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.

The paper is now known as the Kimball Observer, and was the second newspaper to appear in the Panhandle and Cheyenne county outside of Sidney, for a number of years. Randall later published the "Centropolis World" which became "The World," then "The Early Day." It was consolidated by C. L. Burgess, with "The Advocate," and is now the Banner County News, issued at Harrisburg …

Grisham was formerly of Scottsbluff, a member of the staff of the Star-Herald and later on the Republican. In 1920. Lodgepole had a population of five hundred. The Potter Review was started in 1912, although prior to that date, years ago, there was a newspaper published there from about 1888 to 1891, called the Press. The first paper had quite a patronage at the time of final …

The paper was first established in 1914, and has a good circulation, being in fact the successor to the Herald. Dalton itself came into existence with the building of the Burlington railroad in 1901, and the town plat was filed April 4, 1906, and today Dalton has a population of three hundred and' fifty people. This completes the roster of the newspapers of Cheyenne county …

The lodge is now contemplating the erection of a fine new temple to take the place of the first building. There are sixty Shriners in Sidney and they have a Shrine Cluli organized which has arranged social events that are attractive, pleasant and instructive. Following the organization of the Masonic lodge, an Order of the Eastern Star came into existence and has had a …

The Oberfelder brothers were active in establishing the Modern Woodmen in Cheyenne county and Joseph Oberfelder was state consul in 1917. The Woodmen have had a consistent growth from the start and are one of the strong organizations in the county today. The present officers are: Joseph Oberfelder, vice-consul ; V. F. Kucero, adviser ; F. D. Wooldridge, banker ; F. M …

The Knights of Pythias has been a strong organization from the first with most of the prominent men among its members ; many of the charter members are still alive and are today active in its councils. Sidney Lodge No. 196, Ancient Order of United Workmen was started in 1891, with thirty-five members and the following officers : Joseph Oberfelder, past master workman; George …

Chambers, past grand, and Mr. Jones, secretary. C. M. Wright is treasurer with N. W. Olson, O. M. Harris and C. P. Chambers, trustees. Charles Couch is district deputy grand master. The Odd Fellows is a very live organization living up to the tradition for charity for which it is noted. Naturally the Daughters of Rebekah are as active and have the usual social affairs in which …

President Buckner and Secretary Keppler have for the past year set an example of proficiency which the new officers say they are going to excel for the upbuilding of the community. The following men are to make the attempt : M. Dimery, president ; E. L. Uptagrove, vice-president ; Leon Fine, treasurer, with the following men on the board of directors : C. W. Hornaday, W. P …

The story of the church in Cheyenne county is a romance of life in this section of the country. For the first few years after the building of the railroad, there were no towns and Sidney was small. The lack of permanent settlers made church activities of necessity supported almost entirely by outside contributions, and there were not many of these from 1869 to 1875. The "Panic …

The house which was a dance hall to that date, was renovated and remodeled, and the firsl Methodist church was established by 1879. By this work this abode of sin and crime, became consecrated ground. As he had promised, the judge left Sidney after the church was founded and went to the Black Hills; later he became a changed man and a pillar of tin* Methodist church in the …

In 1918, the new edifice was built at an approximate cost of seventy thousand dollars and was dedicated April "13, 1919, by Bishop Matt S. Hughes. It is one of the finest church buildings in the Panhandle and, in 1921, there are three hundred members, while the Sunday School has an enrollment of over four hundred. Reverend T. Porter Bennett, the present pastor, is a man of …

DcCostro, clerk and Lieutenant Daniel Carnman, superintendent of the Sunday School. Colonel Stone was also made lay reader. At this time eighteen persons partook of the Holy Communion and it was estimated that twenty families were connected with the church. Sixty dollars a month was pledged for a minister and the Masonic Order volunteered the use of its hall for church …

Pease built the church which was completed and consecrated July 28, 1889. Reverend Callaghan McCarthy succeeded Mr. Babcock and Reverend Thomas W. Barry, chaplain of the United States army at Sidney Post, and Reverend Robert G. Osborn followed in turn. In 1920, Reverend Henry Ives has charge and is Dean of western Nebraska, including Kimball and Scottsbluff. He is faithful and …

Father Conway used to come here from North Platte, and occasionally a priest from Cheyenne came both before and after 1880. Father Conway had the rectory built in 1883 and Vallie Williams says that there was a small frame church built here a few years earlier, about 1880. Father M. J. Barrett was the first resident priest, coming to Sidney in 1883. The parish then included …

Reverend Campman was in charge until June, 1913, when Father Anton Link, the present efficient priest was placed in charge, and Chappel. Lodgepole, Kimball and Angora were added to the parish. In August, 1912, the new stone church was commenced, the corner stone laid in October following, and it was completed and dedicated November 18, 1914. That year the old parish house was …

Fifteen sisters are now members of the teaching force of the school and there is an attendance of a hundred and seventy-five day scholars and a hundred and twenty-five boarders who live at a distance. Sidney has two Lutheran churches. The English Evangelical Lutheran, presided over by Reverend Kahl, who also has Gurley charge of Reverend Karl Fenske, and the Trinity Lutheran …

J. Watson, W. T. Hafer, and Fred Lehmkuhl. The last named, served on both building committees. The comer stone of the new building was laid July 2, 1920, by Grand Master Joseph B. Fradenburg, of the Masonic order of Nebraska. The edifice cost thirty-five thousand dollars. Reverend A. W. Amsbury held the first quarterly conference here January 21, 1893. and the constitution of …

Woten is the present executive head and is ably directing it for civic and communal good. In addition to the churches mentioned and those in the interior of the county rural districts, a tribute should be paid to the congregations that assembled in sod houses, log huts and dug outs in the days when the grangers were spreading over the western prairies and before churches were …

Naturally there were not very many resident lawyers in that vicinity at that date, so in this list will be found the mention of numerous other attorneys who used to journey to Sidney when court was in session there. Surviving members of this list have assured the compilor that this occasion was one that had not been forgotten in the thirty-three years since it took place, and …

