. The governor had turned over 3,400 acres of land to the state in settlement of the $16,000 state money which he had used. The land sold for enough to discharge the entire debt with inter- est. A new revenue bill providing, among other things, that the railroads of the state should not be assessed for less than $10,000 per mile, was vetoed by Governor Garber, and failed to pass over the veto. New stay and exemption laws were passed, more liberal to the debtors. And, finally, an act was passed providing for a constitutional convention, con- sisting of 69 members, who should be elected by the people on the first Tuesday in April, and meet upon the second Tuesday in May. It was in a frontier society, in a state with- out adequate revenue, with uncollected ta.xes, with matured and unpaid debts, among a peo- ple visited by Pharaoh's locust plague, with distress in their homes and discontent in pub- lic gatherings that the convention met at Lin- coln on May 12th, 1875, to frame the present constitution of Nebraska, — sometimes denom- inated the "Grasshopper Constitution." The making of the constitution has been treated by the writer of this sketch in a separ- ate monograph soon to be published. The main points of controversy in the con- \cntion were salaries of public officials, tax- ation — and particularly taxation of corpora- tions, — the liability of stock-holders, the loca- tion of the state capital at Lincoln, the ques- tion of a preference vote by the people for United States senators, and of limiting state and municipal debt. The results of the conven- tion's struggles and controversies are embodied in our present organic document, which it is likely will remain as such for years to come. The constitutional convention adjourned June 12. 187.5, and the constitution was submitted to the people at* the election held October 12th. It was adopted by vote of 30,202 for, and 5,47'4 against. The specially submitted proposition relating to United States senators was carried by 25,059 for, and 6,270 against; The proposi- tion locating the capital at Lincoln, until re- moved by vote of the people, prevailed by 20,- ,042 for, and 12,517 against. The years 1878 and 1879 were marked in Ne- braska, as elsewhere in the L'nion, by slow, painful recovery from the effects of the panic of 1873. It was a period of foreclosures, and what the financial world politely styles "liqui- dation." The voice of the tax collector was heard in the land. The ruling rates for short time loans in the farming districts were from 2 to 4 per cent a month. The foundation laid by the granges for independent political action 114 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA rose upward in the superstructure of the green- back party, which elected a great many local officers, and carried some counties in the state. At the election of 1878 Albinus Nance, repub lican, received 29,469 votes, W. H. 'Webster, democrat, 13,473, and Levi G. Todd, green- backer, 9,475. Both the democratic and re- publican platforms denounced the demoneti- zation of silver and demanded the restoration of its free coinage, the democratic platform go- ing a step farther and standing for an addi- tional issue of legal tender greenbacks by the government to replace the national bank notes. The legislature of 1S79 passed the first Ne- braska act defining a tramp and prescribing a punishment for him. It established the state reform school at Kearney, and began the re- building of the capitol by an appropriation of $75,000 for the west wing. The decade of Nebraska life which began with 18S0 marks the restoration of hopeful and prosperous conditions in the state. The coun- try as a whole was emerging from a long nightmare of depression, which followed the panic of 1873. In Nebraska the people were struggling out of the dugout and sod house stage of existence into frame houses. The un- fortunates who had been closed out during the hard times had generally moved on toward the setting sun to begin over again, while their old homesteads were eagerly purchased at the pre- vailing prices by enterprising emigrants from the middle west w'ho at once began an era of improvement. The federal census showed the population had increased from 122,983 in 1870 to 452,022 in 1880. Wealth increased from $69,- 000,000 to $385,000,000. An era of railroad building, the most active the state had seen, began and continued through the decade. The great feature of Nebraska life for the ten years Cowboys Branding Cattle. which followed 1880, was the settlement of her western plains. For twenty-five years, by common consent, the western third of the state had been regarded as uniit for any agriculture. Isolated ranches had located in some of the beautiful valleys where free range gave the ranchmen unlimited opportunities for grazing. \'ery early in the decade the last bunch of buffalo disappeared from Nebraska soil, and the last bands of wandering Indians who had subsisted upon them were glad to seek the shelter of the United States Indian Agency and eat government beef. For ten years the government lands in the eastern half of the state had been culled over by the later immi- grants who were compelled to take the rougher and poorer tracts remaining. No one had thought, apparently, of venturing on the high table lands of the west to farm. Suddenly, as if by a common impulse, the line of homestead- ers and pre-empters broke through into the cattle country. In the remote valleys, among the sandhills, on the edge of canyons along the Niobrara, and even upon the mountainous table lands of Sioux and Kimball counties ap- peared as if by magic, the settler's sod house THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 115 and strip of breaking. Tliis was not accom- plished without conflict nor even without bloodshed between the cattlemen and the homesteaders. The settlers w-ere everywhere told by the cattlemen that the country dried up in July and that it was impossible to raise a crop without irrigation. To the intense dis- gust and astonishment of the same cattlemen a cycle of rainy years arrived with the home- steaders. Crops grew famously everywhere, wheat yielding thirty bushels to the acre, corn farthest borders. At the same time with the extension of farming over western Nebraska, came a great development of manufacturing in the eastern part of the state. The great pack- ing and stockyard center at South Omaha was developed. The first beet sugar factory was erected at ("irand Island. The production of multitudes of diiTerent manufactured articles, which had formerly been imported from the east, was begun in Nebraska. Nebraska's third speculative fever and real Nebraska Elk on Farm of John Gilbert, Friend, Nebraska. thirty to forty, and all kinds of vegetables en- ormously, whether upon the gumbo lands of the White River valley, or the high table lands of Box Butte and Perkins. Along with this rush of homesteaders went the extension of the Northwestern railroad to the Black Hills, the completion of the Burlington to Denver and the Big Horn country, and the driving of helds of elk and deer and antelope, with the great cattle outfits, before the advancing line of farmers and town-builders. When the decade ended Nebraska was settled to her estate boom accompanied this new material progress. It was a period of borrowing. The supply of eastern money to be had on real estate security was unlimited. Loan agents flourished in every hamlet, and, not content witli (irdinary routine business, drove from farm to farm trying to persuade the owner to "take out a loan." The main feature of the real estate boom of the fifties was laying out pajier towns which had no existence, and sell- ing lots therein. The boomers of the eighties had a different system. Their plan was to lay lit; SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA out "additions" to the various centers of pop- ulation already established until these addi- tions to rival cities met in corn fields half way between. Lots were sold at good prices in "additions" to Lincoln and Omaha where, at this day, the peaceful market gardener pur- sues his vocation and the long rows of Ne- braska corn rustle in the summer wind. The political history of this period was very much like its economic development, — all one way. The state had become solidly republican. build another wing to the capitol. Agitation for temperance laws and woman sufifrage had become so strong that the Slocumb high li- cense law was passed and woman sufifrage sub- mitted to the people in the form of a constitu- tional amendment. This amendment was de- feated by the people. — 25,7-56 votes for and 50,693 against. Another state institution, — the Home for the Friendless, — was established. In 1882 a strike of laborers in Omaha resulted in riots and the calling out of the militia by A Pioneer Home on the Plains. (Photo by Kimberly) and the party irianagers acted upon the theory that it never could be anything else. The strength of the democratic party was confined to about a dozen counties along the Missouri and Platte rivers. At the election of 1880 Governor Albinus Nance received 55,237 votes, while his opponent, ex-Senator Tipton, who had now become a democrat, had 28,167. In the legislature which met in the winter of 1881, Charles H. Van Wyck was elected United States senator to succeed Paddock. One hun- dred thousand dollars was appropriated to Governor Nance. The expense to the state was $11,050. At the election in 1882 James W. Dawes, the republican candidate for governor was elected, having 43,495 votes, while J. Sterling Morton, democrat, received 28,562, and E. P. Ingersoll, greenback, 16,691. This result, — showing the republican party in a minority, although on a light vote, — brought about two years later the third fusion ticket in state politics — -democrats and greenbackers uniting on a mixed ticket for electors and state officers. The popular vote for governor was. THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 117 J. W. Dawes, republican, 72,835 ; J. Sterling Morton, democrat and greenbacker, 57,634 ; J. G. Miller, prohibitionist, 3,075. The legisla- ture in 18S3, passed a township orgainzation law, a mutual insurance law and an appropria- tion for the main part of the new capitol build- ing, to cost $450,000. The greenback party disappeared from Nebraska politics. The re- publican party was divided into two wings, — the anti-monopoly, and the railroad or ma- chine. The controversies between these two coal in paying quantities would not be found in Nebraska. A new state institution was added — the Institution for Feeble Minded, at Beatrice. In 1886 the vote for governor was, John M. Thayer, republican, 75,956; J. E. North, demo- crat, 52,656; H. W. Hardy, prohibitionist, 8,175; J. Burrows, nationalist, 1,422. The leg- islative session of 1887 resulted in the defeat of Senator C. H. Van Wyck for re-election and the selection of A. S. Paddock. This wa3 A Sunday School Gathering on the Plains. {Photo by Kimberly.) factions was for some years the most interest- ing feature of our political life. Eventually the anti-monopoly faction disappeared. The legislature of 1885 to quiet anti-monopoly agi tation passed the first act providing for a board of railroad commissioners with three secretaries who were to adjust any complaints against railroad companies. Another import- ant act was one providing for the sinking of a test well at the salt basin in Lincoln to de- termine the presence of coal, salt or other min- erals beneath Nebraska soil. The well was sunk 2,463 feet, and the result confirmed the already expressed opinion of geologists, that a triumph of the "regulars" over the anti- monopoh' or mugwump republicans. Three new state institutions were created by this session, — the Insane Asylum at Hastings, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Grand Island, and the Woman's Industrial Hoine at Milford. Two new bureaus of state administration were made, — the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Oil Inspector's office. The legislature made a recount of the vote upon a constitutional amendinent, lengthening the legislative ses- sion to sixty days, and declared the same car- ried. An act reapportioning the state into leg- islative districts was passed, which remains 118 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA unchanged on the statute book to this day. An act was passed forbidding pooling by grain dealers in Nebraska, and another prohibiting non-resident aliens from acquiring lands in the state. For governor in 1888, John M. Thayer re- ceived 104,282 votes, John A. McShane, demo- crat, 83,820 ; George E. Bigelow, prohibition- ist, 9,715, and David Butler, the first governor of the state, who now appeared as the labor candidate, — 3,631. The decade beginning 1890, came in, ap- speculativc values and the conversion of cat- tle ranges into IGO-acre farms, and corn- fields into town lots. But there were the fig- ures, and an active arm)' of real estate boom- ers hailed them with delight and proceeded to lay off more additions. The political sky was likewise almost cloudless. The factional fight in the republican party had almost disappeared and everything seemed to promise a long con- tinuance of existing conditions. It is true there was some discontent among farmers over ]i)w prices for grain, and a rapid organization ^BHtls Du IJjL "i ^^^ m^' 1 Bi 1 . ■i ^ Eagle Creek Mill-Dam. Turner. Holt County. Nebraska parently, for Nebraska on a flood tide of har- mony and prosperity. The previous ten years had witnessed the greatest material growth in the state's history. The census figures in- dicated a population of 1,0.58, .510 against 450,- 022 in 1880. It is now known and admitted, however, that the federal census of that year was padded by the officers in charge from 50,000 to 100,000 names. Wealth, by the same census, had grown from $385,000,000 to $1,- 275,000,000, indicating that while population had doubled wealth had trebled. Whether these figures, also, were padded or not, much of this vast increase in wealth was fictitious — during the year 1889 of Farmer's Alliances, — • a new agricultural organization, — but nothing ^^o far to indicate the great role it was to play in the near future. With the summer of 1890 the season changed from the wet to the dry cycle of years. \\'eek after week of hot dry weather prevailed. ( )ver more than half of the state there was no corn to husk, and a very light crop elsewhere. The brilliant soap bubble of speculation burst. Cornfield town lots found no purchasers. The era of borrowing was at an end. Pay day was at hand, and nothing to pay with. The political campaign of 1890 in Nebraska THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 119 A Typical Nebraska Residence Built by Ex-Governor Nance was a never-to-be-forgotten one. A constitu- i)r<_icessions addressed by the orators of their tional amendment prohibiting the manufacture organization. There were no crops to gather and sale of liquor was to l)e voted upon by the so the people gathered in numbers never seen people. The interests involved were thoroughly before or since, out in the groves away from aroused, and a campaign of great energy was the towns. Farmers' Alliance parades seven maintained upon that issue. The republican and eight miles long were among the sights of party nominated L. 1). Richards, of Fremont, the campaign, and the enthusiasm of the mon- for governor, and tried to avoid committing ster meetings defied descri])tion. Every where itself on the licjuor question. The democrats there was a breaking" away from former politi- nominated J. E. Boyd, of Omaha, as an out- cal affiliation, and the chorus "Good bye old spoken opponent of all prohibitory laws, and party. Good bye" was chanted with religioits forced the fighting on that issue. The Farm- fervor by thousands of throats. The Hon. ers' Alliance organization entered the field for C'liurch Howe of Nemaha county, one of the the first time with a ticket headed by John H. republican leaders, expressed the situation Powers, and challenged both the old parties to when he said "the old ship is leaking." When a combat on economic questions. On July 1, the returns of the November election were 1890, there were 1,500 alliances in the state canvassed it was clearly seen that a political with ."iO.OOO members. The feature of the cam- revolution had taken place, 'i'he new peoples paign was the enormous farmei's picnics and independent party had elected a majority of 120 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA the legislature, and two out of three congress- men. The vote, as canvassed, for governor was J. E. Boyd, n,331, J. H. Powers, 70,187, L. D. Richards 68,878. Charges of fraud in connection with the Douglas county vote were immediatel}' made. The intense interest tak- en in the contest over the prohibitory amend- ment in the city of Omaha had resulted in the total vote of Douglas county reaching the phenomenal total figure of 26,167. Mr. independent party. When the legislature met stormy times ensued. There was a conflict of authority between the legislature and the supreme court on the question of canvassing the returns, at times approaching civil war. The action of the Alliance candidates forced the democrats and the republicans into a com- bination for the purpose of seating their re- spective state officers. Eventually the contest failed and Governor Boyd and the republican Poetry of the Farm Boyd as the candidate of the anti-prohibition element had received the benefit of this large increase. It was noted on election night that no returns could be secured from Douglas county and the charge was freely made that the vote there was being held back in order to ascertain what majority was needed to de- feat the prohibitory amendment. On the face of the returns the democratic governor and the rest of the republican state ticket were elected. Contest was filed against all of these by the candidates of the peoples' candidates who had certificates of election gained possession of their offices. All parties in the legislature united in appropriating $200,- 000 for the relief of the drouth-stricken parts of the state. The railroads gave free transpor- tation for all supplies and seeds. The reports to the governor's office showed that there were 6,000 families in the western part of the state lacking the necessities of life, and 10,000 fami- lies lacking seed for another crop. Among the important acts of this session were the passage of the first Australian ballot law, the law for THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 121 the district ownership of school text books, the dissenting, in Thayer"s favor, and gave him law requiring public funds to be deposited at possession of the office in May, 1891. On ap- interest for the benefit of the public treasury, peal to the supreme court of the United States, the law repealing the bounty on beet sugar a decision was rendered in Boyd's favor, and passed by the legislature of 1889. The great he resumed possession of the office February struggle of the session was over the passage 1st, 1892. of an act regulating railroad freight rates. In the race for governor in 1892, Lorenzo which was vetoed by Governor Boyd, and failed to pass over the veto. The general social unrest of the time reached the Sioux Indians on the borders of Crounse, republican received 78,436 votes, C. H. Van\^'^yck, peoples independent, 68,617, J. Sterling Morton, democrat, 44,195, C. E. Bent- ley, prohibitionist, 6,235. The principal fea- northwest Nebraska resulting in the Sioux ture of the campaign was a series of joint de- The Old Burlington Beach. Lincoln outbreak of 1890-91, the battle of Wounded Knee on December 29th, 1890, where 32 sol- diers and 200 Indians were killed. The Ne- braska state militia under General Colby was ordered to protect the northern border and re- mained there in service for some weeks, at a total cost to the state of $38,000. After the failure of the contest against the incoming state officers, an action was instituted by ex- Governor Thayer against Governor Boyd for the possession of his office, on the ground that Boyd had not been legally naturalized prior to his election. The supreme court of Ne- braska rendered judgment. Justice ^Maxwell bates between Crounse and \'an Wyck, prin- cipally personal attacks u])on each other. The legislature elected at the same time was nearly equally balanced between the republicans and independent party, with tlie democrats holding the balance of power in both houses. A long struggle ensued over the election of Unit- ed States senator, ending in the choice of Judge William V. Allen of Madison who re- ceived the votes of the independent and dem- ocratic members. Impeachment proceedings were brought against the reimhlican state offi- cers, members of the board of Public Lands and Buildings, for misuse of public fiuuls. Up- 122 SE.MI-CENTEKNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA *^| Corn Husking Season on trial of the impeachment before the su- preme court, Judsjes Nor\-al and Post rendered decision in favor of the officials, with Judge- Maxwell again dissenting. A large part of the session was consumed in another strug- gle over the passage of a maximum railroad rate bill. The act as passed was signed by Governor Crounse and immediately taken into the federal courts by the companies interested. The summer of 1894 witnessed a far more severe and general drouth in Nebraska than any which had previously occurred in her history. The corn crop was almost a com- plete failure, and destitution again appeared in the central and western counties. A politi- cal contest of most strenuous intensitv was w".' ed over the election of governor. The pe(r)le's independent party nominated Judge .'^ih-s A. Holcomb of Broken Bow. After a very bitter contest a majority in the democratic state convention, led by \\'. J, Bryan, en- (Ii rsed Judge Holcomb, — the Cleveland demo- c-r:'ts bolting and nominating a separate ticket. The republican state convention nominated Thomas J. ^Majors of Peru, — followed by a holt of Edward Rosewater, editor of the ( )nrdia Bee, who supported Judge Holcomb with great energy. The democrats nominated \\ . J. Bryan as their candidate for United .*^tates senator. The leading republican candi- date was John M. Thurston and a series of joint debates lictween these two able speakers THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 123 Wheat Stacks and Fields at Overton, Nebraska was another feature of the campaign. Judge per pound upon the production of beet sugar Holcomb received 9~,S15 votes, Majors 91,G13, and added a bounty on the production of Sturdevant, Cleveland democrat, G,985 and chicory. It established a state banking board Gerrard, proliil)itionist, 4,439. The republicans and an additional soldiers home at Milford, secured the legislature by a large majority and passed a general irrigation act, an act to pro- elected John M. Thurston to- the United tect the butter producers, submitted twelve States senate. The legislature appropriated amendments to the state constitution and en- $250,000 for seed and food to drouth sufferers, acted that the Golden Rod should be the floral besides $38,000 received in donations. It re- emblem of the state, enacted the law giving a bounty of one cent An Artesian Well 124 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA In the presidential campaign of the year 1896 Nebraska became a central figure in the na- tion's politics. The triumph of the free silver wing in the national democratic convention, followed by the nomination of William J. Bryan for president, and his subsequent nom- ination by the peoples party at St. Louis brought about a complete fusion between the peoples independent and democratic parties in the state of Nebraska resulting in the election of an entire state ticket, a majority of both more important measures passed by this leg- islature were an act to regulate charges in the South Omaha stockyards, an act to prohibit corporations from contributing money to elec- tion campaigns, a^stringent anti-trust act, an act to prevent the adulteration of food, an act providing for the initiative and referendum, an act forbidding further sale of school lands. Before another legislature assembled in the spring of 1898 war began between the United States and Spain. Three regiments of Ne- Farm and. Alfalfa Field houses of the legislature, and four out of six members of congress. Investigation by the incoming officers disclosed that the outgoing republican state treasurer, J. S. Bartley, was defaulter in the sum of $553,074.61, and the outgoing auditor, Eugene Moore, had col- lected $28,000 of fees which he had failed to turn into the state treasury. Prosecution of both of these officials resulted in Moore's ac- quittal on a technicality, and Bartley's con- viction and sentence to imprisonment for twenty years in the penitentiary. Some of the braska soldiers, in all nearly 4,000 men, were furnished. The First regiment sailed to the Philippines, took part in the capture of Manila from the Spaniards, fired the first shot in the subsequent war with the Filipinos, took part in half a dozen battles losing its commander. Colonel Stotsenberg, and returned after a year's absence. The Second regiment was sent to the great military camp at Chattanooga, where it remained in camp until the close of the war. The Tliird regiment crossed to Cuba and had part in the military occupation of the THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 125 nX '1EK/«7 E^^PB»M| Oh ^1 A Typical Old Settlers Meeting. Pioneers of 1854. Dawson and Richardson County, 1901 island. In iMarch, 1898, the United States supreme Court, rendered decision in tlie maxi- mum rate case involving the act passed by the legislature in 1893. The court held that the legislature had the right to fix reasonable maximum charges for transportation within the state, but that the rates fixed by the act were too low, and therefore void. The election of 1898 disclosed a falling off in fusion strength, — W. A. Poynter, nominee of the peo- ple's independent and democratic parties, re- ceiving 95,703 votes, M. L. Hayward, republi- can, 92,982, and R. V. Muir, prohibitionist, 1,- 724. The republicans secured the legislature and chose M. L. Hayward United States sen- ator. Among the bills passed was a corrupt practice act, liiniting election expenses, an act to prevent child labor, an act appropriating $2-5,000 for the purchase of the governor's mansion, and acts creating a marks and brands commission, a barbers' examining hoard, a state insurance bureau, and a state embalming board. The presidential election of 1900 witnessed the return to power of the republican party in the state of Nebraska. The chief cause for this change is yet matter of dispute between those interested in political affairs. Among the causes which affected the situation may . be enumerated : — the natural inclination of the luiman mind to swing from one side of the pendulum's arc to the other, dissatisfaction among fusionists over the failure of their offi- cials to accomplish any regulation of railroad rates, dissatisfaction of populists with the re- jection of their nominee for vice president by the national democratic convention, which again nominated W. J. Bryan for the presi- dency, and general improvement in the indus- trial condition of the country under republican national administration, manifesting itself in better prices for the products of Nebraska 126 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA farms and ranches. Whichever of these causes was the dominant one, the result was the elec- tion of the entire republican state and electoral tickets by a plurality of about 8,000. For gov- ernor W. A. Poynter, fusion, received 113,018 votes, C. H. Dietrich, republican, 113,879, L. O. Jones, prohibition, 4,315, Taylor Flick, mid- road populist, 1,095. The legislature again was republican. By the death of Senator Hay- ward there were two United States senators It enacted an inheritance tax law, an act for the relief of settlers upon Boyd county school land, and it created a state game warden, a state library commission, and a state board of charities and corrections. Lieutenant Governor Savage became gover- nor upon the election of Governor Deitrich to the oilice of L-nited States Senator. His action in pardoning ex-State Treasurer Bartley from the penitentiary awakened a storm of protest Mill and Dam Across Republican River at Orleans. (Photo, by G. E. Condra, Department of Geology, U. of N,) to be chosen at this session, ami an intensely bitter factional struggle in the republican party ensued ending only on the last day of the session by the withdrawal of the two lead- ing republican candidates, D. E. Thompson of Lincoln, and Edward Rosewater, of Omaha, and the selection of Governor C. H. Dietrich, of Hastings and J. H. Millard of Omaha, as senators. This legislature abolished the state board of transportation, — thus ending a twen- ty-five years' struggle to regulate railway freight rates in the state by an abandonment of the issue. in his own party as well as elsewhere, and vir- tually forced him out of the race as a candidate before his party's convention in 1903. After a very animated contest the republicans nomi- nated John H. Mickey, of Polk county, as their candidate. The democratic and the peo- ples independent state conventions met at the same time in the city of Grand Island, and were deadlocked all night upon the question of which should name the candidate for gov- ernor. At daylight the populist convention accepted W. H. Thompson, of Grand Island, the democratic nominee. The campaign turned TIIF. STATE OV XETSRASKA 127 chiefly upon the question of raih-oad influence in state politics and the personality of the nominees for governor. J. H. Mickey received 96,471, \V. H. Thompson 91,110, S. T. Davies, prohibitionist, 3,397, G. E. Bigelow, socialist, 3,157. The republicans elected a three-fourths majority of both houses of the legislature. The all-consuming question before the legislature was the framing of a new revenue law. The many interests involved made this a difficult A branch experimental state farm was located at North Platte. A system of junior or sum- mer state normal schools was established, an act requiring railroads to give elevator firms or associations equal shipping privileges, and an act to compel the destruction of prairie dogs liy the owners of the land where the dog towns were located. The changes in the physical map of Ne- braska deserve a paragraph. The original ter- American Smelting and Refining Company's Buildings, Omaha problem. The bill which finally became law made a number of radical changes, among them the substitution of a county assessor with a force of deputies for each county, instead of the old precinct assessor system, a more rigid and searching form of schedule and oath to se- cure the assessment of personal proi)crty, the listing of property at its full cash value, and its assessment for taxation at one-fifth thereof, and the granting of additional power to county and state boards of equalization. A new state institution was established, — an additional normal school which was located at Kearney. ritory of Nebraska was bounded on the north by the British Possessions, on the west by the Rocky mountains, on the south by the 40th de- gree of latitude, and on the east by the Mis- souri and White Earth rivers, including a large part of what is now the states of North and South Dakota, Montana. \\'yoming and Colo- rado. By the act of March 2, 1860, the Terri- tory c)f Dakota was created, including the re- gion north of the 43rd degrees of latitude, the Keya Paha and Niobrara rivers. The same act added to Nebraska a tract of country west of the Rocky mountains which had been part 128 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA of Utah and ^\'asllingto^. By the act of Feb- riian- 28, 1861, Colorado was organized, cut- ting out a part of the southwest corner of Ne- braska. Idaho was organized in March, 1863, taking that part of Nebraska west of the 104th degree of longitude, — our present western lim- it. In 1882 the triangular tract between the Niobrara, the Keya Paha, the Missouri, and the 43rd degree of latitude was added to Ne- carliest art association we have record of is a "sketch class" started by Mrs. Charles F. Cat- lin, at Omaha in 1877. In 1879, the first art loan exhibition was held in' Omaha. In 1888 Mr. Lininger of Omaha began the erection of his private gallery, which is now opened to the public each week, and contains some $200,000 worth of original paintings^many of them masterpieces of European as well as Ameri- I \^ \ A |tl A™ 1 i §^' ^ KL\ £ \'^^h^^^^^f^' ■\ '' fl^Q ^ =pr ,1 'W 1- ^ K/ Bk^ . 'li'c^' '•i*.^. j^^ ' u r "v t^i !«' ^ \ - ■MlJl St. Paul's Church. Lincoln. Nebraska. 190t braska and became subsequently Boyd county. Since then the only changes in Nebraska's boundaries have been slight ones along the Missouri river, the result of changes in its channel and negotiations with Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota. Art and literature are the final blossoms of every civilization. Nebraska with her meagre half-century of organized existence, has hard- ly reached the age to possess a distinctive art and literature of her own. A brief reference to beginnings is all that can here be made. The can art. In 1890 the Omaha art exhibition association was formed, which is carrying on its work today. The beginnings of art in- struction at the state university were in the year 1880, when room was granted for the use of an art teacher who received private pu- pils. In 1888 the Hayden Art Association was formed at Lincoln to be succeeded ten years later by the Art Association, which holds annual exhibitions of noted pictures in the University Art Gallery. The literature of Nebraska has existed THE STATE OF NEBRASKA chiefly in its newspaper form. Some of the or- naments of Nebraska newspaper Hfe in the use of clear, epigramatic English have been J. D. Calhoun, formerly of the Lincoln Journal, now of Tampa, Florida ; Fred Nye, formerly of the Omaha Republican; Ed Howe, now of the Atchison Globe ; Edward Rosewater of the Omaha Bee, C. H. Gere of the Lincoln Journal, R. L. Metcalfe of the Omaha World-Herald, Ross Hammond of the Fremont Tribune, Er- ne^^t Bross. now manasfins; editor of the Port- braska themes. Some additional Nebraska newspaper men who have written literature are John A. MacMurphy, for a long time writer on the Omaha Herald ; Allen May, of Falls City ; Adam Breed, of Hastings, and Edgar Howard of Columbus. Fifty years ago there were less than a thou- sand white people in Nebraska territory, today more than a million. The total wealth then was probably not $100,000, now between one and two billions. Then there was not a single First Church Built in Lincoln, 1868 land Oregonian ; Walter Wellman, now of the Chicago Record-Herald. Among Nebraska poets and essayists, may be noted Prof. O. C. Dake, author of Nebraska Legends — the first book of Nebraska poetry known to have been printed ; N. K. Griggs of Lincoln ; Mrs. Peat- tie, formerly of Omaha, A. L. Bixby of the Lincoln Journal ; Walt Mason of the Beatrice Summary ; J. A. Edgerton, now of New York City; Kate M. Cleary, formerly of Hubbell, a writer of stories of Nebraska life ; W. R. Lighton, of Omaha, a magazine writer on Ne- cultivated farm — today there are 125,000, with crops worth $102,000,000. Then not a factory or mile of railroad. Today 5,414 manufacturing establishments, with a product worth $144,000,- 000 each year, and 5,700 miles of railroad. Fifty years ago this summer a single newspaper, the Palladium, at Bellevue. Today 600 newspapers and magazines. Fifty years ago not a school in active operation. Today 6,000 common schools and higher ones by the hundred. Fifty years ago an unfenced buffalo pasture, with no rank in civilized society. Today — in the union 130 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA of forty-five sister states, which forms the strongest nation in the world — her rank is tenth in total value of farm products, eighth in the production of wheat, fourth in the pro- duction of corn, fourth in number of cattle and swine, third in manufacture of meat products, and first of all in education qualification of her people. In fifty years Nebraska has given the world its central battle ground for the settle- ment of the most pressing world problems, from slavery to monopoly ; she has given na- tional leadership to both sides in these strug- gles; she has given the nation twice a leading The following is a list of principal original sources of information on Nebraska history. Many more might be added, but this brief list will furnish most of the facts necessary for any student who desires to make original Investigation: Early Spanish history — 14th Report U. S. Ethnologi- cal Bureau, giving an account of Coronado's journey; H. H. Bancrofts History of New Mexico. Indian historj- — Hth and ISth Reports V. S. Ethnolog- ical Bureau. Nebraska Geologj- — Haydens t'. S. Geological Survey of Nebraska. 1ST2; E. H. Barbour. Nebraska Geological Report. 1903. Early Fiench — Margry. Decouvertes et Etablisse- candidate for president, she has given the world an Arbor day. Highest of all, her broad prairies and lofty table lands, have given birth to a race of clear visioned, independent minded, progressive men and women. Unfet- tered by the dogmatism of the past in politics, in religion, in economics, in human sympathy and aspiration, may Nebraska never fail in her leadership. Nor heed the sceptic's punny hands. While near her school the church spire stands; Nor fear the blinded bigot's rule, While near her church spire stands the school. A. E. SHELDON. ments (in French*. La Hontan. Voyage (in French), Charlevoix, Travels in North America. Early American — Lewis & Clark Travels, 1S04; Wash- ington Irving. Astoria and Captain Bonneville; Long's Expedition. 1S19; John Irving. Indian Sketches; Maximil- ian. Travels; George Catlin. North American Indians; Townsends Travels; Fremont's Explorations; Larpenteur. Forty Years Fur Trade; H. M. Chittenden. History of the Missouri Fur Trade. Steamboating on the Missouri; Parkman. Oregon Trail; Nebraska State Historical So- ciety Reports. — ten volumes, flies of Nebraska newspa- pers in State Historical Library, H. W. Caldwell. Educa- tion in Nebraska, published by U. S. Bureau of Educa- tion. Nebraska Legislative Journals. Session Laws. Ne- braska Official Reports. , PART II STATE INSTITUTIONS. CHAPTER XI Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. This institution is located at Omaha, and its grounds comprise twenty-three acres. At first there was but one brick building, while now the buildings number seven brick and three frame. The buildings and furnishings are val- ued at $300,000.00. The school was established in 1869, with an attendance of only thirteen pupils, and during the first year, the institution was maintained at a cost of $2,995. At present there is an attendance of about two hundred afiflicted boys and girls and every year about $40,000.00 are expended in the support of the school. Since its establishment, the school has had five superintendents, William M. Finch having been the first one tj hoM that position. Two years later, R. H. Kinney, from Colum- bus, Ohio, was put in charge and he remained in this position during eight years. He was followed by J. A. Gillespie and wife, who came from the Iowa Institution at Council Bluffs. At this time there were fifty-three students, but at the end of their twenty years' adminis- tration the number had increased to one hun- dred and sixty. In 1897, H. E. Dawes suc- ceeded Mr. Gillespie and in 1901, R. E. Stew- art, the present superintendent, liegan his term of office. Besides the usual courses of instruc- tion, an industrial department is connected with the school, in which students are taught to be self-supporting. Four graduates of the 1903 class of this institution are now enrolled in ( lallandet College, the national college for the deaf at Washington, D. C. The school term is nine months long. The students are furnished everything free with the exception of clothing and railroad fare. In 1899 an ap- propriation of $38,700 was granted by the leg- islature for new school buildings. Only well trained teachers are employed, by whom the pupils are attended with special care. Sickness is prevented by regular diet, exercise and cleanliness. The students become good self supporting citizens and many of them attain remarkable success. The appropriation necessary for the salaries and wages of officers and employees for the two years ending March 1, 1905, is as follows : Salary of Superintendent, $3,000.00 ; salary of Matron, $1,000.00; salary of teachers, foremen, physician, clerk, supervisors and nurse, $35000; employees' wages, $8,000.00. The total ex- penditure runs about $75,000.00 each biennial. 132 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA E STATE INSTrrUTIONS 133 Institute lor the Blind. Ncbrasl of the Thirty-third Indiana Infantry during the Civil War. From Indiana he went to Iowa and settled in Nebraska in 1887. He was a member of the Board of County Supervisors of Kearney County and has been County Com- missioner of Box Butte County for five years. He is a member of the Populist party. JAMES KEELER was born August 15, 1869 in Syracuse, New York. In 1887 the family removed to Colorado and before settling at Alliance had lived in Sheridan County, Ne- braska and the Black Hills. His father home- steaded in Sheridan County in 1894 and is still living there. Mr. Keeler took a homestead in Sheridan County in 1896. He is a liveryman and is the Deputy Sheriff of Box Butte County. L. W. BOWMAN is a native of Indiana, born in Thornton, July 28, 1858 and ten years later his parents moved to eastern Nebraska. Educated at Stanton, Nebraska, he graduated from the medical department of the Iowa State LTniversity in 1886. Locating at Hay Springs, Nebraska until 1895, he then came to Alliance. He took a post-graduate course in Chicago in 1900. Mr. Bowman is Mayor of Alliance. W. H. BARTZ is a Pehnsylvanian, having been born February 29, 1856 in Pittsburg. His parents moved to Mercer County, Pennsyl- vania in 1861, where he attended the State Normal and Grove City College, receiving the degree of A. B. from both of the institutions. He was married in 1879 to Miss Jennie S. Foy of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, to whom was born one daughter. On account of poor health, Mr. Bartz travelled in Michigan and Missouri. He has been Principal of the Brad- shaw, Grafton and Ravenna schools and four years ago was chosen Principal of the Alliance schools. He is now Principal of the Junior State Normal located at Alliance. BROWN COUNTY. Seventy per cent of the surface of Brown county is' untillable, chiefly on account of sand and the rough lands bordering on the creeks. The tillable soil, which is a dark, sandy loam from two to five feet in depth, comprises the remaining thirty per cent of the land surface. The scenery in the northern part of the county is somewhat celebrated. Good drainage is fur- nished by the Niobrara, and its tributaries, the Long Pine, Sand, Bone and Plum Creeks, and by the Calamus river; there are several lakes in the section, of which Moon lake is the larg- est. Flowing wells from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet in depth are numerous ; other wells are from ten to two hundred feet in depth and there is an inexhaustible supply of water. Small grain and po- tatoes are the principal farm products, and hardy apples and all kinds of small fruits do well. Cattle and sheep are fed on the range. The value of land has increased fifty per cent since 1897 and sells at from $2.00 to $15.00 per acre. The county was organized in 188.3 and has an area of 1,061 square miles. The county seat is Ainsworth and it has a population of 605 inhabitants. Long Pine and Johnstown are the only other towns of any importance. Long Pine has 486 inhabitants and Johnstown has 120. The population of the county numbers 3,470. There are six flouring and grist mills in the county and it has 28.59 miles of railway. JOHN LAMPERT is a native of Black Creek, Wisconsin, born March 27, 1869. In 1885 he came to Cedar BlufTs, Nebraska, is a graduate of the Fremont Normal College and engaged in farming in Brown County in 1893, where he has since lived with the exception of two years spent on the coast. In 1894 he mar- ried Miss Grace Castleman and they have one daughter. He has been elected Sheriff on the Republican ticket. WILLIAM M. ELY was born in Marion, New York, September 21, 1875 and came to Nebraska with his parents when fifteen years old. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska, class of 1900, having taken both the Academic and Law Courses. He has been COUNTY HISTORY. 169 p. W. MURPHY. JOHN SULLIVAN. CH.-VP.LES O. MURPHY. C. B. GOODSPEED. E. B. SMITH. WM. M. ELY. JOHN I.AMPERT. Brown County Cou:t House County Judge, Justice of the Peace antl County Attorney. His father was a candidate for State Regent of the University of Nebraska in 1899. C. B. GOODSPEED was born in Joliet, Illinois, August 24, 18G5. His parents came to Cass County, Nebraska in 18G7 and then lived in Saunders and Dodge Counties. In 1897 he came to Brown County. Both his father and mother were old settlers and after his father had made his filing, the Indians raided the territory where his homestead lay and carried off three families and killed several people. Mr. Goodspeed graduated from the Fremont high school with the class of 1887 and has pursued the profession of teaching, having been Assistant Superintendent of Dodge County for three terms and twice elected County Superintendent of Brown Countv on the Republican ticket. CHARLES O. MURPHY was born June 2, 1873 on a ranch located where David City now stands. His father built the first house in that region, having come to Nebraska in 1869. When eleven years of age his parents moved to Brown County and Mr. Murphy was em- ployed for nine years as agent and operator for the Northwestern Railroad. He took a home- stead in Brown County in 1901 and that same year married Miss Margaret Aibler. He is affiliated with the Democratic party and has served two terms as Deputy County Treasurer and has been elected Treasurer. E. B. SMITH was born in Waukegan, Illi- nois, June 27, 18.55 and studied at Northwest- ern I'niversity and Illinois State University. 170 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA He came to Fillmore County, Nebraska in 1878, then returned to Illinois, where he mar- ried Miss Elva L. Harvey in 1879. Returning to Nebraska for a short time he returned io Illinois for a second time. In 1883 he located in Brown County. Mr. Smith is a member of the Republican party and is now serving his fifth term as Clerk of Brown County. O. L. RAMSEY was born October 24, 1852 at LaSalle, Illinois, and is a graduate of Wheaton College. In 1870 he went to West- ern Kansas and in 1881 went to Colorado, where he served as a Methodist minister at Denver. After serving several charges in Wyoming and Northwestern Nebraska he set- tled at Ainsworth, Nebraska, his present home. He was married to Miss B. V. Mayes of Den- ver, Colorado in 1878. He is associated with the Republican party and is at present the Judge of Brown County. TALBOT B. ALDERMAN was born De- cember 23, 1850 in Oakfield Center, Wisconsin. He began surveying out timber lands for a lumber firm in Kerby County, Michigan in 1870 and 1871, but by trade he is a carpentci- He is employed by the Beatrice Creamery Company as station operator. He went to North Dakota in 1881 and settled in Brown County, Nebraska in 1883. Mr. Alderman is serving his second term as Surveyor of Brown County and has been a road supervisor both in Wisconsin and Nebraska. JOHN SULLIVAN was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, February 12, 1843, later removing to Rochester, New York. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the Second New York, Company L, and served through the war. In 1867 he migrated to Iowa and two years later to Seward County, Nebraska. In 1880 he moved to what is now Keya Paha County and four years later located perma- nently in Brown County. He has been Sheriff of Seward County and Sheriff, County Com- missioner and Assessor of Brown County, hav- ing been elected on the Republican ticket. P. W. MURPHY was born in David City, Nebraska, January 4, 1876. In his sixth year his parents removed to Blaine County and two years later to Brown County, his present home, in 1902 he married Miss Edith Heck of Long Pine. He is a member of the Democratic party and has served the county as Treasurer for two terms and also as Deputy Treasurer. J. H. SALZMAN was born in Germany, January 31, 1859. His parents came to the United States in 1861 and in his twenty-fourth year he located in Madison County, took a liomestead in Cherry County the next year, and came to Brown County in 1899. In 1894 he married Miss Anthone Schlueter and has five children. He is a member of the Republi- can party and is County Commissioner. Mr. Salzman has a ranch of 680 acres in Brown County and one of 1,720 acres in Cherry Count V. well stocked with cattle. BUFFALO COUNTY. Buffalo County served as a hunting and fighting ground for the Sioux and Pawnees. The first white inhabitants were Mormons. who settled on Wood River in 1858, and this settlement formed a general stopping place for Mormons on their way to Utah. It was also on the old emigrant road to Pike's Peak and California. The passing daily of several hun- dred wagons made this settlement quite a business center. Traffic was stopped for a time, however, at the outbreak of the war be- tween the Cheyennes and the Sioux, and all but two of the ranchmen fled to Omaha and other points on the Missouri. Buffalo County, with an area of 864 square miles, and a popu- lation of 20,354, is located in the central part of Nebraska on the north side of the Platte. The Platte, South Loup and Wood Rivers drain this section. Beside these, manv other streams cross this county, furnishing ample power for flower and grist mills. There are two bridges across the Platte, each nearly a mile in length. Considerable timber borders the streams which is more decorative than useful. The cereals are largely cultivated and alfalfa is especially abundant. The price of land varies from six to forty dollars an acre. The Union Pacific Railroad passed through the county four years before it was organized. Fort Kearney was the first town. Gibbon was the next town to l)c founded. It was laid out in 1871 by a colony from Ohio, consisting of eighty-five families. This town became very influential and the county seat was moved from Kearne)' to Gib- bon. In the years of 1873 and 1874 the expir- ation of a financial boom plunged the county into heavy indebtedness. The State Reform School is located two miles west of Kearney. COUNTY HISTORY. 171 w. H. noiz. T. G. SPENCER, T.OG.'-N SAMMONS. F. M. HAl I OV'li- C. .\. EinV.\?U:F T. N. HARTZELJ., GEORGE A. NIXON. CHARLES B. FINCH . ■ r ___^J m/ ' , / v^^ip Pl-. ''T^ m m £^ '^JSTA ^*^^«m— P "T" ' Jll °W| Li Jji V -'4 1 j3 IBq Ml Burt County Court House braska. Two years after its origin a railroad was built through the county. For two years the pioneers were almost overcome by hard times. In 1855 a long drouth occurred, dur- ing which the surface was broken by large fis- sures, some of which were three feet deep and four inches wide. The summer drouth was followed by a winter of storms and deep snow. The settlers depended on Omaha and Council BlufTs for supplies, and since access to these places was for a long time cut off, they almost perished with cold and hunger. .\ considerable amount of sandstone is found at Tekamah and Decatur. Limestone and clay for brick making are also found in the northern part. H. H. BASLER, County Judge, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.January 14,1867. He came to Nebraska in 1868, his father home- steading in Dodge County. He acquired his education at Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, CORA S. CL.'\RK. HARRT K. CLARK. C. G. CLARK. -lid took the Sprague Correspondence School law course. Also studied law under McGrary & Brown of Indianola, Iowa. Mr. Basler taught school, was Principal at Palmyra, Iowa, edited and published the L3a")ns Sun for three years, was manager of the Farmer's Grain & Stock Company at Hooper two years, bookkeeper three years, and has served as chaplain of the Xebraska Division of the Sons of Veterans. G. A. IRELAND, Clerk of District Court, was born in Chaiupaign, Illinois, March 11, 1871. W. L. Ireland, his father, came to Ne- braska in 1875. The family went to Gosper County, where Mr. Ireland, senior, followed his trade of plasterer, later going to Saunders County. In 1878 the family settled in Burt County where Mr. Ireland was educated and afterwards appointed Postmaster of Craig. He has been elected Clerk of the District Court as the choice of the Republican party. EMMETT I. ELLIS, County Treasurer, was born and brought up in Burt County. J. T. Ellis, his father, came to Nebraska in the pioneer days, about 1860. He was a carpenter by trade and built some of the first houses in Omaha. Mr. Ellis was born in 1876 and .graduated from the Tekamah High School. Then he went into the First National Bank and became Assistant Cashier. He has been af- COUNTY HISTORY. 175 filiated with the Republican party and was appointed Deputy County Treasurer under J. F. Piper in 1896. EUGENE BROOKINGS was born in Teka- mah, February 10, 1875, son of G. P. Brook- ings, who was one of the early settlers of Burt County. Mr. Brookings acquired his educa- tion in Tekamah, graduating from the High School and later attended the Nebraska Nor- mal and graduated from the University of Ne- braska, class of 1902. He is a member of the Republican party and has been elected to a second term as County Superintendent. C. G. CLARK, County Clerk, was born in Cadiz, Ohio, July 10, 1860. He came to Craig, Nebraska, in 1882 and has made his residence there ever since. He received his education in Hopedale Normal, Ohio. His eldest son, Harry K. Clark, is Deputy Clerk and his daughter is Assistant Deputy. Mr. Clark's father was a member of the Ohio Legislature in 1861 and 1862. Mr. Clark has been Town- ship Clerk and Justice of the Peace and is a Republican in politics. L. D. PHIPPS, Sheriff, was born m Cedar County, Iowa, February 3, 1860. In 1867 he went with his parents to Benton County, Iowa, later to Guthrie County, Iowa and in 1886 to Burt County, Nebraska. He has held the of- fices of School Treasurer, Road Overseer and Sheriff. His father was a veteran of the Mex- ican War. r. E. TAYLOR, County Attorney, was born in Dry Run, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1871. In 1900 he came to Wisner, Nebraska, and 1903 to Lyons. Mr. Taylor graduated from the Pennsylvania State Normal School, was admitted to the bar in 1895 and practiced be- fore the Supreme Court at Philadelphia. He also served in the Spanish-American war as a member of the Governor's Troop, Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Cavalry, participating in the Porto Rican campaign. In Pennsylvania he served three years as County Solicitor and af- ter a short residence in Burt County, was elected County Attorney. W. E. PRATT, who has been County Sur- veyor for seventeen years without intermission, was born in Wyoming County, New York, May 8, 1859. He came to Nebraska with his parents who located in Burt County, having taken a homestead, in 1856. Mr. Pratt graduated from the Tekamah High School and went into the mercantile business. He was elected to the office of County Surveyor in 1887 and has held it ever since. HARRY K. CLARK was born in Harrison County, Ohio, February 4, 1880. In 1882 he removed with his parents to Craig, Nebraska, and grew to manhood and was educated there and in Bellevue College. He is a member of the Republican party. In 1900 he was Census Enumerator and is now serving his second term as Deputy County Clerk. BUTLER COUNTY. Butler County was organized in 1868 with a population of two hundred, which, in the last thirty-six years has increased to 15,703. The Mormons were the earliest visitors in the coun- ty, and the road they followed, called the "Old Mormon Trail" together with the thoroughfare known as the "C)ld Government Road" were the only signs of life until 1857. The "Old Mor- mon Trail" entered the south-eastern part, fol- lowed a divide north to the table-land, then around the northern edge to the point where Deer Creek leavs the hills, and so down anoth- er divide to the Platte valley. The first at- tempts at settlement were made by the Wav- erly Town Company of Plattsmouth. They stopped on the banks of a creek which they named Skull Creek, from the large number of Pawnee skulls which they found there. The year following the departure of the Waverlv Town Co., Solomon Garfield and James Blair, with their families, came to make Butler Coun- ty their permanent home. They settled on the west bank of Skull Creek just north of the Lin- wood Mills. The immigrants who gradually entered the county invariably chose the Platte Valley, while the highlands were left unmolest- ed. At the organization in 1869, Savannah was made the first county seat but this honor was soon transferred to David City, which position it still holds. The county seat at present has a liopulation of 1,8-15. The first public building in Butler was a sod thatched school-house. School was kept up for some time with volun- tary subscriptions by the residents of the dis- trict. The present census shows 5,802 school children. In 1871 a great snow storm visited this section. Herds of Texan cattle were very Iroulilcsome during these first years in dam- 176 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA M. J. BOUSE. C. M. SKILES. LEWIS spelt: KAY M. HARRIS C. D. CASPER. JOSEPH C. HRUSHKA Butler County Court House aging the field produce. The pioneers at length became aroused and a brief but bloody battle ensued between the inhabitants and the Texan herders. Several hundred cattle were butchered which effectually put a stop to their visits. In 1871 a great prairie fire swept across the county, and though the loss did not exceed $20,000, it laid waste the entire property of the settlers. Butler county has especially good means of transportation. There are three rail- roads, which cover 134.27 miles in the county. L. C. REN is of Scotch-Irish parentage. He was born near Seymore, Indiana on the thir- tieth of May, 1854, and came to Nebraska in 1883. His education was received in the pub- lic schools of Indiana. He held the posi- tion of County Supervisor during the building of the court house, and from 1897 to 1901 was ( onnty Sheriff. He is now Chief of the David Lity police and is a member of the Populist party. He married Rosa J. Lorenz in 1884 and lias four children. CHARLES D. CASPER, the editor and publisher of The Butler County Press, enlisted in the regular army and served in South Da- kota as a private in the Twenty-second Infan- tr\^ At the close of the war he went to Ohio and came to Nebraska in 1873. He started the first newspaper in Butler county at Savannah, the old county seat, and moved the paper to David City when the county seat was changed to that place. He was born in Red Lion, Delaware, December 10, 1845. He at- tended school in an old log building until he was sixteen years old. In 1880 he was mar- ried to Nancy M. Brownsett and they have COUNTY HISTORY. 177 three daughters. 'Sir. Casper is a nieniber of the Democratic party and has represented Butler County in the State Legislature. RAY .M. HARRIS was born at Ligoneen, Indiana, on the ninth of September, 1873. His father, James E. Harris, is a minister and ex- Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska. Mr. Harris is a lawyer by profession and is now Attorney for Butler County. He was married to Carrie A. Quade. January 15, 1003. He was gradu- ated from Nebraska State University in the class of 1897, and from the law department of the same institution in 1900. He filled the po- sition of Principal of the Wahoo High School during the years of 1897 and 1898. He is a member of the Democratic party. M. J. BOUSE is a native of Bohemia, and his parents, Frank and Katherine Bouse, never came to America. The time of his birth was October 24, 1SG7 and at the age of thirteen he came to America. He moved to Nebraska in 1886. He is serving as Clerk of Butler County for the second term, and his politics are Dem- ocratic. In 1891 he was married to Mamie H. Zerzan, and they have one child. He is a tailor by occupation. C. M. SKILES was born July 7, 1866 at Fort Madison, Iowa, from which place he came to Nebraska in 1884. His parents were Alex- ander and Margaret Skiles. He is now serv- ing his third term as Judge of Butler County. He took his A. B. degree at the State LTniver- sity in IS!(2 and received LL. B. in 1895. In 1904 he was luarried to .Anna W. Swarr. Po- liticallv he is a Democrat. JOSEPH C. HRUSHKA obtained his edu- cation at the Dccorah Institute, of Decorah, Iowa, and at the Lincoln Normal, being a teacher by profession. He taught a country school at Spillville, Iowa for three years, and for five years in Butler County, Nebraska. During four years he was principal of the schools at Abie and Linwood. He was borft January 6, 1876 in Bohemia, Austria, and came to Iowa when si.x months old. He removed to Nebraska in 1896 and in 1897 was married to Caroline L. Dvorak, by whom he has four children. He resides at David City and is serving his second term as County Superin- tendent. He is a member of the Republican party. LE\\TS SPELTS was a soldier in the Civil War and served from January 1862 to Febru- ary. 1SG.5. He was married January 30, 1870 to jNIiss Lizzie Woods and they haVe a fam- ily of nine children, five boys and four girls. He is a grain and stock dealer and owns several elevators. His parents, Joseph and Sarah Spelts, were living in Green County, Indiana, at the time of his birth on December 29, 1844. At the age of thirteen he moved to Illinois and in 1879 came ot Nebraska. He is now ]\rayor of David City and was elected on the Republican ticket. CASS COUNTY. The men who made up the famous Lewis and Clarke expedition were the first white men to explore Cass County. The first actual set- tlement was a trading-post which was set up in 1853. By a proclamation of President Pierce in 1854, Cass County, along with other lands along the Missouri was opened up for pre-emption. Claim owners were not required to improve the property and the greater part of the settlers' abodes were merely dug-outs in the sides of theblufTs. Club law, or rather mob law, constituted the supreme authority from June 18.54 to September 1855. Even six years after the organization of the county, three hor.se-thieves from the Iowa side of the river were hanged by this same mob force. In 1855 Cass County was organized. It has an area of 632 square miles and its population is 21,330. The soil is a light loam, varying from 1 1-2 foot to 20 feet in depth, with a clay subsoil. Land sells for $25 to $75 per acre. Blue, gray and white limestone is quarried ex- tensively here and red sand-stone is found in many places along the Platte. The blue lime- stone is such good quality that it can sus- tain a pressure of 44,000 pounds to the square inch. Cass County has ten flouring and grist mills in operation, and sixteen brick yards. There are many natural groves in the county owing to its e.xcellent water system. These groves consist of cottonwood, hickory, oak, cedar, maple and locust trees. It is also a profitable fruit region and apples, peaches, and many kinds of grapes are grown. Over one hundred varieties of grasses are found here. The first school was a singing school in 1855, which was conducted in a little log house just west of Plattsmouth. There are now 7,598 178 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA TURNER ZINK. HENRY BOECK. W. D. WHEELER. HAItVKY D. TRAVIS. ( '. S. WORTMAN. L. A. TYSON. ROOT. Cass Countv Court House school children in the county. The earh- county history is connected with the history of the Rebellion. In 1861 an organization of sol- diers was formed which was afterwards Com- pany A of the First Nebraska Volunteers. On June 11, 1861, this company was mustered in- to the United States Service. Plattsmouth, the county seat, has a population of 4,964. The railway facilities of the county are lt;4.'.i4 miles in lengtii. C. S. WORTMAN is a native Nebraskan. having been born at South Bend, May 31, 1877. His schooling was made up of High School, Normal and University work. He is en- gaged in school work and is at present County Superintendent of Cass. His politics is Dem- ocratic. JAMES ROBERTSON was born in Scot- land in 1852. When he was twenty years old he came with his parents to America and set- tled in Lincoln. Nebraska. He removed to Cass County in 18*9, where he was Deputy County Clerk for two years and clerk for six years. He is a dealer in stone and sand and is at I COUNTY HISTORY. 