Scharf, J. Thomas, ed. History of Westchester County, New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II. Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886.

Gentry for clerk, Beers for treasurer, Gilmore for surveyor, and Deutsch for commissioner were re-elected, defeating George B. Luft. A. B. McCoskey and Ellis Lowry respectively. Milton Byal defeated Tom Fanning for sheriff, for Fanning's deputy Kiefer got into the race and split the normal Fanning vote. Jas. Westervelt gave Frank Beers a close run 204 to 211, and McCoskey was …

Then, in the case of Scotts Bluff county, it fell heir to the costs incurred in the Arnold murder trial. The murder occurred at about the time of the county division and while the trial was at Sidney and in Cheyenne county by some legal method the mother countv succeeded in passing it on to the new countv of Scotts Bluff. So at the regular election of 1889 the bond issue was …

The other two related to the liquor question and exemplified the spirit of the county at that early date was for temperance -- a principle to which it has always adhered. The prohibition amendment carried 171 to 130, while the high license amendment lost by a vote of 161 to 118. First Soldier's Relief Commission The first commisioners to look after relief for old soldiers was …

Senteny of Highland precinct; Albert Gillett of Roubedoux precinct; Basil Decker of Tabor precinct ; J. E. Shannon of Mitchell precinct ; John Ray of Kiowa precinct; E. J. Morse of district number nine; and Ossian M. Ross of North Hull precinct. In the bond register we also find the following named for assessors : A. E. Currie of Kiowa ; J. S. Edgar of North Hull ; Michael R …

After the battle of Horse creek a thousand or more crossed near the state line. Near the east line of Scotts Bluff county travelers were once halted for three hours to allow the passage of a vast herd of buffalo which was moving across the river and to the north. Near Tom Fanning's ranch there is the old ford used so much by early settlers. Oelrich's ranch had a regular …

King s team took him through the railing into the water one time in about twenty years ago, and in the mixup two of his fingers were so nearly amputated, that the doctors finished the job. One time Sherwood Taylor was hauling a load of hay across this bridge, and the wind upset it into the river, with Taylor underneath. He was unable to extricate himself and was drowned. There …

Anton Hiersche was driving a team of spirited colts, and had Judge Hobart in the rig with him. At the approach he put the team on the run and went across the bridge at full speed. It seemed like a perilous ride but Anton knew his skittish team, and took the chance. If kept going there was less menace than if given time to get frightened and possibly going off the bridge at …

In some instances they were strong enough to have their own way, and in others they combined with other parties and were sufficiently strong to dominate the conventions and practically name the candidates. As late as 1896, Bryan carried Scotts Bluff county by fifteen. T. D. Deutsch was again elected county commissioner. The Courier then paid the following compliment to the …

Richardson by a vote of 246 to 213 and Morrow and Deutsch were on the same ticket. That left no one to be traded. This was but one of the many battles royal in the old days and anything is good for an argument according to the standards of the times and politicians of the periods. Then, young people take to heart the subjects of political economy far more seriously than do we …

General fund levy, 9 mills; sinking fund, 3 mills ; road fund, 2 mills ; bridge fund, 1 mill. Compensation for county superintendent fixed at $3.50 per day. County seat election was called for February 12th ; election notices and ballots to be printed by A. B. Wood. S. R. Spear was chosen to accompany County Attorney W. J. Richardson to Sidney to make a settlement with the …

Eastman, Wm. Kingen, G. W. Slonecker, G. F. Wingate, Martin Bristol, M. L. Bishop, P. L. Hull, C. A. Bouton, S. W. Ripley, Chas. W. Chubb, Anthony Kennedy, Bennett Chapman, E. O. Wilberger, D. T. Cummins, Charles B. Gardner, T. J. James, J. S. Mace, Robert S. MisKimmon, W. S. MisKimmon, Wm. C. Kirby, James Westervelt, Gus Tensen, S. Woldridge, E. B. Spencer, A. L. Wiles …

Probably as many more have gone to that Greater Frontier beyond, and the others have gone away. Of the eleven original county officers but three remain: B. F. Gentry, T. D. Deutsch, and T. J. Fanning. Six of them are dead and the other two gone to other lands, one of whom. Frank Beers, is in California. The Court House Scotts Bluff county early built a brick court house. Long …

In 1890 a number of congressmen were elected, and by 1892 the movement had spread like a prairie fire over the state. That year Congressman O. M. Kem was elected for his second term, as member from this, then, the third district. John Powers was the candidate for governor, and many still maintain he was honestly elected, but that through a partisan act of the supreme court and …

Vickrey nosed out ahead of T. D. Deutsch by two votes while Snyder, independent, received eighty-eight or about one-half as many as the high man. Mrs. Aggie Moomaw was elected superintendent as an independent; and A. B. Mc Coskey, for surveyor; and L. O. Tisdel, for coroner. It was not a good year for republicans in Scotts Bluff county. Lot L. Feltham who was county attorney …

Vickrey was re-elected by a plurality of thirteen over Martin Bristol, but lacking 103 of having a majority. L. A. Christian and D. D. Davis were candidates. Ed. Sayre was reelected treasurer in a contest against F. M. Sands. O. W. Gardner defeated J. M. King and Theo. Harshman for judge, while A. P. Kittell triumphed over A. B. McCoskey and T. L. Gilmore for survevor …

In the west Cleveland's administration was accepted by many demo- HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA crats as an abject surrender to Wall street. Yet, the moneyed east was demanding the return of republicans to power. So strong was this force being brought to bear that Win. H. Wright wrote the engineer, A. P. Mitchell, that he was going to vote the republican ticket as the chance to …