Wellington, of the Democrat, and J. C. Bush of the Telegram. Cheyenne County Bar The Bar of Cheyenne county has been represented by men of ability and sound judgment since the courts were stablished. The first lawyers to practice in Sidney and Cheyenne county were Messrs. Heist, Bierbower, Kane and Norval. Many other lawyers have been mentioned on other pages of this history …

He was followed by Dr. J. G. Ivy in the" fall of 1878. The first dentists in this section were the Urmy brothers. With the passing years well known professional men have opened offices and today the medical fraternity is well represented by the following: Doctors Mantor, Eichner, Roche, Taylor, Simons, Schwartzlander, regular physicians ; Doctors Donahoe, Pettibone, Webster …

Glenn M. ; Anderson, Emery Evert; Aldrich, J.; Armstrong, Raymond William ; Anderson, Emil ; Anderson, Edward Christian ; Ahlm, Sexton David V. ; Bangert, Harry Fred ; Brott, John Peter ; Bassett, Kenneth ; Blackwell, Wesley ; Bryan, Ilyod McKinley ; Bartholamew, Leo A. ; Bentley, Charlton B. ; Bolm, William A. ; Burkland, Edgar ; Borquist, Carl August ; Baumbach, Herman R …

Roy ; Calwell, Fred ; Couch, James Clarence ; Copeman, Andrew C. ; Cook, Simmons W. ; dishing, Fred A. ; Clinton, Ray Lawrence ; Chambers, Allen; Chambers, Guy ; Clark, Carl ; Cook, Delbert; Davis, James; Davis, Walter F. ; Daniel, Lee Marion ; Durnell, Lennie ; Dedrick, Russell Franklin; Dedrick, Guy Clayton; DiMarks, Joe; Dowing, Oliver Holden; Doofe, Henry; Dunbar, Charles …

Albert ; Kluck, Rudolph ; Kucera, Joseph T. ; Kottwitz, Henry Chas. ; Konlroulis, Mike ; Knudson. Knud Olaf ; Greuger, Elmer Jay ; Kelley, Emerson W. ; King, F. A. ; Kucera, James ; Kretz, Winfield ; Lawson, Charles A. ; Loval, William Carl ; Lingwall, John Albert ; Ledbetter, Carl ; Lampros, Alex ; Lorimore, Kenneth Claire ; Langhram, James Arthur ; Lauritsen, William …

E. ; Spearow, Herschel ; Spearow, Lynn ; Simodynes, Joseph ; Sauer, Hughlen O. ; Schimpy, Frederick C. ; Shoemaker, Edward Joseph ; Stikal, Joe J.; Straight, Albert Peter; Sullivan. John Lawrence; Semoian, Naazov; Sparks, Harry; Stratta. James: Shea. Thomas Lawrence; Schroeder, Frank Rudolph; Stowell, David: Schwartz, Harry Benjamine; Schroeder, Sidney .Albert ; Straight …

Soon after the outbreak of hostilities of the World War a chapter of the American Red Cross was established in Cheyenne county and did valiant service throughout the war, and is now engaged in splendid work of relief at home. Mrs. C. W. West was head of the Sidney organization and proved an excellent executive. Leon Fine, the retiring treasurer of the Sidney Red Cross Society …

The start was made by the building of the Union Pacific railroad ; the building of the Burlington has given Cheyenne county a stragetic position, as it has also Sidney, which will become a distributing center for the two lines of railroad. Though Cheyenne county is much reduced in size from the "old Cheyenne" county, it has retained rich land of great fertility. A large …

A convention was held during the summer of 1886, and at that convention it was decided that steps be taken to secure a division of Dawes county and that the new county erected in the south half, if division succeeded, should be called Box Butte county. Committees were appointed, petitions were circulated and unanimously signed, asking the County Commissioners of Dawes county …

Underwood, Julius Atz, Jack Mettlen, Henry Clayton, George Gadshy, and possibly a few others. Prior to this special election, political conventions were held when Democrats and Republicans each nominated a complete ticket of candidates for the county offices. The country being rather thinly settled and no rapid means of communication, people were unable to become personally or …

When the result of the election became known, Judge-elect Field drove to Chadron and there took the oath of office as County Judge, returned to Nonpareil and administered the oath of office to his associate officers. He approved the bonds of the county commissioners, who immediately met in special session and commenced to plan to launch the new county upon its career as a …

This building was not plastered, neither did it have a chimney, the floors were all rough boards, counters, tables and other furniture was manufactured out of rough sawn Pine Ridge lumber by local carpenters. A large fire proof safe, costing one thousand dollars was bought on long time payments, which the commissioners promised to pay when funds were derived from taxation …

This set of county officers were elected to serve for the remainder of the year 1887, a period of about nine months, and their successors were elected at the election held November 4. 1S87. After a very warm political battle staged between the Republican and Democratic parties, with the Prohibitionists casting aboul thirty votes in the county, a ticket composed of both …

Nonpareil continued to be the seat of county government until the first day of January, 1891, a period of three and one-half years. The Burlington railroad having been built diagonally through the county during the spring and summer of 1889, passing through the new town of Alliance which had sprung up in the meantime, and the village of Hem- How the Court Hocse in Alliance …

Neither of these places received the necessary threefifths vote required for removal, so it was necessary to call a second special election, which was done by the Commissioners, and the election held on Tuesday, the 8th day of April, 1890. This election was also indecisive, although Nonpareil failing to receive the necessary two-fifths vote which would enable it to retain the …

The people of Alliance were sorely disappointed and felt very bitter at the opposition, especially the action of the railroad company, and were at first disposed to not abide by the decision of the voters. Their first plan was to seize the county records from the flimsy courthouse at Nonpareil, convey them to Alliance by force of arms, contest the election in the hope that by …

This enabled Hemingford to win by a majority of sixteen votes. ton officials had an engine fired up and a coach attached, loaded with Burlington detectives, special agents, and other employees, which they intended using upon evidence that the mob had left Alliance. This special train was to have been run to Hemingford and the posse coin-eyed by team, a distance of five miles …