179 present Clerk of the District Court, elected on the Republican ticket. H. A. SCHNEIDER'S parents, Jacob and Anna Schneider, were of German parentage, although born in Switzerland. Since his birth, June 29. 1875, at Cedar Creek, Nebraska, he has always been a resident of Cass County. His occupation is that of a merchant at Cedar Creek. He is now serving his first term as Register of Deeds. He is a member of the Republican party. L. A. TYSON, a druggist by profession, is serving his second term as Clerk of Cass Coun- ty. He was born on the fifteenth of February. 1863 in DeKalb County, Illinois. He located at Elmwood, Nebraska, in 1866 before the or- ganization of the state institutions was com- pleted. His father was a New Yorker and his mother was born in England. HENRY BOECK is engaged in the furni- ture and undertaking business at Plattsmouth, Nebraska, and is now serving his second term as County Coroner. He supplied all the peo- ple in Plattsmouth with furniture of his own manufacture before the factory system be- came common. He was County Coroner for two terms, beginning with 1886. Born Febru- ary 15, 1833 in Germany, where his parents still live, he came to America in 1853, locat- ing in Pennsylvania. Later he went to Illinois and finally in 1857 removed to Nebraska. In politics he is a Republican. TURNER ZINK has the honor of being the first Postmaster at Luella, Nebraska. At pres- ent he is serving his second term as Chair- man of the County Board of Commissioners. He is of American parentage and his mother •died when he was a boy. He was born Sep- tember 23, 1847, in Highland County, Ohio, from which place he removed to Illinois in 1867, to Iowa in 1870 and to Nebraska in 1876. His politics is Republican. HENRY R. GERING was born April 27, 1868 at Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he attended High School. He is a druggist and has been a member of the State Pharmacy Board. He has lived in Nebraska since September of 1887. Mr. Gering has been City Treasurer and is now serving his first term as Mayor of Platts- mouth. He is Chairman of the Democratic Cen- tral Committee and is Secretary of the Board of Trade. JESSE L. ROOT came to Nebraska in 1883. He has also lived in Mississippi, Colorado, Illinois and Michigan. He is the son of Charles M. and Miranda B. Root, who were living in Tazwell County, Illinois, at thetime of his birth on November 27, 1860. He was educated in the common schools of Michigan and Illinois. He is a practicing lawyer at Plattsmouth and is now in his third term as County Attor- ney. His legal training was received in the law office of Judge S. M. Chapman of Plattsmouth. Mr. Root is one of the state examiners on the Board of Examiners for the Nebraska State Bar. He is affiliated with the Republican party and was an alternate from this congres- sional district at the last Republican national convention. WILLIAM D. WHEELER was born in January of the year 1857 in Capivale County, Mississippi. At the age of eleven he removed to Kansas and in 1874 he came to Nebraska. His schooling was at a high school in Kansas His former occupation was farming. He served as Sheriff of Cass County during two terms from 1897 to 1901 and is now County Treas- urer. He was married in 1879 and has five children. He is affiliated with the Democratic party. HARVEY D. TRAVIS is a lawyer at Platts- mouth and is now County Judge of Cass Coun- ty. He was also County Attorney for four years. He received his education at high school and at Oberlin College. He was born on the fifteenth of June 1853 at West Point, Ohio. From that place he removed to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1880, and to Nebraska" in 1882. He is Democratic in politics. J. D. McBRIDE was born March 1, 1857, in Green County, Tennessee, whence he moved to Missouri, then to Illinois, and finally to Nebraska in 1885. His father, William F. Mc- Bride, was Scotch and his mother, Amanda, was German. His residence is at Plattsmouth. He was educated in the common schools. For four years he was Deputy Sheriff and he is now serving his second term as Sheriff. He is a member of the Democratic party. 180 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA CHASE COUNTY. Chase Co Chase countv is unty Couit House one of the newer coun- ties, having been organized in 1886. From the fact tliat it has only 18.2 miles of railroad and that it is not naturally adapted for farm- ing, its population is but 2,559. The soil is mostly a dark, sandy loam and in many places very rich, though the climate is too dry for raising grain without the employment of arti- ficial means. There are now over fifty miles of irrigations and farming is being carried on. The county is watered by Frenchman River,_ Spring River and Sand Creek. The level river bottoms are bordered by bluffs which are cut by many canons. These bluffs make good grazing, as well as sheltering places for the stock. Imperial is the county seat, with a population of 258. There are 921 school chil- dren in the county. Cherries, plums and peaches are successfully cultivated here, while corn, wheat, millet, cane and potatoes make up the principal farm produce. Land has in- creased one-fifth in value in the last few vears. CEDAR COUNTY. Cedar County has been greatly hinderedin its growth by the various calamities which have befallen it since its organization in 1857. At first it was necessary to maintain a con- stant defense against the Indians, especially the tribe of Poncas at whose hands several murders are recorded. In 186-1, at the time of the general stampede on account of an upris- ing of the Indians, the inhabitants of Cedar County built fortifications and prepared to de- fend themselves. Another setback to progress was that at first much of the land was held by non-residents and was not open for claim set- tlement. The Civil War and the grasshopper visitation were means of retarding the growth. In later years the flood of 1881 destroyed an immense amount of property, and in some in- stances the settlers were glad to escape with their lives. The valleys of the Antelope, Beav- er and Bow Creek comprise nearly one-half the surface of Cedar County, and in some places these valleys are perfectly level for miles in extent. The soil is rich and is mostly of vegetable mold. An immense amount of chalk rock is found here which is used in some de- gree for building purposes. The 716 square miles of area are occupied by 12,467 people. Hartington, the county seat, has a population of Oil. Land has doubled in value since 1897. The manufacturies consist of five flour and grist mills and three brick yards. L. J. HOILE, County Clerk, was born in Wood County, Ohio, June 7, 1869. He removed in 1892 to Wayne, Nebraska, where he engaged for six years in the lumber business as travel- ling manager and collector. He then went to Laurel, Nebraska as manager of a lumber yard and after a residence of four and a half years there was elected County Clerk. He gained his education at Prairie Depot, Ohio in the high school. In 1897 he married Miss Ella Pergellis and they have two children. Mr. Hoile received 231 out of 239 votes in his home town. M. T. WOODS, Clerk of the District Court, was born in Warren County, Illinois, January 22, 1872. Removed with his parents to Kan- sas in 1876, returned to Illinois in 1879, came to Butler County, Nebraska in 1882, to Holt County in 1884 and settled in Cedar County in 1895. He gained his education in the high school at Atkinson, Nebraska. In 1889 he mar- ried Miss Nellie Inez Patrick. He has held sev- eral ofiices such as Justice of the Peace, Street Commissioner, City Clerk and Town Marshal. C. H. WHITNEY, County Attorney, was J COUNTY HISTORY, 181 R. T. O'GARA. FRANK DOWLING. J. F. ROSENBERGER. M. E. BUTTERFIEI.D. C. H, -WHITNEY. W. F. SCHWERIN. ^ p • - JOHN B. SUNG. Cedar County Court House M. T. WOODS. L. J. HOILE. JOHN NOECKER. R. J. MU.l.ARD. A. H. CRES^Y. 182 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA born in }ilarshall County, Iowa, June 8, 1865. He removed with his parents to Shelby County, Iowa in 1873 and came to Nebraska in 1899. He is a graduate of the high school at Harlan, Iowa, Western Normal College, Shenandoah and the Law Department of the Iowa State University. He was Attorney of Shelby Coun- ty, Iowa and has been Judge of Cedar County, Nebraska. He was married to Miss Addie E. Record in 1893 and they have three children. M. E. BUTTERFIELD, serving his second term as County Treasurer, was born in Union County, Minnesota, April 17, 1855. He is of English-Scotch descent. In 1879 he took a claim in North Dakota and came to Coleridge, Nebraska in 1888, where he resided until he came to Hartington as County Treasurer. He was elected on the Republican ticket. In 1877 he married Miss Martha Paine and they have two children. Mr. Butterfield has been in the lumber business in Coleridge for sixteen years. A. E. WARD, serving his fourth term as County Superintendent, was born in Anamosa, Iowa, May 13, 1868. He removed to Madison, Nebraska with his parents and came to Cedar County in 1889. He took the Teacher's and Literary courses in the Madison Normal Col- lege and has been engaged in educational work ever since. He married Miss J. Irene Gates of Mattawan. Michigan in 1889 and they have two daughters. He is a member of the Repub- lican party and has also served as Deputy Clerk four years. R. T. MILLARD was born in Fulton Coun- ty, Ohio. April 14, 1869. In 1890 he removed to Grand Island and in 1896 to Hartington, his present home, after spending three years trav- elling. He was admitted to the bar in 1890, having graduated in law from Chaddock Col- lege, Quincy, Illinois and taken post-graduate work in law at Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is a member of the Democratic party and has been County Attorney four years. In 1901 he married Miss Margaret Blackney and they have one child. W. F. SCHWERIN, County Commissioner, Avas born at Doeletz. Prussia, October SO, 1850, being the son of IMichael Schwerin, manager of Agricultural Works in Doeletz. He came to Monroe, Wisconsin in 1866, moved to IMilford, Nebraska in 1874 and engaged in missionary work over the state until 1897, when he settled on a farm near Eelden. His education was gained in the public schools of Germany and by private study in America. In 1874 he married Miss Elizabeth Bremer and they have seven children. JOHN NOECKER, County Commissioner, was born in Germany November 25, 1859 and came with his parents to Bow Valley, Nebras- ka in 1871, where he has since remained. He has been married twice and has five children. He has held several offices, school director about ten years, precinct assessor six years and has served two terms as County Commissioner. jNIr. Noecker is now president of the German Mutual Insurance Company. JOHN B. SUING, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners was born in Baltimore, Maryland, June 14, 1854. In 1856 he removed with his parents to Dubuque County, Iowa and in 1861 came to St. Helena, Cedar County, Ne- barska, where he has since remained, following the occupation of farming. He married Miss Matilda Becker in 1879 and they have nine children. He has been Treasurer and Director of Schools and Road Supervisor. Mrs. Suing is one of the early settlers of Nebraska and took a homestead and tree claim in Cedar County. ]\I. P. BL'AL, Deputy County Clerk, was born in Monticello, Iowa, July 15, 1881 and came to Cedar County in 1885. In 1888 he re- moved to Randolph, which has since been his home. He received his education in the Ran- dolph public schools and the University of Nebraska -and was appointed Deputy County Clerk at the age of twenty-two. His father, Paul Buel is a banker. R. T. O'GARA, ex-Countj' Superintendent of Schools, was born in Ireland in 1838. He left Ireland in 1853 and came to Wisconsin in 1855. He homesteaded in Cedar County, Nebraska in 1870 where he has since resided. He received his education in the common schools and the high school of County Leitrim, Ireland. He was married in 1871 to Miss Susan Hayes and has seven children. He was Superintendent of Schools in Cedar County for ten years and is one of the oldest settlers of Northeastern Ne- braska, also one of the first to locate in Cedar County. A. H. CRESSY, County Assessor, was born in Tonroh, Wis., March 18. 1859. His father, Henry Cressy, was killed in the Civil War about 1864 at Macon, Georgia and Mr. Cressy received his schooling in the Soldiers' Orphan's Home at Madison, Wisconsin. In 1878 he went to Minnesota, later to Iowa and then to Burt Countv, Nebraska. In 1892 he settled in Cedar COUNTY HISTORY. 183 County, where he has since remained and been engaged in farming. In 1882 he married Miss Imogene Sinclair and they have eleven chil- dren. He was the first assessor of Cedar County. FRANK BOWLING was born in Hamilton, Illinois, September 27, 1862, removed to Butler County, Nebraska in 1870, attended the high school at David City and also took a course with the International Correspondence School of Scribner, Pennsylvania. In 1883 he moved to Holt County and in 1896 to Cedar County. He learned the blacksmithing trade and worked at that for twenty years, during which time he studied civil engineering. After com- pleting his course he commenced civil engi- neering. He was elected Surveyor of Cedar County in 1898 and has held that position ever since. He is a member of the Democratic party. J. F. ROSENBERGER was born in Iowa County, Iowa, January 18, 18G1, where he re^ ceived a common school education. He came to Nebraska in March, 1885 and went to North western Nebraska, locating in what was known as the White River Country when it was opened for settlement. He returned to Cedar County in 1891, where he has been engaged in farming and stock-raising. Mr. Rosenberger is a member of the Republican party and is serving his first term as sheriflf of Cedar Countv. CHERRY COUNTY. Cherry, the largest county in the state, was organized in 1883 and has an area of 5,859 square miles, which is about one-half that of Belgium, and is equal to the combined areas of the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. It forms a part of what is known as the "sand hills country" and is well adapted to stock- raising, with detached portions of fairly good farming land in the valleys. A great many cattle, horses and sheep are fed on the range ; the value of live stock in 1900 was $4,667,692 and that of products not fed to live stock in 1899, $1,231,264. About 2,500,000 acres of gov- ernment land suitable for range purposes are still open to settlement in the county. There are two flouring and grist mills. An important feature presented to the successful industry of stock-raising, so extensively carried on, is the abundance of water supplied by numerous streams, lakelets and wells. The county has 112.71 miles of railwav and land is worth from $1.25 to $10.00 per acre. It has 6,541 inhabi- tants, of which Valentine, the county seat, has 811. Cody has a population of 205 and Wood Lake has 152. J. T. KEELEY was born in Manchester, England, October 4, 1859 and came to America with his parents when five years of age. They lived at Brooklyn, New York, until 1869 and then he removed to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, later coming to Holt County, Nebraska. In 1888 he moved to Cherry County and spent three years in the Government Indian Service. In Holt County he was Deputy County Treas- urer and is now Deputy County Clerk of Cherry County. In 1882 he married Miss Catherine McNealis and they have six children. H. E. LAYPORT is a native of Iowa and the date of his birth is August 19, 1879. When seven years of age his parents came to Ne- braska and Cherry County has been his home ever since. He married Miss Florence Hamer in 1901 and is now serving his fourth term as Deputy Sheriiif. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of Valentine. W. R. TOWNE, one of the earliest pioneers of Nebraska, was born in Vermont Ocotber 7, 1834 at Franklin. At the age of twentv he tried a sailor's life one year and between 1855 and 1859 lived in Chicago and Minnesota. In 1861 he enlisted in the Chicago Dragoons, then joined Fremont's expedition in Missouri, was transferred to Pope's command and was at the evacuation of Corinth. In 1863 he joined the scout service of Missouri. In 1870 he became a stage-driver, built the stockyards in Schuyler, Nebraska, and was Superintend- ent there, taking the first herd of cattle to South Loup. He lived at Creston, Iowa from 1871 to 1880 and was Mayor there one term. He then moved to Wyoming and in 1883 came to Cherry County. He was appointed County Judge in 1896 and has since been elected three times to that position on the Democratic ticket. C. S. REECE was born March 12, 1871 in Andrew County, Missouri. In 1886 he re- moved to Kansas and three years later to Cherry County, Nebraska. He was educated in the public schools of Missouri and Kansas 184 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA E. D. CLARKE. R. H. WATSON. C. S. REE(;i:. W. < '. SMATTUCK. I.. N. LAYPORT. -mi 1 H. LAYPORT. J. T. KEELEY. W. R. TOWNE. OTRTRUDE JORDAN. ETTA BROWN. Cherry County Court House and has done advanced work in the Neljraska teachers' institutes. In 1903 he married Miss Harriet Tliackeray. He has served as Deputy County C !erk two terms and is now County Clerk. Mr. Recce has a ranch of 1,740 acres well stocked witli horses and cattle. L. N. LAYPORT was born in Iowa Novem- ber 13, 1856. He came to Cherry County in 1886 and took a homestead, pre-emption and tree-claim-. He has been engaged in ranching and in 1878 married Miss Annie Ladley. He has served the county as Sheriff three terms and previously was City Marshal at Valentine. He has taken thirty-five men to the State Penitentiary at Lincoln, never allowed a pris- oner to escape and never handcuffed but two men. ETTA BROWN is a native of Hillsboro, Ohio. She taught school in Iowa and gradu- ated from Highland Park Normal College in 1894. She then came to Valentine, teaching during the year and attending the summer school at the l^niversity of Nebraska. She has four times been elected County Superin- tendent on the Republican ticket. She was Vice President of the Superintendents' and Principals' Association in 1904 and also of the State Teachers' Association. W. C. SHATTUCK is a native of Indiana, born April 15, 1843. He was educated in the Union Christian College and Terre Haute i COUNTY HISTORY. 185 Academy. In 18G1 he enlisted in Company I), Forty-third Indiana, was wounded at Helena, Arkansas and mustered out in 18C5. He came to what is now Sheridan County in 1883 and in 1899 removed to Cherry County. In 18(J5 he marrried Miss Fannie Harness. He was County Commissioner in Sheridan County three years and is serving his second term as County Treasurer of Cherry County. Mr. Shattuck has 3,400 acres of deeded land, well stocked. (iERTRUDE JORDAN was born in Mar- shalltown, Iowa, July 21, 1879. Ten years later her parents moved to Kansas, where she received her education, graduating from the Dodge City High School in 1897. She came to Valentine in 1901, taking a homestead, and has now homesteaded the remainder of the 640 acres allowed under the Kinkaid law. She has taught school, been recording clerk in the County Clerk's office and now holds the posi- tion of Deputy Treasurer. E. D. CLARKE was born in Corning, Iowa January 10, 1864 and graduated from the Iowa State University in 1884. In 1885 he took a homestead in Cherry County, relinquished it in 1898 and took another one. In 1899 he mar- ried Miss M. S. Carlisle. He is serving his fourth term as County Attorney of Cherry County, having been elected on the Republican ticket. y R. H. WATSON was born January 23, 1857, ,-iin Centerville, West Virginia. He was edu- cated in the State Normal and State University of West Virginia and took the degree B. S. in the Lincoln Normal University, Lincoln, Ne- braska. He came to Douglas County, Ne- braska in 1882, to Saunders County in 1884 and came to Valentine in 1896. Mr. Watson was married June 20, 1889 to Miss Mabel Danley of Ashland, Nebraska. He was Principal of Schools at Vali^araiso, Nebraska and four years Superintendent of Saunders County. He has l)een Principal of the Valentine schools for eight years and is the Principal of the Junior State Normal at Valentine. He has been a member of the State Teachers' Association since 1882. CHEYENNE COUNTY. Cheyenne County in the western part of the state is one of the largest counties, having an area of 2,645 sq. miles. The surface rolls from an elevation of 3,350 feet in the eastern part to a height of 5,000 feet in the west. Sand hills and rocky bluffs form a part of the surface. Stock raising is widely engaged in, and there are many reasons why this should be the prin- cipal occupation. The necessary water supply is furnished by numerous streams, and the fer- tile valleys and grassy hills along these waters afford .excellent opportunities for grazing. The dry climate and the mild winters which cause little need for shelter are also very favorable for stock raising. In late years quite extensive farming has been made possible by the opera- tion of irrigating canals, and a great deal of small grain, corn and potatoes is raised. Many stone quarries are profitably worked. In the pioneer times the only settlements were made at ranches along the great emigrant and trans- portation roads. These were started for the purpose of selling supplies to freighters and movers and also for trading with the Indians. There were many sharp -fights ^with the In- dians on account of stock stealip^, scalping and the pillaging and burning of towns by the red men. These troubles were ended by a battle fought a short distance from Ft. Sedgwick on June 11, 1869 in which the Indians were routed. The first school was taught by Mrs. Irene Sherwood at her residence. The attendance at that time was ten pupils. Years after, this same little school developed into a flourishing graded school with a high school for more ad- \-anced work. There are now 1,653 school children in the county, while the entire popu- lation is 5,570. Sidney, the county seat, con- tains 1,001 people. FRANCES E. KNOX is a teacher by voca- tion and received her education in the high school and Business College at Afton, Iowa. Her birthplace is Central City, Iowa, and she was born March 21, 1868. She has made Sid- ney her home since 1898 and is now County Superintendent of Cheyenne County. In 1896 she .was married to Alvin B. Knox and they have one son. She is a Republican. R. E. BARRETT was born October 23, 1872 at North Platte, Nebraska, and moved to Chey- enne County in 1877. He is a graduate of the Chappell High School in Deuel County. He was a farmer and railroad employee before his official duties commenced in 1900. He has 186 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA ROBLEY D. HARRIS. J. W. LEE FRANCES E. KNOX. CM. HADLEY. F. A. GAPEN. M. E. WASHBURN JAMES TUCKER. A. K. GREENLEE. J. J. MINTOSH. WILLIAM P. MILES. EDWARD McLERNON. W. S. DORAN. COUNTY HISTORY. 18T been Census Enumerator and is now County Clerk. In 1897 he married Miss Grace Durkee of Lodge Pole, Nebraska, and they have two children. He is affiliated with the Republicans. JAMES TUCKER has been a merchant tailor in Sidney for the past ten years. His native home is in Warren County, Missouri, and the time of his birth was March 14, 1860. His father died about 1864 and he came to Omaha with his mother in 1871. He next changed his residence to Sidney, and for many years traveled as a journeyman tailor. In 1893, on the third of July, he was married to Nellie May Chapin of Oberlin, Kansas. He is allied with the Democrats. A. K. GREENLEE is a merchant of Sidney, Nebraska. His birthplace is in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and he was born Octo- ber 25, 1860, and his father died when he was nine years old. He was educated in the Penn- sylvania public schools and at the Valparaiso Normal of Indiana. When his schooling was finished, he lived in York County for a time, before coming to Cheyenne County in 1885. He is in the mercantile business, although he is now County Treasurer. He is a member of the Republican party. Elizabeth McAllitser was his wife's maiden name and he was mar- ried in May of 1888. J. W. LEE is a liveryman at Sidney, Ne- braska, and is now Sheriiif. Previously he served as Constable for twelve years. He is a native of Ohio and was born February 14, 1870. When a child he moved to Indiana with his parents, and in 1884 to Nebraska. He has lived in Cheyenne County since 1900. Miss Cecelia Ashley was his wife's maiden name, and he was married on the sixth of Ferbuary of 1901. He has one daughter, Dorothy. He is a member of M. W. A. at Bridgeport, Ne- braska. C. M. HADLEY is serving his first term as County Assessor, having previously been Pre- cinct Assessor. His birth occurred at Elko, Nevada, May 14, 1875. He is the son of James S. Hadley, a carpenter. As an infant he came to Iowa with his parents and to Cheyenne County, Nebraska in 1887, where his father pre-empted land. He is a member of the Dem- ocratic party. C. M. WRIGHT was born July 18, 1861 at Adel, Iowa, from which state he moved to Kansas in 1883. After spending one winter in Iowa, he came to Cheyenne County in 1887. His vocation is that of a tinsmith. He has held several town offices and is now serving his sec- ond term as County Coroner. His wife was Miss Annie Young of Iowa, to whom he was married in 1883. W. S. DORAN is the son of Edmund Doran, a retired ranchman, who was among the ear- liest settlers of Cheyenne County. He was born October 28, 1879, at Sidney, Nebraska, where he has always lived with the exception of two or three years, during which time he was employed on the railroad at North Platte. In 1896 he completed his course at Sidney High School, and in 1897 was graduated from North Platte High School. He holds the office of Deputy County Treasurer, and in politics is a Republican. M. E. WASHBURN is a native of \'an Buren County, Iowa, and he was born Decem- ber 4, 1857. He moved to Cheyenne County, Nebraska in 1887 and homesteaded on the farm which he still holds. He has ranching interests and is a dealer in horses and cattle, along with his livery business. He was Constable and Marshal of Sidney before his appointment as Deputy Sheriff. I'n 1882 he married Miss Kit- tie Grafton of Iowa. He is affiliated with the Republican party. ROBLEY D. HARRIS was born in Zanes- ville, Ohio, July 26, 1848 and came to Ne- braska in 1866. During the same year, he left for California where he lived for ten years. He entered the army as a member of the medical department, and for three years was in the Northwest Territory fighting the Indians under General Miles. He graduated from the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1880. After living for a short time in North Platte, Nebraska, he moved to Keith County, where he practiced medicine until his final removal to Sidney in 1897. He has- held the offices of Coroner of Keith County for two terms. Representative in the State Legislature in 1895 and Receiver in the LInited States Land Office for the past seven years. He also acted as Register of the Land Office during four years of this time. Pie was a candidate for the nomination of Lieutenant Governor on the Re- publican ticket this year, but withdrew. In 1878 he was married to Miss Edith Cary of Ohio. He served in the Civil War and was with the command which captured Morgan in his raid through Ohio. F. A. GAPEN was born October 24, 1870 in Bloomington, Illinois, where he acquired his education in the city schools and in Wcsleyan 188 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA University. He came to Sidney, Nebraska, in the summer of 1894, which has since been his home. He is editor of "The Telegraph," hav- ing made printing and newspaper business a life study. His politics are Republican. His father. Judge William Gapen, was a delegate to the convention at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated. EDWARD McLERNON is a native of Bel- fast, Ireland, and was bo^n October 24, 18-49. At the age of nineteen he came to the United States where he spent six years teaching in New Jersey and Maryland. In 1874 he located at Lexington, Nebraska, then came to Sidney in January of 1877. He was engaged in the mercantile business for twenty-one years, and has been Postmaster at Sidney for thirteen months past. In 1884 he was married to Miss Jane Darrow but she died four years later. His present wife was Miss Emma Johnson of Des Moines, to whom he was married in 1893. He has a ranch of four sections stocked with horses. J. L. McINTOSH is a son of J. J .Mcintosh and was born April 11, 1874 at Antelope, Ne- braska. He was educated at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, from which he gradu- ated in 1889 and at the LTniversity of Michi- gan where he graduated from the law depart- ment in 1893. He has an extensive law prac- tice, and has also been Register of the United States Land Office. His politics are Republi- can. His wife was Miss Rose Pavlot, whom he married in 1898. J. J. McINTOSH was born at St. Andrews, Canada, on June 17, 1850. As a young man he came to Nebraska thirtv-five vears asfo. He is owner of the American Bank of Sidney, and has large real estate interests. He served ten years as County Clerk, four years as County Treasurer and one year as County Commis- sioner. Was nominated for Congress by the Democrats of the Sixth Congressional District in 1892, but owing to an imperfection in his citizenship, was ineligible. His first wife, .Mary H. Mcintosh, died in 1875. His present wife was Miss Marv A. Kelly of Grand Island. WILLIAM P. MILES is a practicing law- yer at Sidney, Nebraska, to which place he moved in 1874. His native state is Massa- chusetts, and he was born May 23, 1856. He was graduated from Hopkinton Academy, .Massachusetts, in 1872 and after studying law in the office of Norval & Mcintosh of Sidney, was admitted to the bar in 1887. He has had ])ractice in all the courts, both State and Fed- eral. For four years he was County Attorney and in 1904 was a delegate to the National Re- ])ublican Convention from the Sixth Congres- sional District. He had been chosen to pre- sent the name of John L. Webster to the con- vention as Vice-President, but Mr. Webster's name was withdrawn before roll call. In 1901 1 e married Miss Eva Whitman. MARK SPANOGLE was born April 27, 1868 in Lewiston, Pennsylvania, son of An- drew J. Spanogle. He received his education in the common schools and is a graduate of the Law Department of Drake University, Iowa. During 1900 and 1901 he was County .\ttorney of Clay County, Nebraska. He is now Cashier of the Bridgeport Bank, Bridge- port, Nebraska, his present home, and is the County Attorney of Cheyenne County. CLAY COUNTY. Seven years of the early history of Clay County was taken up almost entirely by dis- putes as to the location of the county seat. Harvard, Sutton and Fairfield figured promi- nently in this contest. After so many years of contention, Claj' Center was finally selected as the capital of the county. The bison, wolf and antelope were undisputed possessors of this land before the first permanent settler arrived in the person of John B. Weston in 1857, who was in after years an auditor of Nebraska. At that time he lived in a log house on the Little Blue River. Clay County was organized in 1871. It has now a population of 15.735 and an area of 576 sq. miles. Ninety-five per cent of the land is tillable and the remainder makes good pasturage. In 1899 its yield of wheat was greater than that of any other county in Ne- braska. The Siou.x Indians made a great deal of trouble for the early settlers. The first per- manent court-house was built in 1880 at an expense of $22,000. In 1881 there were 3,827 school children in the county while in 1902 there were 5,600. The climate and soil condi- tions make the culture of fruit and the growing of trees very profitable. R. H. SMITH was born in Peoria County, Illinois, April 10, 1858. and moved to Clay I COUNTY HISTORY. 189 CHARLES I-, COONS. II. C. I'.M.MER. GEORGE A. ALLEN. F. T. SWANSflN. W.W. CAMPBELL. p. !«, -, • \: ^ lt% LESI/-E G. IICRD. -\MBl;uaE C. Eri'EltSUN. ^1^!^ ^, ' "Wt.^ ¥-, ^ ."*'<*i' ' Clay County Court House County, Nebraska, in 1895. He was educated in Amity College, College Springs, Iowa, and has followed the occupation of farming since his arrival in Clav Center. He is affiliated . SMITH. CHARLES M. PRICKETT. N. W. JOHNSON. with the Republican party and has been elect- ed Sheriff. GEORGE A. ALLEN was born in Toledo, Ohio, September 3, 1840. In 1857 he removed to Sandusky County, Ohio, in 1860 to St. Louis, Missouri, later to LaGrange, Indiana, and in 1873 to Clay County, Nebraska, where he engaged in farming and stock raising. He studied at the Normal School, Indiana, and during the Civil War was a member of the Seventh Indiana Cavalry. He is married and has twelve childreiL is a member of the Re- publican party which elected him Clerk of the District Court. AMBROSE C. EPPERSON was born in McDonough County, Illinois, November IS, 1S70. He came from his native town to Clay County in 1880. He began to practice law after his graduation from the Fairfield Nor- mal and the Law Department of the State University in 1891. He has been County At- torney during four terms and is affiliated with the Repubhcan party. He is also State Lec- turer for the Modern Woodmen of America. CHARLES L. COONS was born in Knox- ville, Iowa, August 2, 1868. In 189-i he re- moved to Des Moines, in 1899 to Peru, Ne- IDU SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA braska, in 1900 to Edgar and in 190-1 came to Gay Center. He received his education in Western Normal, Shenandoah, Iowa, the Ne- braska State Normal and Drake University, Iowa. He is connected with the Democratic party and was elected County Superintendent of Schools by a large majority. H. C. PALMER was born in Baraboo, Wis consin, April 27, 1854. He came to Nebraska March 14, 1874, where he studied law with E. E. Hairgrave of Sutton, after completing his high school work. He is a member of the Peo- ple's Independent party and is now serving his fourth term as County Judge of Clay County. W. W. CAMPBELL was born in Wood- stock, Illinois, September 11, 1868, of Ameri- can ancestry. In 1879 he came to Harvard, Nebraska and in 1902 settled near Clay Center, where he engaged in farming. He was edu- cated in Milton College, Wisconsin, and took a commercial course in Burlington, Iowa, at the Elliott Business College. He is a member of the Republican party and has served as County Clerk two terms. F. T. SW ANSON was born in Clay County, Nebraska, thirty-one years ago and has resided there ever since. His parents were of Swedish descent and had farmed in Clay County for a number of years. Mr. Swanson occupied him- self with the farm and clerking after he had completed a course in the Lincoln Business College. He was Deputy County Treasurer for four vears and at the end of that time was elected County Treasurer, receiving the larg- est majority of any one on the county ticket. He is a member of the Democratic party. CHARLES M. PRICKETT was born in Ringwood, McHenry County, Illinois, May 32, 1851. Attending the University of Illinois for three years, he took up the profession of civil engineering. From 1877 to 1884 he was engaged in the survey of United States Public Lands in Dakota Territory, coming to Fairfield the next year. He is a member of the Repub- lican party and has held several offices. Has been United States Deputy Surveyor, Clerk, Member of the Board of Education and Sur- veyor of Clay County. N. W. JOHNSON was born in Switzerland County, Indiana, November 4, 1863. In 1880 he removed to Harlan County, Nebraska, and two years later came to Clay County, where he engaged in farming. There was no railroad between Harlan and Clay Counties at that time, so Mr. Johnson walked the distance in search of work. He is connected with the Re- publican party and in 1903 was elected County Assessor. LESLIE G. HURD was born in Stark County, Illinois, January 23, 1851, and in 1874 removed to Clay County where he has since resided. He was educated in Wheaton Col- lege, remaining there through the Junior year. He was elected State Senator in 1889 by the Republican party and is now District Judge of the Seventh District. COLFAX COUNTY. In 1856 a company was formed in Omaha for the express purpose of founding a city at some point on the Platte. At length a town site was platted on Shell Creek, a few miles east of Schuyler. The town was christened Buchanan, and a few buildings were erected, but North Bend and other flourishing towns lured away its few inhabitants and Buchanan became a thing of the past. Colfax is one of the prosperous eastern counties situated in the valley of the Platte. It has been estimated that it occupies almost the exact geographical center of the United States. It has a popula- tion of 11,211 and an area of 410 sq. miles. The Union Pacific R. R. was the first road to be laid. Before its advent there were not more than twelve families in the county. The trains were at first very irregular, passing through usually at night. The mail bag was thrown ofif in the darkness anywhere in the vicinity of the post-office which placed heavy responsibilities on the Buchanan post-master. At one time a band of Indians carried oflf the bag and were caught trying to sell the letters to some workmen. Colfax County was orig- inally a part of Platte County, but in 1869 it was established as a separate county. Its county seat is Schuyler. One of the first im- provements in the county was a bridge built across the Platte near Schuyler. This bridge was 1,350 feet long and was an expense of $65,000. It was an important agent in estab- lishing communication between Colfax and Butler Counties. This county is a good hay region. Corn seems to grow here better than wheat. The rich grasses in the Platte Valley COUNTY HISTORY. 191 JOHN E. ARNOLD. JOHN CHLKBOl'N. Jr. E. E. GREENMAN. F. C. E(JKirrcjN. Coltax County Court House. Photo by Fenne ^^B^^^^^^^ and the springs and streams make stock-rais- ^^^%i^^^^^ profitable. ^^^^^H GEORGE W. WERTZ was born in Greene ^^ft^HH^H County, Illinois, April 3, 1868. He left Illinoi'^ in 1880 and came to Nebraska, having resided here since. He is a graduate of the High .School at Kearney, Nebraska, and studied law schools at Clarkson, Nebraska, and at the Fre- in the University of Iowa. He was married mont Normal College, graduating from the June 29, 1896 to Lottie V. Guernsey of Daw- Teacher's course in 1898, from the Scientific son County, Nebraska. Mr. Wertz is an at- in 1901 and from the Didactic in 1903. Mr. torney at law and has served his first term as Chleboun has taught three and one-half years. Attorney of Colfax County. He is a member [)art of the time in the high school. Politi- of the Republican party. cally he is a Democrat and is serving his first JOHN CHLEBOUN, Jr., is a native of term as Superintendent of Colfax County. He Nebraska, having been born in Saunders was married to Miss Bessie Winchel in 1903. County, December 7, 1878. He has always F. A. SUCHA was born June 14, 1875, in lived in Nebraska and settled in Colfax County Shelby County, Illinois, and in his fifth year in 1892. He was educated in the common came to Nebraska, receiving his education in J p. MAPLE rRL\H LONG. 192 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA the public schools of Colfax County and the Fremont Normal College, graduating from the latter in the scientific course in 1899. He has spent five years in teaching, and is now serving his second' term as Clerk of the District Court of Colfax County, being of the Populist faith. He was married to Miss Julia Ternes of Colfax Countv in 1900 and they have one son and one daughter. Mr. Sucha is of Bohemian parent- age, his father having come to America in 1853 and his mother in 1855. His father is a veteran of the Civil War, having served in the Fifty-first Missouri Volunteers. M. T. HIGGINS is a native of Nebraska, having been born February 22, 1875 in Col- fax County, where he has since lived. He was educated in the high school at Schuyler, Nebraska, and is a graduate of both the Busi- ness and Teacher's Departments of the Fre- mont Normal College. His parents are of Irish birth and after residing in Illinois for a time, came to Nebraska in 1872. Mr. Higgins was married to Assina Gaughen in 1901 and they have one child. Previous to his election as County Treasurer, he was Deputy County Treasurer for four years. J. P. MAPLE was born on a farm in Colfax County, Nebraska, August 12, 1868, and he has always resided in the county. His par- ents came to Nebraska about 18G1 and his father was one of the first Commissioners of Colfax County, having been elected in 18G9. Mr. Maple was educated in the high school of Schuyler, Nebraska, and has been. engaged in farming. He was married to Miss Anna A. Roesler, February 12, 1890 and has three chil- dren. Mrs. Maple died in February, 1904. He has been elected to the office of Clerk of Col- fax County for a second term by the Fu- sionists. G. H. WELLS is a native of Canada, hav- ing been born May 18, 1841 in Nova Scotia, where he remained until 1863, when he came to Massachusetts. He returned to Prince Ed- ward Island and after residing there for a time came to Nebraska in 1869. He received his education in the Sackville Academy of New Brunswick. Mr. Wells was married in 1880 to Anna Albertson and they have two daughters. During President Harrison's administration he was appointed Postmaster and has served as Sheriff' of Colfax County for eight years. He is now serving his second term as Judge of Colfax County, having been elected on the Republican ticket. F. C. EGERTON was born August 19, 1853, in Grant County, Wisconsin, later he re- moved to Iowa and then to Nebraska in 1868. His mother died when he was a baby, and when his father enlisted in the war, Mr. Eger- ton was obliged to make his own way. He has been in the West and used to freight in the mountains, but for the last twenty-three years has lived in Colfax County and is now engaged in the livery business. He is a Re- publican and is serving his first term as County Commissioner. Mr. Egerton was married in November, 1888, to Annie Spidle, who died four years later. In 1898 he was married to Sadie Hockett. E. E. GREENMAN was born January 16, 1852, in Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan, from whence he removed to Nebraska in Sep- tember of 1867. He received his education in the schools at Sturgis and Hillsdale, Michigan. He served through the Civil War in the Nine- teenth Regiment of the Michigan Infantry. Mr. Greenman is a member of the Republican party and has been Surveyor of Colfax County during thirty-five years of the County's or- ganization and has been City Engineer of Schuyler since its incorporation. LfRIAH LONG was born in Pennsylvania, January 3, 1831. He received his M. D. at Bellwin College, New York, and has since practiced his chosen profession. In 1865 he married Miss M. E. Klingmann and they have five children. Dr. Long has been a member of the City Council, City Physician and a mem- ber of the Board of Health and is now serving his second term as Coroner of Colfax County. He is affiliated with the Democratic partv. JOHN E. ARNOLD was born January 28, 1855, in Appleton, Maine, where he received his education in the Common Schools. He was married to Ella C. Huntley of Philadel- phia in 1885. He now lives in Schuyler, Ne- braska, where he is engaged in the banking business. Mr. Arnold was the last Clerk of the village of Schuyler and the first Clerk of the city of Schuyler and is now serving his second term as Mayor of that city. He is a Republican and was Grand Master of the I. O. O. F. of Nebraska in 1898 and 1899. COUNTY HISTORY. 193 JOSEPH SMITH J F. KAVP. -WILLIAM H. HARSTICK. CHAS Wc'DKiiMOTI. JOSEPH C. PINKER. J. A. STAHL. FRED SONNENSCHEIN. Cuming County Court House. Photo by Koupal, West Point CUMING COUNTY. Cuming County is favorably situated in the northeastern part of the state in the EIl children. CLARA L. DOnSON was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in October, 1861. She was edu- cated in Simpson College, taking her Ph. M. in 1886. After having taught two years, she married W. J. Dobson, who had charge of sev- eral schools in Iowa before settling in Ne- braska. After the death of Mr. Dobson, Mrs. Dobson taught one year and was then elected to the position of County Superintendent of Frontier County, now serving the third term. Her father was killed at Milliken's Bend in the Civil War, being a memcbr of the Twenty- third Iowa Volunteers. She has one son. E. L. HALL, grain dealer and farmer, was born in Oneida County, New York, November a, 1852, where he resided until his sixteenth year, when he reiiioved to Iowa. Ten years 224 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA later he came to Nebraska. He is a graduate of the Rome, New York, high school and was married to Miss Dora Fuller in 1870. His father served in the 117th New York Infantry, Company H, and was killed at Fortress Mon- roe. Mr. Hall is affiliated with the Republi- can party and has served the county three times in the capacity of County Clerk. JOHN C. GAMMILL is a native of Ohio, having been born in Columbiana County, Feb- ruary 6, 1842, whence he removed to Iowa when a boy. He was educated in the common schools and served through the Civil War, rising to the rank of Captain. After the War he married Miss May Phillips and they have eight children. Since 1874 he has lived in Ne- braska excepting four years in Iowa. He was a County Treasurer in Iowa and has been Clerk of Frontier County and is now serving his second term as Clerk of the District Court, being a member of the Republican party. J. S. PERKINS was born in Alleghany County, Maryland, September 9, 1847, whence his parents removed to Virginia, when he was six years of age. There he was educated and entered the Sixth West Virginia Infantry and served through two years of the Civil War. October 10, 1867 he married Miss Mary Sayre, to whom was born one son. He is a staunch Republican, having voted the ticket when in the army at the age of seventeen. He was County Assessor in West Virginia for eight years and is now Sheriff of Frontier County. HANS C. ROGERS is a native of Denmark and was born February 2, 1847. He graduated from the Civil Engineering course of a gov- ernment college of Denmark and served in the Danish Army in the War of 1863 and 1864 as Second Lieutenant. He came to New York in 1S70 and settled in Muskegon County, Michi- gan, removing from there to Frontier County, Nebraska in 1879. Mr. Rogers was Post- master at Orafino, Nebraska, from 1880 to 1886. He is a member of the Republican party and has twice been elected Surveyor of Fron- tier County. He is also a school moderator and Justice of the Peace. GEORGE J. DOLD was born in Sheboy- gan, Wisconsin, January 4, 1869, and his par- ents came to Otoe County, Nebraska, when he was two years old. He was educated there and came to Frontier County in 1888, where he has since lived. He is of German parent- age, his father and mother having come from Germany when young people. Mr. Dold is a Populist and is Chairman of the County Com- missioners of Frontier County. JACOB SCHERER, a native of Iowa, was born in Clay County, May 14, 1851. He re- sided there until his twenty-seventh year, when he came to Nebraska and has since made this state his home. In 1876 he married Miss Elzina Jessup and they have five children. He has followed the occupation of farming and is serving his first term as County Commis- sioner. J. B. RICE was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1847, removing to Ohio in his seventh year, and in 1882 settled in Nebraska. He has been engaged in farm- ing and stock raising. He received a common school education in Ohio and during a four years residence in Illinois. In 1889 he was married to Miss Louella Lydic and they have four children. He was County Commissioner from 1888 to 1891 and has been re-elected to that office on the Republican ticket. FURNAS COUNTY. The pioneer settler of Furnas County was Benjamin Burton, a ranchman who established himself at the mouth of Deer Creek about six miles above Arapahoe. His nearest neighbor lived about 100 miles distant. He found a fine grazing land and an ample supply of water for his stock. A territory in the south- ern part of the state 24 miles from north to south and 30 miles from east to west was or- ganized as Furnas County in 1873. The prin- ■cipal water power is found in the Republican River. Sappa, Beaver, Elk and Muddy are the names of the principal creeks. On the up- lands the wells vary from 60 to 150 feet deep and in the lowlands from 10 to 40 feet. The soil is dark, sandy and very fertile. Land for alfalfa raising is in good demand. Apples, peach, plum, cherry and apricot trees flourish here. The timber along the waterways cannot be utilized for lumber to any extent, but it makes a valuable source of fuel supply. A Plattsmouth town company laid out the first COVSTY HISTORY. 22S A. R. PERRY. T. HEDGES. v.. F. MOORE. R. W. MOORE. H. GUPTON Furnas County Court House Photo by C. H. Ayers, Beaver City, Nebraska town and christened it Arapahoe. Here the first postoffice was established in 1872 with Geo. W. Love as Postmaster. As the sod had to be broken up in 1872, there were of course no crops until the succeeding year. During this time, suppHes had to be hauled with great difficulty from towns 100 to 150 miles distant. The first birth recorded in the new county was that of a child of Frank Griffith. The nearest postoffice was at Alma in the next county twenty-five miles away, and the mail was brought weekly by voluntary carriers. A po- litical war was waged for many years between the north and south, Arapahoe and Beaver City being the contending factions. The lat- ter is now the capital city with a population of !)11. The county was named in honor of Robert W. Furnas, then Governor of Ne- braska. Land has increased one-third in value in the last five years, and farms are in good demand, 12,373 people now inhabiting the county, and there are 3,921 children of school age. R. H. ROHR is a native of Indiana, born in Wells County, October 13, 1841. When four- teen he went to Iowa with his parents and came to Nebraska in 1874. During the Civil War he served in the Tenth Iowa Infantry, being wounded at the battle of Champion Hills and at the storming of Vicksburg. After the war he married Miss Sarah Newbrough and they have three children. He was a member 226 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA of the Fifteenth Session of the Nebraska Leg- islature and has been elected County Judge on the Populist ticket. T. HEDGES was born in Washington Countv, New York, July 28, 1837. He moved to Illinois in 1872 and to Nebraska in 1878. He was educated in Greenwich Academy and Stratton's Commercial School, New York. During the Civil War he was First Lieutenant in the Second New York Cavalry, serving on the staff of Generals Kilpatrick and Sheridan. In ISfiS he married Miss Anna Simpson. He has been elected Clerk of the District Court on the Republican ticket. A. R. PERRY is a native of New York, having been born in Oswego, July 24, 1849. He removed to Ohio with his parents in 186-1 and graduated from the high school at Has- kins. Pie taught school in that state thirteen terms and came to Nebraska in 1885. He has been married twice, and has seven children. While he lived in Gosper County he held the office of Deputy Clerk and was County Treas- urer for four years. He has been elected County Clerk of Furnas County on the Popu- list ticket. B. F. MOORE was born in Guthrie County, Iowa, March 22, 1869. Came to Furnas County with his parents in 1879 and is a grad- uate of the Beaver City high school. In 1890 he married Miss Florence Keep and they have three children. He has taught school, been manager of a lumber yard and worked for five years in the mercantile business at Hend- ley, Nebraska. After serving two terms as Deputy Treasurer he w^as elected Treasurer on the Populist ticket. F. G. DOWNING was born in Mount Ayr, Iowa, January .30, 1870, his parents coming to Nebraska in 1873. He was educated in the Lincoln Normal and the State L^niversitv, after which he taught school, being Principal of the Beaver City high school for ten years. In 1891 he married Miss Amy ^Mitchell and has two children. He is a member of the Re- publican party and has been elected Superin- tendent of Public Instruction in Furnas County. R. W. MOORE is a native Nebraskan, hav- ing been born May 15, 1882 in Furnas County, where he has since resided. He graduated from the high school at Colorado Springs and the Henager Business College in 1902. He taught at the Business College during 1903 and was appointed Deputy County Treasurer the following winter. He is a member of the Populist party. J. M. MOHNEY was born in New Marys- ville, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1863, where he was educated in the Normal School, after- wards graduating from the law course at Ann Arbor. He began teaching in the Pennsyl- vania schools and then became Principal of schools and city superintendent, later travel- ing all over the United States as a salesman. In 1898 he practiced law in Grand Rapids, ^Michigan, and the next year came to Nebraska, his present home. He married Miss Hattie Sunday in 1901 and they have one daughter. He has been elected County Attorney for the second time on the Republican ticket. P. H. GUPTON was born in Christon County, Kentucky, April 5, 1850, of Virginian parentage. He lived there the first forty years of his life, serving three years as Constable, and four as Sheriff, in that state. In 1890 he came to Nebraska, settling in Oxford, his pres- ent home. He has served three years as Mayor of Oxford. In 1883 he. marrie'd Miss Hattie Cooper and they have six children. He is a member of the Democratic party. GAGE COUNTY. Gage County possesses the largest water power in the state. The Blue River, with its nine tributaries, drains almost the entire county, which has an area of 864 square miles. The soil has a depth of from one to five feet with a clay subsoil. The land, which is mostly rolling prairie, has doubled in value during the last five years. In 1899 Gage County produced over 8,000,000 bushels of corn and the poultry industry yielded 1,000,000 dozen eggs. In the south large quantities of limestone and brick clay are found along the Blue River. David Palmer was the first resident of Gage County in 1854 or 1855. He was accompanied by an agent of the Goverrjment who came to pay the Indians. The first important settlement was made under rather . romantic conditions. A steamer, whose route lav between St. Louis COUNTY HISTORY. 227 liEONARD W. COLBY. W, W. WRIGHT. A. H. BABCOCK. H. E. SACKETT. CHARLES L. REED. A. JOHNSON. JOHN R. QUEIN. Gage County Court House and Nebraska City on the Missouri River, was making its slow passage in the spring of 1857 with about 300 passengers. Most of these were men who were seeking their fortunes in the west, and many nationalities and states were represented. At length 35 of these men organized themselves into a town company. Being attracted by the splendid water and timber supplies of Gage County, they decided to locate the town here, so they proceeded to lay out the town of Beatrice, which they named in honor of the daughter of Judge Kin- ney, who was one of their number. The first mail route was established in 1860, extending from Nebraska City, by way of Beatrice, to Marysville, Kansas. The progress was slow until the coming of the railroad, and then the population increased rapidly for two or three years until the grasshopper visitation in 1874. The first schoolhouse was built at Beatrice in 1862, and Mrs. Frances Butler taught the fif- teen pupils. Since then the number of pupils has increased to 10,378. The first newspaper was the Blue Valley Record, which was pub- lished by J. R. Nelson in 1867. Hon. A. S. Paddock of Gage County was the first U. S. Senator from Nebraska. Hon. J. B. Weston, one of the original Town Company, was State Auditor in 1875. Gage County has a popula- tion of 30,051. It has good railway advan- tages. "W. W. WRIGHT was born in Huron County, Ohio, April 8, 1857, of English parent- age. In 1880 he came to Gage County and en- gaged in farming and school teaching for sev- eral years. He received his education in the public schools of Ohio and attended Baldwin l^niversity for one vear. In 1903 he married Miss Tillie Kuhn of Flat Rock, Ohio. While in (ilue Springs and Wymore, Nebraska, he held the office of Justice of Peace. He is a member of the Republican party and is now Treasurer of Gage County. JAMES R. PLASTERS was born in John- 228 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA son County, Nebraska, December IG, 1868. He spent his boyhood on the farm, receiving a dis- trict school "education in Gage County. After finishing his schooling he followed the occupa- tion of farming. He was Deputy Clerk for eight years and has been elected County Clerk. FRED E. BOURNE was born m Macomb. Illinois, March 4, 1864, of New England de- scent. In 1885 he came to Nebraska, engaging in school teaching and reading law. He gained his education in the Public School and stud- ied in a law office. Since he has been in Bea- trice he has practiced law and is now serving his third term as County Judge. MISS ANNA V. DAY was born in Brad- ford, Vermont, July 4, 1874. In the fall of 1888 she came to Beatrice, Nebraska, where she has since resided. Her education was gained in the Beatrice High School and the University of Nebraska. She has a wide expe- rience as a teacher and was elected County Superintendent of Public Instruction on the Republican ticket. CHARLES L. REED was born in Iron County, Illinois, September 19, 1858. In 1883 he came to Nebraska, engaging in farming and teaching school. He received his educa- tion in the Illinois public schools, is affiliated with the Republican party and is now serving his second term as Register of Deeds in Gage County. JOHN R. QUEIN was born in Pennsville, Morgan County, Ohio, June 12, 1871. He came to Nebraska with his parents when si.x years of age and since then has made it his home. He graduated from the Odell High School in 1891. He enlisted in Company C, First Ne- braska Volunteers, in May, 1898, and served with the regiment in every engagement, and was mustered out August 2.3, 1899, at San Francisco, California. In 1900 he was elected Clerk of the Gage County Court and in 1903 elected Clerk of the District Court on the Re- publican ticket. HARRY E. SACKETT was born in War- ren, Ohio, October 10, 1874. In his boyhood he removed to Missouri and at the age of twelve years returned to Ohio, coming to Ne- braska in 1893. He was educated in the schools of Ohio, Missouri and Nebraska and in 1898 graduated from the Nebraska College of Law. In 1900 he was elected County At- torney of Gage County and re-elected in 1902, having been nominated without an opposing candidate. He is a member of the Republican party. He was married to Hermina Reynolds of Beatrice, September 27, 1899. A. J. PETHOUD, a civil engineer and the surveyor of Gage County, came to Ne- braska in 1858 and settled in Gage County, where he has since lived. He was born April 10, 1840, in Lawrence County, Ohio, where he was educated, having gained his knowledge of the higher branches under private tutors. Mr. Pethoud is associated with the Democratic part}^ and has served the public as City En- gineer and County Surveyor for several terms and has twice been County Clerk of Gage County. H. W. SCOTT was born in Cane County, Illinois, February 14, 1859, and received his education in the Caneville High School. He came to Nebraska in 1884 and is engaged in the furniture business at Beatrice, where he has been a merchant all the time since he came to the state, even while in office. He was married to Mabel H. Cook in 1885 and they have four children. Mr. Scott, a Repub- lican, has been City Treasurer of Beatrice four years and two years a member of the City Council, and at present is the Assessor of Gage County. SAMUEL BIVENS was born August 2, 1837, at Waverly, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received his education, his par- ents having come there from New Jersey. In 1865 he removed to Illinois, where he was County Treasurer for thirteen years. He was married to Eva Cavington in 1883 and they have four children. Mr. Bivens came to Ne- braska in 1889 and has engaged in the mercan- tile business. Politically he is a Republican and was a member of the City Council four years, has been a member of the Board of County Supervisors for ten years and at pres- ent is Chairman, which position he has occu- pied for three terms. J. E. PRIEST was born on a farm at Peoria, Illinois, in Jun, 1869, and settled in Gage County, Nebraska, in 1886. He received his education in the Public Schools and the Busi- ness College at Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Priest is both a teacher and a farmer and is a member of the Board of County Supervisors of Gage County. He was married to Jennie Barry of Gage County in 1893 and they have six chil- dren. A. H. BABCOCK was born June 4, 1836, in Steuben County, New York, and in the same year his parents went to Michigan, where he COUNTY HISTORY. 