Skip to main content

Full text of "Past and present of Adams County, Nebraska"

See other formats 


iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 

3  1833  01065  1492 


\l^ 


/ 


WILLIAM    R.    BURTON 


PAST  AND  PRESENT 


OF 


ADAMS  COUNTY 

NEBRASKA 


JUDGE  WILLIAM  R.  BURTON 

SUPERVISING  EDITOR 

DAVID  J.  LEWIS 

ASSISTANT  EDITOR 


ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  I 


CHICAGO 

THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1916 


1585317 


FOREWORD 

In  presenting  this  histoiy  of  Adams  County  I  wish  to  acknowledge 
my  indebtedness  to  many  who  have  kindly  and  competently  assisted. 
To  the  supervising  editor,  Judge  William  R.  Burton,  I  am  indebted 
for  frequent  helpful  suggestions  as  well  as  his  own  contribution,  that 
portion  of  Chapter  X  that  deals  with  the  bench  and  the  portion  of 
Chapter  XXI  that  deals  with  the  homesteader  and  the  homestead 
laws. 

In  Chapter  XVIII  are  the  contributions  of  INIrs.  John  H.  Slaker 
and  ]Mrs.  William  H.  Fuller.  Mrs.  Slaker's  contribution  is  a  faith- 
ful and  detailed  record  of  the  Woman's  Club,  an  organization  of 
ever  growing  importance  in  Hastings.  INIrs.  Slaker  has  also  sketched 
the  earlier  cultm-al  clubs  of  which  it  is  the  outgrowth.  INIrs.  Fuller 
has  here  preserved  the  record  of  Niobrara  Chapter  of  the  Daughters 
of  The  American  Revolution. 

JNIr.  A.  H.  Cramer's  intin\ate  acquaintance  with  early  affairs  and 
his  clear  recollections  of  them  have  proven  of  inestimable  value  in  this 
compilation.  If  this  volume  shall  in  any  measure  enhance  the  appreci- 
ation of  its  readers  of  the  community  described,  its  growth  and  institu- 
tions, its  possibilities,  and  of  the  men  and  women  who  have  made  it 
what  it  is.  and  will  stimulate  in  them  a  desire  to  preserve  the  records 
of  future  developments — then  the  work  shall  not  entirely  have  failed 
of  its  purpose. 

DAVID  J.  LEWIS. 

Hastings,  Nebraska,  December  15,  1916. 


XEBRASKALAND. 


BY    ADAM 


Nebraskaland,  Nebraskaland, 

The  state  of  Sixty-Seven, 
Xo  other  place  at  man's  command. 

Comes  nearer  being  heav'n. 
It's  rich  beyond  one's  fondest  dream, 

Has  wealth  beyond  compare, 
There's  untold  gold  in  field  and  stream. 

There's   wealth  most   anywhere. 

Chorus 

Xebraskaland,  Xebraskaland, 

I  love  your  waving  fields; 
Nebraskaland,  Xebraskaland 

I  love  your  golden  yields. 
It  matters  not  where  I  may  be, 

What  foreign  fields  I  roam. 
You'll  always  be  most  dear  to  me 

I  love  you,  'cause  you're  home. 

How  fertile  are  the  fields  today. 

What  grandeur  decks  the  home. 
Where  buffalo  did  sport  and  play. 

And  red  men  free  did  roam. 
There's  golden  rod  on  hill  and  dale 

The  flower  of  o>ir  state* 
In  days  gone  by  it  marked  the  "trail," 

The  pioneers  relate. 

The  house  of  sod  has  had  its  day. 

It  served   its  purpose  well, 
Prosperity  now  holds  full  sway. 

As  one  can  quickly  tell. 
In   education   there's    no   flaw 

Nebraska's  hard  to  beat. 
Equality  before  the   law 

Deals  justice  that  is  meet. 

No  fairer  skies  in  all  the  land, 

X^o  softer  zephyrs  blow, 
X'o  greener  fields  on  ev'ry  hand. 

Can  any  country  show. 
That's  why  X^ebraska  stands  out  free. 

That's  why  I  love  her  so 
And  home  to  me  'twill  always  be. 

No  matter  where  I  go. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

GENERAL  EARLY  HISTORY 1 

CHAPTER  II 

ADAMS  COUNTY  SOILS  AND  CLIMATE 1  J* 

CHAPTER  III 

ORGANIZATION • 26 

CHAPTER  IV 

COUNTY  SEAT  REMOVAL 'll 

CHAPTER  V 

HASTINGS ; 60 

CHAPTER  VI 

HASTINGS  Al'TER  COUNTY  SEAT  JTGHT 77 

CHAPTER  VII 

HASTINGS — MODERN  nE^'EI,OPMENTS  AND  ACTIVITIES 9.5 

CHAPTER  VIII 

POLITICAL  HISTORY Ill 

V 


vi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IX 

SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES 125 

CHAPTER  X 

ADAMS  COUNTY  BENCH  AND  BAR 151 

CHAPTER  XI 

NOTABLE  ADAMS   COUNTY  TRIALS 164 

CHAPTER  XII 

PHYSICIANS    AND    VITAL    STATISTICS 187 

CHAPTER  XIII 

BANKS    AND    BANKING 198 

chaptp:r  XIV 

FRATERNAL  AND  OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS 205 

CHAPTER  XY 

G.    A.    R.    ORGANIZATIONS 238 

CHAPTER  XVI 

SOME    ADAMS    COUNTY    CHURCHES 249 

CHAPTER  XVII 

PUBLIC   LTTILITIES   AND    INSTITUTIONS 273 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

^vomen's  clubs   288 

CHAPTER  XIX 

BASEBALL    AND    ENTERTAINMENTS 301 


CONTENTS  vii 

CHAPTER  XX 

CHRONICLE  OF  COMPANIEg  K  AND  G 316 

CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   HOMESTEADER — POPULATION    AND    STATISTICS 326 

CHAPTER  XXII 

RAILROADS  AND  NEWSPAPERS 336 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

INGLESIDE     345 

CHAPTER  XXIV 

JUNIATA     351 

CHAPTER  XXV 

KENESAW 366 

CHAPTER  XXVI 

HOLSTEIN 383 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

ADAMS  COUNTY   TOWNS 389 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

GREAT  STORMS 408 

CHAPTER  XXIX 

OREGON  TRAIL  AND  LONE  GRAVE 415 

CHAPTER  XXX 

THE   ENTRYMEN     423 


Past  and  Present  of  Adams  County 


CHAPTER  I 
GENERAL  EARLY  HISTORY 

The  history  of  the  Adams  County  we  know  spans  but  a  brief 
i:)eriod  of  time,  and  is  cliaracterized  by  activities  we  can  understand 
witli  a  fair  degree  of  comprehension.  While  the  progress  of  develop- 
ment has  been  rapid  and  of  a  kind  that  may  well  awaken  pride,  yet 
it  would  seem  abrupt  and  imconnected  with  the  story  of  man  Avere 
we  not  upon  occasion  to  recall  that  this  very  territory  uj^on  which 
we  stand  has  been  linked  with  the  destinies  of  men  and  nations  beyond 
the  sea ;  its  fate  indeed  has  hung  upon  the  issues  of  battles  and  there- 
fore upon  the  cause  of  battles. 

In  common  with  the  remainder  of  the  soil  embraced  within  the 
boundaries  in  Nebraska,  Adams  County  was  a  portion  of  the  Louisi- 
ana Territory  and  therefore  was  successively  under  the  dominion  of 
Spain  and  France.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  1541  that  Ferdinand  de 
Soto  is  said  to  have  first  seen  the  jMississijjpi  River.  He  crossed  the 
river  far  to  the  south  of  the  latitude  of  Nebraska  and  carried  his 
explorations  northwestwards.  That  he  penetrated  the  unknown 
country  as  far  as  Nebraska  is  doubtful;  some  writers,  however,  con- 
tend that  he  did.  It  is  true  that  portions  of  old  Spanish  armor  and 
equipment  have  been  found  within  the  state  and  this  probably  is  the 
foundation  for  the  belief  that  De  Soto's  expedition  reached  this 
state. 

Whether  or  not  this  expedition  reached  Nebraska  it  is  certain 
that  it  was  fruitful  of  practically  no  result,  else  a  definite  impression 
Mould  have  been  left  upon  the  history  of  the  region.  By  right  of 
discovery,  however,  Spain  laid  claim  to  this  territory,  but  it  did 
nothing  towards  its  development. 


2  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

In  April,  1682,  La  Salle  completed  the  exploration  of  the  ]Mis.si.s- 
sippi  River  and  at  its  mouth  erected  a  column,  inscribed:  Louis  le 
Grand,  Roi  de  France  et  de  Navarre."  The  Frenchman  took  pos- 
session of  the  territory  through  which  he  had  passed  for  his  country 
and  named  it  Louisiana  in  honor  of  his  king,  under  whose  authority 
he  carried  on  the  exi)loration. 

LTnlike  Spain  nearly  a  century  and  a  half  previous,  the  govern- 
ment of  France  at  once  took  steps  to  hold  the  vast  territory  added 
to  her  dominions  by  the  explorations  of  La  Salle.  This  territory, 
comprising  about  one  million  square  miles,  remained  in  the  posses- 
sion of  France  until  following  the  conclusion  of  the  Seven  Years' 
War  in  Europe,  when  Louisiana  Territory  was  ceded  to  Sjiain.  This 
was  in  1762. 

Spain's  retention  of  the  inland  empire  was  short  lived.  By  1800 
Napoleon  Bonaparte  at  the  head  of  the  French  army  had  placed  the 
monarchies  of  Europe  in  danger,  and  in  that  year  Spain  was  com- 
pelled to  yield  to  the  conqueror  and  the  Louisiana  Territory  once 
more  came  into  the  possession  of  France. 

Napoleon  was  fully  alive  to  the  value  of  the  great  American 
possession  and  actually  began  the  fortifying  of  the  mouth  of  the 
INIississippi.  While  as  yet  the  Monroe  Doctrine  had  not  been  pro- 
mulgated, yet  the  United  States  protested  vigorously  the  action  of 
Napoleon,  foreseeing  the  endangering  of  the  right  of  navigation  of 
the  river.  The  circumstances  of  Napoleon  at  that  time  were  favor- 
able to  his  heeding  the  protest  of  the  Jefferson  administration.  The 
conqueror's  treasury  was  low  and  he  undoubtedly  sensed  that  the  supe- 
riority of  the  English  navy  would  eventually  overcome  the  French 
sea  forces,  in  which  event  the  territory  would  become  the  proj)erty 
of  England  through  conquest. 

To  avert  this  eventuality  was  desirable  from  Napoleon's  point  of 
view,  hence  the  cession  of  the  territory  to  the  United  States  was 
negotiated  with  comparative  ease.  On  April  30,  1803,  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  transfer  were  completed  by  the  agents  of  the  two  coun- 
tries. The  price  paid  by  the  United  States  for  the  important  terri- 
tory was  $11,250,000.  In  addition,  by  a  separate  convention,  the 
United  States  agreed  to  pay  a  sum  not  to  exceed,  inclusive  of  interest, 
$3,7i)0,000  which  was  owed  by  France  to  American  citizens.  Con- 
gress ratified  the  treaty,  sealing  the  transaction  between  the  two 
countries  ^Nlarch  9,  1804.  Bonaparte  received  in  payment  6' ,  bonds, 
payable  fifteen  years  after  date,  and  with  the  stipulation  that  he 
would  not  dispose  of  the  bonds  at  a  price  degrading  to  the  credit  of 
tlie  American  Government. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  3 

It  is  not  without  interest  to  note  what  distant  events  had  to  do 
with  the  disposition  of  the  soil  of  Adams  Connty,  and  to  speculate 
what  might  have  happened  had  settlements  heen  otherwise  than  as 
they  were.  Napoleon  might  have  failed  to  see  the  destruction  of  his 
sea  power  and  the  territorj-  might  have  hecome  a  part  of  the  English 
dominions.  Another  war  with  the  British  concerning  this  territory 
might  have  resulted,  and  inasmuch  as  the  following  period  afforded 
times  when  England  was  unoccupied  with  continental  enemies,  she 
might  have  been  able  to  contest  this  territory  with  greater  vigor  than 
that  characterizing  other  contests  with  the  United  States.  At  any  rate 
the  territory  of  which  Adams  County  formed  a  part  passed  through 
some  momentous  and  precarious  stages. 

During  this  remote  period  of  its  history  it  may  be  recalled  that 
the  rulers  of  Adams  County,  in  common  with  the  great  territory, 
bore  strange  names.    Under  France  were  the  following  viceroys: 

Robert,  Cavalier  de  La  Salle 1682-1688 

^Nlanjuis  de  Sanville 1689-1700 

Bienville    1701-1712 

Lamothe   Catlillar    1713-1715 

De  L'Epinay    1716-1717 

Bienville    1718-1723 

Boisbriant    1724 

Bienville    1732-1741 

Baron  de  Kelerec    1753-1762 

D'Abbadie 1763-1766 

Tender  Spain  are  recorded  the  following  semi-military  governors: 

Antonio  de  Ulloa 1767-1768 

Alexander  O'Reilly 1768-1769 

Louis  de  Unzago 1770-1776 

Bernardo  de  Galbez 1777-1784 

Estevar  ]\Iiro    1785-1787 

Francisco  Luis  Hortu,  Baron  of  Carondelet.  1789-1792 

Gayoso  de  Lemos 1793-1798 

Sebastian  de  Casa,  Calvo  y  O'Farrel 1798-1799 

Jean  Manual  de  Salcedo 1800-1803 

Are  they  not  queer  sounding  names  to  have  had  authority  over 
the  soil  of  Adams  County? 

As  historians  delve  more  deeply  into  the  early  history  of  the 
United  States  it  is  being  discovered  that  the  western  plains  figured 


4  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

much  more  in  the  activities  of  the  early  explorers  than  was  for  a  time 
realized.  This  information  is  heing  dug  out  from  the  lumber  rooms 
of  wealthy  Spanish  and  French  families.  Letters,  journals  and 
reports  found  in  the  national  libraries  of  Paris,  Madrid  and  JNIexico 
are  revealing  that  the  location  and  character  of  the  region  of  which 
Adams  County  was  a  jjart  was  known  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy 
before  settlements  were  made  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 

In  the  library  of  St.  Mary's  College  in  Montreal  only  a  few  years 
ago  was  found  a  map  executed  by  Father  INIarquette  in  1673.  Schol- 
ars who  have  examined  it  believe  that  the  map  is  authentic.  Upon 
this  map  Nebraska  is  delineated  with  remarkable  accuracy.  The 
general  course  of  the  INIissouri  is  given  to  a  point  north  of  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  Nebraska;  the  course  of  the  Platte  River  is  shown 
witli  but  little  deviation  from  accuracy  and  among  the  Indian  tribes 
mentioned  are  Panasac  Panas,  jNIahas  and  Otontantes.  whicli  differ 
but  little  from  the  Pawnees,  Omahas  and  Otoes  that  A\e  know. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  believed  that  Coronado  in  his  march  from 
]\Iexico  to  the  Platte  River  entered  Nebraska  at  a  point  somewhere 
between  the  western  boundary  of  Gage  County  and  the  western 
boundary  of  Furnas  County,  it  follows  as  a  possibility  of  consider- 
able interest  that  he  traversed  Adams  County.  At  all  events  the 
course  of  the  cavalier's  march  on  his  quest  for  the  land  of  Quivera 
was  so  near  the  county  that  there  is  strong  relation  of  interest  and 
the  traditions  rightfully  belong  to  the  region. 

Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado  was  appointed  governor  of  a 
province  of  northern  Mexico  by  the  Spanish  viceroy,  Don  Antonio 
de  JMendoco.  He  was  born  in  Salamanca,  Spain,  and  belonged  to 
the  aristocracy.  His  education  was  comprehensive,  such  as  became 
a  Spaniard  of  noble  birth. 

Although  a  well  educated  man  Coronado  was  actuated  to  make 
the  long  journey  from  ^Mexico  to  the  Platte  River  by  reasons  whicli 
seem  in  this  day  chimerical  in  the  extreme,  but  which  none  the  less 
enrich  our  history  and  yield  a  pleasing  background  of  tradition. 
Coronado  set  out  on  the  expedition  early  in  the  spring  of  lo-iO.  His 
force  was  composed  of  300  Sjianiards  and  about  eight  hundred 
Indians.  The  object  of  the  expedition  was  not  exploration  but  the 
finding  of  the  cities  of  Cibola — the  seven  cities  of  the  buffalo,  which 
Avere  reported  to  exist  far  to  the  north  and  to  be  fabulously  wealthy. 
Each  of  the  seven  cities  was  described  as  rivaling  the  City  of  INIexico 
in  ]5opulation  and  magnificence.  In  these  cities  gold  and  silver  Avere 
said  to  be  in  such  enormous  quantities  that  the  natives  did  not  regard 
them  highlv,  although  whole  streets  blazed  with  the  shops  of  gold- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  5 

sniitlis  and  silversmiths  who  wrought  the  shining  metals  into  orna- 
ments and  utensils  of  common  use. 

The  rumor  of  tliese  cities  had  been  brought  first  to  the  Spaniards 
by  a  Texas  Indian,  a  slave  of  the  governor  of  New  Gallia  preceding 
Coronado.  In  search  of  them  Stephen  the  ]Moor  had  lost  his  life  in 
Indian  towns  to  the  northward.  Whether  the  Indian  played  upon 
the  credulity  of  the  Spaniards,  knowing  their  love  of  gold,  hoi)ing  to 
gain  favors  himself,  or  whether  Indian  towns  visited  in  his  youth  had 
grown  in  his  imagination  can  not  be  known.  Coronado,  at  least, 
believed  the  story  of  the  Indian  and  hoped  to  gain  gold  and  honor 
through  the  discovery  of  the  cities  of  Cibola. 

It  was  not  very  long  before  it  dawned  upon  the  expedition  that 
the  wealth  of  the  cities  of  Cibola  was  a  dream.  They  concluded  that 
it  was  very  probable  that  the  simple  Indian  villages  they  encountered 
from  time  to  time  were  the  foundation  for  the  rumor  of  the  wealthy 
and  popidous  cities.  Nevertheless  they  persisted  with  their  inquiries 
among  the  natives.  The  latter  desiring  Coronado  and  his  host  to  be 
well  out  of  their  country  were  not  slow  to  tell  of  another  jH-o\ince, 
where  the  population  and  wealth  were  great  and  the  inhabitants 
peaceable.  This  land,  according  to  the  natives,  lay  250  miles  to 
the  eastward  and  thither  Coronado  led  his  force.  The  territory  he 
reached  is  now  identified  as  the  eastern  portion  of  New  JNIexico,  the 
region  which  had  been  previously  visited  by  Stephen  the  Moor  and 
where  he  was  killed  by  the  Indians  who  resented  his  treatment  of  them 
in  return  for  the  kindness  with  which  they  had  received  him. 

Coronado  and  his  forces  were  no  more  acceptable  to  the  natives 
of  these  regions  of  New  JNIexieo  than  had  been  Stephen  the  JNIoor, 
and  it  is  believed  by  latter  day  students  that  the  relating  to  Coronado 
by  a  native  of  a  description  of  the  great  kingdom  of  Quiver  a  was  a 
ruse  perpetrated  to  induce  the  Spaniards  to  move  on.  Although  so 
many  of  the  rimiors  had  proven  to  be  false,  yet  Coronado  was 
impressed  by  the  great  minuteness  with  Mhich  the  native  described 
Quivera.  The  native  said  that  he  had  visited  this  kingdom,  which 
lay  far  to  the  northeast.  The  ruler  of  the  kingdom  was  said  to  be  the 
long  bearded,  gray  haired  Tatarrax  who  "took  his  noon  day  slee})  in 
a  garden  of  roses,  under  a  huge  spreading  tree,  to  the  branches  of 
which  were  suspended  innumerable  golden  bells,  which  soimded  in 
exquisite  harmony  when  shaken  by  the  wind." 

The  description  of  the  land  of  Quivera  so  minutely  described  by 
the  native  narrator  convinced  Coronado  that  there  must  be  some 
foundation  in  fact.  Accordingly,  on  ]May  i5,  1.541,  the  expedition 
crossed  the  Pecos  River  and  after  a  short  march  emerged  from  the 


6    PAST  AND  PRP:SEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

hills  and  came  out  upon  the  vast  uncharted  prairies  occupying  the 
area  now  known  as  Oklahoma  and  Kansas.  In  all  jjrobability,  these 
were  the  first  white  men  to  look  upon  the  vast  extending  western 
plains.  They  continued  on  their  northeastward  journey  for  about 
eight  hundred  miles,  or  until  they  came  to  a  great  river  now  believed 
to  have  been  the  Arkansas. 

On  this  long  journey  the  Indian  who  had  told  the  Spanish  cava- 
lier of  the  land  of  Quivera  acted  as  guide.  Long  before  the  river 
^^•as  reached,  however,  Coronado  had  grown  suspicious  as  to  the  truth- 
fulness of  the  narrative  of  the  guide.  It  had  been  noticed  that  if 
bands  of  Indians  encountered  on  the  way  had  first  been  in  conference 
with  the  guide,  invariably  they  corroborated  his  story,  but  if  they 
were  seen  first  by  other  members  of  the  party  they  appeared  to  know 
nothing  of  a  kingdom  to  the  eastward.  Generally  they  spoke  of  a 
land  to  the  northward. 

By  the  time  he  reached  the  Arkansas  Coronado  had  become  con- 
vinced that  he  had  been  deceived  by  the  Indian  guide  and  he  resolved 
to  continue  the  journey  north.  The  diminishing  of  the  stock  of  pro- 
visions determined  the  explorer  to  turn  back  the  greater  number  of 
his  party  toward  the  Pecos  River.  This  was  done  and  the  northern 
journey  across  the  Kansas  prairies  was  begim  Avith  thirty  moimted 
men  and  six  foot  soldiers.  The  small  party  crossed  Kansas  in  July 
and  eventually  crossed  the  southern  boundary  of  Xebraska.  This 
was  in  1541,  in  the  same  year  that  De  Soto  discovered  the 
jNIississipjii. 

Coronado  spent  twenty-five  days  exploring  the  land  of  Quivera. 
It  has  been  noted  by  the  students  of  these  early  days  that  the  reports 
of  this  expedition  made  to  the  viceroy  of  Mexico  tally  so  well  with 
the  descriptions  of  X^ebraska  that  they  might  serve  as  a  catalogue  of 
the  natural  resources  of  the  state.  Other  places  far  distant  claim  the 
distinction  of  having  been  the  location  of  the  land  of  Quivera,  but  the 
claims  of  X^ebraska  have  been  fairly  well  authenticated.  In  his  report 
to  the  viceroy  Coronado  says:  "I  have  reached  the  fortieth  pai-allel 
of  latitude."  The  flora  and  fauna  described  in  the  explorer's  report 
correspond  to  those  afterward  foinid  to  be  characteristic  of  X^ebraska. 
One  of  the  chroniclers  of  the  expedition  says:  "Quivera  is  on  the 
fortieth  parallel  of  latitude.  It  is  a  temperate  country  and  hath  very 
good  waters  and  much  grass,  plums,  mulberries,  nuts,  melons  and 
grapes,  which  rij^en  very  well.  There  is  no  cotton  and  they  aj^parel 
themselves  with  bison  hides  and  deer  skins." 

It  is  on  this  expedition  that  the  white  man  first  became  acquainted 
with  the  prairie  dog  and  the  buffalo.     The  buffalo  were  described  as 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    7 

"Oxen  of  the  bigness  and  color  of  our  bulls.  They  have  a  great  bunch 
on  their  foreshoulders,  and  more  hair  on  their  fore  part  than  on  their 
hinder  part,  and  it  is  like  wool.  They  push  with  their  horns,  they  run, 
tliey  overtake  and  kill  a  horse  when  they  are  in  their  rage  and  anger." 

It  is  jjleasing  to  reflect  sometimes  that  om-  Adams  County  is  so 
closely  related  to  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Quivera  and  the  discoveries 
of  the  renowned  cavalier  Coronado.  Our  history  is  more  ancient 
than  we  are  prone  to  realize.  Summing  up  the  investigations  that 
have  been  made  of  the  records  of  Coronado,  Hon.  James  W.  Savage, 
when  judge  of  the  Third  Judicial  District,  addressing  the  State  His- 
torical Society  on  Ajjril  10,  1880.  said:  "I  purpose  to  collect  and 
[H-esent  a  few  of  the  reasons  we  have  for  believing  that,  fourscore 
years  before  the  Pilgrims  landed  on  the'  venerable  shores  of  INIassa- 
chusetts;  sixty-eight  years  before  Hudson  discovered  the  ancient  and 
beautiful  river  which  still  bears  his  name;  sixty-six  years  before  John 
Smith,  with  his  cockney  colonists,  sailed  up  a  summer  stream  which 
they  named  after  James  the  First  of  England,  and  commenced  the 
settlement  which  was  afterward  to  be  Virginia;  twenty-three  years 
before  Shakespeare  was  born,  when  Queen  Elizabeth  was  a  little 
girl,  and  Charles  the  Fifth  sat  upon  the  united  throne  of  Germany 
and  Spain,  Nebraska  was  discovered;  the  peculiarities  of  her  soil  and 
climate  noted,  her  fruits  and  productions  described,  and  her  inhab- 
itants and  animals  depicted." 

The  facts  of  Coronado's  expeditions  rest  upon  his  own  reports 
and  have  been  brought  into  jjrominence  through  the  compilation  of 
Ternaux  Compans.  The  account  is  independently  corroborated  in 
several  works  on  jMexico  and  the  Indians  of  the  Southwest. 

SURVEYS  AXn  TOPOGRAPHY 

Adams  County  was  established  as  a  coimty  by  an  act  of  the  State 
Legislature  approved  February  16,  1867.  The  boundaries  as  fixed 
by  that  act  were  as  follows:  "From  the  point  where  the  east  line  of 
range  9,  west,  crosses  tlie  Platte;  thence  up  the  river  channel  to  the 
intersection  of  the  river  with  the  west  line  of  range  12;  thence  south 
to  the  southwest  corner  of  township  ,5,  range  12;  thence  east  to  the 
southeast  corner  of  township  5,  range  9;  thence  north  to  place  of 
lieginning.  The  location  outlined  in  the  foregoing  description  is  the 
same  as  the  present  boundary  lines  except  upon  the  north.  Instead 
of  the  Platte  River  being  the  boundary,  that  line  is  now  the  north 
line  of  township  8,  north. 

Tlie  field  notes  of  the  siu'veyors,  which  are  preserved  in  the  office 


8    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  the  county  surveyor,  show  that  the  county  was  surveyed  before 
there  were  any  settlers.  The  survej^ors  were  Charles  W.  Pierce  and 
Nathan  P.  Cooke.  These  two  survej'ors,  however,  established  the 
township  lines  only;  that  is,  they  established  the  lines  that  divide  the 
county  into  sixteen  squares,  the  sides  of  each  square  being  six  miles 
in  length.  It  was  not  the  business  of  tlie  surveyors  as  they 
worked  to  locate  a  particular  county.  Thej'  established  the  lines 
with  which  counties  might  be  designated  as  they  were  formed  by  acts 
of  the  Legislature.  The  field  notes  show  that  the  toAvnshi]5  lines  of 
Adams  County  were  surveyed  beginning  July  16,  1859,  and  were 
eomiJleted  September  10,  1860. 

Surveyors  obtained  contracts  from  the  National  Government  to 
survey  certain  designated  districts,  and  their  work  was  under  tlie 
supervision  of  the  surveyor-general.  The  contracts  for  surveying  the 
territory  in  which  Adams  County  lies  were  obtained  by  Pierce  and 
Cooke  on  April  29,  1859,  and  August  6,  1860,  and  were  numbers 
270  and  280. 

The  surveying  into  sections  was  not  done  at  the  time  that  the 
township  lines  were  laid.  Sectionizing  was  a  separate  survey, 
although  in  Adams  County  it  was  done  at  about  the  same  time  that 
the  township  lines  were  established.  This  work  too  was  let  by  con- 
tract and  the  field  notes  show  that  several  had  contracts  for  work  in 
Adams  County.  The  greater  part  of  the  section  lines  were  laid  in 
1860.  Those  in  Denver  Township,  in  which  Hastings  was  located, 
were  surveyed  in  1860,  the  work  being  done  between  September  2Tth 
and  October  3d.  Henry  James  was  the  name  of  the  surveyor.  The 
laying  of  section  lines  in  Cottonwood  Township  was  not  completed 
until  1867.  In  this  township  William  Hardin  established  the  section 
lines.  Tlie  surveyors  lived  in  camjjs,  camp  being  established  at  some 
spot  that  would  be  central  to  the  work  for  a  while.  Their  appearance 
was  the  beginning  of  the  county  life  that  we  know. 

Adams  County,  like  all  the  public  lands  of  Nebraska,  was  sur- 
vej'ed  after  the  system  which  is  generally  credited  to  have  been 
devised  by  General  William  Henry  Harrison.  The  basis  of  this 
system  is  a  plan  of  imaginary  lines,  definitely  located,  and  called  base 
lines  and  meridians.  First  the  meridians  are  established.  These  run 
due  nortli  from  a  fixed  geographic  landmark  and  are  intersected  ])y 
base  lines  miming  east  and  went. 