In the meantime, the county commissioners purchased of the Lincoln Land Company, to whom it had reverted, the Hemingford courthouse, at a price of fifteen hundred dollars. This was moved to the present court house site. at Alliance on the Burlington railroad, and was considered a great engineering feat. The building was forty-five by fifty-four feet with trussed roof forty …

This village, at the time the county seat was located there, consisted of two general stores, a blacksmith shop, two livery barns, one bank, one newspaper, two hardware stores, a harness shop, one law office, one feed store, lumber yard and agricultural implement depot combined. Nonpareil ceased to exist soon after ili'- removal of tin- county seat to Hemingford in 1891, There …

Like most villages, it had what was then well known as a Locator's office, a term now obsolete. The business of this functionary was to secure government plats from the land office of the district in which he was located, showing the govtrnment land unfiled upon, and which for a fee of ten to twenty-five dollars he would show to the prospective homesteader, prepare his filing …

If a bid of seven dollars was received and no higher bid made, it would be sold to the bidder on payment of one-tenth of the purchase price down, and the balance in twenty-one years at six percent interest. If not sold, it would be offered for lease at its appraised value, the lessee to pay six percent per annum on that appraisement which ranged from one dollar and a quarter …

Finally the last forty acre tract, it being where South Alliance is now located, was dropped to Mr. Sigafoos at a price of thirty-eight dollars per acre. The high price which this land brought was convincing proof to the people of western Nebraska that upon the arrival of the Burlington railroad then building westward, this would be made an important division point with shops …

It had four banks, two newspapers, several general merchandise stores, livery stable, hotels, a blacksmith shop, and residences, all housed in rude structures built of rough Pine Ridge lumber, supplemented by canvas. The railroad grade of the Burlington which had been rapidly pushed westward during the spring and summer of this year from Anselmo, closely followed by the laying …

This brought a train load of prospective citizens, mechanics, artisans, merchants, hotel men, and included all the elements that generally rush to a new mining discovery or a new town. The little village of Grand Lake was overrun and was unable to adequately shelter or feed the train load of excursionists. Many men came already prepared to go into business, their stocks of …

Knight was then cashier, and has remained in the hands of the original purchasers since that time. This lot was sold for one thousand and fifty dollars. The prices from these corners extending back were graded down where the lot upon which the present Chinese laundry is located sold for six hundred dollars. Some residence lots were sold in the vicinity of Sixth and Cheyenne …

After a lapse of a few months a mass meeting was held and it was decided to incorporate as a village under the laws of the state. A petition was presented to the county commissioners asking that it be incorporated under the name of the village of Alliance and that five village trustees be appointed to serve until the following April when a regular election would be held and …

All material for the building of Belmont tunnel, culvert pipe, machinery for the Newcastle coa mines and supplies for the grading camps from Alliance to Newcastle was freighted by team from Alliance out along the right of way. Hundreds of men were shipped out from eastern centers to work on the grade and Alliance with its six saloons did a thriving business with hoboes …

hogs during the summer season and the corn to finish them in the fall. Hog cholera is unknown. Dairy products are of much importance. The county has one large creamery, which uses a large percent of the native product, but considerable is shipped to outside factories. The Snake Creek valley, having an average width of five miles and a length of thirty miles, produces a great …

The next largest crop is of small grain -- wheat, oats, rye and barley all making satisfactory yields. Corn is a secondary crop, but the yield is continuously increased so that many more hogs are raised than formerly. Alfalfa is increasing in acreage and importance every year. This crop is used to pasture the serving ensilage. The soil is very easily cultivated and the surface …

About eight hundred employes in normal times are on the paytion of their children. These pioneer schools first were conducted in a small room of a private house, in a dugout, or any other shelter that was available until school houses could be erected. As the county grew, these primitive school houses gave way to modern frame school houses equipped with the best appliances for …

The very earliesl settlers considered the school of sufficient importance that among their first public act- was to organize school districts, tax and provide schools for the educathe one at Hemingford occupying two buildings and employing five teachers. The public schools of Alliance occupy three large commodious buildings with a superintendent and a corps of thirty teachers …

Practically all of the leading church denominations have organizations and church buildings in the county. The Catholics have churches in Alliance and Hemingford and Lawn. The Methodists have churches at Alliance, Hemingford, and at Fairview, twelve miles northeast of Alliance. The Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Seventh Day Adventists, and Lutherans each maintain a …

Fetz and W. E. Hitchcock. After two months publication it was moved to Grand Lake and its name changed to "Grand Lake Times." In the spring of 1888 it was again moved to the present town of Alliance and the name changed to "Alliance Times," and continued under the same ownership and management until 1892 when it was purchased by H. J. Ellis, and continued under his ownership …

Paradise at Hemingford in 1889 and its publication continued there until the spring of 1898, when it was moved to Alliance where it was published for one year and was then absorbed by its rivals. Hemingford was without a newspaper about a year when the "Hemingford Herald" was established by T. J. O'Keefe. This was moved to Alliance in 1901 and the name changed to the "Alliance …

During the year 1887 their numbers were increased by admission to practice of R. M. Hampton, W. J. McCandless. J. V. Parker and Smith P. Tuttle. Among the lawyers arriving in the county and engaging in practice during the next two years were B. F. Gilman, J. P. Arnott, R. C. Noleman, Charles T. Jenkins and William Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell has been in continuous and successful …

This district was about three hundred miles in length, extending from the east line of Holt county to the Wyoming state line. Judge Bartow was succeeded by Honorable W. H. Westover in 1896, who lias held the office and is still judge of this district. Judge Westover had for his colleague, after the election of fudge Kinkaid to Congress, Judge J. J. Harrington of O'Neill …

Smith looking after the physical ills of the people of Nonpareil and vicinity. Dr. Blood was a middle age man, wore a silk hat and full beard, drove a fasl stepping team and made quite a dignified appearance, and it was generally understood thai hi- knowledge of the horse far exceeded his knowledge of the human anatomy. Dr. Smith was a young practitioner just mil of schooli …

