It will also be noted by a reference to the early history of that part of Cheyenne county, which is now Morrill county, as presented in the general history of the entire Panhandle territory, and in the separate history of Cheyenne county, that there came upon the stage and has largely disappeared an early generation. This first generation of pioneer spirits left their imprint upon the ultimate development of Morrill county. Quite a few of those who came to this vicinity some forty years ago are still here, one of these being Frank H. Putman, still a resident and active business man in Bridgeport. Mr. Putman tells as follows of early settlement :

"When I came to this part of Nebraska in 1878, this was a cattle country pure and simple. Leaving the present site of Ogallala in 1878, the first important place was the ranch of Shiedley brothers. These three brothers lived together as bachelors. I went to work for them driving range. They had a new outfit up through here from North Platte, and I knew and visited all the ranches from that city to Fort Laramie.

"I filed in 1884 and it was not until about that time that the homesteaders began to set themselves up against the claims of the ranchers and file on homesteads. Hiram Fisk was the first homesteader in the southeast part of what is now Morrill county. He died some time ago Next along the river there was Olaf Lift". He hired a man to haul him out there from a ranch though he did not know where he was going. He made an application for filing but did not know wdiere the land was. He told a fellow to just unload him there. The next day he went to town and found out where the land was and then made for himself a dug-out and lived in it.