In  the  land  sun^eys  of  the  West  there  are  six  principal  meridians. 
The  first  runs  from  the  mouth  of  the  JNIiami  River,  in  Ohio;  the 
second,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Blue  River,  in  Indiana;  the 
third,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  River  at  Cairo,  Illinois;  tlie  fourth. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJSIS  COUNTY  9 

from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River;  the  fifth,  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Arkansas  River.  Ujjon  the  sixth  jirincipal  meridian,  with  its 
base  line  the  fortieth  parallel  of  latitude,  is  arranged  the  system  of 
surveys  for  public  lands  in  Nebraska  and  Kansas. 

Begiiming  with  the  fortieth  i^arallel  of  latitude,  that  is,  running 
east  and  west,  standard  parallels  are  run  at  intervals  of  twenty-four 
miles,  the  width  of  four  townships,  on  the  north  side  of  the  base  line; 
that  is,  the  fortieth  parallel.  On  the  south  side  of  this  base  the  inter- 
vals are  thirty  miles,  or  the  width  of  five  townships. 

Guide  meridians  are  next  established  at  distances  of  eight  town- 
shijis,  or  forty-eight  miles,  east  and  west  of  the  i^rincipal  meridian. 
By  this  plan  parallelograms,  48  miles  by  24  miles,  are  formed,  whose 
limits  are  the  base  line,  principal  meridian,  standard  parallel  and 
guide  meridian,  and  these  lines  are  the  basis  of  the  land  surveys.  In 
numbering  the  townshijis,  east  or  west  from  a  given  meridian,  they 
are  called  ranges;  in  numbering  north  or  south  from  a  base  line  they 
are  called  townshijis.  Townships  are  divided  into  tracts  called  sec- 
tions, Avhich  are  a  mile  square,  and  these  are  the  units  of  land  surveys. 

The  sixteen  townships  of  Adams  County  are  the  following,  the 
first  four  named  being  the  eastern  tier  and  the  following  groups  of 
four  being  the  successive  tiers  west,  beginning  with  tlie  northern 
townships:  West  Blue,  Blaine,  Hanover,  Little  Blue;  Highland, 
Denver,  Ayr,  Zero;  Verona,  Juniata,  Roseland,  Silver  Lake;  Kene- 
saw,  Wanda,  Cottonwood  and  Logan. 

Adams  County,  being  24  miles  square,  contains  .576  square  miles, 
embracing  368,646  acres.  There  is  a  gradual  rise  of  height  above  sea 
level  as  one  travels  from  east  to  west  across  the  county.  The  eleva- 
tion at  Hastings  is  1,934  feet;  at  Hansen  if  is  1,949  feet;  at  Pauline. 
1,777;  at  Roseland.  1,969;  at  Holstein,  2,011;  at  Leroy,  1,860. 

In  the  southern  part  of  Adams  County  the  Little  Blue  River 
with  a  number  of  tributary  creeks  which  form  its  headwaters  flows 
in  a  general  easterly  direction  looping  north,  however,  at  a  point 
about  directly  south  of  Hastings.  The  Platte  River  cuts  off  a  very 
small  corner  of  the  northwest  jiart  of  the  county  in  Kenesaw  Town- 
shi]).  These  two  are  the  only  rivers  in  the  county.  The  Little  Blue 
is  formed  from  its  creeks  at  a  point  about  twelve  miles  southwest  of 
tlie  Village  of  Ayr.  It  flows  in  a  general  northeast  direction  imtil  to 
nearly  the  east  side  of  Ayr  Township  when  it  takes  a  southeast  direc- 
tion through  Hanover  and  Little  Blue  townships.  After  leaving 
Adams  County  it  continues  its  southeast  course,  crossing  portions  of 
Clay  and  Nuckolls  counties  and  then  crosses  Thayer  County  from 
west  to  east,  after  which  it  increases  its  southern  swerve  in  Jefferson 


10        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

County,  finally-  entering  the  Blue  River  near  Blue  Rapids  in  ]\Iar- 
.shall  County.  Kansas,  some  ten  miles  below  ISIarysville. 

While  the  Little  Blue  is  a  small  stream,  often  in  dry  weather  no 
more  than  a  few  inches  deep,  it  is  the  principal  stream  in  the  county 
from  the  point  of  attraction.  Natural  timber  grows  upon  its  banks 
and  therefore  it  affords  opportunities  for  picnics  and  is  used  consid- 
erably for  that  purpose.  It  also  affords  some  fishing,  channel  cat 
being  the  species  most  sought.  In  dry  weather  the  road  which  in 
many  places  winds  among  the  timber  affords  a  picturesque  drive  for 
automobiles.  When  iiood  conditions  prevail  in  seasons  of  much  rain- 
fall or  following  the  thaw  of  much  snow  the  Little  Blue  attains  to  a 
mile  or  more  in  width.  Sharp  hills  border  the  stream  for  a  mile  or 
so  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

The  creeks  which  give  rise  to  the  Little  Blue  for  the  most  part 
flow  into  it  from  the  north  side.  These  creeks  are  generally  dry,  but 
after  heavy  rains  and  thaws  a  large  volume  of  water  is  carried  by 
them  into  the  river.  Thirty-two  INIile  Creek  enters  the  Blue  on  the 
north  side.  This  creek  rises  in  the  south  central  part  of  Verona 
Township  and  flows  in  a  general  southeast  direction  passing  about  a 
half  mile  west  of  Juniata.  It  enters  Denver  Township  on  the  west 
side  of  section  30,  and  shortly  afterwards  it  makes  a  sharp  looping 
turn  flowing  northeast  before  turning  sharply  south.  It  enters  the 
Blue  on  section  26  in  Ayr  Township. 

Pawnee  Creek  rises  in  Verona  Township  and  flows  northeast.  It 
enters  Denver  near  the  northwest  corner,  cuts  off  the  southwest 
corner  of  Blaine  and  then  flows  south  to  about  the  center  of  Hanover, 
where  it  turns  to  the  east  and  flows  across  the  latter  township. 

Cottonwood  Creek  enters  Wanda  Townshi})  near  the  northwest 
corner;  it  flows  east  about  two  miles  and  then  takes  a  southeasterly 
direction  across  Wanda  and  Cottonwood  townships,  reaching  the 
Blue  on  the  west  side  of  section  10  in  Silver  Lake  Township,  about 
a  mile  north  and  a  little  west  of  Silver  Lake. 

Sand  Creek  rises  near  the  western  side  of  the  county  in  Cotton- 
wood Township  and  runs  along  the  northeast  corner  of  Logan  enter- 
ing Silver  Lake  Township  about  a  mile  and  there  entering  the  Blue. 
Crooked  Creek,  Ash  Creek  and  Oak  Creek  enter  the  Blue  from  the 
south  side  in  Little  Blue  Township.  West  Blue  Creek  rises  near 
Hastings  and  flows  in  a  noi-theasterly  direction  across  West  Blue 
Township.    It  ultimately  reaches  the  Big  Blue  River  near  Crete. 

Silver  Lake  lies  near  the  center  of  the  township  that  bears  the 
same  name.  This  body  of  water  is  shajjcd  much  like  a  horseshoe  with 
the  opening  to  the  north.     The  greater  part  of  the  lake  lies  in  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        n 

noithwest  and  northeast  quarters  of  section  15,  though  both  tips  of 
the  liorseshoe  extend  across  the  road  into  the  respective  quarters  of 
section  10.  At  its  closest  point  to  the  Blue,  which  is  on  section  10, 
the  lake  is  within  about  ten  rods  of  the  river.  It  does  not  flow  into 
the  I'iver,  however,  except  at  periods  of  very  high  water.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  the  vicinitjf  say  that  the  water  in  the  lake  is  not  as  high  now, 
191G,  as  it  was  generally  some  twenty  years  ago.  At  that  time  there 
was  considerable  boating  on  the  lake,  but  it  has  diminished  in  recent 
j'ears. 

At  the  present  time  the  lake  is  usually  only  about  three  feet  deep 
in  the  deepest  places  and  of  course  much  shallower  over  a  good  deal 
of  the  surface.  It  is  fed  by  rains  and  thaws,  although  in  the  south- 
west corner  there  is  a  spring.  A  peculiarity  of  this  spring  is  that  it 
is  not  observable  unless  the  sunmier  should  be  a  dry  one.  In  that 
event  the  spring  is  seen  to  begin  to  flow  early  in  September,  and  pre- 
vents the  lake  from  becoming  dry.  If  the  lake  were  laid  out  in  a 
straight  line  it  \\ould  be  about  a  mile  and  one-half  in  length.  Ordi- 
narily it  is  about  fifteen  rods  in  width  but  when  there  is  great  rainfall 
it  swells  to  some  one  hundred  and  twenty  rods  in  width.  In  season 
there  are  numbei's  of  wild  ducks  on  this  water,  but  they  do  not  fre- 
quent it  in  anything  like  the  numbers  that  were  foimd  here  twenty 
years  ago.  This  lake  is  the  only  natural  lake-  in  the  county.  It  never 
becomes  entirely  dry,  although  when  the  drought  is  prolonged  a  few 
puddles,  due  to  the  spring,  are  all  that  save  the  reputation  of  the  lake. 

Following  the  course  of  the  Platte  in  Kenesaw  Township  a  low 
range  of  sandliills  extends.  The  sandhills  follow  at  a  distance  of  a 
mile  or  so  from  the  Platte.  In  the  west  central  part  of  Wanda  town- 
ship, too,  sandhills  are  found,  embracing  an  area  of  perhaps  four 
sections.  Some  more  sandhills  are  found  in  the  western  part  of 
Cottonwood  Township. 

The  following  is  a  general  topographical  description  of  the  county 
by  townships.  liittle  Blue,  rough  along  Blue  River  and  creeks;  rest 
smooth  and  rolling.  Hanover,  mostly  rolling  and  fertile;  south  part 
somewhat  rough.  Blaine,  generally  level,  smooth  and  fertile;  very 
little  low  land.  West  Blue,  about  two-thirds  rolling,  smooth  land; 
rest  rather  rough  along  creeks. 

Zero,  south  half,  rolling  fine  land;  north  half  some  rough;  all 
fertile.  Ayr,  rough  along  Blue  River  and  creeks;  balance  rolling; 
all  fertile.  Denver,  southern  part  some  rough;  balance  rolling;  all 
very  fertile.  Highland,  smooth,  gently  rolling;  very  little  low  land 
and  very  little  rough. 

Silver  Lake,  rough  and  some  sand  along  the  Blue  River;  balance 


12        PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

rolling  and  fertile.  Roseland,  nearly  all  rich,  smooth  land;  some 
rough  in  south  part.  Juniata,  some  rough  along  creeks;  balance  all 
smooth,  good  land.  Verona,  gently  rolling,  all  rich  and  fertile:  no 
waste  land. 

Logan,  rough  along  the  creeks;  balance,  fine  rolling  land.  Cot- 
tonwood, about  one-third  rough  and  sandy;  rest  fine,  fertile  land. 
Wanda,  Avest  third  rough  with  some  sandy  spots;  balance  smooth 
and  rolling.  Kenesaw,  north  half  rough  and  sandy  in  places;  south 
half  rolling,  fine  land. 

The  rapid  development  of  Adams  County  since  its  organization 
in  1871  suggests  that  there  was  behind  this  movement  a  strong  pres- 
sure of  pojiulation  that  urged  the  people  to  look  for  homes  in  the  new 
and  undeveloped  jjrairie  country.  And  such  was  the  case.  JNIany 
of  the  newcomers  were  from  Illinois,  INIichigan,  Wisconsin  and  Indi- 
ana. The  resources  of  these  states  had  caused  them  to  be  quickly 
populated  from  the  old  Atlantic  seaboard  and  neighboring  states. 
For  this  reason  emigration  was  in  the  traditions  of  the  peojjle  so  that 
they  did  not  shrink,  at  least  to  no  forbidding  extent,  from  seeking 
their  fortunes  in  the  prairie  land.  .Vt  home  the  price  of  land  had 
increased  to  a  jjoint  that  made  its  acquisition  a  very  difficult  matter 
to  those  who  had  little  more  than  youth  and  ambition  Avith  Avhich  to 
attack  the  i^roblem,  and  these  heard  gladly  the  call  of  the  new  land. 

Adams  County,  then,  Avas  in  the  path  of  the  stream  of  people 
floAving  AvestAvard  from  the  East,  crossing  the  INIissouri  River  and 
poiu'ing  into  Nebraska  and  Kansas.  Toavus  tAvinkled  into  being  here 
and  there  on  the  vast  domain  of  the  prairie  Avilderness  Avith  a  regu- 
larity that  presaged  of  the  future.  Isolated,  indeed,  Avere  the  sod 
shanties  of  the  early  pioneers  but  from  time  to  time  they  felt  the 
consciousness  of  the  country  groAving  and  felt  something  of  the  sus- 
taining force  that  comes  of  the  knoAvledge  that  one  is  not  alone,  that 
his  hardships,  experiences  and  hopes  are  those  common  to  others. 

The  act  creating  Nebraska  a  territory  became  a  laAV  seventeen 
years  before  Adams  County  Avas  established.  This  Avas  ^lay  30, 
1854.  The  territorial  officers  appointed  by  President  Pierce,  Avith 
Governor  Burt  as  chief  executive,  did  not  arrive  at  BelleA'ue,  then  the 
only  toAvn  of  pretension  in  the  territory,  until  October  7th  of  that 
year.  Thirteen  years  later.  February,  1867,  Nebraska  Avas  admitted 
into  the  Union  as  a  state,  during  the  presidency  of  AndrcAv  Johnson. 
Four  years  after  this,  in  1871,  Adams  County  Avas  organized;  very 
nearly  then  does  the  history  of  the  comity  date  as  far  back  as  the 
history  of  Nebraska  as  a  state.  At  the  time  of  the  organization  of 
the  county.  Secretary  of  State  W.  H.  James  Avas  acting  gOA-ernor  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        13 

the  place  of  David  Butler,  the  first  state  governor  who,  earlier  in  the 
year,  had  been  removed  from  office  following  impeachment  upon  the 
charge  of  misapprojiriating  state  funds. 

At  this  time  tliere  was  for  the  encouragement  of  the  early  settlers 
the  ever  coming  stream  of  eastern  immigrants.  A  territorial  census 
taken  in  18.55  showed  the  population  of  Nebraska  to  be  4,491.  In 
1870  it  had  increased  to  122,993.  By  the  time  that  Adams  County 
was  organized  a  school  system  had  been  established  in  thirty-one 
Nebraska  counties,  and  signs  of  pioneer  settlers'  activities  were  visi- 
ble in  the  immediately  surrounding  territory.  To  the  northward 
Hall  Count  J'  had  officers  by  appointment  as  earlj^  as  1858;  eastward, 
the  jjostoffice  in  Harvard,  Clay  County,  was  established  in  Decem- 
ber. 1871.  while  the  population  of  that  county  the  previous  year  was 
54.     Webster  Countv.  to  the  south,  was  organized  in  1871. 


CHAPTER  II 

ADAMS  COUXTY  SOILS  AXD  CLIMATE 
Bv  Prof.  Walter  J.  Kent,  Hastings  College 

To  get  a  correct  understanding  of  the  nature  and  kinds  of  soils 
it  will  be  necessary  to  go  back  somewhat  into  the  geological  history 
of  the  earth.  This  land  upon  which  we  are  producing  our  wheat  and 
corn  has  had  a  history  which  extends  far  back  when  the  world  was  in 
l^rocess  of  formation.  Xo  one  knows  or  can  scarcely  form  a  concep- 
tion of  the  vast  extent  of  time  which  has  been  required  to  make  a 
fertile  soil  out  of  what  was  first  solid  rocks.  We  say  rocks,  leaving 
out  of  the  consideration  possible  times  of  a  gaseous  or  a  liquid  condi- 
tion of  the  earth.  ^Ve  might  say  in  just  a  sentence  in  passing  that 
this  earth  is  supposed  to  have  begun  its  existence  as  a  body  of  gas 
thrown  off  from  the  sun,  then  to  have  gradually  cooled  down  into  a 
liquid  and  afterward  a  solid  body  or  a  body  with  a  solid  crust  over 
the  surface.  The  condition  of  the  interior  of  the  earth  is  still  an  open 
(juestion,  but  there  is  a  probability  that  it  is  an  intensely  heated  but 
solid  mass  of  matter. 

In  the  cooling  of  this  mass  of  gas  there  was  formed  a  spherical 
body  covered  over  with  water  and  surrounded  by  an  envelope  of  air. 
LTnder  the  water  there  was  a  solid  crust  of  matter  in  the  form  of 
rocks,  or  a  layer  of  granite  rock  to  be  exact.  When  this  body  of  gas 
cooled,  three  distinct  forms  of  matter  separated — air,  Avater,  and 
solid  rock.  Difference  in  density  caused  these  to  take  the  positions 
mentioned  before,  the  rock  below,  then  the  water,  and  the  air  still 
above  the  water. 

The  interior  of  the  earth  is  known  to  be  intensely  heated  and 
violent  disturbances  causing  elevations  and  subsidences  in  the  crust 
of  the  earth  have  at  times  occiu-red.  In  this  way  the  land  in  places 
arose  from  the  sea.  But  this  land  was  in  all  cases  solid  rock  of  a 
granite  formation.  From  this  granite  rock  all  oin-  soil  has  been 
formed.  At  first  mostly  sand  but  afterward  changing  into  clay  and 
all  stages  between  sand  and  clay.  A  granite  rock  is  composed  of 
14 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    15 

several  distinct  kinds  of  matter.  There  are  particles  of  quartz,  of 
feldspar,  and  of  mica,  and  sometimes  of  other  mineral  matter.  Now 
when  a  granite  rock  decomposes,  due  to  the  action  of  the  atmosphere, 
the  quartz  jiarticles  form  grains  of  sand,  feldspar  forms  clay  directly. 
Sand  will  also  decay  under  some  conditions  and  form  clay.  ^Nluch  of 
our  Adams  County  soil  is  j-ellow  clay  from  decayed  sandstone.  This 
stone  once  formed  the  surface  of  the  land  but  percolating  water  has 
caused  it  to  decay  to  a  depth  of  more  than  one  hundred  feet  in  many 
places.  That  is,  we  have  a  hundred  feet  of  yellow  clay  before  we 
reach  the  rock.  This  sandstone  was  once  granite  but  dissolved  under 
the  erosion  of  the  atmosphere  into  sand.  This  sand  was  then  buried 
under  rivers  and  beds  of  water.  Here  under  pressure  it  was  com- 
piessed  into  sandstone,  then  an  elevation  of  the  earth's  crust  occurred 
and  the  sandstone  was  brought  to  the  surface.  Since  that  time  there 
has  been  tliis  slow  decay  by  the  water  until  the  present  when  we  may 
find  many  feet  of  yellow  clay  before  we  come  to  the  more  solid  rock 
below. 

It  will  ])e  understood  that  this  is  a  very  brief  outline  of  the  geologi- 
cal history  of  our  soil.  More  extended  discussion  will  not  belong  to 
this  work.  A  survey  of  the  whole  State  of  Nebraska  shows  four  dis- 
tinct regions  each  with  a  different  type  of  soil.  The  eastern  portion 
has  a  layer  or  covering  that  is  called  glacial  drift.  Then  to  the  west 
and  south,  which  includes  Adams  Count}',  windblown  soil.  To  the 
southwest  there  is  a  layer  of  volcanic  ashes,  commonly  called  alkali 
soil.  Then  in  the  northern  and  northwestern  part  we  find  the  sand- 
liills.  A\hich  were  either  carried  there  by  water  or  possibh^  were  in  part 
windblown. 

This  soil  east  of  Adams  County  which  we  call  glacial  drift  was 
brought  there  from  the  country  lying  to  the  northeast  of  the  state. 
It  was  carried  there  by  immense  fields  of  moving  ice  which  at  one 
time  in  the  history  of  the  earth  came  do^vn  from  the  north.  This 
movement  of  glaciers  or  ice  fields  carried  great  masses  of  rocks  which 
were  left  when  the  ice  afterward  melted  because  of  a  change  in  the 
conditions  upon  this  jDortion  of  the  earth.  ]Many  rocks  in  the  form 
of  boulders  not  yet  decayed  into  soil  are  still  to  be  seen  in  this  portion 
of  the  state. 

The  history  of  the  alkali  soil  is  quite  peculiar.  A  long  time  l)ack 
in  the  formation  of  the  world  the  mountains  to  the  west  contained 
many  volcanoes  that  Avere  constantly  sending  off  smoke  and  cindei-s 
of  lava.  The  prevailing  winds  were  then  as  now  from  the  west.  This 
carried  all  the  smoke  and  lava  to  the  east  where  it  was  deposited  over 
the  land.     The  immense  amount  of  time  when  these  processes  con- 


16        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNT! 

tinned  may  be  inferred  from  the  depth  of  the  deposits.  These  vary 
from  a  few  feet  to  more  than  thirty  feet  in  some  places  on  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  the  state.  This  volcanic  ash  has  been  much  wind- 
blown and  has  undergone  many  changes  due  to  the  action  of  the 
atmosphere.  As  a  result  of  all  these  agencies  we  have  our  alkali 
soils. 

The  nortliwestern  sandhills,  which  are  the  result  of  granite  rocks 
eroded  by  water,  also  carried  by  water  or  by  the  winds,  and  our  Adams 
County  soil,  much  windblown,  will  need  no  further  explanation.  The 
many  changing  causes  of  all  these  different  kinds  of  Nebraska  soils 
may  be  understood  from  this  brief  description.  INIention  should  also 
be  made  of  recent  soil  formation  along  some  of  our  rivers.  These 
alluvial  dejiosits  result  from  overflows  at  times  of  floods  and  are 
seen  especially  in  the  valley  of  the  Platte  River. 

Din-ing  the  long  inten'als  of  time  many  changes  in  temperature 
have  occurred.  At  first  intensely  heated,  the  earth  has  cooled  until 
all  jjarts  are  habitable  though  the  equatorial  regions  are  still  tropical 
in  climate.  This  cooling  of  the  earth's  surface  began  in  the  polar 
localities  and  gradually  spread  to  the  south.  All  our  present  animals 
and  jilants  came  down  to  us  from  the  north  where  their  ancestors  are 
now  to  be  found  buried  under  the  ice  and  snow  and  preserved  in  the 
locks  in  the  form  of  fossils.  This  region  itself  was  at  one  time  trop- 
ical in  temperature.  The  coal  beds  of  Kansas  and  of  Wyoming  are 
formed  of  palms  and  other  trees  now  found  only  to  the  Far  South. 
This  type  of  vegetation  once  grew  luxuriantly  in  this  state  in  former 
ages  of  its  history.  Buried  by  the  upheavals  and  subsidences  of  the 
crust  of  the  earth,  we  now  find  it  in  places  partially  petrified  in  the 
form  which  we  call  coal. 

The  native  animals  themselves  have  changed  much.  At  one  time 
the  mastodon  and  the  mammoth,  which  are  supposed  to  be  the  ances- 
tors of  the  present  day  elepliant,  lived  in  this  county.  These  liuge 
animals  Avhich  resembled  the  elephant  of  today  were  larger  than  any 
land  animals  Avhich  we  now  know.  Their  skeletons  are  found  in  sand 
beds  which  may  have  been  ancient  river  courses.  INIany  bones  from 
the  skeletons  of  these  animals  have  been  found  near  Brickton  in 
^Vdams  County.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  very  old 
types  of  the  elephant  family  with  long  trunks  and  immense  tusks 
once  roamed  over  this  county  as  well  as  the  entire  state.  Nebraska 
has  been  also  the  home  of  many  other  curious  but  now  extinct  ani- 
mals. Among  these  are  the  ancestors  of  the  horse  Avhich  we  now  use 
as  a  domestic  working  animal.  The  horse  Avhich  we  now  know  came 
to  us  with  our  European  ancestors.     But  in  times  back  an  animal 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        17 

soniewliat  resembling  the  horse  lived  in  Nebraska.  The  skeletons  of 
the  horselike  animals  have  been  found  in  several  places. 

In  the  ages  past  this  part  of  the  country  has  been  at  times  above 
the  sea  and  at  other  times  covered  with  water.  All  this  has  been 
determined  by  examining  the  fossil  forms  of  animal  life  preserved  in 
the  rocks.  Not  far  from  us  in  the  State  of  Kansas  many  skeletons 
of  very  large  fish  have  been  found.  Some  of  these  bones  would  indi- 
cate a  fish  ten  or  more  feet  in  length.  This  wovdd  imply  deep  water. 
The  geological  history  of  the  earth  has  been  that  of  a  slowly  cooling 
body  of  matter.  The  oldest  part  of  the  land  surface  in  the  arctics 
is  now  almost  uninhabitable  because  of  the  cold.  In  the  long  distant 
future  the  whole  earth  will  become  cold  and  all  plant  and  animal  life 
will  disapjjear. 

One  of  the  most  important  (questions  concerning  soils  is  that  of 
the  supply  of  ground  water  or  rather  it  might  be  called  the  under- 
ground Avater.  The  dejjth  of  this  ground  water  surface  below  the 
genei-al  land  level  is  also  a  very  important  question  in  every  agricul- 
tuial  community.  The  supply  of  Adams  County  water  is  quite 
largely  from  the  west  and  is  at  some  depth  in  ])laces.  At  other  jjlaces 
this  ground  water  is  near  the  surface.  The  importance  of  this  will  be 
understood  when  Ave  consider  the  extensive  irrigation  projects  now 
being  carried  on  in  the  State  of  Nebraska.  ]\Iany  farmers  now  own 
and  operate  small  irrigation  plants  upon  their  farms.  The  under- 
ground water  is  pumped  by  means  of  steam  or  gas  propelled  pumps 
into  reservoirs  and  then  run  over  the  land.  This  question  of  irriga- 
tion is  far  from  settled  in  all  its  phases  at  present  and  is  beyond  the 
scope  of  this  paper.  But  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  in  the  futin-e 
we  shall  make  much  use  of  the  water  that  now  goes  largely  to  waste 
as  it  makes  its  Avay  sloAvly  back  to  the  rivers  in  the  lowlands  by  this 
underground  route. 

A  vital  question  in  the  jjroduction  of  farm  crops  in  all  places  is 
this  water  content  of  the  soil.  After  every  shower  of  rain  a  large 
part  of  the  Avaterfall  sinks  into  the  ground.  Some  of  this  Avater  is 
retained  by  the  soil  near  the  surface  and  comes  back  again  by  capil- 
lary attraction  and  by  roots  of  groAving  plants.  Still  more  Avater 
sinks  deep  hito  the  earth  and  in  a  large  part  becomes  lost  so  far  as 
farming  operations  are  concerned.  The  amount  of  underground 
Avater  at  all  places  seems  almost  incredulous,  but  veiy  careful  esti- 
mates have  been  made  by  geologists.  In  Nebraska  it  is  estimated 
that  if  all  the  Avater  beloAv  the  surface  could  be  brought  back  it  Avould 
cover  the  ground  Avith  a  layer  more  than  one  hundred  feet  in  depth. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  this  Avater  beloAv  the  surface  to  irrigate  the 


18        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAIilS  COUNTY 

land  for  many  generations  to  come.  The  question  is  the  cost  of 
IJumi^ing.  In  some  jiarts  of  this  covmty  there  are  places  where  the 
underground  water  ajjproaches  the  surface.  This  is  true  in  all  locali- 
ties where  there  are  streams  of  water  or  even  low  land  where  there  is 
running  water.  It  is  a  rule  that  in  the  beds  of  rivers  the  underground 
water  lies  not  more  than  a  few  feet  below  the  surface  and  it  may  even 
approach  to  the  surface,  so  that  the  running  water  of  the  river  may 
be  in  actual  contact  jvith  this  water  underground.  Irrigation  in  these 
low  i)laces  is  only  a  matter  of  the  small  expense  to  bring  back  this 
water  from  below.  In  many  districts  of  Adams  County  where  there 
is  high  land  the  ground  water  sinks  to  a  considerable  depth.  It  would 
be  necessary  to  go  a  hundred  feet  or  more  in  many  places  to  obtain 
sufficient  water  for  irrigation,  and  here  of  course  would  come  in  the 
matter  of  heavy  expense.  Just  how  nuich  land  we  have  in  this  county 
that  can  be  easily  irrigated  and  how  much  where  the  cost  might  be 
excessive  has  never  been  determined  and  Ave  have  no  waj"  of  knowing 
at  present.  But  it  still  remains  for  the  experiment  of  irrigating  to  be 
tried  in  Adams  County  on  any  extended  scale.  There  are  plenty  of 
these  irrigation  plants  in  other  and  especially  western  parts  of  the 
state.  The  lack  of  need  of  water  during  many  seasons  has  acted  to 
deter  anyone  from  expending  any  time  or  money  to  make  use  of  this 
great  amount  of  water  below  ground. 