McCoskey, democrat, was chosen surveyor over Ed. Scriven by a, close vote: 209 to 201. There were three candidates for commissioner: Matt Schumacher, republican; F. J. Irvine, democrat ; and Chas. Fowler, peoples independent. The latter was elected, defeating Schumacher by 11 votes, and Irvine by 23. For clerk, C. W. Ford ; for treasurer, C. B. Whipple: for judge, Geo. W …

failed to carry, so they were elected to offices that did not exist. The county ticket was only for commissioner and attorney and the fusion forces were successful. T. M. Morrow won over W. J. Richardson by 33 votes or 246 to 213 ; and T. D. Deutsch won over John A. Orr by 28 or 116 to 88. This was the election in which the Courier intimated that trading was practiced but the …

In this county majorities from 14 to 232 prevailed. E. von Forell, now of our county, but then of Kearney, was a candidate for regent of the state university but was not elected. C. W. Ford was elected clerk; Geo. W. King for judge; C. B. Whipple for treasurer; L. L. Raymond for superintendent ; E. T. Westervelt for sheriff; Georgia A. Fix for coroner; Thos. Preston for …

Snyder, surveyor; and F. H. Riege, commissioner. The vote on commissioner was very close, being 123 for Riege, and 119 for George Baltes. J. L. Gilmore gave Nate Snyder a close run also for surveyor. On three other candidates there appeared a little "knifing" on the part of republicans. Raymond. Thornton, and Walsh had engendered a hostile spirit of some of their colleagues …

Craig, coroner; and the democrats elected Runey C. Campbell for sheriff, and Thos. Allen for commissioner. In November, 1902, Wenzel Hiersche, democrat, was elected commissioner. The November election of 1903 gave the democrats two officers and the republicans the balance. R. C. Campbell was re-elected sheriff and James McKinley for clerk. The republicans elected Thos …

Ammerman for commissioner, and Agnes Lackey for superintendent. Resignations and changes of residence required the electorate to choose a surveyor and three commissioners in addition to the county attorney in 1906. Wra, Morrow, fusion, was ■chosen attorney; Clarence Scriven, republican, was elected surveyor; and the commissioners were: A. H. Fuller and W. M. Barbour …

Hobart was chosen county attorney without opposition. DeLeMatter and Wolt were the only officers re-elected in 1910. A. B. McCoskey was chosen by all parties for surveyor ; and M. H. McHenry without opposition for the new office of clerk of the district court. The republican candidates that were successful were: J. H. Ferguson, clerk ; Fred L. Burns, treasurer; H. J. Mumma …

Scotts Bluff county opposed the removal of the state universitv to the state farm by a vote of 1144 to 507. Only five officers were elected in November, 1916, the others holding over under the provisions of the new statute. H. M. Springer HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA for commissioner ; Robert G. Simmons for attorney; and F. H. Koenig for sheriff, were the successful republican …

B. McCoskey, surveyor; J. L. Grimm, attorney; E. S. DeLaMatter, judge; Edgar Johnson, assessor; J. F. Ray, H. M. Springer, and Geo. Lawyer as commissioners. The) tremendous growth of the county in the last score of years has so added to the burdens of office holding that there seems to be little zest in the contests and the present officers are measuring up to their …

The story of Raymond's achievements is best recorded in his biographical sketch to be found elsewhere in this volume. In 1907, Henry M. Springer was elected to the house of representatives, he being the first member from Scotts Bluff county to serve in that capacity. The name of Springer has long been identified with the growth of this part of the west. The present county …

Hobart was the first district judge from Scotts Bluff county, he being appointed in 1911 to till the vacancy caused by the creation of a new district composed of Banner, Garden, Arthur, Morrill, and Scotts Bluff counties. He has been re-chosen three times at subsequent elections and still presides over the judicial destinies of the county and district. A. B. McCoskey was …

This is an initiation of one of the greatest institutions in the land, if proper polices are inaugurated and carried out. It is the only irrigation college in the world, and the world is hungering for a knowledge of this scientific method of farming. The state regents and chancellor of the university should call together a number of the best heads known to practical irrigation …

It was passed in the closing days of the session with a small appropriation. The following session a larger appropriation was passed and more land was acquired. During 1921-22 larger buildings will.be erected. Prof. McCarthy is in charge and is a man of considerable vision. The result of the editor's experience in the state house is given best in his biennial report issued in …

Cromer and organized the first Sunday school in Cedar valley. Mr. Cromer was elected as superintendent, and Mrs. Sallie Pritchard as secretary-treasurer. Uriah Millikin, A. Porter Pritchard, and Mrs. R. M. Hanks were the teachers. They later held the school at the school house two miles south of Gering. This was old district number twenty-seven and the school house was built …

Also; the first church. The Methodist people organized about the same time, but neither of them had churches until about 1889. In 1887 the new Methodist organization were talking of "a fifteen hundred dollar church." The Christian church came into being about 1890, and Rev. A. Slafter was the first minister. Among other early preachers who visited Gering were Rev. RRufus …

The church was built near the old Couch place, and was later moved to Harrisburg. The second church, in the limits of the county as now shown, was at Hull. It was also a Methodist church and was built very soon after the Kiowa building was put up. Then the Methodists built at Gering and the Baptists built in the Robidoux valley. Rev. John Young and wife were quite active in …

A search warrant was gotten out by Carlisle, one of the guns was found, and the man brought back to town. Carlisle hired a local attorney. The jury found him guilty, but it was stated the hired attorney suggested that they make the value of the gun less than $35, so that it would be petit larcency and a jail sentence instead of the penitentiary. The jail at Harrisburg was more …

On August 20, 1910, he visited that Nichols ranch on Little Moon lake, and the following day held the first meeting in a store room at Henry. There were twenty-five people in attendance. On August 27, he became the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Fred D. Wolt at Gering; and the following day held services at which there were thirty people. The first services held in Scottsbluff were on …

Services were held irregularly for a time, and finally Reverend Ives was placed in charge with Gering, Mitchell, Bayard, Bridgeport, Minatare, and Henry. Following his advancement in church work the local church was turned over to A. Sidney Topping, a lay minister ; he was followed by Rev. W. S. J. Dumville ; and he by Rev. Frank Henry ; and now ably taken care of by Rev. A …

