Early Settlement of Kimball and Vicinity The purchase bv Hon. |. T. Clarkson, from the U. P. Ry. Co. of a'll of their lands lying south of the railway, from the vicinity i >i" Pi itter, near the \\ estern edge of the present Cheyenne count}, across the presenl Kimball count}, to the Wyoming line, was the first step toward the settlement of the western end of old Cheyenne count}-, or present Kimball count} . Clarkson 1 firsl lender, and fiiiallv the sale was ratified

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

by the government, and Clarkson by waiting got his title.

Shortly thereafter the Bay State Live Stock Co. purchased all of the railroad land lying north of the track, hoping thereby to secure a permanent range for their stock. They took two courses to obtain title. First, they took the claim of the Union Pacific for a patent, the government not then having given a patent thereto, and second, the Bay State people made a contract with the Union Pacific people, who could not give title by transfer of patent, as Congress must yet ratify their claim. The Bay State Company, through its president, H. H. Robinson, made a tender to the Union Pacific people. Later the bondholders of the Union Pacific brought foreclosure proceedings on their bonds ; and then the Bay State people intervened on their contract, and on a compromise reached, the government ratified afterwards.

The land in the vicinity of present Kimball county not involved in these two foregoing deals was taken up by various individuals, who started settling in this locality about 1886.