But  if  we  leave  out  of  the  consideration  the  need  of  water  for 
irrigation,  the  presence  of  the  water  imderground  has  much  to  do 
with  the  productiveness  of  the  land.  The  roots  of  all  plants  extend 
far  deeper  into  the  soil  than  generally  is  sujiposed.  A  depth  of  several 
feet  in  the  roots  of  corn  and  wheat  is  quite  common,  while  many 
plants,  and  especially  the  alfalfa,  send  their  roots  very  much  deeper. 
When  we  come  to  the  forest  shade-trees  of  course  a  depth  of  manv 
feet  is  common,  though  there  are  some  trees  whose  roots  are  in  most 
part  close  to  the  surface.  In  general,  however,  the  groAAih  of  the 
tree  is  largely  a  question  of  the  water  supply  of  the  soil.  JNIany  trees 
send  their  roots  down  to  where  the  ground  is  always  moist,  and  any 
change  such  as  might  be  caused  by  the  digging  of  a  ditch  for  drain- 
age of  the  land  will  cause  the  death  of  trees  standing  near.  This 
death  of  the  tree  under  these  circumstances  is  to  be  explained  by  the 
absence  of  the  usual  water  supply.  The  presence  of  many  trees 
in  Nebraska  along  the  water  courses  and  in  low  ground  and  their 
absence  on  high  ground  is  a  fact  of  very  common  observation.  This 
whole  matter  is  merely  a  question  of  water  supply.  With  more 
abundant  rainfall  and  groundwater  there  would  never  have  been  any 
prairie  land  in  the  West.     Whenever  in  any  virgin  country  there  is 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OP^  ADAMS  COUXTY        19 

a  lack  of  vegetation  the  cause  must  be  sought  in  one  of  two  ways, 
either  poor  soil  or  lack  of  moisture.  Here  in  X^ebraska  where  the 
early  settlers  found  the  country  covered  only  with  grasses  of  the  very 
hardy  varieties,  unfavorable  climatic  conditions  could  be  and  were 
by  many  discerned  at  once.  But  to  come  back  again  to  the  subject 
of  our  soil  water  supj^ly,  here  we  nmst  look  for  means  to  change 
natural  conditions,  and  in  this  respect  we  are  exceeduigly  fortunate. 
Tlie  supply  of  underground  water  is  sufficient  for  all  time  to  come 
since  the  total  amount  is  constantly  increasing  by  additional  rains. 
But  very  little  of  the  water  from  any  shower  of  rain,  no  matter  how 
iieavy,  runs  off  into  the  rivers  and  reaches  the  sea  again  in  this  way. 
It  all  or  nearlj'  all  goes  into  the  ground  and  only  after  many  years 
does  it  seep  back  through  underground  channels  to  the  seashore.  The 
different  laj'ers  of  clay,  sand  and  rock  for  a  depth  of  several  hundred 
feet  below  ground  are  completely  saturated  with  water.  This  great 
volume  of  water  is  slowly  moving  back  again  to  the  sea  whence 
it  came  in  the  form  of  vajior  in  clouds  and  rain.  The  importance  of 
the  work  of  this  water  in  soilmaking  can  scarcely  be  overestimated. 
The  unfortunate  part  about  it  is  that  it  lies  so  far  below  ground  that 
roots  of  ordinary  plants  can  not  reach  down  and  bring  any  of  this 
moisture  back  again.  The  flow  of  water  underground  has  caused  the 
decay  of  rocks  and  in  this  way  a  soil  many  feet  deep  has  been  formed. 
Tlie  top  layer  has  been  mixed  with  humus  from  the  decayed  plants 
imtil  there  is  now  one  or  more  feet  of  black  soil  very  rich  in  chemicals 
and  with  many  bacteria,  especially  the  nitrogen-fixing  kinds.  Upon 
this  black  humus  soil  farmers  are  now  raising  crops.  The  chemical 
content  of  this  soil  is  more  or  less  depleted  with  each  crop.  There  is 
a  question  of  how  long  will  the  original  supply  of  chemicals  last  with- 
out fertilization  by  artificial  means.  So  far  in  the  history  of  X^ebraska 
farming  everything  has  been  taken  out  of  the  soil  and  nothing  put 
back  except  in  the  case  of  the  alfalfa  culture.  This  crop  is  peculiar 
in  that  it  fertilizes  the  soil  in  the  supply  of  nitrogen.  There  are  cer- 
tain microscojiic  bacteria  upon  the  roots  of  this  plant,  also  on  clovers 
of  all  kinds,  which  take  nitrogen  from  the  air  and  transfer  it  to  the 
soil.  This  is  a  chemical  change  which  takes  place  and  the  soil  is 
enriched  by  the  growing  of  this  plant,  at  least  in  the  nitrogen  supply. 
It  may  be  worth  while  to  note  in  passing  that  the  air  we  breathe 
consists  in  the  main  part  of  two  chemicals,  oxygen  and  nitrogen. 
There  is  also  water  vapor  and  other  elements  in  small  amounts.  This 
nitrogen,  so  abundant  in  the  atmosphei-e  that  it  forms  almost  four- 
fifths  by  volume,  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  land  fertilizers. 
One  large  class  of  plants  called  legumes,  of  whicli  alfalfa  is  one,  have 


20        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

played  a  very  important  part  in  the  formation  of  a  fertile  soil.  They 
have  by  means  of  the  bacteria  upon  their  roots  transferred  much 
nitrogen  from  the  air  to  the  soil.  But  the  work  of  plants  is  not  all 
destructive  so  far  as  the  atmosphere  is  concerned.  Plants  fiu-nish 
much  oxygen  to  the  air.  The  crust  or  covering  of  the  earth  is  almost 
one-half  oxygen,  in  the  form  of  comiJounds  with  other  elements. 
Water  is  also  in  part  oxygen.  The  leaves  of  the  green  plants  in  their 
physiological  processes  give  off  great  quantities  of  oxygen  and  in 
this  way  the  oxygen  content  of  the  air  is  maintained. 

Another  important  work  of  plants  in  the  formation  of  soil  is 
performed  by  the  roots.  The  way  in  wliich  a  plant  gets  its  food  is 
some^vhat  peculiar.  The  roots  secrete  and  give  off  in  the  presence 
of  moisture  chemical  solutions  that  will  dissolve  particles  of  soil  or 
even  rocks.  These  solutions  are  then  absorbed  again  by  the  cells  of 
the  plant  by  a  process  called  osmosis  and  ascend  to  the  leaves.  Here 
other  chemical  changes  are  produced  by  the  action  of  the  green 
matter  of  the  leaf  and  the  sunlight.  These  green  leaves  of  the  plant 
are  its  digestive  system.  Here  the  food  is  prepared  for  all  parts. 
The  roots  themselves  get  their  food  from  the  leaves.  There  are 
certain  kinds  of  plants  that  will  live  upon  rocks.  Such  food  as  they 
will  need  they  get  by  the  roots  dissolving  the  rock  and  from  the  air. 
For  long  periods  of  time  after  outflows  of  lava  from  volcanoes  and 
in  other  rocky  places  the  only  plant  growth  will  be  these  mosslike 
forms  which  will  in  time  and  with  the  aid  of  water  redvice  the  solid 
rock  to  small  particles.  Other  plants  Avill  then  obtain  a  foothold  and 
dissolve  the  rocks  still  more,  and,  mixed  with  the  humus  from  the 
dead  plants  themselves,  a  fertile  soil  is  gradually  built  up. 

In  the  geological  history  of  soil  formation  these  two  factors  are 
of  first  importance,  running  water  and  the  roots  of  growing  plants. 
Certain  kinds  of  rocks  of  the  limestone  and  sandstone  varieties  read- 
ily dissolve  in  water  into  clay  and  sand.  But  the  granite  rocks  are 
much  more  stable.  They  are  generally  considered  quite  indestruc- 
tible so  far  as  natural  agencies  are  concerned.  There  is,  however,  no 
rock  that  these  chemical  secretions  of  plant  roots  will  not  dissolve, 
and  the  erosions  of  rocks  by  the  agency  of  water  is  much  aided  by 
the  roots  of  plants  in  many  cases. 

Should  we  wish  to  begin  the  history  of  the  soil  with  the  rise  of 
the  crust  of  the  earth  out  of  the  sea,  it  will  be  at  first  all  solid  rock. 
Then  by  the  action  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  rain  partially  dissolved 
on  the  upper  surface.  This  was  followed  by  the  appearance  of  plants 
and  more  rock  dissolution,  also  the  formation  of  the  humus  layer,  as 
mixture  of  dissolved  rocks  and  decaved  vegetation.     The  final  result 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        21 

has  been  the  fertile  soil  which  now  supports  all  plant  and  animal  life. 
But  in  this  process  of  development  plant  life  has  preceded  animal 
life. 

The  climate  of  Nebraska  presents  many  peculiar  phases.  This 
may  be  explained  in  part  by  the  geographical  location.  The  state  is 
close  to  the  mountains  on  the  west.  The  wide  expanse  from  the  west 
to  the  east  also  gives  room  for  a  considerable  variation  in  conditions; 
then  there  is  the  imjiortant  facf  of  the  general  movement  of  storms 
across  the  state,  and  the  changes  due  to  topography.  The  eastern 
end  of  the  state  is  not  high  above  the  sea  level,  but  the  rise  is  rapid 
in  crossing  the  state  to  the  west.  There  is  a  rise  of  about  seven  feet 
to  the  mile  in  Adams  County  going  from  the  eastern  line  to  the  west- 
ern. The  City  of  Hastings  stands  at  an  elevation  of  about  one  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  twenty  feet.  Toward  the  western  end  of  the 
state  there  is  a  more  rapid  increase  in  elevation  above  the  sea. 

The  climatic  conditions  of  any  place  will  depend  largely  upon  a 
number  of  factors.  The  general  elevation  above  the  sea  is  one,  dis- 
tance from  the  sea  is  another.  Proximity  to  mountain  ranges,  pres- 
ence of  forest  trees,  and  still  other  factors  might  be  mentioned.  The 
climate  of  any  part  of  the  country  is  in  reality  the  result  of  natural 
agencies.  3Ian  himself  has  little  to  do  with  this  question.  It  is  quite 
probable  that  cutting  down  the  forests  has  increased  the  velocity  of 
the  wind  in  these  sections  once  heavily  wooded.  Cultivating  the  once 
pi-airie  and  grass  covered  sections  may  affect  the  amount  of  water 
A\hich  runs  off  after  a  rain.  There  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  some 
considerable  changes  in  climate  are  to  be  noticed  in  short  periods  of 
time  for  reasons  mentioned  above.  But  passing  these  rather  small 
factors  there  remains  still  the  general  rule  that  climatic  conditions 
are  fixed  and  unchanging.  The  causes  which  produce  all  our  weather 
changes  are  constant  and  have  been  since  time  first  began.  We  shall 
discuss  just  briefly  what  these  causes  are,  but  since  this  work  is  largely 
historical  we  shall  compare  conditions  of  the  present  with  those  of 
the  past.  Half  a  century  back  when  the  pioneers  Avere  pre-empting 
th.e  land  they  found  the  soil  covered  only  with  hardy  kinds  of  grasses 
and  plants  acclimated  to  semi-arid  conditions.  This  fact  tells  the 
Avhole  story  of  climatic  conditions  for  centuries.  There  is  the  proba- 
bility of  periods  of  wet  and  of  dry  years,  or  of  seasons  with  consid- 
erable rain  during  summer  and  of  others  with  a  drouth  and  crop 
failures.  But  in  the  long  expanse  of  time  there  could  have  been  little 
change  in  the  climate  of  Nebraska. 

The  causes  of  climatic  changes  are  to  be  found  in  the  daily  rota- 
tion of  the  earth  upon  its  axis,  and  in  the  yearly  revolution  of  earth 


22        PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

around  the  sun.  Two  main  causes  and  then  several  minor  ones  which 
should  not  be  overlooked.  This  daily  rotation  of  the  earth  causes  the 
atmosiihere  which  surrounds  it  to  move  from  the  west  toward  the 
east.  Since  the  movement  of  the  earth  is  constant  and  fixed  by 
astronomical  laws,  this  west  to  east  motion  in  the  atmosphere  is  also 
constant.  The  distance  passed  over  each  day  varies  somewhat  but 
will  average  from  five  hundred  to  seven  hundred  miles.  That  is  in 
general — storms  in  Wyoming  today  will  pass  Nebraska  tomorrow; 
they  will  reach  Chicago  in  another  day  and  New  York  in  a  second  day 
after  passing  here.  Some  variations  are  to  be  exi^ected.  Not  all 
storm  movements  travel  so  rapidly,  others  more  so.  But  a  regular 
movement  in  this  direction  is  always  apparent,  not  only  across  the 
United  States  but  also  around  the  world.  Our  weather  changes  come 
to  us  across  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  with  almost  perfect  regularity. 
About  every  third  or  fourth  day  a  new  atmospheric  disturbance 
arrives  on  the  western  coast  and  moves  eastward.  Some  of  these 
disturbances  or  changes  bring  storms,  others  fair  weather.  Fre- 
quently a  stormy  period  is  followed  by  one  of  fair  weather.  At 
other  times  several  storm  periods  follow  in  succession  and  there 
results  a  Aveek  or  more  of  storms.  Then  again  fair  weather  condi- 
tions follow  one  after  another  and  for  a  considerable  time  there  will 
be  an  absence  of  rain.  This  latter  condition  is  more  usual,  or  at 
least  more  noticeable  in  summer  when  crops  are  maturing  and  much 
financially  is  at  stake.  A  period  of  dry  weather  at  any  other  season 
than  summer  will  usually  pass  quite  unnoticed.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  features  in  connection  with  the  weather  observations  is 
this  constant  movement  of  storms  towards  the  east.  Tliese  take  the 
form  of  large  areas  of  high  or  low  barometric  pressure.  The  barome- 
ter is  the  instrument  which  measures  the  weight  or  pressure  of 
tlie  atmosphere.  The  weight  varies  depending  on  the  amount  of 
water  vapor  present.  This  water  vapor  is  lighter  than  air.  When 
much  moisture  is  in  the  air  the  weight  is  less  than  when  the  air  is 
dry.  The  barometer  is  so  constructed  mechanically  that  when  the 
air  is  light  it  reads  low  and  when  the  air  is  heavy  the  instrument  reads 
high.  Consequently,  a  low  barometer  indicates  a  light  atmospliere 
or  one  with  much  moisture,  in  other  words,  stormy  or  cloudy  weather. 
^V  high  barometer  indicates  fair  weather. 

Another  peculiar  feature  of  these  storm  areas  is  the  circulation  of 
the  winds.  In  an  area  of  low  barometer  tlie  winds  circulate  in  a 
spiral  formation  and  counter-clockwise  in  direction.  In  an  area 
where  the  barometer  is  high  the  winds  are  circulating  in  the  opposite 
direction  or  clockwise.     The  air  at  the  center  of  a  counter-clockwise 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        23 

movement  is  always  rising  to  higher  elevations  where  the  moisture 
condenses  into  clouds  due  to  lower  temperature.  For  this  reason 
clouds  will  generally  form  when  the  barometer  runs  low.  The  air 
at  the  center  of  a  cloekwase  movement  of  the  winds  is  descending, 
consequently  expanding  due  to  a  higher  temperature,  and  clouds  will 
have  a  tendency  to  disappear. 

The  frequent  periods  of  dry  weather  are  caused  by  mountains  to 
the  west.  This  general  movement  of  the  atmosphere  from  the  west 
toward  the  east  will  exjjlain  the  absence  of  rain.  Any  storm 
approaching  from  the  west  crosses  the  high  mountain  ranges  before 
reaching  Nebraska.  At  the  high  elevations  moisture  is  precipitated. 
This  is  the  result  of  a  fall  in  temperature  in  ascending  above  the  land 
surface  of  the  earth.  The  average  fall  in  temperature  is  one  degree 
for  about  every  two-hundred  feet  of  elevation.  An  ascent  of  ten 
thousand  feet  would  mean  a  fall  of  fifty  degrees  in  the  temperature. 
The  actual  figures  might  vary  sliglitly  from  these,  but  they  will 
probably  answer  for  an  apj^roximation.  \Vhen  any  clouds  contain- 
ing moisture  rise  to  pass  over  the  mountains,  this  cooling  in 
teni))eratvu"e  causes  a  condensation  of  the  vapor  pai'ticles  and  they 
fall  liecause  of  their  own  weight.  There  is  always  much  snow  and 
rain  in  mountainous  places.  Once  the  clouds  cross  an  elevation  and 
descend,  there  is  a  rise  in  temperature  and  their  capacity  for  carry- 
ing moisture  increases  since  the  warmer  the  air  the  more  moisture  it 
\^i]l  carry.  This  is  a  physical  law  in  science.  The  result  of  this  is 
that  the  storms  coming  in  from  the  Pacific  Coast  lose  all  their  mois- 
ture in  the  high  regions  to  the  west  and  descend  the  eastern  slope  of 
the  mountains  as  dry  atmosphere  or  dry  winds  which  even  absorb 
moisture  from  the  soil  at  times.  At  other  times  some  of  the  moisture 
is  retained  by  the  storm  clouds  after  passmg  the  mountains  and  some 
rainfall  occurs  on  the  eastern  side.  But  a  region  of  dry  climate 
must  necessarily  follow  for  the  reasons  given.  It  is  true  of  all  desert 
localities  in  every  country  that  they  are  on  the  side  of  mountain 
ranges  opposite  from  the  general  directions  from  which  the  winds 
blow.  The  western  part  of  the  state  is  seriously  affected  by  lack 
of  rain.  The  amount  of  rainfall  increases  considerable  toward  the 
eastern  end.  The  winds  gather  much  moisture  from  the  soil  also 
fi-om  winds  which  blow  from  the  east  and  south  and  soon  become 
satm-ated  again  after  leaving  the  mountains. 

In  writing  of  the  winds  mention  has  been  made  only  of  the 
general  kinds  which  are  caused  by  the  rotation  of  the  earth  and 
wliich  are  moving  across  the  country  from  west  to  east.  But  there 
are  also  what  are  called  local  winds,  and  this  kind  is  very  conspicuous 


24        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

in  Nebraska.  They  can  be  recognized  at  once.  These  winds  come 
up  with  the  sun  in  the  morning  and  cease  at  night.  The  cause  of  this 
class  of  winds  is  difference  of  temperature  in  various  locahties  over 
the  earth's  surface.  They  may  blow  from  any  direction  and  fre- 
quently shift  about  during  the  day.  When  these  local  winds  come 
from  the  east  or  south,  they  usually  bring  much  moisture  that  may 
cause  clouds  or  even  storms  at  times.  For  this  reason  east  and 
south  winds  are  aften  called  storm  winds.  North  and  west  winds 
are  quite  likely  to  be  fair  weather  Avinds. 

A  law  of  meteorological  science  also  helps  to  explain  the  -wind 
directions.  When  storms  are  approaching  from  the  west,  the  winds 
shift  to  the  east.  After  the  storm  passes  and  fair  weather  is  com- 
ing, they  change  to  the  west  or  northwest.  To  put  it  in  a  single 
sentence,  when  storms  approach  from  the  west,  they  come  up  against 
the  winds,  and  fair  weather  comes  from  the  west  with  the  winds. 
Here  in  Nebraska  a  storm  frequently  comes  down  from  the  north- 
west. In  this  case,  the  winds  will  be  southeast,  directly  opposite  the 
storm.  The  direction  of  the  winds  is  the  result  of  all  these  causes 
mentioned.     The  frequent  changes  are  only  what  might  be  expected. 

There  is  every  probability  that  climatic  conditions  in  Nebraska 
have  remained  unchanged  for  a  long  time  back.  The  causes  of  our 
weather  changes  are  fixed  natural  laws  which  never  vary,  while  the 
api)earance  of  the  soil  and  vegetation  at  the  beginning  of  historic 
time  would  indicate  no  change  of  marked  inqjortance  since  man  first 
has  any  knowledge  of  the  country.  One  exception  to  the  above  state- 
ment must  be  made.  The  earth  is  gradually  cooling  and  here  in 
Adams  County,  where  once  tropical  plants  grew,  Ave  now  have  those 
of  the  temperate  kind.  Other  conditions  have  remained  unchanged 
since  the  mountains  to  the  Avest  arose  from  the  sea. 

The  great  question  concerning  the  future  of  agriculture  in 
Nebraska  is  connected  Avith  the  Avater  supply.  This  may  be  solved 
jiossibly  by  the  conservation  of  Avhat  noAv  runs  to  Avaste  through  the 
river  courses,  or  that  Avhich  sinks  into  the  ground  and  in  this  Avay 
becomes  lost.  The  surface  drainage  of  Adams  County  is  largely 
through  small  branches  of  the  Blue  River  system.  A  very  small 
section  of.  the  county  is  drained  by  the  Platte  River.  Only  a  small 
percentage  of  the  annual  rainfall  is  lost  by  this  surface  OAerfloAv. 
The  construction  of  dams  and  a  system  of  reservoirs  AA'herever  pos- 
sible Avould  be  of  nuich  benefit  to  the  Avhole  country.  A  supply  of 
water  could  easily  be  saved  for  irrigation  purposes.  Then  the 
presence  of  surface  Avater  ahvays  tends  toAvard  a  humid  atmosphere. 
Exj^eriments  have  shoAvn  that  air  in  passing  over  a  Avater  surface 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJMS  COUNTY        25 

soon  becomes  saturated  with  humidity.  The  dry  winds  of  summer 
are  a  very  serious  menace  to  the  farm  crops  of  this  state.  The  con- 
servation of  water  in  the  river  beds  and  other  lowlands  would  do 
something  towards  increasing  the  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  and 
directly  benefit  all  concerned.  The  large  part  of  this  work  will 
necessarily  have  to  be  carried  on  by  other  portions  of  the  state,  since 
the  surface  run  off  in  this  county  is  quite  small.  But  even  in  Adams 
County  something  could  be  done,  and  no  doubt  will  be  in  the  future 
to  conserve  our  natural  water  supply.  We  have  sufHcient  rainfall 
for  all  needs.  The  trouble  has  always  been  in  the  distribution.  It 
remains  for  man  himself  to  partially  correct  this  by  proper  conserva- 
tion of  this  water  supply  for  use  in  times  of  drouth.  We  must 
remember  in  this  connection  that  agriculture  in  Nebraska  is  even  yet 
in  a  state  of  infancy  so  far  as  time  may  be  considered.  The  chief 
object  has  been  to  get  the  most  out  of  the  virgin  soil  with  the  least 
exjjenditure  of  labor.  This  method  of  farming  has  about  come  to  an 
end.  Two  problems  now  confront  the  farmer.  One  of  these  is  the 
conservation  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  But  another  and  still  inore 
pressing  is  the  question  of  irrigation.  Some  ways  and  means  must 
be  devised  whereby  the  lands  can  be  watered  when  the  natural 
sup])ly    fails. 

The  whole  subject  of  farming  in  every  branch  is  rapidly  becoming 
a  matter  of  scientific  study.  The  high  price  of  land  and  the  unfavor- 
able climatic  conditions  make  it  imperative  that  the  most  skillful 
means  shall  be  used  to  bring  financial  returns,  and  to  overcome  the 
frequent  causes  of  crop  failures.  That  this  result  shall  be  the  history 
of  the  future  goes  without  question.  All  that  we  need  is  the  proper 
conservation  of  resources  to  make  this  county  for  all  time  the  garden 
spot  of  Nebraska. 


CHAPTER    III 

ORGANIZATION 

In  October,  1871,  the  inhabitants  of  the  unorganized  County  of 
Adams  jietitioned  acting  Governor  AVilliam  H.  James,  of  Nebraska, 
asking  that  an  election  be  held  in  the  county,  and  the  following  month 
the  governor  granted  the  petition  bj-  issuing  the  following  jiroclama- 
tion: 

PROCLAMATION 

Whereas,  a  large  number  of  the  citizens  of  the  unorganized 
County  of  Adams  have  united  in  a  petition  asking  that  an  election 
be  held  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  county  officers  preliminary  to 
the  organization  of  the  county. 

Therefore,  I,  William  H.  James,  acting  governor  of  the  State  of 
Nebraska,  by  virtue  of  the  authority  in  me  vested,  do  hereby  order 
that  an  election  be  held  at  the  dwelling  house  of  Titus  Babcock,  in 
said  county,  on  the  12th  day  of  December,  1871,  for  the  purpose  of 
choosing  three  county  conmiissioners,  one  county  clerk,  one  county 
treasurer,  one  sheriff,  one  probate  judge,  one  county  sun^eyor,  one 
county  sujJcrintendent  of  schools,  one  coroner,  three  jvidges  of  elec- 
tion and  two  clerks  of  election,  and  I  do  hereby  designate  and  appoint 
Simeon  Johnston,  E.  S.  Knapp,  and  Volney  Janes  as  judges;  JNIilton 
F.  Brown  and  William  I.  Janes  as  clerks,  to  conduct  said  election  in 
accordance  with  "an  act  for  the  organization  of  counties,"  approved 
June  24,  1867,  and  the  election  laws  of  this  state. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  cause  to 
be  affixed  the  great  seal  of  the  State  of  Nebraska,  this  7th  day  of 
November.  A.  D.  1871. 

[Seal]  WiLLiAii  H.  James, 

By  the  Acting  Governor  of  the  State,  W.  H.  James. 

At  the  election  held  in  accordance  with  the  proclamation  twenty- 
nine  votes  were  cast  at  the  home  of  Titus  Babcock  in  Juniata  and 
26 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAI^IS  COUNTY        27 

thirteen  officials  were  elected  as  follows:  Commissioners,  S.  L.  Brass, 
Edwin  jNI.  Allen,  W.  W.  Selleck;  probate  judge,  Titus  Babcock; 
county  clerk,  D.  R.  Babcock;  sherift\  I.  W.  Stark;  justices  of  the 
peace,  W.  W.  Selleck  and  Harmon  H.  Ballou;  treasurer,  J.  S. 
Chandler;  assessor,  W.  W.  Camp;  superintendent  of  schools,  A.  H. 
Bowen;  sun'eyor,  George  Henderson;  coroner,  Isaiah  Sluj'ter. 

While  the  election  was  held  on  December  12,  the  real  work  of 
the  organized  county  did  not  begin  until  January  2,  1872.  Upon 
that  date  the  board  of  commissioners  called  a  meeting  to  be  held  in 
tlie  office  of  the  county  clerk.  No  quorum  assembled,  however,  and 
the  meeting  was  adjourned  to  January  16,  and  upon  that  date  the 
first  official  business  of  Adams  Comity  was  transacted. 

The  first  act  of  the  board  was  to  divide  the  county  into  three  com- 
missioners' districts.  District  number  1  comprised  township  5  in 
ranges  9,  10,  11  and  12  and  the  two  sonthern  tiers  of  sections  in  town- 
ship 6.  Mr.  Selleck  represented  this  district.  District  number  2  was 
defined  as  that  portion  of  the  county  lying  north  of  district  number 
1  and  west  of  the  line  between  ranges  10  and  11.  This  district  was 
represented  by  INIr.  Allen.  District  number  3  comprised  all  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  county  lying  north  of  district  number  1  and  east  of  the 
line  between  ranges  10  and  11.  Air.  Brass  was  the  representative 
of  this  district. 

On  the  same  day  the  commissioners  created  seven  road  districts 
and  aj^ijointed  the  following  road  supervisors:  Eben  Wright,  Volney 
Janes.  U.  G.  King.  John  M.  JNIyer,  R.  K.  Daily,  Pliny  Allen  and 
James  H.  Sweeting.  Road  supervisorship  came  as  an  unexpected 
honor  to  the  greater  number  of  the  appointees.  Later  they  were  to 
learn  that  no  inconsiderable  part  of  their  work  was  to  be  done  "with- 
out exjiense  to  the  county."  The  location  of  the  roads  with  the  as- 
sistance of  the  county  surveyor  ^vas  the  greater  part  of  their  duties 
and  also  to  report  to  the  commissioners  where  bridges  and  culvei'ts 
were  needed  in  their  several  districts. 

Upon  the  first  day  of  their  meeting  the  commissioners  fixed  their 
own  salary  at  $3.00  per  day  for  the  time  actually  employed  and  legal 
mileage.  The  salary  of  the  county  clerk  was  fixed  as  $loO  per  year 
and  tliat  of  the  probate  judge  at  seventy-five  dollars.  No  fixed  salary 
was  at  first  accorded  the  county  superintendent  except  a  compensa- 
tion of  $4.00  per  day  for  the  time  actually  served.  This  rate  of  com- 
pensation was  reduced  to  $3.00  per  day  by  an  amended  motion  before 
tlie  close  of  the  year.  Some  two  weeks  after  fixing  the  original  salaries 
the  commissioners  amended  their  action  raising  the  salary  of  the 
county  clerk  to  $300  per  year. 


28        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADA3IS  COUNTY 

Salaries  in  the  county  offices  have  increased  with  the  develoiJnient 
of  the  county.  At  j^resent  the  county  clerk  receives  $1,650  per  year; 
the  county  judge,  $1,050;  county  superintendent,  $1,600;  county, 
treasin-er,  $2,000;  clerk  of  the  district  court,  $1,600;  register  of 
deeds,  $1,500;  county  attorney,  $1,300;  sheriff,  $1,800;  county  as- 
sessor, $700.  The  county  supervisors  are  now  paid  $4.00  per  day 
with  the  provision  that  no  supervisor  shall  receive  more  than  $650  in 
one  year. 

On  the  second  day  of  their  activities  the  county  commissioners 
ordered  that  a  building  for  the  county  offices  be  put  up  within  ten 
days.  The  dimensions  specified  were:  length,  20  feet;  breadth,  16 
feet;  height  between  joists,  8  feet,  and  the  rafters  to  come  down  to 
the  ujjper  joists.  This  building  they  ordered  to  be  constructed  of 
l^ine  lumber;  boarded  and  battened  on  the  outside;  shingle  roof;  four 
windows;  one  door;  one  matched  floor  and  to  be  ceiled  overhead  with 
building  paper.  The  sheriff  was  ordered  to  notify  the  contractors 
to  file  their  bids  for  the  work  "before  5  o'clock  this  day."  x\t  that 
hour  bids  were  opened  and  it  was  foimd  that  the  bid  of  Joseph  Stuhl, 
$30.00,  was  the  lowest  and  he  was  awarded  the  contract.  The  com- 
missioners furnished  the  material  which  they  ordered  George  Hender- 
son to  supply  under  the  direction  of  Commissioner  Brass,  who  was 
also  the  superintendent  of  construction. 