The next amputation was performed by Doctors Smith and Miller, who amputated the limb of William Morton, a victim of a gun shot wound, and as they consumed most of a forenoon Morton did not survive the shock and died that night. Dr. F. M. Knight was a regularly accredited practitioner, but being engaged in the more remunerative business of banking, practiced but very little …

\\ hen the county was organized there were three hanking institutions in operation within its borders. These were the Box Butte Bank. of which C. A. Burlew was president and manager; The Farmers' & Merchants' Bank, of which B. F. Jones was president and E. A. Coates was cashier, both located at Hemingford. Nebraska; and the Bank of Nonpareil, located at Nonpareil, with F. M …

The next oldest bank in existence was started in Alliance and called the American Bank, operated under a state charter, which later absorbed the Citizens' Bank, and also took over the business of Porter, Eihlers & Company, and was continued under this name until the fall of 1889, when it was reorganized with the same officers and became the First National Bank of Alliance. Its …

The next fraternal organization was that of the Masons. A preliminary meeting was held in November of that year, in the second story of the wooden building on the north side of west Third Street in Alliance, which is now used as a cream station. Word was sent out and about all the Masons living in Box Butte county assembled in this small hall and selected a committee to secure …

M., assigned, which has had a continuous existence since that time, and has grown to a membership of over three hundred and fifty, owns and occupies a fine three story temple at the corner of Laramie Avenue and Third Street in Alliance, which is also used by Sheba Chapter No. 54, Royal Arch Masons, Bnena Commandery No. 26, Knights Templar, Aloyah Chapter No. 185, Order of the …

It has had a prosperous existence and continuous growth and is numbered 961. It now has a membership of over six hundred and owns a handsome building located on Box Butte Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Other fraternal orders which have had more or less precarious existences are the Modern Woodmen, Woodmen of the World. Ancient Order of United Workmen, Highlanders …

After a sergeant major and other sergeants numbering up to the eighth, with a corresponding number of corporals, musicians, saddlers, and farriers were appointed, there were just two left as privates. These were James H. Danskin and Ira E. Tash, who, because they could not have any office, refused to be sworn into service. This broke up the company, as the officers did not …

The nearest Box Butte county ever came to war was in the winter of 1890-91, when the Sioux Indians on the Pine Ridge Reservation, seve,nty-five miles north became crazed over what the) believed to be the coming of a Messiah, whom they thought would, with their help, drive all the white settlers from the western county, bring back the buffalo and the game, .mil organized for a …

This county did its full share in furnishing men and the sinews of war for the World War of 1917-18-19. A volunteer company was formed at Alliance, known as Company "G" of the Fourth Nebraska National Guard which entered the federal service and became later Battery "D" of the 127th United States Field Artillery. This organization spent nearly a year at Camp Cody, New Mexico …

Of this number over three hundred were actually called into service, while there were many enlistments from this county, of which there is no record. No roster of the soldiers from Box Butte county, who were in the service of their country, has as yet been compiled. Four Box Butte county boys are known to have given up their lives for their countrv while serving in France …

They oversubscribed their quota of every liberty loan, practically doubled the quota for the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, Salvation Army, and finally in the combination drive for funds. They maintained a local chapter of the American Red Cross and an active and efficient County Council of Defense, a Home Guard of uniformed and armed men, strictly enforced the …

A few of the earliest settlers came in over the Union Pacific as far as Sidney and then traveled overland following the Sidney trail, and took up homesteads in the southwestern part of the county. On the completion of the Northwestern railroad to Chadron in 1885, the railroad company advertised the rich lands tributary to it throughout the east, and there was a great inrush of …

Later, Sioux county was divided into three equal portions -- the western part named Sioux, the central part Dawes, and the eastern third Sheridan county. Sheridan and Sioux still retain their original boundaries. Mr. McLaughlin, without changing his residence, then became a citizen of Dawes county and served as one of its county commissioners. Chadron was the county seat. Upon …

Four of these families are still residents of the county and with the increase in the families can buast of being the only nationality which now has more representatives than they had at the time the county was organized. The pioneers probably endured more hardships than fell to the lot of their brothers who settled the middle and eastern states. While they had no forests to …

Then, hitching on the breaking plow he turned a quantity of sod which he cut into three foot lengths with the spade, carried and erected the walls of their future habitation, placing the ridge poles upon this, covi red with a layer of boards or poles, upon which he placed a layer of sod with the grass side down, thus forming a rude shelter from the elements. The same process …

with now and then a deer ; but fresh pork was an unknown quantity, there being no corn or other fattening food produced upon which hogs could be raised. There was also a scarcity of material with which to make enclosures for the hogs. One settler tried the expedient of building a pig pen out of sod, but on leaving home one Sunday for a call upon a neighbor some miles distant …

An eighteen hundred pound horse belonging to his neighbor, Frank Porter, got out of his stall one Sunday night, wandering over to Neighbor Schilling's, first walked on the cave cellar and from that to the leanto and from there to the main part of the house. His weight was too much for the ridge pole, which broke, and precipitated him bottom side up down among the soundly …

Another accident which resulted fatally occurred at the home of Allan Bearss, in the western part of the county. While the family were surrounding the breakfast table one morning, the ridge pole of their house, which was not of sufficient diameter to support the weight HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA of the sod roof, suddenly snapped asunder, precipitating tons of sod and roof …

A rope was placed about the horse, the team attached to the other end, and he was hoisted to the surface ; but, through some miscalculation, he did not get into the clear. The gray team commenced to back up when Mrs. Wilmot, thinking they would be drawn into the well, and being one of their most valued possessions, seized a sharp butcher knife, rushed out and drew its edge …

It was too dangerous to attempt the rescue of the body, so the surviving wife mortgaged the homestead for about four hundred dollars, made a contract with some experienced well diggers, who sank a new well some ten feet away from the old well, tunneled from the new to the old, rescued the body, brought it to the surface, and it was given decent interment. Box Butte The county …