229 prepared for college in the seminary at Ypsi- lanti, taking a classical course, cind then en- tered Ann Arbor Law School. He went to the war before finishing his course, but completed it in 18(i8. He enlisted in Company H of the Eighth Michigan Volunteers and afterwards became Captain of Company E and was a member of General R. S. Granger's stafT. In 1S69 he came to Nebraska and located at Paw- nee City, where he practiced law until 1880, when he removed to Beatrice. Mr. Babcock was a representative from Pawnee in the State Legislature of 1873 and 1874. He was mar- ried to Jemath DuBois of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1880, and they have two children. Mrs. Bab- cock died in September, 1892. He is associated with the Republican party and was elected District Judge of the First District in 1892, serving four years, and was re-elected in 1903 for another term. He received a commission from the Governor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Letton and conse- quently filled two positions. LEONARD A\'. COLBY, usually known as General Colby, of Beatrice. Nebraska, was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, August 5, 1848. His boyhood was spent in Illinois on a farm, until 1863, when he enlisted in Com- pany B, Eighth Illinois Infantry, with which he served as a private until the close of the war. He graduated from the High School at Freeport, Illinois, in 1867, and thereafter grad- uated from the Classical, Engineering and Law Departments of the LTniversity of Wisconsin. He came to Nebraska in 1872 and engaged in the practice of law, in which profession he is still engaged. General Colby has served two terms in the State Senate of Nebraska and was Assistant Attorney General of the United States during President Harrison's Adminis- tration. He is Republican in politics. He has a long record for military service, having been two years Colonel, nine years Brigadier Gen- eral, two years Adjutant General of Nebraska, and one year Brigadier General of United States Volunteers in the Spanish-American War. He had command of a battalion in the Indian War of 1877 and of a Brigade of Ne- braska State Troops in the Sioux Indian War of 1890-91. GARFIELD COUNTY. Garfield County is well adapted to raising cattle and sheep. A large area of good pasture and hay land has already been taken up and at present there is a demand for ranches in this section. About forty per cent of the surface is tillable, the soil being a dark, sandy loam. Cedar and Loup Rivers and smaller streams aiTord good drainage. Wells are from twenty- five to three hundred feet deep and the supply of water is everywhere abundant. The princi- pal trees are ash, box elder and Cottonwood, Plums, cherries, raspberries and small fruits do well. Alfalfa has been cultivated to a very limited extent, but with satisfactory results, and sugar beets have proved very successful. The value of land has increased fifty per cent since 1897, selling at from $3.00 to $50.00 per acre. There is one grist mill and one brick- yard in the county. Garfield County was or- ganized in 1884 with an area of 576 square miles. It only has 4.17 miles of railway and the population is 2,127. Burwell, the county seat and onlv town, has a population of 460. GRACE E. McCLIMANS was born Octo- ber 31, 1881, three miles east of Burwell, Ne- braska, on the old homestead taken by her father in the early seventies. She received her education in the high schools at Burwell and Clarinda, Iowa, and has taught school in both Iowa and Nebraska. Her mother came to this county in 1876 with her husband and still lives on the homestead. Miss McClimans is a mem- ber of the Populist party and is serving her first term as Superintendent of Garfield County. W. C. JOHNS was born in Green County, Wisconsin, in 1863. His parents came to what is now Garfield County in 1878. He received his education in the public schools of Wiscon- sin and Nebraska, and was married to Miss Anna Beauchamp of Fort Hartsufif, Nebraska, in 1892. Mr. Johns taught school and has been engaged in farming and ranching and has a half interest in the grocery store of Johns & Tunncliflfe at Burwell. He is a member of the Republican party and was Sheriff of Wheeler County just before the organization of Gar- field County, of which he was the first Sheriff, lie is serving his second term as County 230 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA JAMES BARR. T. M. CLARK. H. J. COFFIN. J. W. BROCKUS. D. S. BEYNON. K« GEORGE S. TODD. WILLIAM DRAVER. GRACE E. MeCLIMANS T. G. HEMMETT. W. C. JOHNS. Garfield County Court House Treasurer and has been County Superintend- ent. GEORGE S. TODD was born February 34, 1841, at McComb, Ohio. In 1854 his parents removed to Cedar County, Iowa, where he re- ceived his education. He enlisted July 14, 1862, in Company B of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, and was mustered out at Port Gibson, Mississippi, April 10, 1865. He was a partici- pant in the battles of Champion Hill and Black River Bridge and the Siege of Vicksburg. He was married to Miss Eda L. Brainard of Wy- oming, Iowa, in 1866, and thej' have seven children living. Mr. Todd homesteaded in Garfield County in 1901 and is serving his first term as County Judge, having been elected on the Republican ticket. T. G. HEMMETT was born in Niagara County, New York, March 9, 1850. His par- ' nts went to Allegan County, Michigan, where ihey engaged in farming until 1875, when they came to Garfield County, Nebraska. Mr. Hemmett took a homestead here in 1887. He was Clerk of Wheeler County in 1885 and after the organization of Garfield County was elected Clerk in 1894, serving three consecu- tive terms, and was re-elected in 1903. Mr, Hemmett is one of the oldest settlers of the county, having settled here when the nearest trading post was Grand Island, ninety miles distant. CYRUS O. BROWN was born in Roches- COUNTY HISTORY. B31 ter, Cedar County, Iowa, December 2, ISfiG. From Iowa he went to South Dakota in 1883. He graduated from the South Dakota Agricul- tural College in 1894, receiving the degree of B. S., and in 1898 received his LL. B. from the University of Nebraska. He is a member of the Republican party, and is serving as Attor- ney of Garfield County. A. A. WATERS was born in DeKalb County, Indiana, March 21, 1866. Twenty years later he came to Wheeler County, Ne- braska, and took a homestead, which he af- terwards sold and now has a half section in Garfield County. His father served during the Civil War in Company A of the 100th In- diana. Mr. Waters married Miss Mary Mar- low of Wheeler County in 1893, and they have adopted two children. He is associated with the Republican party, was Deputy Sheriff of Wheeler County six years and is now serving his first term as Sheriff of Garfield County. J. W. BROCKUS is a native of Indiana, having been born September 1, 1851, in Carroll County, from whence he came to Iowa with his parents in 1855. In 1879 he came to Gar- field County, but homesteaded in Valley County that same year. He still owns the homestead, but returned to Garfield County in 1900. He owns a section of farm land, one- fourth of it being in Garfield County and the remainder in Valley County. Mr. Brockus is a member of the Populist party and is serving his second term as County Commissioner. He has also been Constable and Justice of the Peace. He was married to Miss Mary HoUis of Bremer County, Indiana, in 1872, and they have one son, aged twenty-two. D. S. BEYNON settled in Garfield County, Nebraska, July 3, 1886, and four years later passed the state examination in pharmacy at Beatrice, Nebraska, and is now engaged in the drug business at Burwell. He was born De- cember 5, 1856, at Albia, Iowa. Mr. Beynon has been a member of the school board at Bur- well for ten years. Chairman of the village board several years. Deputy Sheriff two terms and for seven years Postmaster, which posi- tion he now holds. December 3, 1883, he was married to Miss Christina J. Cornelia of Albia, Iowa, and they have four children. JAMES BARR is a native Scotchman, hav- ing been born in April, 1845, at Glasgow. His father was a stone mason and contractor; also a bridge builder. He put in the masonry on one of the first Ijridges to span the Mississippi River. Mr. Barr came to the United States with his parents in 1850 and settled at Chi- cago. He came to Nebraska in 1874 and took a homestead in what is now Garfield County in 1875 and lives on the same at present. He is a Republican and was County Commissioner of Wheeler County just before its division. Mr. Barr drafted the petition for the division of Wheeler County, giving the county its name.. He was married to Miss Esther A. Abbott of Illinois in 1873, and they have one daughter. He sided the first frame house in Garfield County, hauling the lumber from Cirand Island, a distance of about ninety miles. H. J. COFFIN was born in Boston, Massa- chusetts, January 11, 18G0. In the spring of 1878 he came to Schuyler, Nebraska, remain- ing there until 1883, when he went to Holt County. He took a homestead in Garfield County in 1884, but sold it later. After farm- ing in Nebraska for fifteen years, he went into the lumber business at Burwell in 1892. He was married to Miss Mary Halloran of Inman, Nebraska, in 1893, and they have three daugh- ters. Mr. Coffin has two quarter sections of land in the Loup Valley. He is a Republican and has been a member of the Board of County Coinmissioners of Garfield County and at pres- ent is acting as Chairman of the Town Board of Burwell. T. M. CLARK was born in Monroe County, Iowa, December 30, 1851. When a small boy he moved to Decatur County, Iowa, where he remained until 1870, and after traveling through Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota, Wy- oming, LTtah and Colorado, settled in what is now Garfield County, Nebraska, in 1880. He enlisted at Madison, Wisconsin, in the Four- teenth Infantry of the Regular Army and served nine years, engaging in the suppression of the Ute Outbreak in Colorado. Mr. Clark was married to Miss Clara Pitts of Gordon Grove, Iowa, in 1902. He is a member of the Republican party and is engaged in farming a quarter section of land in this county. WILLIAM DRAVER was born April 13, 1840, on the Isle of Westray, near Scotland. Here he received his education and was mar- ried to Miss Ann Randal in 1861. He came to the United States with his parents in 186S and located in West County, Iowa, where he remained for five years, and then came to what is now Garfield County, Nebraska, in 1873. He pre-empted and homesteaded on coming to the countv and still lives on the old home- 232 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA -stead. Mr. Draver and his brother-in-law were ■among- the earliest settlers of Garfield County, and endured all the hardships of a frontier life. He had three dollars in money and one sack of flour on coming to the county, and used the three dollars to pre-empt. He and his chil- dren own about twenty-six hundred acres of land in this county. GOSPER COUNTY. There were no settlers in this county prior to 1872. In 1873 immigration became so large that it was thought necessary lo organize into a county. The soil is a dark, sandy loam with a silt subsoil. The people are engaged in stock raising and agriculture, and alfalfa is covering a wider range of land every year. The Platte and Elk, Turkey, West and East Muddy Creeks water the land. The county is situated on a high table land between the Platte and Republican Rivers. In the eastern part there is a strip of farm land from six to ten miles in width which is quite level. West of tliis is some very rough land, in which are found short, swift streams and many springs. The hills, being covered with rich grass, make a fine range for stock. The principal trees are the box elder, walnut and cottonwood. The depth of wells here varies from 5 to 325 feet. There are 1,778 county school children and 5,301 of general inhabitants. Elwood is the county seat. W. L. TILDEN is a native of Illinois, hav- ing been born in Henry County, July 19, 1870, whence he removed to York County, Ne- braska, when twelve years of age. He was ed- ucated in the high school of Bradshaw, Ne- braska. After seven years' residence in York County he settled in Gosper County, where he has since been engaged in the banking busi- ness at Elwood. He was in a bank at York for three years. He was married in 1899 to Miss Cora B. Willard, and they have one daughter. He is a Democrat in politics and is serving his first term as Treasurer of Gosper Countv. O. E. BOZARTH was born in Pope County, Illinois, February 12, 1868, and there grew to manhood, studying at the College of Valpa- raiso, Indiana, and afterwards reading law. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and has practiced in both Illinois and Nebraska. He also taught school in Illinois for twelve years. In June, 1901, he came to Nebraska, and in December of the same year was married to Miss Stella ^Matthews of Lincoln, Illinois. Mr. Bozarth is the County Attorney of Gosper County, having been elected on the Independ- ent ticket. G. B. CHASE was born in Ontario County, New York, April 1, 1839; went to Michigan in 1843, and came to Nebraska in 1880. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company C of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, being a member of the regiment that captured JeiTerson Davis Five of his brothers also served in the Union Army, all in different companies. In 1865 he was married to Miss Martha Drennan, and they have eight children. Mr. Chase has also done considerable work as a Methodist minis- ter. He has been Justice of the Peace several times and was once County Commissioner and, as a member of the Populist party, is serving his sixth term as Judge of Gosper County. W. T. NOTT is a native of Henry County, Iowa, the date of his birth being October 22, 1866. He grew to manhood in Iowa and re- ceived his education in the public schools of ^^'ashington County, Iowa. In 1888 he came to Nebraska, engaging in farming and com- mercial work and also traveled for a harvester company. He was married to Miss Lorinda Park of Washington County, Iowa, in 1888, and they have two sons. Mr. Nott is a mem- ber of the Populist party, and has been elected Clerk of Gosper County. MILTON WTNSLOW was born in Grant County, Indiana, December 23, 1853, where he lived until his twenty-third year, when he went to Iowa and two years later came to Nebraska. He was educated in the common schools of In- diana. His ancestors were among the early settlers of New England. Mr. Winslow was married to Miss Viola May Miller in 1881, and they have four children. He is serving his sec- ond term as SherilT of Gosper County, and is associated with the Populist party. W. M. UMBERGER was born in Cumber- land County, Penn.sylvania, March 81, 1855, and was brought up and educated there, com- ing to Nebraska in 1891. In 1889 he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Barber, and they have five COUNTY HISTORY. 233 W. M. UMBERGER, t. G. REYNOLDS. MILTCX \v:X3I dW. \V . T. NOTT. G. B. CHASE. Gosper County Court House children. His people were of German descent, but they have been in America for many years. He is the only shipper of stock at Elwood, Ne- braska. Mr. Umbcrger is a member of the Populist party and has twice been a member of the Board of County Commissioners and is now serving as Chairman of that Ixiard. T. G. REYNOLDS is a native of Ohio, hav- ing been born in Knox County, March 25, 1849, and when eleven years of age came with his parents to Illinois, where he received his edu- cation in the common schools. In 1883 he re- moved to Nebraska and has lived in the state since that time. He was married to Miss Har- riet Bour(]uin in 187G, and they have six chil- dren. Mr. Reynolds was County Clerk of Gosper County from 1894 to 1898, and is now Deputy Clerk. He is a member of the Popu- list party. 234 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA p. H. BARRT. JAMES R. SWAIN. C. T. WEEKES. JAMES R. HANNA. JOHN C. BYRNE. JAMES B. BARRT. W. P. TOOHEY. Greeley County Court House Photo by J. W. Harbert, Greeley, Nebraska D. D. DONOVAN. GREELEY COUNTY. In the fall of 1S71 a party of Seventh Day Baptists from Wisconsin who wished to live apart from First Day worshipers, came to Ne- braska looking for a location. The party, on its return to Wisconsin, recommended the land comprised in Greeley and Valley Counties. A few took claims in 1871, but the large colony came in 1873. They' distributed themselves over the two counties, the greater number choosing ^'aIley. In 1877 immigrants began to come in great numbers. General O'Neill chose a location in the center of the county on Spring Creek for a colony of Irishmen. This colony became very progressive, and the town of O'Connor was laid out in 1877. In October of this year the first newspaper was started at Scotia, called the "Greeley County Tribune." The land is rolling, embracing the fertile val- COUNTY HISTORY. 235 ley land of North Loup and Cedar Riv- ers, besides many creeks. The valleys are broad and level, with a border of high bluffs cut by gulches and canons. Agriculture and dairying are the principal occupations, and al- falfa is extensively grown. Since its organiza- tion, in 1872, the population has grown to 5,091, and the value of the land has increased 50 per cent, since 1S97. . The county seat has been repeatedly changed, but it is now located at Greeley Center, where there are 552 resi- dents. Over 500 quarter sections have been sold within the two last years. There are 2,466 children of school age in the county, and dur- ing the last two years seven large new school- houses have been built for their accommoda- tion. Two-thirds of the district schools here have school libraries. JAMES R. SWAIN was born August 9, 1863, at Detroit, Michigan, from which place he moved to Iowa in 18(18, where he lived until he came to Greeley, Nebraska, in 1887. Two years before he began practicing law at Gree- ley he was married to Jennie M. Hopper of Iowa. He obtained his education at the pub- lic and high schools of Smithland and later at the Iowa University, where he studied law, graduating in 1886. He was Mayor of Greeley tw^o terms and County Attorney twelve years, which office he now holds. He has been a member of the Democratic State Central Com- mittee for several years. D. D. DONOVAN came to Nebraska in 1880, when he lived with his parents in York County until 1893, during which year he moved to Brayton, Greeley County. He was born in Logan County, Illinois, May 24, 1872. He acquired his education at Bradshaw and Grand Island High Schools, at the latter of which he was graduated in 1888. He also at- tended Fremont Normal for one year. He was Principal of the Brayton Schools at the time of his election to his present office of Superin- tendent of Public Instruction. He is a Dem- ocrat. In 1898 he married Margaret Mulcahy. C. T. WEEKES was born at Ottoway, Illi- nois, on the 12lh of April, 1857. He came to Greeley County in 1875, where he lived on a homestead. He is now serving his second term as County Treasurer. Previously two of his brothers have held the same ofifice. In 1893, on the 15th of March, he was luarried to Miss Elizal)cth McClung. He is affiliated with the Republican party. JAMES B. BARRY came to Greeley County when a boy of fourteen from his native state, Massachusetts. He was born at East Boston, August 10, 18G6. His father was Gen. P. H. Barry, who served four years in the Civil War and was also Adjutant General of Nebraska for six years. He studied law in the County Judge's office four years, and was admitted to the bar in 1901. He was County Judge of Greeley County for four years. He holds the offices of County Clerk and Clerk of the Dis- trict Court at present. October 17, 1900, he was married to Miss Mary Taylor of Greeley. He is a member of the Populist partv. JOHN C. BYRNE was born in 'the year 1843 in Ireland. In 1873 he came to the United States, locating in Coleridge, Pennsylvania. Here he worked as a miner until 1884, when he came to Greeley County, which has since been his home. In 1885 he took a homestead, and he still has it in his possession. He is serv- ing his second term as County Judge. In 1868 lie was married to Miss Bridget Durtin of Ire- land. Politically he is a Populist and is now a retired farmer. C. P. SMYTH came to Greeley County from Benton County, Iowa, his birthplace, in 1884. Born March 30, 18G6, his father died in Iowa and his mother now lives near Spalding on a farm. He was employed on the Northwestern Railroad for five years, and from 1889 to 1894 was Assistant Master Car Builder, traveling over the Iowa lines of the Northwestern. On the 30th of June, 1903, occurred his marriage to Miss Sarah Maloney. He is serving his sec- ond term as County Sheriff and was elected on the Fusion ticket. W. P. TOOHEY is Deputy Clerk of Greeley County. His parents, M. J. and Julia Toohey, were living at Tanipico, Illinois, at the time of his birth, October 28, 1875. The following year they moved to Iowa and came to Colfax County, Nebraska, in 1882. He removed to Greeley County in 1890, where he has since lived. In 1899 he graduated from Fremont Normal, and teaching is his vocation. He has been Principal of the schools at Hubbard and at Belgrade, Nebraska. He is a member of the Populist partv. GEN. P. H. BARRY was born in County Cork, Ireland, August 25, 1844, and came to the United States with his parents in 1849. His father died in Mr. Barry's boyhood, so he was forced to sup])ort the family. He was educated at the Elliott Granuiiar School of 236 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Boston. On the 2d of September, 1861, he en- listed in Company E, Sixty-third New York Volunteer Infantry, which was a division of the Arm)' of the Potomac. On September 17, 1862, he was wounded in the leg at the battle of Antietam, and in February of the next year was discliarged for disability. He re-enlisted July 17. 1863. in Company A, Twelfth Massa- chusetts Volunteer Infantry. He was again wounded in front of Petersburg, which necessi- tated the amputation of his right arm. In 1880 he emigrated to Nebraska. He was elected to the House of Representatives m 1892. In 1894 he was again elected to the House of Representatives. April 13, 1895, he was ap- pointed Adjutant General of the State by Gov- ernor Holcomb, serving through the Spanish- American War. He was reappointed Adjutant General by Governor Poynter and served under him until the expiration of his term. On Feb- ruary 27. 1901, he was elected by a un,aiiimous vote as Brigadier General of the Nebraska Na- tional Guard, commanding First Brigade, with headquarters at Greeley Center, which position he now holds. He was nominated for Con- gress by the People's Independent and Demo- cratic parties at Kearney, Nebraska, July 9, 1902. He is now a member of the Populist State Central Committee. His wife was Miss Mary Monahan of East Boston, Mass., and their marriage occurred in July of 1865. They liave five sons living. JAMES R. HANNA has been a resident of Greeley, Nebraska, since he came here as a young man. He was born in Vincent, Iowa, February 21, 1861. He was graduated from Cornell College in 1884, after which he stud- ied law with Judge Gilchrist at Vinton, Iowa, and was admitted to the bar in 1886. He was elected to the Legislature in 1888 and Judge of District Court in 1903. He is President of the Greeley State Bank, of the Gas Company and of the 'Milling Company. In 1887 Mr. Hanna received the degree of Master of Philosophy at Cornell College. The next year he married ]\Iiss Lora Chail'in of ]\Iarion, Iowa. GRANT COUNTY. Grant County was organized in 1888 with an area of 720 square miles. Its population is 763, of which number Hyannis, the county seat, has 200. Whitman has 76 inhabitants. Grant Covmty is chiefly valuable for its good pasturage and hay, twelve and a half per cent only being tillable. Most of the untillable land consists of sandhills, which are very high and abrupt in places, but afford considerable pas- turage. There are no living streams in the county. W'ells from twelve to one hundred feet deep furnish an abundant supply of water. On the many hay flats a large number of live stock is raised, the value of which amounted to $1,546,309.00 in 1900. Land values have in- creased fifty per cent since 1897. There are now 750 acres devoted to the raising of alfalfa. JOHN McCAWLEY took a homestead in Saline County, Nebraska, in 1871 and in Grant County in 1893. He owns a ranch near Hyan- nis. He is County Judge, and is acting in this capacity for the third term. He was born at Dayton, Ohio, October 26, 1850, and moved to Iowa, where he lived until he was eighteen. He lived in Dakota Territory before coming to Nebraska. In politics he is Democratic, and March 27, 1870, he married Miss Edna A. Haggin and they have nine children, four sons and five daughters. R. M. MORAN was born in Marion County, West Virginia, November 28, 1860. He lived in Indiana and Minnesota before coming to Nebraska in 1884. He lives on his ranch about five miles from Hyannis, but has served as Sheriff since the organization of the county, seventeen years ago. In 1891 he married Ella Mclntire of Hyannis. They have one daugh- ter, Winifred. He is one of the earliest set- tlers of this part of Nebraska. W. H. NICKLES is County Treasurer at present, having previously served four years as County Clerk. His birth occurred Septem- ber 13, 1867, at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. He moved to Kansas in 1879 and to Colorado in 1888, where he lived four years. He came to Grant County in 1892, after his marriage to Miss Cora Keene in 1891. He attended the Lawrence, Kansas, Business College. He is cashier in a bank at Hvannis. HENRY R. DELLINGER lived thirty- four years in Pennsylvania, one year in Illi- nois, ten years in Iowa and nine years in Kan- sas before coming to Grant County in 1887. He has taueht schools in all these states. He COUNTY HISTORY. 237 C. ABBOTT. JOHN McCAWLEY T. L. MARRIN. HENRY R. DEI^LINGER. t^- B. UNKEFER. WILLIAM M. ALDEN. M E HARMSTON. S. SEARS. R. M. MORAN. was born in York County, Pennsylvania, De- cember 13, 1833. His higher schooling was at Union Seminary, New Berlin, Pennsylvania. Mr. Dellinger is serving his fourth term as County Superintendent, and his fifth term as Surveyor. He has also been Postmaster at Hyannis. He married Sarah Ann Dubs in lsr)(). and they have six children. L. B. UNKEFER was born at Humboldt, Nebraska, on the 14th of November, 1873. He is a lawyer and newspaper man at Hyannis and is editor of the Grant County Tribune. He began practicing law at Hyannis on March 10, 1900. He was graduated from the Hum- boldt High School in 181)3 and from the law department of the State University in 1899. He has been a member of the City School Board and is now serving his third term as County Attorney, having been elected on the Republican ticket. He was married to Miss Mamie Sight, June 18, 1903. T. L. MARRIN was born at Harper's Ferry, Iowa, November 10, 1867. From Iowa he came to Nebraska in 1878, settling in the south- ern part of the state, and about 1890 moved to Grant County, which has since been his home. He was married at Hyannis in 1803 and has two sons and one daughter. Mr. Marrin is a member of the Democratic party and has served as Precinct Assessor, Deputy SheriflF of Grant County and Town Marshal of Hy- annis. In 1903 he was elected Clerk of Grant County. While at Hyannis he has been en- gaged in the hotel, livery and meat business. M. E. HARMSTON is a druggist, born Sep- tember 28, 1861, in Mercer County, Missouri, and moved to Iowa at two years of age. When twenty-three he moved to South Dakota, near Huron, farming and teaching three years. After spending one year in the Black Hills, he came to Grant County, Nebraska, where he has lived since. He has held the position of County Superintendent; was Postmaster at Hyannis eight years, and has been County Clerk. He is now Deputy County Clerk, and is a Democrat in politics. In 1897 he was mar- ried to Isabel Thurston of Hyannis, and they have one boy. WILLIAM M. ALDEN is City Treasurer of Hyannis. He was born at Union, Illinois, in the year 1860 on June 29. His parents moved to Tipton, Iowa, when he was five years 238 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA old, and he came to Aurora, Nebraska, in 1879. In 1888 he came to Hyannis, where he was the first resident, and his youngest daughter the first native of the town. He established a gen- eral merchandise store and is still in that busi- ness. He is affiliated with the Republicans. His wife's maiden name was Nina Chapin, and they were married in 1881. S. S. SEARS came to Aurora, Nebraska, in 1881, where he farmed for ten years, and then came to Grant Comity. He is a lumber, coal, grain and hardware dealer, and is also engaged in ranching. He attended school at Sandwich High School, Illinois, at Valpariso, Indiana, and at the Northern Indiana Normal and Busi- ness Institute. He has been a member of the County Democratic Central Committee and is now Chairman of the Hyannis Town Board. C. ABBOTT was born in 1832. He came from Ireland to Canada at the age of twenty, and a year later came to the United States and located near Chicago. After a residence of about ten years here he removed to Minne- sota. He next lived in Kansas and finally came to Nebraska in 1887, where he has since resided. In 1854 he married Miss Mary Woods at Chicago,, and has two children living. \\'hile in Kansas one of his sons was killed by the Indians, and he came near losing his own life in the same manner. Politically he is an Independent. He resides at Hyannis. HALL COUNTY. Hall County is made up of rolling prairie land with long slopes leading to the higher parts. The Platte River enters at the south- west corner of the county, passing out in the northwest. The course of the river is very broad here. The water forms two channels, between which is a productive island, called Grand Island. Both valleys and upland have a fertile soil from two to three feet in depth. Apples, cherries, plums,- grapes and all small fruits do well here. The raising of sugar beets and alfalfa are growing industries, and the beet sugar factory at Grand Island has a daily ca- pacity of 350 tons. During the past few years land has increased in value $5 to $10 an acre. Hall County was first settled in 1857 by a col- ony from Davenport. Iowa, which was com- posed mostly of Germans. A. H. Barrows was at the head of the colony and he had an ex- travagant purpose in regard to the town which he intended to found. He firmly believed if a town were located about in the geographical center of the Lhiited .Slctes th^.t it would be onh a question of time until the national cap- ital at W'ashington would be moved to that place. Impractical as his ideas were, they ob- tained credence, and a town company was formed. An agreement was entered into by which each settler was to have, in addition to his individual claim, ten town lots. A town was laid out almost on the present site of Grand Island. In 1858, another party came from Davenport, and in this same year a com- pany of Mormons made settlements along Wood River. On Jan. 18, 1859, there was a terrible prairie fire in which eight of the large houses of the Grand Island Settlement were burned. This fire was maliciously started by a traveler who had quarreled with some of the settlers. In 1859 the great overland travel commenced. This was a great agent in the prosperity of the couiity because the settlers found such ready sale for their produce among the emigrants. The early settlers spent much of their time in hunting wild game. There were buffalo, elk, antelope, deer and wild tur- keys, besides wolves, foxes, wildcats and badg- ers. Wolf skins were sold at 75c to $3 each. Hall County is populated with 17,206 people. It contains one of the large Nebraska towns, Grand Island, which has a population of 7,554. The county has 5,955 children of school age. J. LUE SUTHERLAND was born Sep- tember 23, 1854, in Shelbyville, Indiana, from whence his parents moved to Marion County, Iowa in 1855, where they resided until Mr. Sutherland grew to manhood. He was edu- cated in the Central University of Iowa, Ma- rion County, and Rush Medical College of Chicago, graduating from the latter in 1883. Mr. Sutherland has been practicing medicine since coming to Nebraska in 1882. He is a Republican, serving his first term as County Coroner of Hall County, which position his father held before his election to the office. In 1882 he married Miss Emily F. Kleeverger of Youngstown, Ohio and has one daughter aged fifteen. Mrs. Sutherland died in March of 1903. COUNTY HISTORY. 239 J. L. SCHAUrP. J. H. M[ILLIN. F. E. SI-USSKfi. \V. II. IHOMI'SCN. JOHN R. THO.MI'Sl^N C. A. HAI.DWIN. ^ ^HHpi^x^^^^^^^B^^K ^H^ ^ ' ' ' ■ t _ _ **• <* * . JAMES Cl.EARV. Hall County Court House. Photo b\ G. J. Bauma i. li. U. IIURTH. DAN. H. FISHBrUN. HENRY ALLAN. J. EUE SUTHERLAND S. N. TAYLOR. 240 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA .'JAMES CLEARY is a native of Ireland, having been born there in 18-10. He came to the United States with his parents in 1859 and located in Virginia, remaining there until 1805 when they went to West Virginia for one j'ear and then to Kansas one year. From Kansas they went to Colorado, then settled at Grand Island, Nebraska, in 1870, where Mr. Cleary has since resided and conducted a hardware business. He received his education in the West Virginia Public schools and by attending night schools in Denver. In 1874 .Mr. Cleary was married to Miss Joana Donna.hy of New York and they have four children. He was a member of Compan}' A of the Fourteenth Vir- ginia Cavalry and served until the end of the Civil War and was under General Lee in the Virginia campaigns during the latter part of the War. Mr. Cleary is Mayor of Grand Island. T. O. C. HARRISON was born in New Bur- lington, Clinton County, Ohio, May 23, 1819, where his father, a licensed Methodist Episco- pal minister, operated a furniture and cabinet shop. He received his education in Ohio, hav- ing attended the common schools and the Na- tional Normal Schoo". nt Lebanon and studied law in his uncle's office at London, Ohio. He was admitted to the bar in 1873 and in the same year located at Grand Island, where he has since been engaged in active practice ex- cept while serving on the bench. Mr. Harri- son was County Judge of Hall County for eight years and seven years Judge of the Elev enth Judicial District, which position he re- signed upon his election as Judge of the Su- preme Court of Nebraska. He is associated with the Republican party and served one teri.i as State Senator and one term as Judge of the Supreme Court. JOHN R. THOMPSON was born in Lam- ertine, Carroll County, Ohio, August 4, 1850. His parents moved to Fayette County, Iowa in' 1864, where he grew to manhood and by per- severance and industry in and out of school prepared himself for college and attended the Upper Iowa University at Fayette, Iowa. He then read law with Judge W. A. Hoyt of the McGregor District until 1875, when he entered the State University of Iowa, graduating with honors, from the Law Department in the class of 1877. In 1878 he came to Grand Island, Nebraska. Mr. Thompson is affiliated with the Independent party and was Judge of the Eleventh Judicial District for twelve years, during which time he never received an ad- verse criticism on his rulings and decisions by the press of any party. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Pryse of Iowa City in 1880, who died eight years later. He was again married to ]Miss Sarah A. Jones of Iowa City in 1900 and has four daughters and one son. W. H. THOMPSON was born December 14, 1853, in Carroll County, Ohio. In 1864 he moved to Fayette County, Iowa. His father was a blacksmith. Mr. Thompson was edu- cated in common schools, select schools and L'pper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa, and graduated from the Law Department of the Iowa State U'niversity in 1877. He commenced practicing law in the fall of 1877 at what is now Arlington, Iowa. In 1881 he located and opened an office at Grand Island. He was elected Attorney of Hall County in 1886. From 1896 to 1900 he w^as Mayor of Grand Island. In 1890 he was a candidate for congress. In politics he is a democrat and was a delegate at large to the National Convention in 1892, 1896, 1900 and 1904. He was the fusion candidate for Governor of Nebraska in 1902. On Sep- tember 27, 1879 he was married to Miss Nettie I. Hutchison and they have two sons and one daughter. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Grand Island College and has been since its organization. HENRY ALLAN w«b born in Scotland, February 14, 1858. In 1880 he came to Hall county, Nebraska and his trade is that of a machinist. His parents were John and Mar- garet Allan. From 1888 until 1899 he held the position of Deputy Clerk of the District Court, and from 1899 to the present time has been Clerk of the District CoiTt. He is affil- iated with the Republican party. S.N. TAYLOR was born at Sullivan, Illi- nois in 1861. In 1880 he removed to Cincin- nati, where he remained eighteen months. He served in Troop S, United States Fourth Cav- alry for five years. In 1886 he came to Wood River, Nebraska and there engaged in the har- ness business. He was City M.irshal of Wood River from 1893 to 1897, when he became Sheriff of Hall County. He is a member of the Republican partv. DAN H. FISHBURN was bom in Belle Fonte, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1870. He removed to Grand Island in 1882 with his par- ents, where he has since resided. He received his education in the Grand Island public schools, having graduated from the High COUNTY HISTORY. 241 School. His vocation lias been that of a teach- er and he is now serving as County Snjierin- tendent of Public Instruction, being a member of the Populist party. F. E. SLl'SSER was born in Monroe, Jas- per County, Iowa, July 11, 1868, where he lived until 18S(>, when lie came to Wood River, Nebraska. He has since made W'ood River his home and is engaged in the banking busi- ness at that place. He is a member of the Re- publican party and was elected Treasurer of Hall Count V on that ticket. J. L. SCH.\UPP is a native of Iowa, hav- ing been born in Jackson county. May v'"2, 18()7 of (icrman ])arontage. From there he re- moved witli his parents to Hall County, where he has since made his home. For eight years he was ticket clerk for the Burlington Rail- road Company and prior to this time worked in his father's Roller Mills at Grand Island. He is a member of the Republican party and is now the Clerk of Hall County. J. II. MULLIN is a native of Iowa, having been born in Des Moines County in IS-M. When thirteen years of age he removed with his parents to Iowa City, where he went through the High School and Iowa University Law School, afterwards practicing law until his coming to Nebraska in 1879. In Grand Isl- and he entered the business of book-dealer. He is a member of the Democratic party and is now occupying the office of County ludge of Hall county. R. R. IIORTH. serving his second term as county Attorney of Hall county, was born in New Albion, New York, April 16, 1863, from whence his parents came to Hall County, Ne- braska in 1S72, where his father took a home- stead and has since resided. He graduated from the Law Department of the University of Michigan in 1885 and was admitted to the bar the same year. Mr. Horth is associated with the Republican ]jarty and was City Attorney of Grand Island for three terms. He married Miss May Castidav, of Rawlins, Wyoming, in 1888. C. A. B.ALDWIN was born in Green Coun- ty, New York, May 5, 1835. In 1861 he re- moved to Independence, Iowa, in 1865 to lUishnclI, Illinois and to Nebraska in 1885, engaging in the occupation of contractor and builder. Mr. Baldwin comes of New England stock, his mother's people having come to New luigland in the second ship that landed at Ply- mouth, in March lfi'21, and his father's family having settled in Connecticut about 1630. He has been County Surveyor of Hall County from 1889 to 1895 and also since 1901. He is City Engineer for Grand Island as well. DAA^ID ACKERMAN was born in Penn- sylvania, December 8, 1847, of German par- entage. In 1874 he came to Nebraska. He is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and is a druggist by profession. He is associated with the Republican party and has held several offices. Mr. Ackerman has been Chairman of the Republican Central Committee, County Coroner from 1882 to 1886, County Clerk from 1886 to 1894 and is at l)resent the .\ssessor of Hall County. HAMILTON COUNTY. At the time when the old "Pike's Peak" and "Mormon" trails were being traveled con- stantly, several ranches were established for the purpose of trade with the emigrants. The first white man in Hamilton County was Da- vid Millspaw, who occupied one of these ranches in 1861. The overland stage coach be- gan running in 1863, and a relay station, called Prairie Camp, was put up. The first actual settlement was made in Blue Valley near the southern boundary by Jarvie ChafTee and George Hicks. Air. Chaflfee's dugout had the honor of being the first residence in the county. The first frame house was built in 1870 by F. IT. Clark. A grandson of David Millspaw, the earliest resident, was the first child born in Hamilton County. The first sclioolhouse was built of logs, each settler furnishing one log;' Miss Jennie Laurie was the first teacher, and" her school was composed of ten pupils. She was paid by subscriptions of money or wheat, whichever was most convenient. The school children of the county now number 5.115. The county seat was located at Orville until 1873. .\fter hard fighting during five elections Au- rora finally became county seat, at which time' she contributed a good courthouse at her own expense. Her population is 1,921. The pur- suits of the people are mostly agricultural. The soil looks like dark garden earth, and h'as' 242 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Hamilton County Court House Photo by J. W. Elarton, a clay and silt subsoil. The Blue River in the south furnishes mill power the entire year, and the Platte borders the north. The streams in the eastern part are quite thickly timbered. Fruits, grains and grasses of all kinds flourish, especially in this county. C. A. COATS was born in Alleghany County, New York, March 11, 184T. He re- moved from New York to Pennsylvania, then to Illinois and came to Nebraska in 1879, set- tling in Aurora in 1902. For a time he was a private in Company H of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry. He has held several offices, having been on the town board, school board and was census enumerator in 1890 and 1900. He was elected County Judge on the Republican ticket. During his residence at Stockham he was Post- master for eight years. FRED JEFFERS is a native of Illinois, hav- ing been born in Pike County, August 24, 1870. from whence he removed to Hamilton County and engaged in farming and school teaching. He received his education in the public schools and went to College in York, Nebraska, for a short time. He has been elected Clerk of the District Court by the People's Independent party. J. W. MARVEL. J. W. MARVEL was born in Vermillion County, Illinois, November 29, 1875. At the age of three years he removed with his par- ents to Southern Kansas and in 1890, when his education was completed, he came to Hamil- ton County, where he has since remained, teaching school and farming. He is a graduate of the Lincoln Normal School. He is affiliated with the Democratic party and has been elected Countv Clerk on that ticket. J. H. EDMONDSON is a native of Pennsyl- vania, having been born in Blair County, 1858, where he lived until he became of age, when he came to Nebraska, which state he has since made his home. During the years 1900 and 1901 he was representative in the lower house, has been County Judge four years, Mayor of Aurora two terms, and County Attorney, which position he now holds. He was elected on the Populist ticket. JOHN A. WOODARD was born in Henry County, Illinois, August 5, 1875, son of Dr. D. S. Woodard, member of the Illinois Legisla- ture. In 1880 he came to Hampton, Nebraska, with his parents, and in 1897 settled at Aurora. He was educated at the Fremont Normal Col- lege and the LTniversity of Nebraska. He has COUNTY HISTORY. 243 taught school in Hamilton County for six years and was Principal of the high school at Aurora from 1897 to 1899. He is a member of the Democratic party and is Superintendent of Hamilton County. J. B. CUNNINGHAM is a native of West Virginia and the date of his birth is November 3, 18.56. When he was nine years old he re- moved with his parents to ^lunsey, Indiana, and came to Nebraska as a teacher in 1880. He has held the office of Clerk of the District Court of Hamilton County for eight years and was elected County Treasurer un the Inde- ])endent ticket. OSCAR BERGGREN was born November 18, 1855, in Sweden, from which country he came to the United States in the spring of 1880, finst locating in Chicago. In 1883 he re- moved to Hamilton County, Nebraska, where he is now occupied as a builder and farmer. He spent three years in college and several years in the study of practical engineering. He is now serving his third term as County Sur- veyor and is afifiliated with the Republican party. HARLAN COUNTY. Before the white men came to disturb tlu'ii peace, Indians and herds of buffalo were the only inhabitants of Harlan County. There were more buffalo here than in any other western locality on account of the tempting water and grasses. The Republican River flows through the county. This river has many tributaries in this locality, two of which stretch out over a hundred miles in length. These creeks, Sappa and Prairie Dog, both supply good water power. Wells are from 10 to ^(iO feet deep according to elevation. The Indians fought desperately before relinquish- ing this land to the white men. They were so ferocious that no one dared make a settlement. In 1869, a whole party of United States sur- veyors were kille^ while trying to survey a town range near Sappa Creek. An Indian war went on for some time with General Carr com- manding the white troops. This general was assisted by the renowned Buffalo Bill as his Chief of Scouts. Finally Gen. Carr succeeded, and the Indians of the Republican Valley were completely overwhelmed. The first settlers were part of a prospecting party consisting of forty men from the eastern part of the state. The first building in the county was the home of J. W. Foster on his claim south of Alma. On this farm, Gen. Sidney Johnston's army camped while on the way to Utah to subdue the Mormons. Mrs. Duncan, who lived with her husband in the stockade at Melrose was the first white woman in the county. Large numbers of Swedes and Danes settled around the stockade. The country was so thickly set- tled in 1871 that a county organization was made with an area of 576 square miles. Pre- vious to this time the land had been a part of Lincoln County. There are -hUu children of school age, and the entire population is 9,370. P. P. BEXTLEY was born September 23, 1847 at Westford, New York. He graduated from the Normal College at Albany, New York, in 1871 and has spent much of his time in school work. He served two years during the Civil War and was twice wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. He was School Coniniissioner at Otsego, New York, one term and Superintendent of Schools at Worcester and Milford, New York and also at Bricks- burg, New Jersey. He settled at Alma, Ne- braska, in 1885 and was Superintendent of the high school for eight years. He is a member of the Republican party and has twice been elected Superintendent of Harlan County. A. P. SHELBURN was born in Madison County, Iowa, December 25, 18C3. He came with his parents to Nebraska in 1878, settling on a farm in Harlan County. He received a common school education and has been en- gaged in farming. He was married to Miss Mattie AVhitecar of Dakota County, Ne- braska. Mr. Shelburn has been a member of the Board of Supervisors of Harlan County and is now the Sheriff of that countv. He is a member of the Populist party. C. M. MILLER was born in Bartholomew County, Indiana, March 18, 18(!4. In 1879 he removed to Kansas and ten years later came to Nebraska. Mr. Miller is an attorney at law. and received his education in the Normal School at Salina, Kansas, June 18, 1895, he was married to Miss Jennie L. Druliner. and they have two children. Mr. Miller is affiliated 24:4 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA 9 A. P. SHELBURN. J. A. BROWN. A. C. ELI.IS. P. P. BENTLET. C. M. MILLER. W. A. MYERS Harlan Couniy Court House. Photo by Bishop with the I'opuHst party, and is now tlie County Judge of Harlan County. He has also been Police Judge and a member of the School Board of the Alma public schools. F. W. STEVENS, who has been Clerk of Harlan County for the last five years, was born in \\'est Haven, Vermont. From Ver- mont he went to New York, and then came to Nebraska. He received a common school ed- ucation and has been engaged in the farming industry. He is a member of the Republican party and has also been town clerk and served as assessor for nine years. J. A. BRO^\■N was born in Daviess County, Missouri, September 4, 1863. In 1869 he came to Nebraska with his parents and settled in Harlan County in 1875. He received a com- mon school education and engaged in farming and teaching school. He was a member of the County Board during 1891 and 1892 and from 1896 to 1904 was Deputy County Treas- urer. He is now serving his first term as County Treasurer of Harlan County, being a member of the Populist party. COMER THOMAS is a native of Ohio, having been born April 30, ISCT, at Niles. He came to Nebraska in 1883 and" settled in Har- lan County, where he has since resided. He received a common school education and sta- led law. Since 1891 he has been in the active practice of law at Alma, prior to which he taught school for a few years. He was Attor- ney of Harlan County from 1893 to 1897, and has been re-elected to that office on the Fu- sion ticket. A. C. ELLIS was born in New York State, COUNTY HISTORY. 245 March 8, 1872. In 188G he came to Nebraska with his parents, who engaged in the mercan- tile business at Hastings, Nebraska, after com- ing to this state. He received his education in tlie common and high schools and is em- ployed as a traveling salesman. He was mar- ried in 1894 and again married in 1904. He is now the Clerk of the District Court of Har- lan County, having been elected by the Fu- sioiiists. Mr. Ellis had the misfortune to lose an arm in a cornsheller in 1899. S.VMUEL M. BAKER was born March 10, ISG"), in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. His parents died when he was quite young, and in March, 1883, he left Pennsylvania and came to Auburn, Nebraska, where he lived until Au- gust 17, 1892, when he came to Alma. He studied two years at the State Normal at Peru, Nebraska, and three years at the Eclectic Med ical Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating roni there in 1892. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and has been a member of the Pension and Insanity Boards, and in 1903 was elected Coroner of Harlan County. He is also tlie President of the City Council of Alma. W. A. MYERS was born in Freeport, Illi- nois, March 19, 1876. From Illinois he came to Nebraska and settled in Harlan County. He is a graduate of the high school at Alma and graduated from the Law Department of the University of Nebraska in 1890. In 1900 he was elected Mayor of Alma on the Republican ticket, being at that time only twenty-four years of age. Mr. Myers is Cashier of the Bank of Ahna, and was also councilman for four years. He still continues to hold the of- fice of Mavor. HAYES COUNTY. This is one of the newer counties, having been organized in 1884, but it is fast becoming prosperous. Since a little over twenty years ago its population has increased from 100 to 2,708. The soil is a dark sandy loam, most of which is capable of cultivation. The surface in many places is rough and the higher parts are often cut by canons. Frenchmen River and Stinking Water, Blackwood and Red Willow Creeks water the county. These bottom lands are fertile and are covered with good hay grass. The wells here vary in depth from 12 to 350 feet. Stock raising is the principal industry, while corn and wheat are the leading crops. In recent years land has increased to the value of one-half. The county was named in honor of Rutherford B. Hayes. There are 97(i children in this county between the ages of five and twenty-one. Recent prosperity has made possible better school buildings, longer school terms and higher wages for teachers. The County seat, Hayes Center, has 250 in- habitants. C. A. READY, County Attorney of Hayes County, is an Ohioan, his birthplace being New Philadelphia. He was born April IS, 18G5. His parents removed to Illinois in 18G9, where he went through higli school, and in 1880 came to Nebraska. In 1893 lie married Miss Florence Neveren and has two daugh- ters. He was in the legal profession until 1898, when he entered the newspaper busi- ness. Pie has served three terms as Attorney of Hayes County. R. E. COUNCE was born in Adams County, Illinois, December 14, 1865, leaving there when he was nine years old to go with his parents to Missouri, staying there until 1880, when he came to Nebraska. He has been farmmg and running a ranch since locating in Hayes County. He married Miss Lillie Showalter in 1893 and has five sons. He is a member of the Populist party and is serving his first term as Countv Treasurer. CHARLES BAILEY is a native of Illinois, having been born in Henry County, January II, 1855, but resided there only one year, the family moving to Iowa and in 1869 to Nebraska, his present home. He is a gradu- ate of the Fairbury High .School and has been engaged in stock raising. He was Sheriff from lS9(i to 1900 and was elected Sheriff when the county was organized, but did not qualify. In 1886 he married Miss Mary Milton. He is now holding the office of County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds. C. C. HATCH moved to Illinois in 1861 from his birthplace in Medina County, Ohio. .Soon after he removed to Wisconsin, a few years later to Iowa and in 1886 came to Hayes Center, Nebraska. The time of his birth was January 15, 1833. During his residence in 246 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA CHARLES BAILEY. C. A. READY. R. E. COUNCE. C. C. HATCH. Clinton County, Iowa, he held the offices of a gold Democrat. In 1857 he was married to Justice of the Peace and County Supervisor. Harriet Dolph, and they have two sons and He was elected County Judge of Hayes in two daughters. 1899 and re-elected in 1903. Politically he is HITCHCOCK COUNTY. This county was named in honor of Fhineas W. Hitchcock, who was U. S. Senator from Nebraska at the time of the county organiza- tion in 18T.'>. The county is in tlie southwest- ern part of the state, and has a population of •1,409. The principal industries are stock raising and dairying, yet agriculture is very successful. The chief farm products are wheat, corn, kaf- fir corn, cane, barley and alfalfa. The surface is composed of rolling prairie, table lands and the valleys of the Frenchman and Republican Rivers, besides many creeks. The bottom lands of the Republican River are from two to five miles wide, with a deep, fertile soil. There are many bluffs which give food and shelter to stock, and they are often connected with the lowlands by regular terraces. Irriga- tion has been successfully operated here. Be- fore 18fi9 the Sioux Indians and wild animals held possession of the county. In the spring of 187"2 cattle were driven in by thousands. In this year a few farms were taken up just east of the present town of Culbertson. These settlements were for the most part along the rivers and creeks. In 1873 the terrible fight between the Sioux and Pawnees took place about eight miles west of Culbertson. In 1874 the grasshoppers destroyed the crops and the settlers were so discouraged because of the consequent poverty that nearly all of them left the county. Only 19 men were left in 18T5. After the farmers left, the original stock men who had been driven out by the tide of immigration returned with their herds, and until 1879 were practicallv the only inhabi- tants. In 1878 and 1879 the county was reset- tled by agriculturists, and the stockmen were again forced to retreat. A large colony of Russians settled on Frenchman Creek near Culbertson. The first newspaper was the "Culbertson Globe," which was started by W. Z. Taylor, in 1879. There are now 1.186 pu- pils in the county, and the school term has been increased one month within the last two years. Trenton, the capital, has 329 residents. JOHN H. BROWN was born in Barra, Massachusetts, August 24, 1848, and the next year he went with his parents to Illinois and seventeen years later to Iowa, where he lived until 1870, when he came to Nebraska. He settled in Hitchcock County in 1893, after a residence of twenty-two years in Saline County, where he was interested in the farm- ing industry, and in Hitchcock County en- tered the pump and windmill business. He was one of the Board of County Supervisors in Saline County, and is now serving as Sher- iff of Hitchcock County, having been elected on the Republican ticket for the third term. JOHN M. WILLIAMS was born in Cape Girardeau. Missouri, November 11. 1840, where he spent his earlier years farming. In COUNTY HISTORY. 247 JOHN H. BROWN. JOHN XI. WILLIAMS. C. W. SHURTLEFF. J. P. WERTZ. TMORNHILL. 1878 he came to Nebraska. At that time there wa.s no railroad .station nearer than Red Cloud. Mr. Williams freighted for several years and knew every man, woman and child for several counties about. He stayed in the country after most people had left on account of shortage of crops and Indian scares. His father was always on the frontier from New England to the Pacific Coast, and Mr. Wil- liams has the same pioneer trait. He is mar- ried and has six children. He was County Judge in 1881, County Treasurer in ISS.i and re-elected County Judge in 1901, which office he has held since that time. J. P. WERTZ, County Treasurer, was horn in Louisville, Ohio, February 15, 1858, where he was brought up and educated, graduating from the Louisville High School. He home- steaded in Hitchcock Comity in 1884, coming to the district when it was yet unsettled and remaining until the present time. In 1889 he married Miss Amy Powers and they have six children. He was Deputy Count}' Treasurer before his election to the chief ofifice. He is serving his second term as Countv Treasurer. W. H. THORNHILL is a native of Mi.s- souri, having been born in Holt Countv. .Au- gust 15, 1800, but moved to Iowa with his par- ents the next year, and twenty years later came to Nebraska, where he now resides. In 1879 he married Miss Rosella Temi)le and has eight children. He is serving his thirtl term as County Clerk of Hitchcock County, and also fills the position of Clerk of the District Court and Register of Deeds. Mr. Thornhill is a Democrat. JAMES O'CONNELL is a native of Chi- cago, having been born there September 25, 1868, from whence he removed to Nebraska in 1880. He lived in Richardson County for about eight years and then came to Hitchcock County, where he has since made his home. He is a graduate of the Peru State Normal and has taken work at the University of Nebraska. In the Philippine camjiaign he was in Com- pany B of the First Nebraska. He is serving his second term as Countv Superintendent. C. W. SHURTLEFF'was born in Genoa, Illinois, November 18, 1S57, and lived in that state until 1S84. He is a graduate of Elgin .-\cademy and studied two years in the Univer- sity of Illinois and graduated from the Union College of Law, Chicago, in 1884. In the same year he came to Nebraska and began tlie practice of law. From 1897 to 190] he was County Judge of Hitchcock County, and is now serving his first term as County Attorney for the same county, having been elected on the Populist ticket. He was married to Miss Erma Johnson, and they have three children. He is descendant of the ShurtlefFs who came to Plvmouth, Massachusetts in 1().34. HOLT COUNTY. Holt County is made up of the valleys of the Elkhorn and Niobrara Rivers. Unlike most Nebraska counties, it possesses many lakes, which, with its rivers and creeks, form an excellent water su|iply, by which five flour mills and grist mills arc ojierated. In the northern part there is (juite an amount of timber along the creeks. Grapes, raspberries, 24» SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA CHARLES B. HALL. .1. M. MORGAN. W. B. COOPER. Holt County Court House gooseberries and plums grow wild in these creek valleys. The soil is mostly black and sandy, varying in depth from IJ^^ feet on the uplands to 6 feet in many places on the bot- toms. The soil is easily worked, and small grain, alfalfa and sugar beets are especially successful products. There are large exports of cattle, sheep and ha}^ from the southern ARTHUR F. MULLEN part, and in 1900 the county live stock was valued at $3,221,299. This county is first in the state in its cream supply. Sixty-five per cent of the land is capable of cultivation and 2,000 farms have been sold in the last two years. Holt is one of the largest counties, com- prising 2,440 square miles. O'Neill was made the county capital in 1879, and it now has a population of 1,107 people. The early settlers suffered a great deal from horse thieves, who were called "pony boys." In 1873 there were not more than 50 white inhabitants, but with the advent of several prospecting parties the number was increased sufficiently so that a county organization was effected in 1876. In the last eighteen years the population has in- creased to the number of 12,224. Of the ag- ricultural products, corn is given more land than any other, the number of acres devoted to this particular crop being 78.011, with oats next in favor. The county has had a sugar beet acreage of 210. CHARLES E. HALL was born in Milwau- fiee, Wisconsin, September 30, 18.59. He re- ceived a common school education and came to Nebraska in 1872, liKating at West Point In 1877 he went West to the mountains and returned to Madison County, Nebraska,, in 18.S0. Three years later he settled in Holt County, his present home. Air. Hall is a ma- chinist by trade and was married to Miss Roda E. McMahan in 1881. He was elected .Sheriff in 1901 and at present holds that of- fice, having been elected on the Republican ticket. In 1898 he organized a company of the Third Nebraska Regiment, of which he was First Lieutenant. D. J. CRONIN is a native of Fountain County, Indiana, having been born July 31, 18(il. When fifteen years of age he came to O'Neill with his parents, who took out a homestead and made the town their perma- nent home. After finishing his school work he began farming, and made a specialty of the breeding of short-horn cattle. He is a member of the Populist jiarty and has done public service as a member of the County I'loard and as County Treasurer for two terms. In 1888 he married Miss Mary Morrison and has eight children. J. M. MORGAN is a native of Iowa, having been born in Buchanan County. February 15, COUNTY HISTORY. 249 ISO-l, removing to Brian County, Iowa, in 1831, and settling in Holt County, Nebraska, two years later, where he has since resided. He received his education in the Lincoln Nor- mal and the Fremont Normal College. In 1902 he married Miss Elizabeth I'cck and has one son. He is a Democrat and has served two terms as County Judge. E. S. GILMOUR is a native of Maryland, having been born in Cecil County, April 14, 1850. ^\'hen a young man he removed to Del- aware, later to Omaha, Nebraska, and in ISSS to Holt County, his present home, following his trade of harnessmaker. lie married Miss Virginia Groves in 1875 and has five chil- dren. He is a member of the Republican party, and has been twice elected Countv Clerk. R. E. SLAYMAKER is a native of Minne- sota, having been born in Wabasha County, March 30, 1859, where he was brought up and educated. When twenty years of age he came to Nebraska with his father, who took a tree claim in 1879, and he himself took a home- stead the next year in Greenvallcy precinct, his present home. He has been a teacher in ?Iolt County for eighteen years, was County Supervisor in 1895 and 1896, and has been elected County Superintendent on the Fusion ticket. JOHN A. HARMON was born in Kent County, Michigan, 1853, and remained there until a young man of twenty-one, when he came to Holt County, where he settled per- manently. He graduated from the Law De- partment of the L^niversity of Michigan in 1S9'2. He was united in marriage to Miss Mar- garet McLaughlin in 1901 and has two chil- dren. I'nder Cleveland's second Administra- tion he was Register of the U. S. Land Office at O'Neill and has also served his constitu- ents as Mayor of O'Neill and as Clerk of the District Court. W. B. COOPER is a native of Illinois, his birthplace being Kankakee, the date Septem- ber 7, ]8.")7. There he was brought up and educated in the public schools. March of 1888 found him in Nebraska, where he has since made his home. In 1882 he married Miss Ra- chel Doherty and has seven children. He is affiliated with the Republican party and has been County Supervisor for two terms and is now Countv Assessor. P. J. O'DONNELL was born in Hazleton, Pennsvlvania. August 12, 1877, whence he came to Nebraska when but a small child, his father taking a pre-emption and later a home- stead in Holt County, where he has lived un- til the present time. He received his educa- tion in the O'Neill public schools and went to clerking. He has always been identified with the Democratic party and has been ap- pointed Deputy Treasurer of Holt County. J. J. HARRINGTON is a native of Canada, having been born in Lindsay, Ontario, Octo- ber 29, 1868, whence he removed to Nebraska while still a young man. He was educated at Lindsaj', Ontario, and the Omaha Commer- cial College, and graduated from the Law Course of the University of Michigan in 1891. In 1898 he married Miss Minnie Daly, and they have one daughter. He is a member of the Populist party and has been elected to a second term as District Judge. At the time of his first election he was only thirty-one years of age, probably the youngest Judge on the bench in Nebraska. M. F. HARRINGTON is a native of Can- ada, his birthplace being Lindsay, and the date November 7, 1859. He was born on a farm and was educated in the Collegiate Institute at Lindsay and the Normal College of Ottawa, Canada, later studying law in a law office. In 1881 he came to O'Neill, Nebraska, and was admitted to the bar there in 1,SS5, since when he has been practicing at O'Neill, where he has an extensive practice, extending over Northern Nebraska. Mr. Harrington was married to Miss Maggie McEmery, of Corn- wall, Canada, in 1887 and they have three sons and two daughters. He is a member of the Populist partv. but has never sought office. ARTHUR' F. MULLEN was born near Kingston, Ontario, May 31, 1873. He at- tended the public schools of Canada for a few years, then removed with his parents to Holt County, where his father located on some gov- ernment land. He attended the public schools of Holt Coiuity for several years and then the Fremont Normal School, graduating in 1891, and graduated from the Nebraska Normal at Wayne, Nebraska, in 1892. He taught school for three years, was clerk in the County Treasurer's office for two years. Deputy Treas- urer nearly three vears. resigning the position in 1S9S. 