This  little  building  brought  thus  hurriedly  into  being  was  the  home 
of  the  county  offices  until  about  6  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  Sei^tember 
27,  1878,  when  the  seat  of  county  government  was  removed  from 
Juniata  to  Hastings.  The  building  was  paid  for  by  county  order,  issued 
when  it  was  completed  and  accepted  and  to  draw  10  per  cent  interest 
until  paid.  The  building  was  insured  for  $250  with  an  additional 
$500  on  the  contents. 

July  13,  1872,  the  commissioners  levied  the  first  taxes,  declaring 
the  total  valuation  of  the  taxable  propei'ty  of  the  county  to  be 
$957,153.  For  county  purposes  they  levied  for  the  general  fund  in- 
cluding the  support  of  the  poor,  5  mills;  road  and  land  fund,  $4.00 
on  each  quarter  section;  bridge  fund,  5  mills;  poll  tax,  $2.00  on  each 
poll.  The  levy  for  state  purposes  was  5-'4  mills.  At  the  same  time 
school  taxes  were  levied  as  follows:  on  district  number  one,  $905.75; 
two,  $144.00;  nine,  $300.00;  twelve,  $870.00;  sixteen,  $650.00:  seven- 
teen, $175.00.  The  next  year,  February  25,  1873.  personal  property 
was  graded  for  taxation  as  follows: 

Horses— Extra  grade,  $150.00;  first,  $75.00;  second,  $50.00; 
third.  $30.00. 

JMules— First.  $100.00:  second,  $50.00. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        29 

Working  Cattle,  Yoke— First,  $100.00;  second,  $60.00. 

Cows— First,  $30.00;  second,  $20.00. 

Wagons— First,  $7.5.00;  second,  $40.00;  third,  $20.00. 

Buggies— First,  $.50.00;  second,  $2.5.00. 

Double  Harness— First,  $30.00;  second,  $15.00. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  county  conunissioners  to  divide  the  county 
into  such  divisions  as  were  authorized  by  law  for  the  carrying  on  of  the 
local  government.  On  ]March  14,  1872,  they  divided  Adams  County 
into  two  precincts.  All  the  territorj^  north  of  an  east  and  west  line 
from  the  southeast  corner  of  section  12,  township  6  north,  range  9 
west,  to  the  northwest  corner  of  section  7,  township  6,  range  12,  was 
called  Precinct  1.  Precinct  2  comprised  all  the  territory  south  of  such 
line.  April  2,  1872,  the  commissioners  named  Precinct  1,  Juniata, 
and  Precinct  2,  Little  Blue.  By  this  arrangement  Little  Blue  Pre- 
cinct comprised  all  of  the  present  townships  of  Logan,  Silver  I^ake, 
Zero  and  Little  Blue  and  the  south  two-thirds  of  Cottonwood,  Rose- 
land.  Ayr  and  Hanover.  Juniata  Precinct  contained  all  the  remainder 
of  the  county.  On  the  day  that  the  division  was  made  the  commission- 
ers appointed  Charles  H.  Chapman  assessor  of  Juniata  Precinct,  and 
Bigger  H.  Scott  assessor  of  Little  Blue. 

October  9,  1872,  the  conmiissioners  canned  additional  precincts  out 
of  Juniata  and  Little  Blue.  The  territory  of  Juniata  Precinct  was 
subdivided  into  Kenesaw,  Denver  and  Juniata  precincts  and  Silver 
Lake  was  formed  out  of  Little  Blue.  Kenesaw  Precinct  as  formed  at 
that  time  comprised  all  of  the  territory  now  Kenesaw  and  Wanda 
townships,  the  west  tier  of  sections  of  the  present  Verona  and  Juniata 
townships  and  the  north  tier  of  sections  of  the  present  Cottonwood. 

Denver  Precinct  as  formed  in  1872  comprised  all  of  the  present 
Blaine  and  West  Blue  to^\iiships,  the  north  tier  of  sections  in  Han- 
over, sections  1  and  2  in  Ayr  and  the  two  eastern  tiers  of  the  present 
Denver  and  Highland  townships.  The  original  Silver  Lake  Precinct 
comprised  the  west  half  of  the  present  Zero  and  Ayr  to^mships,  ex- 
cept the  north  tier  of  sections  in  xVyr,  all  of  the  present  Logan  and 
Silver  Lake  townships  and  all  of  Roseland  and  Cottonwood  except 
the  north  tier  of  sections.  The  residue  in  Juniata  after  the  formation 
of  the  new  precincts  was  Juniata  Precinct  and  Little  Blue  was  the 
remainder  south  of  the  original  dividing  line  of  the  county.  Cotton- 
wood was  formed  out  of  Silver  Lake  September  7,  1874.  In  1876 
Pawnee  Precinct  was  formed  out  of  territory  which  in  1878  was 
absorbed  by  Denver  Precinct  and  abutting  divisions.  West  Blue, 
though  not  with  the  boundaries  of  the  present  West  Blue  township, 
was  also  created  at  this  time. 


30        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  first  commissioners  encountered  something  of  a  tangle  aris- 
ing from  the  collection  of  taxes  in  one  county  by  another  county. 
When  counties  were  originally  formed  by  the  legislature  they  often 
embraced  territory  lying  outside  the  counties  as  they  were  composed 
when  actually  organized.  Thus  when  Adams  County  was  first  formed 
its  northern  boundary  was  the  Platte  River.  February  16,  1872, 
Commissioner  Selleck  announced  that  Hamilton  Covuity  had  collected 
in  Adams  County  in  taxes  $3,370.11.  The  taxes  were  said  to  have 
been  collected  in  the  years  1867  to  1870,  inclusive.  A.  H.  Bo  wen, 
on  some  sort  of  agreement  with  the  commissioners  had  talked  the 
matter  over  with  the  Hamilton  County  officials  and  on  February  16 
the  commissioners  directed  the  sheriff  to  notify  Hamilton  County  that 
Adams  County  "holds  it  responsible  for  a  deficiency  of  $883.43  that 
A.  H.  Bowen  refuses  to  pay  over."  Subsequently  it  was  decided  that 
Mr.  Bowen  had  been  authorized  by  Deputy  Clerk  Babcock  to  collect 
from  Hamilton  County. 

Isaac  W.  Stark  now  brought  a  charge  of  embezzlement  against 
iNIr.  Bowen  and  Mr.  Bowen  contributed  an  article  to  the  Adams 
County  Gazette  roundly  criticising  the  commissioners  as  intriguers 
and  incompetents.  Shortly  afterward  the  commissioners  adopted  the 
motion  of  INIr.  Brass  that  no  further  steps  should  be  taken  in  the  prose- 
cution of  ]\Ir.  Bowen.  Thus  ended  the  first  disturbance  in  the  internal 
l^ohtics  of  Adams  County. 

In  the  report  that  Commissioner  Selleck  made  on  the  tax  situation 
he  declared  that  at  least  $8,000.00  was  due  Adams  County  from 
Saline  County.  By  the  next  motion  the  commissioners  resolved  them- 
selves into  a  committee  to  collect  and  it  was  ordered  that  an  attorney 
be  emjjloyed  to  collect  from  Saline.  At  about  the  same  time  O.  A. 
Abbott,  agent  of  Hall  County,  presented  the  claims  of  his  county  to 
the  money  received  by  Adams  County  from  Hamilton.  This  claim 
was  ])ut  u])on  the  ground  that  this  money  represented  taxes  collected 
by  Hamilton  from  that  part  of  Adams  County  lately  set  off  to  Hall 
County.  The  board  immediately  carried  the  motion  of  Mr.  Brass 
that  the  commissioners  get  the  best  counsel  in  the  state  to  look  into 
Hall  County's  claims.  On  April  2,  1872,  the  commissioners  ordered 
the  clerk  to  notify  Hall  County  that  Adams  was  not  indebted  to  it 
and  therefore  would  not  pay.  In  tiu'n  Adams  County  levied  some 
taxes  in  the  unorganized  County  of  Kearney.  The  tax  tangle  lasted 
a  number  of  years,  but  collections  were  trifling  on  these  early  claims. 

February  1.5,  1872,  Justice  of  the  Peace  H.  H.  Ballon,  who  was 
also  overseer  of  the  poor,  reported  to  the  board  that  Peter  Fowhe 
was  a  charge.    INIr.  Fowlie  had  frozen  his  foot  and  the  foot  had  been 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        31 

amputated  by  Dr.  J.  R.  Laine.  Doctor  Laine  presented  a  claim  of 
$1  jO  to  the  commissioners  for  his  service.  Commissioner  Allen  moved 
that  the  claim  be  allowed  at  $50.00.  JMn  Brass  amended  the  motion 
to  allow  $75.00,  and  the  amended  motion  carried.  The  next  day  it 
was  ordered  that  each  of  the  commissioners  resolve  himself  into  a 
committee  to  select  a  site  for  a  poor  farm,  and  February  17th,  the 
motion  of  INIr.  Brass  that  $25.00  be  set  aside  for  assistance  to  the  poor 
was  carried. 

The  commissioners  charged  themselves  with  locating  a  poor  farm 
and  ascertaining  whether  a  quarter  section  might  be  i^reempted  for 
that  i^urpose.  They  traveled  over  the  county  on  several  different 
occasions  and  on  April  4th,  selected  section  2,  lying  immediately  west 
of  the  jjresent  jjoor  farm.  On  July  13th  they  reconsidered  the  selection 
and  ordered  the  pin-chase  of  the  present  poor  farm  from  the  Burling- 
ton Railroad.  The  farm  comprises  320  acres,  which  is  the  soutli  lialf 
of  section  1.  township  6,  range  11.  The  amount  paid  for  it  was 
$3,173.86  with  the  taxes  accruing  from  1872  to  July  9,  1883,  upon 
which  date  the  railroad  executed  a  deed  to  Adams  County. 

The  first  house  erected  upon  the  jjoor  farm  was  built  in  the  fall 
of  1872.  Ira  G.  Dillon  was  the  contractor  and  the  price  was  $1,400. 
The  building  Avas  16  feet  by  24  feet  and  a  story  and  one-half  high. 
In  August,  Peter  Fowlie  had  been  appointed  overseer  of  the  poor  at  a 
salary  of  $25.00  per  month.  On  November  1st,  the  overseer  reported 
tliat  there  were  six  county  charges  and  on  November  4th  he  assembled 
tliem  in  the  new  poorhouse.  The  following  rules  were  imposed  by 
the  commissioners  upon  the  poor- farm  dwellers :  rise  at  6 ;  breakfast 
at  7;  dinner  at  12;  supper  at  6.  No  smoking  in  sitting  rooms  or  bed- 
rooms or  near  haystacks.     No  profane  language  or  card  playing. 

Peter  Fowlie  continued  to  be  poormaster  until  February  11,  1874, 
wlien  the  farm  was  rented  to  ^I.  B.  Kelley  for  $2.25  an  acre  for  fifty 
acres,  Mr.  Kelley  to  receive  $4.00  ])er  week  each  for  caring  for  the 
))oor.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Fowlie  had  ajjplied  to  the  commissioners 
for  an  artificial  foot  and  the  subject  was  discussed  in  many  meetings 
in  1872  until  early  in  1873  when  accepting  the  counsel  of  James  Laird, 
who  had  been  appointed  county  attorney,  the  board  were  dissuaded 
from  their  good  intentions.  Peter  Fowlie  became  deputy  county 
treasurer  under  ISIr.  Thorne. 

In  1885  the  county  supervisors  submitted  to  the  electors  a  propo- 
sition to  sell  the  poor  farm.  The  vote  resulted  in  744  for  selling  and 
705  against.  The  proposition  failed,  not  getting  the  legally  necessary 
two-thirds  majority.  At  the  same  election  it  was  voted  to  purchase 
a  building  for  the  farm.    At  present  the  house  on  the  poor  farm  con- 


32         PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tains  fourteen  rooms.  Furnace  heat  and  a  water  pressure  system 
were  installed  in  1913  and  this  year,  1916,  a  new  barn,  44  feet  by  64 
feet  is  being  built.  The  average  niumber  of  dependents  at  the  farm 
is  about  six.  The  present  overseer  of  the  poor  farm  is  J.  Riley  Baugh. 
Others  who  have  served  in  that  capacity  are  Frank  Crozier,  A.  K. 
Deffenbaugh  and  Charles  W.  Hall.  ]Mr.  Hall  was  the  overseer  for 
twelve  years. 

The  office  of  county  treasurer  did  not  seem  alluring  in  1872.  John 
S.  Chandler  who  was  elected  December  12,  1871,  resigned  January 
29,  1872,  the  day  set  for  the  approval  of  his  bond.  Commissioner 
Brass  acted  as  temporary  treasurer  until  George  Henderson  qualified 
February  1.5th,  receiving  into  his  custody  $1,222.49.  Henderson  re- 
signed July  3d,  and  Ira  G.  Dillon  was  appointed  the  same  day,  his 
bond  being  fixed  at  $8,000.00.  October  22d.  the  treasui-er's  bond  was 
fixed  at  $1.>,000.00.    At  present  it  is  $100,000. 

Until  Hastings  was  incorjiorated  April  21,  1874,  licpior  licenses 
in  the  county  were  issued  by  the  commissioners.  February  29,  1872, 
license  was  fixed  at  $200.00  per  year;  JNIay  21st  it  was  raised  to  $400.00. 
JNIarch  15,  1873,  license  Avas  issued  to  Charles  Kohl  to  operate  a 
sample  room  in  Hastings,  tlie  license  fee  being  $200.00  for  six  months. 
This  was  the  first  license  issued  for  Hastings,  but  two  had  pi-eviously 
been  issued  for  Juniata. 

July  23.  1872,  the  commissioners  took  steps  towards  the  develop- 
ment of  industries  in  the  young  county.  This  was  by  granting  the 
petition  of  S.  L.  Brass,  A.  H.  Bowen  and  others  to  submit  to  the 
voters  of  Juniata  Precinct  the  i^roposition  of  voting  $6,000.00  in 
precinct  bonds  for  the  erection  of  a  steam  grist  mill  in  Juniata.  On 
November  26th,  fiftj'-seven  votes  were  cast  for  the  bonds  and  ten 
against.  The  provisions  were  that  the  mill  was  to  be  located  in 
Juniata  and  completed  by  October  1,  1873.  The  mill  to  have  three 
runs  of  stone  and  to  cost  not  less  than  $12,000.00.  The  operator  must 
give  bond  in  the  sum  of  $10,000.00  to  grind  all  the  grain  delivered  to 
the  extent  of  cajjacity  for  a  term  of  twenty  years  at  a  toll  not  to 
exceed  one-sixth  of  a  bushel  for  each  bushel  groimd.  It  was  provided 
that  the  bonds  operate  as  lien  for  twenty  years  to  insure  faithful  com- 
pliance. 

On  October  11th  George  W.  INIoore,  of  Illinois,  acce2)ted  the  prop- 
osition. He  was  not  able  to  complete  the  mill  in  the  required  time  and 
the  ]:)recinct  voted  to  extend  the  time  one  year.  The  mill  was  even- 
tually built.  Litigation  grew  out  of  the  venture,  but  milling  was  estab- 
lished in  Juniata  and  continues  to  this  day. 

The  building  and  repair  of  bridges  is  one  of  the  problems  tliat 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        33 

the  supervisors  contend  witli  at  the  present  time.  It  was  also  a  part 
of  the  perjilexities  confronting  the  early  commissioners.  The  first 
movement  toward  bridge  construction  in  Adams  County  was  made 
October  11,  1872,  when  the  commissioners  let  the  contract  to  H.  T. 
Clark  for  two  bridges;  one  across  Thirty-two  IVlile  Creek  and  the  other 
across  the  Little  Blue  River.  On  October  22d,  the  location  of  the 
Thirty-two  ]Mile  Bridge  was  determined  as  the  point  where  the  quarter 
line  running  north  and  south  through  section  1,  township  6,  range  11, 
crosses  the  creek.  On  November  8th,  the  Little  Blue  Bridge  was 
ordered  to  be  built  on  the  line  between  sections  25  and  26,  township  6, 
range  10,  at  the  point  where  the  line  crosses  the  river.  This  bridge  was 
to  have  a  span  of  fifty  feet.  The  contract  for  both  bridges  was  let  for 
$1,79.5. 

The  commissioners  fixed  bounties  for  the  killing  of  wolves  and 
wild  cats  in  1872  and  for  the  first  several  years  they  recorded  paying- 
such  bounties. 

The  making  of  road  districts  the  records  of  the  commissioners 
show  was  iJushed  rapidly.  Twenty-three  districts  were  defined  at  one 
meeting  earlj^  in  1873,  which  brought  the  total  in  the  county  up  to 
thirty-five  districts.  Of  the  sixty-four  districts  in  the  county  at  the 
present  time  only  four  retain  their  original  number;  these  are  districts 
5.)  to  58,  inclusive,  in  Logan  Township.  There  are  1,152  miles  of 
road  in  Adams  County.  The  aggregate  tax  levy  for  roads  and  bridges 
in  1913.  reduced  to  the  basis  of  dollars  raised  per  mile  in  that  year 
and  comprehending  both  the  county  levy  and  the  township  special 
levy  was  $43.10.  Of  this  sum  $19.30  was  for  bridges.  The  aggregate 
amount  contemplated  by  the  levy  for  that  year  was  $49,651.20.  The 
average  per  mile  levied  in  Nebraska  that  year  Avas  $40.20. 

Adams  County  Avas  under  the  commissioner  form  of  government 
from  December  12.  1871.  to  November  21,  1883.  A  statute  passed 
by  the  Nebraska  Legislatm-e  in  1877  provided  for  township  organiza- 
tion in  counties.  The  proposition  was  voted  in  Adams  County  in 
the  November  election,  1877;  there  were  732  votes  for  to^^^lship  organ- 
ization and  56  against.  Late  in  1877  the  Supreme  Court  held  in  a  case 
coming  up  from  Lancaster  County  that  the  law  was  unconstitutional. 
In  1883  the  Legislature  again  provided  for  township  organization  and 
in  the  November  election,  Adams  County  adopted  township  organiza- 
tion by  a  vote  of  1,523  for  and  146  against.  Under  the  law  providing 
for  the  change  in  county  government  there  was  one  supervisor  for 
each  precinct,  but  precincts  having  more  than  3,000  inhabitants  were 
entitled  to  one  additional  supervisor;  more  than  5,000,  two  additonal 
and  thereafter  one  additional  supervisor  for  every  additional  2,000 


34        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

inhabitants.  For  a  time  Adams  County  had  twenty-three  supervisors. 
In  1891  tliis  law  was  amended  to  provide  tliat  each  city  or  village  of 
1,000  or  over  should  be  entitled  to  one  supervisor  and  one  additional 
supervisor  for  each  additional  4,000  inhabitants. 

January  11.  1884,  the  county  was  divided  by  the  supervisors  into 
eight  townships.  West  Blue  was  defined  within  the  boundaries  now 
containing  Highland  and  West  Blue;  Denver  contained  the  present 
Denver  and  Blaine,  except  Hastings;  Ayr,  Ayr  and  Zero;  Silver 
Lake,  Silver  Lake  and  Logan;  Cottonwood,  Cottonwood  and  Rose- 
land  ;  Juniata,  Verona  and  Juniata ;  Kenesaw,  Kenesaw  and  Wanda. 
June  6,  1884,  the  eight  precincts  were  each  divided  into  two,  forming 
the  present  townships. 

During  189.3  the  county  was  divided  into  seven  supervisor  districts 
which  now  exist.  The  law  provided  that  if  at  that  time  there  were 
more  than  one  supervisor  in  a  district  they  sliould  determine  by  lot 
who  should  be  the  sujiervisor.  At  the  November,  189.5,  election,  one 
supervisor  was  elected  in  each  district.  Those  elected  in  odd  num- 
bered districts  held  office  one  year:  those  in  even  numbered,  two  years. 
The  law  now  in  force  provided  that  those  elected  in  odd  numbered 
districts  in  1914  shall  hold  office  for  foin-  years  and  those  elected  in 
even  nmnbered  districts  in  1916  shall  hold  office  for  four  years. 

The  districts  as  formed  in  189;5  with  regard  to  territory  are  made 
up  as  follows:  District  No.  1 — West  Blue,  Highland,  Denver  and 
Blaine.  District  2 — Juniata,  Hanover  and  Ayr.  District  3 — Verona, 
Kenesaw,  Wanda  and  Cottonwood.  District  4 — Roseland,  Logan, 
Silver  Lake,  Zero  and  Little  Blue.  Districts  .3.  6  and  7,  the  City  of 
Hastings. 

When  the  tliree  commissioners  were  first  elected  one  was  elected 
for  one  year;  one  for  two  years  and  one  for  three  years.  Thereafter 
each  commissioner  was  elected  for  three  years.  The  following  were 
elected : 

COMJriSSIOXEKS 

Wellington  W.  Selleck 1871 

Edwin  M.  Allen 1871 

Samuel  L.  Brass 1871 

Russell  S.  Langley 1873 

A.  D.  Yocum 1874 

John  R.  Ratcliff 187.5 

Edward  M.  JMoore 1870 

A.  D.  Yocum 1877 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    35 

C.  G.  Wilson 1878 

A.  V.  Cole 1879 

W.  W.  Hopper 1880 

Gordon  H.  Edgerton 1881 

A.  V.  Cole 188-2 

H.  Armstrong 1882 

Mr.  Armstrong  was  elected  in  1882  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  third 
district  caused  by  the  resignation  of  INIr.  Hopi^er. 

SUPERVISORS    1883 

J.  H.  Spicer,  William  Z.  Parmenter,  W.  R.  McCully,  George 
Ciane,  James  E.  Reed,  H.  P.  Rowe,  Henry  Stammer,  M.  A.  Harg- 
leroad,  H.  C.  ^Nlinnix  and  S.  M.  Frink. 

1585317 

SUPERVISORS    1884 

James  E.  Reed,  John  P.  Duncan,  H.  P.  Rowe,  Samuel  Arnold, 
A.  T.  Shattuck,  Amos  Shattuck,  Henry  SchnuUe,  William  R. 
]McCully,  R.  M.  Boyd  and  S.  :M.  Frink. 

SUPERVISORS    188.) 

James  E.  Reed,  Walter  Stebbins,  L.  L.  :Mills,  H.  C.  .Alinnix,  W. 
H.  Waldron,  George  CrafFord,  E.  L.  Dutton,  Davis  Lowman.  A.  H. 
Cramer,  William  A.  Jones. 

SUPERVISORS    1886 

jNIyron  Van  Fleet,  Charles  Kohl,  A.  H.  Cramer,  S.  G.  Johnson, 
S.  L.  Heaps,  L.  B.  Partridge,  Adam  Reader,  Jacob  Wooster,  W.  H. 
Waldron,  Davis  Lowman,  H.  P.  Rowe.  R.  ]M.  Boyd,  J.  P.  Duncan. 
James  E.  Reed,  H.  C.  INIinnix,  W.  P.  Brown,  Henry  Stannner,  D. 
:\I.  Ball,  S.  C.  Dilley.  S.  M.  Frink,  Amos  Shattuck,  *F.  J.  Benedict 
and  T.  B.  Burns. 

SUPERVISORS  1887 

Amos  Shattuck.  H.  B.  McGaw.  Tliomas  B.  Burns,  W.  H.  Wald- 
ron, A.  T.  Shattuck.  J.  S.  Way,  Thomas  T.  Jones.  E.  L.  Dutton. 
Walter  Theisen,  J.  P.  Duncan,  A.  S.  Thompson,  J.  H.  Spicer,  F. 
J.  Benedict,  A.  H.  Cramer,  James  JNIcKelvev,  Thomas  W.  Carter, 


36    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

W.  W.  JNIiles,  Leopold  Hahn,  Jacob  Wooster,  JNIj'ron  Van  Fleet, 
E.  D.  Jones,  S.  M.  Frink,  W.  B.  Brown  and  L.  Blumenthal. 

SUPERVISORS    1888 

William  ]M.  Vastine,  A.  C.  JNIoore,  J.  C.  Kay,  Jacob  Wooster, 
W.  M.  Lownian,  F.  M.  Alexander,  A.  H.  Cramer,  Henry  Stammer, 
B.  F.  :Munson,  A.  A.  Sayre,  F.  C.  Phillips,  W.  B.  Browii,  B.  B. 
Snodgrass,  S.  G.  Johnson,  J.  F.  Fernow,  Aaron  F.  Powers,  W.  H. 
Waldron,  Edward  Creager,  Thomas  Carter,  J.  C.  Woodworth,  Frank 
P.  Harmon  and  Adam  Reader. 

SUPERVISORS    1889 

E.  F.  Gettle,  T.  J.  Burns,  JNIichael  INIcKenna,  B.  B.  Snodgrass, 
H.  Fred  Einspahr,  W.  E.  Houston,  W.  J.  WiUars,  C.  R.  Hohlfeld, 
Aaron  F.  Powers,  Charles  Grebe,  W.  C.  Hodges,  D.  C.  Kerr,  J.  F. 
Fernow,  J.  H.  Clute,  Adam  Reader,  Ed  Burton,  F.  J.  Benedict, 
D.  H.  Ballard,  J.  C.  Kay,  W.  M.  Vastine,  A.  H.  Cramer  and  W. 
A.  Dilworth. 

SUPERVISORS    1890 

R.  V.  Shockey.  U.  H.  Ballard.  D.  ^L  :McElhinney.  Ed  Burton, 

A.  F.  Powers,  F.  J.  Benedict,  M.  J.  ]McKenna,  W.  H.  Waldron, 
H.  F.  Einspahr,  John  Gordon.  W.  A.  Dilworth,  C.  R.  Hohlfeld, 

B.  B.  Snodgrass,  J.  P.  Duncan,  Ed  F.  Gettle,  H.  C.  Minnix,  W. 
P.  Clawson,  Thomas  T.  Jones,  W.  J.  Willars,  Lester  Wormuth, 
W.  ]M.  Vastine  and  L.  C.  Ijukins. 

SUPERVISORS    1891 

J.  C.  Woodworth,  C.  D.  Jones,  Fred  Warner,  Frank  P.  Harmon, 
J.  W.  Thornton.  William  Huxtable,  Peter  H.  Stewart,  C.  B. 
Hemple,  J.  H.  Walker.  B.  F.  Kernan,  Jacob  Bernhard,  L.  C.  Lukins, 
Jesse  Doty  and  Ephraim  Fowler. 

SUPERVISORS    1892 

A.  C.  ]Moore,  James  Rooney,  R.  V.  Shockey,  E.  Johnson,  Lester 
Wormuth.  W.  J.  Willars,  Harvey  E.  Rose,  C.  H.  Shufflebarger. 
John  Gordon,  S.  JM.  Da^is,  F.  J.  Taylor,  Thomas  J.  Cooperrider  and 
D.  H.  Ballard. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        37 

SUPERVISORS    1893 

^y.  II.  ^^^aldron,  John  H.  Walker,  E.  T.  Winter,  W.  T.  John- 
son, PI.  E.  Kose,  P.  J.  Schmitz,  Fred  Wagner,  A.  R.  Pearson,  George 
W.  31axwell,  John  Evans  and  A.  T.  Shattuck.  The  two  latter  were 
appointed. 

SUPERVISORS   1894 

W.  H.  Waldron,  Dayton  H.  Ballard,  H.  G.  Knights,  R.  V. 
Shockey,  F.  C.  Kruger,  E.  Johnson,  A.  T.  Shattuck,  E.  L.  Dutton, 
Jacob  Wooster,  John  Gordon,  Thomas  J.  Cooperrider,  JM.  A.  Cruse 
and  C.  B.  Bigelow. 

SUPERVISORS   1895 

W.  H.  Stephens,  B.  F.  Schlegel,  Jolin  Evans,  George  W.  Max- 
well. Elijah  T.  Winter,  W.  B.  Brown,  P.  J.  Schmitz,  W.  T.  John- 
son and  C.  L.  Alexander. 

SUPERVISORS  189.5    (selected  by  lot  SEPTEMBER  AND  OCTOBER) 

District  No.  1,  E.  T.  Winter;  No.  2,  W.  H.  Stephens;  No.  3, 
M.  A.  Cruse;  No.  4,  E.  L.  Dutton;  No.  ,5,  Jacob  Wooster;  No.  6, 
R.  V.  Shockey;  No.  7,  C.  L.  Alexander. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1896 

District  No.  1,  W.  H.  Waldron;  No.  2,  Albert  N.  Hall;  No.  3, 
B.  F.  Schlegel;  No.  4,  W.  T.  Johnson;  No.  .3,  C.  J.  Button;  No.  6,  R. 
V.  Shockey;  No.  7,  C.  L.  Alexander. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1897 

Thomas  J.  Cooj^errider,  District  No.  1 ;  Francis  Phillips.  Disti'ict 
No.  3;  C.  J.  Button,  District  No.  5;  C.  L.  Alexander,  District  No.  7- 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1898 

Will  Brookley,  District  No.  2;  W.  T.  Johnson,  District  No.  4; 
Charles  W.  Wilson,  District  No.  6. 