They were followed up by a company of soldiers under the command of Major Thornburg, who followed the trail to Bronco Lake near Alliance : and the trail seeming to scatter there, the command left their wagons, camp equipage, etc., while they scouted the sand hills to the south, believing the Indians were hidden in some of the canyons. Upon their return to camp, they found the …

A roster of Civil War veterans officially prepared in the year 1891, showed the names of eighty-one men residing in the county, who wore the blue uniform of their country during the '60s. and now that a generation has passed this number has been lessened to barely a dozen survivors. The ranks have been reduced principally by death, there being fifty-two graves of Civil War …

McLaughlin, 18th Iowa Infantry, Marsland ; Ambrose Hadley, 3d Rhode Island Infantry, Alliance ; Lewis R. Corbin, 83d Pennsylvania Infantry, Alliance. Concerning the boys in service in the great World War, a list has come to the editor in chief which is added to the splendid story of Ira L. Tash, the county editor. This list may not be complete, but is presumed to be. There …

Donovan, John T. Fitzgerald, Howard Oliver, Frederick A. King, Joe Lando, Roy A. McCluskey, Herbert E. Milan, Harrv A. Morrisey, Leo M. Nicolai, William L. O'Keefe, Gaylord H. Pry, Clifford T. Roberts, Howard Rucker, Charles F. Schafer, James H. Tally, Rex Truman, James E. Rundle, Guy E. Speaker, Lloyd Thomas, Walter H. Voight, Frank M. Schmidt, George C. StoII, Chester M …

Burns, John Thomas Capps, Fred W. Cloud, Frederick E. Cutts, Robert Duchon, Jacob H. Elsea, Clarence O. Baldwin, Fred A. Beckenbach, John S. Bostrom, Frederick R. Brown, William H. Butler, William M. Casey, Harold I. Cochrane, Harrison H. Derric, James Earl Eaton, Henry G. Emde, X'eal W. Erskine, Martin L. Fitzgerald, Joe B. Frohnapfel, Harry Gavelick, Eddie W. Green, lames …

Fileff, Wilard J. Freshla, Thomas W. Gahagan, Royce L. Glass, Leslie A. Hall, Obe Harris, Cyril Havalik, George R. Heckman, John H. Hessler, Fred Homan, Thomas A. Jewell, Gilbert F. Kays, James E. Keenan, Albert Kibler, Robert Klase, Olaf David Kuhn, Armond J. LeSage, Adam Jay Lortz, Arthur Macken, Fred L. Marsh, Chester A. Melvin, Fred J. Meyer. Jr., Martin Nelson, Ranson …

Walker, George E. Whalev, Noble F. Zerbie. There were thirteen rejections and discharges from physical disability, and a service flag in Box Butte county should have five known gold stars, and perhaps there are others. Box Butte county contingent contained five colored men, one of whom died of injuries. The organization of a company at Alliance early in the war gave to Box …

When the meeting was held in Alliance, Superintendent Phelan of the Burlington had present, as he usually had at any gathering, a man who would report to him what "was doing." The man in this case "fanned it" to headquarters that the crowd was organized to go out and take the records, and as stated Phelan had the engine ready. Also the wires conveyed the information to …

Several brave boys jammed in the doorway and tore out the side of the building, others smashed the windows, carrying the sash away with them. In fact, it is said, that the north side of the building was a wreck, this side being in the direction of Hemingford. I have no doubt that Hall and Tash stood the test all right, but of the rank and file, one party reports at least four …

Fred Shonquist, the first sheriff of Box Butte county, was a prince of good fellows, but occasionally he undertook to put the distillers out of business, by drinking everything in sight. At such times, instead of being a guardian of the law, he would shatter about all the statutes that had anything to do with good government. The Republicans renominated him, however, in 1890 …

Jack Elliott, who was agent for the cattle association, located the cattle, and he and a banker named Sterling came up from Colorado to replevin them. Cochran and Holliday were both in Kimball, and the cattle were in charge of George Zimmerman, and two other nun. and were just over the line in Sioux county. It took a bit of maneuvering to get tin' cattle nver the line into Box …

"Bob" Noleman of Alliance was secured, and the Colorado crowd had secured the services of Tuttle and Tash. Tuttle directed the legal process, and Noleman had Webb, who had been very busy condemning the procedure, ask for the writ. Tuttle had wisely anticipated that this would be done, and had put the name of Webb in the original process. Sheriff Hall told him that he was one …

Cochran determined to make another raise, and turned his attention to northern Colorado. Near the state line, almost directly south of Kimball, lived an elderly couple named Ross, and their son, who had accumulated a nice bunch of cattle, and on these fell the covetous eyes of Cochran. ( )ne mi •ruing they were missing from their usual haunts, and Willie Ross, the young man …

An extensive search brought about the discovery that the body had been buried in a sand draw, and also the horse and saddle. Cochran, it appeared, had gone to a nearby house and borrowed a spade, and when he returned it there was no one at home. He had entered the house, secured some writing materials, and made several attempts at writing a bill-of-sale before he had succeeded …

This surveyor party was at work when some of Scotts Bluff county people were on their way to Colorado to pick spuds, among whom were William P. Young and Antoine Hiersche. Cochran was never tried for the murder. He was tried for cattle stealing, convicted and given forty-five years in the penitentiary at Canyon City. After about twenty years penal servitude, he was paroled on …

Clerks : The office of county clerk was also ex-officio clerk of the district court, and of the board of county commissioners, when the county was organized. The first clerk who served for the nine months of 1887, was Geo. W. Clark. At the regular election following Charles A. Burlew was elected, and he was follwed by Ira L. Tash. Mr. Tash was clerk at the time the county seat …

Shonquist was the first sheriff of Box Butte county, serving the short term of 1887. and then one full term. At the election of 1889, Eugene A. Hall was elected, serving three terms. Then came Edwin P. Sweeney, then Ira C. Reed. Albert Wiker was the next sheriff, and he was followed by Calvin M. Cox, and James W. Miller in turn, the latter being the present popular head of the …