'He studied law under M. F. Har- rington and in the fall of 1898 entered the L'niversity of Michigan, graduating from the law department in 1900. Returning to O'Neill he entered the practice of law in Uie office of 250 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Mr. Harrington, in the fall of 1900 was elected County Attornej- of Holt County, and was re- elected in 1902. He is a member of the People's Independent party. Was married in June, 1903, to Mary T. Dolan of Clinton, Iowa. HOOKER COUNTY. Hooker County is chiefly adapted to raising cattle, horses and sheep on the range. Hay, potatoes and vegetables are the principal crops and some grain is raised. The surface consists of broken prairie, valleys and sandhills. The Middle Loup and Dismal Rivers, with their tributaries, furnish good drainage, and there is an abundant supply of water. The value of land has increased twenty per cent, since 1897 and at present there is a demand for ranches in the county. The value of live stock in 1900 was $438,462.00. The county was organized in 1889, with an area of 720 square miles. Mullen, a town of 100 population, is the county seat. The population of the county is 433. J. H. DODD was born near Quincy, Illi- nois, October 5, 1846. He ran away from school to join the army, and served almost three years in Company B of the Fifteenth Illinois Infantry and was twice wounded. He railroaded for thirty years, beginning as a brakeman on the Wabash Railroad, and when he left the work he was general yardmaster and assistant trainsmaster of the Rock Island at Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Dodd came to Cherry County, Nebraska, in 189G and the next year settled' in Hooker County. May 1, 1867, he was married to Miss Jennie Moore of Adams County, Illinois, and they have two children. He is a member of the People's Independent party, and is serving his third term as Judge of Hooker County. C. :\I. BARNEBEY was born on March 21, 1879, in Schuyler County, Missouri, from whence his parents moved to Iowa, where they lived until 1887, when they came to Hooker County, Nebraska. His father took a home- stead here in 1887, on which he still lives, be- ing one of the very first settlers of this county. Mr. Barnebey was married to Miss Florence Garrett of Mullen in 1903. He taught a pub- lic school at the age of seventeen, but is now engaged in ranching. In 1901 he was elected County Judge and resigned at the end of three months, going on a trip West. In 1902 he was elected County Clerk to fill a vacancy and was re-elected in 1903 on the People's Independent ticket. C. W. RECTOR was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, August 30, 1852, and the next year his parents moved to Barton County, Missouri, and about 1872 they went to Texas. In 1874 Mr. Rector started out for himself, going to Western Texas, where he had thrill- ing adventures with Indians. After spending several years on the plains of Texas and Old Alexico he went to Montana and then to South Dakota. In 189C he settled in Hooker County, where he was engaged in the cattle business until elected Sheriff in 1900. He is affiliated with the Democratic partv and is now serving his second term. At Alliance, Nebraska, July 16, 1902, he was married to Miss Josephine Bowers of Hooker Countj'. MRS. J. E. CATRON is a native of England and the date of her birth is October 25, 1873. .She came to the United States in 1882 and lived in London, C)ntario. for two years, and then came to Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1887 she went to Ogalalla, Nebraska, where her father homesteaded in what is now Perkins County, and in 1894 came to Deuel County, where she was married to Edmond E. Catron in 1893. They have two children. She attended high school at Lincoln, Nebraska, two years and also at Grant, Nebraska. Mrs. Catron taught school for nine years, and is the Superintend- ent of Hooker County, having been elected on the People's Independent ticket. F. S. ALBRIGHT was born January 8, 1847, in Johnson County, Illinois, and raised in L'nion County. In 1877 he moved to Silver Cliff. Colorado, and then back to Macon, Mis- souri, where he remained five years. After liv- ing in Illinois for a short time he came to Dawes County, Nebraska, and settled in Hooker County in 1898. He is a tinsmith by trade, but recently has been engaged in black- smithing and stock raising. Mr. Albright is a member of the Democratic party and has been Deputy Sheriff of Jackson and Union Counties, Illinois. He is now serving his first term as Treasurer of Hooker County. S. M. BOYER is a native of Virginia, and the date of his birth is June 30, 1876. His parents moved to Eastern Nebraska in 1882 COUNTY HISTORY. 251 gM^M J. H. BOYCE. C. W. RECTOR. C. M. liARNEBT. S. M. BOYER. Knw _';i.i. F. M. Cl'DEBEC. MltS J. E. C.VTRON. WILLIAM RECTOR. J. H. DODD. H. J. LOWE. Hooker Coonty Court House and then came to 'Cherry County four years later. His fatlicr served in a Virq^iniu regi- ment during tlie Civil War. Mr. Boyer came to Hooker County in \'M)'i. where he had taken a homestead in 1S!),S and now operates a ranch stocked with about one thousand head of cat- tle. In politics he is independent, and has been elected Surveyor of Hooker County. EDW. nODD was Imrn in Cincinnati. Iowa, August l.S, 1878. He attended high school at .^ciota, Iowa, and graduated from the Keokuk Medical College at Keokuk, Iowa, April 28, niD.i. He came to Mullen, Nebraska, June 17, l!i. 1861. His parents came to the L'nited State^ in 1872 and located at Mar- shall, Michigan, and then, after residing in Livingstone County, Illinois, Guthrie County, Iowa, and Sherman County, Kansas, settled in 252 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Hooker County, Nebraska, in 1894. Mr. Lowe has a general merchandise store at Mullen and in connection with it runs a lumber yard. At Goodland, Kansas, he was married to Miss Mary Kudrua, and they have two sons. He is a Republican, and was Treasurer of Hooker County for four years and has been postmaster of Mullen for eight years, which position he now holds. F. M. CUDEBEC is a native of New York State, having been born in Alleghany County, February 29, 1853. In 1871 he cam'e to Buf- falo County, Nebraska, with the colony that settled at Gibbon. Mr. Cudebec located on Wood River and homesteaded there, where he lived until 187T. He moved to Hooker County in 1889 and for thirteen years was en- gaged in the general merchandise business at Mullen. He then sold out and went into the drug business. He was married to Miss Hen- rietta Rej'nolds of Hot Springs, South Da- kota, in October, 1899, and they have one son and one daughter. He is a member of the Re- publican party. WILLIAM RECTOR was born in South- western Missouri, October 14, 18G5. His par- ents moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when Mr. Rector was a small boy and there had many adventures with the Indians on the plains. From there he drove a herd of cattle all the way to Wyoming, where he remained until 1893, when he went to Montana. He settled in Hooker County, Nebraska, in 1898, where he has been foreman of a large ranch. He was married to Miss Alice Speck of Hooker County in 1900, and they have two children. Mr. Rector is a member of the Democratic party and served one term as Sheriff of Hooker County. HOWARD COUNTY. Howard County has a mixed population of 10,343 persons. Almost every slate of the Union is represented and the German, Danish, Swedish, Polish, Bohemian and Scotch nation- alities are settled here in large numbers. The Danes and Swedish have confined themselves, to the vicinity of Dannebrog. The Scotch and Germans are settled in the west part of the county, and some of the Germans are also found in the south. The Bohemians and Poles are in the central part, and the Americans are scattered all over the county. The surface is made up of table lands and valleys and is quite rough in places. The Loup and other rivers furnish good drainage, and these are all large and of good powers. The bottom lands yield grass or crops equally well. In the southern part are some of the famous "sand hills." These cone like formations of light white sand vary in size from small mounds to large hills. They are covered with wild grass which makes good pasturage. The county has become rap- idly prosperous and lands sell for about twice as nuich as they did five years ago. James N. Paul, a surveyor, while on a hunting expedi- tion through this county, decided to locate a town here. Accordingly, through his instru- mentality, a party of thirty-one persons came and settled in the vicinity of St. Paul in 1871, bv whom this town was afterward laid out. They experienced nuich trouble in crossing Loup River, which was broad and deep, until they succeeded in having a bridge built by sub- scriptions. In the same year, a company called the "Danish Land and Homestead Company" which had been organized in Milwaukee, set- tled on Oak Creek. The first homestead was entered March 11, 1871, by J. E. Cody (Ml North Loup. The first store in the county was opened in 1871 by E. S. Chadwick at St. Paul. The Canadian Colony which was organized in Detroit, Mich., with a member- ship of 40 Canadians, settled between Turkey Creek and the Loup River in 1873. This same year, the first school district was organized, with Miss Lizzie Cooper as teacher. CHARLES E. TAYLOR was born Decem- ber 12, 1873 at Ashton, Illinois, from which place he came with his parents to Nebraska in 1879. His father, J. P. Taylor, took a home- stead in Sherman County. Mr. Taylor came to St. Paul in August of 189.5. He acquired his education at the St. Paul High School and at the Western Normal of Lincoln Nebraska. His occupation is that of an accountant. He held the offices of Deputy County Clerk for two years and Deputy County Treasurer for four years. He was elected County Treasurer on the Fusion ticket and is now serving his sec- ond term in that office. Out of $3.5,S9,').83 of personal taxes for the year 1903 on March l.T, 191)4, a Ijalancc of onlv $13.0,") was left uncol- i COUNTY HISTORY. 253 FR.\NK J. TAYLOR. FRED GRIFFIN. M.\HLON D. SMITH. J. A. ZIEGLER. D. M. HENDRICKSON. GEORGE PYNli. CHARLES K. JAYI.OIi. WILLIAM CHARLES ALEXANDER U. A. UEIL. Howard County Couit House 254 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA lected. He is affiliated with the Populist par- ty. June 17, 1901, he was married to Miss Vera I. Force of St. Paul, Nebraska. They have twin daughters. FRANK J. TAYLOR came to Sherman County, Nebraska in 1879, where he lived be- fore coming to Howard county in 18SU. He was born at Ashton, 111., February 12, 1SG6. He was graduated from the law school of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the class of 1891 and also studied law in the office of Darnall and Ken- dall at St. Paul. He was admitted to the bar in 1890 and served as County Attorney from 1893 to 1899. At present he is holding this same office, having been re-elected in 1903. His father served one year in the Civil War and was discharged on account of sickness. Mr. Taylor was married to Miss Byrdie West of St. Paul, June 27, 1895. GEORGE PYNE came to Howard County with his parents when he was four years old. He was born in Chicago, 111., on the sixth of April, 1878. He was graduated from St. Paul High School in 1896. During the Spanish- American war he served in company B, Sec- ond Nebraska Regiment. On his return from Chickamauga with his regiment he was taken sick with typhoid fever at Omaha and was not able to continue his service when his regiment was again mustered out. He held the office of Deputy County Clerk for four years and is now serving his first term as Clerk of the District court. He is a democrat and was elected on the Fusion ticket. JOHN WYSOCKI was born at Pelplin, Great Dukedom of West Prussia, Poland, Oc- tober 27, 1855. His father was a Prussian soldier and in 1846 was sentenced to life im- prisonment as an active member of the revolu- tionary organization which was trying to free Poland. He was liberated two years later through the rebellion of the citizens of Ber- lin who forced the king to pardon all political prisoners. The father came to the United States in the fall of 1878 and was followed soon after by his family. They came from New Jersey to Nebraska in 1881 and have lived in Howard County ever since. He now holds the office of County Clerk and was Clerk of District Court from 1899 till 1904. He is a democrat. MAHLON D. SMITH is a lawyer by pro- fession, having been admitted to the bar in 1872. He attended the Stockwell Collegiate Institute of Indiana and studied law in an of- fice at Crawfordsville, Indiana. He was born in .Montgomery County rf tl.is state June 17, 1842. He practiced law at Fowler, Indiana, before coming to St. Paul, Nebraska in 1888. W hile in Indiana, he was Clerk of District Court in Benton County for four years. He became Judge of Howard County in 1888 and has been elected to that office three times since, being the present County Judge. In politics he is a democrat. In 1876 he married Miss Anna Burditt of O.xford, Indiana, who died in 1893. WILLIAM CHARLES ALEXANDER has made Howard County his home since he was an infant. He was born in Clinton Coun- ty, Iowa, on the twenty-first of October, 1870. His father was one of the first settlers of How- ard County and still lives on the homestead near Elba, which he took in June of 1871. Mr. Alexander was engaged in the machinery business as expert n'.cc'.Muic for the Deering Harvester Company for five years. He is the present County Sheriff and is affiliated with the Populist party. J. A. ZIEGLER came from Franklin coun- ty, Virginia to South Dakota in 1867, where he took a pre-emption. He next took a home- stead in Cedar County, Nebraska, in 1870, and lived there for fourteen years. He located at Howard county in 1886, which has since been his home. He was born April 24, 1847 Teaching is his vocation and he was Principal of the Boelus schools for six years and of the Dannebrog Schools for four years. While in Cedar County he was Representative two terms and also County Judge one term. He is a Populist. In 1886 he was married to Mary McNeal of Cedar County. He was a soldier in the Civil War, serving ten months in the Fifth Battalion, Virginia State Reserves. D. M. HENDRICKSON was born in Brook- ville, Indiana, January 18, 1864. His parents moved to Illinois in 1868 and farmed there until 1886, when they came to Sherman Coun- ty, Nebraska. Thirteen years later they moved to Howard County, which has since been their home. He was graduated from the Bement High School of Illinois in 1882 and afterward attended the university of Illinois at Cham- paign. He is a teacher and surveyor by pro- fession. He has taught eighteen years, eleven years of which he has acted as principal. He is serving his first term as County Surveyor and is affiliated with the Democratic partv. He was married to Nora Fair, June 6, 1895. I d COUNTY HISTORY. 366 A. J. BOLLIXGER is among the earliest settlers of the coiiiUy. Born 1838 in Butler County, I'ennsylvania. he moved to Warren County, Illinois, in 185S. In 18(J2 he enlisted in the army, serving in company A 10'.^ Illinois Volunteers, luuler Sherman in the campaign through Georgia and was on duty for three years. He emigrated to Nebraska in 1872, where he took a homestead near St. Paul. At that time there was but one building in the town and no railroad. In 1877 he went into the hardware business in St. Paul. Mr. Bol- linger is affiliated with the Prohition party. FRED GRIFFIN was born January 4, 1880 in Nodaway County, Missouri, whence he came with his parents to Lancaster County, Nebraska, in the spring of 1884. After a resi- dence there of fifteen years on a farm, he moved to Howard county in 1898. He was educated at the High School and the Normal and Business College at St. Paul, Nebraska. He now holds the office of Deputy County Clerk, and politically is a Populist. D. A. (iElL attended school at Shenandoah, Iowa, for one year and at York College during two years. His vocation is teaching. His birthplace is near Lancaster, Ohio, born Sep- tember 14, 1872. His parents moved to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1880; to Hayes County in 1885; to York County in 189."). and finally to How^ard County in 1897. Mr. Geil spent three years as a cow-boy on the range in Western Nebraska. He is now serving his third year as Deputy Treasurer and is affiliated with the Populist party. November 9. 1898, he married Carrie Boliman. JEFFERSON COUNTY. The people of Jefferson County devote a great deal to educational interests. There are 108 schoolhouses which have been built at an expense of $86,365. and the school supplies are especially good. There are 5,390 children of school age, and at the close of last year 70 pupils received common school diplomas. The surface is undulating, having an average ele- vation of 1,200 feet, and is quite hilly along the streams. Ninety-three per cent of the land is productive and the rest comprises bluffs, ravines and stony tracts. Land has doubled in value in the last five years, and the best land sells for $60 per acre. Over 200 farms have been sold since 1900. The largest crop of the county is the corn crop, which covers 94,871 acres, producing 1,729,661 bushels. The county live stock in 1900 was valued at $2,093,078, and the hog market makes up the principal part of this valuation. Fruit, vegetables, cer- eals and tame hay are the principal products. In 1899 this county was first in the state in the producing of sorghum and cane. The sugar beet industry is just getting a start. The soil in the bottoms is very fertile and the streams are bordered with considerable natural timber The county is supplied with limestone quar- ries, from which good lime is produced, and there is plenty of clay for vessel and brick- making. Rose Creek has good water power, and the first mill and also the first settlers were established on this stream. The county has 119.60 miles of both telegraph and railway con- nections. Jefferson County was organized in 1857. The population is 15,196, and Fairbury, the capital, has 3,140 residents. In 1857 the settlers were all ranchmen, who sold supplies to the Pike's Peak fortune hunters. The first actual settlement was made by Daniel Patter- son at the point where the Big Sandy empties into the Little Blue. D. C. Jenkins and the Helvy family, who came in 1858, were impor- tant factors in the county history. A settle- ment of Germans, headed by Newton Glen, was made on Rock Creek in 1860. In 1874 a colony of Russo-Germans, from the vicinity of the sea of Azov, in Southern Russia, took up 27.000 acres. In this year the terrible grass- hopper plague came. Trains were actually stopped by the heaps of oily bodies. O. N. GARNSEY was born in Walworth County, Wisconsin, July 1, 1869. He came to Hastings. Nebraska, in 1872 and received his education in the common schools. Mr. Gam- sey is a bookkeeper by profession and was as- sistant clerk for three years. He is now serv- ing his first term as Clerk of the District Court, being elected by the Republican party. He married Miss Winona Hanchett in 1898, and they have one daughter, aged five years. His father was an old soldier. C. C. BOYLE, now serving his fifth term as Judge of Jefferson Countv. was born in Richland County, Ohio, July 20, 1845. He lo- 256 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Jefferson County Court House cated at Fairbiiry, Nebraska, in 1869, where he has since made his home. He attended the Iowa Lutheran College of Albion, Iowa, and taught school before he began to study law. His father was a captain in the Mexican war. Mr. Boyle was married to Luna C. Mason in 18G4 and they have four children. He was one of the first settlers in this section of the state, having come to Fairbury when there was only one little building there. OLIVE TRUE was born in Richmond, In- diana. September 9, 18G4. In 1879 she came to Nebraska. Being left in 1897 with four children to support, she began teaching in the Fairbury schools. She occupied this position until elected County Superintendent on the Democratic ticket in 1903. She is a graduate of the Peru State Normal and has a state teacher's certificate for life. CYRUS E. CASE is a native of Kansas, having been born in Brown County June 1, 1871. When a young man of twenty years he came to Jefferson County, engaging in farm- ing. He graduated from the IBeatrice High School and worked for the United States Pen- sion Office for two years. He is affiliated with the Re]nil)lican party and is Sheritif of Jefferson County. ROBERT A. CLAPP is a native of Minne- sota, having been born in St. James, January 31, 1873. When ten years old he removed with his parents to Wisconsin, thence to Clay County, Nebraska, Salt Lake, Utah, Fairfield, Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, and came to Fairbury in 1897. He received his education in the conmion schools of Wisconsin, Fair- field College, and the University of Nebraska. He is affiliated with the Republican party, has been Mayor and City Attorney of Fairbury and has been elected to the office of County Attornev. FRANK A. HOUSTON was born in Wa- mego, Kansas, March 31, 1874, of Scotch par- entage. In 1897 he came to Fairbury, engag- ing in railway business and was clerk for the Rock Island System for five years. He re- ceived a common school education and is a graduate of Musgrave's Business College of Manhattan. Kansas. He is associated with the Republican party, has been Deputy County Clerk of Jefiferson County for three years and was elected Count)' Clerk in 1903. W. W. WATSON was born in Kalamazoo, ^Michigan, in December of 1844. He came from Michigan to Bellevue, Nebraska, in 1854, and settled at Fairbury in 1872, where he now resides and fills the position of City Engineer of Fairbury and County Surveyor of Jefferson County. Mr. Watson is a Democrat and was the Clerk of the House of Representatives in the last Territorial Legislature of Nebraska. He was married in September of 1886 to Miss Ida Thorp of New Orleans. Mr. Watson has been a railroad contractor and a builder of bridges and large buildings; has also been in the mercantile business. He is a member of the State Historical Society. W. PERRY, serving his first term as Coro- ner of Jefferson County, was born in Troy, Kansas, June 4, 1804. His father, A. Perry, was a lawyer. Dr. Perry was educated in the LTniversity of Kansas and the Jefferson Medi- cal College of Philadelphia. He was married to Lula Corrill in 1899 and came to F'airbury, Nebraska, in 1894, where he has been practic- ing medicine for the past ten years. He is the local surgeon for the B. & M. and St. Joseph & Grand Island Railroads. COUNTY HISTORY. 257 W. W. WHEATLBT. UiKuN K DILL. Johnson Countv Court House CHITTENDEN. JOHNSON COUNTY. The first settlers of Johnson County were John Higgles and Isaac Irwin of Indiana, who took up a half section of land southeast of the present site of Tecumseh in 185G. In the sum- mer of this year six settlers whose farms were adjoining formed the beginnings of Tecum- seh. The first comers settled mostly in the valleys of the great Nemaha and Yankee Creek. The first native of Johnson was James rVice, son of Ansford Price. The county was organized in 1857, and was named for Gen. R. M. Johnson, U. S. A., who figured prominently in the Black Hawk War, and the ca])ital, Te- cumseh, was named in honor of the famous Indian chief. Johnson County comprises 289,- fi92 acres, of which 198,718 acres are culti- vated. About 95 per cent of the land is cap- able of raising crops, while the rest is adapted to grazing and fruit growing. Corn, cereals and meadow grass are the principal agricul- tural products, while vegetables and fruits are widely raised. The surface is made up of roll- ing plain and valleys, with an average eleva- tion of 1.120 feet above sea level. Land has increased in value $10 to $20 per acre in the last five years. Pasture land sells at $20 an acre, while the best farm land brings $75. In the last two years over five hundred farms have been sold. In the valleys there is a de- posit of dark alluvium from five to ten feet deep. In 1900 there were 1,704,5.35 bushels of corn in the county, and the number of hogs exported was 43,3.30. In that year the total amount of live stockk was valued at $1,319,252. The sugar beet industrv is confined to twenty acres. The Nemaha Rivers and many creeks form so complete a water system that every township is drained by at least one stream. .'\ great deal of timlK-r is natural to the val- leys. The winter of 1856-7 caused great suf- fering because the houses were not well built, and the nearest source of supplies was at Brownville. forty miles distant. In 1858 the land was offered for sale by the government. Since the settlers had no claim other than the right of possession, they were forced either to buy their homes or lose them. Many had to relinquish their improved land, and a period of "hard times" began. After the Civil War the county was largely 258 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA settled by ex-soldiers from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. The first school was taught at Tecumseh in 1856 by I. C. Lawrence. The school census of 1861 showed 134 children of school age, while the present census shows 4,195. BYRON E. DILL was born m Lucas County, Ohio, March 5, 1875. His parents are H. J. and Susan B. Dill and his father is a farmer. He is of German descent. At. the ag-e of three he moved to Kansas, and has lived in Nebraska since 1882. He obtained his edu- cation at Blue Springs High School and Fre- mont Normal. He has attended several sum- mer sessions at the State University. He taught school in Nebraska about ten years, both in the common and high schools. He is now Superintendent of Public Instruction in Johnson County. Before accepting this office he was a teacher of science in the Tecumseh schools. WILLIAM H. CU]\nnNCS is a native of the Isle of Man, being born in the early fifties. He came to America when a small boy and has been a resident of Nebraska about forty years. He is engaged in the butchering busi- ness at Tecumseh. and before coming to this city carried on the same business at Nebraska Citv and at Lincoln. He was married while at the latter place in 1880. He is filling the office of County Sherif? of Johnson for the sec- ond term and his politics is Republican. JAMES LIVINGSTON is Judge of John- son County. He was elected to this office in 1901 and was re-elected in 1903. His birth- place was New Albany, Indiana, from which place he came to Johnson County in 1880 and lived on a farm for ten years. His father, John Livingston, was a railroad blacksmith, and is now a farmer. His advanced education has been obtained at high school and at I'lliott's Business College, Burlineton, Iowa, of which he is a graduate. In 1896 he married Ester Bell, and he has three children. He was Jus- tice of the Peace of Sterlinsr precinct for nine years, and is affiliated with the Republican party. CHARLES J. CANON is a teacher and farmer by occupation, and lives at Tecumseh. His father, Israel, and his mother, Mary, were both from Kentucky. Shelby County, Mis- souri, is his birthplace, and the date June 16, 1873. He came to Nebraska when he was three years of age. He has taught school five years in Johnson and Otoe Counties, and ob- tained his education in the public schools and at the Peru State Normal. He was Deputy Clerk during four years and is now in his sec- ond term as County Clerk. He is a member of the Democratic party. Married Nina Moore in 1897 and they have a son four years old. W. W. WHEATLEY was born on the 20th of September, 1856, in Tipton County, In- diana, from which place he moved to Illinois in 1863 and to Nebraska in 1867. At present be is County Treasurer and is serving his sec- ond term. In March of 1883 he married Sarah F. Crow, and they have two children, a boy and girl. He was educated in the public schools of this state and in politics is a Repub- lican. JAY C. MOORE is a lawyer at Tecumseh and is at present County Attorney. He was a school teacher in this county for four years. His schooling has been at the Sterling High School, at Lincoln Normal and at the State University, where he received LL. B. in 1899. He was born at Beatrice. Nebraska, May 25, 1873. His people came from Ohio and set- tled in Gage County. He was married to Mary Z. Varner in June of 1901, and they have one daughter, Pauline. He is a Repub- lican. WILLIAM A. CAMPBELL was born De- cember 31, 1842, at Rushville, Illinois. He went to Pennsylvania in 1867 and came to Ne- braska in 1870. In this same year he was married to Jennie M. Lillibridge and thev have two children. He obtained his schooling in the Rushville High School. He was County Clerk for ten years and Postmaster for four years. He is now Clerk of the District Court and was elected on the Republican ticket. He resides at Tecumseh. JOHN WARD was born in Ireland Decem- ber 7, 1872. Tlis parents, Neil and Margaret \Vard, died soon after landing in .\merica. Mr. Ward worked his own way through school and taught for five years in Johnson County. When he was eight years old he came to Mis- souri, and in 1882 to Nebraska. His schooling was obtained in the Nebraska Public School and in the Lincoln Normal. He is a teacher by profession, but is now Deputy Treasurer of the county of Johnson. He belongs to the Re- publican party. He was Clerk of the District Court for four years. In 1898 he was married to Evelyn Sutherland. They have three chil- dren. L. S. CHITTENDEN is a grrain dealer at COUNTY HISTORY. 259 Tecumseh, Nebraska. His parents, T. J. and Mary Chittenden, came from Vermont. He was born January 25, IS.tT), at Granville, Ohio. From Ohio he moved to \\'isconsin. where he was educated in the public schools. In 1880 he was married to Blanche L. Dodson at Ber- lin, Wisconsin, and in 18S9 they came to Ne- braska. They have throe children. He has been Mayor of Tecumseh for two years past and is a Republican. KEARNEY COUNTY. The early history of Kearne> County is cen- tered around Fort Kearney, which was estab- lished in 1848. U. S. soldiers were stationed here to protect overland travel to Oregon. The fort received its name in honor of Phil Kearney, who was a famous commander in the war against the Indians. The land which the fort occupied belonged to the Pawnees, but the Government compensated the red men with a grant of the land now included in Nance County, together with the annual payment of a fixed sum of money. When the Civil War broke out general sympathy at the fort was with the secessionists. Unjust treatment at the hands of the white men had provoked the Indians to fight, and a long war was being waged against the combined forces of Sioux and Cheyennes. When it was rumored at the fort that the soldiers were to be sent south to fight for the Union the dissatisfaction was so great that they purposely aggravated peace- fully inclined Indians into fighting with them in order that they might be retained at the fort. Many regiments were sent to Fort Kearney, but it was never attacked. At the close of the war General Sherman visited the post to see about making improvements, but as he rode along its inhospitable streets he was hissed by the rebel soldiers. .Soon after he ordered the post to be abandoned. The population increased to such an extent after the arrival of the railway that the county was organized in 1872. The present number of inhabitants is f),8fi6. The surface is a high rolling prairie, and the sandhillf jordering on the Platte are the only waste lands. Land ha'' doubled in value since 1897. The acreage of winter wheat is greater than that of any other crop, although the yield of com excelled that of wheat by 14.282 bushels in the year 1900. Stock raising, farming and dairying are the leading occupations. The live stock in 1900 was valued at $l..'?28,9.'i8. Kearney Cotmty has very good educational advantages. There are 69 school districts. 23 of which have a term of 9 months or more, and no school has less than a six months' term. There are four graded schools, which, together, have a teach- ing force of 21. There are 70 .school buildings for the accommodation of ;5,.").'i8 children. The total school property is valued at .$84,987.25. Minden is the county seat. S. E. GOODIN, Clerk of the District Court Kearney County, was born in Princeton, Mis- souri, November 8, 1870, where he lived until 1877, when he removed to Mills County, Iowa. The next year he came to Plattsmoiith, Ne- braska, and in 1879 came to Franklin County, where he attended the high school. He home- steaded in Frontier County in 1881. After leaving school he went into the newspaper business, and was one of the editors of the Wilcox Herald from 189.^; to 1900, when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk. In 1902 he was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Dis- trict Court and in 1903 was elected Clerk of the District Court on the Democratic ticket. LEWIS C. PAULSON is a native of Ne- braska, having been born in Minden, Febru- ary 26, 1878, where he has always lived. He graduated from the Minden High School in 1898 and then studied in the University of Ne- braska for three years, taking the law course the last two years. When in the law school he was a debater on one of the interstate de- bates. He is the son of an old settler of Ne- braska, who emigrated from Denmark in 1873 and settled in Nebraska in 1876. Mr. Paulson is a member of the Populist party and is serv- ing as Attorney of Kearnev Countv. JOHN R. BAKER is' a West Virginian, having been born in ]8(!7 in Braxton County. He came to Nebraska in 188.'). was educated in the high school at Keyser, West Virginia, and the Fremont, Lincoln and Wayne Normal .Schools, graduating from the teacher's course at Fremont and the scientific course at Wayne, receiving the degree of B. S. He holds a' life certificate and was Principal of the Axtell schools for two years and at Wilcox for two 260 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA LEWIS C. PAULSON. J. R. McKIRAHAN. CHARLES SWANSONJOHN A. SLATER. JOHN R. BAICER. GEO. L. JORDAN S. E. GOODIN. Kearney County Court House. Photo by Pattison H. P. BECK. V. L. GAKXBR. ROLLIN ORCUTT. GEORGE N. YOUNGSON i COUNTY HISTORY. 261 years, where he resigned to accept the position of County Superintendent of Kearney County. He was married in 189G to Marie E. Hall of South Dakota, and they have two children. He is connected with the Populist party and is serving his third term as County Superin- tendent. CH.ARLES SWANSON was born in Kobe, Japan, June 18, 1872, his father having been engaged in business at Kobe at that time. In 1875 he went to Sweden and two years later came to the United States, settling at Mon- mouth, Illinois. He came to Nebraska in 188U. His education was acquired in the Luther -Academy at Wahoo, Nebraska, and .Vugustana College and Seminary, at Rock Island, Illinois He taught school for seven years and then en- gaged in farming. He was married to Miss Mathilda Olson of Monmouth, Illinois, in 1900 Mr. Swanson has been twice elected County Clerk on the Republican ticket. ROLLIN ORCUTT, the Republican County Treasurer of Kearney County, was born in Alichigan, November 14, 185G. His father was an old settler of Michigan and went to California in 1849, where he remained five years, and then returned to Michigan. Rollin Orcutt came to Nebraska in 1878 and has been engaged in farming and stock raising. He received his education in the common schools of Michigan and also attended high school. He was married to Miss Emma Bent of Kearney County in 1882 and they have four children. A. A. WYATT was born in McDonough, Illinois, October 13, 1844, where he received his education in the district schools. Both Mr. Wyatt and his father are veterans of the Civil War and his father's house was one of the stations of the "Underground Railroad." Mr. Wyatt was a member of the Sixteenth lUi nois Infantry, and served over four years. He settled in Nebraska in 1880, having taken a homestead in Kearney County. He is a mem- ber of the Republican party, has been Sheriff of Phelps County, which position he is now filling in Kearney County. GEORGE L. JORDAN is a native of Illi- nois, having been born August ^'i, 1867, in Schuyler County, where he remained until his twelfth year, when he came to Nebraska. He attended the high school at Bioomington, Ne- braska, and the Normal School at Franklin Academy. He taught in the common schools for ten years. Mr. Jordon is a member of the Populist party and has been elected County Judge. JUHN A. SLATER was born January 24, 185G, in Whiteside County, Illinois, from whence he removed to Kearney County, Ne- braska, in 1SS3. After completing high school he attended Knox College for one year and then taught school eight years in Illinois. Since coming to Nebraska he has been en- gaged in tlie real estate business. Mr. Slater was a trustee of the Nebraska Wesleyan Uni- versity for eight years and at present is the Vice President of the Board. lie is a member of the Republican party and has been surveyor of Kearney County for ten years. J. R. McKlRAH.VN, who has been ap- pointed health officer of Kearney County and IS also the County Coroner; is the descendant of a family of refugees who lied to .\merica in the days of the Scotch Reformation and set- tled in Pennsylvania. Mr. McKirahan was born at I'ittsburg, May, 1S78, where he re- ceived his preparatory education. He studied in Alonmouth College, Illinois, for three years and then attended Rush Medical College of the Chicago University. He located in Minden, Nebraska, in 1902, where he has since prac- ticed his profession of medicine. He was mar- ried in 1901 to Miss Mildred Seebers of Iowa. He is a member of the Republican party. H. P. BECK is a native of Denmark, and the date of his birth is May 10, 1863. There he received his education in the higher schools. He came to America in 1882 and located in Hamilton County, Nebraska. Later he re- moved to Kearney County, where he has en- gaged in farming and stock raising. In 1894 he was married to Miss Mary Jepson, and they have four children. He is a Populist and is now serving his second term as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. V. L. GARNER was born February 10, 1875, in Leroy, Illinois. He came to Kearney County, Nebraska, in 1889. He studied at Or- leans College, Harlan County, and took a course at the Omaha Business and Commer- cial College. He was married to Miss Mabel J. Crawford of Axtell, Nebraska, in 1889, and they have one son. His ancestors came to the United States in the early days of the country, and several of the family, including his father, were ministers. Mr. Garner taught school for two years previous to his appoint- ment as Deputy County Clerk of Kearney County. 262 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA GEORGE N. YOUNGSON is a native of Valparaiso, Indiana, the date of his birth be- ing October 27, 1864. His parents came to Nebraska when he was twelve years of age, and he has resided in Kearney County since that time. He has been engaged in farming, mercantile business and banking. In 1890 he married Miss Cora Hill, and they have three children. He is a Republican and has been elected Mayor of jMinden three times. ED. L. ADAMS, District Judge, was born in Monroe County, Indiana, May 24, 1861 where he grew to manhood. He came to Nebraska in 1885, and has since lived in Kearney County, where he has engaged in farming and school teaching. He gained his education in the country schools of Indiana and a preparatory school at Bloomington. In 1882 he was mar- ried to Miss Alta Strain of Indiana, and they have two sons and two daughters. Mr. Adams is a great-grandson of Captain Samuel Adams of Virginia. From 1888 to 1892 he was County Judge and from 1892 to 1897 Attorney of Kear- ney County. He is united with the Fusion forces, and has been District Judge since 1900. KEITH COUNTY. Keith County is situated in Western Ne- braska, with a population of 1,951. This large county, which includes 1,134 square miles, was organized in 1873. The North and South Platte Rivers flow across the county, and where they leave the eastern boundary they are separated by a distance of only four miles. The valleys of these rivers are broad, level and very fertile. Seventy-five per cent of the land is capable of cultivation, and the county contains 303 farms. The mean elevation is over 3,300 feet, and this altitude causes such a dry climate that irrigation is necessary to successful farming. Ninety-seven miles of ir- rigating ditches supply water for 12,646 acres, at an expense of $9.67 per acre. The largest crop on irrigated lands is that of hay and for- age. Corn covers 6,971 acres of land. Every season alfalfa is spread over a larger territory. The growing of sugar beets covers a small acreage. The value of land has come up 20 per cent since 1897. The uplands are rolling and often contain lagoons of water for stock, the raising of which is the principal occupa- tion. In 1900 the value of live stock was $1,195,742, cattle being the largest export. Wells vary from 7 to 350 feet in depth, accord- ing to elevation. The school property of Keith County amounts to $26,817.50, and the expen- ditures for the year 1901-2 were $18,229.11. The county contains 688 school children. Ogallala, the capital, has a population of 355. J. H. McGINLEY was born October 27, 1857, in Missouri, from whence his parents moved to Otoe County, Nebraska. In the spring of 1881 he went to New Mexico and the next year returned to North Platte, Ne- braska, thence to Keith County in 1884. Mr. AlcGinley was married to Miss Kate Mallog of Wisconisn in 1881. He is a Democrat and was at one time Deputy County Treasurer of Otoe County and at present is Treasurer of Keith County. HENRY A. DANO, a school teacher by vo- cation, and at present County Judge of Keith County, was born October 30, 1874, in Os- wego, Illinois. He came to Ogallala, Ne- braska, in 1890 and has since resided here with the exception of two years while attending Ozark College, in Missouri. He is now pre- paring for the legal profession. Mr. Dano has been Chancellor Commander of the Knights of Pythias and V. C. in the M. W. A. for two years. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in the County Judge's office and then elected to the office by the Fusionists. DENNIS W. HARRINGTON was born September 16, 1856, in Rochester, New York, where his father was engaged in canal work and running boats on the Genesee Valley and Erie Canal. He received his education in New York at Rochester, Macedon and Black Creek. In 1880 he married Miss Elizabeth J. Decker of Towanda, Peimsylvania. Mr. Harrington came to Ogallala in 1885 and with the excep- tion of three years at Cripple Creek, Colorado, he has since resided at Ogallala. He is en- gaged in the implement and harness business and is serving his second term as sheriff of Keith County. T. H. WHYMAN was born March 17, 1868, in Erie County, Pennsylvania, from whence his parents came to Adams, Gage County, Ne- braska, in February, 1869. He graduated from COUNTY HISTORY. 263 W. H. HAMILTON. .1. W. WELPTON. WKSI.EY TRESSLEK. T. H. WHYMAN. UALl'lI 1.. ABRAHAM J. H. McGINLEY. 11. L. GOOLD. Keith County Court House H. E. OOODALL. ORIN REED. DENNIS W. HARRINGTON. HENKY A. DANO. MAIXJOLM MACLEAN. 264 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA the Adams High School in 1886 and four years later he married Miss Keturah Moore of Gage County, and they have a son, aged eight. Mr. Whyman has taught school in Gage and Keith Counties and is now serving his first term as Superintendent of Keith County. He has an interest in the implement store of Hull & Why- man of Ogallala. ORIN REED was born April 21, 1853, in Morgan County, Illinois; was educated in the common schools and Lincoln University, at Lincoln, Illinois. In 1881 he removed to South Dakota and six years later went to Richard- son County, Nebraska. He settled in Keith County in 1891, where he has since resided and engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mr. Reed is a Populist and is serving his second term as County Clerk. In 1879 he married Miss Lizzie Copper of Logan County, Illinois, and they have five children. W. J. TAYLOR, Surveyor of Keith County and a merchant at Brule, was born in Penn- sylvania, January 1, 1862, and came to Ne braska in 1886. He returned to Penn- sylvania in 1892 and came back to Nebraska in 1897. Mr. Taylor attended the State Normal at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and has taught off and on for eighteen years in Nebraska and Pennsylvania. He is a Democrat and was once Postmaster at Brule. He was married to Miss Emma Walker of Huntington County, Pennsylvania, in 1885. WESLEY TRESSLER, ex-County Super- intendent of Keith County, was born May 12, 1866, in Crawford County, Ohio, where he re- mained until 1889, when he came to Richard- son County, Nebraska. He settled in Keith County, Nebraska, in 1891, and has resided here since with the exception of one and a half years spent at Grand Island. Mr. Tressler completed his education at Northwestern Ohio University of Ada, Ohio, and has served two terms as County Superintendent of Keith County. He married Miss Maggie Lute of Paxton, Nebraska, in June 1899. W. H. HAMILTON, engaged in the real es- tate and insurance business and serving his second term as Postmaster of Ogallala, was born in Wyoming, Iowa, October 8, 1857, where he was educated and engaged in the retail grocery business five years. He moved to Wayne County, Nebraska, in 1883 and came to Keith County in 1884, where he has since resided and dealt extensively in Keith and Per- kins County land. Mrs. Hamilton was princi- pal of the schools in Ogallala for three years prior to her marriage. ANNA GRAY CLARK, editor of the Keith County News, the oldest paper published in the county, was born at Oxford, Ohio. About the time of the war her parents moved to Jefferson County, Iowa. She attended Howe's Academy and the Wesleyan Univer- sity of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and at eighteen was tendered the nomination for County Su- perintendent of Jefferson County, Iowa, but her father would not permit her to accept it. In 1882 she was elected Principal of the Stromsburg, Nebraska, schools and then served as Superintendent of Polk County four years. She then removed to Keith County, where she took a homestead, and now owns 1,800 acres of fine ranch land, 200 acres of which is under irrigation. She is fond of lit- erary work and teaching and b.as the material collected for a book, "Folklore of the West," and also a book of poems, which she intends to publish. MALCOLM MacLEAN was born April 25, 1859, in Scotland, where his father was en- gaged in farming, and Mr. MacLean received a part of his education, completing it in Ne- braska. He located at Lexington, then Plum Creek, Nebraska, in 1874, and in 1885 settled at Ogallala, where he has been engaged in banking and stock raising. He was Deputy Sheriff' of Keith County for four years and is a member of the town and school boards and Cashier of the First State Bank of Ogallala He was married to Miss Mary Forsyth of Ogallala in 1886. J. W. WELPTON, born in Lee County, Iowa, October 29, 1858, moved to Red Oak Iowa, in 1872, where he completed his educa- tion and went to Emerson, Iowa, in 1878. Was married to Miss Hester Corp in 1879 and moved to Osceola, Nebraska, where he en- gaged in the grocerv business for eleven years and then returned to Emerson, Iowa. Came to Grant, Nebraska, in 1892 and engaged in the real estate and banking business until 1897, when he located at Ogallala. Is a banker and stockman and has over seven thousand acres of land. Mr. Welpton is a Republican, was Chairman of the County Central Committee six years and a memlier of the School Board six years. H. L. GOOLD came to Nebraska in 188G, where he has since lived. His birthplace is Knox County, Illinois, and the date December 4 COUNTY HISTORY. 2€!6 a6, 1850. The public schools and the North- western University, at Evanston, Illinois, con- tributed to his education. He is a dealer in live stock at Ogallala, of which city he acted as Mayor at one time. For six years he was Regent of the Nebraska State University. He has served on the State and County Repub- lican Central Committees. Miss Florence Hurd, whom he married in 1S75, died in 1881. Later he was married to Miss Matilda F. W entvvorth of Kewanee, Illinois. H. K. GUUDALL is a native of London, England, where he was born September 1, 1849. He was educated in a private school at Leeds. On coming to the United States he lo- cated at Harvard, Clay County, Nebraska, in the year 1872, and lived there for fifteen years. He then moved to Grant, Perkins County, and finally to Ogallala in 1898. He was admitted to the bar in 1889 and is still a practicing lawyer. From 1885 to 1887 he was Deputy Clerk of Court in Clay County, and has held the office of County Attorney in both Keith and Perkins Counties. He is associated with the Republican party. In June of 1885 he married Cary A. Boyd of Eddyville, Iowa. RALPH L. ABRAHAM came in 1887 to Keith County, Nebraska, which has since been his home. He was born in Washington County, Iowa, on the 1st of April, 1884. He is the son of Vestal S. Abraham, who is a ranchman. He obtained his higher education at Franklin Academy, Franklin, Nebraska. Mr. Abraham is now Deputy County Treasurer and is affiliated with the People's party. A. M. FORSYTH E was educated at the Ogallala High School and at the Denver Busi- ness College. His birthplace is Oakland, Pennsylvania, and he was born April 22, 187;i. In 1884 he moved to Galva, Illinois, and the next year to Nebraska, where he located at his present home. In 1892 he homesteaded here, lie served as Deputy Sheriff during one term and is affiliated with the Republican part}'. In 1895 he married Miss Christine MacLean of Lexington, Nebraska. Mrs. Forsythe died in 1902. V. S. ABRAHAM was born December 23, ISGO, in Washington County, Iowa, where he lived on a farm until he came to Nebraska in 1887. He is a ranchman by occupation, and the ranch on which he lives has a feeding ca- pacity for about 500 head of cattle. For four years he was County Treasurer and he has also been Chairman of the County Central Committee of the People's party. He is an independent in political matters. In 1883 he married Miss Rose lams of Iowa. He has eight sons. KEYA PAHA COUNTY. Keya Paha is one of the youngest Nebraska counties, having been organized in 1884. Al- though it is handicapped by the lack of a rail- way, it has a population of 3,07G. Springview, the county seat, has 188 residents. There are 1,0(52 school children and 44 teachers, to whom about $G,913 is paid annually in wages. The total value of school property in 1901 was $12,- 122.50. There are 5G school districts, 28 of which have terms lasting from six to nine months. The county has one graded school, for which two teachers are employed. There are 4G schoolhouses in the county, half of which are of log. The surface consists of roll- ing highland and fertile valleys. The water supply consists of Keya Paha and Niobrara Rivers and Sand .Shadley, Last Cottonwood, Holt, Burton and Spring Creeks. The leading industries are farming and stock raising. The principal crops are corn, small grain, potatoes, vegetables and hay. Alfalfa growing has been successfully tried. Land is two-fifths more valuable than in 1897, and in the last two years the sales of farms have exceeded 100. Twenty- nine thousand and seventy acres of land are devoted to corn. There are 599 farms and in 1899 the farmers paid out $8,470 for help. The county live stock in 1900 was valued at $890,- 80G. H. M. DUVAL, a native of Atlantic, Iowa, was born May IS, 1880. He graduated from the Atlantic High School, attended the Uni- versity of Iowa for a time and then went to Alontana, where he was in a lumber camp as commissary. In 1902 he graduated from the Law School of the University of Nebraska and homesteaded in Keya Paha County in 1903. After a residence there of less than four months he was elected County Attorney. ROSS AMSPOKER was born in Iowa No- 266 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA ^li H. M. DUVAL. RALPH T.BWI3. C. A. RIPLEY. L, A. WILSON. ROSS AMSPOKER SAMUEL AMSPOKER. JESSIE RIPLEY. Keya Paha County Court House JOHN SCHEIE. THEO. L. ROGERS THOMAS. R. EVANS. H. COTTRILi. COUNTY HISTORY. 267 vember IS, IST-i, and ten years later his par- ents removed to Keya Paha County, Nebraska, and took a homestead and have lived there ever since. At the time of their arrival the county was still unorganized, being a part of Brown County. He graduated from the Uni- versity of Nebraska Law School in 1903 and has been Deputy Treasurer of Keya Paha County. He served in this capacity two terms and was then elccteil Treasurer on tlie Republican ticket. THEO. L. ROGERS is a native of Wiscon- sin, having been born in Eldorado January ''^y, ISol. He went to Minnesota in 1886 and after a ten years' residence there came to Nebraska and homesteaded in Keya Paha County in 1897. After his graduation from the Milton Normal School of Wisconsin, he began teach- ing, which profession he followed until he was elected County Judge. He is a member of the Republican party. JOHN SCHEIE, County Superintendent of Keya Paha Count}^ was born in Union County. South Dakota, December 22, 1868. His par- ents removed to Iowa the ne.xt year and in 1S80 came to Nebraska, where they took a home stead on the Keya Paha River. There were n > schools in that part of Nebraska in those days, and when Mr. Scheie was twenty-seven he started out with the determination to secun- an education. In 1900 he finished at the Grand Island Business and Normal College and graduated from the Fremont Normal College in 1901. While in Boyd County he served as Deputy County Clerk, was elected Superin- tendent of Keya Paha County on the Repub- lican ticket and re-elected without an oppos- ing canrlidatc. C. A. RIPLEY is a native of Iowa, having l)een born in Jefferson County February 20, 1858. He received his education in the public schools and the Wilton Seminary. In 1S82 lie married Miss Hester Cutshall and they have eight children. Two years after his mar- riage lie came to Nebraska, taking a home- stead in Keya Paha County and living on it seven years, when he removed to Springview, his present home. He is a member of the Re- publican party and has served as Postmaster for three terms, having been appointed under Harrison. He is the present County Clerk also. H. COTTRILL was born in Athens County, Ohio, May 11, 1868, and spent his boyhood there, removing to Iowa with his parents in 1882. where he received a public school educa- tion. He came to Keya Paha County in 1900 and took a homestead. In 1896 he married .Miss Florence Ellis, and they have three chil- dren. He is a member of the Republican party and has been elected County Sheriff. THOMAS R. EVANS was born l"ebruary 26, 1843, in Nautglyn, Deubighshire, Nortli Wales. He came to New York in 1857 and from there went to Waukesha County, Wis- consin, where he was appointed Postmaster under Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and 1865. He came to Norden, Nebraska, in 1883 and has engaged in farming in Keya Paha County. He is a Republican and has been surveyor of Keya Paha County since 1900 and also held that po- sition in 1864 and 1865 in Wisconsin. JESSIE RIPLEY was born in Sibley, Iowa, August 16, 1884. Her parents came to Ne- braska during the same year, settling in Keya Paha County, where they have since lived. Miss Ripley attended the high school at Sib- ley, Iowa. After her graduation she taught two years and has served nearly two terms as Deputy County Clerk. Her father home- steaded in what is now Keya Paha County be- fore its organization. , W. C. BROWN was born in .Syracuse, New York, November 28, 1853, and removed to Rochester in 1865. He attended the Collegiate Institute at Rochester and then entered a law- office in Pennsylvania and in 1884 came to Keya Paha County. He married Miss Ida Webster in 1875 and they have two daughters. He is a Republican and in Pennsylvania was .Mayor of Clarendon, has been County Attor- luy of Keya Paha County for four terms and State Senator during the twenty-eighth ses- sion of the Nebraska Legislature. L. A. WILSON, editor of the Springview Herald, is a native of Wisconsin, having been born in Georgetown, October 10, 1867, where he spent his boyhood days, graduating from tlie Plattcville State Normal School in 1890. He taught two years as Princii)al of the Al- toona Schools and then entered Northwestern University, graduating in 1897, having gradu ated from the School of Oratory connected with the I'niversitv in 1S92. In 1S98 he mar- ried Miss Minnie Bell and that .same year be- came Principal of the high school at Seward. Nebraska. He returned to Wisconsin in 1900 to assist his father in business, but soon re- turned to Nebraska. After ranching in Keya Paha County for two years he bought the 268 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Springview Herald, which he has since edited. SAMUEL AMSPOKER was born April 22, 1837, in Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received his education in the common schools. In 1808 he came to Iowa and in the early eighties came to Nebraska, settling near Al- bion, and in 1884 he homesteaded in Keya Paha County, where he is engaged in farming and ranching. He was married in 18G1 to Miss Mary J. Caldwell of Kentucky and they have nine children. Mr. Amspoker has a ranch of three thousand acres seven miles east of Springview, where he makes his home at pres- ent. He is a member of the Republican part)- and served as Treasurer of Keya Paha County from 1898 to 1902. RALPH LEWIS was born at Farmersville, New York, February 3, 1842. He enlisted in Company D, Sixty-fourth New York Volun- teers, August 22, 1861, and was discharged March 22, 186G. In April of 1883 he moved to Keya Paha County from Warren, Pennsylva- nia, being one of the early settlers of Keya Paha County, and was active in organizing the county, which was a part of Brown County at the lime he came to the State. He was the first County Treasurer of Keya Paha County. Mr. Lewis has a fine ranch of 1,600 acres situ- ated on the Keya Paha River, is a prominent breeder of Hereford cattle and is one of the wealthiest men in the county. His family, consisting of six sons and two daughters, all reside on their ranches on the Keya Paha River, where they own a great deal of land. Mr. Lewis is active in Populist politics. KIMBALL COUNTY. Kimball County w^as organized sixteen years ago, in 1888. It has an area of 9fiU square miles and a population of 758, about one-third of which are residents of Kimball, the county seat. There is one graded school and fifteen common schools, in which nineteen teachers are employed. The 275 children are apportioned into eighteen districts. There are four districts which have a term of six months or more. There are no sandhills in Kimball County, and 70 per cent of the land is capable of cultivation. The untillable portion is used • as grazing land. The soil is generally dark and sandy, with a clay subsoil. Lodge Pole Creek is the principal waterway, and its valley averages one and one-half miles in breadth. This valley is irrigated by means of twenty- five miles of ditching, at a cost of $7.65 per acre. There are now 4,325 acres of land under irrigation, and hay and forage are the princi- pal crops. On the upland wells are from 125 to 300 feet. Stock raising is the principal in- dustry, and in 1900 the live stock was valued at $703,225. Five thousand two hundred and twenty-five sheep and 1,625 cattle were in- cluded in this estimate. B. H. BUSHEE was born May 3, 1871, at Dartford, Wisconsin, from which State he came to Nebraska in 1888. He homesteaded here in 1892 and again in 1904 under the Kin- kaid law, having sold his first homestead. He was graduated from the Ripan, Wisconsin, High School in 1888. He taught six years in this county before accepting the office of Covmty Superintendent, which he now holds. He was first elected in 1895 and has twice been re-elected. In 1894 he married Ruth Cunning- ham. He became a partner of Henry Vogler in a general merchandise store in 1898, which business he still retains. He is a member of the Republican party. J. J. KINNEY is a native of Ireland, born July 15, 1845. At the age of twenty he came to the United States and located in Cedar County, Iowa. He moved to Lincoln County, Nebraska, in 1870 and two 3'ears later to his present home in Kimball County. Before this county was organized he served as County Commissioner of Cheyenne. He is now Coun- ty Attorney, having served four years in this capacity previous to his present term. His politics are Democratic. His first wife was Miss Margaret Fitzpatrick, who died in 1882. In 1885 he was married to Annie Shea of Iowa. E. W. BARTHOLOMEW is Sheriff of Kimball County. His birthplace is Wappalo County. Iowa, where he was born January 1, 1858. In 1877 he moved to Polk County, Ne- braska, and ten years later homesteaded in this county. He spent the years of 1889 and 1890 in Denver, Colorado. He is engaged in the confectionery business at Kimball, but for- merly he was a contractor and bricklayer. Po litically he is a Republican. His wife was Miss COUNTY HISTORY. 269 \V. D. ATKINS. ALFRED HANSEN. GUS LINN. K. \V. BARTHOLOMEW. HENRY H. PROUTY. Kimball County Court House U W. BICKEL. P. MAGINNIS. ROBERT GUNDERSON. IIKNKY VOGLEK. Cora E. DeShay, whom he mraried on October 18, 1884, and they liave two sons and one daughter. F. M. WOOLDRIDGE is County Clerk and Clerk of District Court of Kimball County. He was born May 7, 1872, in York County, Ne- braska, from which place he moved to Exeter, Fillmore County, finally coming to Kimball Count}' in 1886. He was graduated from the I^incoln Business College in 1893. The next year he was married and now is engaged in the mercantile business at Kimball. In 190-1 he homesteaded in this county under the Kinkaid law and now has ()40 acres. He is affiliated with the Republicans. HENRY H. PROUTY, with the exception 270 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA of two years, has been County Judge of Kim- ball County since 1895. He bas been sub- assistant on the Nebraska State Board of Irri- gation and also Justice of the Peace. He was born December 28, 1842, at Brattleboro, Ver- mont. At nineteen he enlisted as private in Company C, Second Vermont Regiment, and served through the Civil War, being discharged July 28, 1865, as Senior Captain of the regi- ment. After the war he returned to Vermont for two years. He then removed to Massachu- setts and in 1886 to Kimball, Nebraska. He is a Democrat, and March 16, 1867. was mar- ried to Miss Julia Hurley. P. MAGINNIS was born January 6, 1867, in Ireland, where he was educated. In 1880 he located in Brown County, Illinois, after which he moved to Aurora, Nebraska, and after some travel to Kimball County. He is a black- smith by trade, and is sole proprietor and owner of the Maginnis Flume Manufacturing Company of Kimball. For four years he was SheriflF and is now serving his second term as County Treasurer, his politics being Demo- cratic. He was married to Maggie A. Mar- shall in 1888 and he has five sons and one (laughter. A. H. AMOS was born May 31, 1842, in Bir- mingham, England, when he came to the United States in 1848 and located with his parents at Racine, Wisconsin. He next re- moved to Kearney, Nebraska, where he lived for two years before coming to Kimball County in 1887. He was educated in the pub lie schools and Beloit College of Wisconsin. He is' in his first term as County Commis- sioner and is an independent voter. He was a soldier in the Civil War and served both in Company A, First Battalion of Illinois Sharp- shooters, and in the First Wisconsin Heavy .Artillery. His ranching interests consist of 320 acres of land, stocked with cattle and horses. In 1871 he married Julia McCumber. ROBERT GUNDERSON" is a ranch and cattleman and is in business with his father and brother. His father is one of the earliest settlers, having come here in 1869. He lives at Potter, Nebraska, where he was born, Sep- tember 15, 1876. At present he is a Commis- sioner of Kimball County and was married to Miss T.izzie .\pche on the 6th of .\pril, 1904. HENRY VOGLER is a merchant at Kim- ball, Nebraska, to which town he came in the fall of 1895. He was born in Germany, Octo- ber 8, 1864. After his arrival in this country in 1882 he located in Cass County, Nebraska. After working three years at Lincoln, he moved to Kimball County. He was educated in the public and high schools of Germany be- fore coming to the United States. He served three successive terms as County Clerk of Kimball County, beginning with 189.5. He is associated with the Democratic party. In July of 1887 he was married to Miss Clemen- tine Neeley. He has a large farm and ranch ing interests in this county. L. W. BICKEL was born at LeClair, lown on the 14th of November, 1860. At the age of nineteen he came to Nebraska with his par- ents, and located at Exeter, Fillmore County. In 1886 he opened up a bank at Kimball and has since been here in the banking business. He acquired his education in Iowa and was graduated in the fall of 1879 from the D. R. Lillibridgc Business College at Davenport. Iowa. Air. Bickel has large ranching interests in this county, which comprise about 3,000 acres of land. He was County Commissioner and served as County Treasurer for eight years. In 1887 he married Miss Jennie Beard. GI^S LINN is a native of Sweden, born De- cember 2, 1862. At the age of twenty he came to the United States and located in Pennsylva- nia. In 1882 he moved to Michigan, where he worked two years in the lumber business. .A.fter spending another two vears in this busi- ness at Omaha, he came to Kimball, where he is a dealer in lumber and hardware. He was County Treasurer for two terms and is also ex-County Judge. In 1888 he married Anna Willing of Omaha and they have seven sons. He is aflfiliated with the Republican party. ALFRED HANSEN is ex-County Sheriff of Kimball County, which office he held for six vears. He was County Commissioner for three years, and was also County Coroner. He was born September 8. 