Plehn and family, Heyward G. Leavitt, Mrs. John Hall, Mrs. H. H. Ostenberg, Mrs. A. Grace Hamer, and Helen R. Eastman. Bishop Beecher had thirty-five confirmations on one trip. HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA Rev. Curren's Story Another who has done much for the religious and moral life of the North Platte valley in all parts thereof, from Garden county to Fort Laramie, is Rev. J …

Currens said, "I had been down at Bridgeport and built a church and now I came to Scottsbluff. But there were no Presbyterians in sight. How could we have a church here? Rev. E. H. Sayre and his family were at Gering, but they had Methodist and Baptist churches there. Also resident pastors and it was the desire of the Presbyterians not to the town the night before. Some of the …

It was later bought by the chautauqua association, and by the people connected therewith sold to the school district. Jacobus' family occupied the sod house that stood among the young cottonwoods of the time. I visited W. H. Wr right who then lived two miles in the country ; then Mr. Lackey, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Sayre; and others that I knew personally. Mr. Wright, who was …

We went to work and in a week we had a church built of rough boards set on end, and a board roof ; also a church and Sunday School was organized. "Rev. E. H. Sayre preached every other Sunday while the Christian minister at Gering held services here the alternate Sunday. Air. Jacobus was superintendent of the Sunday School ; Mr. Wright, assistant ; Miss Orr, secretary; and Mr …

At that time there was no depot, no completed building, and no store or restaurant in Scottsbluff. They were building the first part of the Emery hotel." As Others Began The historian has asked a number of ministers to tell us the story of early church struggles, and Rev. Currens responded so completely with a story of detail, that we think it describes fairly well the …

They have carried the Gospel and the principles of better living into the community centers of the land of their adoption. Others have come and gone but left behind them a memory of service. And always side by side or perhaps a little in advance of the men, were the good women of the west. The mothers who know that the spiritual inspiration planted in the minds of her children …

Byrne's energy and vision to do much of the church building of that denomination, and it was after the substantial character of material progress had reached a stage that none need ■ doubt the valley's future. Father Byrne came to Scottsbluff in October, 1912, a little over a year after he was ordained priest. The following churches were built while he was in charge. St …

Frank donated three blocks of ground, and presumably there will be an academy here in the future. The aggregate value of church property assembled during the regime of Father Byrne in the several towns in the North Platte valley is approximately $200,000, the greater part of which is at Scottsbluff. Churches Elsewhere While at Minatare, Morrill, Melbeta, Mc- Grew, Haig, and …

It has been abundantly satisfactory to the organizers -- this exemplification of the community spirit ; and the Brotherhood here shown still has Rev. Runden for pastor. HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA SCENIC BEAUTY -- MANUFACTURING AND OTHER INDUSTRIES No part of the west can excel the Wildcat range for scenic beauty. This beauty also extends to the south part of Banner county. No …

The range varies from two or three to five or six miles wide, and the two spurs terminating at the north with the Scottsbluft' mountain, and at the south with the Wildcat mountain, makes an extreme width of about fifteen miles. In this forty-five miles range, there is one natural pass for travel, being known as Wright's Gap and is south of Melbeta. A number of other passages …

But the builders either by accident or design made it run through very picturesque canyons and over a high ridge that gave one a magnificent view of the lesser hills and the distant pine and cedar fringed mountains, as well as of the valleys smooth and fair. To the southwest were Wildcat and Hogback with their mile high summits towering above their contemporaries, and across …

Henry made a filing. He said he would make final proof, and cede it to Gering for a park. This did not materialize and later still Mrs. Gardner, the mother of Oscar W. Gardner, had a filing. She had a cabin in the bend in the bluff back of the country club house. She did not make proof, and the bluff then reverted back to the government in time to be caught in the reserve for …

This was done and the National Park magazine used the matter practically complete in describing the monument several years later. Will M. Maupin, the editor of the Midwest, at Gering, has been designated custodian, and the public are taking a natural pride. Winfield Evans and Robert F. Neeley are proposing the setting aside of a day, and a call for volunteers for tree …

During the summer season there is a custodian in charge, and the people from one end of the valley to the other, join in the sport and entertainment common and general at such places. Experiments and Orcharding Probably dozens in the county have sought to increase forage and hay crops by the introduction of vetches and other plants. The editor has tried a number, including the …

Others in the same vicinity also are growing fruit. The John Emery farm east of town, and the Joe Emery farm west of town, the C. H. Simmons orchard in the east part of the city, are close in nice orchard places. Farther out are some of the most noted places in the county: the orchards of Ed. Scrivens and Howard Raymond northwest and those of Otto Jurgens and Teodore Carlson …

That this community has an excellert climate for fruit has been demonstrated, and for the benefit of the people who are interested, we are giving the investigation of Jules Ami Sandoz of Sheridan county. He has been there for nearly forty years, and has developed a fruit orchard as fine as you will find in Colorado or Idaho. He cultivates and cares for his fruit for profit …

They will thrive well also in the heavy and black soils. The best pears are Flemish Beauty and Moscow No. 9, which in addition to hardiness, fruitage, and other qualities, grow very straight and make nice shade trees. The following are the choice of apples in the order given: Florence, Whitney Crab, Duchess, Wealthy, Janet, Yellow Transparent, Hibernal, Longfield, Charlamoff …

The gold was found to be only float gold and could not be collected with the ordinary cradle. It was of such small consequence the excitement soon passed. Recently Wallace Beatty found in the sand excavated on his sand lot between Scottsbluff city and the river a small nugget of gold and a few other particles, but they failed to appear in sufficient frequency to create much …

This in the change of years has filled up with white sand now impervious to water. So that the gold that may have come down the Platte, probably never came beyond this point, and here it is buried a thousand feet down. A few fragments have possibly come on in excessive freshets and these are being found. Float gold is so light that water will carry it on, at least some of the …