The first county attorney of Box Butte county was James H. Danskin, who served the short term when the county was organized, and was reelected. In June, 1890, he resigned to accept the office of Receiver in the United States Land Office at Alliance. William M. Iodence was appointed and filled out the unexpired term. Robert C. Noleman next served for one term and then Burton F …

The following doctors of Box Butte county have held the position: Tohn Blood, W. H. 'Smith, W. W. Hamilton, W. K. Miller, L E. Moore, G. W. Mitchell and Chas. E. Slagle. Commissioners : The first county commissioners, who served for the nine months of 1887 were James Barry. Louis C. De Coudress and Thos. L. Irvine. On these fell the first duties of the new countv's …

County Assessor : This office is of comparatively recent origin and has been filled in turn by A. S. Reed, E. P. Sweeney, John Jelinek, J. A. Keegan and John Pilkington, the last named being the present incumbent. Box Butte county can well be proud of those who have served it in an official capacity. The offices have been quite equally distributed between the political …

In 1917 Lloyd C. 'Thomas was chosen. Thomas was one of the members joining in the introduction of the Nebraska mineral statute, which was passed at an extraordinary session of the legislature in 1918. He volunteered for the world war, but was not inducted into service owing to its abrupt end. John W. Thomas w;as deputy state land commissioner during the administration of G L …

Dorrington died in office in January, 1903, and was succeeded by Bruce Wilcox. Akers and Wilcox administered the office for four years, and were replaced by W. W. Wood of Rushville as Register and H. J. Ellis of Alliance as Receiver. Upon the election of Woodrow Wilson as president in 1912, J. C. Morrow, of Scottsbluff, became Register, with T. J. O'Keefe. of Alliance, as …

He conducted that office for one year, then the office was moved to Hemingford, the county seat, and after four years, in 1894, he formed the law firm of Tuttle & Tash. which continued there until 1900, when the firm moved its offices to Alliance. In 1895 he was appointed receiver of the Bank of Hemingford and settled its affairs. While living at Hemingford he served on the …

DEUEL COUNTY ORGANIZATION OF DEUEL COUNTY Deuel county, one of the smallest in the state and the most southeasterly county in the Panhandle of Nebraska, lies in the most southerly tier of counties and in the third east from the western boundary of Nebraska. At the present time it is bounded on the north by Garden county, on the east by Keith county, on the south by Colorado …

Many of the early events of Deuel county are to be found in the history of "Old Cheyenne." By the election of 1888, the eastern third of Cheyenne county was erected as Deuel county and later the northern portion of Deuel county became Garden county. In the early history and general treatment of the Panhandle, will be found stories of Deuel county, long before Nebraska became a …

The Lodgepole valley is the longest in the county ; it enters at about the center of the western boundary, flows southeast and a little west of the center of the southern boundary passes out into Colorado. The Platte valley crosses the southeastern corner of the county and while not so long as the Lodgepole, is wider. In addition to these major valleys there are smaller …

After the coming of the railroad, there were increasing numbers of homesteaders and in time they counted by the hundred to the cattlemen's one. The southeastern and southwestern parts of Deuel county settled first as the railroad crossed the southeastern corner of the county, ran to Julesburg, Colorado, then turned across the southern boundary of the county a little west of …

Among the settlers there was practically no money and all business was carried on by barter. Posts, wood, or the bones of dead animals were traded for groceries and supplies, as the merchants of the early days took anything for which they could find a market. Out on the north divide, there were hundreds of people in the same condition, among them Herman Kuehnn, Anton …

However, water for domestic uses was rarely denied if a person did not have the pay for it, but stock water was sometimes as high as seventy-five cents a barrel. One time Adam Zimmerman went to Colorado to work to earn some money and in a month had earned twenty dollars, but his expenses going and coming cost seventeen dollars so he was not much better off. Another time a …

Carl Pigeon, who had no use for his threshing machine outfit in the early nineties, has had plenty of work for it during the later years and has had a fine business, which shows the development and prosperity of the wheat and grain industry in Deuel county for some time HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA past. John Steward, who early saw what irrigation would do when water was …

were not that many people in the county. Riley Ford laughs over the time the roundup took him to Julesburg and "shot up" the town. A hearty laugh in that early day served to enliven the pulses and break the tenseness of conditions and save many a man and woman from "going crazy." Hard times parties were held where old clothes were worn as though it were a joke although it was …

Later the northern portion of Deuel was cut from Deuel and became Garden county, greatly reducing the size of Deuel county. In January, 1889, Deuel county was organized. The first meeting of the county board is recorded on January 21, 1889, with the following officers : George P. Smith, judge ; Ed. Herrington, clerk ; W. H. Sigler, treasurer, and B. G. Hoover, H. G. Gumaer and …

The county then contained eleven precincts as follows: Alkali, Lisco, Lost Creek, Blue Creek, Park, Sughrue. Rush Creek, Green, Chappell, Swan and Big Springs. In their order road districts one to eleven were created of the same name and size as the precincts. The first bills allowed by the commissioners were for election services, viz : C. G. Jones, A. T. Stewart, J. H …

The board of commissioners, sitting as a board of equalization, on June 19, 1889, found the following assessable property in Deuel county: personal, $93,345.79; real estate, $443,558.50; Union Pacific railway, $303,- 503.20; Western Union Telegraph Company, 83,448.90, a total of $848,856.39. The first levy for taxes was: for roads three and a half mills ; bridges, one mill …

The company which was to handle the project was known as the Belmont and Froid Canal and Reservoir Company. One hundred and seven persons of Union precinct asked for an election to vote fifteen thousand dollars in subsidizing bonds; one hundred and eighteen petitioners proposed twenty thousand dollars of bonds as the quota of Froid precinct; fifty-one persons in Green precinct …

Mass meetings were called and Anderson was asked to explain. The versatile Anderson said that an hydraulic power station on Rush creek would lift the water and at the same time an electric generating plant could be added. However, the seed of doubt had been planted in the minds of the people, and the scheme failed. The elections were re-called. The writer was then publishing …