1864. in Denmark, whence he came to the United States in 1881 and located at Denver, Colorado. After a year in the mountains, he moved to Kimball Coun- tv. Nebraska, where he has since lived. He is :'ffiliated with the Republican party. In 1889 I'c married Miss Sonhia Anderson. Her death occurred July 8, 1900, and she left a son and daughter. W. D. .\TKINS has lived in Kimball County since 1887, the first twenty years of his life being spent in Iowa and Missouri. His birth occurred in Davis County, Iowa, Septem- COUNTY HISTORY. 271 ber 2, 1867. His vocation is that of a ranch- man, although he is serving his second term as Mayor of Kimball. In 1890 he was mar- ried to Elizabeth Pywell and they have two sons and three daughters. He is allied with the Democratic party. KNOX COUNTY. Previous to 1857 Knox County was occu- jiied by Omahas and Poncas. In 18fi4 the sol- diers sent to Niobrara to furnish protection from the Indians proved to be a far greater luiisance than the red men themselves, so that all but one settler left the county. (Organiza- tion took place in 1S57, by which the county was granted an area of 1,121 square miles. The surface is composed of level and rolling prairie land, together with the bluffs, valleys and bottom land along the waterwaj's. The valley land comprises 10 per cent of the entire surface. Many large boulders are found here. A thick strata of chalk rock lies under the surface and also a good quality of clay, which furnishes material for three brick yards. Tlie soil is rich and fertile, only 2.5 per cent of it being untillable. Quite an amount of native timber grows on the borders of the Niobrara, Missouri and other streams which water the county. Land has increased 3.') per cent in the last five years, and now the best land is selling for over ,$40 an acre. The principal farm products are the cereals, hay. alfalfa, potatoes, sugar beets and vegetables. Plums, cherries, apples and small fruits thrive here. Farm land comprises 545,176 acres, and 313,706 acres of this is improved land, which makes Knox one of the first counties in this respect. Corn and oats cover the greater part of the culti- vated land, the acreage of corn being 60,000 and that of oats 40,000. Of live stock, the market of hogs is the largest. In 1900 the en- tire live stock was valued at $2,436,916. There are six flour and grist mills. The county pop- ulation is 14.343. of which 5,894 is made up of .school children. There are 22 districts whose school term lasts nine months or more, and sixty-seven districts whose term is from six to nine months. There are six graded schools, for which twenty-nine teachers are employed. Center is the present cotmtv seat. F. C. M.\RSHALL is a native Nebraskan having been born June 25, 1880, in Knox County, where he has always resided. He is a graduate of both the Niobrara High School and the Nebraska College at Wayne, Ne- braska. Mr. Marshall was Principal of Schools at Verdigre, Nebraska, for two and a half vears, having spent seven years as a teacher, lie is as.sociated with the' Republican partv and has been elected County .Superintendent 'if Knox County. W. D. FUNK was born in Iowa City, Iowa .September 18, 18.58. In 1870 he removed with Ills parents to Benton County, remaining there nntil 1892, when he came to Rloomfield, Ne- I)raska. where he has made his home. He !'raduated from the Law Department of the I'niversity of Iowa in 1886 and has been City Utorney of Bloonificld for manv vears. Mr. i^mk is a member of the Republican party and has been nominated for a second term as Countv Attorney. In 1883 he married Miss Cora King and they have two .sons and two • laughters. A. C. LOGAN was born in Wood Countv ( )hio, February 10, 1835. His parents removed to Indiana the same year and he lived there "ntil 1862, when he enlisted in Company H, F.ighty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, serving three years. When mustered out he was in command of his company and received his commission as Captain soon after. In 1865 he went to Illinois and remained there seventeen \ears, when he settled in Knox County. Mr. Logan has served two terms as Countv fudge Mnd was appointed as Assistant Sergeant at Arms of the Republican National Convention in Chicago. J. H. STODDARD was born in Connecli- .■ut._ March 20, 18,56. In 1879 he came to Creighton, where he has since resided He was educated in the Connecticut public schools, IS a member of the Republican partv and IS servmg his second term as Countv Treasurer. In 1876 he married Miss Julia A Pilpenny and thev have five children ^ B. N. SAUNDFRS was born in' Ledvard Connecticut, September 16, 1870. Two vears later he came with his parents to Nebraska where they settled in Knox Cotmty in 1873' He was educated at Gates College and the Omaha Business College. In 1889 he married 272 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA W. D. FUNK. J. H. STODDARD. PHIL B. CLARK. A. C. LOGAN. B. Y. SHELLEY. III ■ L*^^ j| 1 w 1 ^yj 1 1 BAKEIR. W. ELLIS. R. S. COOK. F. C. MARSHALL. Miss May Hamilton and has one son. As a member of the Democratic party he has been Clerk of the District Court since 1899. CHARLES RUDEN was born on the pres- ent site of Crofton, Nebraska, March 16, 1871. In 1885 he removed with his parents to Hart- ington, in 1889 to Omaha, in 1891 to Bloom- field and in 1899 settled at Crofton, where he has been engaged in farming and dealing in implements. In 1897 he married Miss Anna Piuhrow and has three children. He is a mem- ber of the Republican party and has been called to serve his second term as County Clerk. A. A. BAKER was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, June 22, 18(50. In 188.5 he came to Knox County, where he has since resided. He obtained his education in the Greenville, Pennsylvania, High School and the State Nor- mal at Edinburgh. He taught two years in Pennsylvania and twenty-four years in Knox County, receiving a life certificate in both States. In 1891 he married Miss Nellie Agnes and they have two children. Mr. Baker was elected County Assessor on the Republican ticket. O. A. DANIELSON was born in Sweden, January 5, 1872. When a boy of nine years his parents came to America and located at Red Oak, Iowa. The family afterwards moved to Dixon County, Nebraska, and in 1900 settled in Knox County, engaging in farming. In th'i Iowa and Nebraska public schools he received an education, and having been identified with the Republican party, has been appointed Dep- uty Treasurer of Knox County. PHIL B. CLARK was born in Scott County. Iowa, January 21, 1868, and five years later removed with his parents to Kansas, later to Iowa, and in 1880 settled in Knox County. He gained his education in the Nebraska pub- lic schools and the Commercial School of Omaha, and is an abstracter. He held the office of Deputy County Clerk from 1893 to 189.5 and County Clerk from 1897 to 1901, and was elected on the Populist ticket. In 1894 he married Miss Rosa Stein and has three chil • dren. R. S. COOK was born in Granville, New York. October 9, 1873. In 1886 he came to Nebraska with his parents and has spent his COUNTY HISTORY. 278 life in Knox County, following the profession of abstracter of titles. He was educated at the Friends' Select School of Granville and in the Ewing High School. He is affiliated with the Democratic party, and has been Deputy County Clerk for four years. Mr. Cook is a single man and homesteaded in Knox County. W. R. ELLIS was born September 10, 18G9, in Mp.dison County, Nebraska. His father came to Madison County in 1867, and W. R. Ellis was the first white boy born in this county. His mother taught the first school in the county. Mr. Ellis attended the common schools and the Normal College at Madison, Nebraska, and studied law in the office of Sen- ator Allen. He was married to Miss Edna Cooper in 1894, and they have two sons. In 1896 he moved to Knox County, where he has a good practice. He served as Attorney of Knox County from 1899 to 1903. LANCASTER COUNTY. In 1857 the first permanent settlement in Lancaster County was made on Salt Creek fif- teen miles south of Lincoln. These earliest res- idents were John D. I'rey and family, consist- ing of a wife, daughter and three sons, John W., David, and William. This same year, claims were taken along upper Salt Creek, ex- tending from Hickman to Saltillo. The first settlement near Lincoln was made by Capt. W. T. Donovan and family in the summer of 1857. Capt. Donovan came from Pittsburgh, Penn. to Plattsmouth on the Missouri in com- mand of the steamer "Emma." He settled on the west bank of Salt Creek near the mouth of Oak Creek. At this time. Salt Creek was the boundary line between the tribes of Paw- nee and Otoe Indians. There were a few con- flicts between the settlers and the red men, but few lives were lost. The first native white child of the county was Morton Donovan, while a son of Mrs. Michael Shea was the sec- ond chilli born here. The first school in this county was taught by Robert F. Thurston in a dugout at Yankee Hill, on the present site of the Hospital for the Insane. The progress of the early schools was interrupted by Indian troubles. In the fall of 1867 a small stone school house \yas erected in Lincoln on the corner of Eleventh and Q Sts. This first Lin- coln school was taught by George Peck, with about .35 pupils in attendance. There are now 22,0'15 children in the county of school age. Lancaster has 16 graded schools supplied with 254 teachers which is a record not equalled bv any other county. The county was organ- ized in 1859, with an area of 864 square miles. The population is 64,835, while the inhabitants of Lincoln, the county seat and state capital, number about 45,000. The land is for the most part a rolling prairie, while valley land occu- pies about 15 per cent of the surface. The soil on the higher lands is a gray loam and in the valleys a dark loam with a clay subsoil 162,381 acres are devoted to the raising of corn and 75,618 acres to the raising of oats. Hogs and corn are the principal farm products. About $190,000 is yearly expended for farm labor. Land has increased in value from $5 to $15 per acre in the last few years, and 935 land transfers were made in the last two years, prior to 1903. All kinds of hay, small grain and corn are raised, and Lancaster ranks first in the state in her production of milk, butter and eggs. There are as many as 500 acres of sugar beets raised in the county in a year. Salt Creek is the principal stream, and other creeks are Oak, Middle, Haines and Antelope. JAMES L. CALDWELL was born on a farm near Columbiana, Ohio, May 23, 1853. In 1857 he moved to Iowa but returned to Ohio in 1861. In 1873 he moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, and settled in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1878. He received his education in various schools in Ohio. He served as a Councilman in Lincoln and was a member of the Legisla- ture in 1887 and 1889. He was a special as- sistant to the United States Attorney in 1901 and 1902. Mr. Caldwell is a member of the Republican party and has served two terms as Attorney of Lancaster County. WALTER L. DAWSON was born March 20, 1865 at Lafayette, Indiana of American parentage. He came to Nebraska in 1873 and has been engaged in clerical work. He at- tended the Business College at Fremont, Ne- braska, is a member of the Republican party and has been elected County Clerk on that ticket. He has been a book-keeper in the Land Commissioner's office and has served as Dep- uty County Treasurer, Deputy County Clerk 274 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA NICHOLAS RESS W. S. SCOTT J. D. MOORE BENJ. F. KNIGHT JAS. L. CALDWELL O. R. BOWMAN WM. C. PHILLH'S Lancaster County Court House and Secretary of the Republican County Com- mittee. J. D. MOORE was born in June, 1847 in Thedford, Vermont. His parents were D. F. Moore and Esther Moore. He received his education in the high school of Rockford, Illinois. Since January 1902 he has been Reg- ister of Deeds of Lancaster County. He is a member of the Republican party. FRANK R. W.ATKRS W. I.. DAWSON. NICHOLAS RESS is a native of Germany, having been born in Ibind, June 1, 18G7. In 1881 he came to Illinois and three years later located in Lincoln, Nebraska. He is a book- keeper by profession, having received his training in the Gem City Business College of Quincy, Illinois. He is a member of the Re- publican party and served as Deputy Sheriff of Lancaster County. BENJAMIN F. KNIGHT was born May 11, l.s.^i in Morgantown, Indiana. He received his education in the high school of Morgantown and in the Northwestern University of In- dianapolis, Indiana. From Indiana he came to Nebraska March 13, 1884 and has engaged in farming. He is a member of the Republican ])arty and was elected County Treasurer of Lancaster County on that ticket. O. R. BOWMAN was born of American parentage October 30, 1869 in Bureau County, COUNTY HISTORY. 275 Illinois. He was educated in the University of Nebraska and received the degree of Sc. B. and has followed teaching as a vocation. He is a member of the Republican party and is now serving as Superintendent of Public In- struction of Lancaster County, having been elected in 1903. W. S. SCOTT is a native of New York State, having been born in Fortsville, August 13, 1865. Five years later he came to Ne- braska and was educated in the Lincoln High School and the University of Nebraska. By profession he is a civil engineer. Mr. Scott was elected County Surveyor on the Republi- can ticket and is an assistant in the City En- gineer's office. His parents are N. S. and Emilv R. Scott. WILLIAM C. nilLLIPS was born in Cadiz, Ohio, November 10, 18G8. From Ohio he came to Nebraska in 1871 and graduated from the Lincoln High School in 1887. Jan- uary 4, 1900 he entered upon his duties as Clerk of the District Court of Lancaster County, having been elected on the Republi- can ticket. His parents are William P. and ]\Iary E. Phillips. FRANK R. WATERS was born November ■?0, ISCO in Chillocothc, Ross County, Ohio. His father, Asa B. Waters, was a' banker. Judge Waters came to Nebraska in 1885 and in 188(j located at Lincoln, where he engaged in the practice of law. He has also taught school in the county. In 1892 he was elected Police Judge and served for three terms in that capacity. In January, 1900 he entered upon his duties as Judge of Lancaster County. LINCOLN COUNTY. Lincoln County is a plain which rolls from a height of 2,(J()0 feet in the eastern part to an elevation of nearly 3,000 feet in the west. The soil is dark and sandy, being underlaid in most places with clay. North and South Platte Rivers cross the country, and man}' smaller streams supply water for the stock. In 1900 live stock was valued at $1,9-2!). 551. 18,000 hogs making a part of this valuation. The rearing of cattle, horses and sheep on large ranges is the most general occupation. Land has risen in price to the amount of one- fourth since 1897, and there is at present a large demand for farms and ranges. There are 1,458 farms, almost all of which are improved. Corn and hay are the principal crops, and the acreage of corn is 53,178. Wheat, oats, rye, barley, sorghum, cane and alfalfa are also profitably grown. Hay land sells for $13 to $18 per acre. Beginning with the year 17(i'2 parties of explorers kept passing through this region at intervals for a period of about 100 years. Most of these parties were sent out in l)chalf of St. Louis fur companies for the pur,- ])ose of trading with the Indians. Mr. P>rady, who came to the county in 1852, was the ear- liest resident. He built his log house on the south side of the island formed by the North and South Platte Rivers. Brady Island, as it is now called, is about fifteen miles long by two miles wide. The first permanent settle- ment in the county was in the shape of a trad- ing ranch, which was established at Cotton- wood Springs in 1858, with I. P. Boyer in charge. A great many such ranches were formed along the popular emigrant route. These ranches were collected in groups, a dis- tance of ten to twelve miles lying between the stations. Mill and stage lines were established and in 1801 Ed Creighton of Omaha completed his telegraph line. Mrs. Orra McDonald was the first white woman to reside in the county. The rush of emigrants was so great that from 700 to 1,000 wagons passed a ranch dailv. The first white native of the county was William 1 f. McDonald. In 1804 commenced the war with the Siou.K and Chcyennes, which was caused mostly by the injustice of white men. In LS72 the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia came to North Platte for a buffalo hunt. The hunt was arranged by General Sheridan and guided by Buffalo P.iil. or \\", ]■, Cody, Dur- ing this hunt of one week the Duke secured two buffalo skins. This large county was or- ganized in 1800 with an area of 2,593 square miles. The capital, North Platte, contains 3.010 people and the county population is 11,- 4 Pi. There are 105.35 miles of railway. There are over 22,508 acres of land under irrigation ; 1,187 acres are devoted to the sugar beet in- dustry. A. H. D.WIS was born in Poplar Plains. Keiituckv. December 1, 1850. He came to North Plnlte, Nebraska, in 187! and com- 276 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA J. S. HOAGLAND. WILEY MATTHEWS. A. H. DAVIS. LINCOLN CARPENTERCHARLES P. ROSS. C. F. SCHARMANN. V0RHEB3 LUCAS. Lincoln County Court House GEO. E. PROSSER E. R. PLUMMER. OSCAR W. NEALE. ^- S. DAVIS. COUNTY HISTORY. 277 F. R. GINN. B. B. WARNER. menccd as a cowboy on the range. He has a lartje law library, consisting of about six hun- dred volumes. During 1894 and 1895 he stud- ied law with Grimes & Wilcox, commenced practicing the next year and graduated from the Law Department of the University of Ne- braska in 1899. For seven years Mr. Davis was engaged in newspaper work. He has al- ways been a Republican and has served two terms as Police Judge and City Attorney of North Platte and at present is County Attor- ney of Lincoln County. LINCOLN CARPENTER, serving his sec- ond term as Sheriff of Lincoln County, was born May 1, 18G0, at Delphos, CJhio, where he was educated and married to Diana Harch, De- cember 23, 1881. They are the parents of four sons and two daughters. In October, 1883, he moved to Lexington, Illinois, where he re- mained until the spring of 188-5, when he came to Geneva, Nebraska, and in 1891 located in Lincoln County. Mr. Carpenter is a Repub- lican and has served as County Commissioner, Precinct Assessor and member of the School Board in Lincoln C-^unty. OSCAR W. NEALE was born on a farm in Birmingham, Ohio, December 17, 1873. He was educated in the public schools of Bir- mingham and Kinibalton, C)hio, and graduated from Dennison University in 1890. In 1894 he located at North Platte, taught in the graded schools there, was two years Principal of Schools at Sutherland, Nebraska, and is now serving his second term as Superintendent of Lincoln County, being affiliated with the Re- publican party. Mr. Neale was married Julv 6, 1898, to Miss Cora D. Combs of North Platte, and they have one son. C. F. SCHARM.A.NN was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1867. He came to Thayer County, Nebraska, in 1878, re- maining there until January, 1881, when he came to North Platte. He attended the Uni- versity of Nebraska for three years, is a sten- ographer and bookkeeper by vocation, and i> also interested in ranching. He was mar- ried July 3, 1900, to Miss Nannie S. Andrews ' >f Steele City, Nebraska, and they have one ^(jn. Mr. Scharmann served two terms as I'ounty Treasurer, City Clerk two terms, ( ouncilman two terms and was Court Re- jjorter of the Thirteenth Judicial District two and a half years. At present he is Judge of Lincoln County. In tiie Spanish-American War he enlisted in May, 1898, as Junior Major of the Third Nebraska Regiment, and was mustered out in May, 1899, as Senior Major, being the third in command. Prior to the Spanish-American War he had been Captain and Major of the Second Nebraska of the Na- tional Guard. E. S. DAVIS was born in Monroe County, Iowa, December 18, 18G9. In 1882 his parents removed to Indianola, Iowa, where he gradu- ated from the high school in 1887. In 1887 he went to Sidney, Iowa, worked in a hardware store until January, 1891, and came to Broken Bow, Nebraska, that same year. In 1894 moved to North Platte, where he was engaged in the hardware business until taking up the duties of Deputy Treasurer in 1900. He was married in October, 1892, at Sidney, Iowa, to Miss Clara Eskew, and they have one son. Mr. Davis is a Republican, serving his first term as County Treasurer. GEORGE E. PROSSER was horn in Prov- idence, Rhode Island, October 2, 1859. He re- sided in Pennsylvania, where his mother died ; in New York, Ohio and Connecticut before coming to Lincoln County, Nebraska, in 1886. He has been in the real estate and insurance business, was educated in the public schools of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and was married to Miss Mattie Bowen of Norwalk, Ohio, Junr 19, 1883. He has served as Deputy County Treas- urer, Deputy Clerk of the District Court and at one time Clerk in the United States Land Office at North Platte. At present he is Clerk of the District Court. F. R. GINN was born August 13, 1870, in Galena, Illinois, and that same year his parents moved to Perry, Iowa, remaining th.-re until 1884, when they came to Lincoln Countv. After going to Honolulu and Alaska, lie settled in Lincoln County in 1887. In 1892 278 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA he graduated from the college at Indian- apolis, Indiana, and in 1895 was marr'cd to Miss Ada Martin of Des Moines, Iowa, and they have two sons. He is a Republican and is serving his second term as County Clerk and was also City Clerk of North Platte for three years. He is President of the Duck Brand Ranch, in which he is a large share- holder. WILEY MATTHEWS.a retired farmer and a member of the Board of County Commission- ers of Lincoln County, was born June 27, 1842, in Morgan Colmty, Indiana, where he lived until 18.58, when he moved to Illinois. He served in Company E of the Fifth Illinois Cav- alry and Company I of the 135th Illinois In- fantry and was mustered out in September. 18()4. He received his education in Indiana, and was married in October, 1863, to Miss Margaret Jackson, who died in January, 1870. He was again married to Miss Eliza Edwards of Coles County, Illinois. Mr. Matthews came to Nebraska in 1887 and is the father of four children. E. R. PLUMMER is a native of Aurora, In- diana. He was born February 1-4, 1854, and in 1856 his parents removed to Illinois, where he was educated and remained until 1878, when he came to York, Nebraska. He lived in Colo- rado three years, during which time he was He was married in 1882 to Miss O. Anna Tracy Mayor of Julesburg and Deputy County Clerk, of York County. Mr. Plummer is a Repub- lican and is the Deputy Treasurer of Lincoln Conuty. His father served in the Civil ^Var and was severely wounded at Bull Run and Fort Donelson. E. B. WARNER was born in Warner, Onon- daga County, New York, June 28, 1853. His father, Marshall D. Warner, was a Methodist minister. At the age of si.x his parents moved to Illinois and two years later went to Wis- consin, where his boyhood days were spent at Fond du Lac. He returned to New York State in 1875 and four years later came to North Platte, Nebraska. Received his educa- tion in the Fond du Lac High School and is engaged in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness. He is Past Great Sachem of the Red Men in Nebraska and has been the representa- tive of Nebraska to the Great Order of the United States for six years. He has been Mayor of North Platte for four terms, County Coroner .two terms, City Clerk two terms and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention held at Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1892. VOORHEES LUCAS was born on a farm, Julv 28, liS69. at Bloomington, Indiana, where he lived until 1880, when he moved to Sheri- dan. Iowa, and from there he went to Custer County, Nebraska, with his father in 1886. In 1891 he came to North Platte and was em- ployed there until 1895, when his medical edu- cation had been completed. He graduated in 1895 from the College of Medicine of the Uni- versity of Nebraska, and took post-graduate work at the New York Polyclinic in 1901. Mr. Lucas worked his way through school and has been practicing at North Platte since 1897. He married Miss Susie Eraser of Kearney, Ne- braska, in 1902. J. S. HOAGLAND is a native of New Jer- sey, having been born in Jersey City, February 10, 1847. He moved to Bunker Hill, Illinois, in 1857 and came to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1872, where he served as Deputy Sheriff and also Sheriff of Lancaster County, and moved to North Platte in 1884. He received his edu- cation and studied law in Illinois, and after going out of the Sheriff's office at Lincoln be- gan practicing law, and has practiced since. In February, 18G5, about the time he would have graduated, he enlisted in the 152d Illinois Infantry and served nine months. In 1868 he was married to Maria L. Waples of Madison County, Illinois, and they have two sons, W. E. and A. B. Hoagland. Politically he is a Republican, has been Judge of Lincoln County and in 1895 was a member of the State Senate. He has been the representative from Nebraska to the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows since 1889. CHARLES P. ROSS was born July 30, 1858, in Ohio, from which State he went to Missouri and then came to Nebraska. He graduated from a private academy and a busi- ness college and received the degree of Civil Engineer at Porter College. He has been ac- tively engaged in his profession for tv.enty-one years on railroad work, irrigation canals and water supplj^ systems. He has served three terms as County Surveyor of Lincoln County and has been City Engineer of North Platte for twelve terms. COUNTY HISTORY. 279 LOGAN COUNTY. FRANKLIN R. HOGEBOOM Logan County was organized in 1885, with an area of 5T() square miles. It lias a popula- tion of !t()0, and Gandy is its county seat. The surface is made up of prairie land, the valleys of South Loup River and several small creeks and sand hills. Land has increased two-fifths in value since 1S9T, and the records show a sale of over ].")() farms in the last two years. The soil is dark and sandy, with a clay subsoil, and cereals, vegetables and hay are its best pro- ducts. One hundred and two thousand eight hundred and sixty-five acres are included in farm land, while the entire number of farm buildings is valued at $.''>8,3!)0. Wells vary in depth from 5 to 250 feet, according to eleva- tion. The timber supply is made up mostly of Cottonwood and bo.x elder trees. The highest prices are paid for hay land, which lirings from $15 to $18 an acre. The good pasture and water resources make stock raising a leading occupation. I^ogan County is divided intcj 15 school districts, seven of which maintain schools of six to nine months during the year. The county is unique in possessing an iron schoolhousc. There are 331 school children and the school property amounts to $7,439. LEW WILLI.VMS was horn March 12, 1854, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his father, B. I'". Williams, was employed as a bookkeeper. He removed from Ohio to Indiana and settled in Nebraska in 1875. Since in this state he has been in the ranching business Mr. Wil- liams is a member of the Democratic party and has been elected Clerk of Logan County. FRANKLIN R. HOGEBOOM is a native of New York State, having been born in 1854 in Ghent, Columbia County. He took the de- gree of Bachelor of Law at Columbia College in 1877 and the next year came to Custer County, Nebraska, and in 1880 took a liome- stead in Logan County, being the oldest h o't-e- steader in the county. He now owns a fine ranch at the head of Loup River. Mr. Hoge- boom is a member of the Republican party and has served as County Attorney, .^r,r\eyi'r, Postmaster and at present is the Judge of Logan County. LOUP COUNTY. Forty per cent of Loup County is tillable land. The most valuable land is farm land, which sells at prices ranging from $20 to $30 per acre. The Loup and Calamus Rivers, with many small streams and lakes, furnish the water supply. Alfalfa and sugar beets grow well in these valleys. Wells here are from IC to 25 feet deep, while on the higher lands they are from 75 to 350 feet. Irrigai'on is l^ei ig tried to some extent. There are great num- bers of cattle, horses and sheep, and in 1900 the value of the county live stock was esti- mated at $387,844. The land is made up of rolling prairie and sand hills, and there is good pasturageevcrywhere. Thereisat jiresent an ac- tive demand for ranches. Hay, potatoes, c >rn. wheat and oats are the chief products. Corn oc- cupies 7,515 acres of land, wh'le sjjring wheat covers 2,(i80 acres. Loup County was organ- ized in 1883. It has a population of 1,305 peo- ple, and its county seat is Taylor. There are 234 square miles of territory not yet organized into school districts. There are twenty-four districts, which comprise twenty .school build- ings, seven of which are well furnished with the necessary apparatus. Eight of the school districts have terms lasting from six to nine months. The school property amounts to $6,972.50. W. L. JOHNSON is a native of Nebraska, having been born in Colon, Saunders County, January 24, 1872. His father came from Swe- 280 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA T,. Q. BAILS. R. S. SCO FIELD. G. S. HENRY. A. S. MOON. 1,. M. MOULTON. W. A. CLARK. J. RUSHO. G. A. ICVANS. Loup County Court House den to the United States about 1867 and home- steaded in Saunders County, Nebraska, in 1869 The family went to Loup County in 1882, wliere the father took a tree claim. Mr. John- son received his education in the Fremont Nor- mal College and the State University of Ne- braska, and taught in Loup County before he was elected County Superintendent. He is a Republican and was Deputy Postmaster at Taylor, Nebraska. Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Viola Newbecker of Taylor in 1903. He was a member of Company F of the Third XcViraska Volunteers in the Spanish-American War and went to Florida with the regiment. G. A. EVANS was born November 26, 1863, in Madison County, Iowa, where he received liis education in the public schools. He came to Nebraska and located in Loup County in ISSC) and took a homestead in 1890. He was married to Miss Nettie Hooper of Loup County in 1890 and they have four daughters. Mr. Evans is a member of the People's Independ- ent party and has served the public as Road Supervisor, Deputy Sheriff and is now serving his second term as Sheriff of Loup County. R. S. SCOFIELD was born March 21, 1871, in O'Brien County. Iowa. His parents moved to Brownville, Nebraska, in 1873. His father served in the Civil War in an Indiana regiment for three years. Mr. Scofield was educated in the Brownville and Nemaha High Schools and was the founder and editor of the "Johnson News" of Johnson, Nebraska, which he pub- lished for ten years. He was married in 1892 COUNTY HISTORY. to Miss M. Melissa Minick of Nemaha, Ne- braska, and they have one son and one daugh- ter. Mr. Scofield settled in Loup County in 1901 and is editor of the Loup County News. He is serving his first term as County Judge, having been elected by the Fusionists. G. S. HENRY was born .-Kpril 17, 187:3, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and removed to Adair County, Iowa, in 1877. Came to Loup Coimty, Nebraska. February 21, 1884. Mr. Henry received his education in the schools at Cromwell and Fontanelle, Iowa, and the dis- trict schools of Loup County, Nebraska. He was married May 26, 1904, to Miss Myrtle B. Messersmith of Taylor, Nebraska. He is a Republican in politics and is serving his first term as Clerk of Loup Comity. His father served in a Pennsvlvania regiment during the Civil War from 18G3 to 18G5. H. E. CARTER was born in Elmore, Ver- mont, January 22, 1848. He was educated in the People's Academy at Morrisville, Ver- mont, and came to Nebraska in 1885. By pro- fession he is a lawyer, and in 1878 and 1879 was State's Attorney for Caledonia County, Vermont, and in 1880 and 1881 was a repre- sentative in the \'ermont Legislature. I'rom 1886 to 1892 he was Attorney for Loup Coun- ty, which office he is filling at the present time. In 1896 he was Mavor of Tekamah, Nebraska. L. M. MOULTON was born in Woodford County, Illinois, November 19, 1839. He came to Franklin County, Nebraska, in 1871 and was one of the founders of Bloomini;lon. Ne- braska. In 1883 he moved to Loup Countv. He graduated from Eureka College of Wood- ford County, Illinois, in 1860, admitted to the bar in Nebraska June 4, 1874. In May, 1861, he married Miss Pcrmelia Clingman of Wood- ford County, Illinois. Mr. Moulton enlisted in Company B of the Eleventh Illinois Infan- try in September of 1861, but was discharged. He enlisted again in 1864 and served until the close of the war and was a participant in the Mobile campaign. In Illinois he served as Po- lice Judge and District Prosecuting Attorney, and was Judge of Franklin County, Nebraska, two terms ; also served as Judge and Attorney of Loup County, two terms in each office. L. Q. 1;.\1LS was born near Charlestown, Illinoi.s, July 13, 1865. In 1878 his parents moved to Sarpy County, Nebraska, where they lived until 1890, when they settled in Loup County. His father was a mechanic in an Illi- nois regiment during the Civil War. Mr. Bails homesteaded in Western Nebraska in 1886 and now owns a farm near Burwell, Nebraska. He was educated in the public schools of Ne- braska and the Fremont Normal College of Fremont, Nebraska. He is a Populist and served two terms as Treasurer of Loup County. A. S. MOON was born in Schuyler County, New York, December 13, 1857, received his education in the public schools and at the Seminary of Starkey, New York. He came to what is now Loup County, Nebraska, in 1877, then unorganized territory. He studied law at Taylor, Nebraska, imder the instruction of attorneys of Ord, Nebraska, and was admitted to the bar in 1887. Politically he is a Repub- lican, and has been County Superintendent of Loup County and County Attorney for two terms. J. RUSHO, one of the oldest settlers of Loup County, farmer and business man, located in 1877, one hundred miles from Grand Island, then the nearest town. The town of Taylor was laid out by Mr. Rusho in November, 1883. He was born May 23, 1850, in West Bend, Wisconsin ; moved to Rice Lake, Minnesota, in 1863, and then to Nebraska. He received his education in the public schools and Milton .\cademy of Rock County, Wisconsin. Mr. Rusho was married, October 8, 1872, to Miss Josephine Murry of Delavan, Minnesota, and they are the parents of nine children, eight of whom are still living. W. A. CLARK was born May 12, 1854, on a farm at Walnut Postofifice, Pennsylvania, where he received his education in the public schools. He went to Illinois in 1855 and re- turned to Pennsylvania in 1865 and later came to Nebraska, where he is engaged in farming. He is a member of the People's Independent party and is serving as Treasurer of Loup Coimtv. 28-2 semi-centennial history of nebraska Mcpherson county. MRS. FLORA FARROW L. C. RENEAU. McPherson is one of the newest counties, having been organized in 1890. It has an area of 1,584 square miles and a population of 517. Tryon is the county seat. Stock raising is the principal occupation, and in 1900 the county live stock was valued at $721,295. The soil is generally sandy, but the valleys in the east contain fertile land. Hay of excellent quality is found in the western valleys, and the hills and high lands offer good grazing for stock. Although a great part of the soil is unfit for cultivation, the county comprises 127 farms. About 2,000 acres are devoted to the growing of corn. There are eleven school districts and 135 children of school age in this county. L. C. RENEAU was born April 26, 1865, in Pickett County, Tennessee. His father, B. J. Reneau, was a lumberman and farmer. Mr. Reneau came to Nebraska in 1886, taking a homestead. He has ranching interests in con- nection with his duties as County Clerk. He was ap]>ointe(l County Clerk in 1895 and has been five times elected to succeed himself. FLORA FARROW was born May 22, 1874, at Unity, New Hampshire, where she received her education in the common schools. Her father was a farmer. She came from New Hampshire to Nebraska and has been engaged in teaching. She is now the Superintendent of IVlcPherson County. GEORGE H. DALY was born in Gr<:at Britain in 1844. His father, Charles Daly, was a piano manufacturer. In 1880 he came from New York to Ohio and five years later settled in Nebraska. He received his education in the common and high schools. Mr. Daly is a member of the Republican party and is serving as Judge of McPherson County. In New York he was a member of the Board of Supervisors and also served as County Judge in Ohio. MADISON COUNTY. The first men to e.xplore this county were, presumably, Herman Braasch and Frederick Wagner, two Germans from Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Headed by Herman Braasch, twenty-four families settled at Norfolk on the 17th day. of July, 18()G. The most noteworthy men of this settlement were Martin Graasch; Gottlieb Roeke, Charles Ninow, William Ruh- low and William Winter. The first really permanent settler was Capt. O. O. Austin, who settled on Shell Creek, in the southwestern part of the county. In 1876 Hon. Frank Welch of Norfolk was elected a member of Congress. Madison County was organized in 1868 and its present population is 16,976. Norfolk, the largest town, has a population of 3,883, while Madison, the county seat, has a population of 1,479. There are 6,297 school children and seventy-eight school districts in the county. Seventy-eight of the school buildings are frame and eight brick. In twenty-four districts school is held nine months or more, while in fifty-three districts school is held from six to nine months. There are six graded schools, which are supplied with fifty-five teachers. Teachers' salaries have been greatly increased during the last five years. About one-half of the rural schools have added libraries within the last year. Highlands and valleys are of equal extent, covering 80 per cent of the county. Grasses are the principal natural re- source, and there are many springs conven- iently situated for the watering of stock. The live stock market, which amounted to $1,886,- 347 in 1900, is largely composed of cattle and hogs. Hay land and the best farm land are equally valuable, selling at $40 to $50 an acre. There arc 1,703 farms, which comprise an acre- age of 360,679 acres. ■^WTLLIAM r.ATES was born in Hereford- shire, England. March 4, 1848. In 1867 he came to the United States and remained in COUNTY HISTORY. 383 Si'll.WI.AXIi FKAXK A nri-KliSciN J. L. DANIELS J. J. CLEMENTS \Vn.LL\.M BATES. Madison County Court House Illinois until ISTo, when lie removed to Ne- braska. In 18T1 he located in Madison County, where he has since resided. In 1(S8.t he mar- ried Miss Mary R. Kest and they have five children. He is serving his fourth term as County Judge and is a member of the Demo- cratic party. He has held several offices prior to this, such as Village Treasurer and Clerk and Justice of the Peace of Battle Creek, Ne- braska. CHRISTOPHER SCHAVLAND was born in Stavanger, Norway, .August 27, ISGfi, a son of Ole Schavland, a shipowner and superin- tendent of a light-house station. In IRSfi he came to the I'nited States and located at New- man Crove, Nebraska, where he was a P)ank Cashier. He came to Madison in ISiXi where he has since resided. He was educated in the Latin School at Stavanger, Norway. Mr. Schavland was married to Miss Rolethe Thom- assen in 1,8,^8 and thcv have three children. He is affiliated with the Republican party and was Clerk of the District Court for eight years and is now serving his first term as Treasurer of Madison County. 1:M1L winter was born in Norfolk, Ne- braska, May 2G, 1870. He removed with his l)arents to Watertown. Wisconsin, and re- turned to Madison. Nebraska, in 1894. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University of Watertown, Wisconsin. He was married to Miss Augusta Wynhoff of Tripoli, Iowa, in 189."') and they have two daughters. He is affil- iated with the Democratic party and has been Deputy Postmaster, Cashier of the Madison State Bank and at present is the Clerk of Mad- ison Countv. His father came from Water- town, Wisconsin, and settled at what is now Norfolk, Nebraska, in ISGG, being one of the earliest settlers. C \V. CRUM was born at Independence, Iowa, October 11, 18(54, of Dutch parentage. He came to Antelope County, Nebraska, in 1872. where his father took a homestead. In 1881 he removed to Weeping Water, Nebraska, where he was the first student in the academy at that place. He attended this school for two years and later studied law. Then he engaged in the real estate business in Knox County, coming to Norfolk in 1892, where he lived until elected County Superintendent. He has also spent one year at Obcrlin College. At the age of eighteen he left home without any school- ing and acquired his education since. In 1890 he was married to Miss Harriet Monroe and they have two children. He is now serving his fourth term as County Superintendent. J. J. CLEMENTS was born in Iowa County, Iowa, in 1857, where he received his education in the common schools. In 1889 he came to Norfolk, Nebraska, where he has since resided. 284 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA He was City Councilman of Norfolk for one term and has been Chief of the Norfolk Fire Department. He is a Republican and is serv- ing his third term as Sheriff of Madison County. He was married to Miss Lucia Clap- per in 1888 and they have three children. W. H. LOWE was born September 3, 1839, in New York State, whence he went to Michi- gan when a small child. In 1848 he went to Illinois and in 18G9 came to Nebraska, settling in Madison County in 1871. From 18G2 to 1870 he was an employe of the American Ex- press Company, He served eighteen months in the Civil War under an enlistment of three years, but was wounded at Shiloh, Tennessee, April 6, 1862, and discharged as disabled in August of that year. Mr. Lowe is the present County Surveyor of Madison County. J. L. DANIEL was born in Independence, Virginia, September 19, 1866, of Scotch-En- glish parentage. In 1886 he moved to Norfolk, where he resided until 1902, when he came to Madison, engaging in the mercantile business. He graduated from the Independence High School, Virginia, and studied at the Fremont and Wayne Normals of Nebraska. In 1886- he married Miss Theresa Hendricks, and they have two children. While in Norfolk he was Assistant Postmaster four years. He is a mem- ber of the Democratic party and has befen ap- pointed Deputy Clerk of Madison County. FRANK A. PETERSON was born in Madi- son County, Nebraska, November 7, 1879, and has spent all his life in this county. He re- ceived a common and high school education. In 1900 he was married to Miss Myrtle H. Sutherland and they have one son. He was a memebr of Company F of the First Nebraska \"olunteers, and served in the Philippines two years. He is a member of the Republican party and has been appointed Deputy County Treasurer. C. S. SMITH was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, August 26, 1862. In 1876 he came to Madison County with his parents, his father having taken out a timber claim, and has lived there ever since. He received his ed- ucation in the public schools of Pennsylvania. In 1891 he married Miss Esther Axmann and has three children. He is in the real estate, loans and insurance business and is serving his second term as Mayor of Madison. He is identified with the Republican party. MERRICK COUNTY. The school system of Merrick County is es- pecially good. There are six graded schools, in which thirty-two teachers are employed. Twenty-five schools have a term of nine months or more, while twenty-six schools have a term of six to nine months' duration. There are sixty-one frame and three brick school buildings. School children comprise nearly one-third of the county population, which numbers 9,255. The first building in the county was erected by the Western Stage Company at Lone Tree Station, on the U. S. mail route between Omaha and Fort Kearney. This was the beginning of Central City, and was at first named Lone Tree from a single cottonwood growing there on the north bank of the Platte. In 1859 James Vieregg, a disappointed Cali- fornia gold seeker, made the first settlement in Merrick County. Jesse Shoemaker and Charles Eggerton were next in order. These two men set up a ranch at the Lone Tree Sta- tion for the entertainment of travelers. The first family that settled in the county was that of Jason Parker. They located a little south- east of Central City in 1860. In 1864 fear of the Indians drove away all but two of the in- habitants, but the deserters gradually returned to their homes. The surface is mostly fertile valley land, made up of dark, sandy soil. Cher- ries, plums, grapes and all small fruits are profitably cultivated. Cattle, hogs and sheep are exported, and the value of live stock in 1900 was $2,075,290. A great feeding plant is operated at Central City, said to be the largest in the world. There are 424 acres of sugar beets under cultivation. Farm land brings from $45 to $60, the highest prices paid for land. The absence of swamp land and the elevation of 1,700 feet make the climate \ery healthful. C. F. NEWMYER is serving his second term as County Clerk. He was born in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, in November, 1856, and came to Merrick County, Nebraska, in 1875. His father, George W. Newmyer, en- listed in Company B, Twenty-eighth Pennsyl- COUNTY HISTORY. 285 D. K. NEWMYER. \l. TOOLE Y. J. D. HOLLISTER. C. F. NEWMYER. M. G. SCUDDER. SPRACJUB. Merrick County Court House vania Volunteers, and was mustered out as captain of his company. He became a mem- ber of the Nebraska State Legislature in 1S85. C. F. Newmyer attended the Western Penn- sylvania Classical and Scientific Institute. In April of 1884 he married Lydia Keister. F. K. SPRAGUE was born in California, Decemebr 18, 1862. Mr. Sprague, with his WILLIAM H. C. RICE S. D. AYERS. parents, was among the very early settlers of the county, having located at Silver Creek in isr2. He is a blacksmith and wagonmaker by trade, although he is now in his second term as County Treasurer. lie has been School Di- rector, Treasurer of the Township and County Commissioner at different times. His wife was Miss Olive Graves, to whom he was mar- ried in October of 1887. In politics he is a Republican. M. G. SCUDDER is Clerk of the District ' ourt, serving his first term. He was born in Merrick County, Nebraska, July 22, 1873. His father, Albert Scuddcr, served four and one- half years in the Civil War, being enlisted in Company C of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, h'ourleen months of his service was spent in Southern prisons. Upon coming to Nebraska in 1872, his father took a homestead, which he still owns. On December 31, 1896, Mr. Scud- der married Miss Mamie Baird of Central City. J. D. HOLLISTER came to Merrick County in 1882, and has since made this his home. His father was a veteran of the Mexi- can and Civil Wars, having served over three years in the latter. Mr. Hollister was born in Boone County, Indiana, September 17, 1858. SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA He is a stock dealer and is now County Sheriff. Formerly he was County Supervisor during four years. He is a Republican in politics. In 1880 'he was married to Miss Louise McKin- ney. FRED A. MARSH was born November 21, 1871, in Central City, where he has always lived. His parents are William E. and Mary L. Marsh, and his father was among the first settlers of the county. He studied at the Ne- braska Central College at Central City and the Fremont Normal, from which he was gradu- ated in 1892. He served two terms as County Superintendent, beginning with 1894. Again in 1903 he was elected to the same office, and is now serving his third term. He married Ivy Crites in 1893. F. J. KOMBRINK is serving his third term as County Coroner. Central City is both his present reisdence and his birthplace, and the date is November 10. 187-1. His father was one of the first settlers in the county, coming here in 1869 as foreman of the Union Pacific Rail- road. At that time a box car served as a depot. He was graduated from the Central City High Schoof in 1892. He is a furniture dealer and a member of the Democratic party. D. K. NEWMYER was born in Merrick Countv, Nebraska, March 4, 1885. His father is one' of the old settlers of this county, hav- ing come here in 1875, and at present is County Clerk. He attended the public schools of Cen- tral City. His vocation is that of a news agent, though he is now serving as Deputy County Clerk. His politics are Republican. WILLIAM H. C. RICE is a lawyer at Cen- tral City, Nebraska. He was born January 27. 184G, near Hillsdale, Michigan, from which place he came to Merrick County in 1871. In 1868 he was graduated from the Law School at Ann Arbor. He homesteaded in the county when he first came to Nebraska and still owns the place. Beginning with 1892, he held the office of County Judge for two terms. He was County Clerk from 1884 to 1888, and County Treasurer in 1888 and 1889. He is affiliated with the Republican party, and March 8, 1876, was married to Margaret Dohertv. H. W. R. KOMBRINK was 'born in Ger- many October 27, 1842, and came to the United States in 1858, where he first located in St. Louis. After living for a time in IMuscatine, Iowa, he came to Nebraska in 1867 and took a homestead, which he still holds. At this time there was but one house in Central City and Indians were numerous. By trade he is a cabinetmaker, and is now in the furniture business. He organized a band in Central City and kept it together for twenty-five years. He is affiliated with the Democratic party. In 1866 he married Mary Lamb of Aluscatine. Iowa. S. D. AYERS is in the lumber and coal busi- ness at Central Citv, Nebraska. He was born October 30, 1860, in Fulton County, Ohio, from which state he came to Merrick County, Ne- braska, in 1881. He commenced teaching in Ohio at sixteen years of age, conducting school in the winter and working on the farm sum- mers. He learned the lumber business while employed in yards at Lexington and Omaha and was also in the business at Ord, Nebraska, until 1897, when he came to Central City. He married Miss Nancy Bronnan of Merrick County April 7, 1881. He is Republican in politics. R. TOOLEY is the present Mavor of Cen- tral City. He has served as Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors one term and is independent of political parties. His birth- place is Pennsylvania, born July 29, 18G2. He moved with his parents to West Virginia in 1871 and in 1880 came to Nebraska, where he has since lived at Central City. He has been engaged in the drug business at that place for seventeen years. In 1895 occurred his mar- riage to Miss Anna J. Smith, and they have one son and two daughters. NANCE COUNTY. Nance County is especially suited to agri- cultural and live stock pursuits. A rich dark soil, with an under strata of clay, covers 93 per cent of the surface, the remaining 7 per cent being made up of a sandy strip in the -dn ST XiunoD aip jo sqijy-Jno j 'U^d ujaipnos land, while the rest comprises the valley land of the Loup, Cedar and Beaver Rivers, besides numerous creeks. Thirty-two miles of the Loup Valle3% which varies in width from one to three miles, are included within the county limits. Elm, ash, poplar and cottonwood trees COUXTY HISTORY, 287 J. JI. KEMP ^, W. F. PRO\VETT. D. A. VVII.I.AIU). A. B. CURRIER. E. E. COPPLE. E. W. SMITH. i ..,,1 1 ■ ^ - '*t^' \V. H. DAVIS. Nance Couuty Cciirt House J H. STEPHENSON. OEORGE D. MEIKELJOHN. G. F. ROBINSON. . D. STEPHENSON. 288 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA make up the principal part of the valley tim- ber land. The best farm land sells from $35 to $50 per acre. Nine thousand four hundred and seventy-eight acres are employed in the raising of wheat, 18,649 acres in oats, and 74,- 751 acres in corn, which is the principal crop. The county makes a specialty of breeding horses and cattle, the export of the latter be- ing among the best in the state. The total amount of live stock is valued at $2,969,292. In 1881 there were twelve school districts and five school buildings, with an attendance of 447 school children. At present there are sixty- three districts, sixty-four schoolhouses and 2,824 school children. About one hundred families of Mormons from the vicinity of St. Louis made the first settlement, in 1857. They made a great many improvements and pros- pered until the Pawnees came in 1860 to claim this county as a reservation. After three years of copartnership with the Indians, they finally gave up their lands, most of them emigrating to Utah. The Indians were masters here until in 1875 by treaty they removed to Indian Ter- ritory. Among the earliest settlers were Rob- ert Compton, W. A. Davis and Mr. Derrick. Mrs. H. H. Knight was the first white woman settler. The government land began to be offered for sale in 1878, and there was a great rush of immigration in 1879, which resulted in county organization. The name was given in honor of Governor Albinus Nance, then act- ing Governor of the State. Fullerton, the county seat, has a population of 1,464. There are 33.94 miles of railway and 33.80 miles of telegraph. G. F. ROBINSON was born at Valparaiso. Indiana, removed with his parents to Gage County, Nebraska in 1878 and later to Nance County, settling in Fullerton in 1898. He taught school for several years in Gage Coun- ty, read law in the office of J. E. Bush of Bea- trice and was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court of Nebraska in 1897. In 1893 he married Miss Bertha Bush of Beatrice and they have two children. Mr. Robinson was a District Court Reporter one term and has been elected County Judge on the Republican ticket. A. B. CURRIER was born in Greenlake, Wisconsin, December 1, 1877, and came to Nance County in 1883. He attended the Lin- coln High School one year and is a graduate of the Commercial and Shorthand Courses of the Fremont Normal College. He was a mem- ber of Company I, First Nebraska Volunteers, in the Philippine campaign. He was appointed shipping clerk and remained in Manila when the regiment came home, but was obliged to resign on account of sickness. He was elected Clerk of the District Court on the Republican ticket. W. F. PROWETT, son of John Prowett, fieet engineer of the British navy, was born in Portsmouth, England, March 24, 1860. In 1880 he came to Nance County, Nebraska, and in 1882 married Miss Carrie Beagle, who died in 1896, and in 1900 he married Miss May Ed- wards. He is a member of the Republican party and is ser\'ing his second term as County Treasurer. J. H. KEMP was born in Page County, Vir- ginia, October 6, 1872. In April, 1895, he went to Basic City, Virginia, and in October of the next year he entered the Law Department of the University of Nebraska and graduated from it in 1898. That same year he began the practice of law at Fullerton, Nebraska. Twice he has been Chairman of the Republican Cen- tral County Committee and served one term as State Committeeman from the Eighteenth district. He has been City Attorney of Fuller- ton and is now County Attorney, nominated for a second term. D. STEPHENSON was born in Hunting- ton, Indiana, March 31, 1850. In 1884 he came to Nebraska, engaging in farming in Nance County. In 1872 he married Miss Leah Bruss, and they have three sons. He is a member of the Republican party and has held several of- fices, having been Supervisor of Nance County in 1888, Census Enumerator in 1900 and is now serving his second term as County Clerk. W. H. DAVIS was born in Noble County, Ohio, February 9, 1851. About 1867 he re- moved to Missouri and in 1872 came to Mer- rick County, Nebraska. He settled in Nance County about 1881, where he has been a nur- seryman. He received his education in the Missouri and Ohio public schools. Mr. Davis is a member of the Republican party and has served as Town Councilman and has twice been elected Sheriflf of Nance County. E. W. SMITH was born in Kossuth, Iowa, October 18. 1876, removed to Hastings in 1879 and came to Fullerton in 1883. He attended the Fullerton High School, Fremont Normal College, LTniversity of Nebraska for three years, and took two summers' work in the York College. He was Principal of Schools at Belgrade four and one-half vears. In 1903 COUNTY HISTORY. 389 W. L. KOSE. M. J. FLAHERTY. he married -Miss Hattie La Grange. Mr. Smith served in Company C, First Nebraska Volun- teers, in the 'Philippine campaign as a member of the regimental band. He was elected County Superintendent on the Republican ticket and is now serving his second term. M. J. FLAHERTY was born in Maiden, Ill- inois, November 18, 1870. He removed to Peru, Illinois, with his parents about 187G, and in 1885 settled in Nance County, Nebraska, where he has since made his home. He re- ceived his education in the Illinois public schools. He is a member of the Republican party and is Assessor of Nance County. J. R. STEPHENSON was born in Wabash County, Indiana, January 21, 1879. In 188-1 he removed to Nebraska with his parents, where he has since remained. He attended the Ful lerton High School and the Fremont Normal. since when he has taught in Nance County. He is a member of the Republican party and has been appointed Deputy County Clerk. W. L. ROSE was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, May 15, 1864, came to Merrick County in 1872, where he received his education and studied law in Genoa and Clarks, Nebraska. In 1891 he went to Cedar County and in 1898 settled in Fullerton, after having practiced law two years at Genoa. In 1899 he married Miss Edith Ridell and has one son. He is a member of the Populist party and has been County Attorney for Nance County two terms and City Attorney of Ful- lerton. E. E. COPPLE was born in Centralia, Illi- nois, April 19, 1874. In 1885 he came to Ful- lerton, Nebraska. He attended school at the Lincoln Normal, receiving the degree of B. S. and received the degree of D. D. S. at North- western University of Chicago. He began practicing dentistry in Fullerton in 1900 and ill 19U1 married Miss Bertha Storch. He is a member of the Republican party and was elected Mayor of Fullerton on the anti-saloon ticket. D. A. WILLARD was born in Winchester, New Hampshire, August 10, 1840. After liv- ing in Wisconsin, Michigan, Chicago and Omaha, he came to Columbus, Nebraska, in ISGG. He was the first man to ship a carload of freight into Columbus, where he was en- gaged in the mercantile business, and his house at one time carried a stock worth $50,000.00. In 1867 he established a trading post at the present site of Genoa. When land came into market he bought three sections, laying out Genoa on one of them. In 1880 he married Miss Lottie Anderson of Genoa. Mr. Willard is one of the pioneers of Nance County and has held various township positions. He is now Chairman of the town board of Genoa. GEORGE D. MEIKLEJOHN, a lawyer, was born at Weyauwega, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, August 22, 1857. He was reared on a farm and educated at the State Normal, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Michigan ; was principal of the High School at Weyauwega, Wisconsin and Liscomb, Iowa ; graduated from the law de- partment, Michigan University, in 1880; lo cated at Fullerton, Nance County, Nebraska, in 1880, where he has since been engaged in the practice of law ; was County Attorney for Nance County three years; elected lo the Sen- ate of the Nebraska Legislature in 1884 and re-elected in 1886 ; was President of the Senate during his second term ; was chairman of the Republican State Convention in 1887; was elected Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska in 1«S8, and by virtue of that office was presiding officer of the famous Joint Convention of the Legislature of Nebraska, in 1891, to canvass the State election returns of 1890; he de- clined a renomination for Lieutenant Governor was elected to the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Congresses from the Third Congressional Dis- trict of Nebraska; he declined renomination for Congress and was appointed Assistant Sec- retary of War, April 16, 1897; he tendered his resignation as Assistant Secretary of War, in March, 1901. SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA WM. H. KELLIGAR I. H. KUPER. BENJAMIN PARKER. GEO. D. CARRINGTON. CHARLES A. FROST ABE L. LAWRENCE. J. H. DUNDAS. Nemaha County Court House NEMAHA COUNTY. The members of the Lewis and Clark Expe- dition are the first wliite visitors on record in Nemaha County. In a narration of his travels, written in 1804, Captain Lewis describes this region. The land belonged to the Indians un- til 1854. The first town site was platted by a half-breed Indian, named Deroin, in 1853, and the town was called St. Deroin. Robert Hawke opened up a store here. Richard Brown^ a na- tive of Tennessee, was the next white inhab- itant. He settled on the present site of Brown- ville, which was named in his honor. In 1859 the land was offered for sale by the govern- ment, and speculators swarmed into the county. The years of 1857-8-9 were known as "hard times." The summer of 1858 was very wet, resulting in much sickness. The season of 1860 was very dry and only half a crop was reaped by the poverty-stricken farmers. Much of the time wheat brought only 20 cents per l)ushel, while farmers were paying 40 per cent interest on money borrowed to secure their lands. After paying this enormous interest for several years many were forced to yield their property to the speculators. Long before the lands were opened up there was a rush of im- niie;rants. In 1856, during a single week, fifty families of homeseekers claims in this county stopped to take up mong the early set- settlers were Rev. Joel M. Wood, Jesse Cole, N. Kelley, Henry Emerson, T. B. Edwards and wife and Faulbird Edwards. Mrs. T. B. Ed- wards was the first white woman to live in the county. In 1861 bands of men known as "jay- hawkers" gave the settlers a great deal of an- noyance. Their avowed purpose was to punish rebels, but in reality they were robbers, and their pretended sense of loyalty protected them in all sorts of thefts. On June 8, 1861, Com- pany C, of the First Nebraska Volunteer In- COUNTY HISTORY. 391 laiiiiy, was organized. There were several local organizations known as Home Guards In 1862 three cavalry companies were formed in the county for the Second Nebraska Regi- ment. The first flatboat ferry in Nemaha County was started in 1855 by Richard Brown, and in 1857 the first steam ferry boat was put in operation. In 1881 the number of improved acres of land was 141,108. In 1900 that number had in- creased to 214,686 acres. Nemaha County was organized in 1855. At that time the population was 604; it now numbers 14,952. Auburn, tlie county seat, is populated by 2,664 people. The supply of water and rich, rolling prairie make this a great agricultural and stock raising sec- tion. Land is very high. Pasture land sells at prices ranging from $o0.0U to $50.00 an acre, and the best farm land brings from $60 to $80 per acre. The cultivation of fruit is very suc- cessful, and Nemaha ranks first in the state in its peaches. The county is divided into eighty- one school districts, supplied with eighty-three buildings, twelve of which are brick and two stone. Thirty districts have school during nine or more months, and only one school has a term of less than six months. G. B. BEVERIDGE was born in Palmyra, Missouri, April 23, 1838. In 1883 he came to Auburn, Nebraska, where he has since prac- ticed law. He was a soldier all through the Civil W'ar and knows the hardships of active service. During his residence in Delaware County, Iowa, he held the oftice of Clerk of the District Court and later of Sheriff. He is af- filiated with the Republican party and is Clerk of the District Court in Nemaha County. D. J. A. DIRKS was born in Germany July 16, 1866. During the first years of his resi- dence in America he lived in Missouri, but in 1877 he came to Nebraska, receiving a common school education and later was employed as a dry goods clerk, lie is a member of the Re- publican party and has been elected County Treasurer. GEORGE D. CARRINGTON was born in Brownville, Nebraska, April 5, 1879, and has lived in Nemaha County all his life. He re ceived his education in tlie .