;^8        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

iSUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOK  1899 

G.  H.  La  Monte,  Francis  Phillips,  W.  W.  Miles  and  T.  J. 
Cooperrider. 

SUPERVISOKS  ELECTED  FOR  1900 

John  Evans,  W.  H.  Palmer  and  Charles  W.  Wilson. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1901 

W.  W.  Miles,  Francis  Phillips,  G.  H.  La  oNlonte  and  M.  H. 
Drollinger. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1902 

District  No.  2,  A.  P.  Slack;  District  No.  4,  John  Evans;  District 
No.  G.  \Villiain  ]M.  Vastine. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  190.3 

District  No.  .5,  Jacob  Wooster;  District  No.  7,  George  H.  La 
Monte;  District  No.  1.  M.  H.  Drollinger;  District  No.  3,  J.  C. 
Gilniore. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1904 

District  No.  2,  W.  E.  Shaver;  District  No.  4,  John  V.  Beardsley; 
District  No.  6,  ^Villianl  M.  Vastine. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1905 

District  No.  1,  Charles  E.  Hill;  District  No.  5,  Jacob  Wooster; 
District  No.  (>,  R.  V.  Shockey:  District  No.  7,  H.  C.  Kerr:  District 
No.  3,  J.  C.  Gihnore. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1906 

District  No.  6,  D.  H.  Wentworth:  District  No.  2,  W.  E.  Shaver; 
District  No.  4,  John  V.  Beardsley. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1907 

District  No.  5.  R.  B.  Williams:  District  No.  7.  Henry  C.  Kerr; 
District  No.  1,  C.  A.  Huxtable;  District  No.  3.  W.  H.  Long. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    39 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1908 

District  No.  2,  Thomas  G.  Whiting;  District  No.  4,  Frank  Ver- 
saw;  District  No.  6.  D.  H.  Wentworth:  District  No.  5,  Luther 
EglehofF. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1909 

District  No.  5,  Luther  Eglehoff;  District  No.  7,  H.  C.  Kerr; 
District  No.  1,  T.  S.  Hampton;  District  No.  .3.  W.  H.  Long. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1910 

District  No.  •>.  T.  G.  Whiting;  District  No.  4,  F.  E.  Versaw; 
District  No.  6,  A.  K.  DefFenbaugh. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1911 

District  No.  1,  C.  E.  Hill;  District  No.  3,  W.  H.  Long;  District 
No.  .).  J.  F.  Heiler:  District  No.  7,  N.  D.  Kidder. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1912 

District  No.  2,  John  Heye  (resigned  September  1,  191.3,  and 
E.  N.  George  aj^pointed)  ;  District  No.  4,  J.  L.  Hynes;  District 
No.  6.  F.  J.  Benedict. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1913 

District  No.  1,  D.  M.  Bitner;  District  No.  3,  B.  F.  Schlegel; 
District  No.  .).  J.  F.  Heiler;  District  No.  7,  N.  D.  Kidder. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1914 

Odd  numbered  districts  for  four  years.  District  No.  .5,  J.  F. 
Heiler:  District  No.  7,  N.  D.  Kidder;  District  No.  1,  D.  M.  Bitner; 
District  No.  3,  B.  F.  Schlegel. 

SUPERVISORS  ELECTED  FOR  1916 

Even  numbered  districts  for  four  years.  District  No.  2,  Thomas 
G.  Whiting;  District  No.  4,  J.  L.  Hynes;  District  No.  6,  F.  J. 


40        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Benedict.  In  the  1916  election  J.  L.  Hynes  and  P.  H.  Gartner 
tied  in  the  fourth  district,  each  receiving  229  votes.  JNIr.  Hynes 
won  in  the  drawing. 

In  the  cases  in  the  foregoing  table  where  even  numbered  districts 
elect  supervisors  in  the  same  years  as  the  odd  numbered,  or  vice 
versa,  it  is  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  or  resignation  of  a 
supervisor. 


CHAPTER  IV 
COUXTY  SEAT  RE^MOVAL 

Juniata  became  the  seat  of  government  of  Adams  County  by  the 
vote  of  tlie  people  cast  at  the  first  election  held  in  the  county.  The 
date  of  this  election  was  December  12,  1871,  and  the  home  of  Titus 
Babcock  at  Juniata  was  the  polling  place.  Of  the  twenty-nine  votes 
cast,  Juniata  received  twenty-eight.  One  vote  was  cast  for  Kings- 
ton. Kingston  was  a  homestead  near  the  Little  Blue  and  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  southern  part  of  the  county  entertained  hope  of 
establishing  a  to\m  there.  Kingston  did  not  develop  beyond  the 
small  general  merchandise  store  which  flourished  for  a  number  of 
years.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  it  would  have  received  more 
votes  at  the  first  election  were  it  not  that  a  number  of  voters  from 
that  section  were  not  allowed  to  cast  their  ballot,  on  the  ground  that 
they  had  failed  to  register.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  in  any 
event  Jimiata  would  have  polled  the  larger  vote. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  at  the  time  of  this  election  there 
Avas  no  railroad  in  Adams  County.  The  Burlington  was  extending 
its  line  westward  from  Plattsmouth,  but  for  the  moment  it  was  not 
at  all  preposterous  for  any  community  or  homestead  to  hope  for  a 
location  favorable  to  a  townsite.  The  vote  for  Kingston  shows  that 
at  even  so  early  a  date  as  that  of  the  first  election  there  was  lack 
of  mianimity  as  to  the  location  of  the  county  seat,  and  this  only 
augm-ed  the  long  and  in  some  respects  bitter  stniggle  that  was  to 
follow.    The  contenders  in  that  struggle  were  Hastings  and  Jimiata. 

There  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  when  Walter  ]Mickleni,  on  Octo- 
ber 1,  1872,  began  surveying  his  homestead  into  a  townsite  that 
composed  the  original  Town  of  Hastings,  he  had  any  thought  that 
the  town  that  might  develop  from  the  nucleus  composed  of  the  three 
or  four  business  houses  then  in  operation  would  one  day  contend 
against  Juniata  for  the  already  established  coimty  seat.  INIr.  INIick- 
lem's  reason  for  surveying  a  townsite  is  to  be  found  in  the  building 
of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver,  now  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island,  Rail- 
road, into  Hastings.  ]Mr.  INIicklem  might  reasonably  expect  that  at 
41 


^2    PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  junction  of  this  road  with  the  Burlington  a  thriving  town  might 
gro^v.  The  St.  Josej^h  &  Denver  was  completed  into  Hastings  during 
September,  1872. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  builders  of  the  latter  road  to  extend 
their  line  to  Denver.  It  was  lack  of  funds  to  carry  out  that  project 
that  led  them  to  abandon  it.  It  was  on  April  17,  1872,  that  E.  E. 
Brown,  representing  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  road,  appeared  before 
tlie  Adams  Coxmty  commissioners  at  Juniata  and  asked  them  to  pro- 
vide $75,000  in  county  bonds  for  the  assistance  of  his  railroad.  He 
l^romised  that  if  the  bonds  asked  for  should  carry,  the  road  would 
complete  twenty-five  miles  of  its  line  in  Adams  County  by  January 
1,  1873.  The  commissioners,  S.  L.  Brass,  Edwin  M.  Allen  and 
Wellington  W.  Selleck,  responded  by  ordering  a  special  election  for 
jMay  27th.  At  the  election  the  bonds  did  not  carry,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  failure  of  the  bonds  to  carry  was  the  principal  reason  why 
Juniata  ultimately  lost  the  county  seat;  at  least  the  issue  of  the  elec- 
tif)n  was  one  of  the  prime  factors.  But  a  munber  of  the  leaders  in 
Juniata  argued,  and  with  seeming  plausibility,  that  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Denver  woidd  come  to  the  county  without  the  voting  of  bonds,  inas- 
much as  Adams  County  lay  in  tlie  })ath  of  the  proposed  route,  and 
there  was  no  doubt  in  their  minds  that  it  would  clioose  for  business 
reasons  to  cross  the  Bin-lington  at  Juniata,  which  was  already  a 
promising  village  and  the  county  seat.  Without  bonds  the  new  road 
did  entei-  Adams  County,  but  it  crossed  the  Biu'lington  not  at  Juniata 
liut  at  Hastings.  No  doubt  the  activity  of  Jmiiata  pioneers  in 
defeating  the  bonds  influenced  the  St.  Joseph  to  avoid  the  young- 
county  seat  and  to  enter  Hastings.  Having  acquired  two  railroads, 
Hastings  naturally  felt  the  stirrings  of  ambition.  To  foster  this 
feeling  there  Avas  also  the  fact  that  voters  in  the  southern  and  central 
portions  of  the  county  had  not  been  favorable  to  Juniata  in  the  first 
election. 

This  feeling  was  crystallized  in  many  conversations  on  the  streets 
of  Hastings  and  in  the  few  business  houses.  On  the  24.th  of  INIay, 
1873,  the  Hastings  Journal  was  issued  from  the  press,  and  thence- 
forth the  ambition  of  Hastings  was  assisted  by  the  printed  word. 
This  paper  was  published  by  "SI.  K.  Lewis  and  A.  1j.  Wigton  and 
was  active  in  seeking  the  submission  of  the  question  of  tlie  removal 
of  the  county  seat  to  a  vote  of  the  people. 

IjCss  than  a  month  after  the  founding  of  the  Hastings  Joiu-nal, 
on  June  3,  1873,  a  mass  meeting  was  held  in  Hastings  to  consider 
plans  for  the  removal  of  the  county  seat.  This  meeting  resulted  in 
the  formulating  of  a  machine  well  organized  to  carry  out  the  work 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        4.5 

in  prospect.  The  motion  of  Samuel  Alexander  providing  for  a  com- 
mittee of  ten  to  canvass  each  precinct  in  behalf  of  Hastings  was 
carried.  The  workers  were  assigned  as  follows:  For  Denver  Pre- 
cinct, Thomas  E.  Farrell  and  R.  V.  Shockey;  for  Little  Blue,  G.  W. 
Donahey  and  A.  Berg;  for  Silver  Lake,  C.  K.  Lawson  and  Charles 
Kohl;  for  Kenesaw,  A.  D.  Yocum  and  Charles  H.  Paul;  for  Juniata, 
B.  H.  Brown  and  S.  S.  Dow.  The  committee  named  at  this  meeting 
worked  with  a  will.  They  visited  the  homesteaders  at  their  homes, 
buttonholed  them  when  they  came  to  town  and  industriously  labored 
setting  forth  the  advantages  of  Hastings,  with  its  two  railroads,  as 
the  location  for  the  county  seat.  ISIeanwhile  the  inhabitants  of 
Juniata  were  just  as  zealous.  Among  the  leaders  of  Juniata's 
defenders  were  the  county  commissioners,  James  Laird,  A.  H.  Bowen, 
B.  F.  Smith,  A.  V.  Cole,  W.  B.  Thorne  and  several  others.  The 
spirit  of  wai-  was  rife  among  the  contenders  and  sometimes  disputes 
became  so  heated  that  blows  resulted. 

I^ess  than  a  month  following  the  mass  meeting  which  had  been 
held  at  Hastings  and  which  was  presided  over  by  j\L  K.  Lewis,  with 
J.  31.  Abliott  secretary,  the  work  of  the  committee  of  ten  showed 
results,  for  on  July  1st  a  petition  praying  for  the  submission  of  the 
question  of  the  removal  of  the  county  seat  from  Juniata  was  filed 
with  the  county  commissioners.  This  petition  was  filed  by  Simon 
Rankins,  a  business  man  of  Hastings,  and  was  signed  by  him  and 
a  large  nmnber  of  other  citizens.  For  the  time  being  the  petition 
was  laid  upon  the  table  and  the  defenders  of  Juniata  planned  their 
next  moves  against  the  assaults  of  an  enemy  which  showed  all  the 
signs  of  persistence  and  determination. 

The  petition  remained  upon  the  table  until  August  'iOth,  when  it 
was  taken  up  and  a  remonstrance  against  the  submission  of  the 
removal  question  to  a  ballot  was  filed  by  William  Gardner,  C.  H. 
Chapman  and  200  others.  On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  while  the 
August  sun  shone  in  real  Nebraska  streng-th  upon  the  little  public 
l)uilding  in  the  prairie  towni,  arguments  were  heard  by  the  commis- 
sioners for  the  petition  and  for  the  remonstrance.  A  large  number 
of  Hastings  residents  and  partisans  were  present,  and  the  Juniata 
synqjathizers  were  out  in  force,  so  that  the  little  room  where  the 
commissioners  deliberated  could  not  begin  to  accommodate  the  crowd, 
many  of  whom  braved  the  blazing  rays  and  congregated  about  the 
door.  Hastings  was  represented  in  the  argument  chiefly  liy  R.  A. 
Batty  and  A.  W.  Wheeler.  The  principal  spokesmen  for  Juniata 
were  James  Laird  and  A.  H.  Bowen.  Not  all  the  arguments,  how- 
ever, were  witliin  the  building.    Outside  the  contending  partisans  kept 


4i         PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

up  a  running  fire  of  language  that  every  now  and  then  reached  a  crisis 
of  intensity. 

Tlie  arguments  hefore  the  commissioners  began  at  2  o'clock  and 
were  kept  up  continuously  until  6.30,  when  the  meeting  adjourned 
for  an  hour.  After  suj^i^er  the  discussion  was  resumed.  Immedi- 
ately after  sui^per  JMr.  Batty  requested  that  the  commissioners  post- 
pone their  decision  until  the  following  Friday  and  that  in  the 
meantime  they  should  receive  further  petitions  for  and  against.  This 
was  on  Wednesday  evening.  The  commissioners,  however,  refused 
]Mr.  Batty's  request  and  ordered  that  the  time  for  receiving  and  filing 
jjetitions  be  declared  closed,  and  that  the  board  take  until  August 
28th  to  decide  the  question.  On  that  date  the  commissioners  rendered 
their  decision  in  favor  of  the  remonstrance  and  did  not  order  an 
election.  The  ground  upon  which  they  rendered  their  decision  was 
that  the  statute  required  that  the  petition  be  signed  by  two-thirds  of 
the  legal  voters  of  the  county.  The  remonstrance  showed,  it  was 
contended,  that  the  i:)etition  did  not  have  the  required  nmnber  of 
voters.  Thus  did  Hastings  lose  the  first  skirmish  before  the  Adams 
County  commissioners. 

This  defeat,  however,  by  no  means  lessened  the  ardor  of  the 
Hastings  partisans,  and  the  work  systematically  begim  by  the  com- 
mittee of  ten  was  jjressed  on  with  vigor.  In  the  fall  election  of  1873 
A.  H.  Cramer  was  elected  county  clerk  and  in  the  subsequent  develop- 
ments this  election  of  ]\Ir.  Cramer  proved  to  be  an  important  factor. 

The  next  activity  of  moment  in  the  removal  contest  began  in  the 
forenoon  of  June  19,  1874.  The  county  commissioners  were  in  ses- 
sion and  A.  H.  Bowen  appeared  before  the  board  and  presented 
a  resolution  for  their  consideration.  ]Mr.  Bowen  was  asked  to  read 
the  resolution,  which  was  signed  by  E.  M.  Allen,  B.  F.  Smith  and 
A.  H.  Bowen.  The  resolution  set  forth  that  a  large  number  of 
taxpayers  had  met  at  Jimiata  ^Monday,  June  l.jth,  and  decided  that 
the  time  was  ripe  for  the  erection  of  a  courthouse  at  Juniata.  The 
resolution  asked  that  the  $13,000  as  shown  by  the  levy  of  1873  should 
be  transferred  by  the  commissioners  from  the  sinking  fund  to  the 
courthouse  fund  and  that  they  should  at  once  let  the  contract  for  the 
erection  of  the  building.  The  resolution  also  stipulated  that  the  pro- 
posed courthouse  was  to  cost  not  less  than  $1.5,000  nor  more  than 
$25,000.  This  sudden  move  for  the  erection  of  the  courthouse  was 
the  plan  developed  and  adopted  by  the  leaders  of  the  Juniata  parti- 
sans for  the  securing  of  the  county  seat  already  theirs,  and  for  quelling 
the  agitation  for  removal.  This  plan  was  developed  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  Hastings  partisans.     It  was  Juniata's  answer  to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJMS  COUNTT        45 

the  attempt  made  by  Hastings  the  preceding  year  to  have  the  ques- 
tion of  removal  submitted  to  a  vote. 

^Vhen  the  resolution  was  presented  by  JNIr.  Bowen  no  Hastings 
jjartisan  was  present  excej^t  the  county  clerk,  Mr.  A.  H.  Cramer. 
Before  deliberations  had  proceeded  very  far,  however,  the  county 
clerk  espied  Charles  H.  Paul,  who  happened  to  come  to  Juniata  that 
day.  ]Mr.  Pavd  had  ridden  a  horse  to  town.  JNIr.  Cramer  succeeded 
in  slipping  the  Avord  to  jMr.  Paul  that  something  direful  to  the  hopes 
of  Hastings  was  pending  before  the  board,  and  he  urged  him  to 
return  at  once  to  Hastings  to  warn  the  people  as  to  what  was  about 
to  transpiie.  ]Mr.  Paul  at  once  turned  the  head  of  his  steed  and 
raced  I)ack  to  Hastings  with  a  speed  and  a  sj^irit  somewhat  akin  to 
those  of  Paul  Revere  upon  a  previous  momentous  occasion.  For  a 
time  the  commissioners  discussed  the  feasibility  of  the  plan  set  forth 
by  the  resolution :  that  is,  to  transfer  $13,000  from  the  sinking  fund 
to  the  courthouse  fund.  The  county  clerk  protested,  declaring  that 
the  commissioners  were  not  warranted  by  law  to  make  the  transfer. 

Commissioner  Langley  then  moved  that  the  commissioners  hold 
tliemselves  in  readiness  to  receive  plans,  specifications  and  bids  for 
a  courthouse  to  cost  not  more  than  $1.5,000.  When  this  motion  had 
been  carried,  Conmiissioner  Brass  moved  that  the  sheriff  notify 
ai-chitects,  contractors  and  builders  to  prepare  their  plans,  specifica- 
tions and  bids  "by  10  o'clock  this  day." 

Shortly  after  this  action  was  taken,  hoofbeats  were  heard  upon 
the  ])rairie  road  to  the  east.  Hastings  had  rallied  her  forces  upon 
receipt  of  the  message  carried  by  INIr.  Paul.  They  came  in  wagons, 
on  horses,  ou  whatever  conveyances  they  could  muster,  and  if  mem- 
ories may  be  relied  upon  through  the  forty-two  years  elapsed  since 
that  event,  some  brought  shotguns,  revolvei's  and  other  weapons  with 
which  to  defend  Avhat  they  considered  to  be  their  rights.  Fortunately, 
these  weajDons  were  not  brought  into  play  and  no  crime  mars  the 
intense  feelings  which  the  occasion  engendered. 

Throughout  the  presentation  of  the  arg\iments  and  the  threats 
of  tlie  folks  from  Hastings,  the  commissioners  remained  unswerved 
f]'om  tlieir  determination.  In  the  afternoon,  however,  they  extended 
the  time  for  the  bids,  plans  and  specifications  to  be  filed  by  10  o'clock 
the  following  day.  Hastings  lost  no  time  in  preparing  a  remonstrance 
against  the  erection  of  the  courthouse.  When  the  commissioners  met 
the  next  day  the  remonstrance,  signed  by  Frank  Sears  and  eighty- 
eight  Qthers,  was  filed.  It  was  evident  that  the  commissioners  did 
not  propose  that  much  time  should  be  lost  in  parleying.  Chairman 
Selleck  kept  the  machinery  of  deliberation  moving  rapidly.     A  time 


46    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

limit  of  ten  minutes  was  placed  upon  the  speakers  for  each  side.  The 
dehate  was  acrimonious,  led  largely  bj^  JNlr.  Batty  for  Hastings  and 
James  Laird  for  Juniata.  It  was  quite  evident,  too,  that  the  speaking 
was  not  going  to  convince  anyone  not  already  convinced. 

On  the  motion  of  JMr.  Brass  the  commissioners  jiroceeded  to  open 
the  bids.  The  bid  of  R.  D.  Babcock  was  for  $18,000,  for  which  he 
proposed  to  erect  a  courthouse  "similar  to  the  one  at  Lowell,  county 
seat  of  Kearney  County."     The  bid  was  rejected. 

E.  M.  Allen's  bid  of  $22,000  was  rejected. 

The  bid  of  D.  H.  Freeman  of  Juniata  was  accej^ted.  The  speci- 
fications filed  with  ]\Ir.  Freeman's  bid  designated  a  building  40  by  46. 
It  was  to  be  erected  for  $14,000.  ]Mr.  Freeman  asked  that  he  should 
be  paid  in  cash,  or  he  would  agree  to  take  county  warrants  at  7-5  cents 
on  the  dollar.     He  also  agreed  to  add  an  approved  belfry. 

Following  the  acceptance  of  Freeman's  bid.  Commissioner  Brass 
made  a  motion  that  the  levy  in  the  sinking  fund  should  be  borrowed 
for  the  use  of  the  general  fund  to  apply  to  tlie  contract  witli  Freeman. 
The  motion  was  carried.  The  next  motion  carried  ordered  that  tlie 
clerk  draw  warrants  on  the  general  fund  in  the  amount  of  $10,000 
in  favor  of  D.  H.  Freeman. 

A.  H.  Cramer,  who  it  will  l)e  remembered  was  the  county  clerk, 
again  protested  that  the  action  just  taken  by  the  board  of  commis- 
sioners was  irregular  and  unlawful.  The  board  reminded  Mr.  Cramer 
tliat  his  duty  was  merely  clerical.  The  debate  between  Mr.  Cramer 
and  the  commissioners  was  heated,  ]Mr.  Cramer,  however,  steadfastly 
refusing  to  place  the  official  seal  of  Adams  County  upon  the  warrants, 
feeling  the  while  that  probably  he  was  exceeding  his  legal  authority, 
but  also  quite  sure  that  the  action  of  the  commissioners  was  irregular. 
Finally,  exasperated  by  the  obstinacy  of  the  clerk,  the  commissioners 
carried  a  motion  declaring  the  office  of  county  clerk  of  Adams  County 
to  be  vacant. 

Mr.  Cramer  again  contended  that  the  latter  action,  too,  was  irreg- 
idar,  and  that  his  office  could  not  be  thus  vacated  on  the  grounds 
taken  by  the  commissioners.  In  consequence  he  refused  to  give  up 
the  keys  or  the  official  seal  of  the  county.  The  commissioners  then 
carried  a  motion  providing  that  the  matter  of  the  authority  of  the 
commissioners  for  the  letting  of  a  contract  for  the  purpose  of  erecting 
a  courthouse  be  referred  to  Judge  Gantt  in  chambers  at  Nebraska 
City,  June  30,  1874.  Tlie  judge's  action  was  to  issue  a  restraining 
order  forbidding  the  erection  of  the  courthouse  under  the  Freeman 
contract.    No  further  effort  was  made  to  oust  ]Mr.  Cramer  from  office. 

Feeling  reached  a   high   pitch  at  this  stage  of  the  county   seat 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        ^T 

removal  contest.  While  the  legality  of  the  action  of  the  coniniis- 
sioners  in  letting  the  Freeman  contract  was  still  in  doubt,  reposing 
in  the  hands  of  Judge  Gantt  in  Nebraska  City,  a  mass  meeting,  or 
more  correctly,  an  indignation  meeting  of  Hastings  partisans  was 
held  at  Juniata.  This  was  on  June  24,  1874.  A  rejjort  emphatically 
condemning  the  commissioners  and  heartily  endorsing  the  action  of 
Mr.  Cramer  in  refusing  to  issue  the  warrants  was  adopted  with  an 
overwhelming  majority.  The  resolutions  of  condemnation  and  com- 
mendation were  drafted  by  J.  M.  Ragan,  W.  M.  West,  Oliver  ^Vhit- 
son,  A.  C.  Moore  and  J.  C.  Wilson.  R.  A.  Batty  was  the  presiding 
officer  at  this  meeting. 

For  a  few  weeks  following  the  close  of  the  phase  of  the  county 
seat  war  just  narrated  aff'airs  remained  in  status  quo  so  far  as  overt 
activities  were  concerned.  The  jjot  was  still  simmering,  however,  and 
the  Hastings  workers  felt  that  tlie  failure  of  the  Freeman  courthouse 
contract  project  had  won  sympathy  for  their  side  and  they  were 
doubly  desirous  that  the  question  of  removal  be  submitted  to  a  vote. 
Conmiittees  were  active  in  securing  signers  for  a  petition  looking  to 
that  end.  The  result  of  this  activity  was  the  filing  of  a  petition  with 
the  board  of  commissioners  by  A.  D.  Yocum  and  others  asking 
that  the  matter  of  relocation  be  submitted  to  a  vote  at  the  forthcom- 
ing fall  election.  The  commissioners  were  in  no  hurry  to  act.  ]Mr. 
Yocum  had  filed  the  petition  August  17,  1874.  No  action  had  been 
taken  by  the  conunissioners  on  September  7th,  and  on  that  day  the 
^vorkers  for  Hastings  filed  the  names  of  thirty-three  additional  signers 
to  the  petition  and  urged  the  board  to  take  some  action.  A  remon- 
strance was  also  filed  that  day,  signed  by  392  remonstrators.  There 
were  584  signers  of  the  petition  for  submission  of  the  question. 

Next  day,  September  8th,  the  commissioners  took  action,  denying 
the  petition  and  refusing  to  order  that  the  question  be  voted  upon. 
The  statute  go^'erning  the  submission  of  the  question  of  removal  pro- 
vided that  two-thirds  of  the  qualified  voters  at  the  last  general  election 
must  sign  tlie  petition  before  the  commissioners  should  order  a  vote 
to  be  taken.  The  officials  explained  that  the  petition  filed  by  iMr. 
Yocum  did  not  contain  the  required  number  of  signers.  They  said 
that  to  the  best  of  their  belief  there  were  in  the  comity  978  persons 
who  claimed  to  be  legal  voters.  While  it  was  true  that  the  total 
signers  of  the  petition  and  the  remonstrance  amounted  to  976,  two 
fewer  than  the  number  of  qiialified  voters  in  the  county,  yet  there 
had  been  presented  to  them  the  names  of  forty-six  jJersons  who  had 
signed  neither  the  petition  nor  the  remonstrance.  The  addition  of 
these  names  to  tliose  already  filed  would  bring  the  total  of  the  qualified 


48        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAiMS  COUNTY 

voters  in  tlie  county  up  to  1,022,  a  number  wliich  the  officials  contended 
was  absurdly  high.  JNIoreover,  they  declared  that  forty-four  of  those 
who  had  signed  the  petition  for  submission  had  subsequently  peti- 
tioned to  have  their  names  erased.  Under  these  circumstances,  the 
board  declared  that  the  jietition  could  not  be  rightfully  granted. 

The  following  year,  187.>,  however,  from  the  very  outset  seemed 
more  hopeful  to  Hastings.  In  the  November  election,  1874,  Hastings 
gained  a  friend  on  the  board,  in  the  jierson  of  A.  D.  Yocum,  who  was 
an  energetic  worker.  Mr.  Yocum  succeeded  Mr.  Brass  Januar}'  1, 
1875,  and  in  the  passing  of  the  latter  from  the  board  Juniata  lost  a 
strong  and  enthusiastic  advocate.  By  an  act  of  the  Nebraska  Legis- 
lature approved  February  24,  1875,  it  was  provided  that  "Whenever 
the  inhabitants  of  a  county  are  desirous  of  changing  the  county  seat 
an  election  must  be  ordered  if  the  petitioners  number  three-fifths  of 
all  tlie  votes  cast  at  the  last  general  election."  Before  this  act  was 
passed  it  was  necessary  that  three-fourths  of  tlie  electors  should 
petition. 

Once  more  the  Hastings  partisans  began  their  struggle  to  get  the 
question  of  relocation  submitted,  and  on  JNIarch  5th,  J.  L.  Parrott 
filed  a  i^etition  signed  by  himself  and  491  otliers.  The  petition  was 
granted  and  the  board  ordered  that  a  special  election  should  be  held 
on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April,  1875.  Tlie  pi'oclamations  posted  jiro- 
vided  for  the  following  polling  places:  Juniata  Precinct,  courthouse, 
Juniata;  Denver  Precinct,  office  of  L.  C.  Gould,  Hastings;  Little 
Blue  Precinct,  schoolhouse,  District  No.  19;  Kenesaw  Precinct,  school- 
house,  District  No.  3;  Cottonwood  Precinct,  house  of  E.  C.  Sheel- 
hamer. 