Tim was chief bookkeeper in the Senate and I was chief engrossing clerk in the House. Kelliher met R. B. Howell, whom he introduced. Howell, Senator J. H. Danner and I framed an irrigation district bill which was introduced by Darner. The complete story of its development is told in Scotts Bluff County History, but it was suggested to the writer for the first time through the …

Toward nightfall of election day it appeared to be a contest of endurance of the presses and supply of paper for ballots. The news came up the valley that the Big Springs vote had reached three thousand. Chappell beat it by a few and quit. Big Springs had a few thousand extra ballots printed at Ogallala, "enough to fill the ballot box," as told by one of the partisans, with a …

Clark, and a number of other men petitioned to organize an irrigation district on Blue creek and an election was called for July 30, which resulted in five votes for and six against the petition, so it was lost. October 20, 1898. Ira Paisley and others petitioned for an irrigation district taking in a smaller tract on Blue creek. The election to decide upon it was called for …

Blue Creek Irrigation District was organized April 3, 1905, and the first officers were : Division No. 1, Richard Clark, director by a vote of thirteen to four for A. S. Ross ; division No. 2, Henry Black, director by eleven votes with no opposition ; division No. 3, James Orr, director, by sixteen votes with no opposition; George McCormick was elected treasurer by sixteen …

So it is to be seen that while a large part of the original irrigated district was taken away, enough was left Deuel to make it a county which is introducing more irrigation as it is found feasible and profitable. Humor and Incidents of Deuel History The pages of history and record are often enlivened by humor which takes away the dullness of mere facts. Simon Hopper, who was …

Garden County Created The next high light in the history of Deuel Court House. Chappeel In 1900, occurred in Deuel county one of the unfortunate affairs of politics that had a violent climax in Scotts Bluff county, and its echoes still reverberate. E. S. Kennison was elected Sheriff in 1899, taking office the following January. At that time he was a likable man, but had a …

"in behalf of ourselves and four hundred tax payers." Wilcox and Halligan of North Platte were present to argue the case for the protestants. The county board heard the matter and by unanimous action called an election to decide the question for November 2, 1909. The commissioners at the time were A. G. Newman, Albert S. Ross, and D. F. Fickes. The election carried and the …

The corner stone was laid by the Master Workmen of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Nebraska, May 15, 1915, A. L. 1915, Thomas M. Davis, Grand Master. The board of county commissioners at that time consisted of : Simon Hopper, chairman, George Kalb, and James Brown; their names being cut in the corner stone with those of J. J. Huddart, architect, and M. J …

The vote when counted stood five hundred and sixty-three for and four hundred forty-two against the building of the school, and there was not the necessary two-thirds majority to carry. A protest was made against counting the vote of Big Springs, as it was mostly adverse as that town already had a high school. The county commissioners overruled the protest and declared the …

These men with William Mack, of Big Springs, Emil Olson, of Swan precinct, and O. C. Brestel, of Chappell, constituted the board. The meeting of January, 1921, indicates that added interest is being taken in the agricultural development of the county which is of general benefit to all. The bureau is doing excellent work throughout the county and the farmers are cooperating …

period for one man, whose efficiency has been marked. The first county clerk of Deuel county was Ed. Herrington, who was twice reelected and served in that capacity five years. He has been followed in office by Kirk A. McCall, for four years; Jackson Gyger, for four years; Robert A. Day, for four years ; Eugene De- Latour. for four years ; Jack McCormick, for two years ; Cyrus …

The first man to serve as county attorney for Deuel county was W. H. Sigler, elected in 1889, was reelected but resigned, to be followed by S. P. DeLatour, who was appointed to finish the term. Jacob Keifer followed, serving three years before he resigned. George C. McAllister was elected in 1897, served until 1906, when he was succeeded by L. ( ). Pfeiffer, who is still the …

Gumaer, and Willis Lee, who were installed in 1889. John Robinson and J. S. McLaughlin succeeded Lee and Gumaer in 1890. Hoover served three years and was succeeded by M. P. Clary. Mc- Laughlin served two years and Robinson three years. Since then the county commissioners have been : James Thompson, W. W. Fought, Simon Hopper, J. H. Roudebush, F. H. Barber, H. G. Gumaer. who …

Roudebush, F. H. Barber and George Kalb, each have six years' service to their credit, while Albert Ross, and James Brown have nearly six years. The county officials of Deuel county in 1921 are as follows: H. R. Busse, judge; Isaac WToolf, special judge in some cases; H. D. Betts, county clerk and he also holds office as clerk of the district court and register of deeds, being …

This position is an appointive one and filled by the commissioners annually. Dr. Hudson served three years, being succceeded by Dr. W. H. Babcock for six years. The office was then taken over by Dr. H. H. Hough who held it two years. ' Dr. W. Mullen was county physician "for a number of years after 1902, and in 1914 Dr. M. B. Patty was appointed and today is also a member of …

It is located in the west central part of the county, on the main line of the Union Pacific. John O'Neil, who was station agent here about 1S80 to 1885, located in the old improvised depot, was so far as is known, the first operator and agent, of the railroad at this point, and the first permanent resident. The depot was partly dug out and partly old railroad ties, while the …

He has gained prominence since the early days as he is president of the Deuel County Bank. Frank Wolf is cashier of the Cheyenne County State Bank, at Lodgepole, which shows that the early day training was excellent. In this section house on January 10, 1881, Dora Wolf was born, the" first white child born in what is now Deuel county. She married Cyrus Brown, a native of …

Simpson also bought a number of lots in block 18 for a hundred and fifty-seven dollars, which gives some idea of the value of real estate in those days in a new country and new town. Thomas Farmer was also a purchaser of lots on that eventful day. The conclusion of that day's transactions. I should say, "Land office business," was the sale to Henry W. Wiemer of lot 11, block …

Johnson came to Sidney in 1882 with ranching in view; he was from Missouri and kept thinking he might go back but with another man worked together selling land, though really looking for something for himself. The other man was a surveyor and had work near Lodgepole. When they were through there they decided to come on to the Chappell locality and drove down the valley. They …