\uburn High School, Fremont Normal and Peru State Nor- mal. He is affiliated with the Ro])ublican party and has been elected Comity .'superintendent. His vocation is that of teaching. CHARLES R. HACKER was born in Ne- maha County, Nebraska, August 29, 1866. He received a common school education and in 1903 was married to Miss Elsie Hacker. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is affiliated with the Republican party. He has been County Surveyor two years. City Clerk two years and at present holds the office oj County Clerk. ABE L. LAURENCE was born ni Brown- ville, Nemaha County, December 25, 1863, and has lived in this county ever since. He gradu- ated from the Brownville High School and en- gaged in farming. In 1885 he married Miss Kate Agnes Penney and has six children. He has been twice elected County Sheriflf on the Republican ticket. JOHN S. McCARTV was born in Mason, Illinois, June 10, 1868. His parents were both born in Kentucky, their ancestry dating back to the earliest settlers. He came to Nemaha County, Nebraska, in 1878 and received his education in the high schools and the Nebraska State Normal at Peru. By profession he is an attorney at law and is now serving as Judge of Nemaha County. He is a member of the Democratic party and has been a member of the State Central Committee. BENJAMIN PARKER was born in Bour- bon County, Kentucky, February 28, 1858. He is of Scotch-Irish parentage, his mother having come over from Scotland at the age of sixteen. In 1885 he was married to Minnie E. Berge. They have six children and live at .\uburn, Nebraska. By occupation he is a merchant salesman and has also been employed as civil engineer. He moved to Iowa in 1861, to Mis- souri in 1862 and to Nebraska in 1879. He is serving his second term as County Surveyor and is a Republican in politics. C. A. LUTCiEN is of German descent, al- lliough his people were born in America. He was born November 7, 1873, in Athens County, Ohio. He obtained his advanced schooling at Kansas University, Lincoln Medical College and the Chicago Homeopathic School. He is now a practicing physician of Auburn, Ne- braska, and is holding the office of Coroner for the second term. From Ohio he went to Kan- sas in 1885 and came to Nebraska in 1901. Two years after coming to the state he married Myrtle Combs of Johnson County. He is a member of the Republican partv ILERT H. KITPER was born in Humboldt. Nebraska, December 23, 1866, of German par- entage. He received a common school educa- tion and engaged in farming and teaching. • 292 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA In 1902 he married Miss Rena M. Tjaden of Humboldt, Nebraska. He is a member of the Republican party and is now serving as Deputy County Treasurer. CHARLES A. FROST was born in Wood- ford County, Illinois, June 19, 186(5. In 1870 he came to Jefferson County, Nebraska, with his parents, engaging in farmmg. He received a common school education. In 1897 he set- tled in Nemaha County, following his profes- sion of engineer. He is a member of the Re- publican party and is Chief of Police in Au- burn. In 1891 he married Miss Nellie Gipple. WILLIAM H. KELLIGAR is a practicmg lawyer at Auburn, Nebraska. He was born at Summerville, New Jersey, on the 2d of March. 1854. From New Jersey he removed to Deca tur, Illinois, in the year 185G. His mother died in 1867 and his father is living in Illinois. He is a Democrat in politics and during 1891 and 1892 he was County Attorney. In 1903 he was elected to the position of District Judge. He was married at St. Louis December 2, 1883, to Mary A. Finn and they have eight children. J. H. DUNDAS is a native of Aurora, Illi- nois, born October 14, 1845. His parents were James and Mary Dundas and his father was born in Ireland. He is the editor and publisher of the Auburn Granger and is also author of a book, "Every Man's Account Book." Before the city of Auburn was built he farmed and herded cattle on the present town site. He attended school at Peru Normal and in 1871 was married to Miss Wealthy Bishop. He has two sons and two daughters. He has been As- sessor three times. Justice of the Peace, and in 1897 and 1898 was State Senator from the Sec- ond district. Mr. Dundas is independent in his political views. NUCKOLLS COUNTY. The county is furnished with as good a water supply as any Nebraska county. There are the Republican and Little Blue Rivers, besides many small streams. A large amount of na- tive timber is found along the Little Blue. The soil, which is black and sandy, with a layer of clay, is nearly all capable of cultivation. Win- ter wheat and corn cover an almost equal acre- age, 70,354 acres being devoted to wheat and 82,501 acres to corn. There is a great deal of natural grass, and alfalfa is widely grown. The surface is made up of rolling, fertile up- land and valleys. There are 1,773 farms, and both farm and ranch land is in good demand. Since 1897 land has become 35 per cent more valuable. The best farm land is selling for $30 to $45 an acre. In 1900 1,185,671 bushels of corn were marketed. In 1882 the county con- tained 44,357 acres of improved land, while the acreage of improved land at present is 275,325 The county was organized in 1871. Its popu- lation in 1880 was 4,334. The population of today is 12,414. The people are engaged in farming, stock raising, dairying and fruit cul- ture. Four years ago the estimated value of live stock was $2,000,027. Nuckolls County has seven graded schools, in which thirty-fivo teachers are employed. There are ninety-three school buildings, including one stone and five brick structures. With the exception of Thayer, Nuckolls had more terrible Indian ex- periences than any ©ther pioneer county. Set- tlements were attempted in 1858, but the sav- ages, jealous of intrusion, either murdered or routed all homeseekers. B. S. Comstock, who came in 1858, was the oldest inhabitant. In 1861 he bought Oak Grove and settled there on the Little Blue with his family of seven chil- dren. This family became heroes in the In- dian War, and the stockade at Oak Grove was the only settlement which was strong enough to resist the red slaughterers. In 1867 the county was entirely depopulated on account of fear of the Indians. EDGAR D. BROWN was born in Kala- mazoo County, Michigan, September 1, 1844. In 1864 he removed to Illinois, in 1878 to Kan- sas, and in 1882 to Nebraska. He was edu- cated at Hillsdale College, Michigan, and was Second Sergeant of Company L, Fifth Michi- gan Cavalry, in the Civil War. Mr. Brown is a member of the Reptiblican party and has been elected County Attorney. W. T. BOTTENFIELD was born in Mon- roe County, Ohio, February 21, 1850. In 1883 he came to Nebraska, entering the mercantile business. Later he became the publisher of n newspaper and a school teacher. He received his education in the Ohio State Normal School and was elected to serve a third term as County COUNTY HISTORY. 293 w w II \ w 1 i;-i P: 'T ki ^ . ^ ■fir /^ . ;^ . ii ^«Airi KIiGAR D. BROWN. O. \V. MREYNOLDS. 1892. He obtained a common school educa- tion and was united in marriage to Miss Cora Hosking of Galena, Illinois, in 1887. Mr. Jack- son was elected to the office of County Clerk as a representative of the Fusionists in his county. J. W. HODGES was born at Clinton, Illi- nois, in 1872, where he lived until 1893, when he removed to Nebraska to engage in farming and stock raising. He was married to Miss Mollie Armstrong in 1894, and again to Miss Hester Galey in 1904. He is affiliated with the Republican party and has been elected Sheriff of Nuckolls County. M. W. CARTER was born in Wabash County, Indiana, July 13, 1858. In 1878 he came to Nebraska, engaging at first in farming and stock raising with his father, and later in the mercantile business. He was a member of the First Nebraska National Guard for throe years. He married Miss Susan LaBounty of Illinois. His education was obtained in the common schools and he has been elected Clerk of the District Court on the Republican ticket. C. C. DUDLEY was born in Ruskin, Ne- braska, October 5, 1876. His father was one Nuckolls County Court House Superintendent of Nuckolls County. In 1878 lie married Miss Jessie Bertholf. and they have eight children. GEORGE JACKSON was born in Daviess County, Illinois, removed to Gage County, Ne- l)raska, in 1885, settling in Nuckolls County in W. HODGES. of the earliest settlers of the county, and his mother's family had been burned out by the Indians on the Little Blue River near what is now Oak, Nebraska. He received a common school education and is affiliated with the Democratic party. He has been elected County Treasurer. J. T. DYSART was born in Antioch. Ohio. April 23, 1875. In 1879 he removed with his parents to Nuckolls County, Nebraska. He graduated from the University of Nebraska Law School in 1901 and is now serving his second term as County Judge. He is a mem- ber of the Republican party. A. W. McREYNOLDS was born in Martin County, Indiana, July 16, 1854. When a child he removed with his parents to Iowa and came to Nebraska in 1878, settling in Nuckolls County. He was educated in the public schools of Iowa and at present is engaged in the drug business. In 1900 he was married to Miss Nellie Sheets and they have two chil- dren. With the exception of about five years Mr. McReynolds has been Surveyor of Nuck- olls since coming to the state. He is a member of the Republican party. 294 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA W. W. HAWLEY, Mayor of Nelson, Ne- braska, and station agent for the B. & M. R. R. Company, was born in Rock County, Wiscon- sin, January 27, 1864. His father was an En- gHshman and his mother was born in New York, of German parentage. He came to Ne- braska in 1867 and has lived in the State ever since, having resided in Nemaha, Clay, John- son, Otoe, Gage and Nuckolls counties. He attended the high school at Brownville and also at Sutton, Nebraska, and has followed railroading. OTOE COUNTY. Otoe County was organized in 1855, one year after Nebraska became a State. Ne- braska City, the county seat, has 7,380 inhab- itants about one-third of the entire county population. This is a fertile rolling prairie, relieved by the valleys of the Missouri and Nemaha Rivers and Wolf, Muddy and other creeks. The blufifs along the Missouri are very well adapted to the cultivation of fruit, and' the countv holds first place in the number of fruit trees. ' Land is 35 per cent more valu- able than it was five years ago, and the de- mand is greater than the supply. The price of the best farm land is from $60 to $75 per acre. Fair tillable land sells at $45 to $55 an acre: hay land is worth from $40 to $45, and pasture land is sold at prices ranging from $35 to $4T), There are 148.267 acres of corn, and in 1900 6,268,696 bushels were shipped to market, to- gether with 48,370 hogs. There are five flour and grist mills and three brickyards in the county. Before 1844 Otoe Countv was en- tirely occupied bv Pawnees, Otoes and Omahas. In 1846 Companv G, Second U. S. Dragoons, established a military post where Nebraska City now stands. The blockhouse stood near the middle of Fifth, between Main and Otoe Streets, and the ofTRcers' quarters were a log house near the Seymour House. The first permanent inhabitant was John B. Boulware, who conducted a ferrv at the foot of Commercial Street. The winter of 1856 was verv severe, and manv lives were lost because of insufficient shelter and food. Even the wild animals were starved, and it is said that deer ran throueh the Ncbrnska Citv streets nursued bv packs of wolves. The droueht of 1859 and the flood of 1881 were other hindrances to the nroeress of the countv. In 1873 Hon. J. Ster- linsr Morton succeeded in havine Arbor Dav e'stahlished. The school svstem is verv good. The countv is divided into 102 districts and school propertv amounts to $197,789,88, There are nine graded schools, in which sixty-four teachers are employed. The children of school age number 7,234. No school has a term of less than six months. E. H. FINIGAN was born in Otoe County, Nebraska, on the 10th of September in the year 1880, and has been a resident of the state ever since, his present home being at Nebraska City. His father and mother, L. D. and M. E. Finigan, came from Illinois and New York, re- spectively. For five years he held the position of Cashier of a bank at Unadilla, Nebraska In September of 1903 he was married to Gol- dine Dunn. He is a Democrat and is serving his first term as Clerk of the District Court, With one exception he is the youngest county officer in Nebraska, being only twenty-three years old at the time of his election. C. E. SHRADER is a lumber and grain dealer of Nebraska City and is in his second term of office as Sheriff of Otoe County. He received his education in the public schools and is Republican in politics. He was bom in this county March 17. 1876, and has always re- mained a resident. His parents are Germans, his father having come direct from the old country, and they are farmers by occupation. He was married October 6, 1897, and has two children, R. C. KING was born May 13. 1879, at Lin- coln, Illinois. He has lived in Nebraska since 1892 and his home is at Nebraska City. On .\pril 30, 1902, he was married to Clara Ander- son, Thev have one child. He obtained his education in the common schools of Illinois and later at Valparaiso. He has been engaged in school work and is at present serving lys second term as County Superintendent. His politics are Republican. M. C. JOYCE is of Irish parentage, his peo- ple having emigrated from the old country in 1845. He was born in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, July 29, 1851. He is in the harness and saddlery business at Syracuse, Ne- braska. His father was a blanket manufac- turer, and was making blankets for the Union soldiers at the time of his death. His marriage COUNTY HISTORY. 29S M. C. JOYCE. E. H. FIXIGAN. C. H. KRESSEN. THEO WRBERING. CIIAS. H. BUSCH. Otoe County Court House to Hattie A. Russell occurred in 1882, and they have three children. After a residence of four vears in Iowa he came to Nebraska in 1880. lie is scrsine: his third term as County Judge, being a Republican in politics. R. W. KELLY is a school teacher and book- keeper by profession, but at present is serving his second term as County Treasurer. He is a member of the Rc]>ublican party. Mr. Kellv was born on the Isle of Man, August 9, 1870. .\ftcr the death of his mother his father came to America in 1888 and settled in Otoe in 1889. He obtained the Queen's Certificate, which authorized him to teach in any part of Great Britain. In December of 1894 he wa.s married to Maggie Koontz. They reside at Nebraska City, and have three daughters. Mr. Kelly has served as Treasurer of the Nebraska Epworth Assembly. ARTHUR A. BISCHOF was born on the nth of January in 1874. He is a practicing lawyer of Nebraska City, which was the place of his birth. His parents were born in Ger- many. His father is a merchant and his mother is deceased. He obtained his education at the ITnivcrsity of Nebraska, where he took his A. B. degree in 1898 and LL. E. in 1900. He is at present County Attorney and was elected on the Republican ticket. CHARLES H. BUSCH was born in the Province of Hanover, Germany, on December 30, 1867, and came to Otoe County in 1881. 296 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Front Row. Left to Risrht.— R. C. KING, Superintendent; C. E. SHRADEK. Sheriff; JOHN FRERICHS, Commissioner: Wm. HAYVVARD. Judge. 1901. Back Row. Left to Kight -C. C BRAVT, Recoriier; F. M. COOK, Deputy Treasurer: CARE BF.DEEL, Surveyor, 1901 ; C. N. KARSTENS, Coroner: K. W. KELLY, Treasurer. In 1885 entered the mercantile business and in 1887 took a course in the Lincoln Business College. He was united in marriage to Minnie A. Stutt in 1888 and in 1889, with his brother, formed the firm of Busch Bros., merchants. Mr. Busch was appointed postmaster in ]894 and in 1899 was appointed Deputy County Clerk. In the spring of 1903 he was appointed County Clerk to fill a vacancy, and in Novem- ber was elected County. Clerk on the Demo- cratic ticket. C. N. KARSTENS is an old soldier, having served over three years in the First Nebraska Regiment during the Rebellion. After the war he was married to Miss Katherine Weiss in 1870. They have seven children and, in addi- tion, have brought up four orphans His pres- ent residence is Nebraska City. He was born in Prussia on the 3d of March, 1834. His par- ents came to the United States in 1857 and have lived in Nebraska City ever since. He is engaged in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness and has been Coroner since 1890. Mr. Karstens is a member of the Republican party JOHN FRERICKS is Chairman of the Otoe Board of County Commissioners, and is Re- publican in politics. His parents, Abraham and Gretje Frericks, came from Germany. He was born in Madison County, Illinois, on the 30th of November, 1857, and at the age of thir- teen came with his parents to Nebraska. He received his education in the Ilinois public schools. In 1885 he was married to Mary L. Ritter and their family consists of eight chil- dren. L. E. TONES is of Welsh parentage. At the time of his birth, on January 6. 1857, his par- ents were living in Monroe County, Iowa. They moved to Missouri in 18G7 and after a six vears' residence there came to Nebraska in 1873. He was married in 1885 and with his wife and three children lives at Palmyra, Ne- braska. Mrs. Jones ' maiden name was Lillian AIcNaughton. He is a farmer and now holds the office of Assessor, being a Republican. THEODORE WEBERING is at present serving his third term as County Commis- sioner. He is a baker by profession and a Democrat in politics. Pie was educated in the puljlic schools of Germany, where his parents died. When he was twenty-three years old he came to America and after living in St. Louis one j-^ear in 1881 moved to Nebraska with his wife, whom he married the year before. His wife's maiden name was Catherine Schruender. He was born January 10, 1857, and his present home is Nebraska City. He was Councilman of his town in 1893 and has been Park Com- missioner for the past nine years. C. H. KRESSEN came to America from Germany when he was twenty years of age. After living in Chicago, Illinois, for a few COUNTY HISTORY. 297 months, he removed to Nebraska in the latter part of 1868. The date of his birth is Febru- ary 12, 1848. His parents, George and Annie Kressen, remained in the old country. He is engaged in the implement business, has been Councilman and is at present serxing his first term as Mavor of Nebraska City. He is a Democrat and was married in 1872. CHARLES WILDER PIERCE was born in the City of New York, February 21, 1824. In 1849 he came to Nebraska. He was edu- cated in Yates Academy, Orleans County, New York. By profession he is a civil engineer and is the present County Surveyor of Otoe County and City Engineer of Nebraska Citv, He is a member of the Democratic party. PAWNEE COUNTY. The altitude of Pawnee County is from 900 to 1.000 feet above sea level. The greater part of the surface is made up of uplands and bot- tom lands, which are usually di\idcd bv low hills. The soil is exceedingly fertile, and looks like rich garden mould. Ninety per cent of the land is tillable and the remainder makes good orchard and grazing land. Land has in- creased over one-third in value since 1897, and •■he highest price is paid for farin land, which sells as high as $70 an acre. The people are engaged in farming, dairying, stock feeding and fruit raising, while the principal resources are in the cereals and tame grasses. There are many orchards and vineyards, and also quite an amount of native timber, which grows along the North and South Nemaha Rivers and other smaller waters. In 1900 live stock amounted to $1.G91,721, 38,290 hogs and 7,675 cattle be- ing included in this valuation. Good building stone and a good quality of brick clay are found here. Several coal veins have been worked here quite successfully. The first set- tlers were Ohio men, who settled at Cincin- nati, about fourteen miles from Pawnee City, They were Judge Christian Bobst, Robert Tur- ner, Jacob Adams and Robert .Archer. They experienced all the hardships of pioneer life They were compelled to go a long distance into Missouri for supplies. In the midst of other trials came the severe winter of 1856 and 1857. In the spring of 1856-7 the first buildings were put up in Pawnee City. Hon. David Butler of Indiana moved to Pawnee City in 1858. In 1861 he served in the territorial Legislature, in 1862 as a member of the Senate, and in 1866 as the first Governor of Nebraska. P. Linning, born in 1857, was the first native of Pawnee City. The "jayhawkers," who were bands of men sworn to punish rebels, made all sorts of trouble for the non-unionists and others as well. Horse thieves and rogues of every de- scription claimed to be jayhawkers in self- defense. "Rosin Weed" Seminary, just west of Pawnee City, was the first school in the countv, and was tauerht by Miss Sarah H. Ball OLIVER H. LOCH is a Nebraskan, his birthplace being Pawnee County, the date Au gust 3, 1875. He lived on the farm until eight- een years of age, when he came to Pawnee Academ3% pursuing a course there and later engaging in the farming and mercantile busi- ness. He has always been an active member of the Republican party and has served his constituents as Countv Treasurer since 1901. GEORGE L. LORE is a native Nebraskan, having been born in Pawnee Countv, October 25, 1869, where he lived on his home farm until 1893, when he engaged in the hardware busi- ness at DuBois. During that same year he married Miss Atkinson, and they have one son and one daughter. He received the foundation of his business education at Western Normal College, Shenandoah, Iowa. He is one of the prominent Republicans of the county and has served the county as Clerk for two terms. G. R. MARTIN was born in Washington County, Indiana, January 14, 1845, where he lived until 1851, when he came with his father to Illinois, and fourteen years later to Ne- braska, engaging in farming. He received his education in the Illinois and Nebraska publiv^ schools, and entered the mercantile business in Pawnee City. From 1889 to 1891 he was a member of the Board of Commissioners and is now serving as Sheriff of Pawnee Count3^ FRANK A. BARTON was born December 15, 1861, in Randolph, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of the Northwestern Normal School. Endiboro, Penn.sylvania, and also of the Law Department of the University of Nebraska. He came to Pawnee County in 1885, engaging in school teaching until 1889. From 1889 to 1893 he was Superintendent of Pawnee County 298 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA PAWNEE COUNTY OFFICERS Front Row, Left to Right.— FRANK A. BARTON, Judge; G. R MARTIN, Sherifl: V. M BABITT, Surveyor; C W HARRIS. Commissioner; J. M. HURD, Commissioner. Back Row, Lett to Right.-J. B. BROOKS. Clerk District Court; CHARLES A. SCHAPPEL, Coronet: OLIVER H. LOCH. Treasurer; J. CLYDE WADDELL, Superintendent; J. E. GOSSIN, Assessor: GEuRGE L. LORE. Clerk. Pawnee County Court House. Photo by Jno. F. Wils'n and from 1895 to 1897 was Deputy State Su perintendent of Nebraska. He was married to Miss II anna G. Turner in 1888 and they have four children. Mr. Barton is a member of the RepubHcan party and is now serving as Judge of Pawnee County. J. B. BROOKS was born in Hillsboro, Ohio, June 1, 1841. Mr. Brooks served over four years in the Civil War, engaging in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Get- tysburg, and was then transferred to the Army of Tennessee, where he served under General Sherman until the close of the war. He came to Iowa in 1870 and then was engaged in the drug business in Kansas from 1872 to 1881. He then came to Pawnee City. He has been twice married and has one son and one daugh- ter. Mr. Brooks is a Republican, and has been Clerk of the District Court of Pawnee Countv for seventeen years. J. CLYDE WADDELL was born in Chris- tian County, Illinois, July 14, 1876. He came to Pawnee County in 1882 and lived with his father on the farm and taught school. He i- a graduate of the Pawnee Academy and has taken work in the ITniversity of Nebraska and in Tokio College, Missouri. In 1901 he was married to Miss E. Josephine Clifford of Lin- coln, Nebraska. He is a member of the Repub- lican party and is now serving his second term as Superintendent of Pawnee Countv. C. F. NYE was born in Highgate. Vermont. December 17, 1S.^S. He attended the Univer- sity of Vermont until he entered the War of the Rebellion, and studied law in .St. Allans, Vermont, two years. He came to Pawnee City in 1867 and practiced law for four years and then engaged in farming and stock rais- ing. He was married in 1870 and has five chil- dren. Mr. Nye is a member of the Republican COUNTY HISTORY. 299 party and served as Cuuiil)- Treasurer from 1894 to 1898. CHARLES A. SCHAPl'EL was born in Brooklyn, New York, November 5, 1853. Four years later he removed to Glenwood, Iowa, with his parents, thence to Giicago, and set- tled in Pawnee City in 1883. He received his education in the common schools of Iowa and Illinois. He married Miss Florence Kinscy of Chicago in 1881. Mr. Schappel has been rep- resentative in the Legislature for two success- i\e sessions and Mayor of Pawnee City four terms. PERKINS COUNTY. 1^ JOHN T. MONTGOMERY. A. SOFTLEY. Perkins County Court House Perkins County was organized in 1887 with an area of 882 square miles. Its county seat is Grant. Prairie land makes up the most of the surface, although there are a few high ridges. Eighty-five per cent of the soil is tilla- ble, and yet the greater part of the county is given over to stock ranges on account of the good supply of grass and water. Cattle, horses, and sheep are the principal live stock, and in 1900 the valuation of stock was $605,610, in- cluding l.-TT") cattle and •J;?! hogs. A flour and grist mill is located at Elsie. The population I if the county is 1,702. of which number 563 are children of school age. There arc seventy-one school districts and eleven square miles of un- organized territory, of which nine square miles are government land. Of the forty-eight schoolhouses forty-two arc well furnished with supplies. The county supports one graded school, and the entire school property is valued at $20,733.85. A. SOFTLEY was born in England June 26, 1868, and came to Michigan in 1883 and to Dodge County, Nebraska, in 1885. He is a graduate of the Business, Teachers' and Scien- tic Courses of the Fremont Normal College and holds a life certificate. He has been an instructor in the institutes of .Stanton, Perkins, Keith, Chase, Hayes and BuiTalo Counties, and was married to Miss Cleophine Fauquet at Wahoo, Nebraska, August 25, 1890. He was once appointed and four times elected Superin- tendent of Perkins County. JOHN T. MONTGOMERY was born in Morton Comity, Indiana, whqre he received his education and remained until 1882, when he came to Nebraska. He has since resided in the .State and has been engaged in farming until the last four years. I\Ir. Montgomery is a member of the Populist party and is now hold- ing the office of County Judge of Perkins County. 300 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA PHELPS COUNTY. FRANK A. DEAN. J. N. GUSTUS. ELIAS W. BEGHTOL. vide between the Republican and Platte Riv- ers, its surface being made up of a level plain and the valley land along the Platte. Wells are from 5 feet to 250 feet deep, in accordance with the elevation. The occupations are farm- ing, stock raising and dairying. The cereals are the principal products. Winter wheat oc- cupies 85,000 acres, corn 60,000 acres, oats 10,000 acres and rye 15,000 acres. Corn and hogs are the chief exports, and recently 2,252,- 800 bushels of corn and 42,840 hogs were shipped from the county in a single year. Land has doubled in value during the last few years. The value of live stock is estimated at $1,532,- 199. Phelps is populated with 10,772 people and its county seat, Holdrege, has 3,007 inhab- itants. County organization took place in 1873. There are 45.39 miles of railroads. The county is divided into seventj'-six districts and there is no unorganized land. There are sev- enty-seven school buildings, two of which are built of brick ; sixty of the schoolhouses are well supplied with apparatus. The county con- Phelps County Court House The soil of Phelps County is, in general, a dark sandy loam, underlaid with clay, almost all of which is capable of cultivation. Six per cent of the land is made up of a sandy, until- lable soil, which is utilized for grazing pur- poses. Phelps County is situated on the di- C. J. BEEDLE. tains 3,532 school children. The early histurv centers around the old freight and emigrant road, and the first settlements were trading ranches on the route. In the spring of 187.3 there was a large immigration, which was con- fined mostly to the northern part of the county. C. J. BEEDLE was born in Hancock, Illi- nois, April 21, 18G1, and was educated in Crawfordsville College and Iowa Wesleyan University. In 1884 he came to Nebraska, where he has since resided. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and has practiced law in Hol- drege since that time. In 1882 he married Miss Emma Johnson. He has been importuned twice to take the nomination for State Senator- ship, and at present is serving his second term as County Attorney. J. N. GL'STUS was born in Sweden, July 7, 1855, and in 18G8 came to Illinois with his par- ents. In his twenty-seventh year he came to Nebraska, where he has since remained. In 1883 he married Miss Jennie Myrtengreen and COUNTY HISTORY. 301 they have four children. He has been County Supervisor three years, Justice of the Peace, Assessor in 1899, and since 1900 has served as Sheriff of Phelps County. L. C. HUCI\. was born in North Germany in the year 1854 and when he was two years of age his parents came to the United States. He settled in Nebraska in 1887, having lived in New York State prior to that time. He was elected to the office of Clerk of the District Court in ltl91 and has served in that capacity lor twelve years, being a member of the Popu- list party. In 1879 he married Miss Henrietta Lawrence and they have three children. ELIAS W. BEGTHOL was born in Schuy- ler County, Illinois, November 2-1, ISIS. In 1870 he came to Shenandoah, Iowa ; in 1880 re- moved to Lincoln and settled in lluldregc in 1885. Was admitted to the bar in 1S91, was elected County Judge in 1901 and re-elected in 1903. He served in Company 1, 137th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was in the battle of Memphis, Tennessee. At present he is Grand Captain General of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar, of Nebraska. P. O. BILLING was born in Sweden in Feb- ruary, 18C(i, and in 1893 came direct to Phelps County, Nebraska. He is a graduate of th9 Polytcchnical Institute of Matmo, Sweden, and by trade an architect and builder. Mr. Billmg served as Surveyor of Hielps County from 189C to 1901 and was re-elected to that office in 19U3. PRANK A. DEAN was born in LaSalle, Ill- inois, September 2S, 1855, and was educated in the Illinois State University, graduating in the class of lSi8. Two years later he came to Nebraska and engaged in the hardware busi- ness. In 16,9 he married Miss Lora Riggs. He has been Mayor of Holdrege and is now State Senator, having been elected on the Re- publican ticket. PIERCE COUNTY. The first settlement in Pierce County was made on the north fork of the Elkhorn River in 18GG. The settlers were a part of a German colony from Wisconsin, and the principal men were A. J. Huebner, August Nenow and Chris- tian Huebner. in 1870 R. S. Lucas and J. H. Brown settled on Willow Creek, forming the nucleus of the present county seat. Pierce, which now has a population of 770. In 1S71 William B. Chilvers settled on Dry Creek, where Plainview now is. There were two im- portant hindrances to early immigration — the holding ol the most desirable lands by non- resident speculators and the lack ol transporta- tion and snipping facilities. Une of these evils was remedied by the laying of a railvva} through the county in- 1880. The county was organized in 1870 and a courthouse was built within the first year. There 'are now 59.3(1 miles of railway. In 1879 there were C84 peo- ple in the county. The present population is 8,445. The surface is about half lowland and half highland. The soil is dark and sandy, with an underlayer of clay. Seventy-five per cent of the land is capable of cultivation, and the remainder comprises sandy hills and ridges, which make good grazing land. The north fork of the Elkhorn River, and Dry, Wil- low and other small streams drain the county. Apples, plums, cherries and bush fruits are suc- cessfully cultivated, while cereals, potatoes, al- falfa, timothy and clover comprise the chief crops. Over 800 acres are devoted to the sugar beet industry. Pierce holds second place in the state in its production of farm cheese Land has doubled in value within the past few years, and 3U0 transfers of land have been re- corded recently. The county is apportioned into si.xty-six school districts, and there are seventy-six school buildings. No school has a term of less than six months. 1 here are four graded schools in the county. VV. G. HiRONS was born in Epworth, Iowa, xMay 10, 1870. In 1895 he moved to North Loup, Nebraska, and two years later to Pincc, where he has since resided. He graduated from Iowa University in 1895 and has been Principal of Schools at North Loup for two years and at Pierce for six years. He now holds the office of County Clerk. May lb, 1904, he married Miss Mary Tawney. WILLIAM B. CHILVERS entered life in the county of Norfolk, England, October 19, 1835. He landed in New York in 1851, went to Chicago via the Great Lakes and four years later came to Boone County, Illinois, where he remained until 1871, except for the three years spent in the Ninety-fifth Illinois, Company B, S02 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA J. A. WILLIAMS. N. M. NELSON. W. G. HIRONS. L. P. TONNER. B, M. JONES. Pierce County Court House during the Civil War. Then he came to Nor- folk, Nebraska, and took the first claiii' at Plainview. He married Miss Irene Pilcher in 1873 and their eldest child was the first white baby born in Plainview. J. A. WILLIAMS was born at Galena, Illi- nois, August 6, 18(30. of English parentage. Mr. Williams settled in Nebraska in 1900. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, in both the Classical and Law Departments. He was City Superintendent of Schools at Ga- lena, Illinois, for several years and holds a life certificate as teacher. He is a member of the Republican party and has been elected County Judge of Pierce County. He has been success- ful on the lecture platform. (•'RANTC STRELOW. FRANK PILGER. H. F. BARNHART was born in State Line, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1857. He came to Creighton, Nebraska, in 1885, later to Os- mond, and located at Pierce in 1896. He grad- uated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1S7(J and from the University of Iowa, Law Department, in 188). He is a member of the People's Independent party and is now serving his third term as County Attorney. FRANK PILGER was born in F.looming- t(in, Nebraska, May 10, 1.S77, of German- .\mcrican parentage. He moved to Plainview in 1888 and settled in Pierce in 1902. lie at- tended the Bloomington Normal, Plainview High School and Plainview Normal College. ^^1903 he married Miss Mabel Searle. He is affiliated with the Democratic partv and served as Deputy County Clerk from 1902 to 1904. .Mr. Pilger was elected Coimtv Superintend- ent in 190.S. B. M. JONES was born in St. Joseph Coun- ty, Indiana. August 22, 18G0. In 1889 he came to Pierce County and has traveled nine years in Iowa and Minnesota for the McCormick Harvesting Company. He is a member of the Democratic party and is serving his second n COUNTY HISTORY. 303 term as Sheriff. In August, lyuo, lie luanictl Miss Iilla Peed, and they have two sons. N. AI. NELSON was born in Denmark, March 18, 1855. In 18C2 he came to Omaha and settled in Pierce County in 1881, engaging in the hardware business. In 1903 he was representative of the Nineteenth District in the State Legislature. He has been Justice of the Peace for eight years and at present hoUls the office of Treasurer of Pierce County, the first Republican elected to that office since its organization. FRANK STRELOW was born in Dober, Germany, June 2(3, 1SG7. In 1882 he came to Pierce County, where he has since resided. i le received his education in the common schools of Germany and Nebraska. In 1892 he married Miss Kochn, and they have four children. He belongs to the Democratic party and is serving his first term as Assessor of Pierce County. L. P. TONNER was born on a farm in Ar- cadia, Iowa, February 20, 1879. In 1890 he moved to Nebraska, where he received his ed- ucation. Having taken a course in the Linclon Xormal University, he began teaching as a [irofession and was Principal of Schools at ( )smond, when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk of Pierce County. POLK COUNTY. Polk County was organized in 1870 with an area of 435 square miles and the county seat was located at Osceola. This town at present has a population of 1,15-1: and there are 10,542 people in the county. The only waste land to be found is in the low liills along the divide between the valley and upland and a few sandy strips along the river. The Platte and Blue rivers with Prairie, Davis and Clear creeks make up the water system, so that nearly one- fourth of the surface is fertile valley land. The soil is a dark, sandy loam in the valley and black in the uplands, from two to seven feet deep. The most valuable land is farm land, the best of which sells for from $(iO to $80 ; the least valuable land is pasture land, which sells for $;!(• an acre, .\pples, plums, cherries, peaches, grapes and small fruits are success- fully cultivated. Winter wheat covers on an average 37,738 acres; corn 86,277 acres; oats 34,995 acres; alfalfa 1,112 acres, and wild hay 25,454 acres. There are 1,(599 farms, almost all of which have building improvements. There are three flour and grist mills, and two brick-yartls in the comity. There are 71 school districts and an equal number of school houses, no school having less than a six months' term. The county has three graded schools, in which twenty teachers are em- ployed. In 1873 there were 3(!4 children of school age; at present there are 4,098. FRANK D. MILLS is a lawyer at Osceola. Nebraska. He w-as born on the twelfth of September, 1874 at Leon, Iowa. At five years of age he came to Nebraska where he has since resided. After graduating from the Osceola High School he spent three years in academic work at the University of Nebraska and then graduated from the Law Department. He is now Attorney of Polk County. He was Sec- ond Lieutenant of ('ompany H. Third Regular Nebraska Volunteer Infantry and First Lieu- tenant of Company K, Third Regiment of Ne- braska Volunteer Infantry. He was married September 30, 1902. D. ". COLE is Superintendent of Public In- struction in Polk County, having been a teacher by vocation. i!e wa.s b' rn near Rising City, Nebraska on the ninth of June, 1874. He attended the Bryant Normal at Stromsburg and has been engaged in school work in Polk and Butler Counties for several j'ears. In jioli- tics he is a populist and is serving his second term as .Superintendent. He was married to •Miss Maude Lott of Rising City, July 21, 18!'(;. C. J. HOLCOMB was born in May of 1850 in P.rown County, New York. He moved with .his parents to Minnesota in 1857, thence to Illinois in 1859 and to Polk County in 1884. lie is County Treasurer and is at present serv- ing his second term. He was a member of the police force of Kcwanee, Illinois, for two years and was on the road two years as a traveling salesman. He is married and has a son and daughter. He is a niemlicr of the Populist party. F. H. BALL was born at Pepperell, Massa- chusetts, October 27, 1857. At two years of age he moved with his parents to Wisconsin and in 1879 settled in Nebraska He has 304 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA (Photo by Clark, Osceola) Front Row, Left to Right —Li. M. SHAW, Coroner; HUGO FLODMAN, Commissioaer; H. A. EYESTONE, Commissioner; J. W. CROZIKR. Commissioner; D C. COLE, Superintendent. Middle Row, Lett to Right.— F. O. MILLS, Attorney: J. D. HARTMAM. Sheriff; F. H. BALL, Judge; JUD HOLCOMB, Treasu- ^-I^ rer; C. M GROSVENOR, Deputy Clerk. Back Row, L' ft tn Right.— M. A. MILLS; Wm. CAMPBELL. Clerk District Court; .1. W. FILLMAN, Clerk; E. HOLCOMB; A. M JOHNSON. Assessor. Polk County Court House. Photo by Clatk been a member of the School Board and also served as County Commissioner one term. He has been elected County Judge and is a Popu- list in politics. Mr. Ball is married and has three sons and one daughter. J. W. FILLMAN came to Nebraska in ISSl from Sweden, where he was born October 15. 1871. He was engaged in teaching for six years, having obtained his education at Bryant Normal University at Stromsburg, Nebraska, and at Fremont Normal School. He is now County Clerk and is independent in politics He has a wife and one child. J. D. HARTMAN was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, on February 18, 1857. His father is Cerman and his mother is American. His occupation is farming. In 1883 he came to Nebraska and located at Osceola. He was educated in the Illinois Public Schools. He holds the office of Sheriff of Polk County and is a populist. WILLIAM CAMPBELL came from his na- tive country, Ireland, July 15, 1882, and lo- cated in Illinois. His birth occurred on June i COUNTY HISTORY. 305 4, 1842. Ho came to Nebraska in 1S83 and his vocation is farming. He was Treasurer of the School Board for fifteen years. He has also held the positions of Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner. At present he is Clerk of the District Court. He lives at Osceola and has six children. L. M. SHAW is a practicing physician at Osceola, Nebraska, and at present holds the office of County Coroner. He was born Feb- ruary 4, 18G8 in Powcsheik County, Iowa. From this state he moved to Illinois in 1873 and at the age of eleven came to Nebraska. He took his M. D. at the Iowa State Univer- sity. He is affiliated with the Republican partv. is married and has four children. CHARLES M. GROSVENOR is Deputy Clerk of I'olk County, and his residence is at Osceola, Nebraska. He came to Nebraska, Hamilton County, in 1872 from Troy, Iowa, where he was born on February 21, 1871. His father was George W. Grosvenor, a farmer by occupation. Mr. Grosvenor's business is that of a clothing salesman. PLATTE COUNTY. The Platte and Loup Rivers form the prin- cipal drainage of Platte County, and their val- leys average about three miles in width, the Platte valley occupying about one-sixth of the surface. About 95 per cent of the land is til- lable. During the last few years the land has increased 55 per cent in value and a great many farms have been sold. The people are engaged in farming, stock raising and dairying. The cereals, alfalfa, timothy and clover are the principal products. Sugar beets occupy about 1,000 acres. One-third of the cheese manufac- tured on Nebraska farms comes from Platte and Pierce Counties. The county possesses many timber groves and orchards. There are seventeen miles of irrigating ditches and 1,488 acres under this artificial water supply. The soil is a deep vegetable mould. There are sev- enty-eight school districts, which are supplied with eighty-four buildings, the entire school property being valued at $132,187. There are six graded schools, and the total number of school children is 6, GOG. The first settlement in Platte was made by the Columbus Town Company, which was organized in Omaha. The princijjal men of this company were Fred Gottschalk, Jacob Lewis and George Rausch. About the same time Isaac Albertson and E. W. Toncray located on Shell Creek. The Co- lumbus Town Company and the Pawnee City Company consolidated, and under this com- bined management the town of Columbus was marked out on May 30, 185G. Patrick Murrey and Patrick McDonough, who traveled from Pennsylvania afoot, located in the county in April of 18.^)7. A sort of fanatic, named Train, exerted his utmost energies to make Colum- bus the nntiniial capital. P>y measurements of maps, he found that this town was within ten miles of the geographical center of the United States, and within one mile of the cen- ter of the world map, and therefore he thought it doubly fated to be the capital city. The mail was first carried between Omaha and Co- lumbus by John Rickly, who drove an ox team Platte County was organized in 1858. The county population numbers 17,747, of which 3,.')22 people are residents of Columbus, the county seat. AUGUST BOETTCHER was born in Ger- many, March 15, 1850. In 1S71 he came to Wisconsin and in 1873 settled at Columbus, where he has since resided. He was educated in the German schools, has been twice married and has eleven children. He has been Coun- cilman of Columbus and is a Democratic Mayor endorsed by the Republicans. Mr. Boettcher has retired from active business, and manages his six fine farms, which comprise twelve hundred acres. JOHN GRAF was born in Germany, Sep- tember 4, lS.->0. In 1854 he came with his par- ents to Wisconsin, later to Chicago, and to Columbus in 1876. He was educated at the I'lattcville, Wisconsin, Normal School and taught for six years. He married Miss Minnie I'.ader in 1882 and has three children. He has held various offices, Deputy Clerk from 1884 lo 1888. City .Xsses.sor in Columbus in 1896 and 1897. De])uty County Clerk since, and is now serving as Cotmty Clerk. JOHN RATTER.MAN was born in Cincin- nati, Iowa, April 4, 1853. In 18G3 he removed with his parents to Guttenberg, Iowa, later to Warren County, Iowa, and Hartington, Ne- braska, where he taught for sixteen vears ; then 306 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA D. A. BECHEH. AUGUST BOETTCHER. OTTO E. HENER. JOHN GRAF. C. J. CARRIG. Platte County Court House. Photo by R. W. Saley to Humphrey, and finally to Columbus as County Judge. He was educated at the Nor- mal School at Milwaukee. In 1ST9 he married Miss Mary Kuchta and has six children. He has been Justice of the Peace and is now serv- ing his second term as County Judge. JERRY CARRIG was born in Platte County, Nebraska, December 27, 1860, where he has always lived except a short time spent at Beaver Crossing. He was educated in the Platte Center High School and the Lincoln Business College. He married Miss Kate Hayes ih 1900. Mr. Carrig's father was one of the pioneers who came to Platte County in 1854, when ox teams were the only means of trans|)ortation. He has been assistant in the County Clerk's office since 1890 and is now Deputy County Clerk. D. A. BECHER was born in Germany, Jan- uary 17, 1859, where he was educated. In 1880 lie removed to Illinois and in the same year came to Platte County, where he has since re- sided. He has been married twice and has eight children. He is affiliated with the Dem- ocratic party and has held various offices, hav- ing been a member of the County Board and the Nebraska State Legislature from 1901 to 190;i, also County Treasurer, which office he now holds. LYMAN R. LATHAM was born in Frank- linville, New York, April 29, 1871. In 1897 he came to Columbus, his present home. He was educated in Tenbrock Free Academy and >tu(lied law in Judge Spring's office, being ad- mitted to the bar on coming to Nebraska. He has held the office of City Clerk, was United .'~>tates Referee in Bankruptcy three terms, and has been nominated for a second term as At- torney of Platte County, which position he now holds. OTTO E. HENER was born in Bremen, Germany, June 29, 1850, son of Professor Hener. He came to New York in 1872 and after traveling extensively in the South set- tled in Nebraska in 1882. He married Miss Lena Loseke in 188G and has four children. He has served as assistant Deputy Treasurer of Platte County for ten years and is now serv- ing his second term as Deputy Treasurer. C. J. CARRIG was born in Platte County, Nebraska, January 21, isr)9, where he has spent all his life. He attended the Business College at Burlington, Iowa, also at Lincoln Nebraska. In 1894 he married Miss Harvey, and has four children. He follows the occupa tion of stock buyer and has been Supervisor of Platte County seven years prior to his elec- tion as Sheriff on the Democratic ticket. His father was one of three brothers who were pio- neer settlers of Platte County. COUNTY HISTORY. 307 L. H. LEAVY was born in Great Falls, New Hampshire, March 6, 185!). He removed to New York City with his parents in 1.SG5, later to Illinois and to Columbus in 1884, where he has since resided. He was educated in the New York City schools, Eureka College, Illi- nois, and the Columbus High School. He mar- ried Miss Loseke in 1889 and has three chil- dren. He was instructor in the County Insti- tute six years and has been elected County Superintendent four successive terms. R. M. ROSSITER was born in Ireland, June 24, 1844, coming to Ohio in 1850 and in 1871 to Columbus, Nebraska. He attended the Christian Brothers' School in Cleveland, after which he studied civil engineering. In 1881 he married Miss Alice McCaffrey. In the sum- mer of 1872 he surveyed unorganized govera- ment land in Nebraska, later in Wyoming and then again in Nebraska. Mr. Rossiter is a vet- eran of the Civil War, Company E, Forty-first Ohio Volunteers; was wounded at Missionary Ridge, and was in the famous flotilla at IJrown's Ferry. RED WILLOW COUNTY. Red Willow County is situated in the Re- publican Valley. Besides the Republican River, there are Beaver, Red Willow, Drift- wood and Coon Creeks, whose valleys are, for the most part, occupied by alfalfa. The county has an area of 72(1 scjuare miles. The surface is composed of table lands, which slope down to the valleys by means of terraces. Good pas- turage is to be found on the hills near the streams, and a large number of cattle and horses are shipped from the county annually There are twenty miles of irrigating ditches, by which 1,542 acres are watered. Sugar beets, alfalfa, cereals, potatoes and melons are grown on the irrigated land, the cereals comprising the largest crop. Small grain, corn, cane and millet are raised on the farm land, which in- cludes 1,237 farms. Land has become 40 per cent more valualile in the last few years. Large quantities of fruit and a great deal of timber are successfully grown. The county popula- tion is 9,604, while that of the county seat, Mc- Cook, is 2,445. There are eighty-two school districts and four square miles of unorganized territory. There are eighty-six schoolhouses, which include five graded school buildings. In 1871 herds of buffalo, antelope and other wild game were very numerous here. The first per- manent settler was John S. King, who settled in the eastern part on the Republican River in 1871. Immigration came in rapidly in 1873 and the county organizatifin was effected. In 1872 the first postofficc was established at the Red Willow settlement, with Roval Buck as Postmaster. O. H. Cobb taught the first school at Indianola in 1873-4, the building be- ing the countv courthouse. ROBERT W. DEVOE was born in Leba- non, Nebraska, February 7, 1882, and has al- ways resided in Red Willow County. He at- tended Franklin Academy and studied law in an office. In 1!H)4 he married Miss Maud Sov- erns. He served as Deputy County Clerk for two years and in 11»();5, when only twenty-one yeasr of age, was elected Clerk of the District Court. He was probably the youngest county officer in the state when elected. He is a worker in the Republican party. His parents came to Nebraska in 1879 and' his father. El- mer E. Devoe, is engaged in the banking busi- ness. E. J. WILCOX was born in Canaan, New York, December 2(5, 1870. When a child he removed with his parents to Illinois, and in 1884 to Nebraska, making the state his perma- nent home. He graduated from the l\lcCook High School and went into the mercantile business. He has been City Clerk for three terms. City Treasurer for two terms, and is serving his second term as County Clerk. FLORA B. QUICK was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, October K;, 1873. In 1878 she came to Nebraska with her parents. She at- tended Franklin Academy and Doanc College and has done summer work at the University of Nebraska and the Peru Normal College. She has taught for seven years in Indianola and was elected County Superintendent by jiopular vote. Miss Quick has been affiliated with the Prohibition party, but was nominated by the Populists and Democrats. P.. G. GOSSARD was born in .Xmes, Iowa, December 15, 1872. and came to Nebraska in 1886. He is a graduate of the Indianola High 308 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA E. J. WILCOX. B. G. GOSSARD. JAMES WILLIAMS. FLORA B. QUICK. ROBERT W. DEVOE R. C. ORR. ELDRED. Red Willow Couniy Court House. Pho:o by t. She I Klmme; School and in 1896 married Miss Effie Shuma- ker. Mr. Gossard was Deputy Clerk of Red Willow County from 1894 to 1895, Deputy Treasurer from 1900 to 1904, when he was elected County Treasurer on the Republican ticket. C. E. ELDRED was born in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, June 30, 1870, came to Ne- braska in 1890 and settled at McCook in Oc- tober of that year, and in 1892 married Miss Jessie Pratt. He studied law in Phillips County, Kansas, and has been Mayor of Mc- Cook three terms, County Judge in 1902, and has recently been elected County Attorney on the Republican ticket. S. L. GREEN was born in Saratoga County, New York, February 28, 1823, of the same family as General Green of Revolutionary fame. He settled in Nebraska in 1872. In 1849 he married Miss Dart, whose mother was a. descendant of Ethan Allen, and they have two daughters. He studied medicine in the Chicago Medical School. Dr. Green was a member of the Kansas Legislature in 1875 and 187(1. and of the Nebraska Legislature in 188G and 1887. He has been elected County Judge on the Republican ticket for the second term. JAMES WILLIAMS is a native English- man, and the date of his birth is 1845. He came to Chicago, Illinois, in January, 1871, and in October of 1882 settled in Nebraska and has been engaged in farming. Mr. Williams is a member of the Republican party and has been elected Surveyor of Red Willow County on that ticket. R. C. ORR is a native of Wisconsin, having been born in P)loomington, and lived in the state until 1888, when he came to Hayes Coun- tv, Nebraska. He has lived in Southwest Ne- COUNTY HISTORY. 309 braska ever since, practicing the legal profes- sion. He was educated in the University of Wisconsin in both the law and literary courses. He was District .Attorney of Grant County, Wisconsin, for six years, County Attorney of Hayes County for four years and now holds the position of Judge of the Fourteenth Judi- cial District. RICHARDSON COUNTY. This county was named in honor of William A. Richardson of Illinois, vvho was the third Territorial Governor. The present population is 19,614 and the county capital, l""alis City, has 3,023 residents. There are 80.19 miles of railway extending across the county. The low- lands are relieved by u])lands and rocky bluffs. The ground is composed of a rich, black soil, which is sandy in many places. The manufac- turing industry consists of eight flour and grist mills and three brick yards. Three hundred and thirty-eight thousand three hundred and twenty-nine acres are used in farming pur- poses, and within the last few years the value of land has increased 35 per cent. Corn and small grain arc the principal crops. A great deal of fruit is shipped annually, and corn and hogs are the principal exports. The county was organized in 18.5.5, and at the first election in 1856 98 votes were polled. In 1851 John A. Singleton and William Roberts took claims on the south fork of the Nemaha. In the spring of 1855 Jesse Crook tilled the first farm in the county near Muddy Creek. Stephen Story was one of the most prominent of the early citizens. William G. (ioolsbv was a profes- sional himter in the early days. In his report he says that herds of from fifteen to twenty deer were constantly in sight, and that he often killed as many as seven a day. Horse thieves were pimished by mob law in the ter- ritorial days, and a case of hanging is recorded In 1830 a treaty was made with the Indians by which a reservation of land was made for the half-breeds of the county. The 6,702 school children are apportioned among 104 districts. There are ten graded schools, which employ sixty teachers. WILLIAM M. RIFXiER is a native of Falls City, Nebraska, having been born March 5. 1869, and he has been a resident of Falls City ever since. He graduated from Holton Col- lege, Kansas, in 1891 and went into the mer- cantile business. In 1896 he was married to Miss Katie Schnell of .St. Louis, Missouri. Ho has always been identified with the Republican party and has been elected County Recorder on that ticket. F. E. MARTIN is a native of Aledo, Illi- nois, born January 4, 1874. He received his education in the common schools, having come to Nebraska in 1874. He is a worker in the Republican party and has served as County .•\ttorney in Richardson County. His parent- age is American. JACOB C. TANNER is a native of St. Jo- seph, Missouri, having been born March 30, 1869, of German parentage, where he spent his boyhood and received a common school educa- tion. During the year of 1884 he came to Falls City and engaged in the mercantile business. In 1898 he married Miss Sophia Lange of Falls City. He is a Republican of long standing aiKl has served the county in the capacity of Clerk. Mr. Tanner has been in business at I'"alls Citv for a number of years. GEORGE W. RENEKER was born in Kil- bourne, Iowa, April 10, 1864. In 1900 he came to Richardson County, and to Falls Citv in 1902. He graduated from the Northwestern College in 1893 and Central Medical College in 1900. He has held the offices of Surgeon Missouri Lines, Burlington Route, United States Pension Examiner and Temporary Sur- geon to Troop A, Fifth Cavalry, and is at pres- ent the Coroner of Richardson County. GEORGE CROCKER was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, April 10, 1867. He came to Ne- braska in 1893, teaching in Dawson County for seven years, Humboldt two vears and came to Falls City in 1902. He graduated from the Western Normal, Shenandoah, Iowa, and Lin- coln Normal, and has taken five years' special work in the Lhiiversity of Nebraska. He mar- ried Miss Ethel Judci in 1898 and they have one child. He was a member of the Iowa Na- tional Guards for three years and has been elected County Superintendent on the Repub- lican ticket. CHARLES LOREE was born in Lebanon, Ohio, March 19, 1852. In 1866 he came from Indiana to Richardson Countv. He was edu- 310 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA H. C. BARTON. GEO. W. RENEKER. WILLI.\M M. RIEGER GEO. CROCKER. JOHN HOSSACK. Richardson County Court House cated in Indiana, St. Joseph, Missouri and the Peru State Normal. He is a member of the Democratic party and has filled several offices, Assessor, City Clerk, County Clerk, Register of Deeds and Clerk of the District Court, which poistion he still holds. JOHN HOSSACK was born in Wills Count}', Ohio, November 3, 1853. His parents came from Scotland. In 1857 they removed to Illinois, in 1858 to Iowa and the following year to Nebraska and located in Richardson County. Tliey were travellinjj along the Pike's Peak trail through this county when they, stopped to rest their animals and so determ- ined to locate permanently. When John was three years old his mother died and when twelve, his father died. He is now in his third term as Sheriff of Richardson County and re- sides at Falls City. His politics are Republi- can. In 1874 he married Mary Sinclair and thev have four sons and four daughters. JOHN HIXTON is Chairman o"f the Board of Supervisors, serving his second term. He was born April 10, 1839 in England, whence he came with his parents to America in 1842. He lived in New York, Ma.ssachnsetts and Pennsylvania, before coming to Nebraska in 1872. He located at Falls City and is one of the early settlers of that section. His occupa- tion is milling. He was married February 20, 1865 and has one son living in Falls City. He is a republican. J COUNTY HISTORY. 311 H. C. BARTON was born .March 4. ISGr. in Will County, Illinois. He received a public school education and when a boy his parents moved to Kansas. After a residence of four years there he went to Missouri and in 1S1)4 came to Nebraska, where he has been engaged in the poultry business. He was married October 8, 1902 to Myrtelle Morgan. He is a member of the Democratic party and is serv- ing his first term as Mayor of I'"alls Citv. ROCK COUNTY. Rock County is one of the newest additions to Nebraska counties, having been organized in 1888. It has a population of 2,809, and an area of l,Or)() square miles. Bassett, the county seat, has a population of 2T0 people. The sur- face is composed of a jjlain, sand hills and val- leys. A few canyons are found. The soil is dark and sandy and a little over half of it is tillable. The water sui)ply is composed of the Niobrara and a great many small streams and lakes. There is a comparatively small crop acreage, the raising of live stock being the principal occupation. Potatoes, wheat, oats and corn are raised to some extent, but hay is the principal crop. The market of sheep is greater than that of any other live stock. Land has increased 50 per cent in value re- cently, and there is a large demand for ranch land at present. There is some vacant gov- ernment land. The county has two flour and grist mills. In the majority of schools, the terms last from six to nine months. There are .59 districts and 5.5 school houses. The entire school property is valued at $2.5,()13.o5 and .50 of the districts own their own text- books. There are 1,1.51 children of school age in the county. G. D. MARSH was born in Ohio, January 2, 18G1. In 1870 his parents hometseaded in Rock County, Nebraska, where they have made their permanent home since He was married to Miss Mary .Artus in 1900 and they have two daughters. Mr. Marsh is a Republi- can and is serving his first term as Sherifl:' of Rock County, having previously been Deputy Sheriff for six years. GEORGE M. HOPKINS was born in Bear Grove, Iowa, October 1(5, ISCfi. Was educated in the Peoria high school, the Normal .School of Valparaiso, Indiana and the Western Nor- mal College of Shenandaoh. Iowa. In 1890 ho took a homestead in Ri>ck County and was married October 9. 1894 to Miss Laura Green of Kirkwood. He is a member of the Repub- lican party and is serving his third term as .Superintendent of Rock Count\-. 1'. H. D.WIS was born SeiUenilier 5, 1879, in Corning. Iowa, where he graduated from the high scIkjoI. In July, 1899, he came to Newport, Nebraska, where he is engaged in the banking business and resided until he was elected Clerk of Rock County. He was mar- ried September Id. 1902, to Miss Cora N. Berry of Rock Rapids, Iowa, and was elected on the Democratic ticket in a Republican county, in 1903. C. II. P.\TCH was born in Massachusetts. .March 1, 1848 and in 1855 went to Illinois with his parents. He graduated from the P>ryant & .Stratton Business College of Dav- enport, Iowa, in 1S()9. He was married in 1872 but his wife died a short time after their marriage and in 1870 he married Miss Orilla E. Carpenter of Michigan. In 1890 he came to Rock County, Nebraska, and as a member of the Republican ]iarty was elected Treasurer of Rock County. E. OLSON is a native of Sweden, the date of his birth being June 24, 1871. He came to America with his parents and settled in Rock County, Nebraska, in 1881. He received his education in the public schools of Rock County and the Luther .Academy of Wahoo, Ne- braska. He was married to .Miss Carrie Good of Rock County in 1901 and they have one son. He is a member of the Republican party and is serving his third term as Judge of Rock County. JOHN C. RUPERT was born in Clarion County, Pennsyhania. December 5, 1S4G. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted and served over three years, being one of the youngest soldiers in the war from his native state. He was married to Miss Susan Davis in 186G and they have five children. Mr. Ru- pert settled in Rock County, Nebraska, in 1874, is a member of the Republican party and is one of the County Commissioners of Rock Countv. 312 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA HUGH MILLER. JOHN C. liUIEKT. ANDREW F. DUGGER. E. OLSON. H. ARMSTRONG. G. D. M.\RSH. GEORGE M. HOPKINS. P. H. DAVIS. Rock County Court House H. ARMSTRONG is a Nova Scotian, born in Digby, May 21, 1857. In 1883 he took a homestead in Rock County, and was married to Miss Melvina Prickett of Albion, Minne- sota in December, 1879, who died in the fall of 1885. In 1888 he was married to Miss Fanny White of Diit¥, Nebraska. Mr. Armstrong is a Republican, was School Moderator for eight- een years and is now Covuity Commissioner. HUGH MILLER was born in Ringold County, Iowa, January 38, 18G7. He attended, the Western Normal College at Shenandoah, Iowa, and in 1892 came to Howard County, Nebraska, and in 1893 settled in Rock County, where he now lives and is engaged in the mer- cantile business. He has been Principal of Schools at Newport, Nebraska, and was County Superintendent of Rock County two terms. He is a Republican in politics and in 1893 was married to Miss Belle Griffith. ANDREW F. DUGGER is a native of In diana, having been born December 6, 184r), at Bloomington, from whence he removed witV his parents in 1847 to Oregon City, Illinois where he lived until 1865, when the family re- moved to Adams County, Iowa, settling neai Quincy, then the county seat. In 1882 hi came to Nebraska and homesteaded in Rock County in 1884, his present home. In the earlier years of his life he occupied himselt exclusively with the ministry, but later en- gaged in farming and newpsaper work as well \ COUNTY HISTORY. 313 He is a grndiiato of Mount Morris College. Illinois. In 1ST5 he married Miss Virgini:' Miller and they have three children. He has been President of the South Dakota. Ne- braska and Kansas Conference of the Church of (iod for the last twelve years and has also hcon the editor of the l>ible Advocate, pub- lished at Stansberry, Missouri. Mr. Uiiggcr is an early settler of Rock County and hao taken an active part in public affairs. SALINE COUNTY. The educational advantages of Saline County are exceptionally good. Beside Doane College there arc nine graded schools. The first school in the county was one taught by Miss Mollie Hess, a little northwest of Crete. In 1870 there were GSO children of school age, and six school houses ; there are now 6,859 school children and 123 school buildings. A great deal of bitter feeling was caused in early times over the location of the county seat. Swan City was the first seat of government ; in 1871, Pleasant Hill became county seat, and next Wilber was chosen as capital. This town now has a population of 1, 11.54. The county was named Saline, because it was thought to possess large salt water springs. Good building material is found in quarries of magnesian lime stone. The 82.72 miles of railway furnish the county with good shipping facilities. The soil is dark with an under layer of clay. Farming, stock raising, dairying and fruit growing are the leading occupations. Savage Indians, fierce border men and butTa- loes ruled the county until 18.58 when the first actual settlement was made. This honor be- longs either to E. Frink or Victor Vifquain. There is a large foreign element in the popu- lation, which is composed of Scotch, Irish German and Bohemians. Nebraska City, which is 7.") miles distant, was the only source of supplies for the early settlers The county was twice deserted in 18G4 on account of the reported approach of the Sioux. In 18G7 the county was organized and its present popula- tion is 18,2,52. The first newspaper in the county was the .'valine Countv Post, started in 1871 and edited by Rev. Chas. Little, a Con- gregational minister. J. W. SUA B ATA is an attorney at Wilber, Nebraska, and is now filling the office of Clerk of the District Court. He was born Decem- ber 15, 1S()7, in Jones County. Iowa. He at- tended the common schools of Nebraska, after coming to Saline County in 1S71. His politics are Republican. He was married in the year 1900. j. W . SHESTAK was born on the first day of March, 18G2, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and at the age of eleven years came to Nebraska. The pul)lic schools and Doane College, Crete, contributed to his education. He held the office of Register of Deeds for eight years and of Deputy County Clerk for four years. He is serving his third year as County Clerk. His parents, Joseph and Anna Shestak, were born in the old country and came to America when children. He was married in September of 18S4 and has three daughters and one son. B. V. KOHOUT is County Attorney of Sa- line and lives at Wilber, Nebraska. He came to Nebraska in 1879 from Chicago, which was his birthplace. He was born in December of 1S7;!. He attended the Wilber High School, after which he took his LL. B. degree at Ann Arbor. Michigan. When he was sixteen he began work on the railroad. He was telegraph operator for four years and was dispatcher for several months. He belongs to the Republi- can party. .A.fter his graduation from Ann Ar- bor, he was in the law office of F. A. Foss at Crete for four or five years. D. G. HOPKINS was born in April of 1844 at Palmyra, Ohio, from which place he moved to Illinois in 1866 and to Nebraska in 1888. He received his A. B. at Hiram College in ( )hio. His vocation is teaching and he is at ])resent serving his fourth term as Superin- tendent of Public Instruction in Saline County. He has taught in high schools of Illinois, Ohio and Nebraska. In politics, he is a Democrat. His parents came to this country from Wales. In 1S()4 he married .Sarah McCleery. 'ihcy have two sons and one daugther. H. H. HLNDEE, who has been County ludge of Saline Countv since 1893, came to Nebraska in 1884. His' father, C. K. Hendee, was a surgeon and jihysician. Mr. Hendee was born July 13, 1852, in New Albany, In- diana, where he was educated in the jjublic schools and was instructed principally by pri- vate tutors. He is affiliated with the Rei>ub- 314 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA VICTOR H. DURAS. TOM A. SAWYER. D. G. HOPKINS. H. H. HENDEE. W. H. STALEY. J. W. SHESTAK. CHARLES E. BOWLBY. Saline County Court House. Photo by W. M. Hare ^*^ i ^ i O. CRONE. WILLIAM BURKE. C. W. RIBBLE. H. P. SCHMIDT. B. V. KOHOUT. lican party and was married to Jessie Mc- His parents lived in Illinois before coming to Lean in 1880. Nebraska. He holds the office of County H. 1'. SCHMIDT is Countv Commissioner Commissioner and resides at Friend, Ne- of Saline and he came to Nebraska twenty-six braska. He was Assessor for six years, and is years ago. He was born May 3, 1854, on the a Democrat. In 1875 he married Isabella Atlantic Ocean, while his parents were mak- Coney and they have four children, ing the voyage from Germany to America. W. H. STALEY is an old settler in Ne- COUNTY HISTORY. 315 braska, having come here in 1S70 and located at Crete. He was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, in October of lS-10, and is now a re- tired implement dealer living at DeVVitt, Ne- braska. He lived three years in Illinois before coming to Nebraska. For eight years he has been County Commissioner and is a member of the Re])ublicaii jjarty. He married in ISUT and has three children. ^ T. .\. N'ORE has been Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for eight years. He was born in Pennsylvania in March of 1848, and his parents were Isaac and Mary Vore. He attended the common schools, biit is princi])ally self echicated.' He is affiliated with the Republicans. Married Emma E. Parson in 1877 and they have two children. He came from Pennsylvania to Illinois when an infant and began his residence in Nebraska in 18(56. C. W. RIRRLE was born November 13, 18.58, in Hancock County, Illinois. His father, Jerome 15. Ribble, was a physician. He re- ceived his education in Abingdon College, Illi- nois, and came to Nebraska in 1878, living in the state ever since. ?ilr. Ribble now resides It DeWitt, where he is engaged in the banking business. He is a Republican and at jiresent is State Representative from that disrtict. He was married to Marv M. P>aker October 20, 187.S, who died in LS'OO. VICTOR H. DURAS, a young Saline County lawyer, was born in Wilber, Nebraska, on the sixth day of May. 1880. After grad- uating from the public schools of Wilber, he served as Deputy District Clerk for one year, and subsequently entered the University of Nebraska, from which he graduated with LL. I>. In 190U he attended the Columbian Uni- versity of Washington, D. C, from which he gra^^^^^^ of American parentage and his ancestors were ^^^^^^^^^H distinguished on account of the part taken in ^^^H^^^^l the Revolutionary War and the War of 1813. ^I^^^^^^^H His father was a school teacher and was the first Superintendent of Scott's Bluff County. c. N. WRIGHT. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Republican party and was elected Superintendent of Scott's P.lufF County in 1903. He has been en- gaged in teaching for eight years. L. L. RAYMOND was born PETER MFARLANE. in Butler County, Nebraska, October 19, 1871, where he lived until 1885, when he removed to Dawson County. In 1887 he went to Cheyenne County and has lived in that section of Nebraska since. He attended the Fremont Normal College for two years and prepared himself for the law by a correspondence course and was admitted to the bar in November, 1903. Mr. Raymond is a Repuljlican and has held the office of County Superintendent for two terms, was County Judge one term and is now serving his first term as Attorney of Scott's BluflP County. ROLLIN B. JUDSON was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. June 13, 1879. His father, a graduate of Ann Arbor University. Michigan, was a civil engineer and surveyor and gave his .=on the necessary training to prepare him for that profession. His preparatory education was received in the high school at Council COUNTY HISTORY. 321 W, E. MORSE. R. C. CAMPBELL. J.\MES MiKlNI.EY. FRANK P. JOHNSON. I!liift'.';. Mr. Judsoii was married October 16, 1!>01, to Miss Aiijjic E. Tompsett of Omaha. \ebraska, and settled in Scott's Rluff County in 1902. He is affiliated with the Republican party and is serving; his second term as Sur- veyor of Scott's Bluff County. PETER McFARLANE was born in Perth- shire, Scotland, July 25, 1856, and at the age of seventeen went to the western coast of Africa as agent for the firm of McFarlane Bros. & Co.. of Glasgow. He remained there four years and then was employed by tlie firm in Glasgow five years longer. In 1882 he came to the United States and lived at Exeter, Nerbaska, for two years, then took a homestead near Bro- ken Bow and settled in Scott's Bluff County in 1887. He has a quarter section of land under irrigation and cultivation and was at one time the Treasurer of the Irrigation District. He has been Treasurer of the Gering School Dis- trict and is the Cashier of the Bank of Gering. A. KENNEDY was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, January 5, 1842, where he spent his youth and received his education. At the age of twenty he came to the United States and lo- cated at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he worked for the firm of Allen Kirkpatrick & Co., helping load cannon balls during the Civil War before they had cooled. After living in Delaware County, Iowa, for a time, he came to Madison County, Nebraska, in 1883 and set- tled in 188(> in what is now Scott's Bluff Coun- ty, where he took a homestead, on which he still lives. He was married to Miss Martha J. Baxter of Ireland in 1870 and they have six children. Mr. Kennedy has a quarter section of land under irrigation. He is associated with the Republican party and has served his con- stituents as Commissioner, Justice of the Peace and is now the Assessor of Scott's Bluf^' County. 11. -M. THORNTON was born in Kane County, Illinois. February 2!), 1854. At the age of twenty-two he pre-empted in what is now Scott's Bluff County and has made the county his home since that time, where he is now engaged in the real estate and banking business. He was educated in the public schools of Illinois and the Business College at Dixon, Illinois. He was married to Miss Alice Johnson of Scott's Bluff County in 1897 and they have three children. He has eight hun- dred acres of land in Scott's Bluff County un- der irrigation, is affiliated with the Republican party and was Clerk of Scott's Bluff County for two terms. At present he is United State's Court Commissioner. FRED A. WRIGHT was born in Washing- ton County, New York, February 11, 1869, his parents removing to Iowa the next year and later to Weeping Water, Nebraska ; then back to Iowa again, and in 1892 he came to Scott's Bluff County. After completing his prepara- tory education he studied law in the office of Theodore W. Ivory of Glenwood, Iowa, and was admitted to the bar in Nebraska in 1894. He was married to Miss Lizzie Royer of Ger- ing, Nebraska, in 1896 and is a member of the firm of Wright & Wright. He was postmas- ter at Gering for four years and served two years as County Attorney of Scott's Bluff County. C. N. WRIGHT was born in Pacific Citv. Iowa, November 14, 1879, where he lived until his tenth year, when he removed with his par- ents to Weeping Water, Nebraska, where he made his home until 1892, when he came to Scott's Bluff County, Nebraska, and home- steaded here in 1901. He studied at Tabor College, Iowa, and Olivet College, Michigan, and graduated from the law department of the University of Nebraska in 1903. He is now a 322 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA member of the firm of Wright & Wright, law- yers, at Gering, Nebraska. Mr. Wright was married June 17, 1903, to MiSs Minnie M. Fink of Scott's Blufif Connty and they have one daughter. W. E. MORSE is a native of Illinois, hav- ing been born in Nora, May 29, 1859. He re- moved with his parents to Iowa in 1876, came to Hooper, Nebraska, in 1880, and six years later to Scott's Bluff County, where he home- steaded and has since made his home. He was married to Miss Luella V. Newman of Dar- lington, Wisconsin, and they have one daugh- ter. Mr. Morse has a ranch of 560 acres in Banner County, Nebraska, which he has well stocked with horses. He is a member of the Republican party, is Deputy Treasurer of Scott's Blufif County and Director of the Ger- ing Irrigation District. He has also been a school director and Deputy Sheriff of this county. M. BRISTOL was born on a farm near Alta, Illinois, November 24, 1861. His father is a veteran of the Black Hawk War and still lives on the place he settled upon in 1832. Mr. Bristol gained his education in the public schools and the high school of Peoria, Illinois. In 1886 he came to Scott's Bluff County and homesteaded. He now owns a half section of irrigated farming land in' Scott's Bluff County. Mr. Bristol is a Democrat in politics and has been Mayor of Gering and of Mitchell, Ne- braska ; also Deputy Sheriff and is now the Deputy Clerk of Scott's Bluff County. OSCAR W. GARDNER was born in Mont- gomery County, Illinois, January 24, 1860, and graduated from the Academy at Hillsboro, Illi- nois, in 1881. In 1884 he came to Broken Bow, Nebraska, and one year later to what is now Scott's Bluff County. He helped to divide old Cheyenne County and to organize Scott's Bluff County, and in the. winter of 1886 and 1887 formed a joint stock company and laid out the town of Gering, of which he was the first post- master. Mr. Gardner is identified with irriga- tion interests in this county and owns con- siderable land which he has under irrigation and cultivation. He is Secretary and Attorney of the Gering and Central Irrigation Districts. He studied law in an office in Gering and was admitted to the bar in 1892. He is a member of the Republican party and has served as County Judge of Scott's Bluff County, and at present is Mavor of Gering. C. B. WHIPPLE is a native of New Hamp- shire, having been born November 29, 1843, in New Boston, where he lived until his twenty- fifth year, when he removed to Illinois. In 1874 he went to Washington County, Kansas, and the next year to Nodaway County, Mis- souri. He came to Boone County, Nebraska, in 1882 and in 1887 settled in Scott's Bluff County, where he took a homestead and has been engaged in the mercantile business. He enlisted in Company K of the Seventh New Hampshire in 1861 and was mustered out Oc- tober 29, 1864. Mr. ^Vhipple is a Republican and has twice served the county as its Treas- urer. SEWARD COUNTY. Seward is an agricultural county, and as a consequence of its deep black soil and the abundant water supply furnished by the Big Blue, West Blue and Lincoln, ]\Iiddle and Bea- ver and Plum Creeks, all the streams are lined with beautiful trees. There are great many wells, both surface and artesian. The princi- pal industries are farming, dairying and fat- tening of cattle and hogs. In 1899 Seward took first place in its production of oats, which was over 2,000,000 bushels. Quite an acreage is planted to sugar beets. There are 2,285 farms, 356 of which have recently changed owners. There are seven flour and grist mills and two brick yards. Seward was organized in 1867 Its original name was Green, in honor of Sena- tor Green. William H. Seward's name was afterward chosen because Mr. Green proved a traitor to the Union in the Civil War. The county seat is also Seward, and it has a popu- lation of 1,970 people. The county population is 15,690, of which 5,718 are school children No school has a term of less than six months The first settlement was made by Daniel Mor- gan and sons, William and Thomas and Lewis, in 1858. In 1863 homestead claims were taken up by Job Reynolds, Thomas L. Rodgers, Samuel Long and C. J. Neihardt. The second permanent settlement was made by Thomas West and son and Orian Johnson. I COUNTY HISTORY. 323 ■ jrv^f^ J. M. SMILEY. L. F, SCHULTZ. DON C. McGWARTNET M. D. CAREY. E. H. KOCH. C. A. BEMIS. Seward County Offi(.es. Photo by Schmadlewsky J. M. CALDER was born in Clinton County, Iowa, May 26, 1863, whence he removed to Seward County. He received his education here, graduating from the high school in 1883. He farmed until 1889 and has since engaged in the mrecantile business. He is affiliated with the Democratic party, and has been Clerk of the District for four years. E. H. KOCH was born in Seward, Nebraska, March 25, 1871, of German parentage. He has spent all his life in Seward, teaching and farming, except three years when he was at- tending the Lincoln Normal College. He is a member of the Republican party and has held the office of County Superintendent since 1901. A. E. BAKER was born September 18, 18 13, in Manchester, Indiana. He received his edu- cation in Gundry's Commercial College, Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and engaged in the live stock commission business there. In 1882 he came to Seward and is making a specialty of breed- ing fine stock. He is a member of the Inde- pendent party and has been elected County As- sessor. He is of American parentage. J. M. SMILEY was born in McDonald County, Illinois, 1850, of Scotch-Irish parent- age. In 1880 he came to Seward and engaged in farming, making his home there ever since. He is affiliated with the Republican party and has been elected Sheriff of the county. DON C. GWARTNEY was born'in Mouck- port, Indiana, September 4, 1862. In 1883 he removed to York County and in 1887 came to Seward where he has since made his home. 324 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA farming for a few years and then starting a laundry, which he has operated for fifteen years. He is connected with the RepubHcan party and has been elected Clerk of the Dis- trict Court. L. F. SCHULTZ was born in Germany, No- vember 2, 1865. In 1872 he came to Boston with his parents and three years later settled in Seward. He is Cashier of the Jones National Bank at Seward and has been City Treasurer and County Treasurer, which office he still re- tains. He is affiliated with the Republican party. A. LEAVENS was born in Bethel, Ohio, January 16, 1851, of New England parentage. Later he removed to Utica, Iowa. He re- ceived his education at Erving Academy, Iowa, and was admitted to the bar at Vinton, Iowa. He has practiced law in Iowa and Nebraska since. He is of Republican faith and has been elected County Judge of Seward County. M. D. CAREY was born in Fillmore County, Minnesota, in 1863. He removed to Hamilton County. Iowa, and later came to Seward County, Nebraska, where he has since re- mained. He obtained his education in Depauw University, Indiana, taking the law and aca- demic courses. He is a member of the Popu- list party and in 1902 was elected County At- tornev. CARL A. BEAT IS was born September 8, 1861, in Cavendish. Vermont. In the spring of 1877 he came to Nebraska. He received his education in the Black River Academy. Lud- low, Vermont, and the Seward High .School. He is a practicing attorney at Seward and has been Surveyor of Seward County for two terms and is the acting County Surveyor of Butler County at present. For the past three years he has been connected with the Ne- braska Investment Company of Milford, Ne- braska, as their land examiner. He has also published a map of Seward County and has just issued one of Butler County, both of which have been highly complimented for their work- manship and correctness. SHERIDAN COUNTY. The greater part of the 6,033 people of Sheri- dan County are engaged in the raising of cat- tle, sheep and horses. The sandhills in the southern part furnish good pasturage. Over fifty miles of irrigating ditches are in opera- tion. The county has a large area of 2,484 square miles, which is watered by the Niobrara and many small streams, chief of which are Beaver and White Clay Creeks. Alfalfa and sugar beets occupy quite a large acreage. Land has increased in value by one-half within re- cent years, and nearly 1,000 farms have been sold lately. The county has three Hour mills and two brickyards. Sheridan was organized in 1885. Rushville, its capital, has 483 resi- dents. The transportation facilities consist of 77.65 miles of railway. The county has UoU miles of unorganized territory, although there are 107 districts. Ihe average school term is five months. There are three graded schools and ninety-six buildings in all, three having been built within the last two or three years. The county has 1,897 children of school age. C. L. HOPPER was born in Christian County, Illinois, February 11, 1869. When two years of age his parents removed to York County, Nebraska. He attended York Col- lege two years, the State Normal at Peru two years and the University of Nebraska one year. He was principal of the schools at Hay Springs, Nebraska, from which place he was elected Superintendent of Sheridan County. He was married in 1804 to Aliss Louise Ralston of Mc- Dowell, Virginia. He is a member of the Re- publican party. LEE FRITZ was born in Scioto County, Ohio, September 26, 1865. In 1885 he came to Sheridan County, Nebraska, where he has since remained, and engaged in farming and stock raising. He has a ranch of eight hundred acres in Sheridan County and was married to Miss G. Ziegler of Gordon, Nebraska, in 1893. He is a Republican, has been precinct assessor and is now Treasurer of Sheridan County. AMY I. STEWART, Clerk of the District Court, was born in Pennsylvania and in 1887 went to Kansas with her parents. She took a three years' normal course at Chapman, Kan- sas, and a business course in the Ottawa Busi- ness College, Ottawa, Kansas. Miss Stewart came to Rushville, Nebraska, in 1896 and took a position as Deputy Clerk of the District Court, in 1899 was assistant cashier in the Stockman's Bank, Rushville, served as Deputy COUNTY HISTORY. 325 7i 1^ Hf^is^S ■'if ^* ^M4!l4^l tfi H I. R. URAY. CHARLES P. BRESEE. I.EE FR.TZ;. DE F. VAN FLECK MART. E P. VAN FLECK. AMOS BURWELL. _^Kg2 p. T. JOHNSON. AMY I. STEWART. Sheridan County Court House Clerk of the District Court eight years and has been elected Clerk of the District Court, being affiliated with the Republican party. DE F. VAN FLECK was born in Milwau- kee, Wisconsin, December 14, 1849. In Feb- C. L. HOPPER. ruary, 1863, he enlisted in Company F of the Si.xty-fourth Illinois Regiment and was badly wounded at the Battle of Atlanta, the injury destroying the use of his left arm. In 1879 he came to Nebraska and homesteaded in Sheri- dan County in 1884. He was appointed Dep- uty County Clerk in 189.3, two years later was elected Clerk and has held that position ever since. J. H. EDMUNDS, County Judge, was born in Minnesota, October 15, 1860, where he lived until his admission to the bar in 1885, when he came to Nebraska. Since coming to Sheri- dan County he has practiced law continuously, is a member of the Republican party and is serving his third term as County Judge. In 1886 he was married to Miss R. B. Tull of Hamilton County, Nebraska, and they have four children. T. E. HOUSH was born in Milledgeville, Iowa. January 12. 1863. In 1882 he came to Seward County. Nebraska, and in 1884 home- 326 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA steaded in Sheridan County. On March 22, 1892, he was married to Miss Phoebe Haskin. Mr. Housh is a member of the Populist party and has been elected Sheriff of Sheridan Countv for the fourth term. I. R'. bray was born December 25, 1852, hi Green County, Wisconsin, and came to Hamil- ton County, Nebraska, in 1872. He settled in Sheridan County in 1884. Mr. Bray has eisjht hundred acres of deeded land in Sheridan County and is the proprietor of the Commer- cial Hotel of Hay Springs. He is a Republican and is serving his second term as County Com- missioner. P. T. JOHNSON was born in Norway, De- cember 14, 1850. In 1869 he came to the United States and came to Sheridan County, Nebraska, in 1885. June 28, 1876, at Norway, Iowa, he was married to Miss Minnie Tow, who died in 1887. Mr. Johnson has a stock farm and was formerly engaged in the imple- ment business. He is a Populist and is now serving his second term as County Commis- sioner. MABEL PEARL VAN FLECK was born in Saunders County, Nebraska, May 18, 1884. and the next year her parents moved to Sheri- dan County. She graduated from the Rush- ville High School in 1900 and since that time has been Deputy Clerk of Sheridan County. Her parents were among the early settlers and her father is a veteran of the Civil War, hav- ing been a member of Company F of the Sixty- fourth Illinois Regiment. AMOS BURWELL was born at Lowden, Iowa, May 6, 1859. He attended Cornell Col- lege for two years and then began as an agent operator for the Northwestern Railroad, in the service of which he remained for eighteen years. In 1883 he was transferred to Nebraska. He was interested in the banking and mercan- tile business before coming to Rushville. In 1888 he married Miss Mary Connor. He is a Republican and has been appointed Deputy Treasurer of Sheridan County. CHARLES P. BREESE, the first white man now living to go through what is now Sheri- dan County, was born in Council BlufTs, Iowa, January 26, 1861. His father was a govern- ment blacksmith of the Indian reservation at Genoa, Nebraska, and then moved to Butler County. When a boy of fifteen Mr. Bresee went to the mountains and was engaged in freighting and mining in the Black Hills and Idaho for six years, when he returned to But- ler County and was there married to Miss An- nie Edgar in 1885. In 1885 he homesteaded in Sheridan County. He is Secretary and Treas- urer of the Maverick Loan and Trust Com- pany, is a Republican and was Judge of Sheri- dan County for four years. W. H. WESTOVER was born in Delaware County, Iowa, March 19, 1858. In 1870 he came to Lincoln, Nebraska .where he received his education in the High School and the State University. In 1877 he went to David City, Nebraska, and studied law while teaching school in Butler County, having begun the study of law in the office of E. E. Brown of Lincoln. He was admitted to the bar in 1879 at the age of twenty-one. He came to Sheri- dan County in 1885 and took a homestead there, which he still holds. In 1879 he was married to Miss Olive C. Paschal of Burling- ton, Iowa, and they have ten children. Judge Westover served two terms as Attorney of .'^he^idan County and is now serving his third term as Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Dis- trict. SHERMAN COUNTY. The first settlement in Sherman County was made in 1873 by a party of less than twenty men, who emigrated from Grand Island. Soon after the coming of these people a terrible snowstorm occurred in the month of April Sixty men were shut up in the store of Frank Ingram for three days while the storm was at its worst. In the fall the settlement comprised seven log houses and a hotel. The first mar- riage was that of Frank Ingram and Fanny Taylor, which occurred at Christmas. There was a large immigration in 1874. The court- house was completed during this year at a cost of $5,000, and on the day it was officially occu- pied it was burned to the ground. The hordes of grasshoppers and the winter of 1874 and 1875 caused hard times for the new county, but the rush of gold seekers to the Black Hills in 1876 brought about some degree of pros- perity. The county is made up mostly of the COUNTY HISTORY. 327 R. D. HENDRICKSON L. A. WILLIAMS. J. I. DEPEW. J. A. ANGIER. J. S. PEDLBR. GEO. H. GIBSON. EDNA MINSHULL Sherman County Court House U. M. MATTHEW. W. P.. MEI.LOR. S. N. SWEETLAND. D. C. GROW. E. G. TAYLOR. broad and productive valleys of the Middle Loup River and Oak, Clear and Muddy Creeks. Seventy-five per cent of the land is tillable, and the cereals, fruits, vegetables, su- gar beets and alfalfa are the principal products. The county was organized in 1873 and its pres- ent population is 6,550. Loup City is the county seat. The first school was taught by Miss Susan S. Gilbert at Loup City in 1873. The county is divided into seventy school dis- tricts, the greater number of Avhich have a term of six months or more. There are three graded schools, and the total school property is valued at $51,451, 328 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA R. D. HENDRICKSON was born April 15, 1865, at Metamora, Franklin County, Indiana. Since his residence at Loup City he has been engaged in school teaching and farming. He was elected County Sheriff of Sherman County in 1892 and held that position for four years. In 1901 he was County Superintendent and was re-elected in 1903. L. A. WILLIAMS was born May 7, 1843, in Lawrence County. Illinois. In 1885 he came to Sherman County. Nebraska. He was a pri rate in the Seventh Wisconsin Infantry and a member of the famous "Iron Brigade," and later became a Lieutenant in the Forty-third Wisconsin Infantry. Company B. He served until the close of the war. having engaged in fifteen battles. Mr. Williams is a Republican, was Deputy Sheriff in Wisconsin. Deputy United States Revenue Officer and from 1880 to 1891 was City Marshal of Loup City. He is now serving as Sheriff of Sherman County. H. M. MATTHEW is a native Englishman, having been born in London, October 30, 1854. Mr. Matthew came to Chicago in 1872, home- steaded in Valley County, Nebraska, in 1878. and settled in Sherman County in 1S83. Mr Matthew graduated from Eastbourne Collps:e. England, in 1871, preparing himself for the army, and in that course received training in the common law. He was admitted to the bar in Nebraska in 1891 and has been engaged in active practice since. J. S. PEDLER was born May 30, 1857. in the province of Ontario. In March. 1879, he removed to Newton. Iowa, and in 1880 came to Sherman County, Nebraska. He was married to Miss Mary A. Thompson of Newton. Iowa, in 1880. Mr. Pedler is associated with the Republican party and was Sheriff of Sherman County for four years, during which time he studied law and was admitted to the bar in December, 1890. He was elected County At- torney in 1902. J. A. ANGIER was born May 21. 1842, at Hardwick, Vermont. In 1879 he came to Loup Citv, Nebraska, and farmed. He graduated from the high school at La Moille, Illinois, and was married May 21, 1863. to Miss Olive H. Smith. Mr. Angier is a Populist and is serving his third term as Judge of Sherman County. GEORGE H. GIBSON was born October 7, 1857, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He came to Iowa in 1877 and the next year to Loup City, Nebraska. He married Miss Lou- venia F. Barnes of Bedford County. Pennsyl- vania, in 1876. Mr. Gibson is affiliated with the Republican party and is serving his sec- ond term as Clerk of Sherman County. He is a printer at present, but was formerly engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. S. N. SWEETLAND was born in Liver- pool. England, July 17, 1855. In 1879 he came to the United States and located six miles south of Loup City, Nebraska. He was mar- ried in 1885 to Miss Lucinda Goodwin of Sher- man County. He is a Populist and is serving his second term as Treasurer of Sherman County. D. C. GROW was born August 31, 1847, at Batavia, Illinois. He received his education in Chicago and came to Sherman County, Ne- braska, in 1876. He was married to Miss Hat- tie Reuniff of Bloomington. Illinois, in 1870. Mr. Grow now operates a flour and feed store at Loup City, is a Republican and Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors. His father served two terms as Clerk of this county. EDNA MINSHULL was born in the prov- ince of Ontario, Canada, January 12, 1883. She attended the Litchfield High School and grad- uated from the high school at Loup City in 1899. In 1902 she graduated from Doane Academy at Crete, Nebraska, and was ap- pointed Deputy County Treasurer January 1, 1903, having been an assistant in the County Clerk's office two years prior to this. J. I. DEPEW was born September 23, 1867, in Allen County, Indiana. He came to Sher- man County in the spring of 1887 and was mar- ried to Miss Elsie J. Smith of Sherman County in 1892. Mr. Depew is a Republican and was chairman of the town board for eight years, chief of the fire department three terms, member of the school board and is now Mayor of Loup Citv. E. G. TAYLOR was born December 12. 1867, at Ashton. Illinois, and came to Sherman County, Nebraska, in 1879. His father is a vet- eran of the Civil War. Mr. Taylor attended the high school at St. Paul for two years, grad- uated from the Grand Island Business College in 1S89 and that same year married Miss Lydia H. Brown. He has been engaged in the grain business for the last eight years and prior to this was in the mercantile business at Ashton, Nebraska. WILLIAM R. MELLOR was born in Por- ter County, Indiana. He clerked in a dry goods store for ten years and was employed as COUNTY HISTORY. 329 a traveling salesman three years. Tn 1883 he was married to Miss Ammie Pyke of Michigan City, Indiana, and they came to Nebraska in the spring of 1885. He located at Loup Cit\ June 2, 1885, and formed a partnership witb Joel R. Scott, an attorney, in 1889, and at- tended to the real estate and insurance pnrt of the business; was admitted to the bar in 1894, but has continued to give especial at- tention to the buying and selling of real estate. He was elected a member of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture in 1898, has served four years on its Board of Managers, and was clci-lod President of said Board in 1904. SIOUX COUNTY. This county was almost the last hunting; ground occupied by Nebraska Indians, and they were very hostile to intruders. Two mili- tary posts. Fort Robinson and Camp .Sheridan, were stationed here to keep the Indians in check. By the treaty of 1876 the Sioux In- dians, through fear of forcible expulsion, re- linquished their right to this land Most of the early settlers had squaws for wives. This vast tract of 2,046 square miles was organized in 1886. It has a population of 2,055, and Har- rison is its county seat. There are twenty-four school districts, among which the 576 children are divided. Eleven districts have terms of from six to nine months' duration. There are twenty-three school buildings, twelve of which are frame and eleven log. Five thousand one hundred and thirty-one dollars is the average amount which is annually expended for teach- ers' wages. The surface is composed of prai- rie land and sand hills, together with the val- leys of the Niobrara and other smaller streams. One thousand four hundred and thirty-three acres are irrigated by eighty-four miles of ditch at an expense of $5.52 per acre. In 1899 tin- crops produced on irrigated land amounted to $32,332. Hay is the leading crop, and good pasturage is to be found anywhere. Land has increased 40 per cent in value since 1897. A large number of the inhabitants are employed in the raising of cattle, horses, and sheep, and just now there is a great demand for ranges. In 1900 live stock was valued at $1,664,155, and cattle supply the greater part of the stock market. Oats cover 1,079 acres, which is a larger area than that of any other farm pro- ducts. There is quite an extent of government land yet open for settlement here. M. J. O'CONNELL was born in Syracuse. New York, August 3, 1859. From there he went to Minnesota and then came to Sioux City, Iowa. He settled in Sioux County, Ne- braska, in 1886 and took part in the organiza- tion of the county. He received his prepara- tory education in Port Byron Academy, New- York, and studied law in an office at Harrison Nebraska, and at the University of Nebraska. He was admitted to the bar before the Su- preme Court of Nebraska in ]S98. .Xugust 6, 1899, he was married to Miss Emma "^Serre.s of Sioux County, and they have three children. Mr. O'Connell is Chairman of the Republican Central Committee in Sioux County and is serving his third term as County Attorney. ALEX LOWRY is a native of Illinois, hav- mg been born July 15, 1856, where he received a public school education. In the spring of 1877 he came to Iowa and in 1892 homesteaded in Sioux County, Nebraska, where he has since resided. He was married to Miss Alice Cor win of Rockport, Illinois, in 1876, and thev have three children living. Mr. Lovvry has been elected for the third term as ShcriflF of Sioux County on the Fusion ticket. J. H. WILHERMSDOFER, Countv Tudge of Sioux County, is a native of Illinois! hav- ing been born in Henderson County, October 16, 1867. In 1873 he came with his parents to Southwestern Iowa, and moved to Western Iowa in 1894. Mr. Wilhermsdofer came to Sioux County in 1901 and in 1904 took a home- stead under the Kinkaid law. He was married to Miss Zua Bowman in 1893 and they have one son. He is a watchmaker by trade and a Republican in politics, and is now the Judge of Sioux County. CARL M. LUX was bom in Germany, Feb- ruary 6, 1852. In 1883 he came to America and after working in Kansas one vear came to Butler County. Nebraska, and settled in Sioux County in 1881, homesteading there and engaging in farming and stock raising. His education was gained in the public schools of Germany. He was married to Miss Rena Feller of Sioux County in 1887 and they have 330 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA G. M. LACY. J. H. WILHERMSDOFER. OARL M. LUX. E. F. PONTIUS. JOHN BORKY. CONRAD PARSONS ALEX LOWRY. Sioux County Court House. Photo by Geo. L. Gerlach seven children. He is associated with the Democratic party, was a Justice of the Peace for six years and is now serving his first term as County Treasurer of Sioux County. E. F. PONTIUS is a native of Ohio, having been born in Chillicothe, December 18, 1849. In 1880 he came to Oakland, Nebraska, where he was employed as station agent for the North- western Railroad. Later he filled the same po- sition at Oakdale and Humphrey and in 1892 was transferred to Harrison, where he has since lived. In 1873 he married Miss Belle Bloom of Shelby, Ohio, and they have four children. He homesteaded in Sioux County in 1901 and has mining interests in the Black Hills region, being the Vice-President, Secre- tary and Treasurer of the Lucky Hunters Min- ing Company. Mr. Pontius is a Republican and is serving his first term as County Clerk of the District Court. JOHN BORKY is a native Nebraskan, having been born in St. James, Cedar County, January 27, 1881. In 1888 he came to Sioux County, Nebraska, with his parents and took a homestead in 1902. He is a graduate of the Hozledell public schools and attended high school at Hot Springs, South Dakota, and the Junior Normal at Alliance, Nebraska. Mr. Borky is a Republican and is serving his first term as .Superintendent of Sioux County. He was formerly engaged in railroad work, but now has ranching interests aside from his du- ties as County Sviperintendent. His father homesteaded in Sioux County in 1888, being one of the earlv settlers. G. M. LACY. Deputy Sheriflf of Sioux County, was born in Canada, January 28, 1874, but lived there scarcely a year, removing with his parents to Story County, Iowa. In 1888 they removed to Ida County, Iowa, and Mr. COUNTY HISTORY. 331 Lacy settled in Sioux County, Nebraska, in 1897. He took a homestead liere, but has been engaged in the livery business. He was mar- ried in 1900 to Miss Mabel Lowry of Harri- son, Nebraska, and they havp one son. His father took a homestead in Sioux County in 1895. Mr. Lacy is a Democrat and is serving his second term as Deputy Sheriff of this county. CONRAD PARSONS was born in Clear- water, Nebraska, October 6, 1880, where he lived until his fifth year, when he came to Sioux County with his parents, his father hav- ing homesteaded and gone into ranching in this county. He attended Chadron Academy and the Wesleyan University, graduating frorn the Business Department of the latter institu- tion in 1901. He took a homestead in Sioux County under the Kinkaid law and has a ranch stocked with about one hundred head of cattle. Mr. Parsons is a Repul>lican, has been County Superintendent of Sioux County and is now serving his second vear as Deputy County Clerk. STANTON COUNTY. About two-thirds of the inhabitants of Stan ton are foreigners. The first foreign element consisted of Germans, who settled on the Hum- bug in the fall of ISfiS. The early settlers com- prised people from Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and New York. In 1881 the census showed 1,994 people, of which 700 were school children. The last census gives 6,959 people and 2,699 school children. Stanton, the county capital, is i)opulated by 1,052 people. There are fifty-five school districts and an equal number of buildings, all of which are well furnished with supplies. The entire school property is estimated at $48,391.81. The ma- jority of the schools have a term lasting six to nine months. Stanton County was organized in 1867 and is one of the smallest in the state, be- ing 432 square miles in area. The first settlers were Charles and Mitchell Sharp, who staked out their claims in the summer of 18G5 on Hum- bug Creek, after which they returned to Oma- ha. The Scott and Hoffman families came next, and they also chose a location on this creek. In 1869 George Graves started the first county store in this settlement. Ida Hoffman, born in 1867, was the first native of Stanton County. Lewis Ley, who came in 1871, was the first lawyer. The first fee he received was five pounds of sausage in return for clearing a client. The numerous streams cause a great variety of soil throughout the county, although a rich, black loam is the predominating kind. Eighty-six per cent is tillable, while the rest comprises a sandy strip south of the Elkhorn. The people are engaged in stock raising and mixed farming. There are 1,123 farms, and a large amount of money is expended in imple- ments and machinery. The value of land has doubled within the past few years. .\UGUST FUCHS was born in Germany, July 1, 1860. He came to Monee, Will County, Illinois, in 1866 and in the fall of 1870 removed with his parents to Fremont. Nebraska. He attended the Fremont public schools and the Fremont Normal, moved to Stanton, Nebraska, in 1889 and engaged in the hardware business.' He was elected County Treasurer of Stantor County in 1901 and re-elected to that office in 1903. W. T. McFARLAND was born in Indian- apolis. Indiana, January 10, 1845, and came to Stanton County in 1868. He served three years in Company K, Tenth Indiana Infantry, and in 1873 married Miss Adeline Robinson. He is affiliated with the Republican partv and has held the office of Postmaster practically from 1881 to 1893, also Deputy Sheriff from 1898 to 1900. lie is serving as Clerk of the District Court of Stanton County. W. H. HYLAND was born in Dodge County, Wisconsin, October 23, 1S6S. In 190C Mr. Ilyland settled in Stanton and on January 1, 1903, married Miss Angle M. Beard. He was educated in the Fremont Normal and the Omaha Commercial Schools and took post- graduate work in the Fremont Normal in 1895 and 1896. He is a member of the Democratic party and is now serving his second term as County Superintendent. ALBERT PILGER, the County Clerk of Stanton County, was born August 31, 1876. at Stanton, Nebraska. He is a merchant at Pil- ger, Nebraska, and his father, .Adam Pilger, was an early settler, coming here about 1870. He was also a merchant and was Treasurer of Stanton County for two terms. Mr. Pilger is a Democrat and was married to Pauline New- man June 2, 1903. 332 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA IRVING N. \^NING. JOHN SCHINDLER. W. H. HTLAND. Stanton Countv Court House AUGUST FUCHS. N. F. KING was born October 19, 1860, at Springfield, Illinois. He came to Stanton in 1892 and has been Chief of Police of Stanton for five years. He is serving his second term as County Sheriff and has charge of the water system of Stanton. Mr. King is associated with the Democratic party and was married to Estella Calkins, May 20, 1884. IRVING N. VINING was born in Wood- bine, Harrison County, Iowa. He has been a resident of Stanton, Nebra.ska, since 1887, and has been four times elected to the office of Pro- bate Judge. He is a member of the Demo- cratic party and was married September 24, 1895, to Miss Delia E. Pelton. He has been en • gaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business during the past fifteen years. JOHN SCHINDLER was born in Ger- many, December 27, 1859. In 1886 he came to the L^nited States and after remaining at Hooper a short time settled in Stanton. In 1884 he married Miss Fredericke Schmelzer in Germany. He is a Democrat in politics and has been City Treasurer a number of years. He holds the office of Mavor of Stanton. THAYER COUNTY. The surface of Thayer County is composed of rolling plain, except in the northeastern part, where there is some rough land. There are 576 square miles of land, 80 per cent of which is capable of being cultivated. Large quarries of building stone are worked along the Little Blue and Rose Creeks. The former stream has a very swift current and strong power. Water is so plentiful that every town- ship is drained. Corn is the principal crop grown on the 353,684 acres devoted to agricul- ture. Cherries, peaches, and plums are suc- cessfully grown. A good quality of brick clay supplies material for four brickyards, and there are also four flouring mills. For twenty-five years before its organization, in 1871, Thayer COUNTY HISTORY. 333 JAMES K. PERKY'. J M E "I nil 1 Thayer County CourtJHouse .1 A. BOTHWEI.L. County formed a part of the roadway over which thousands of western emigrants and Mormons passed. The Salt Lake ExpresS; which carried the first mail, was started in 1858. The stations were fifty miles apart, and the "Express" consisted of a wagon and driver; drawn by six mules, and a "vvhipper-up," who rode horseback. Horace Greeley passed through the county in 1859, when the settle- ments consisted of trading ranches established along the trail. The first actual settlers were George W'eisel and John, Charles and William Nihgtingale, who located near Alexandria in 1858. During the following year JosephWalker and James Reed settled on the Little Blue. While the Civil War was in progress settle- ments were made only at ranches. In 18G9 Company A, First Nebraska Cavalry, was or- ganized and a stockade called Fort iJutler was erected. The settlers suffered greatly at the hands of the Sioux in their raid of ]8(>4. Thayer is the home of the woman's suffrage movement in Nebraska. Susan B. Anthony lectured here in 1877 and Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1879, at which time the Thayer County Woman's Suffrage Association was es- tablished. The county was organized in 1871, with 400 inhabitants. Its present population is 14,325, 1,511 of which reside at the county seat, Hebron. There are 5,259 school children and 101 schools. 'WILLIAM L. WHITNEY, a Republican, and the County Judge of Thayer County, was born January 19, ISGl, at Groveland, Illinois. His father, Isaac S. Whitney, was a tailor. His mother's maiden name was Belle H. Allen. He removed from Illinois to Alexandria, Ne- braska, in September, 1886. He was educate^l in the common schools of Groveland, Illinois, and attended a business college and took a law course at Peoria, Illinois. J. A. BOTHWELL was born September 26, 1855, at Albany, Illinois. He removed from Illinois to Fillmore County, Nebraska, in 1873 and in 1891 he went to Bruning, Nebraska, as Cashier of the German Bank. He received a common school education and has followed the vocation of banking. His parents were Jere- miah and Sarah Bothwell. Mr. Bothwell is associated with the Republican party and is County Treasurer of Thayer County. CAL. R. PHILLIPn, the County Superin- tendent of Thayer County, was born June 26, 1870, in Pennsylvania. His father, Daniel Phil- lippi, was a farmer. Mr. Phillippi came to Thayer County in April, 1892, where he has followed teaching as his profession. He was educated in the common and high schools and 334 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA attended the State Normal in Pennsylvania. JAMES A. SNYDER, the Clerk of the Dis- trict Court of Thayer County, was born Sep- tember 3, 1857, at Somerset, Pennsylvania. Solomon Snyder, his father, was a farmer. Mr. Snyder came to Nebraska in 1875, engaging in farmnig and stock raising; also teaching school. He has a common school education. He was railway mail clerk on the Union Pa- cific from Council Bluffs to Cheyenne for twenty-seven months. He is a Populist, and was Sheriff of Thayer County for four years. JAMES K. PERRY was born in Marshall County, Illinois, March 4, 1845. He came to Nebraska in 1883 and engaged in farming and stock raising in Jefferson and Thayer Counties Mr. Perry served in the Eleventh Illinois In- fantry tJiree years and was all through the siege of Vicksburg, Spanish Fort and Blakely. His father *vas a farmer. Mr. Perry, a Repub- lican, has been precinct assessor for a number of years and was elected as County Assessor. THOMAS COUNTY. Thomas County was organized in 1887 with an area of 720 square miles. It has a popula- tion of 028 people and Thedford is the county seat. The surface is undulating, being made up of level land, valleys and sandhills. Middle Loup River and Dismal Creek are the princi- pal streams. The wells vary in depth from 15 to 120 feet. It is this abundant supply of water, together with the good grazing land, which makes Thomas a stock raising county. Large herds of cattle, horses and sheep cover the 'prairies. These animals are constantly .^rowing in value, thereby increasing the de- mand for ranches. The county has six^ dis- tricts and an equal number' of schools. There are 192 children of school age. The salaries paid to teachers are among the highest in the state, and the total school property amounts to $3,377. Hay is the principal product, while potatoes, vegetables and some small grain are raised. The county has 33.30 miles of rail- way. , C. C. WRIGHT is one of the oldest settlers of Thomas County, having been detailed by Governor Thayer in 1887, to organize Thomas County. He was born September 21, 1836, in Indiana. From Indiana he moved to Hender- son County, Illinois. He enlisted for three years during the Civil War in Company C, Ninety-first Illinois. In 1871 he homesteaded in Fillmore County. His business has been that of a contractor and carpenter. He is County Judge of Thomas County and is affil- iated with the Populist party. In 1855 he mar- ried Miss Angeline Mark, but she died in 1880 He makes a specialty of cultivating grass, and was appointed by the state commission to col- lect grasses for the St. Louis Exposition, to which he sent a collection of 280 varieties. Besides his present office, he has been Justice of the Peace for ten years and also County Commissioner. C. V. REMY was born November 17. 1858. in Vinton County, Ohio, from which State he moved with his parents to Iowa in 1865. After living there seven years he removed to Seward County, Nebraska, then to Montana for six years and finally back to Seward County. He located in Thomas County in 1899, where he is engaged in ranching. He was Sheriff and a member of the Seward County Board for four and two years, respectively, and is now serving his first term as County Commissioner of Thomas County. He is affiliated with the Re- publicans. In 1888 he married Miss Alice Car- penter of Wayne County, Iowa. JOHN H. Evans was engaged in newspa- per work about seven years, but is now a prac- ticing lawyer of Thedford, Nebraska. He was born March 21, 1851, at Burlington, Iowa. From this state he moved to Nebraska in 1883 and first located at Ord. The next year he moved to Loup County and in 1890 to Thed- ford, Thomas County. The official positions which he has held are Judge of Loup County, Attorney of Thomas County for twelve years c.nd also Chairman of the Republican Central Committee of that county. He is now County Attorney, and in 1877 was married to Miss Lu- setta J. Norris of Iowa. E. D. ROBERTS was born in England. Jan- uary 21, 1870. His parents, John and Eliza- beth Roberts, reside at Sutton, Nebraska, where they settled upon coming to the state in 1880. In 1893 Mr. Roberts graduated from the Sutton High School. He was engaged in the banking business before entering upon his official duties in 1901. This is his second COtJNTY HISTORY. 335 C. C. WRIGHT. CHRIS FRITZ WILLIAM M. WALTERS C. E. WEST. JOHN H. EVANS. Thomas County Court House term as County Clerk and Clerk of the Dis- trict Court in Thomas County. He home- steaded in this county in 1903, and was en- gaged in ranching for a time. He is a member of the Republican party. CIIRIS FRITZ was born at Erie, Pennsyl- vania. May 10, 1859. In 1862 his parents moved to Iowa, where his father died. He moved to Cherry County, Nebraska, in 188G, where he lived before coming to Thomas County, in 1900. His occupation was that of a ranchman until elected County Surveyor, in 1901. He held this office .for two years, and is now serving his first term as County Treas- urer. Politically he is a Populist. He was married November 23, 1896, to Mary E. Cooper. NELLIE Z. VANDLING was a graduate o( P.ucknell Institute, Levvisburg, Pennsylva- nia, in 18!);i. She was horn in Nortliumberland County of that State, came with her parents to Abbott, Ha;i County, Nebraska, in 1897, and two years later to her present home at Seneca. She was Principal of the Seneca schools in 1903 and 1904 and was also elected Principal at Thedford. She is now Superin- tendent of Public Instruction in Thomas County. 336 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA J. S. MILROY was born September 5, 1875, in Oneida, Illinois. His father, A. Milroy, was a farmer. The family removed from Illinois to Clav County, Nebraska, where Mr. Milroy was engaged in farming for several years. When he became of age he and his brother went into the livery business, which occupation he pur- sued until he came to this section of the State. where he was elected County Surveyor of Thomas County. He now resides in Blaine Countv, where he was married, and is now en- gaged' in stock raising and farming. He has about three thousand acres under his jurisdic- tion. JOHN W. CARNEY is the oldest settler and father of the first white child born in the county. Born in Philadelphia, April 18^ 185(), his parents moved to Washington, D. C, and lived there until after the war. They then came to Chicago and were living there in 1871. Carney moved to McPherson County, Kansas, and homesteaded for a time; then moved to Southern Texas until 1878. During that year he came to Nebraska and landed in Thomas County, and in 18SG took a homestead. He made a preliminary survey for the Burling- ton and Missouri Railroad and has since been in their employ, and is now foreman of the round-house at Seneca. He has been Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner for two terms. He is affiliated with the Democratic party. C. E. WEST has been Postmaster at Thed- ford since November of 1897. Mr. West was born in a sod house at York, Nebraska, Augfust 11, 1871. He moved with his parents to Bro- ken Bow in 1883 and came to Thomas County in 1888, which has since been his home. He has been in the newspaper business at Thed- ford. His wife, whom he married in March of 1900, was Mrs. May Dill-Brown of Thedford He is afiiliated with the Republican party. J. M. McMillan is a native of Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, where he was born I'ebruary 18, 1864. He moved to the eastern part of Nebraska in 1883 and farther west the following year. He located in Thomas County in 1886, at which time he took the homestead which he still holds. He is proprietor of a general merchandise store at Thedford and is also interested in ranching. In 1890, on the 9th of October, he was married to Miss Anna F. Franklin of Cass County. He served as County Treasurer of Thomas during four terms. He is a Republican. WILLIAM M. WALTERS was educated in the common schools and the State Normal of Pennsylvania, where he was born in Cumber- land County on the 9th of March, 1848. He taught school in I'ennsylvania before coming west. In 1880 he settled in Clay County, Ne- braska, where he was made Deputy Treasurer. He homesteaded in this county in 1889, but sold the land and moved to his present home near Thedford in 1890. He has held the offices of Commissioner, Treasurer and Judge of Thomas County, and is an Independent voter. He was married to JNliss Nancy A. Austin of Clay County in 1881. THURSTON COUNTY. Seventy-five per cent of Thurston County is good land, aiid capable of cultivation. The remainder is rough, yet suitable for grazing. The principal occupations are agriculture and stock raising. Corn and spring wheat cover the greater part of the 214,151 acres included in farming land. The raising of sugar beets as an industry is just in its beginning. Small grain, corn and alfalfa are successfully raised, and timbers, fruit and vegetables are found everywhere. Farming land has increased one- fourth in value recently. The county has a deep, black soil with an under layer of clay. The best farm land is worth from $60 to $75 Farm land of average quality sells at prices ranging from $25 to $45 an acre. The eastern part of the county is washed by the Missouri. Thurston occupies 398 square miles and pos- sesses 16.88 miles of railway. Pender, the county capital, has 943 people. County or- ganization took place in 1889 and the present census shows a population of 8,756. The value of live stock in 1900 was $1,320,393. Two flour and grist mills are operated here. There are twenty-three school districts and twenty-seven miles of unorganized territory. The majority of the schools have terms of nine months or more. There is one graded school which em- ploys nine teachers. There are 2,187 school children. HIRAM CHASE,' County Attorney, was born September 9, 1861, on the Omaha In- COUNTY HISTORY. 337 W. l-'ANSl.KK CI.ArSSKN. HIRAM CHASE. dian reservation. His father, Hiram Chase, was an interpreter and a post trader among the Omaha Indians, having come to Nebraska in 1854. Mr. Chase, Jr., came to Pender, Ne- braska, in 1891, where he has had a flourishing practice for sixteen years. He graduated from Zielinople College, I'ennsylvania, in 1879, and from the Cincinnati Law School in 1889. He served one term as Judge of Thurston County. He was married to Miss Cynthia Snyder in 1884, and they have seven children. Mr. Chase is a Republican, and has taken a deep interest in controversies arising out of Indian affairs. He is one of the council with the tribe in their ■dealings with the Government. O. D. ALDRICH was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, October 4, 1864. He came to Di.xon County, Nebraska, in 1871, with his parents, his father taking a homestead. In 1880 he moved to Waketicid, Nebraska, and in 1885 to Pender, his present home. In 1886 he was married to Miss Dora .Abbott, and they have two sons. Mr. Aldrich, a Republican, has been elected as County Treasurer for the second term. Prior to this he was a railroad agent. He was educated in the Ponca public schools ;inMI'N1)SEN served in the Spanish- .American War as Captain of Company B, Sec- ond Ncbra.ska Volunteer Infantry. Born in Denmark May 27, 1859. In 1879 he emigrated to Canada, one year later moved to Wyoming SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA and came in 1887 to Nebraska. He has a col- lege education and now holds the office of County Judge. Previously he was Deputy County Clerk, Clerk of the District Court for eight years, and Superintendent of the Sho- shone and Arapahoe Indian School in Wy- oming. He is a Republican. He married Miss K. Jensen in 1885. She is now deceased. W. L. McNUTT is a stockman of Ord, Ne- braska, especially interested in the raising of blooded animals, and is owner of the Elm Creek Stock Farm. He came to Ord in the spring of 1889 from Muscatine, Iowa, where he was born, March 1, 1861. He attended the University of Missouri at Columbia and was graduated in 1883. He was married in 1881 to Miss Carrie I. Brand of Iowa. In politics he is Republican and is now serving his second term as County Treasurer. KIT CARSON is Deputy County Clerk of Valley County. He was bom in Kewanee, Illi- nois, January 26, 1872. From Illinois he came to Nebraska in 188.3 and located at Ord. He acquired his education at the Ord High School and at the Northern Indiana Normal at Val- paraiso. He was married in March of 1895, and his wife was Miss Ella Millard. His father served three years in the Civil War, having been enlisted in the 121th Illinois Infantry. VINCENT KOKES was born March 16, 1866, in Bohemia, and came to America in 1881 and settled at Ord. For about twelve years he was engaged in the drug business un- til his election as County Clerk, which office he held for six years. He has been Cashier of the Ord State Bank for the past five years and has some land interests. He is affiliated with the Republican party. His wife was Miss Lydia Ledvina, whom. he married in 1893. A. M. ROBBINS and Mr. Haskell laid out the town of Ord in 1880, having surveyed it four years earlier. On the 5th of March, 1849, he was born in McHenry County, Illinois. He attended Pawpaw Seminary of Illinois and studied law in an office at Dixon. Being ad- mitted to the bar in 1875, he came to Nebraska to practice, and first located in Sarpy County at Papillion. In 1881 he moved to his present lome in Valley County. For three years he was attorney of unorganized territory by ap- pointment, was City Attorney and State Sena- tor from this district in 1886 and 1887. He is a Republican, and in 1873 was married to Miss Cvnthia Haskell. 'HERMAN WESTOVER was born at On- tario, Canada, February 27, 1818. He removed to Wisconsin in 1861, to Minnesota in 1862, and to Valley County, Nebraska, in the fall of 1876. He acquired his education at the high school and State Normal of Nankato, Minne- sota. He studied in an office at Nankato and was admitted to the bar in 1877. In 1862 he was an eye witness of the Indian Massacre in Minnesota and served in the State militia in defense. The offices which he has held are those of County Superintendent, County Judge and member of the twenty-first session of the State Legislature. He is now Commissioner of the Board of Insanity and is allied with the Re- publican party. In 1873 he married Miss Ab- bie DeWolf of Minnesota. CHARLES J. NELSON was born in Ystad, Sweden, January 28, 1850. He came with his parents to C)malia. Nebraska, in 1862, where he resided for thirteen years. He received his education in Sweden and the Omaha schools, and learned the tailor trade while living in Omaha. In 1875 he came to Valley County and filed on a homestead, on which he still re- sides. He was married in 1895 to Miss Flora A. Ward of Mira Creek. Nebraska. Mr. Nel- son was elected County Surveyor first in 1881 and has held that office most of the time since. In 1903 was re-elected Surveyor by the Repub- lican party. WASHINGTON COUNTY. Washington County is composed of uplands and valleys, the soil of the bottoms varying from four to twenty feet in depth, and very fertile. Land here is very high. There are many groves and orchards and natural timber grows along the water courses. The valleys jyl the Missouri and Elkhom rivers and of Bell Creek vary from one to seven miles in width, and there is running water in every township. I'arming, dairying, stock raising, fruit culture and market gardening occupy the attention of the people. The tame hay crop comprises tim- othy, clover, Hungarian and alfalfa, and the cereals are the principal crops. There are COUNTY HISTORY. 