Sayre wanted to build a brick store. Gardner took the soil from near the corner where Stever Lowley now resides and went into the manufacture of brick. The two story Stayre store, the old Commercial hotel, and the Soder saloon building were built from the product and all are doing service after thirty years and the quality of the brick seems to have been excellent. The Soder …

to find clay that is free from lime. The fine particles of lime-stone that is so universally scattered throughout our soil is excellent from the point of richness of the land, but it has no virtue in brick-making. The burning of the brick also burns the lime which makes it "alive" and when water from rains or the moisture of the mortar enters the brick the lime "slacks" and …

The miles of cement sidewalks, the foundation work, the re-enforced building and irrigation structures, the tile, brick and blocks made of concrete have moun+ed into millions of dollars of structural value. The Story of Sugar Sugar beets as an industry came from Europe. When Napoleon ruled the affairs of France the industry was new and he told the people of that country to …

But an ideal beet climate would be one that would wet the ground thoroughly in the spring before planting time; then reasonably dry weather so that the roots will reach down to the deeper soil after moisture, thereby making a long beet. Then from about July 15 plenty of water will make heavy tonnage -- the beets growing during this midsummer period of about sixty days. For …

Four large factories are in the valley and three of them within the limits of Scotts Bluff county. Probably six hundred thousand tons of beets were grown in the county and the farmers received therefor approximately seven million dollars. About two million bags of sugar was the 1920 output. Before the war the average consumption of sugar per capita was about eighty pounds but …

The story of the first mill and the efforts to locate the same in this valley is told that the spirit of the people of the valley be shown. In the years of its initiation the Great Western sent several men into the valley to look it over and report. By accident I met W. H. HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA Fairbrother and made one or two trips with him. One time I took him to look …

Crawford drove overland to Denver, encountering considerable snow south of Cheyenne, and met some of the officers of the sugar company and they left but little unsaid that needed to be said in favor of the point. Enthusiasm ran high and so high that a telegram signed by C. A. Morrill as president of the commercial club went to the Lincoln Sugar Factory, Scottsbluff Land …

on several of the trips to secure the land. The first place optioned was the Hiersche 200 acres. We then secured the W. S. Cline land and the lands of J. E. Armstrong, Albert Harrison, Norman DeMott, W. H. Johnson, Harry Walker, John A. McGowan and part of the F. F. Everett farm. Two others were desired but not obtained, although in one case the party signed up an option then …

Some of the beet acreage subscribed was raw prairie and hardly to be classed as beet land. In this we are all surprised at the results from prairie land put into beets. It took considerable emphasis on the part of such positive natures as Craig McCreary to get the company to accept our claim that the acreage question was solved and that the additional four thousand acres would …

The struggles incident to the location of the first factory in Scotts Bluft" county have been HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA duplicated in a way by the building of the others at Gering, Mitchell and Bayard. Not perhaps quite so intense, for the company has not required the exacting terms in other cases since they were unnecessary. Acreage has always been more than the local …

The enduring monuments that form the Wildcat range were then laid down. At Chimney Rock it was 140 feet deep as shown by the depositions in the spire. But much of the rich soil of Scotts Bluff county was laid in the bottom cf possibly one hundred fathoms of water before that river was in existence. Sheep -Mountain, Castle Rock, and Scotts Bluff are distinctive monuments of the …

The big farms of the valley have been gradually cut into smaller acreage for it is found that one does not need a large acreage. As Arnold Martin said : "Twenty acres is enough for any man, forty acres is a calamity and eighty acres a catastrophe." The brain has the better chance to expand on a smaller acreage according to intensive farming methods. The work of enriching the …

The well at the mouth of the creek nearly a thousand feet deep disclosed evidence of the ancient waterfall heretofore mentioned. Near the Mihan farm in the northeast quarter of section 34-23-58 the discovery of oil sands and gas was made. The quantity is small, the depth thereto is shallow, less than one thousand feet, but through all the years there has been a steady flow of …

Other Resources The county has abundant resources other than its argicultural and sugar manufacturing. The Wildcat range has many beds of excellent volcanic ash, one being about eight feet thick and of great purity. In the Owl creek country there are magnesium outcrops that are valuable. Wonderful and extensive beds of gravel are here and there throughout the county. Some of …

There have been no coal discoveries of consequence in the county although undoubtedly ligniteous coal underlies the county's soil. The depth, is, however, prohibitive from a commercial standpoint. Potash production is only in connection with the sugar factory at Scottsbluff and the low price of the commodity made the plant lie idle the year of 1921. It is made from the waste …

The heat became so intolerable, that they dropped over the edges of the rafts into the water up to their necks, and repeatedly ducked their heads. A great sheet of flame stretched out across the water and over their heads, and set the forest on fire about a half mile beyond them. The flames leaped nearly one and one-half miles, a distance unheard of in forest fires, and …

Germany's threat to make the United States pay indemnity, for the losses her war lords claimed were due to munition and food supplies for the Allies and none for the Central Empire, was a factor in inducing the United States to enter into the conflict. Before the formal entry of this country into the fray, many theretofore Americans, crossed the Canadian line and became …

The call for registration came soon after the declaration that a state of war existed, or in April, 1917. The Registration The registration of June 5, 1917, was red letter day in the history of America, when an army of ten million fighting men became available for service. In Scotts Bluff county the people who participated in and assisted in the work of conscription as …

They will not understand it; we are going to counter attack." They did and it was the beginning of the end, for from that day the Boche were on the run until the Armistice was signed. After a seventy-two day Marathon they were ready to sign anything. Scotts Bluff county did not wait for the draft. Many of her boys went forth as volunteers and are credited to other counties …

Two other boys, who were born and reared in this vicinity, were among those who made the supreme sacrifice. They were Archie Irion and Charlie Wright. In honor of this sacrifice and in the memory of these native boys, the local post of the American Legion is named the Wright-Irion post. Earl Holcomb, well known in Scottsbluff and now a resident of Gering, had one close call on …

Suddenly his "king jumped all three of his opponents and the game was over." That is the way of our western boys: They treated these narrow escapes and the tragedies lightly. At home the bond drives and all the other drives went over the top in record time. The farmers were producing wheat and sugar-- two of the much needed elements of war -- in record quantities. The council …