Jack Crowe had a drug store at Lodgepole at the time Chappell was started and within a short time built quite a pretentious store building in Chappell about 1884. It cost six hundred dollars or more and he put in a stock of drugs with his brother in charge. Eugene Fish started the first pool hall in Chappell, but did not have much business. In 1888, he and a Mr. Lazerus put in …

Johnson and his friend were out in the country and looked over some railroad land, where a tract that suited Johnson was found and he bought it. When they came back to the station, O'Neil and Short tried again to get him to buy a lot in the town site. Mr. Johnson looked about and asked what they would take for a certain corner of three lots. They said to start it, "four …

Fred Sudman thus started in the mercantile business, and later formed a combination with Eugene Fish in the Sudman-Fish Company, which became and continued an important business concern for years, with stores at Chappell, Oshkosh and Lewellen. Today the company is out of the mercantile business in which they prospered. Isaac Woolf is one of the sturdy characters of Deuel …

Business House, Chappell The destinies of people are so interwoven that one can hardly understand it. In the years when John O'Neil was teaching school in the crude surroundings of the depot at Chappell, Allie Warner was teaching school in New York. One of her pupils was F. G. LaSelle ; something brought Miss Warner to Chappell, and when they built the frame school house and …

Babcock and Isaac Woolf, the business enterprises of Joe Johnson, Fred Sudman, and 'Gene Fish, the ranch home properties ni August Neuman, Mr. Wolf and others all combined early in the formation years to build an enduring basis for Chappell's ultimate success. Gordon & Chingreen started a store in 1886 and then Chingreen sold his interest to Gordon and later Gordon sold to …

In the light of experience Attorney Pfeiffer would notice the difference it would make in the village tax possibilities, if the south line of the corporate limits was on the south line of the railroad right of way, instead of upon the north line. At that time it would be but natural that he would not notice any particulars, except the details of accuracy in drawing the …

Fish & Company's drug store had not yet consolidated. W. D. Post was in the lumber business, and B. D. K. Wertz had a hardware store. McEldowney & Wertz ran a livery stable. Milliken & Swanson had by that time acquired the store started by Gordon & Chingreen. C. C. Reynolds had put in a line of farm implements, although most of the grangers brought theirs with them. A. P …

to other business and we now find Ryan's Chain Department Store. The Bostonian, Chappell Mercantile, Stephens Grocery, Airs. McAuliff, Dry Goods, Chappell Cash Grocery and other new institutions lining the business thoroughfares. Thompson's Pharmacy, modern and upto-date occupies the site of Chappell's first drug store, and "Rexall" has an active representative in H. J …

Bracken's Undertaking and Furniture establishment is a comparatively new and up-to-date establishment which meets with the needs of the town and surrounding territory. Land and investment firms have prospered amazingly with the rise of land values and more settlement in Deuel county. Distinctively as an example of progressive cooperation, the Farmers Elevator Company, managed …

The Chappell Commercial Club is one of the live oraginzations of its kind and has done much for the development of the town and county. Western Lumber & H The Chappell State Bank is doing much for the town and county, the First National Bank, the oldest in the county is an institution that from the first has been of influence in the upbuilding of the town, while the Deuel …

It is located in the southeastern part of the county on the Union Pacific railroad in the Platte valley; is the center of a fine irrigated farm district and is a growing town of progressive people. Big Springs was platted and the plat recorded at Sidney, November 6, 1884 ; the Union Pacific railroad filed the plat. At an earlier date the station was known as Lone Tree. Big …

A tramp painter arrived in Big Springs and struck Abbott and Kimball for a job of sign painting; they told him to paint the name of the firm on the side of the store building. Carefully measuring the space, he began in the middle with the form "&." then the last letter of Abbott and the first of Kimball ; he persevered until he had the last three letters of Abbott and the …

Phelps built a hotel in 1884, and opened it Christmas eve of that year. He has run the hotel for thirty-seven years, being the pioneer man of his line and one of the oldest business HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA men in the town. Gotlieb Manser opened a blacksmith shop in Big Spring in 1886, the first in this section. Mr. Manser still resides in the town but is not so active as …

The town of Big Springs has in addition to the Farmers Store, the old Abbott & Kimball store and the newer Eagle-Tucker Mercantile Company, Peterson's Pharmacy, the LaGrange Market, Junge Brothers Implement House, McKipps & Company, Furniture ; Neilson & Brown, Autos and Tractors ; Caskey Electric Supply Store ; Phelps Motor Company ; Flora's Big Springs Lumber Company …

These men ably represent the modern spirit of Big Springs, which stands for development and progress. Big Springs has a fine school building which would be a credit to a town many times its size. The town is the shipping and supply point for the irrigated district along the South Platte river as well as the dry farming lands nearby. It is a thriving community with every …

She left some excellent records of the first schools under the new county administration. In 1892 Mrs. S. C. German became superintendent, and she in turn was succeeded by Allen Chamberlain, in 1894. Mr. Chamberlain was later presiding elder of this HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA district for the Methodist church. He was united in marriage with Miss Catherine Williams of …

The next school was organized in the Chappell diserintendent in 1904, being twice reelected, thereby serving six years. The health of her mother, Mrs. Coe. required Mrs. Bernhard's complete attention thereafter and she did not run for office. She atttended the mother to the old home in Illinois, then to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota and then back to Deuel county, where …

Of these, nine had sod school houses ; ten had lumber school houses ; and one was of logs. Eight contained no report of the character of the housing facilties. The teachers at the time of the organization of the county were: William Bradlev. 1. P. Krum. Mrs. C. A. Glass, Ida Hibbs, A. D. Maxwell, Mrs. C. J. Slocum. 1. W. Mills. Mrs. Clara Graf, J. C. Gyger, Erna Pickering, C …

Superintendent Stark's record of certificates issued is missing so that the record begins February 15, 1890, when 1. C. Gvger was issued a certificate. On March 8, following, Fred L. Gilliard, Eva M. Gilliard, and Mollie Hilber were issued certificates. District No. 1, was organized March 4, 1889, upon petition of George Shirley, John Enslow and others, and was located in …