On  A])ril  8th  the  ballots  were  canvassed  by  a  canvassing  board 
composed  of  A.  H.  Cramer,  M.  K.  Lewis  and  jNIyron  Van  Fleet. 
The  canvassers  declared  that  Hastings  had  won  the  election.  The 
county  clerk,  A.  H.  Cramer,  directed  by  the  canvassers,  so  entered 
the  result  uiJon  the  record.  The  canvassers  of  the  votes  by  this  board 
sliowed  the  result  to  be  as  folloAvs: 

VOTE   ox    RELOCATION,    1875 

Juniata  Kenesaw  Denver  Silver  Lake       Little  Blue         Cottonwood 

Preeinet  Precinet  rreeinet  I*recinct  Precinct  Precinct 

For  Juniata 201  66  7  67  11  28 

For  Hastings .53  9         296  49         144  10 

For  Lenata .  .  1 

The  canvassing  board,  liowever,  did  not  admit  the  vote  as  shown 
in  the  foregoing  table.     Tliey  rejected  tlie  returns  from  Cottonwood 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    49 

Precinct  because  affidavits  were  filed  by  two  Adams  County  electors 
stating  that  the  polls  in  Cottonwood  Precinct  were  declared  open 
before  a  full  election  board  was  organized,  and  ad j omened  the 
same  to  place  other  than  the  place  designated  by  the  j)roclamation  of 
election,  and  further  that  the  election  board  did  not  qualify  before 
the  proj^er  officer  as  provided  by  law.  After  throwing  out  the  Cot- 
tonwood returns  the  vote  stood:  For  Jimiata,  352;  for  Hastings, 
ool;  for  Lenata,  1.  By  this  reckoning  904  ballots  were  cast  at  the 
election.  Three-fifths  of  tliat  total  would  equal  .5-12  2-5  votes.  So  that 
Hastings,  having  received  551  votes,  was  entitled  to  tlie  county  seat, 
the  law  requiring  for  the  removal  a  majority  of  three-fifths  of  the 
votes  cast.  This  is  the  reasoning  underlying  the  entry  in  the  record 
of  elections  which  gives  Hastings  the  victory  in  the  contest  of  1875. 
The  ^■ote  recorded  for  Lenata,  was  probably  intended  for  Juniata,  but 
tlie  writing  was  almost  illegible  and  under  the  stress  of  opposition  it 
was  agreed  as  a  compromise  that  the  vote  was  for  Lenata,  though  no 
one  knew  of  a  place  by  that  name. 

Juniata,  however,  did  not  remain  quiescent  following  the  finding 
of  the  canvassing  board.  Affidavit  after  affidavit  was  filed.  It  was 
charged  that  there  was  an  irregularity  in  the  organization  of  the  county 
and  that  many  of  the  election  officials  and  a  few  of  tlie  county  officials 
were  not  citizens  of  the  United  States.  It  was  alleged  further  that 
thirty  legal  voters  had  been  disfranchised  because  they  would  not  vote 
for  Juniata.  This  latter  charge,  of  course,  was  made  by  Hastings 
]:)artisans.  Juniata  supporters  charged  tliat  in  the  southern  townships 
of  the  county  the  only  notices  of  election  had  been  posted  in  S])ring 
Ranch  in  Clay  County.  Juniata,  however,  exercised  the  greatest 
effort  to  have  the  vote  recanvassed  and  to  secure  the  including  of  the 
returns  from  Cottonwood  Township. 

And  in  this  Juniata  was  successful.  The  Supreme  Court  issued 
an  order  compelling  the  board  of  canvassers  to  count  the  votes  from 
Cottonwood.  On  ]May  19th  the  vote  was  recanvassed,  the  board  at 
this  time  being  comjiosed  of  A.  H.  Cramer,  George  W.  Wolcott  and 
W.  H.  Burr.  Cottonwood  gave  Juniata  twenty-eight  additional  votes 
and  only  ten  to  Hastings.  One  vote  from  Silver  Lake  previously 
counted  for  Hastings  was  now  counted  for  Juniata,  and  one  less  for 
Hastings  was  counted  in  Denver  Precinct.  According  to  this  canvass, 
Juniata  had  received  381  votes  and  Hastings  559.  The  commissioners 
declared  that  Juniata  had  received  more  than  two-fifths  of  all  the  votes 
cast,  and  was  therefore  the  county  seat,  and  the  result  was  so  recorded 
in  the  records. 

While  Hastings  was  much  disappointed  with  the  outcome  of  the 


^30    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

election  of  1875,  there  was  no  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  workers 
to  give  u])  the  contest.  The  Hastings  Jonrnal  continued  to  agitate 
the  question  and  plans  for  the  next  campaign  were  considered  with- 
out diminution  of  enthusiasm.  Upon  IVIarch  5,  1877,  Hastings  began 
what  proved  to  be  the  final  assault  upon  Juniata.  On  that  date  there 
was  filed  with  the  county  commissioners  a  petition  containing  635 
signers,  comijosed  of  the  resident  electors  of  Adams  County,  praying 
that  the  question  of  removal  of  the  county  seat  be  again  submitted 
to  a  vote.  Tliis  time  the  board  took  immediate  action,  and  on  the 
same  date  Commissioner  Moore  moved  that  the  petition  be  granted. 
The  motion  was  seconded  by  Commissioner  John  R.  Ratcliff  and  was 
carried.  A  special  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  INIonday,  April  9, 
1877.  The  following  were  designated  as  the  polling  places:  West 
Blue  Precinct,  schoolhouse.  District  No.  33;  Denver  Precinct,  office 
of  George  F.  Work,  Hastings;  Pawnee  Precinct,  schoolhouse.  Dis- 
trict No.  22;  Little  Blue  Precinct,  schoolhouse.  District  No.  9:  Silver 
Lake  Pi'ecinct,  residence  of  W.  B.  Thorne;  Cottonwood  Precinct, 
schoolhouse.  District  No.  39;  Kenesaw  Precinct,  schoolhouse.  District 
N^o.  3;  Juniata  Precinct,  courthouse,  Juniata. 

On  Ajjril  14th  the  county  clerk,  A.  H.  Cramer,  selected  Thomas 
R.  Lee  and  Thomas  D.  Scofield  to  act  with  himself  as  a  canvassing 
board  to  canvass  the  votes.  The  canvassers  foimd  that  844  votes  had 
been  cast  for  Hastings  and  535  for  Juniata.  The  votes  for  Hastings 
numbering  more  than  three-fifths  of  all  the  votes  cast,  it  was  declared 
to  be  the  county  seat.  The  abstract  of  the  canvassers  shows  the  vote 
by  precincts  to  have  been  as  follows : 

VOTE  ON  RELOCATION,  1877 


Kenesaw 
Precinct 

Precinct 

Silver 

Lake 

Precinct 

Mttle 
Precinct 

Cotton- 
wood 
Precinct 

Pawnee 
Precinct 

West 

Total 

65 

26 

46 

32 

90 

27 

18 

535 

13 

491 

15 

82 

7 

130 

102 

844 

Jimiata   231 

Hastings 4       13     491 

Though  the  report  of  the  canvassing  board  showed  that  Hastings 
had  won  the  county  seat  by  the  ballot,  Juniata  was  not  disposed  to 
yield  thus  easily,  and  there  followed  a  period  of  litigation  which 
extended  until  the  autumn  of  1878. 

On  the  day  that  the  canvassing  board  announced  their  finding, 
April  14,  1877,  Adna  H.  Bowen,  "for  himself  and  others  similarly 
interested,"  filed  a  petition,  affidavit  and  undertaking  in  the  District 
Court  asking  the  court  to  issue  an  injimction  to  prevent  the  removal 
of  the  countv  offices  to  Hastings.     The  countv  commissioners,  A.  D. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY        51 

Yocuni,  Edward  jMoore  and  John  RatclifF,  and  the  county  clerk,  A. 
H.  Cramer,  were  made  the  defendants.  A  temporary  injunction  was 
granted,  and  Jiniiata  was  saved  from  immediate  loss  of  the  county 
offices.  The  plaintiffs  charged  that  frauds  had  been  perpetrated  in 
the  election,  that  votes  had  been  illegally  coimted  for  Hastings,  and 
that  the  partisans  of  the  latter  town  had  used  intimidation  to  prevent 
voters  from  expressing  their  wishes  at  the  jjolls. 

On  June  8th  the  defendants  moved  the  court  for  the  dissolution 
of  the  injunction.  T.  D.  Scolield  and  E.  E.  Brown  represented 
Hastings,  while  James  Laird  and  Oliver  P.  INIason,  defending  Jimi- 
ata,  argued  against  defendants'  motion.  Judge  Gas! in  ovenided  the 
motion  of  the  defendants  and  the  injunction  continued  in  force.  On 
the  same  date  the  plaintiffs  were  allowed  to  file  an  amended  petition. 

On  July  6,  1877,  Judge  Gaslin,  with  the  consent  of  both  imrties 
to  the  controversy,  ajjpointed  C.  E.  Calkins,  an  attorney  from  Kear- 
ney, as  referee  to  take  proofs  and  report  issues  of  law  and  fact  and 
to  report  without  unnecessary  delay.  July  18th,  the  referee  filed 
his  oath  and  forthwith  began  his  inquiry  into  the  fact  of  the  election 
held  the  previous  April.  These  sessions  of  inquiry  were  begun  in 
the  courthouse  at  Juniata.  In  form  the  inquiry  was  much  like  a  court 
])roceeding.  A  long  list  of  witnesses  Avere  examined  and  the  testi- 
mony was  a  conflicting  maze  of  charges  and  counter-charges.  Several 
hearings  were  had  by  the  referee  in  Hastings,  in  iSIillet  Hall,  vvhicli 
was  located  on  First  Street,  on  the  north  side  of  the  street  and  a  little 
east  of  the  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street.  The  referee 
did  not  finish  his  investigation,  begun  in  July,  until  the  following 
December.  On  the  .3d  of  that  month  he  filed  his  report,  and  the  next 
day  the  defendants  filed  a  motion  for  judgment  on  the  report  of  the 
referee  and  the  court  set  the  motion  for  hearing  on  the  morning  of 
Friday,  December  7th.  The  compensation  asked  by  the  referee  for 
his  services  was  $320  and  $77  for  expenses,  and  he  asked  for  the 
stenographer,  John  W.  Brewster,  for  the  transcript  furnished  by  him, 
the  sum  of  $400.  By  consent  of  both  parties  later,  the  reporter,  ISIr. 
Brewster,  was  allowed  $203  additional  and  per  diem  attendance  before 
the  referee. 

On  the  morning  of  December  7th,  Judge  Gaslin  took  uji  the 
motion  for  judgment  on  the  report  of  the  referee  and  took  the  report 
under  advisement.  On  the  daj^  before,  Mr.  Bowen  filed  a  motion 
for  a  new  trial. 

In  order  to  more  thoroughly  familiarize  himself  with  the  merits 
of  the  controversy.  Judge  Gaslin  took  with  him  to  Kearney  the  papers 
filed  in  the  case  and  the  report  of  the  referee.     On  the  night  of 


52        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

February  26,  1878,  the  office  in  which  these  jmpers  were  stored  at 
Kearney  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  with  it  the  papers  concerning  the 
momentous  issue  in  Adams  County.  Among  the  papers  lost  was 
the  ]-eport  of  the  referee.  It  is  the  recollection,  however,  of  some  of 
those  who  took  part  in  the  controversy  that  the  lead  of  Hastings  over 
Juniata  was  increased  by  the  rej^ort,  and  that  it  was  found  that  ballots 
were  cast  illegally  in  both  places,  but  that  a  greater  number  were  so 
cast  in  Juniata  than  in  Hastings. 

The  loss  of  the  records  of  the  hearings  before  Referee  Calkins 
threw  a  degree  of  consternation  into  both  camps.  On  July  10th, 
however.  Judge  Gaslin  overruled  the  motion  of  Oliver  P.  Mason, 
acting  for  Juniata,  for  a  new  trial  before  a  referee.  He,  however, 
allowed  the  jjlaintiff's  motion  asking  leave  to  supply  all  such  papers 
as  were  of  record  in  the  case  and  which  could  be  had  from  the  notes 
and  records  of  the  shorthand  rej^orter,  and  to  retake  certain  deposi- 
tions. Among  the  depositions  to  be  taken  were  those  of  A.  W. 
Devore,  M.  B.  Noel,  William  Stine,  David  Sisk,  Frank  Blodgett, 
D.  F.  Brown,  A.  S.  Hill,  William  Linton,  J.  B.  Dinsmore, 
Art  Davidson,  Hiram  Carpenter,  J.  W.  Carpenter,  John  Wallichs, 
Conrad  Benzel,  Philip  Bergeron,  Sr.,  the  minister  of  the  Russian 
settlement  at  AVilliamsburg,  in  Franklin  County,  and  those  of  twenty- 
one  others.  Plaintiffs  were  ordered  by  the  court  to  file  all  depositions 
and  other  papers  "with  the  clerk  of  the  court  on  or  before  September 
16th.  The  following  day  argTiments  were  heard  on  the  motion  of  the 
defendants  to  dissolve  the  injunction  and  the  motion  was  overruled. 
At  this  time  the  defendants,  the  Adams  County  commissioners  and 
A.  H.  Cramer,  were  represented  by  Ash  &  Scofield. 

On  Sejjtember  27,  1878,  the  county  seat  contest  came  uj)  for  the 
last  time  in  the  District  Court.  The  motion  of  the  defendants  to 
substitute  copies  for  the  original  pajiers  which  had  been  destroyed  by 
fire  was  allowed.  These  papers  were  copies  of  the  affidavit  for  injvmc- 
tion,  the  original  petition,  the  order  allowing  the  injunction,  the 
undertaking  upon  which  the  injunction  was  allowed,  the  amended 
petition,  the  answer  and  reply  and  the  report  of  the  referee.  In  the 
ruling.  Judge  Gaslin  said  that  tlie  plaintiffs  had  neglected  to  file 
copies  of  original  papers  as  the  court  had  ordered  them  on  July  10th. 

The  court  then  passed  upon  the  motion  of  the  defendants  to  con- 
firm the  report  of  tlie  referee,  filed  December  3d  of  the  previous  year. 
The  next  words  of  Judge  Gaslin  announced  the  final  victory  of 
Hastings  in  the  legal  contest  which  had  lasted  from  April  14,  1877, 
to  September  27,  1878.  These  were  the  momentous  words:  "It 
appearing  to  the  court  that  all  the  papers  herein  and  all  the  evidence 


PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  ADA^NIS  COUNTY         53 

taken  and  jjroceedings  had  before  the  referee  have  been  consumed  by 
fire,  and  that  they  cannot  all  be  supplied  by  copies  or  otherwise,  and 
the  coin-t  being  fully  advised  in  the  premises,  it  is  ordered  that  the 
injunction  heretofore  issued  in  this  cause  be  and  the  same  is  hereby 
dissolved  without  prejudice,  and  that  each  party  pay  their  own  costs." 
It  was  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  Judge  Gaslin  dis- 
solved the  injunction.  A  little  after, 4  o'clock  the  news  was  received 
in  Hastings.  R.  A.  Batty  and  his  partner,  ]Mr.  Ash,  lost  no  time  in 
looking  up  C.  L.  Alexander  (Curt)  and  to  him  was  entrusted  the 
mission  of  transferring  the  county  records  to  Hastings  from  Juniata. 
At  that  time  Mr.  Alexander  was  engaged  in  the  livery  stable  and 
horse  selling  business.  He  had  in  his  employ  a  coAvboy  by  the  name 
of  Smith,  a  thorough  westerner  and  an  excellent  shot  with  the  revolver. 
]\Ir.  Alexander  pressed  Smith  into  the  service  for  the  enterprise  at 
hand.  "Sir.  Batty  and  other  Hastings  men  were  anxious  lest  some 
new  legal  move  made  by  Juniata  would  result  in  another  court  order 
retarding  the  movement  of  the  officers  to  Hastings;  accordingly 
]Mr.  Alexander  Avas  instructed  to  act  as  rapidly  and  quietly  as  possible. 

I\Ir.  Alexander  and  his  man  arrived  in  Jimiata  at  about  dusk. 
They  had  brought  with  them  two  teams  and  two  lumber  wagons  with 
sideboards.  Lamp  lights  flickered  from  the  windows  of  the  Juniata 
residences  as  they  entered.  The  inhabitants  were  eating  their  evening 
meal.  Immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  the  wagons  there  was  great 
activity  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk,  A.  H.  Cramer.  Mr.  Cramer 
hastily  piled  the  records  upon  the  desk  and  JNIr.  Alexander  and  Smith 
industriously  deposited  them  in  the  wagons.  An  air  of  apprehensive 
excitement  pervaded  the  place,  for  feeling  in  Juniata  was  high,  and 
though  they  had  lost  the  legal  fight,  it  would  be  an  exasperating  sight 
to  see  the  records  thus  loaded  ujDon  the  wagons. 

It  is  just  as  well  that  no  Juniata  residents  witnessed  these  last 
activities.  In  a  few  minutes  the  wagons  Avere  rumbling  across  the 
prairie  towards  Hastings,  where  they  arrived  about  8  o'clock.  A  large 
delegation  from  town  met  the  returning  wagons  at  about  the  vicinity 
of  the  present  Burlington  roundhouse.  The  remainder  of  the  journey 
was  a  noisy  triumphal  progress.  The  records  were  deposited  in  a 
little  frame  building,  20  feet  long  by  20  feet  wide,  belonging  to 
Mr.  Cramer  and  located  at  about  .509  West  Second  Street,  the  present 
location  of  the  water  commissioner's  office. 

April  9.  1877,  the  election  day,  was  a  day  of  great  excitement 
throughout  Adams  County.  The  conflict  raged  with  great  fury  at 
both  Hastings  and  Juniata,  perhaps  reaching  the  greater  turbulence 
at  the  latter  point.    A  considerable  number  of  Hastings  people  were 


54         PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJ^IS  COUNTY 

at  Juniata  throughout  the  day.  Mr.  Cramer  was  delegated  by  the 
Hastings  contingent  to  watch  the  polls  and  challenge  the  votes  he 
thought  to  be  illegal.  For  Juniata  a  similar  service  was  performed 
at  the  polls  at  Hastings  by  A.  H.  Bowen,  assisted  by  a  number  of 
others.  Towards  noon  a  large  crowd  gathered  in  Juniata  and  the 
rising  babel  of  voices  grew  ominous.  JNIr.  Cramer  felt  that  something 
was  brewing  and  he  surmised  that  an  effort  would  be  made  to  rush 
the  i^olls  for  the  casting  of  illegal  votes. 

Consi^icuous  among  those  arguing  loudly  upon  the  streets  during 
the  morning  was  a  fiery  Irishman  by  the  name  of  Tom  Mm-phy.  He 
was  eager  for  a  fist  fight  in  behalf  of  Plastings.  Opposed  to  Murphy 
was  Sam  Saulisbmy  of  Juniata.  Saulisbury  was  more  or  less  of  a 
l^rofessional  boxer,  and  how  Murphy  and  Saulisbury  managed  to 
refrain  from  combat  during  tlie  first  few  hoiu's  of  voting  is  inex- 
plicable. 

It  was  just  before  noon  that  matters  assumed  a  serious  aspect. 
A  force  of  Juniata  men  approached  the  polls  in  a  body.  At  the  head 
of  the  column  marched  Saulisbury,  the  boxer,  but  near  him  marched 
"Jim  Laird."  the  generalissimo  of  the  affair  at  hand.  Other  .Juniata 
men  that  had  been  standing  close  to  ]Mr.  Cramer  near  the  polls  now 
crowded  closer  and  closer  as  their  reinforcements  approaclied.  Closer 
and  closer  they  crowded  until  at  length  JNIr.  Cramer  could  only  stay 
at  his  jiost  by  bracing  himself  against  the  pressure. 

IMeanwhile  Hastings  men  formed  to  oppose  the  advancing  line. 
One  featm-e  of  the  Hastings  lines  was  the  "Committee  of  Toms"; 
Toni  Farrell,  Tom  Kernan,  Tom  Pardue,  Tom  Murphy  and  one 
other.  The  Hastings  line  was  there  to  protect  the  polls,  because  the 
word  had  gone  out  that  Jvniiata  was  planning  to  cast  a  number  of 
illegal  votes.  The  lines  met  and  then  the  fight  was  on.  At  last 
Murphy  and  Saulisbury  closed  in  combat,  but  their  encounter  failed 
to  hold  attention  because  of  a  general  charge  all  along  the  Hastings 
line.  Heads  and  bodies  were  made  sore  that  day.  Tom  Farrell  used 
to  relate  that  while  in  the  midst  of  tlie  battle,  he  found  before  him  an 
old.  white-headed  Juniata  man.  Tom  Farrell  had  drawn  back  liis 
fist  to  strike  the  foeman.  but  the  white  hairs  of  his  opponent  gave 
him  pause.  "This  won't  do,  county  seat  or  no  coimty  seat,"  thought 
Tom.  But  the  white-haired  man  thought,  too,  but  differently.  With 
a  (juick  movement  lie  suddenly  ])roduced  and  swung  a  club  and  Tom 
Farrell  fell,  stunned,  to  tlie  ground. 

In  a  moment  more  the  crowd  behind  Mr.  Cramer  surged  forward 
with  a  yell  and  the  Hastings  challenger  was  forced  to  retreat  and 
the  polls  Avere  in  the  hands  of  Juniata. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    55 

yiv.  Cramer  suav  that  the  Hastings  partisans  were  not  numerous 
enough  to  enable  them  to  keep  anj-  further  watch  over  tlie  voting. 
The  scene  resembled  a  riot.  Some  Hastings  men  were  drawing  away 
wounded.  Tom  ^Murphy's  hat  was  off  and  he  was  just  stooping  to 
recover  it.  A  man  approached,  api^arently  with  the  intention  of 
kicking  Murphy  on  the  head.  But  the  Irishman  was  not  to  be  caught. 
He  spiang  like  a  panther  and  with  a  well-directed  blow  laid  his  assail- 
ant full  length  u^Don  the  ground. 

]Mr.  Cramer  now  sought  his  horse  and  mounted,  rode  to  Hastings 
on  the  galloj)  to  apprise  the  citizens  of  the  state  of  things.  Arriving, 
he  found  that  Hastings  already  had  the  information.  Oswald  Oliver 
had  telegraphed  from  Juniata.  A  moment  later  Tom  Dodd  arrived, 
also  upon  a  foaming  horse,  and  by  these  messages  Hastings  was 
thoroughly  wrought.  The  first  care  of  the  men  of  Hastings  was  to 
drive  ]Mr.  Bowen  and  the  Juniata  watchers  of  the  polls  away  from 
their  post  and  out  of  town. 

Then  a  force  assembled  and  e\'ery  vehicle  was  pressed  into  service 
to  furnish  transportation  to  Juniata.  The  county  seat  army  carried 
toward  the  western  village  a  motley  equipment  of  weapons — whips, 
clubs,  scythes,  whatever  could  be  first  found.  The  Hastings  men 
came  in  such  numbers  that  they  were  able  to  overwhelm  Juniata,  and 
JMr.  Cramer  was  reinstated  at  his  post  as  challenger.  That  evening 
another  disturbance  threatened  to  develop  to  dangerous  proportions, 
for  Hastings  insisted  that  ^Ir.  Cramer  and  Tom  Lee  should  sit  within 
the  enclosure  and  watch  the  election  officials  count  the  ballots,  and  in 
this  they  were  finally  successful. 

The  ballot  was  a  small  piece  of  jjaper,  bearing  the  words,  "For 
Relocating  the  County  Seat  of  Adams  County,"  and  the  names  of 
the  contending  towns.  The  ballots  had  been  prepared  on  rolls  per- 
forated, so  that  each  one  could  be  readily  torn  off.  Mr.  Cramer  and 
]Mr.  Lee  objected  frequently  to  the  counting  of  certain  ballots.  One 
notable  instance  was  where  a  number  of  ballots  had  been  cast  into 
the  box  without  taking  the  trouble  to  separate  them.  This  probably 
happened  in  the  excitement  about  the  noon  hour.  The  report  of 
Refei-ee  Calkins,  however,  later  indicated  that  Juniata  was  not  alone 
in  this  overzealousness. 

The  little  frame  building  on  Second  Street  which  was  the  first 
home  of  the  county  offices  in  Hastings  was  not  a  very  pretentious 
affair.  It  was  a  square  building  measuring  about  20  feet  long  by 
20  feet  wide.  This  building  was  occupied  by  the  county  for  about 
sixty  days.  After  the  expiration  of  about  that  time  the  offices  were 
moved  to  the  present  Courthouse  Square  and  housed  in  a  frame  build- 


56         PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ing  about  ll/o  stories  in  height.  This  building  stood  a  little  southeast 
of  the  southeast  corner  of  the  present  courthouse.  It  was  the  property 
of  the  Paine  Lumber  ComiJany,  who,  upon  its  completion,  leased  it 
to  Adams  Comity. 

This  building  was  subsequently  sold  to  Harrison  Bost^^■ick,  who 
remodeled  it  and  disjiosed  of  it  to  James  INladgett,  father  of  William 
jNIadgett,  who  at  present  is  mayor  of  Hastings.  It  was  removed  from 
the  Courthouse  Square  and  at  present  is  located  at  203  West  Seventh 
Street  and  is  the  property  and  residence  of  JNIrs.  S.  C.  Johnston.  It 
was  in  the  fall  of  1880  that  the  building  was  removed  from  the  Court- 
house Square,  and  at  that  time  the  county  offices  were  once  more  moved 
and  installed  in  the  Stone  Block,  on  the  second  floor.  Here  they 
remained  mitil  during  the  week  of  Sei)tember  5  and  September  12, 
1890,  when  they  were  once  more  moved,  this  time  to  be  established 
in  the  Adams  County  courthouse  that  stands  on  the  Courthouse 
Square. 

For  some  time  after  the  removal  from  Juniata.  Mr.  Cramer  at 
times  carried  on  the  business  of  the  county  clerk  in  his  private  office 
at  different  locations.  Also  when  the  records  were  moved,  SeiJfem- 
lier  27,  1878,  there  was  not  included  the  office  of  the  county  treasurer, 
W.  B.  Thorne  Avas  the  county  treasiu'er  and  a  strong  friend  of  Juniata. 
]Mr.  Thorne  did  not  transfer  his  office  to  Hastings  until  late  in  tlie  fall 
of  1878. 

As  soon  as  Judge  Gaslin  decided  in  favor  of  Hastings  in  the  elec- 
tion contest  of  1877  steps  were  taken,  at  the  urgent  suggestion  of 
iMr.  Cramer,  to  secure  to  Adams  County  the  block  of  ground  which 
had  been  offered  as  an  inducement  for  the  removal  of  the  county 
seat.  This  was  block  15  in  the  original  town,  the  j^resent  Courtliouse 
Scjuare.    Litigation  resulted  from  this  move. 

Prior  to  the  election  of  1875  The  Hastings  Town  Company  had 
been  i^revailed  upon  to  set  apart  block  15  for  the  use  of  the  county 
and  to  be  occupied  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  courthouse  and  other 
county  buildings.  The  company  entered  into  an  agreement,  with 
bond,  with  the  county  commissioners  to  deed  or  release  all  their 
right,  title  or  interest  in  the  stated  block  upon  the  removal  of  the 
county  seat  to  Hastings.  The  election  was  held  April  6.  1875.  and 
Hastings  lost.  By  its  articles  of  incorporation,  the  Hastings  Town 
Company  Avould  dissolve  JMay  18,  1875.  Having  lost  the  election, 
the  friends  of  Hastings  were  desirous  that  the  inducement  of  a  public 
square  should  be  available  for  the  next  contest.  Before  another  elec- 
tion could  be  held,  however,  the  Hastings  Town  Company  would  be 
dissolved.     P    ^eion  '^as  made  for  this  contingency  when  <m  April 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADA^IS  COUNTY        57 

30,  ]  873,  the  Hastings  Town  Company,  by  a  vote  of  all  its  members, 
instructed  and  authorized  the  president  and  secretary  of  the  company 
to  make  a  deed  or  deeds  to  parties  entitled  thereto  by  reason  of  any 
prior  contract,  ^^^len  shortly  afterward  the  company  wound  up  its 
affairs  and  prorated  their  interest  in  property  undisposed  of,  block 
1.5  was  not  prorated,  because  it  had  been  set  aside  to  be  given  to  the 
county  ui)on  the  condition  that  the  county  seat  should  be  removed. 

Therefore,  when  the  county  seat  had  been  removed  the  president 
of  the  company  before  its  dissolution,  Charles  K.  Lawson,  and  the 
secretary,  Thomas  E.  Farrell,  executed  a  quit  claim  deed  to  Adams 
County.  This  instrument  was  executed  October  8,  1878.  Follow- 
ing the  dissolution  of  the  Hastings  Town  Company,  jNIay  18,  1875, 
however,  a  member  of  the  company,  James  D.  Carl,  disposed  of 
certain  of  his  interests  to  his  nephew,  John  O.  Barada,  of  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.  Employing  as  his  attorneys  R.  A.  Batty  and  Joiin  M. 
Ragan,  Barada  commenced  ejectment  proceedings  against  Adams 
County  on  the  ground  that  his  uncle  had  conveyed  to  him  Carl's 
interest  in  block  1.3.  At  that  time  two  trials  were  had  in  all  ejectment 
])roceedings,  decision  in  the  first  trial  formally  being  made  in  favor 
of  the  plaintiff.  The  first  hearing  was  held  in  this  case  ]May  17,  1880. 
and  a  finding  was  made  for  Barada.  The  attorneys  for  Adams 
County  were  Hewett,  Yocum  and  A.  T.  Ash.  December  9,  1880, 
attorneys  for  the  jdaintiff  annoimced  the  death  of  Barada,  and  the 
following  INIarch  ISlv.  Batty  appeared  in  court  as  administrator  of 
the  estate  and  party  plaintiff  with  Deliaha  Barada,  mother,  and  JNIar- 
garet  Barada,  sister  of  John  O.  Barada.  On  March  17,  1881,  Judge 
Gaslin  delivered  judgment  in  favor  of  Adams  County.  The  court 
reviewed  the  history  of  the  Hastings  To^vTi  ComiDany  from  its  organi- 
ation  and  pointed  out  that  block  15  had  been  set  apart  to  be  turned 
over  to  the  county  upon  condition  that  such  was  the  purpose  of  all 
members  of  the  comjDany,  including  Carl.  The  court  also  found  no 
evidence  that  the  sale  by  Carl  to  Barada  had  involved  any  considera- 
tion. Plaintiffs  were  ordered  to  make  a  quit  claim  deed  to  Adams 
Comity  within  sixty  days. 