Individual mention of the hundreds of Scotts Bluff county boys that each performed his duty so well would be impossible. The ability of the local young men to handle horses put a number of them in line for that work: Dan Ingraham, Joe Sanford, the Hiersche boys and a number of others. No matter in what particular department they were assigned there was always the splendid …

The list of the registrants were as follows : John W. Morris, commander, George Sowerwine, Phineas B. Gurnsey, Isaac S. Barger, J. J. Boyer, Wendell Gross, A. H. Townsend, all of Gering, Joseph W. Smith, D. D. Martindale, W. M. Fo'sket, Otis A. Richardson, Luther Mattox. all of Scottsbluff; Newton Bowman and John W. Douglass of Mitchell; and W. T. Briggs of Morrill ; I. F …

It has seemed to the laymen that the fraternal spirit has run riot in the county to such an extent that all one needs to do is to propose to organize something and immediately the something will be organized. Some have been inclined to intimate that this is because we have so many "easy marks" but I am inclined to think that it is because the generous spirit of Scotts Bluff …

he is now master and has always been a faith- I ful member and attendant. W'hile the editor was the first chancellor in I the Knights of Pythias at Scottsbluff all will agree that the most active member and the one I who is most consistent in attendance and in pre- j cept and example, is George L. Wilcox. Val Kirkman, F. H. Koenig and W. L. Sim- 1 mons and Frank Scofield are …

W. Means has been doing some wonderful work among the younger | people with his Carter canyon summer camp as well as in constant endeavor. The Boy Scout and the Campfire Girls movement have developed an excellent usefulness among the young set. Altogether there has been a delightful and useful element in every institution that has been promulgated in Scotts Bluff county due …

There are so many that I should thank for the kindly assistance that personal mention of each individual will not be possible. I wish however all should know that I appreciate this help and to hope that a better hand than mine will complete the story of our inland empire. The prosperity of the county in the future will fall upon its people and their co-operative efforts. The …

In subsequent years I rode the range as a "puncher" and drove twenty mule teams with one line and a blacksnake whip. I remained an abstainer and occasionally found others that did likewise ; but I learned to tolerate and really sometimes enjoy the witticisms and foolishness of those who did indulge. The fact of being sober did not reduce one in the opinion of his associates …

topped the crest of the divide east of Cheyenne and I saw far away to the southwest the snowy caps of the Rocky Mountains. During the summer I "skinned mules" on the Cheyenne & Northern, now a part of the Hill system of railroads that connects Denver with the Big Horn Basin and the Puget Sound. Here I found many homeseekers like myself who had taken claims and were out looking …

On the back of this broncho we packed our belongings consisting of our beds, bacon, flour, beans, coffee, cooking utensils, axes, picks, shovels, and clothing, and started over the divide for Pumpkin creek -- our promised land. In a little over a day -- one leading the horse and the other walking behind to prod it along -- we reached Hackberry canyon, and here in a grove by …

It was a pleasant moment when all complete we were preparing our first meal ; the bacon odor filled the cabin, the coffee was steaming, the bread was baking in a skillet that leaned so that the heat from the fire would cook it one side at a time. The art of turning it when one side was done is familiar to all people of the west -- tossing it into the air and then catching it …

After the Oliver log school house was built, the Sunday school was held there. A little later another Sunday school was organized in the residence of A. B. (Briley) Randleman near Table mountain in the Big Horn valley. Active in the work were Mr. and Mrs. Randleman, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Deaton, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Cashier, Grant Allen and others. They named the historian as …

Old district number ten was the first school in this part of the west and as heretofore stated the first teacher was Lora Sirpless. With the coming of the grangers there were numerous schools established almost simultaneously. Over one hundred were organized in 1887 and 1888, many of which were in the present limits of Banner county. In the Hackberry community, Samuel Oliver …

Claude North, and residing at El Paso, Illinois. Samuel and Mrs. Oliver are now residing at Readley, California, where the youngest daughter Vera resides, and looks after them. Mrs. Oliver has been helpless for sometime with creeping paralysis and Mr. Oliver is quite feeble. The children are scattered in many states. One of .'the daughters is, at Bridgeport where her husband …

I believe the Williams are all dead except H. V. (Vollie) who resides at Sidney. "Grandmother" Williams died at Caldwell, Kansas ; Quincy, at Sidney; James R. (the father of Vollie), at Sidney; George at Cassville, Perry county, Missouri (in the Ozarks). Mrs. Williams remarried at Caldwell, Kansas, to an old soldier. Both are now dead, Mrs. Williams dying in Texas. John E …

Wilson, the Stalcups, Henry Bruner, Hugh Milhollin, and up the creek were the Earleys, and Jim Pogue. Above the Wright ranch was Wm, Kelley, the Livingstons, Chris Streeks, and the Thoelecke place where Francois Jourdain held forth. The beginning of the Airdale ranch was north of the creek, with Philo H. Mann and Harry Eggleston in charge. Later the Hartmans moved into the …

John Kelly has developed his holdings until he has an empire of land -- a domain that keeps him busy -- but not too busy to put in part of his time at his home on Avenue A, near 21st street, Scottsbluff, looking after his young orchard. John Weast and family went on to Montana ; the Livingstons to Colorado ; and we know not what became of Harvey Ransier, Will Clampitt, the …

This was the main source of provender for a few days. . The first funeral was that of Mary Rose at Livingston June 25, 1887. Dicky Brown had lost two" children who had been buried near Wright's ranch at a date prior to the coming of the grangers. Mary Rose was twenty-two years of age, and lived with the Livingstons, and often visited for several days with Mrs. S. T. Robb at …

One familiar name of that old neighborhood is that of Muhr. John Muhr was among the first grangers -- a pioneer also in the temperance movement. The names of J. L., W. G, and W. A. Muhr are among HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA the Banner county people who grew up and stayed with the land. In Horseshoe Bend, John McNett still holds bachelor hall as of old. A. F. Burnett, Richard …