341 E. B. CARRIGAN. Iv Z. RIJSSEL. A, L. COOK. \V. H. HILL. CLAUS MENCKE. Washington County Court House. Photo by Mangold 1,572 farms, and $159,820 was expended for labor during a recent year. Washington was organized as a county in 1855 and its popula- tion is 13,08G. Blair, the county scat, has 2,970 people. The manufacturing industry consists of four flour mills and six Ijrickyards. The first white men to visit the county were prob- ably Captains- Lewis and Clarke with their party. They put themselves on a friendly footing with the Missouri and Otoe Indians, who then claimed this region, by means of a council, held at Fort Calhoun, in the southern part of the county. In the summer of 1859 the Indians roljbcd a lone settler named Uriah Thomas of $13(5 in money, besides other valua- bles, and left him locked in his cabin. The set- tlers were so enraged at this that they insti- tuted a hunt for the criminals, which resulted in the Pawnee War. The settlers got the bet- ter of the savages in these skirmishes and there was no great bloodshed. There are 4,011 chil- dren of school age in the county, and si.xty- three schools, seven of which are graded. F.. Z. RUSSFLL was born in Rockport, Ne- braska, December 15, 18()6, from which place he removed with his parents to Omaha in 1877. He received his education in the public schools and was then employed by the Stand- ard Oil Company as bookkeeper, from which position he resigned to engage in farming in 1888. He is a breeder of swine and is .Secre- tary of the Improved Live Stock Breeders' .Association. Mr. Russell is a member of the 342 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Republican party and is serving as County Treasurer of Washington County. GEORGE FABER was born in New Or- leans, Louisiana, April 13, 1S60. His father, George L. Faber, was a brick mason. He moved to Auburn, Nebraska, in 1887 and to Blair in 1891. He received his education in New Orleans and has been engaged in the marketing of meat. He married Miss Eliza- beth Bohs in 1895. Mr. Faber is a Democrat and has served two terms as County Treas- urer, being now the County Clerk of Washing- ton County. THEO. HALLER was born in East Troy, Wisconsin, August 10, 1842. He came to Blair, Nebraska, in 1874 and has been engaged in the general merchandise business for thirty years. Jacob Haller, his father, was a tanner. Mr Haller was educated in the public schools of Wisconsin and in Quincy College, Quincy, Illinois. He has been Mayor of Blair, sixteen years Secretary of the Board of Education and County Commissioner. He was appointed Clerk of the District Court to fill an unexpired term and has been elected to the office once since. In 1874 he married Miss Grace Mor- gan. They have two daughters and two sons living, having lost two daughters CLAUS MENCKE, an old settler of Wash- ington County, ha\ing taken a homestead there, was born April 7, IS.'iO, in Germany. He came to Washington County, Nebraska, in 1869, where he engaged in farming. His father, Henry Mencke, was a tanner. He at- tended the public and private schools of Ger- many. Mr. Mencke is a Democrat, has been Deputy Sheriff of Washington County, and is now serving his sixth term as Sheriff of the county. He was married in 1874 to Miss Tina Rathman. They have seven children, five boys and two girls. G. C. MARSHALL, a Democrat, now serv- ing his second term as Judge of Washington County, and also served two terms as Countv Superintendent, was the son of John Marshall, a farmer and stock dealer. He was born in Ohio, September 15, 1858, and came to Wash- ington County in 1896. He married Miss Sadie M. Williams, February 5, 1891, and they have two daughters. Mr. Marshall, a lawyer, was educated in Northern Ohio L'niversity at Ada, Ohio, graduating from the scientific course in 1892 and from the law course in 1895. A. L. COOK was born January 5, 1875, in Clayton County, Iowa, and came to Washing- ton County, Nebraska, with his parents in the same year, where he has since resided. His father, E. M. Cook, was a farmer and one of the early settlers of Washington County, al- though he did not take a homestead. Mr. Cook attended the Fremont Normal College and graduated from the law school of the State L'niversity in 1895. Mr. Cook is a Republican and was elected for the second time as County Superintendent of Washington County. E. B. CARRIGAN was born in De Soto, Washington County, Nebraska. November 5. 1867. His father, John Carrigan, a lawyer, came to Nebraska in 1867, and located in Washington County, remaining there until his death in 1880. Mr. Carrigan was educated in the Blair high school, and at Shenandoah, Iowa, in the Western Normal College. He has served three terms as Deputy Sheriff, as City Attorney, and five years as County At- torney, which office he is now occupying. He was married to Miss Frances Lawson and they have three children, one son and two daugh- ters. W. H. HILL, who has been surveyor of Washington County since 1882, was bom in Osceola, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1846. E. R. Hill, his father, was a farmer. Mr. Hill moved to Newman Covmty, Indiana, in 18G3 and came to Nebraska in 1S6S. His schooling was received in Osceola, Pennslyvania and the Commercial College of Oberlin, Ohio. He is a Republican and has . been city engineer. Washington and Dole are towns laid out by him while serving as County Surveyor. In the sj^iring of 1874 he married Miss Lizzie Wentworth and thev have five children. WAYNE COUNTY. The pioneer settlers of Wayne County were B. F. Whitten and Mr. Bean, who took claims near the Logan in 1868. In the spring of 1869 Mr. Whitten and William Jones came with their families, thus becoming the first perma- nent settlers. The county was organized in 1870 and is now the home of 9,862 citizens. The county seat is Wayne, with 2,119 inhabi- COUNTY HISTORY. 34''*i.. MISCELLANEOUS. 357 ELISHA BENJAMIN ANDREWS, the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska, was born in Hinsdale, New Hanii)shire, January 10, 1844. His fatiier was a Baptist minister in the village church at Hinsdale. At the age of seventeen young Andrews entereil the army as a private and before the end of the war was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in a bat- tery of artillery. In 18GG, he entered Brown ELISHA BENJAMIN ANDREWS . University and four years later graduated with high rank. Then he spent two years in study- ing theology. After fulfilling the duties of pastor for a short time, he accepted a position as professor of Homiletics in a college at New- ton Center, Ohio. His next position was at Cornell where he taught political economy until he was elected President of I'.rown Uni- versity in 1889. He also taught Philosoiihy in connection with his executive duties. Dr. Andrews is not a specialist in any line of work. He is a fair sample of the broad minded col- lege man that can teach almost any branch of learning with equal facility. He understands fully the basic principles of successful peda- gogy and can readily apply them in teaching any subject. The writings of Dr. Andrews have attracted much attention and received much favorable comment among educators. HOWARD W. CALDWELL, who has taught in the University of Nebraska for twenty-one years, was born August 26, 1858, at Bryan, Ohio. His father was a farmer. When he was three years of age the family moved to Iowa and then returned to Ohio. In 1ST 1 he came to Nemaha County, Nebraska. After completing his preparatory education in the common schools and a private academy he entered the University of Nebraska and received his I'll. 1!. and A. M. degrees in Johns Hopkins University. He has served as prin- ci])al of the Geneva and Lincoln high schools and is now Professor of Historv and Politics. He has written many magazine articles and among other of his writings are "A Life of Henry Clay;" "History of the United States, 181()-]8()1 :" "A Survey of .Vmerican History;" "Territorial Ex])ansion of the L'nited States;" aiul "Crcat American Lesrislators." HOWARD W. CALDWKLL, UENKV Li WAKl) HENRY BALDWIN WARD, dean of the College of Medicine and profes.sor of zoology, University of Nebraska, was born at Troy, New York. March 4, 180.5. He is a son of Richard Halsted and Charlotte Allen Bald- win. Craduating from Williams College in 1S.S.3, he became a teacher of science in the Troy High School, holding that position until 1888. He took post graduate studies in the Universities of Gottingen, Freiburg (Baden), Leipzig and Harvard, receiving the degrees, A. M. and Ph. D. at the latter in 180'3. In 1893 and 1893 he was an instructor in the L^niver- sity of Michigan and was in charge of the biological work of the Michigan Fish Commis- sion on Lake Michigan in 1894. He is asso- ciate editor of the American Naturalist and of Reference Handbook of the Medical Sciences. In 1894 he was married to Miss Harriet Blair of Chicago. Since 1898 he has been the Secre- tary of the American Microscopical Society and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, having been their general secretarv in 1902; is a member of the Zoological .Society of France; is zoologist 358 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture and is a contributor of various monographs and papers on biological subjects. L. A. SHERMAN prepared for college at Phillips Academy. He entered Yale and re- ceived his A. B. degree in 1871 and Ph. D. in 1875. After teaching in the Hopkins Prepara- tory School at New Haven, Connecticut, for nine years, he came to Nebraska in 1882 and has occupied the chair of English Literature at the State University. His birthplace was Douglas, Massachusetts, and the date August 28, 1847. He has written several textbooks on English literature. SHERMAN EEWIN H. BARBOUR ERWIN HINCKLEY BARBOUR is a na- tive of Springfield, Indiana. He lived in the States of Indiana, Ohio, Connecticut and Iowa before coming to Nebraska, in 1891. This State has since been his home, and he resides at Lincoln. He attended the Preparatory School of Miami L^niversity at Oxford, Ohio He took his A. B. degree at Yale in 1883 and the title of Ph. D. was conferred upon him in 1887. He married Margaret Roxana Lamson at New Haven, Connecticut, in 1887. They have a daughter, Eleanor. He was assistant in the United States Paleontological Survey, Yale University, from 1882 to 1888; Professor of Geology and Natural History, Iowa College, from 1888 to 1890; Professor of Geology and State Geologist at the University of Nebraska from 1891 to the present time. He has one hundred and ten published papers and reports. J. I. WYER was born at Red Wing, Min- nesota, in 18G0. He lived in Kansas, in all, eighteen years. He removed to Nebraska in 1898 and has since made this his home. He was graduated from the University of Minne- sota in 189G and in 1898 he obtained the de- gree of B. L. S. at the New York L'niversity. On May 3, 1894, he was married to May Tyner. They have two children. Mr. Wyer occupies the position of Librarian at the University of Nebraska. J. T. MOKEY DR. J. L. GREEN J. T. MOREY was born July 23, 1859, in Charlton, New York, where he received his early education in the country schools, having Ijeeii brought up on the farm. He graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1885, and taught two winters in the country schools. He was a teacher in the New York State School for Blind and was Head Master of Perkins Institute for Blind. Mr. Morey came from New York State to Nebraska in July of 1888. In 1889 he married Miss Annabal Rice of Batavia, New York, for several years a teacher in the New York State School for the Blind at that place. He was at one time Su- perintendent of City Schools at Kearney, Ne- braska. He is a member of the Republican party and at present is the Superintendent of the Nebraska Institute for Blind at Nebraska City. DR. J. L. GREENE was born at Shelbyville, Indiana, on the 1st day of November, 1861. He came to Nebraska in 1890 and located at University Place. He was graduated from the University of Vermont in 1884. On Octo- ber 23, 1889, he was married to Miss Julia King, and they have two children. He was Treasurer of the Nebraska State Medical As- sociation for five years ; was appointed as As- sistant Superintendent at Norfolk Hospital for the Insane during Governor Crounse's term of office, in 1893, and in 1895 was transferred to Lincoln bv Governor Holcomb as First Assist- MISCELLANEOUS. 359 ant Superintendent. After a few months here he returned to I'niversity Place, where he prac- ticed meihcine, until he was appointed Superin- tendent t)f the Lincohi Insane Hospital by Gov- ernor Dietrich, in 1901. He is a nieuiber of the Republican party. ALBERT D. GILMORE JAMES DELAHU.'^TY ALr.ERT D. GH.MORK is an abstract r and real estate dealer of Auburn, Nebraska. His present residence is at Lincoln, where he is Steward of the Hospital for the Insane, having been there since May of 1!»01. He served two years also during Governor Crounse's admin- istration. He was born July 26, 1863, at Greencastle. Indiana, from which place he came to Nebraska in lS(iS. He married Elizabeth C. Curtis in 1889, and they have a son of nine years. He was Deputy Treasurer of Nemaha County for four years and Clerk of the District Court for si.K years, having been elected on the Republican ticket. JAMES DELAHUNTY removed from his birthplace, Peoria, Illinois, to Clay County, Nebraska, in 1383. After finishing the common schools of Peoria, he became a graduate of Cole's Business College of that place. He taught several terms of school while in Illinois. In Clay County he held the position of Re- corder in the County Clerk's office during four years. In 1899 he was nominated for Count}' Clerk on the Republican ticket, but was beaten by the Eusion candidate. February 15, 1901, he was appointed Steward of the Peniten- tiary, which position he filled until his appoint- ment as Deputy Warden, July 1, 1903. A. D. BEEMI':R was a soldier, having served in the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company K, during a period of four years. He was born in December of IHA'-i at Stranton, Pennsylvania. In 18(;8 he came to Nebraska and settled at West Point, where he engaged in real estate, hotel and live stock business He served as ShcrifT of Cuming County for six years. In 1873 he was married to Belle Aker- ley. They have one child. He left West Point in 1886 and on his own land laid out the town which now bears his name. He founded the Beemcr State Bank, of which he has been Di- rector and President for fifteen years. .Some years ago he served for two and one-half vears as Warden of the State Penitentiary. He has filled this same office for two years past, being in his second term. Mr. Beemer is a member of the Knights Templars and the Elks. SARAli 15. SOHUS was born May -.'0, 1853, in ;\lanitowoe, Wisconsin, where she received her education in the high school, and taught for five years before her marriage to Frank N. .Sohus, in 1879. Her parents both came from Scotland, and her father was an expert ac- countant. Mrs. Sohus came to Nebraska June 28, 1880. She is serving her second term as Superintendent of the Home for the Friend- less, having been appointed by Governor Diet- rich. E. M. UAUMAN H. M. FLORY E. M. B.AL'MAN was born October 27, 1881, at West Point, Nebra.ska, which is his present residence. His parents. Otto and Lena Ban- man, came from Germany. His father is a merchant and banker. He attended West Point High School and afterward was a stu- dent at the Nebraska State University for two years. He spent one year in the (lem City lUisiness College, at Quincy, Illinois. He is at present Steward of the State Penitentiary, hav- ing served in that capacitv since February 15, 1903. ■ II. M. FLORY was born September 18, 1865, in Keokuk County. Iowa, where he re- 360 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA ceived his education in the public schools. He removed to Eastern Nebraska in the spring of 1883 and settled in Chase County in 1886, where he has engaged in farming. Mr. Florj' is a member of the Populist party and was elected Treasurer of Chase County in 1901 and re-elected in 1903 on the Fusion ticket. J vSPEK L. McBRIEN NORRIS BROWN JASPER L. McBRIEN, Deputy State Su- perintendent of Schools, and who has been elected State Superintendent for the term be- ginning in January, 1905, was bom in Newton County, Missouri, March 19, 1867. His father was a farmer and served in Company K, Fif- teenth Missouri Cavalry, throughout the Civil War. Mr. McBrien spent his youthful days on his father's farm and in attendance at the public schools. He came to Nebraska in 1879 and a few years later was graduated from the Sterling High School, after which he entered Campbell University, at Holton, Kansas, where he took a thorough course of study. Upon leaving the l^nivcrsity he commenced school teaching and in 1891 was elected Presi- dent of the State Teachers' Association. For two terms he was County Superintendent of Schools in Johnson County. From 1893 to 1897 he was Dean of Orleans Academy, resigning this position to become the Superintendent of the Geneva City Schools, which office he filled from 1897 to 1901, when he was appointed Deputy State Superitnendent under Superin- tendent Fowler. Upon the re-election of Mr. Fowler in 1903, Mr. McRrien was re-appointed to the office he now holds. Mr. McBrien was married at Tecumseh, December 29, 1891, to Miss Eva Forbes, and has a family of three children. NORRIS BROWN, Deputy Attorney Gen- eral, was born May 2, 1863, at Maquoketa, Iowa. His elementary education was received in the public schools and he was graduated in the classical course from the University of Iowa, in 18S3. After leaving the University he entered the office of McDuffie & Howard, at Jefferson, Iowa, where he completed his law studies. He was admitted to practice on Octo- ber 1, 1883. He commenced the practice of his profession at Perry, Iowa and in 1888 settled at Kearney, Nebraska, where he since has been in practice, associated with his brother, E. F. ISrown. Mr. Brown was appointed Deputy Attorney General January 1, 1901, and has been elected Attorney General for the term beginning January, 19(15. He was married at Perry, Iowa, October 28, 1885, to Miss Lula K. Beeler, of Perry, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. llrown are the parents of two daughters. WILLIAM J. O'BRIEN was born in Wayne County, Michigan, in July, 18G6. He came to Nebraska in 18S(i and returned to Wisconsin in 1900 and then came to Nebraska in 1901. He received his education in the common schools and has spent the greater part of his life as a fish culturist. He was employed by the Michigan Fisheries as Assistant Superin- tendent from 1883 to 1886 and was connected with the Nebraska Hatcheries from 1886 to 1895, when lie became Superintendent of the Coleman Lake Club Hatchery. He spent one year at Dunbar, Wisconsin, as Superitnendent and in 1901 became the Superintendent of the Nebraska Hatcheries, which position he holds at present. He is a member of the Republican party anrl of the American Fisheries Society. BURRETT BUSH, Deputy Commissioner of Labor of Nebraska, was born August 22, 1.S72, in Binghamton, Broom County, New York, son of T. I^. Bush, a stockman. In 1880 he removed from i\ew York to Iowa and nine years later came to Nebraska. His home is in Omaha and was there employed for three and a half years in the City Treasurer's office. He received his education in the public schools of Binghamton, New York and Mason City, Iowa. He has held several official positions in labor circles and in 1903 was elected Second Vice-President of the National Asociation of (Officials of the Bureau of Labor .Statistics at the National Convention held in Washington, D. C. MISCELLANEOUS. 361 362 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN, of Lin- coln, Nebraska, was born in Salem. Marion County. Illinois. March 19, ISliit. He attended public school until fifteen years of age, spend- ing his vacation on the farm. In the fall of 1875 he entered Whipple Academy at Jackson- ville, Illinois, and entered Illinois College in the same city in 1.ST7. He completed the class- WILLIAM .JENNINGS BRYAN ical course and graduated with highest honors in 1881. For two years he attended I'nion Col lege of Law. Chicago, during which time he was connected with the office of ex-Senator Lyman Trumbull. He began the practice of his profession and removed to Lincoln in 1887. where he became a member of the firm of Tal- bot & Bryan. He was elected to the Fifty- second congress and began congressional life March 4, 1891, at the age of thirty, and at once became a member of the committee on ways and means. He took an active part in the prep- aration of the Wilson tarifT bill in the Fifty- third congress, and was the author of the in- come tax law. His maiden speech was deliv- ered in the house March ll>, 18ii'2. on the free wool bill, and from that time he was recognized as one of the advanced thinkers and speakers of the country. On the 16th day of August, 1893, he delivered his famous speech against the unconditional repeal of the purchasing clause of the Sherman bill. Mr. Bryan closed the debate on the income tax Januarv 30. 1894, Although defeated for the I'nited States sen- ate in 1895, he continued the leading exponent of the principle of bimetalism. and the follow- ing year, at the age of thirty-six, he received the presidential nomination of the democratic party, and was subsequently nominated by the populists and free silver parties, being the youngest man who ever received a presidential nomination. He threw a personality into the campaign which established his leadership with members of his party and although de- feated a second time for the presidency in 1900, his counsel is everywhere recognized by demo- cratic party leaders. He is the author of sev- eral books and the editor of "The Commoner," which he established in 1901 and which has a circulation of 150,000 copies. During the last eight years he has also occupied a conspicuous place on the lecture platform. . WILLIAM HENRY KIMBERLY was born at the Kimberly homestead near Tor- rington, Connecticut. March 2, 1861. His par- entage is staunch New England and open hearted loyal West Virginia. A\'hile he was yet a child his father fell gallantly fighting in battle leaving him fatherless and a poor hov, It was country life that developed the iron constitution and on the farm in T(nva he grew , W. H. KIMBERLY F H. BALDWIN to manhood. He attended the Iowa City Academy for a term and at the age of twenty- two entered the county clerk's office at oioley, Iowa, as Deputy Clerk. The following year he was elected to that oflfice. He took up the study of law, thinking to make that his life work, but being firmly convinced, turned to devote his time entirely to religious w-ork. Again entering school, this time at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, he was led to look- ing up the neglected country communities ad- joining while carryinff on his studies in school. This led to the offer of a commission as Sun- day school missionary. March 1, 1890, he MISCELLANEOUS. 363 came to Xehraska and the next day organized his first Sunday school in the state. Since that time he has worked all over the state and parts of adjoining states, organizing Sunday schools and aiding the needy in every way in his power. The growth of the work necessi tated direct supervision and Air. Kimberly was appointed state superintendent. He believes in the words of George Washington, "The welfare of this nation depends upon the moral and religious instruction given its youth." and looks with such favor upon the work being done by The American Sunday School Union that he has frequently refused flattering ofTers of positions of trust. 181)1», to Susie C. Smith, of Dunlap, her ^i,), Iowa, and has one son. HENRY MOORE KATON HENRY MOORE EATON. Deputy Com- missioner of Public Lands and Buildings, was born July Hi, 1807, in Lafayette, Indiana. When he was ten years of age his parents re- moved to Davenport, Nebraska. He received his education in the public schools and the Salina, Kansas, Normal and the University of Kansas. Eleven years of his life have been devoted to teaching, five years of which were passed as an instructor in the Fremont Nor- mal College, having commenced teaching at the age of sixteen. For some time he was the principal of the high school at Daven])ort and for a while was the assistant cashier of the State Rank in the same town. Mr. Eaton was appointed to his present position in 1900 and has been elected to the office of Commissioner of Public Lands and Buildings for the next term of two vears. He was married Decem- W. F BRYANT W. L STARK Ex. Congressman WILBUR FRANKLIN I'.RYANT, Deputy Supreme Court Reporter, was born in Dalton, Coos Countv, New Hampshire, March "^l, 18.')L of Irish ancestry. He received his early education in Kimball Union Academy at Meri- den. New Hampshire, and finished at Dart- mouth College. He taught school in Missis- sippi, returned to the North and was admitted to the bar in Yankton, Dakota, in 1.ST7, and soon after located in Nebraska. He has held various offices in Cedar and Cuming Counties, was appointed a colonel in the state militia and for a while was the head of the State Bureau of Insurance. He is the author of the "Life of Louis Ricl," "Letters to a Young Law Student." "Did Virgil Write the Aenid?" and numerous articles and addresses. He has been the state president of the Catholic Knights of .\mcrica. twice delegate to the Supreme Court of this ( )rdcr ; was a delegate to the Columbian Catholic Congress in 189:5 ; is a director and member of the finance committee of the char- ity organization of the City of Lincoln. He is married and has five children, two daughters and three sons. CAPTAIN JACOB H. CULVER was born in Mercer County, Ohio, in 184."), and came with his family to Wisconsin when a child. He received his early training in the schools of the neighborhood, and enlisted when only sixteen as a drummer boy in Company K, First \\'isconsin Infantry. When the color- bearer of his regiment was shot down at the battle of Perryville. the drummer boy grasped through the service. He was in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, and in the .\tlanta campaign. He took a course in the l^iiversitv of Wisconsin after the war. In 364 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA 1870 he married Miss Ada Davison and they have five children. The same year he came to Mih'ord, Nebraska, and was appointed post- master. He also served as postmaster during Harrison's administration. In 1887 he organ- ized Troop A, N. N. G., was it captain for over ten years, has been senior vice com- mander of the Nebraska G. A. R. and was elected Department Commander in 1896. From 1895 to 1897 he was Commandant of the Sol- diers' Home at Milford. EDWARD ROYSE, Secretary of the State Banking Board, was born in Marion County, Iowa, March 7, 1858. He received his educa- tion in the public schools of his native county and at an early age learned telegraphy and for some years was engaged in railroading as an operator and station agent. He came to Ne- braska in 1878 and for a time was located at Brownville, then at Peru, and later Aurora, moving from the latter place to Broken Bow, in 1884, where he retains his residence and where he has been engaged in the banking business. Mr. Royse served as Deputy Com- missioner of Public Lands and Buildings in 1895 and 189G. In January, 1901, he was ap- pointed secretary of the -State Banking Board to serve for a term of two vears and in Jan- uary, 1903, he was re-appointed to serve in the same official capacity for another two year term. Mr. Royse was married March 2, 1880, to Miss Addie Gates, of Brownville, and has a family consisting of one son and one daugh- ter. Air. Royse served as Mayor of Broken Bow two successive terms, elected both times by the Republicans. E. H. BALDWIN was born in Cattarogus County, New York, in 1837. He was a suc- cessful merchant in the East, but deciding to come West he and his wife, who was a teacher from Epworth Academy, emigrated to Ne- braska, arriving in the state June 13, 18G7. The organization of the Old Settlers" Picnic by Mr. Baldwin in 1887, held at Palmyra, the largest picnic of its kind ever held in Nebraska, com- memorated the date of the arrival in Nebraska of Mr. Baldwin and wife. The first officers were E. H. Baldwin, President and J. O. Moore, Secretary. Mr. Baldwin was Presi- dent for the first four years of the life of the Association, after which time he resigned on account of impaired health. Members of the Old Settlers' Association have had to be con- tinuous residents from June, 1871, and the suc- cess of the organization is a monument to the niemorv of Mr. Baldwin AuJitorium, Omaha The Omaha Auditorium iniilding is two hun- dred and sixty-four feet long and one hundred and thirty-four feet wide. It is built of brick, stone and steel, and is covered with tile, which makes the building fireproof. It has a seating capacity of seven thousand five luuuhed and the length of the arena floor for horse show purposes is two hundred feet and the width is seventy-five feet. The stage is sixty-eight by one hundred and twentv-eight feet. It was MISCELLANEOUS. 365 built bv a stock company with a capital stock of $.")0(i.00(>.()o. The cost of construction was $\>0(t,()()0.(Ut and the grouml upon which it is placed cost $.">:),(»(»0.0(), niakinj; the total cost $255,000.00. The officers are as follows: F. A. Xash. President; T. C. Byrne, Vice-Presi- dent; Alfred Millard. Treasurer; J. R. Lehnier, Secretary ; T. J. Mahoney, Counsel ; J. M. Gillan, Assistant Secretary and Manager- NEBRASKA DAIRY INDUSTRY. Section of the Dairy Building, State Farm The first organization of this sort was ef- fected at Lincoln in 1S85 by a few men inter- ested in stock breeding and from this society was developed the present Nebraska Dairy- men's Association. In IflOO, there were 512,544 dairv cows and (174, 025 cows on the range. The amount of butter produced during this year was 46,244,839 pounds and of cheese, 578,0.30 pounds. In 1901 there were 10G,350 dairy cows added to the stock of the previous year. The good water and grazing resources, together with the even climate, are largely re- sponsible for the success of the dairy industry. Those who have been Presidents of the Ne- braska Dairymen's Association are: 188fi, J- Dixon Averv; 1887, W. G. Whitmore ; 1888, J. W. Livringhouse; 1889. ]. C. Merrill; 1890. D. P. Ashburn: 1891, J. H." Rushton ; 1892, E. J. Haincr ; 1893, Wm. Sutton ; 1894, W. A. Car- penter ; 1895, B. R. StoufTer ; 1896, E. F. Howe ; 1897, F. H. Vaughn; 1898, Geo. E. Haskell; 1899-1900. John J. King; 1901, J. H. Rushton; 1902, E. S. Snivley; 1903, J. K. jioncywell. The officers of 1903 were:" President, J. K. Honeywell, Lincoln ; Vice President. J. S. Clark, Ravenna ; Secretary and Treasurer, S. C. Bassett, Gibbon; Diroc'tors, B. R. StoufTer, I. C. Merrill, William V. llrich, L. D. Stilson and Prof. A. L. Haecker. In 1904, C. A. Clark, of Ravenna, was elected president and S. C. P.assett, Secrctarv. 366 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Nebraska's Grain Production. Variety ot Grain Nebraska ranks among the first states in the Union in the prodnction of grain. In corn she holds third place, and the annnal average yield since 1895 has been 205,000,000 bushels. Her relative standing among the corn states for the past eight years has been : 1897, first ; 189G, second; 1898, 1900, 1001 and 1903, third; 1899 and 1902, fourth. The increase in the produc- tion of corn is shown by the following statis- tics : 18G0, 1,482,000 bushels; 1870, 4,736,710 bushels; 1880, 65,450,135 bushels; 1890, 55,- 310,1)00 bushels; 1900, 210,430,000 bushels. A ("orn Improvers Association was organized in 1902 and the officers elected were: President, Lee Smith ; Vice Presidents, one from each congressional district, 1st, Wm. Ernst ; 2d, D. F. .Stouffer; 3d, Jos. Hall; 4th, H. J. McLaugh- lin ; 5th. J. S. Cobeldick; 6th, T. W. DeLong; Secretary-Treasurer, T. L. Lyon. The Asso- ciation is making seed corn growing experi- ments which shall continue for several years and it has had winter corn shows which have i)een of great profit to those interested. A fine exhibit was made at the Louisiana Exposition, $900 having been expended in Premiums by the Hoard of .Vgriculture and State Commis- sion. As a wheat producing state Nebraska grades fourth. In 1860 she produced 147,867 inishels: in 1870, 2,125,086 bushels; in 1880, 13,847.007 bushels; in 1890, 15,315,000 bushels, and in 1900. 24,802,000 bushels. The growing of winter wheat has an assured place in the state and it often yields forty bushels per acre. Nebraska has been very successful in the pro- duction of oats and the average crop for the last eight years has been 48,201,000 bushels, lii this product, the state holds fifth place among the grain states of the imion. Other small grains, such as rye, barley, flax and buck- wheat are also profitably raised. The Beet Sugar Industry in Nebraska. The factories at Grand Island, Norfolk and Leavitt comprise the principal part of the Ne- braska beet sugar industry. The three fac- tories combined require 1,275 tons of beets daily in the manufacture of sugar and the average amount of granulated sugar annually made in Nebraska is about 20,000,000 pounds. Nearly eight hundred men are employed in these factories every year and an immense amount of coal and lime, stone is consumed. The Grand Island factory began running in the fall of 1890 and was built at an expense of $500,000. Its daily capacity is 90,000 pounds of sugar and in 1902, the output of the working season, beginning with October and ending with the first of February, was 7,000,000 Leavitt Sugar Beet Factory MISCELLANEOUS. 367 pounds. In 10O3, the product of beet fields coverinjj 0,000 acres was used by this factory and during the year thirty-five men are con- stantly employed, six of which number attend to the growing of the raw product. Henry S. Ferrar is the manager of the Grand Island fac- tory. J. N. Hundick is at the head of the Nor- folk factory, which was first opened u]) in the fall of 1891. I'rom four to five thousand acres of beets are required as a source of supply, and in 1903, the average tonnage per acre was 10.01. The lowest price paid for beets is $4.00 per ton and the factory i)ays in addition for hauling and shipping. When beets are over fourteen jier cent sugar, tliey bring a corre- spondingly higher price. The pulj) left from the beets is very valuable for feeding stock and this is given free to those who grow beets for the Norfolk factory. All the buildings be- longing to the Leavitt factory have concrete foundations and rest upon piling. The fac- tory comnuMiced operation in 1899 and the ex- l)cnse of building was $800,000. Although the buildings were arranged for a daily capacity oi one thousand tons, the machinery has only half that capacity, because of the limited sup- ply of beets at the time of construction. In 1902 the expenses were: For beets, $\C>G - 9(i2.49; for labor, $49,098.17; and for supplies $.-|l.?09.8,5. Nebraska Poultry Industry. The astonishing growth of the i)oultry in- eggs aggregated $4,0()8,0O0. The State Poul- dustry in this state is due in large measure to try Association was started in 1884 and in 1892 the .\rmour. Swift and Cudahy packing houses was made a state institution. The annual of South Omaha, which occasion such a great poultry shows are maintained by a state ap- demand for poultry and eggs. These three propriation of $1,000. Those who served as establishments are represented by agencieu officers for the vear of 190.i were : Judge T. L. throughout the state, which pay good prices to Norval, Seward. President ; E. B." Day, Fre- local producers. These companies make large ninnt. Vice President; Rev. L. P. Ludde'n, Lin- shipments of cold storage fowls and large coin, Secretary; I. L. Lyman, Lincoln, Treas- cjuantities are sent to European markets, es- pecially to Great Britain. In 1880, the poultrv of the state numbered 279,2()2. In 1900, pouf- try was valued at $;i,499,04 1 while the sale of urcr. Directors — C. M. Lewelling, Brownville; David Lar.son, Wahoo ; E. E. Smith, Lincoln; C. Rockhill, Harvard; W. A. Irvin, Wilber. 368 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA The State Cattle Industry. Nebraska has always been popular with cattle men because of her natural advantages in the way of water, grasses and climate. In cattle raising, the state ranks fourth in the Union ; and more breeding of fine cattle is be- done here than in any other district in the country. During the fifteen years between 1870 and 1883, breeding cattle wree con- stantly shipped into Nebraska from the east- ern states. The following figures are given to show the growth of the cattle industry. In ISGO, there were 37,li)7 head of cattle ; in 1870, the number was 79,054 ; in 1880, 740,541 ; in 1890. 1,730,439, and in 1900, the number had increased to 3,176,942. The swine industry has become very popu- lar throughout the state because of the profit in utilizing the corn crop for fattening. The State Association was organized in 1884 and those who were most instrumental in its form- ation were its first officers. They were: J. V. \\'olfe of Lincoln, President; H. C. Dawson of Endicott, \''ice President; C. A. Brown of Syracuse, Secretary; H. C. Stoll of Beatrice, Treasurer. In 1902, John Blain of Pawnee City was President and in 1903, Gilbert Van Fatten of Sutton. The South Omaha Union Stock Yards. These yards occupy eight acres of ground and the buildings and pens have a capacity of 30.000 cattle, 30,000 hogs, 35,000 sheep and 1.000 horses. The supply of fat stock is ob- tained for the greater part from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, and the range and stock cattle are shipped from Western Ne- braska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. In 1890, stock received at the yards comprised 615,337 cattle, 1,702.723 hogs, 153,873 sheep and 5,069 horses and mules. The report for 1903 shows a receipt or 1,071,177 cattle, 2,230,067 hogs, 1,863,763 sheep and 52,829 horses and mules. MISCELLANEOUS. 369 BeginnlDK at lett in oraer standint: is: 1. AUNA UUBSON, State Enyinier or Irrigation. 2. JOH.M DAVIS, State Board of Chanties. 3. GEO L. C.\KTEK, Fish auU (Jame CJommissioner. 4. BUKKITI' BUSU, Commisaioner of Labor. 5. L. IVI. SCOTHORN. Assistant Quartermaster Oenersl. S. KJJ. ROYCi^. Secretary State Banking Board. 7. J. H CUL.VEK, Adjutant General of State. 8 ED. A. CldUKuH. Slate Oil Inspector. The Nebraska State Horticultural Society. As a result of repeated successful experi- ments in the cultivation of fruit a great many Nebraskans became interested in the growing of orchards. This interest became so general that on the twenty-ninth day of September, 18Gi), occurred the organization of the Ne- braska State Horticultural Society, on the ^tate Fair Grounds at Nebraska City. Those who have the honor of being charter members of this society are : R. W. Furnas, F. A. Tis- del, Benton Aldrich, Nemaha County; J. H. Masters, Oliver Horner, O. P. Mason, J. H. Gregg, J. B. Merton, J. Hoagland, J. Sterling Morton, J. M. Taggert, IL K. Raymond, J, N. Croxton, Otoe County; P. W. Hitchcock, Geo. B. Graff, Alvin Saunders, L. A. Walker, Doug- las County; David Butler, Lancaster County; J. B. Weston, Gage County ; Jonathan Ed- wards, Dodge County; J. W. Hollingshead, Pawnee County; Wm. D. Wilson, Des Moines, la.; J. W. Pcarman, Davenport, la. J. H. Masters was elected President ; R. W. Furnas, Secertary, and O. P. Mason, Treasurer. At the next meeting of the society, which was held at Brownville, January 5, 1870, a col- lection of winter fruit was put on exhibition. Uut of this display was developed the annual winter fruit show, which has become a dis- tinct institution of this society. The Horti- cultural Hall at the State Fair grounds is under its management and from $1,000.00 to $1,JOO.OO in prizes is annually awarded to Ne- braska horticulturists. The society also oper- ates five experimental stations in this state. Following is a list of the officers which have been elected in the years between 1372 and 1904: J. H. Masters, President, 1872, '73, '86; Vice President, '83. J. T. Allen, Vice Presi- dent, 1872, '73; President, 1874, '75; Secretary, 1883, '84, '85. R. W. Furnas, Secretary, 1873, '73; President, 1877, '78, '79, '80. D. H. Wheeler, Treasurer, 1872, '73, •1'4; Secretary, 1875. '76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81. '82. J. W. Moore, Secretary, 1874. E. N. Grennell, Vice Presi- dent. 1875, '77, '80; President, '81. John Evans, Treasurer, 1875, '76, '77, '78. S. B. Hobson, President, 1876. Hiram Craig, Vice President, 1876. Charles Mathewson, Vice President, 1878, '79. Chris Hartman, Treasurer, 1879 to '87. S. Barnard, Vice President, 1381; Presi- 370 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA dent, '82, '83, '34, "85; Secretary, '86, '87, '88. R. N. Day, Vice President, 1882, '85, '8G ; Presi- dent, '87, '88 ; Secretary, '91. Mrs. R. H. Strat- ton, Vice Presihent, 1887. W. R. Harris, Pres- ident 1888; Vice President, '89, '90. Peter Youngers, Jr., Treasurer, 1888 to 1904. F. W. Taylor, President, 1889, '90, '91; Secretary, '92, '93, '94. E. F".'Stephens, President, 1892 to '9{). D. U. Reed, Vice President, 1892, '93, '94; Sec- retary, '95. G. A. Marshall, Vice President, 1895, '96; President, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01. J. H. Hadkinson, Secretary, 1896 ; Vice President, '97, '98, '99. C. H. Barnard, Secretary, 1897 to 1902.. L. M. Russell, Vice President, 1900, '01; President, '02 ; Secretary, '03, '04. G. S. Christy, Vice President, 1902; President, '03, '04. W. J. Hesser, Vice President, 1903, '04. The Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. p. YOUNGEKS J. B. DINSMORE C. H. RUD3E The State Agricultrural Board was estab- lished in 181)7 and its charter members were: S. M. Kirkpatrick, O. P. Mason, C. H. Walker, George Crow, J. G. Miller, John Patrick, John Ritchie, Job-. Cadmore, Samuel Maxwell, Elam Clark, Isaac Albertson, Amos Gates, Geo. A. Hall, Wm. Imelay, E. A. Allen, H. M. Reynolds, VV. D. Scott, A. S. Holiday, John B. Bennett, B. Gates, Louis A. Walker, J. Sterling Morton, J. W. Hollingshead, G. P. Thomas, J. B. Stout, Henry Sprick, S. W. Kennedy, A. L. Childs and Anderson Miller. Previous to Nebraska's organization as a state, there was a Territorial Board of Agri- culture, which had been in existence since 1858. The first permanent officers of the ter- ritorial organization were: Robert W. Furnas of Nemaha County, President ; A. D. Jones of Douglas County, Secretary, and John M. Thayer of Douglas County, Treasurer. Under this management a fair was held at Nebraska City in September of 1859. At that time there were no accommodations for a display of this sort and the meagre prizes were paid by per- sonal subscription. Nebraska City was also the location of the first State Fair, in the early years, there was a great deal of conten- tion as to the location of the annual fairs. Brownville was the successful competitor in 1871, Lincoln during the next two years and Omaha in 1874 and 1875. Then it was ar- ranged that the fair should be held for five consecutive years in a place. Following is a list of the Presidents since 1872: J. Sterling Morton, R. R. Greer, S. M. Barker, R. H. Henry, Ed. Mclntyre, John Jensen, Martin Dunham, J. T. Clarkson, E. A. Barnes, M. Doolittle, S. C. Bassett, E. L. Vance and Joha B. Dinsmore. The members who have acted as Secretaries since 1872 are: A. D. Jones, D. H. Wheeler, J. C. McBride and Robert W. Furnas. The Treasurers since 1872 have been: J. M. Thayer, L. A. Walker, J. W. Moore, C. Hartman, L. A. Kent and Ed. Mclntyre. The first meeting of the Territorial Board of Agriculture was held at the "Herndan House" in Omaha, which has since been con- verted into the Union Pacific railroad head- quarters. At this meeting the term of service was divided among the members. Those chosen for one year were : Thomas Gibson, E. Estabrook, J. M. Thayer, C. Bobst, J. Hoover, M. S. Reeves, Broad Cole and H. Baird. The members chosen to serve two years were : H. Johnson, A. D. Jones, R. W. MISCELLANEOUS. •■ill Furnas, J. Cole, S. A. Chambers, J. C. Lin- coln, J. F. Griffin and E. H. Chaplin. JOHN B. UlNSMORE was a soldier in the Civil War, in which he rose from the ranks to the position of Lieutenant and later of Provost Marshal. He was born in Chautauqua County, New York and removed to Nebraska in 1872. Five years later he helped establish the Sut- ton National Bank of which he is President. He has been President of the Board of Man- agers of the State Board of .Aijriculturc. At the Chicago World's Fair of 1803 he was Superin- tendent of the Cattle, Swine and Fat Stock Exhibit; and at the Trans-Mississippi Exposi- tion, Commissioner of Live Stock, Dairy and Poultry. He has been Commissioner, Sheriff and Clerk of Clav Conntv, and also as Senator. I'F.TER YOl'NCERS, Superintendent of Horticulture at the Trans-Mississippi Exposi- tion, was born in 1852. He spent his boyhood in New York City, part of the time as p*Tice boy on Wall Street. Since 1874 he has been a professional nurservman. For six Vears was Treasurer of the Nurservman's National Pro- tective Asso'^iaHon.'and for seven vearS'of the State Horticultural Society. .At present he is on the Nebraska Agricultural Ro^rd of Man- agers. His home is in Fillmore County. EDSON RICH IW. G. WHITMORE C. J. ERNST Nebraska Board of Regents. JNO. L. TEETERS The Board of Regents constitute the busi- The office is merely honorary and no salary is ness management of the State University, connecterl with it. The present Regents are: They receive their offices directly from the Carl J. Ernst, John Lewis Teeters, Edson people, and their term of office is six years. Rich, W. G. Whitmore, Charles S.- Allen and two members being elected every two years. E. C. Calkins. The Nebraska State Historical Society. The Society aims to maintain a complete library relating to western and local subjects. Special attention is devoted to the collecting of material in regard to history, sociology, archeology and genealogy. All the current newspapers are kept in the reading room and files are made for reference. A museum com- posed of relics and specimens of interest is a feature of the .Society. The Nebraska State Historical Society was started September 20, 1878, at Lincoln, and in 1883 it was made a permanent state organization. Since 1883, the State has contributed $43,000.00 for its sup- port. Following is a list of the officers: President, Robert W. Furnas, Brownville ; First Vice President, Charles S. Lobin- gier, Omaha : Second Vice President, Henry T. Clarke, Omaha ; Secretary, Prof. Howard W. Caldwell ; Governor John H. Mickey, Lin- coln ; Chancellor of UnivcrsitNlkE. Benjamin .'\ndrews, Lincoln ; President Srate Press As- sociation, C. J. Bowlby, Crete. The last three are ex-officio members, who together with the active officers form an executive board. Those who comprise the working office staff are: Jay Amos Barrett, curator and librarian, in charge; A. E. Sheldon, director of field work; E. E. Blackman, archeologist ; Daisy M. Palin, newspaper clerk. 8?3 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA J. WALSH H. G. SHEDD M. MILLER P. JANSEN G. W. WATTLES Nebraska Commission to Louisiana Purchase Exposition. E. M. POLLARD Nebraska's agricultural, horticultural, dairy and educational interests were represented at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition by an act of the legislature which appropriated $35,000 for making the exhibit. The Commission, ap- pointed by Governor Mickey, was made up of G. W. Wattles, as President; H. G. Shedd, as Secretary, and Peter Jansen and Matt Miller. The gentlemen appointed as department man- agers were: James Walsh, Supt. of Agricul- ture; E. M. Pollard, Supt. of Horticulture; S. C. Bassett, Supt. of Dairy, and E. H. Barbour, Supt. of Educational Exhibit. JAMES WALSH is a farmer, having been engaged in this occupation in the British Isles, in New Zealand and in Australia, before com- ing to Nebraska in 1873. Mr. Walsh was born in 1851 in Ireland, although he is of Scotch descent. Since he located in the state, he has always lived in Douglas Coynty. He was Su- perintendent of the State Agricultural Exhibit at S . Louis, 1904. H. G. SHEDD was born at Ashland, Ne- braska, where he graduated from the high school. He is also a graduate of the Univer- sity of Nebraska, in which institution he has acted as Registrar during the last few years. Several years ago he went abroad, where he devoted a year to the study of European cus- toms and industries. He is Secretary of the Nebraska Commission to the Louisiana Pur- chase EvDO<;ition. St. Louis, 1904. MATT MILLER, a member of the State Commission to the St. Louis ExDOsition, is a practicing attorney of David Citv. He was born in Glasgow. Scotland, in 1852. After coming to America in 1853 with his parents, he lived in Wisconsin until about 1880, when tinon being admitted to the bar, he moved to Nebraska. Since 1881, he has been a resident of David City. He has served as State Repre- sentative two years and as Mayor of David City. He has also held the office of Judge of the Fourth Judicial District. PETER JANSEN came from his home neai the Sea of Azov, Russia, in 1873. He located in Jefferson County, and homesteaded on the land which he still occupies. His farming in- terests comprise 2,500 acres of cultivated land and he also operates an extensive sheep indus- try. At present he is serving on the Nebraska Commission to the St. Louis Exposition, and at the Paris Exposition, he was a United States delegate. In 1898 he was a member of the State Legislature. GURDON W. WATTLES is a native of New York, from which state he moved to Iowa in 1R()5. He made a study of law and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1880. Five vears later he was elected President of the First National Bank of Omaha and western manager of the Rochester Loan and Banking Company of New Hampshire, beside having an interest in a number of western banks. He is director and stockholder of several street car com- panies, the princinal one being that of Omaha and Council Blufifs. He was President of the Trans-Mississinni Exposition and is the Presi- dent of the Nebraska Commission to thr Louisiana Purchase Exposition. E. M. POLLARD is at the head of the State Horticultural Exhibit at the St. Louis Exposi- tion. Mr. Pollard has always lived in Ne- braska, where he was born in 18G9 at Ne- hawka. He was graduated from the State l^niversity in 1893 and has since served in the Legislature during two terms. He has been engap-ed in horticulture nearly all his life, and the Pollard apple orchard is among the largest in Nebraska. MISCELLANEOUS. 178 Deputy and Assistant State Officers. ARTHUR R. ALLEN, Private Secretary to Governor John H. Mickey, was horn in Tis- kilwa, Bureau County, Illinois, Fehruary 4, ISGL He acquired his early education in the public schools of his native town, and also in the schools of Chicago. He came to Ne- braska in April, 1879, and for a number of years resided with his parents on a farm near Tecumseh, in Johnson County. During the winter months he taught school in one of the ARTHUR B. ALLEN EVAN S. MICKEY neighboring districts and was so employed for ten years. He then moved to Tecumseh and for two years was engaged in the implement business. In February, 1891, he bought an interest in the Tecumseh Chieftain, and for twelve years occupied the editorial chair. Since arriving at his majority Mr. Allen has always been an active factor in politics. He was appointed private secretary to the Gover- nor, January 8, 1903. Mr. Allen was married September 2, 1891, to Miss Nellie Ingersoll, at Tecumseh, and they have a family of two chil- dren, a son and a daughter. EVAN S. MICKEY, Chief Clerk to Cover nor Mickey, was born at Osceola, Nebraska. January 26, 1874. He received his education in the public schools of Osceola and in Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, from which he was graduated in 1899, with the degree of Ph. B. The year after his leaving college lie traveled in Europe, spending some time in Great Brit ain and visiting all the important points on the continent. Mr. Mickey began his business career at an early age, becoming a clerk in his father's bank when he was a school boy and was advanced to assistant cashier, spending tlie greater part of half a dozen years in the hanking business. He was married June 24, 1902, to Miss Jessie Carson, a grand-daughter of ex-Governor Boies of Iowa. He was ap- pointed chief clerk by his father, in January, 190.3. SAMUEL C. BASSETT, a soldier of the Civil War, was born 184 I in New York and was a graduate of Corning Academv of that state. In 1872 he located in Buffalo County, Nebraska, which has since been his home. Mr. Bassett was the first President, and during thirteen years. Secretary of the Dairvmen's Association. He was influential in the form- ing of an amendment to the Nebraska school laws to the effect that elementary agriculture, zoology, botany and ornithology be taught in the graded and high schools. In 1901 he re- ceived the appointment of Deputy Food Com- missioner. .S. C. BASSETT T. L. NORVAL T. L. NORVAL came to Nebraska in 1872, where he first located at Seward as a lawyer. He was educated in his native state, Illinois, where he attended Hedding College, and in 1871 he was graduated from the law course of Michigan University, with the degree of B. M. L. Mr. Norval was a State Senator in 1879. Beginning with 1883, he served three terms as Judge of the Fourth Judicial Di.strict, after which he served as Judge of the Supreme Court for twelve years. Mr. Norval is Presi- dent of the State Poultrv Association. EVERETT C. BABCOCK, Deputy State Trea.surer, was born in Dakota, Waushara County, Wisconsin. June 27, 1863. His father, Heman A. Babcock, was a member of Com- pany G. Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and spent two yiars in the Service. 374 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA In 1872 the family located near Ord, Nebraska, where Mr. Babcock's father was engaged in partnership with Peter F. Mortensen in the real estate business, and who also served as E. C. BABCOCK GEO. ASTHLS Mr. Mortensen's deputy in the State Treas- urer's office. Everett C. received a common and high school education and attended Alfred University for one year. He prepared himself for his profession as an accountant in a busi- ness college, and was employed by the Union Fire Insurance Company of Lincoln as chief bookkeeper prior to his appointment as Dep- uty State Treasurer. GEORGE ANTHES, Deputy Auditor of Public Accounts, was born in Frankfort-on- the-Main, October 30, 1856. He came to Oma- ha in 1878 where he has resided up to the time of his present appointment. His first public service commenced in the spring of 1888, when he entered the office of the County Clerk of Douglas County. In 1890 he was appointed to a position in the County Treasurer's office, resigning the position of Deputy County Treasurer on January 4, 1900, to accept his present office under State Auditor Weston Mr. Anthes was re-appointed to the position he now holds. He was married in March, 1881, to Amanda Getzchman. They have three children. WILLIAM B. ROSE, Assistant Attorney General, was born in Grove City, Pennsylva- nia, January 25, 1862. He received his early education in the public schools of his native place and finished in Grove City College. He studied law and was admitted to the bar De- cember 22, 1888. In 1889 he came to Ne- braska and located in the city of Lincoln. From 1892 to 1898 he was Deputy State Li- brarian and assistant reporter of the Nebraska Supreme Court. While filling the latter posi- tion he edited, digested, and indexed all the opinions of the Supreme Court contained in Volumes 35 to 58, inclusive. Upon the elec- tion of General Prout to office in 1900, Mr. Rose became his assistant and has since been continuously connected with the Attorney General's office. Mr. Rose was married No- vember 18, 1893, and his family consists of a wife and one daughter. L. C. HARNLY is a native Nebraskan. hav- ing been born in Lancaster County, August 16, isri, son of B. F. Harnlv, a farmer. ' He W. B EOSE L. C. HARNLY received his education in the Sterling high school and Fremont Normal School and has been employed as a teacher for eleven years, having been principal of the Crab Orchard schools for six years. He has served four years as Assistant State Superintendent under Superintendent W. K. Fowler. SENATOR J. H. MILLARD Biography on Page 165 Q W A LUCKY University of Nebraska MISCELLANEOUS. 376 ERNEST H. PHELPS, Major of the Sec- ond Regiment of the Nebraska National Guard and chief clerk in the Adjutant Gen- eral's office at Lincoln, was born on a farm at Wataga, Illinois, son of A. N. Phelps. His ancestors emigrateu from England to Ameri- ca in 1G30. Mr. Phelps received a common school education and by vocation is a railway agent and lumber dealer. He is a member of the republican party and in official capacity has served as City Clerk and as a member and secretary of the Board of Education. His residence is Schuyler, Nebraska. WlLLIAiM R. MELLOR came to Nebras- ka in 1885. He studied in J. R. Scott's law office at Loup City, where he still lives. In 1894 he was admitted to the bar, but for the last few years has been a real estate dealer. Indiana is Mr. Mellor's native state, and he also lived for some time in Ohio before remov- ing to Nebraska. He is President of the State Board of Agriculture. THE NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD. The Nebraska Guard is made up of about lie officers and 1,908 soldiers. Since its or- ganization in 1881, the guard has annually gone into camp for military training during a period of six to ten days. The Guard is sup- ported by an average appropriation of $33,- 250.00 every other year. In 1887 the Second Regiment and the ]\J ilford Cavalry troop were formed, while a little later the guard was or- ganized into a brigade for future existence. The embryo of what is now the Nebraska Na- tional Guard vvas made up of the pioneer com- panies, which served as a protection against the Indians in the early seventies. Those who have served as Adjutant General are: S. J. Alexan- der, 18?9 ; E. P. Roggen, 1883 ; John C. Bon- nell, 1885; C. N. Baird, 188G ; A. V. Cole, 1887; Victor Vifquain, 1891; J. D. Gage, 1893; P. H. Barry, 1895; J. N. Kilian, 1901; L. W. Col- by, 1901 ; J. H. Culver, 1903. The Command- ers of the Brigade since its organization have been: Brigadier General, L. W. Colbv, 1887- 1896; Brigadier General, C. J. Bills, 189G-1898 ; Brigadier General, P. H. Barry, 1901. Those who have been Commanders of the First Regi- ment are: Colonel, L. W. Colby, 1881-1887; Colonel, O. H. Phillips, 1887-1890; Colonel, J. P. Bratt, 1890-1898; Colonel, J. N. Kilian, 1900-1901; Colonel, H. L. Archer, 1901-1903; Colonel, V. C. Talbot, 1903; Colonel, J. A. Storch, 1904. The Second Regiment Com- manders have been : Colonel, Franklin Sweet, 1887-1890; Colonel, C. J. Bills, 1890-189G; Col- onel, Wm. Bischof, Jr., 189G-1898. Colonel, A. E. Campbell, 1889-1900 ; Colonel, Wm. Hay- ward, 1901-1903; Colonel, J. W. McDonnell, 1903. As late as 1891 the Nebraska National Guard was called out in full force to defend the northern state border line against the Sioux Indians, who were located at the South Dakota Pine Ridge Agency. After nearly two weeks service in the dead of winter they were released, the Indians having been subdued by United States troops. During the Spanish- American War the First, Second and Third regiments, together with a cavalry troop, were sent from this state. The First Regiment started for San Francisco and the Philippines, May IG, 1898, having been mustered into ser- vice six days previous at Lincoln. Of the 1,37G men enrolled, the regiment had lost sixty-four men at the time it was mustered out at San Francisco, August 23, 1899. The Second Regiment were not called to the seat of war, but remained at Chickamauga Park, Georgia, during their service, which began on xMay 10, 1898 and ended October 24th of the same year. Twenty-seven men died of dis- ease and accident. The Third Regiment left old Fort Omaha, where they were mustered in July 13, 1898, for Jacksonville, Florida, whence they sailed to Havana December 30, 1898. They were located at Havana until the next spring, when they returned to the United States, and were mustered out at Augusta, Georgia, May 11, 1899. Thirty of this regi- ment died of disease. The officers of the Ne- braska regiments were as follows: First Regiment. Colonel, John P. Bratt; Lieutenant Colonel, George P. Col ton ; Majors, John M. Stotsen- berg, Harry B. Mulford, Fred A. Williams; Adjutant, Frank D. Eager; Quartermaster, Lincoln Wilson; Surgeon, Frank D. Snvder; First Assistant Surgeon, Charles L. Mu'Uins; Second Assistant Surgeon, Robert P. Jensen ; Chaplain James Mailley. 376 SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF NEBRASKA Second Regiment. Colonel, Charles J. Bills; Lieutenant Col- onel, Emil Olson; Majors, William S. Mapes, Ernest H. Tracy; Adjutant, Willard S. Hard- ing; Quartermaster, Frank H. Myers; Sur- geon, Maurice A. Hoover; First Assistant Sur- geon, Michael A. Rebert; Second Assistant Surgeon, James G. Marron ; Chaplain, Joseph G. Tate. Third Regiment. Colonel, William J. Bryan ; Lieutenant Col- onel, Victor Vifquain ; Majors, John H. Mc- Clay, Conrad F. Scharmann ; Adjutant, First Lieutenant Chas. F. Beck; Quartermaster, First Lieutenant, Wm. F. Schwind ; Surgeon, Major, Ole Grothan ; First Assistant Surgeon, Ralph J. Irwin ; Second Assistant Surgeon, Al- bert P. Fitzsimmons; Chaplain, Captain Ed- ward F. Jorden. Present Officers, Nebraska National Qjiard. The Governor's Staff: Jacob H. Culver, George E. Jenkins, Charles J. Bills, Carroll D. Evans.John A. Ehrhardt, Clarendon E. Adams, Clarence J. Miles, Jacob S. Dew, Samuel M. Melick, Joseph W. Thomas, Herbert P. Shum- way, Charles W. Kaley, Joseph J. Langer, Le- roy W. Garoutte. First Infantry.— Field and Staff. Joseph A. Storch, Colonel, Fullerton ;Warren R. McLaughlin, Lieutenant Colonel, Beatrice; Charles M. Richards, Major, Omaha; George Lyon, jr.. Major, Nelson; Fred Gegner, Major, Madison ; George H. Holdeman, Captain, Ad- jutant, York; Arundle H. Hull, Captain, Quar- termaster, Fremont ; Otis E. Davis, Captain, Commissary, York ; Frank S. Nicholson, Ma- jor, Surgeon, St. Paul; James B. Hungate, Captain, Assistant Surgeon, Weeping Water; Emile C. Underburg, First Lieutenant, Assist- ant Surgeon, Stanton. Non-commissioned staff: James H. Duncanson, Sergeant Major, South Omaha ; John F. Steele, Quartermaster Sergeant, Geneva; Harry Pritchard, Chief Musician, Wisner. Second Infantry. — Field and Staff. John W. McDonnell, Colonel, Fairbury; Fred J. Bolshaw, Lieutenant Colonel, Lincoln ; John C. Hartigan, Major, Fairbury ; Oliver G. Osborne, Major, Omaha; Ernest H. Phelps, Major, Schuyler; H. Elton Clapp, Captain, Ad- jutant, Fairbury ; Elwin E. Culver, Captain, Quartermaster, Sutton ; Leonard E. Hurtz, Captain Commissary, Lincoln ; Addison E. Knickerbocker, Captain, Chaplain, Nebraska City ; Clifford W. Walden, Major, Surgeon, Be- atrice. Non-commissioned staff : William C. Ramsey, Commissary Sergeant, Plattsmouth ; George W. Gregg, Chief Musician, Osceola. United States Military Posts In Nebraska. National troops are stationed at three points in Nebraska: Fort Crook in the vicinity of Omaha; Fort Niobrara, near Valentine, and Fort Robinson, near Crawford. These forts are fitted out with all the modern appointments of a military post. .^ "^ fO" .* -/: °o •r-V V^^ A <■» • . . 5 . o ^- " . . - • 1^ 9^ J o lO '^, .v?-^ % * • , ' ^o. ^^.A & /.;^;^',\' ^co^.-y^i-.""-. ■■/\-^;;-!V'' ,.0' ^ ■'•',*» j^*'*' ,,=;^ = , % - ■#> • '^^ <^ '. -* *V •I O ^' '1': '- «^ vO^ •^0< .'•'••. O \'^ ^o' <• , rX 1.1. "*^, r V \^ .'■ ■' ■'■■ \ .0' 0^ .0^ ^^ ■<-\ ; ^'"i 7,. '^•^^ 0*°-% ■•>^' /^- "^^^ 0^% '^^^-^ /^o "^ ^3s;<^,* ^\. •'>^%^^* -^^ "^ --^-^S**/ W^^' ,r .G^ ^0' i .*^ •^0 r.-ir' ilA. , if-' \^ '«,■.* A. V- V *> y o V ^., °:> .V >^ <^^ i- '^:,. ■^7:=-^ N.MANCHESTER, ■' INDIANA 46962 'iii'.'Tr'^. 1-. ■ v/'