The  plaintiffs,  however,  were  determined  to  contest  the  case  to 
the  end  and  appealed  from  Judge  Gaslin's  decision  to  the  Supreme 
Court.  The  case  was  submitted  and  argued  in  the  higher  court  in 
the  January  term,  1882.  In  July  of  that  year  the  court,  of  its  own 
motion,  ordered  a  reargument.  Not  until  January,  188-i,  was  a  deci- 
sion rendered.  Judge  Gaslin's  decision  was  affirmed.  The  question 
raised  in  the  case  was :  Did  the  deeds  from  the  president  and  secretary 
of  the  Hastings  Town  Company  convey  the  title  to  the  land  in  ques- 


•58        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tion?  The  Supreme  Court  decided  that  they  did,  Judge  Maxwell 
remarking  in  the  ruling  that  the  dedication  originally  made  would 
have  been  sufficient,  although  that  matter  was  not  gone  into. 

It  was  in  1876  that  Carl  conveyed  the  lots  assigned  to  him,  and 
also  a  one-fourth  interest  in  block  1.5  and  other  property,  to  Barada, 
and  in  1879  the  latter  instituted  his  proceedings. 

Almost  immediately  after  the  settlement  of  the  controversy  con- 
cerning the  Courthouse  Square,  steps  were  taken  for  the  erection 
of  a  suitable  courthouse.  On  April  30,  1889,  bonds  in  the  sum  of 
$7.3,000  were  voted  for  the  erection  of  a  courthouse.  The  votes 
resulted  as  follows:  For  the  bonds  Kenesaw  gave  11,  Highland  10, 
West  Blue  22,  Juniata  5,  Denver  14.,  Blaine  20,  Roseland  8,  Ayr  6, 
Hanover  8,  Logan  2,  Zero  9,  Little  Blue  7,  Hastings  1,301;  total 
for  tlie  bonds,  1,416.  Against  the  bonds  Kenesaw  gave  108,  Verona 
60,  Highland  51,  West  Blue  20,  Wanda  73,  Juniata  239,  Denver  3.5, 
Blaine  12,  Cottonwood  69,  Roseland  94,  Ayr  73,  Hanover  34,  Logan 
.54,  Silver  Lake  33,  Zero  27.  Little  Blue  49,  Hastings  7;  total  against 
the  bonds,  1,040. 

On  July  9,  1889  the  bonds  were  sold  for  $77..500,  and  shortly 
afterwards  the  conti-act  to  furnish  the  material  and  build  the  court- 
house was  let  to  J.  R.  Sims  of  Hastings  for  $.59,900.  It  was  stipu- 
lated that  the  building  should  be  finished  and  ready  for  occujjancy 
on  or  before  September  1,  1890.  Owing  to  litigation  concerning 
tlie  validity  of  courthouse  bonds  in  Gage  and  Cass  coimties,  the  buyers 
of  the  Adams  County  bonds  refused  to  receive  or  pay  for  the  bonds 
until  the  litigation  in  the  other  counties  was  settled,  which  was  several 
months  after  the  bonds  were  sold. 

Tlie  contractor,  however,  proceeded  with  the  work  forthwith, 
and  tlie  building  was  completed  near  the  time  stipulated,  and  the 
county  offices  were  housed  in  the  new  structure  during  the  week  elaps- 
ing between  September  7  and  September  12,  1890.  The  building 
was  constructed  under  the  direction  of  a  committee  from  the  board 
of  supervisors,  with  Aaron  Powers  chairman.  The  other  members 
of  tlie  committee  were  F.  J.  Benedict.  William  Vastine,  B.  B.  Snod- 
grass  and  T.  T.  Jones.  C.  C.  Rittenhouse  of  Hastings  was  the 
arcliitect. 

Undei-  the  direction  of  the  committee  a  number  of  changes  were 
made  in  the  original  specifications  for  tlie  building.  The  total  cost, 
as  shown  by  the  report  of  tlie  committee,  was  $77,81.5.86.  That 
figiu'e  includes  furniture  and  sidewalks.  The  ground  dimensions  of 
the  building  are  9.5  by  11.5  feet.  The  height  to  the  roof  deck  is  60 
feet  and  to  the  top  of  tlie  statue  133  feet.     The  foundation  is  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        59 

Colorado  sandstone,  the  walls  of  St.  Louis  pressed  brick  with  Wichita 
stone  trimmings.  The  roof  is  of  slate  and  the  cupola  has  a  covering 
of  metal.  The  jail,  located  in  the  basement,  has  eight  cells,  one  of 
which  is  for  women.  In  the  basement,  too,  are  the  apartments  of 
the  sheriff".  The  District  Court  room  is  on  the  second  floor.  Its 
auditorium  is  equipj^ed  with  240  opera  chairs. 

Keverting  to  the  long,  bitter  struggle  attending  the  removal  of 
the  county  seat,  it  is  pleasing  to  note  that  at  last  the  feeling  aroused 
by  that  contest  has  subsided.  This  can  be  shown  in  no  better  way  than 
by  quoting  from  a  paper  written  by  INIrs.  A.  V.  Cole  for  a  meeting 
of  Adams  County  jjeople  living  in  California,  in  ]March,  1915.  Mr. 
and  ]Mrs.  Cole  were  pioneers  in  Adams  County  and  settled  in  Jmiiata. 
Speaking  of  the  days  of  the  contest,  INIrs.  Cole  says:  "Hastings, 
with  her  rapid  growth,  soon  took  from  Juniata  the  county  seat,  and 
with  it  the  only  building  that  in  any  way  suggested  that  we  were 
the  honest,  legitimate  county  seat  of  Adams  County.  It  was  the 
Adams  County  jail.  Such  an  addition  to  our  towii!  About  as  large 
as  a  good-sized  dry  goods  box.  But  our  hopes  were  built  on  nothing 
less  tlian  that  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  Hastings  would  find 
in  it  an  abiding  place.  So  with  wrath  in  our  hearts  and  tears  in  our 
eyes  we  watched  it  disai)pear  toward  the  east,  and  poor  Juniata  was 
no  more  tlie  metropolis  of  Adams  County.  Todaj',  with  loyal  hearts 
we  point  with  pride  to  Hastings,  the  queen  city,  and  her  beautiful 
little  subiu'b,  Jvmiata.  where  most  of  us  here  spent  our  hard  days, 
along  with  many  haj^py  ones." 

The  county  commissioners  held  their  last  meeting  in  Jimiata  Sep- 
tember 27.  1878.  Something  of  the  triumph  felt  by  those  who  had 
liattled  for  Hastings  is  evident  in  the  bold  flourish  of  letters  with 
which  County  Clerk  A.  H.  Cramer  wrote  in  the  record  the  date  upon 
Miiich  the  deliberations  of  the  board  began  in  Hastings,  October 
10.  1878. 


CHAPTER  V 
HASTINGS 

Tlie  location  of  a  settlement  upon  the  land  on  which  the  City  of 
Hastings  stands  was  due  to  the  oiJeration  of  American  hnmigration 
agencies  in  Great  Britain.  These  agencies,  through  the  means  of 
advertisements  inserted  in  the  British  newspapers  and  through  per- 
sonal interviews  with  prosjDective  colonists,  set  forth  in  glowing  terms 
the  inducements  offered  in  the  middle  western  section  and  other  parts 
of  the  United  States  not  already  jjopidated. 

There  assembled  in  Liverpool  one  day  a  little  company  of  colo- 
nists bound  for  America,  who  eventually  settled  in  Hastings, 
Xeb.  They  embarked  upon  passenger  vessel  Scandinavia  of  the 
Allan  Line,  and  in  due  time  arrived  in  Portland,  INIe.  From  Port- 
land they  continued  Avestward,  as  directed  by  the  immigration  agents, 
until  they  reached  Lincoln.  Here  they  bought  horses  and  wagons, 
a  few  simple  agricultural  implements  and  provisions  and  continued 
their  journey  overland.  In  the  spring  of  1871.  in  either  April  or 
JMay,  this  little  company  halted  at  Thirty-Two  Mile  Creek. 

A  number  of  these  colonists  had  had  no  experience  in  farming 
before  coming  to  the  prairie  country,  some  others  had  had  a  little 
experience  with  farming  as  it  was  carried  on  in  the  British  Isles.  On 
the  whole,  it  was  a  dreary  outlook,  but  as  George  Wilkes  remarked: 
"We  couldn't  walk  back,  so  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  stay."  Among 
these  colonists  were  Joseph  Hopkins,  John  G.  JNIoore,  Tliomas  Watts, 
William  Wallace  and  famil}',  Walter  IMicklen,  Thomas  Johnson, 
jNIr.  Binfield  and  family,  George  Wilkes,  Thomas  B.  Wilkes,  James 
KemiJ,  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Clarkson  and  Will  Roberts.  The  women  of 
the  colony  were  INIrs.  Wallace,  IMrs.  Watts  and  ^Irs.  Binfield. 

The  greater  number  of  these  British  inmiigrants  took  homesteads 
in  the  vicinity  of  Hastings,  the  land  upon  which  jNIicklen  settled  after- 
ward becoming  the  site  of  the  original  to^ni.  INIicklen's  homestead 
is  described  as  the  west  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  12, 
townsliip  7.  range  10.  The  boundaries  of  the  original  town  are  as  fol- 
GO 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        61 

lows:  Oil  the  north.  Seventh  Street;  on  the  south,  South  Street;  on 
the  west,  l?urhngton  Avenue;  on  the  east,  St.  Joseph  Avenue. 

The  eighty  acres  adjoining  the  original  town  on  the  west  was  the 
lioniestead  of  John  Gillespie  Moore;  out  of  a  portion  of  this  holding 
^Moore's  addition  was  platted.  James  ^Vatts  took  for  his  homestead 
the  eighty  acres  immediately  west  of  that  taken  hy  Moore.  Thomas 
Johnson  homesteaded  the  eighty  acres  to  the  east  of  IMicklen's  land, 
the  eastern  boundarj'  being  Wabash  Avenue.  The  addition  w'hen 
platted  was  therefore  called  Johnson's  addition.  The  half  section 
tluis  described  became  the  possession  of  members  of  the  British  colony 
in  1871.  They  were  located  on  their  places  by  Surveyor  Babcock 
of  Jimiata.  Of  the  remainder  of  section  12,  Samuel  Alexander  home- 
steaded  the  northeast  quarter  in  the  spring  of  1872.  The  east  half 
of  the  northwest  quarter  was  the  homestead  of  James  Haire,  who 
came  to  Nebraska  from  Michigan.  The  west  half  of  the  northwest 
quarter  was  filed  upon  by  George  Grosse.  The  locations  of  these 
homesteads  may  be  identified  today  by  the  additions  which  bear  the 
names  of  the  original  settlers. 

The  first  dwelling  house  was  built  of  sod  by  Walter  Micklen  on 
his  homestead  in  1871.  It  was  located  near  the  corner  of  Third 
Street  and  Burlington  Avenue.  About  the  same  time.  Watts  and 
Johnson  put  up  sod  houses  on  their  claims.  Watts'  sod  shantj'  stood 
near  the  pi-esent  location  of  the  residence  of  Emil  Polenske,  1235 
West  Second  Street.  In  the  same  year  John  G.  INIoore  erected  a 
small  frame  shack,  which  was  the  first  frame  building  to  be  erected 
in  the  town.  This  building  stood  between  Second  and  Third  streets, 
not  far  from  Saunders  Avenue.  The  lumber  to  build  this  shack  was 
hauled  from  Grand  Island.  The  activities  of  these  British  colonists 
constituted  all  the  life  in  Hastings  during  1871. 

The  following  year  showed  a  very  considerable  growth.  On  Ajiril 
22d  Samuel  Alexander  arrived.  He  came  to  Hastings  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  Thomas  Kennard,  Nebraska's  first  secretary  of  state, 
by  whom  he  was  employed.  Mr.  Alexander  when  he  came  did  not 
intend  to  remain.  His  plan  was  to  file  upon  a  quarter  section  of 
land,  live  upon  it  the  one  year  required  by  law,  and  then  return  to 
Lincoln.  Instead,  he  was  caught  in  the  whirl  of  new  town  develop- 
ment, and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  he  did  not  again  see  INIr.  Ken- 
nard until  after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years.  Indeed,  he  continued  to 
reside  in  Hastings  until  his  death,  April  19,  1908,  and  upon  the  day 
of  his  funeral  the  business  houses  of  Hastings  remained  closed  for 
one  hour  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  the  pioneer. 

Almost  immediately  upon  his  arrival,  ]Mr.  Alexander  was  con- 


62        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

vinced  that  the  little  settlement  had  a  very  fair  show  to  become  a 
considerable  town.  Upon  his  homestead  he  erected  a  frame  dwelling 
liouse,  the  second  to  be  built  in  the  town.  This  structure  was  20  feet 
long  b}^  10  feet  wide.  It  stood  immediately  west  of  the  present 
Alexander  residence  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Seventh  Street  and 
Lincoln  Avenue.  Towards  the  end  of  the  spring  he  also  erected  a 
frame  store  building  of  about  the  same  dimensions  as  the  house,  and 
installed  a  small  general  merchandise  stock.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  mercantile  business  in  Hastings.  The  store  faced  south 
on  the  south  side  of  First  Street,  at  about  15  North  Hastings  Avenue, 
the  present  location  of  the  Hastings  Fuel  Company.  Lumber  for 
this  building  was  hauled  from  Inland,  afterward  known  as  "Old 
Inland,"  and  "Halloran,"  which  was  located  on  the  southwest  quarter 
of  section  12  in  Blaine  Township,  four  miles  east  of  Hastings. 

Mrs.  Alexander  joined  her  husband  the  IMay  following  his  arri\al 
and  at  once  encountered  the  difficulties  of  housekeeping  in  a  pioneer 
western  town.  A  new  three-ply  carpet  served  to  divide  the  little 
house  on  Seventh  Street  into  two  rooms.  Small  as  the  house  was, 
it  was  necessary  to  supply  board  and  lodging  to  many  who  were 
joining  in  the  struggle  to  make  a  town  upon  the  prairie.  Among 
those  who  from  time  to  time  or  for  certain  periods  found  entertain- 
ment in  the  Alexander  home  were  F.  J.  Benedict,  C.  Ct.  Ingalls, 
C.  K.  Lawson,  G.  H.  Pratt,  Tom  Farrell  and  many  others.  Mrs. 
Alexander  arrived  before  the  small  house  was  completed  and  found 
her  first  night's  lodging  in  Hastings  in  the  frame  shack  of  John  G. 
]Moore,  the  latter  generously  yielding  his  own  apartments  to  JNIrs. 
Alexander  and  JNIrs.  Schryer,  the  latter  also  seeing  the  first  of  the 
new  country,  where  she  came  to  join  her  husband  on  his  homestead. 

The  Alexanders  were  jjrovided  with  foodstuff  enough  to  last  one 
year,  among  the  provisions  being  a  barrel  of  hams,  and  a  like  quantity 
of  shoulders;  dried  meats,  bacon  and  cookies  were  also  of  the  stock. 
Corn  meal  and  flour  of  an  excellent  quality  were  procured  from  Crete. 
Sometimes  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  the  use  of  grease  from  the 
bacon  for  shortening,  but  those,  it  must  be  remembered,  were  days 
of  vigorous  apjietites.  At  first  water  was  hauled  to  the  Alexander 
liome  from  the  Hudson  farm,  about  two  miles  west;  later  a  well  was 
sunk  and  ]\Irs.  Alexander  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  drawing  water  110 
feet. 

S.  S.  Dow  arrived  in  Hastings  from  Wisconsin  ]May  28,  1872, 
and  established  a  land  office.  During  the  ensuing  year  ]\Ir.  Dow 
located  270  homesteads,  from  which  it  can  be  seen  that  at  this  date 
tlie  growth  in  population  was  distinctly  encouraging  to  the  settlers. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        63 

In  June,  about  the  17th  of  the  month,  C.  G.  Ingalls,  accompanied 
liy  liis  nejihew,  F.  J.  Benedict,  arrived.  ]\Ir.  Ingalls  had  been  located 
in  Galesburg,  111.,  but  JMr.  Benedict  came  from  the  State  of  New- 
York.  The  two  first  visited  York,  and  in  a  hotel  there  heard  about 
tlie  advantages  offered  by  Adams  County,  and  especially  of  the 
vicinity  around  Hastings.  Acting  upon  this  information,  they  came 
to  Juniata  and  the  next  day  procured  a  team  and  wagon  from  John  J. 
Jacobson  and  drove  to  the  settlement  of  Plastings.  It  was  a  distress- 
ingly hot  day  when  they  arrived,  but  accompanied  by  ]Mr.  Dow,  they 
immediately  set  out  to  view  the  prospect.  About  four  miles  north- 
east of  Hastings,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  "Bob  Norton  farm,"  they 
bioke  the  lynch  pin  and  were  stranded  on  the  prairie.  Benedict 
leported  that  he  had  seen  a  wagon  in  Hastings  and  he  was  delegated 
to  negotiate  a  loan  so  that  the  land  seekers  might  load  the  broken 
wagon  upon  another  and  retiu'n  it  to  Juniata.  In  this  Benedict  suc- 
ceeded. He  borrowed  also  a  bucket  from  INIrs.  Alexander,  and  with 
the  pail  in  one  hand  and  guiding  the  team  with  the  other,  he  made 
liis  way  back  to  Dow  and  Ingalls.  The  prairie  was  an  unbroken 
expanse  and  the  young  Mr.  Benedict  experienced  some  difficulty  in 
finding  his  companions.  He  could  only  keep  his  direction  straight 
liy  observing  the  poles  of  the  telegraph  line  along  the  Biu'lington 
track.  jNIr.  Ingalls  was  so  thirsty  and  tlie  sun  was  so  relentless  that 
liis  impression  of  Adams  County  was  far  from  being  the  best.  The 
following  day,  however,  they  again  visited  Hastings  and  both  were 
located  on  homesteads.  Mr.  Benedict  secured  employment  to  haul 
lumber  with  which  to  build  the  Alexander  store,  and  thus  he  won 
the  distinction  of  hauling  from  Inland  the  material  for  the  first  busi- 
ness house.  ]Mr.  Ingalls'  homestead  was  located  in  what  is  now  the 
northeast  section  of  Hastings  and  the  frame  house  that  he  built  upon 
it  was  the  third  frame  dwelling  to  be  built  in  the  town.  During  the 
summer  of  1872,  John  Jung  established  the  first  butcher  shop. 

So  encouraging  was  the  outlook  for  a  town,  owing  to  the  develop- 
ment in  the  earlier  months  of  1872,  that  Thomas  Farrell  and  Walter 
Micklen  took  tlie  first  definite  steps  for  its  formation.  They  employed 
Charles  W.  Colt  of  Lowell  to  survey  and  plat  INIicklen's  eighty  acres. 
This  work  was  completed  by  JMr.  Colt  and  the  plat  filed  with  the 
county  clerk,  R.  D.  Babcock,  at  Juniata,  at  11  o'clock  A.  ]M.,  October 
1.),  1872.  On  the  plat  the  northern  boundary  of  the  town.  Seventh 
Street,  is  called  North  Street,  and  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  is  shown 
as  crossing  the  town  diagonally  from  southeast  to  northwest,  cross- 
ing the  Burlington  between  Hastings  and  Lincoln  avenues.  While 
the  road  was  graded  through  the  city  in  this  direction,  a  considerable 


Gi        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

jjortion  of  the  ilistance  toward  Kearney,  rails  were  never  laid,  on 
account  of  lack  of  funds.  Streets  were  platted  on  each  side  of  this 
grade;  the  street  south  of  the  grade  was  called  South  Railroad  Street 
and  the  street  north  North  Railroad  Street.  On  September  27,  1872, 
Walter  JNIicklen  disposed  of  the  west  half  of  his  holding  to  Thomas 
Farrell  for  $500. 

It  Avas  on  July  13,  1872,  that  Charles  K.  Lawson  arrived  in 
Hastings,  coming  from  Galesburg,  111.,  where  he  was  in  business 
with  George  H.  Pratt  as  his  jjartner.  ]Mr.  Lawson  at  once  grew 
enthusiastic  at  the  prospects  he  beheld  in  the  new  country  from  Crete 
to  Hastings.  He  at  once  wrote  to  INIr.  Pratt,  advising  that  he  sell 
their  store  in  Illinois  and  open  business  in  Hastings.  ISlr.  Pratt 
visited  Hastings  early  in  August,  remaining  in  the  settlement  about 
ten  days.  A  buffalo  hunt  was  arranged  for  during  this  visit,  and 
]Mr.  Lawson  saw  to  it  that  his  partner  saw  a  great  deal  of  the  sin-- 
rounding  country,  and  the  result  was  that  JNIr.  Pratt  was  convinced 
that  ^Ii-.  Lawson's  estimate  of  the  country  was  correct.  He  returned 
to  Illinois  in  a  few  days  to  dispose  of  their  interests  there.  From 
Rock  Island  lumber  was  ordered  shijjped  for  the  erection  of  a  store 
at  Hastings.  Later,  Mr.  Pratt  sent  A.  H.  Cramer  to  Hastings  to 
assist  ]Mr.  Lawson  in  building  the  store  and  getting  ready  for  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Cramer  was  in  the  employ  of  Pratt  &  Lawson  in  Illinois. 
He  arrived  in  Hastings  October  1,  1872. 

The  store  erected  by  Pratt  &  Lawson  stood  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street.  It  was  called  "The  Head- 
quarters Store,"  and  fronted  south  on  First  Street,  and  a  large  stock 
of  general  supplies  was  carried.  In  addition,  the  firm  dealt  in  horses 
and  mules,  for  which  there  was  a  growing  demand  from  the  large 
number  of  incoming  homesteaders.  Bacon,  corn  meal  and  flour  were 
the  great  staples  of  those  days.  Cornbread  and  pork  were  a  large 
part  of  the  diet  upon  which  the  pioneer  work  was  carried  on.  The 
establishing  of  a  second  store  on  the  scale  of  the  "Headquarters" 
was  one  of  the  most  important  events  of  1872,  outside  of  the  begin- 
ning of  railway  transportation. 

Shortly  after  the  town  was  ])latted,  Samuel  Alexander  formed 
a  business  partnership  with  A.  W.  Wheeler,  a  homesteader,  and  the 
firm  of  Alexander  &  Wheeler  late  in  1872  erected  a  new  store  at 
the  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street.  W.  H.  Stock, 
who,  with  his  wife  and  his  brother,  Theodore  Stock,  arrived  in  Hast- 
ings in  the  fall  of  1872  from  Illinois,  purchased  the  first  store  occupied 
by  jNIr.  Alexander  and  moved  it  to  the  east  side  of  Hastings  Avenue. 
In  its  new  location  on  tlie  south  side  of  First  Street  the  store  faced 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        65 

north  on  about  the  second  lot  east  of  the  Hastings  Avenue  corner. 
On  the  first  lot  Pratt  &  Lawson  had  sunk  a  well,  which  was  used  pub- 
licly. ]Mr.  Stock  used  the  store  as  a  meat  market  and  residence.  It 
might  be  noted  here  that  the  son  born  to  JNIr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Stock 
in  the  spring  of  1873  was  the  first  child  to  be  born  in  Hastings.  In 
honor  of  that  fact,  the  Hastings  Town  Company  deeded  two  lots 
in  Johnson's  addition  to  the  newcomer,  who  was  named  Claudius 
Hastings  Stock.  A  few  months  following  the  birth  of  the  boy 
Mrs.  Stock  died,  and  this  death  was  probably  the  first  to  take  place 
in  the  new  town.  In  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  age,  Claudius  Hast- 
ings Stock  Avas  drowned  in  Illinois  by  breaking  through  the  ice  while 
skating.  The  lots  deeded  to  him  are  now  in  the  possession  of  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Harl  ]M.  Alexander.  The  Alexander  home  at  31.)  West 
Third  Street  stands  upon  one  of  the  lots. 

The  Roaring  Gimlet,  Hastings'  first  hotel,  was  erected  bj^  Morris 
and  Eugene  Alexander  in  the  winter  of  1872-3.  It  was  located  on 
Plastings  Avenue,  a  short  distance  south  of  the  Burlington  track.  At 
almost  the  same  time  the  Inter-Ocean,  another  hostelry,  was  erected 
by  Capt.  E.  S.  Wells.  This  old  landmark  still  survives  ujion  its 
oiiginal  location  south  of  the  Burlington  track  and  immediately  east 
of  the  plant  of  tlie  Central  Nebraska  JNIillwork  Company.  Captain 
Wells  was  a  sea  cajitain,  and  is  remembered  as  a  jolly  old  tar,  fond 
of  spinning  yarns  of  varying  degrees  of  credibility.  He  remained 
in  Hastings  for  a  number  of  years  and  then  moved  farther  west,  his 
wife  remaining  in  Hastings.  The  old  house  at  the  southeast  corner 
of  St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  South  Street  is  still  the  property  of  INIrs. 
Wells.  Avlio  resides  in  Lincoln. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1872  E.  Steineau  opened  a  clothing  and  dry 
goods  store  on  the  north  side  of  First  Street,  between  Hastings  and 
Denver  avenues.  During  this  year,  also,  C.  G.  Ingalls  and  F.  J. 
Benedict  established  an  implement  and  lumber  business.  Afterwards 
Mr.  Benedict  was  employed  at  the  Headquarters  Store  for  Pratt  &: 
Lawson,  eventually  bm'ing  an  interest  and  continuing  in  the  grocery 
business  for  many  years.  The  events  narrated  outline  the  principal 
developnlents  of  Hastings  during  1871  and  1872. 

THE   HASTINGS   TOAVX    COM  PAX  Y 

The  development  of  Hastings,  which  had  got  well  under  way 
by  the  end  of  1872,  continued  throughout  1873  with  rapidity  that 
augured  well  for  the  new  town.  With  two  railroads  in  operation 
and  liomesteaders  arriving  in  large  numbers  every  week,  there  was  a 


66        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

quickening  of  spirit  and  the  fostering  of  enterprise  which  only  the 
pioneer  town  can  know. 

April  17,  1873,  the  Hastings  Town  Company  was  incorporated 
as  a  joint  stock  company.  The  purpose  of  this  company  was  to  sell 
lots  in  the  townsite  of  Hastings.  The  capital  stock  was  $4.,000,  in 
shares  of  $100  each,  to  be  paid  on  organization.  Shares  Avere  divided 
as  follows  among  the  members:  William  B.  Slosson  for  Slosson  Bros., 
ten  shares;  James  D.  Carl  and  William  L.  Smith,  ten  shares  each; 
Thomas  E.  P^'arrell  and  Walter  ^I.  INIicklen,  five  shares  each.  Certifi- 
cates of  stock  signed  by  the  president  and  the  secretary  were  issued 
for  the  respective  subscribers  and  the  certificates  were  received  by 
the  members  of  the  corporation  as  pay  for  their  interest  in  the  land 
of  the  townsite  of  Hastings.  By  their  cliarter,  the  corporation  was 
to  expire  one  year  from  April  20,  1873.  On  April  9,  1874,  the 
company  was  reorganized  with  new  members.  These  were  Henry 
Beitel,  Rudoliih  Beitel,  George  H.  Pratt,  Charles  K.  Lawson  and 
Samuel  Slosson.  At  the  expiration  of  the  renewed  charter,  ]May 
18,  187-5,  the  company  made  partition  of  the  lots  of  the  townsite 
remaining  imsold.  For  this  piu'pose  they  divided  the  lots  pro  rata 
according  to  the  amount  of  stock  of  each  member,  after  an  appraisal 
had  been  made  of  the  value  of  the  lots  divided,  and  tliey  were  assigned 
in  proportion  to  the  interest  of  each  stockholdei'. 

Of  the  original  organizers  of  the  Hastings  Town  Company,  only 
two  are  liAing,  Walter  JMicklen  and  William  B.  Slosson.  It  was 
early  in, the  '70s  that  Mr.  INIicklen  sold  his  interest  in  Hastings.  He 
now  lives  in  Guntersville,  Ala.  William  B.  Slosson  lives  in  Houston, 
Tex.  Thomas  E.  Farrell  remained  in  Hastings  for  many  years  and 
was  prominently  identified  with  its  development.  He  died  in  Cripjjle 
Creek.  William  L.  Smith  died  in  California.  Rudolph  and  Henry 
Beitel.  who  became  members  of  the  company  at  its  reorganization, 
came  to  Hastings  from  Texas.  Relatives  of  the  family  still  own 
interests  in  the  city.  The  Slossons  came  to  Hastings  fi'om  Sabetlia, 
Kan.  Charles  K.  I^awson  and  George  H.  Pratt  are  still  in  Inisiness- 
in  the  town  which  they  assisted  to  organize. 