Nora Thomas was the daughter of the veteran surveyor. In 1887, J.' S. Clarkson offered a prize of one hundred dollars for the best five acres of corn grown in Cheyenne county without irrigation. John S. Wright of Pumpkin Creek won the prize; he raised fifty bushels per acre. The variety grown was squaw corn which gave rise to some argument, but there was nothing in the …

The more daring began to take unbranded calves from their range cow mothers. One morning Harry Fitzsimmons rode over to the house and said someone had stolen a heifer from his corral. The neighborhood turned out, and the trail was struck. It was easily followed to Wildcat mountain. In the black root sod on this eminence it was lost. Going down Helves canyon, Mrs. Helves …

Will Kelly's daughter was the first child born on Pumpkin creek that lived to maturity. Bess Kelly grew up in the present limits of Banner county but has since died. Ted Kelly resides on the old Kelly ranch on Pumpkin creek. The Lone Pine District South of the valley was the Lone Pine district. A. S. Alexander opened a store there when the land was young. Wild horses used to …

Bunger had a deep well and used to haul the water out of it with a team. There was a barrel attached to the rope and he would bring up a barrel of water at a time When coming to western Nebraska I heard of the depth to water between Hastings and Seward, and in Keith county I found a man who had just completed a well 140 feet deep. That scared me out of the fine tableland …

As the road formerly ran, one approached the hills from the long hot trip over the divide near the east side of Indian Springs draw. A few pine trees attracted the eye to the west and northwest, then suddenly there would appear a grand vista of Big Horn canyon. The approach was just at the head of an abrupt canyon where there is a spring, about half a mile south of Table …

Nature gave Banner county the significant distinction of having within its borders several features of geological interest. Evidence points out that Horse creek formerly flowed south of Sixty-six mountain and down the valley of the Pumpkin. The wind drift of ages swept over and buried it in the west end of the county, but the flow of much of its water is through the sands and …

So far as has been shown, the Mastodon was the first settler in the valley of the Pumpkin; and that was when the surface of that part of the world was many feet below its present level. In the well being put down on the homestead of S. B. Shumway, at a depth of sixtyfour feet, the remains of one of these primitive monsters was encountered. How much of it is there no one knows …

The well was 220 feet deep, and furnished abundant water for the whole neighborhood for many years. It is still in use. Nels Christenson, heretofore mentioned as having dug a mile of deep wells, was down 280 feet digging in the well of Andrew Liden, which was twelve miles north of Potter, in 1890. The well was a hole about two feet and ten inches in diameter, and the bucket …

Just over the line in Kimball county, a man named Peterson was buried, and after one or two attempts were made to get the body out, they came to Robert Osborne who had had experience in the mines. He said he could get to the body but someone else would have to take it out. When he reached it, he was hauled up, and another man went down and removed the body. Peterson had been …

Yost and her son, and the others named Thompson and Rogers. Young Yost and Rogers were about Smoke Stack Rock twenty-five years old, and Thompson thirtyfive or forty. The "boys" sometimes worked out, or were getting out house logs from Bull canyon; for each had planned his individual home as soon as he could get around to build- HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA ing it. Thompson was …

Seventeen days after the shooting Dr. Markley, of Kimball, dressed the wound, but it was too late. Rogers died January 16, 1887, or just thirty days after the fight. A younger brother came from Belgrade, Maine, and the body was taken there for burial. The body had been laid out at Joe Menard's place, and he, with Sherm. Bookwalter, and Melt. Hill, and Bogardus Blade, kept …

Yost and Thompson both testified as to young Rogers conduct, and as to what he had said. The boy was justified, according to the judgment of the time, and the others were likewise released in June of that year. All parties faded out of the ken of Banner county, and the claims were later entered by the MisKimmons family ; thus the land first involved in tragedy, became devoted …

Enderly, a merchant at Harrisburg. We do not know the nature of their trouble but it became acute. One day Jim was in Enderly's store at Harrisburg, and was leaning upon the show case, when a friend came in and said, "Jim, you ready to go home?" Walters straightened up, and as he did so his elbow went through the glass with a crash. Enderly, a nervous man under any …

Rider, sound like voices from home, to the old timers. Around Ashford there are a group of likewise interesting names that hark back into the primitive years. The Howards, the Masons, the Stauffers, the Shaftos, the Walters, and the Olsons, the Andersons, Chris Pfiefer, the Shauls. Leonidas Leach brought into the county some of the finest Morgan horses ever seen in this …

Over on the southwest table are the McKinnons, the Cox family, the VanPelts, Cvrus, William, and Mrs. T. U. All old timers remember Tom VanPelt for the good citizen that he was. Others prominent in the neighborhood for the material and civic progress of the high tableland are: John Patton, Geo. Schindler, and the Thomases, the Zorns, John V. Broadhead. Over in the Gabe Rock …

Heiman, each have contributed their part in the upbuilding of community and its spirit in the parts of the county in which they respectively abide. In the northwest portion Jesse O. Ammerman and Edward J. Whipple retain the names of olden times as beacons of what can be done by young people. On Wildcat W. W. Henderson has come at a later date. The editor well remembers the …

But naturally the land must be in large holdings and some of the largest are those of Lars Olson of Harrisburg, and A. H. Olson of Ashford. John Kelly, Hope Brown estate, Joe Duckworth, and W. W. Henderson, Rolla Warner, the Harveys, the Noyes family, A. B. Beard and Millard Cluck are some of the big present acreage in individual ownership. Thos. W. G. Cox, Cyrus Van Pelt, E …

The cowboys used to pile rocks in the creek to raise the water table so that the moisture would percolate back into the adjoining land and feed the grass roots. In the dry years of the nineties many dreamed of methods of raising water that was known to exist but a few feet below the earth's surface in extensive sheets. It remained fc" A. E. Scott to sink a concrete wall to the …

Then in the bank of the small arroyo we excavated the "house"' about eight by twelve feet. In front we put up cedar posts and covered the top with posts, cedar boughs and dirt. Later I boarded the room up from the bottom about four feet and used common shiplap lumber for a floor. The balance of the walls and the ceiling were covered with muslin. The front was of shiplap with a …

We bought a team of pintail old age bronchos of Harvey Ransier with harness and wagon and were to pay for them in getting out one hundred houselogs and I don't know how many posts. We had no money -- the grubstake we had raised at Sidney was less than twenty dollars. We had worked six days at $1.75 per day each and paid out for our board so together we had about eighteen …

We seemed to have plenty of time for visiting, exploring and re-creation, yet when we sum up the quantity of work that was accomplished in the time that we had to do it we must have worked like Trojans of old. We must have been full of the "Fires of Youth," a vitality of which the young are possessed but wholly unconscious of its existence. The hardest labor of all were the …

The early salaries paid teachers were not high, ranging from $22 a month to $30 per month but the schools I venture were as well taught as they are today when vou consider the equipment with wrhich Early Schoolhouse we had to operate. We taught the foundation studies and when one wanted "domestic science" she helped her mother at the kitchen stove ; in "scientific agriculture" …

Kimball and Chappell each had ambitions to become county seat towns, and they each wanted all the territory north to be tributary to them in matters administrative and judicial as well as commercially. This was not satisfactory to the people off the railroad, with the result that the proposed lines of division were rejected by the people. Next year, or in 1888, the five county …

In the resolutions committee they won out, and on the floor of the convention, John Adams successfully threw his support to a minority report that was brought in by the delegates from the central part of the territory now in Banner county. Wright's Precinct At the convention that was held in Wright's precinct to elect delegates to go to Kimball, there was some discussion as to …

In the center of the banner is shown a pumpkin ; thus stamping Banner county and Pumpkin creek upon every official document from the county record. Immediately after it became known that the new county was to be a fact, the politicians and statesmen became very busy. There instantaneously appeared four aspirants for county-seat honors ; namely Ashford, Banner, Freeport, and …

Renfrow for sheriff and Clara Shumway for superintendent as aforesaid. The county was organized on January 29, 1889, and Ashford was chosen the temporary county seat by the commissioners. An election was called to locate the seat of county government permanently, and at the first election Banner was eliminated. Another election resulted in the selection of Harrisburg, for …

Hoke followed serving two terms, after which M. E. Shafto served two terms. J. W. Hoke was then returned for two more terms. Murdoch McLeod followed and he was succeeded by A. J. Shumway. In September, 1905, Shumway removed to Scottsbluff. He resigned and C. S. Page was appointed. Dr. Page served for nearly fourteen years, retiring in January, 1919. R. D. Wilson then assumed …

Wilson served two terms. John E. Wyatt then was treasurer for four years after which Wilson was returned to the office, the only treasurer having that signal honor. From January, 1910, J. W. Hill served two terms, and then J. B. Heintz followed for two terms or five years, the biennial election law giving him one year additional to the regular term. J. E. Schindler assumed the …

Superintendents : Beginning with the election of Clara Shumway as county superintendent in 1889, and her re-election in 1890, the schools of Banner county have been well looked after for the more than thirty years. The record shows the first teacher's certificate was issued to Gertrude Ashford. Following, Ella Freeman served one term as superintendent and Jones M. Clapp one …

Ingles served as sheriff for two terms, after which H. A. Downer was returned to the office and served for seven years. In 1915, Patrick O'Grady assumed the duties of the office and so well has he performed them that he has no opposition at the succeeding elections. By the end of his term, his will be the longest uninterrupted service in the office, and will also have passed …

John Hendrikson then served for six years and he was followed by the late Hope Brown for two terms or a total of six Wheat Seeding years. Victor Peterson then served for three years being followed by T. H. Smith, who served nearly two terms. Peterson was then returned to the office until 1919, when W. E. Burnap, the present incumbent, was elected Wyatt, Henrikson, and Brown …

Stauffer was then chosen for four years ; Lars Olson followed for four years, and Grant Meek, the present incumbent of the office, was chosen in 1919. In the third district, G. W. Rockafield was the first commissioner. T. L. Pierce was the successor and he was followed by J. M. Mann. F. O. Baker was elected in 1895 and served nearly eight years. W. E. Heard then served for two …

All cannot hold office ; some hold the minor offices in the county with excellent record and others never aspired to office of any kind. The southwest part of the county, the valley around Harrisburg, and the tableland south are filled with the good people whose names are familiar and who have been there for a generation. Other parts of the county have equally as good …

A combination harvester and thresher was used in garnering the crop ; and motor driven trucks hauled it away. This, however, is an extreme case of fanning by machinery. Nearly everyone has some horses and cows are a necessity on a farm. The HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA is yet the queen of the state and the bidlen is a maid of honor, inner county now has but seven precincts ced …

Carlisle had displeased one political faction and it was not proposed to "feed him up" with county money. This bank liquidated after about two or three years. When the Standard Oil was expecting to bring in an oil well near Harrisburg the Mc- Nish-Ostenburg interests established a bank there to be ready for the big rush. The oil failing to materialize this bank also liquidated …

Randall sought to have a county-seat town of his own. The "Harrisburg" postoffice was formerly "Centropolis." Randall was editor of the World, postmaster, and the Schooley-Fisher combination for Harrisburg had failed to meet his expectations. One morning "Harrisburg" woke up to find that a plat of "Centropolis" was to be filed about a half mile north of where Schooley had …

Usually it could be started by taking it by the bit. One day Mrs. Randall, her sister, and Randall's baby daughter, drove to Ashford. Starting on the return the horse stopped. Mrs. Randall's sisler could not get it to start in the usual way, and Mrs. Randall got out to try her hand. Before the sister could get into the buggy-, the horse started leaving both ladies on the …

Naughty Tom was no whirlwind to travel, but he made two or three miles in record time that day. When he approached the rig he was driven in a wide circle on the prairie, passing the Randall buggy, and dropped into the road ahead of it. Then slowing down the runaway was easy to catch. The little girl was still enjoying the ride, and a recent letter from Hon. Chas. Randall …

In the autumn of 1891 he joined with A. J. Shumway and moved the plant to Harrisburg. Later in the fall I re-assumed management. Graves & Beard bought the Early Day, and then C. L. Burgess acquired both papers and consolidated the plants under the name of Banner County News. A. J. Shumway became associated and Burgess & Shumway then ran the News for a time. Burgess, sold to …

All legal business is attended by attorneys residing outside the county. Fred Wright formerly held the larger part of this business. W. W. White and J. A. Rodman each have a share. L. L. Raymond formerly had considerable business in Banner county and retains a portion of the clientele. A. R. Honnold, who was for many years the district counsel for the United States reclamation …

Markley used to come out from Kimball and occasionally Dr. Field from Sidney. Dr. Scherer of Kimball once had a practice of some proportions in the county. Scherer hved in the county for a time. Dr. Franklin was in the northeast part of the county. Dr. Georgia A. Fix and Dr. Miller of Gering were in the county occasionally. Dr. Stalcup practiced at Freeport and Harrisburg …

Many of the farm homes have changed from dwellings of the old Jake Smith dugout type, to modern Delco-lighted farm houses of large dimension. Plow and sod, or ax and timber, made the first dwellings. The Livingston grout house was the first to break away but the lime therein was hauled from Sidney. Over in Big Horn, about a mile north of the Table mountain the first lime kiln …

The largest log that I pulled to this mill made 240 feet of lumber. It was too heavy to load on a wagon and I had a pair of hind wheels from and old wagon of large dimension. I balanced the log about the middle with a chain over the axle and under the reach. By pulling the reach down to horizontal, it lifted most of the weight of the log, and was easily dragged six or seven …

Reed gave it up and went to Coatsburg, Illinois, where he fell from an upper floor in a mill there, into the engine room and was instantly killed by breaking his neck. In the early nineties the farmers alliance movement swept over Banner county and Jimmy Burton, E. M. White, Martin Montz, and others around Harrisburg were enthusiastic, making trips out to the sod school …

This crimp caused the dissolution of the institution, and the stockholders felt that enough care had not been exercised by C. J. Carlisle in looking up the character of the concern before sending the cheese. This is doubtful, for any shipper knows you cannot always depend upon reports as to the character of brokerage firms. At the present time I do not know of a single …

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA swept down by a storm. Harley Wells once claimed to have discovered coal blossoms on the east side of Wildcat mountain. The Prairie Oil & Gas Company, of Independence, Kansas, a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company, once looked over Banner county, and a few years ago they drilled a hole over a mile deep on the land holdings of John Kelley. The …

Down the creek Worth Earley and Henry Bruner each had small ditches leading from the creek, but generally the flow of water was light below the Wright ranch. For about a mile east of Ashford the bed of the creek was higher than the immediately adjoining land, and in the winter the creek would freeze and water flow over the ice until it was above the banks, when it would spread …

Some years ago Fred Roberts, who was then manager of the power plant at Scottsbluff, examined parts of Pumpkin creek valley in company with the historian, with a view to putting in pumping motors, extending a power line and putting a transportation system to and from the cities of Gering and Scottsbluff. He sold out to the Intermountain, which company has not been able to keep …

Getting the mail from the railroad was the problem, but this was solved by a star route from Kimball to Gering in late 1S87. Jones M. Clapp was the first carrier. For many years, Emery Lewis who resides near Harrisburg in 1921, drove this route on the north end and also kept the route going from Ashford to Redington. The Harrisburg-Scottsbluff division is now maintained by Roy …

Alexander had a store in the Lone Pine country where we used to go seventeen miles for mail. But I believe L. D. Livingston had the first store. It was running as early as June, 1886, the grout house being built the previous year. Lightning struck this grout house and cracked the walls soon after it was built and the family thereafter lived in the log house and used the new …

Enderly Brothers had a store at Harrisburg for years and one of the present merchants of Harrisburg was associated therein. J. M. Wilson, familiarly known as "Doc." because he was first a druggist, was in the Enderly-Harrisburg store which he later acquired. While he served the county in various capacities and Mrs. Wilson the government as postmistress for many years they have …

He rode around the court house square shouting "robbers" until there were several men headed for the scene. Back of the bank there was a large pile of cedar posts that Carlisle had taken in from time to time and behind these the robber took refuge. W. W. Everett, an old soldier, was exchanging shots with the bandit around this post pile when others began to arrive. The man …

Old timers still talk of the singular appearance of William Reep and his supposedly wayward nephew, William Wallace who came into the Flowerfield country a number of years ago. Wallace was a wildling and was in all kinds of episodes with other wild folks of the day. Frequently he would go on a spree with some of them for several days but never was known to be too much …

The lingering effect of this last episode was some court proceedings wherein came the evidence that William Wallace was a woman and the wife of William Reep. It could hardly be believed even by the closest associates until several responsible parties attested to its truth. It was a well planned and executed masquerade and no one here knows its purpose. Many believed the checks …

They undertook to drift with it to Wright's ranch but the spring weather having been mild had caught them unprepared and without heavy clothing. Shunover was the only one of the three to reach the shelter. One had fallen near the place Theo. Johnson now resides and the other near Ted Kelly's. This storm was long remembered by cattle men as one that caused great losses. It …

They cleaned up the Thoelecke jewelry store of all its supply of silverware for presents to the uniting couple. The wedding and the sequel of Miss Oliver and Samuel Abbott has already been chronicled as has also the double wedding at Wright's place. The spirit and determination of the mating quality in mankind can be illustrated by many references to early marriages. Tom …

Ham ['Ton's Golden Wedding Some years ago there was celebrated at Harrisburg the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hampton, the only event of the kind that we know in Banner county. The affair was at Hotel St. James at the northeast corner of the court house square. Many of the friends of the pioneers of Banner county attended this affair. Since then both of the elder …