The  Hastings  Town  Comjjany  built  a  small  ofl^ice  on  Second 
Street,  about  midway  between  Denver  and  Hastings  avenues,  and  at 
once  pushed  vigorously  the  sale  of  town  lots  and  the  general  interests 
of  the  village.  On  July  19th  they  stinudated  the  sale  of  lots  bv 
announcing  a  general  sale  and  offering  to  refund  the  price  of  railroad 
tickets  bought  Avithin  a  radius  of  100  miles.  The  sale,  or  more  par- 
ticidarly  the  announcement  of  it,  did  a  great  deal  to  advertise  Hast- 
ings, and  it  was  at  this  time  that  its  re])utation  spread  throughout 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTr        67 

the  south  central  and  southwestern  parts  of  Nebraska.  It  was 
known  as  the  town  of  live  business  and  its  future  was  ahiiost  uni- 
versally believed  in.  By  the  close  of  this  year,  C.  H.  Paul  had  an 
exclusive  boot  and  shoe  store  on  Second  Street,  about  where  the 
Barnes  clothing  store  is  now  located.  Charles  Cameron,  who  resided 
in  Lincoln,  had  erected  a  large  mercantile  establishment  at  the  corner 
of  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street,  at  about  the  present  location 
of  the  Exchange  National  Bank.  This  store  was  operated  for  Mr. 
Cameron  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Smith.  On  the  north  side  of 
Second  Street,  about  half  way  between  Denver  and  Hastings  ave- 
nues, Andreas  Vieth  had  a  furniture  store.  On  the  southwest  corner 
of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street  stood  the  hardware  store  of 
Forcht  liros.,  while  a  short  distance  east,  R.  V.  Shockey  was  the 
projjrietor  of  another  hardware  establishment.  Oswald  Oliver  opened 
a  lumber  yard  in  this  year,  the  location  being  not  far  from  the  present 
site  of  the  Oliver  establishment  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Burlington 
Avenue  and  First  Street.  B.  H.  Brown  &  Son  had  an  implement 
and  lumber  business,  having  bought  out  Ingalls  &  Benedict. 

It  was  in  1873  that  Hastings  held  the  first  Fourth  of  July  cele- 
bration. A  mass  meeting  to  consider  the  proposition  was  called  for 
June  17th.  T.  E.  Farrell  was  the  presiding  officer  and  W.  F.  J. 
Comley  was  the  secretary.  It  was  the  motion  of  JM.  K.  Lewis  that 
the  Foiu-th  be  celebrated  that  started  the  first  definite  action.  The 
celebration  included  a  paiade,  speaking  and  literary  program  and 
fireworks  at  night.  There  was  an  accident  with  the  firewo  -ks  and 
they  were  all  fired  at  once,  captious  critics  afterward  saying  that  this 
was  a  jjlot  on  the  part  of  the  committee  to  enable  them  to  conceal 
the  fact  that  they  had  pocketed  the  funds  raised  for  the  pyrotechnical 
displa,y.  Capt.  A.  D.  Yocum  led  the  procession.  The  invocation  was 
])ronounced  by  Rev.  I.  D.  Newell,  and  the  next  in  order  was  the 
reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  by  W.  A.  Smith.  In 
the  afternoon,  W.  L.  Smith  spoke  on  the  subject,  "Hastings,  the 
Future  Metropolis  of  Nebraska,"  and  R.  V.  Shockey  discussed  "The 
Ladies  of  Nebraska,  Their  IMission  and  ^Merits."  Others  who  spoke 
were  J.  M.  Abbott,  R.  A.  Batty,  M.  K.  Lewis  and  A.  D.  Rust. 

stor:\i  of  1873 

April  13.  1873.  was  the  date  of  the  beginning  of  the  most  remark- 
able storm  that  ever  swept  over  Adams  County.  The  morning  dawned 
bright  and  clear  and  was  hailed  as  the  first  day  of  spring.  Towards 
noon  the  sky  became  clouded  and  a  slow  rain  drizzled.    By  the  middle 


68        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  the  afternoon  the  rain  changed  to  sleet.  So  heavy  was  the  sleet 
that  it  soon  became  almost  impossible  for  pedestrians  to  make  their 
way  about  the  streets  of  the  Adams  County  villages.  In  Hastings 
a  rope  was  tied  to  the  Headquarters  Store  and  running  to  the  well 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street,  and 
by  means  of  this  the  people  guided  themselves  in  that  section  of  the 
town.  Business  became  impracticable,  and  only  the  most  daring  would 
venture  out,  and  homesteaders  who  were  in  town  had  to  remain  until 
the  storm  ceased^  thereby  causing  no  end  of  worry  to  the  folks  who 
had  been  left  at  home.  The  storm  lasted  for  three  days,  and  much 
damage  to  stock  resulted  throughout  the  county.  Four  new  arrivals 
in  Hastings  at  the  time  were  the  INIartin  boys,  Lou  JNIartin  being  one, 
John  Sherman,  and  Dr.  A.  D.  Buckworth.  These  j^laced  themselves 
under  the  care  of  Charles  Kohl,  who  was  one  of  the  few  who  ven- 
tured to  move  about  the  streets,  and  thus  were  able  twice  a  day  to 
make  their  way  from  their  sleeping  quarters  to  one  of  the  hotels.  In 
the  hostelries  were  a  nmnber  of  women  who,  with  their  husbands,  had 
come  to  the  new  country  to  make  their  home.  As  there  seemed  to 
be  no  abatement  to  the  storm,  not  a  few  of  these  gave  way  to  tears, 
menaced  by  the  thought  that  tliey  had  come  out  upon  the  prairie  to 
perish. 

A  farmer  by  the  name  of  JNlarshall  was  found  after  the  storm 
frozen  to  death  at  his  farm  on  Pawnee  Creek.  Apparently  he  had 
gone  out  to  the  stable  to  feed  his  horses  and  had  been  unable  to  find 
his  way  back  to  the  house.  More  fortunate  was  Bob  Norton,  though 
he  underwent  a  trying  experience  on  his  homestead  four  miles  north- 
east of  Hastings.  Upon  the  second  daj^  Mr.  Norton  managed  to 
make  his  way  to  his  stable  to  feed  his  team.  Having  his  bearings 
when  he  left  the  house,  he  experienced  no  particular  difficulty  in  find- 
ing the  stable,  but  when  he  was  ready  to  go  back  he  was  unable  to 
tell  one  direction  from  another.  The  world  was  nothing  more  than  a 
whirling  M'hite  fury.  JNIr.  Norton  remained  in  the  stable  two  days 
and  a  night  without  food,  and  had  become  quite  weakened  from  the 
exposure.  After  tlie  storm  many  tales  of  hardship  were  narrated  by 
those  who  had  felt  the  fury  of  tlie  elements.  In  Hastings  the  snow- 
drifts were  fully  12  feet  higli.  It  was  the  dampness  of  tlie  sleet  that 
made  the  cold  of  that  storm  so  deadly.  P.  A.  Boyd,  who  was  located 
•on  a  homestead  near  Roseland,  says  that  when  a  man  first  went  out 
of  doors  it  did  not  seem  as  cold  as  it  has  in  subsequent  storms,  but 
before  one  was  exposed  more  than  a  few  minutes  one  felt  the  cold 
as  though  he  had  been  drenched  in  ice  water.  Adams  County  has 
had  several  severe  storms  of  various  kinds,  but  no  storm  has  left  so 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        69 

strong  an  impression  as  the  blizzard  of  1873.     In  the  vocabulary  of 
the  jjioneers  it  is  referred  to  as  the  year  of  the  "Great  Storm." 

FIRST  CITY  ELECTION 

AVhile  the  activities  of  Hastings  in  1872  and  1873  were  satisfac- 
tory and  promising,  it  was  not  until  1874  that  what  had  hitherto 
been  the  settlement  of  Hastings  was  incorporated.  It  was  declared 
an  incorporated  town  by  the  board  of  commissioners  on  April  20th 
of  that  yea)'.  The  board  of  tmstees  named  by  the  board  were  INI.  K. 
Lewis,  A.  U.  Buckworth,  J.  G.  B.  Smith,  A.  W.  Cox  and  H.  A. 
Forcht.  On  INIay  4th  the  trustees  held  their  first  meeting  in  the  office 
of  the  Town  Company.  ]M.  K.  Lewis  was  made  chairman  of  the 
board.  At  their  first  meeting  the  trustees  elected  city  officers  as  fol- 
lows: W.  F.  J.  Comley,  city  clerk;  W.  A.  Smith,  treasurer;  T.  E. 
Farrell,  collector;  G.  W.  Mowrey,  marshal;  G.  D.  Pierce,  attorney; 
L.  E.  Gould,  police  judge;  C.  H.  Paul,  assessor;  C.  K.  Lawson  and 
R.  V.  Shockey,  flue  inspectors.  The  position  of  flue  inspector,  no 
longer  a  city  office,  reminds  us  that  at  that  date  all  buildings  were 
of  wood  and  it  was  the  pvn-pose  of  the  trustees  to  guard  against  fire. 

The  first  ordinance  enacted  by  the  trustees  was  at  the  meeting 
held  May  30,  1874.  This  ordinance  required  that  sidewalks  be  built 
6  feet  wide,  of  1-inch  boards,  with  four  stringers  running  length- 
wise with  the  street.  The  first  financial  enactment  came  up  for  dis- 
cussion June  2.5,  1874,  when  a  resolution  was  adopted  providing  that 
a  tax  of  10  mills  be  levied  on  all  personal  property.  The  ordinance 
finally  resulting  from  that  resolution  authorized  the  raising  of  $500 
for  general  revenue  purposes.  A  short  time  afterward  the  levy  was 
reduced  to  5  mills.  It  was  on  June  25th,  also,  that  Hastings  was 
organized  into  a  city  of  the  second  class.  It  was  divided  into  three 
wards.  All  of  the  city  lying  south  of  the  Burlington  track  was 
designated  the  First  Ward;  all  west  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  north 
of  the  Burlington  track  was  the  Second  Ward,  and  all  east  of  Hast- 
ings Avenue  and  north  of  the  Burlington  track  was  the  Third  AVard. 
These  ward  divisions  remained  vmtil  1886,  when  the  Fourth  Ward 
was  created  and  the  boundary  lines  changed.  Since  188(5  the  ward 
divisions  have  been  as  follows:  First  Ward,  south  of  the  Burlington 
main  line  tracks ;  Second  Ward,  north  of  the  Burlington  and  west  of 
the  center  line  of  Burlington  Avenue;  Third  Ward,  north  of  the 
Bm'lington  and  between  the  center  lines  of  Burlington  and  St.  Joseph 
avenues;  Fourth  Ward,  north  of  the  Burlington  and  west  of  the  center 
line  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue.    In  the  spring  of  1916  the  First,  Second 


70        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  Fourtli  wards  were  each  divided  into  two  voting  precincts.  The 
east  and  west  division  hne  of  the  city  has  always  been  Wabash  Avenue. 

The  bond  of  the  early  city  treasurer  was  fixed  at  $.500,  and  the 
mayor's  at  the  same  figiu-e.  The  marshal  gave  bond  for  $200.  At 
jn-esent  the  bond  of  the  city  treasurer  is  $25,000,  and  the  city  clerk's 
$.5,000.  The  trustees  called  an  election  for  the  selection  of  city  oiRcers 
to  be  held  August  8,  187-t.  When  the  trustees  canvassed  the  returns 
on  August  10th,  they  threw  out  the  returns  from  the  First  and  Third 
wards  on  account  of  irregularities.  The  returns  from  the  Second 
Ward  also  were  irregular.  Thej^  were  not  thrown  out,  however,  the 
committee  postponing  action  upon  them  until  the  following  evening. 
When  the  next  night  the  committee  reported,  they  declared  the  returns 
from  the  Second  Ward  were  "regular  and  jjroper,  but  diff"erent  from 
what  they  Avere  at  the  last  meeting."  The  trustees  then  canvassed 
the  vote  from  the  Second  Ward  and  declared  the  following  officials 
had  been  elected:  JNIayor,  H.  A.  Forcht;  clerk,  G.  D.  Pierce;  police 
judge,  L.  C.  Gould:  treasurer,  J.  G.  B.  Smith:  marshal.  Alfred  Berg: 
councilmen,  J.  INI.  Smith  and  John  E.  Wood. 

A  good  deal  of  feeling  had  been  aroused,  howe\'er,  wlien  the 
returns  from  two  of  the  wards  had  been  thrown  out,  with  the  result 
that  no  sooner  had  the  first  officials  been  declared  elected  than  they 
resigned.  A.  D.  Buckworth  was  notably  active  in  the  first  city 
politics,  and  lie  and  M.  K.  Lewis,  also  active,  were  all  but  sworn 
enemies. 

^^^hen  the  officers  resigned,  Mr.  Buckworth  urged  that  another 
election  be  called  for  August  27th.  The  trustees,  however,  were  not 
precipitate  and  did  not  order  an  election  vuitil  September  22,  1874. 
The  officials  who  have  served  the  city  since  the  first  election  have  been 
as   follows: 


H.  A.  Forcht.  elected  August  8,  1874;  John  E.  Wood,  September 
22,  1874;  Charles  H.  Paul,  April  6,  187.5;  M.  K.  Lewis,  May  7.  187.5; 
A.  D.  Yocum,  April  4,  1876;  J.  S.  Mclntyre,  April  3,  1877;  R.  A. 
Batty,  April  2,  1878;  Fred  Forcht,  April  1,  1879;  D.  M.  INIcElhinney, 
April  .5,  1881;  W.  H.  Lanning.  April  4,  1882;  J.  E.  Gant,  April  1. 
1884;  Henry  Shedd,  April  7.  188.5;  Samuel  Alexander,  April  6,  188G; 
A.  D.  Yocum,  April  3,  1888;  A.  L.  Clarke,  April  1,  1890;  C.  C.  Rit- 
tenhouse,  April  .5,  1892;  D.  U.  INIcElhinney.  April  3,  1894;  G.  J. 
Evans,  April  7,  1896;  Jacob  Fisher.  A])ril  .5.  1898;  R.  V.  Shockey, 
July  1.5.  1901:  C.  J.  Miles,  April  1.  1902;  C.  G.  Ingraham,  April  1, 
1913:  William  INIadgett,  April  6,  191.5. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        71 

In  187>  iMi".  Paul  failed  to  qualify  and  M.  Iv.  Lewis  was  elected 
at  a  special  election  to  fill  the  vacancy.  July  15,  1901,  Jacob  Fisher 
resigned  and  R.  V.  S hockey  became  acting  mayor,  serving  until  the 
next  regular  election.  JNIayor  INIiles  served  as  mayor  continuously 
for  eleven  years  and  was  not  a  candidate  for  office  when  succeeded 
by  JNIayor  Ingraham. 

CITY   CLERK 

A.  T.  Bratton,  city  clerk,  is  an  institution  of  the  city;  almost  as 
much  so  as  tlie  city  council  itself,  or  the  city  schools.  Mr.  Bratton 
has  occui)ied  the  position  continuously  for  fifteen  years.  Successive 
councils  have  learned  to  look  upon  the  city  clerk  as  authority  upon 
the  records  of  his  office  and  the  procedure  of  the  municipal  body. 

\y.  F.  J.  Comley  was  the  first  clerk  and  acted  in  that  capacity 
witli  the  trustees  governing  Hastings  as  a  village  until  G.  D.  Pierce 
qualified  following  the  election  of  September  22,  1874.  Mr.  Bratton 
Avas  acting  clerk  from  the  resignation  of  E.  A.  Francis,  September  2, 
1001.  until  his  election  April  1.  1902.  The  following  have  been  the 
elections  to  the  office  of  city  clerk: 

G.  D.  Pierce,  August  8,  1874;  G.  D.  Pierce,  September  22,  1874; 
John  E.  Wood.  April  4,  1876;  G.  D.  Pierce,  April  3,  1877;  J.  IT. 
Fleming.  April  1,  1879;  C.  J.  Evans,  April  4,  1882;  E.  A.  Boalich, 
April  1,  1884;  J.  D.  Klines,  April  6,  1886;  H.  C.  Haverly,  April  3, 
1888:  W.  W.  ]\Iiles,  April  5,  1892;  Ed  L.  Francis,  April  7,  1896; 
A.  T.  Bratton,  September  2.  1901. 

CITY  TREASURER 

J.  G.  Smith,  August  8.  1874;  Samuel  Alexander,  September  22. 
1874;  E.  Steinau,  April  1,  1879;  James  B.  Heartwell,  April  .5,  1881; 
J.  S.  Allison,  April  4,  1882;  G.  J.  Evans,  April  1,  1884;  Emanuel 
Fist,  April  6,  1886;  J.  D.  Mines,  April  3,  1888;  G.  J.  Evans,  April 
5,  1892:  W.  L.  Yetter,  April  3,  1894;  J.  D.  Mines,  April  7,  1896; 
A.  H.  Cramer,  April  1.  1902;  Ernest  Hoeppner,  April  1,  1913.  Mr. 
Ci-amer  served  continuously  as  city  treasurer  for  eleven  years. 
JNIr.  Hoeppner  is  the  present  incumbent. 

POLICE  .TUDGE 

The  office  of  police  judge  in  Hastings  is  characterized  by  the  long 
service  of  Judge  Benjamin  Reynolds  and  the  number  of  election 


72    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

contests  that  developed.  Judge  Reynolds  filled  this  office  for  twelve 
years,  serving  continuously  from  his  election  April  2,  1895,  until  the 
election  of  David  Bryson,  April  2,  1907.  At  the  spring  election  of 
1886  Najioleon  B.  Vineyard  and  John  F.  Ballinger  were  the  candi- 
dates, and  after  the  election  both  claimed  to  have  been  elected. 
Ballinger  had  occupied  the  position  since  1882  and  refused  to  yield. 
For  a  number  of  months  both  judges  held  court,  until  the  election 
was  finally  decided  by  the  District  Coiu't  and  Judge  Vineyard  was 
declared  to  be  police  judge. 

The  next  disjHite  about  this  office  was  in  1911,  between  Joseph 
Myer  and  James  A.  Benson.  Judge  jMjer  was  first  elected  April  6, 
1909.  Before  the  next  election,  state  legislation  changed  the  office 
to  that  of  police  magistrate.  Under  this  provision  it  ceased  to  be  a 
city  office.  Acting  on  the  advice  of  counsel,  however,  Judge  INIyer 
ran  for  reelection  April  i,  1911,  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  city 
officers.  At  the  next  general  election,  November  7,  1911,  James  A. 
Benson  ran  for  the  office  of  police  magistrate,  and  upon  the  vote  of 
that  claimed  the  office.  Judge  ]Myer  declared  that  there  was  no 
vacancy  and  refused  to  yield.  The  matter  was  in  dispute  until  JNIay 
1,  1912,  when  Judge  INIyer  yielded  to  Judge  Benson  upon  a  com- 
promise agreement. 

At  the  November  election  in  1914  Judge  Benson  was  opposed 
by  Karl  D.  Beghtol.  Judge  Beglitol  claimed  the  office  by  one  vote. 
Judge  Benson  refused  to  yield  the  office,  on  the  gTound  of  the  ille- 
gality of  some  of  the  votes  cast  by  mail  for  Beghtol.  Not  until  April 
1,  1915,  did  Judge  Beghtol  receive  the  order  from  the  District  Court 
giving  him  jjossession  of  the  office.  Judge  Beghtol  is  the  present 
police  magistrate.    Elections  to  this  office  have  been  as  follows : 

POLICE  JUDGE 

L.  C.  Ciould,  Augiist  8,  187-i:  A.  L.  Wigton,  September  22.  187-1: 
John  E.  Wood,  April  6,  1875;  J.  H.  Darnell,  April  4,  1876:  George 
F.  Work,  April  2,  1878;  J.  A.  Vanatta.  April  1,  1879;  John  F.  Bal- 
linger, January  23,  1882;  Napoleon  B.  Vineyard,  April  6.  1886; 
W.  R.  Burton,  April  5,  1887;  Napoleon  B.  Vineyard,  April  3,  1889; 
U.  S.  Rohrer,  Ajiril  4,  1893;  Benjamin  Reynolds,  April  2,  1895; 
David  Bryson,  April  2.  1907;  Joseph  ]Myer,  April  6.  1909. 

POLICE  MAGISTRATE 

Joseph  Myer,  April  4,  1911;  served  until  JNIay  1,  1912.  James  A. 
Benson,  elected  November  7,  1911 ;  served  from  May  1,  1912,  to  April 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY        T3 

1,  191;).  Karl  D.  Beghtol,  the  present  incumbent,  elected  Xovember 
3,  1914;  took  office  April  1,  1915.  James  A.  Benson  was  again  elected 
November  7,  1916,  defeating  "Sir.  Beghtol  for  reelection. 

CHIEF  OF  POLICE 

Alfred  Berg  was  elected  the  first  marshal,  or  chief  of  police,  in 
the  two  elections  of  August  27  and  September  '22,  1874.  After  that 
the  office  was  filled  by  William  Brown  and  Joseph  C.  Williams  suc- 
cessively. William  H.  Stock  was  appointed  chief  by  Mayor  Alexander 
in  1886,  but  resigned  and  J.  C.  Williams  was  appointed  tem])orarily. 
George  Crane  was  the  next  chief  and  filled  the  office  until  he  resigned 
to  take  the  office  of  sheriff. 

Charles  H.  Wanzer  was  appointed  by  ]Mayor  Yocum  to  fill  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  ]\Ir.  Crane  and  assumed  the 
office  January  1,  1890.  Mr.  Wanzer  was  the  chief  until  1896.  G.  J. 
Evans  was  elected  mayor  in  the  spring  of  1896  but  did  not  appoint  a 
chief  for  about  two  months  after  the  resignation  of  Chief  Wanzer. 
Sir.  I^ivans  appointed  Andrew  Lepinski  who  resigned  toward  the  close 
of  Mr.  Evans'  administration  to  take  a  position  as  policeman  at  the 
then  new  Biu'lington  station  at  Omaha.  JNIayor  Fisher  appointed  Lew 
Martin  who  resigned  before  the  close  of  the  administration  and  Chief 
Wanzer  was  again  appointed  by  ]Mayor  Fisher,  and  continued  chief 
until  he  resigned  in  October,  1908.  JMayor  Miles  then  appointed  Wil- 
liam Widmier,  who  had  been  acting  chief  for  some  time  because  of  the 
illness  of  Chief  Wanzer  and  who  had  been  a  patrolman  since  about 
1897.  Chief  Widmier  was  succeeded  in  the  spring  of  1913  by  George 
Harm,  who  served  until  Chief  Raymond  Crosson  was  appointed  by 
]Mayor  William  JMadgett  in  the  spring  of  191,5.  Chief  Crosson  is  a 
major  of  the  third  batallion,  national  giiard,  and  was  given  leave  of 
absence  while  with  his  regiment  on  patrol  duty  on  the  Mexican  border 
in  1916.  Since  the  dei^arture  of  Chief  Crosson,  Bob  Carter  has  been 
acting  chief.  Patrolman  Joseph  Budnek,  now  on  the  force,  has  been  in 
the  service  since  about  1900. 

As  related  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  trials  Officer  Balcom  lost  his 
life  while  on  duty. 

Closely  related  to  this  subject  is  the  account  of  the  action  of  Sheriff 
W.  A.  Cole  who  was  severely  wounded  while  discharging  his  duty  on 
the  afternoon  of  June  12,  1916.  Sheriff  Cole,  accompanied  by  his 
deputy,  Charles  W.  Wilson,  went  to  the  farm  residence  of  Bert  Whit- 
comb  which  is  located  on  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 24.  in  Little  Blue  township,  to  serve  a  writ  of  ejectment  upon 


'^    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Wliitconib.  ^Vhen  ^Vhitconib,  who  had  been  informed  by  the  deputy 
of  the  i)urpose  of  the  visit  of  the  officers,  caught  sight  of  the  sheriff 
he  immediately  opened  tire  with  a  revolver.  The  officer  took  shelter 
behind  a  self-binder  and  began  to  return  the  fire.  A  number  of  shots 
were  exchanged.  Sheriff  Cole  received  three  wounds  and  ^^^hitcomb 
four  Avounds.  ^^^hitcomb  was  brought  to  Hastings  by  the  sheriff  and 
his  deputies. 

As  a  result  of  a  wound  received  in  this  action  it  was  necessary 
to  amputate  the  right  leg  of  Sheriff  Cole  about  three  inches  below  the 
knee.  Whitcomb  was  in  the  hospital  for  many  months  and  his  trial 
is  pending. 

COUNCILMEN 

The  city  councilmen  have  been  elected  as  follows: 

Septeml)er  22.  1874— A.  W.  Cox,  J.  L.  Parrott  (Parrott  failed 
to  qualify  and  Oswald  Oliver  was  elected  in  his  place,  beginning  serv- 
ice October  26,  1874).  J.  G.  Smith,  H.  A.  Forcht  (T.  J.  Pardoe 
elected  December  29th  to  fill  vacancy  caused  by  removal  of  IVIr. 
Forcht  from  the  ward),  J.  M.  Smith,"  T.  E.  Farrell. 

April  6,  187.5— George  F.  Work.  J.  L.  Parrott  (Parrott  failed 
to  qualify  and  the  records  do  not  show  that  anybody  was  elected  in 
his  place,  although  special  elections  were  called  October  8,  187^3,  and 
Januarv  10.  1876).  Robert  INIorledge,  Fred  Forcht,  J.  INI.  Smith  and 
T.  E.  Farrell. 

April  4,  1876— J.  Countryman.  Fred  Forcht.  J.  Stabler.  Held 
over  under  two-year  term.  Work,  INIorledge,  Smith. 

April  3,  1877— Isaac  LeDioyt,  F.  J.  Benethct,  T.  D.  Scofield. 
Held  over.  Countryman,  Forcht,  Stabler. 

April  2,  1878— J.  G.  B.  Smith,  J.  Wemple.  W.  W.  Dungan,  Sam- 
uel Saddler,  A.  D.  Yocuni.  Held  over,  Scofield.  William  Breede  was 
elected  January  14,  1879,  succeeding  J.  G.  B.  Smith,  resigned. 

April  1.  1879— D.  M.  IMcElhinney.  William  Breede.  C.  H.  Paul, 
A.  H.  Sowers.    Held  over,  Dungan.  Yocum. 

April  6,  1880— William  Breede.  PI.  A.  Forcht,  O.  Oliver.  Held 
over,  Paul,  Sowers,  JMcElhinney. 

April  .5,  1881 — C.  K.  Lawson,  C.  E.  Stone,  William  Breede.  I. 
W.  Cramer,  W.  A.  Camp,  O.  Oliver. 

April  4,  1882— D.  C.  Browni.  L.  H.  Tower,  F.  J.  Benedict.  Held 
over.  Stone,  Camp,  Cramer. 

AiH-il  3,  1883—1.  W.  Cramer,  C.  L.  Stone,  J.  E.  Gant.  Held 
over.  Brown,  Tower,  Benedict. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        75 

April  1,  1884 — Jacob  Wooster,  E.  C.  Webster,  C.  K.  Lawson. 
AVilliam  Breede  was  elected  in  the  Third  Ward  to  succeed  Gant,  who 
became  mayor.     Held  over,  Cramer,  Stone. 

April  7,  1885 — William  Vastine,  Charles  Cameron,  O.  Oliver, 
I.  \V.  Cramer  was  appointed  July  13th  to  succeed  JNIr.  Vastine, 
resigned.     Held  over,  ^\''ooster,  Webster,  Lawson. 

April  6,  1886— Ezra  Langevin,  ^V.  H.  Stock,  C.  C.  Kittenhouse, 
O.  Oliver.  T.  E.  Farrell.  E.  L.  Lewis,  R.  Covert.  Held  over, 
Cameron. 

April  .5.  1887— W.  H.  Stock,  Charles  Cameron,  T.  E.  Farrell, 
J.  E.  Gant.     Held  over,  Langevin,  Rittenhouse,  Oliver,  Lewis. 

x\pril  3,  1888— Ezra  Langevin,  C.  C.  Rittenhouse,  C.  L.  Stone, 
J.  J.  Lyon.     Held  over.  Stock,  Cameron,  Farrell,  Gant. 

April  3.  1889— J.  A.  Rose.  W.  INI.  Vastine,  T.  J.  Creeth,  G.  A. 
Kent.     Held  over,  Langevin,  Rittenhouse,  Stone,  Lyons. 

April  1,  1890— Jacob  Heiler.  C.  C.  Rittenhouse,  Jacob  Fisher, 
W.  H.  Fuller.     Held  over,  Rose,  Vastine,  Creeth,  Kent. 

April  7,  1891— A.  C.  JNIoore,  Charles  Cameron,  T.  J.  Creeth 
(Creeth  left  in  office  on  account  of  a  tie  vote),  Mark  Levy.  D.  M. 
McElhinney  was  appointed  July  13,  1891,  to  succeed  Jacob  Heiler, 
resigned.    Held  over.  Rittenhouse,  Fisher.  Fuller. 

April  .5.  1892— H.  B.  Borley.  J.  Thomas,  William  Brach,  C.  J. 
Hamot.  J.  Fisher.  E.  S.  Fowler  was  api)ointed  September  12,  1892, 
to  succeed  Jacob  Fisher,  resigned.  J.  ¥j.  Bruce  was  appointed  Feb- 
ruary 18,  1893,  to  succeed  Charles  Cameron,  deceased.  Held  over, 
JNIoore,  Levy. 

April  4,  1893— Sven  Johnson,  J.  E.  Bruce,  E.  S.  Fowler,  :Mark 
Levy.    Held  over,  Borley,  Brach,  Hamot,  Thomas. 

April  3,  1894— H.  B.  Borley,  William  Kerr,  J.  Thomas,  E.  C. 
Webster.     Held  over,  Johnson,  Bruce,  Levy,  Fowler. 

April  2,  189o— George  JNIiller,  C.  C.  Rittenhouse,  E.  J.  Pease, 
]Mark  Levy.  Held  over,  Borley,  Kerr.  Thomas,  Webster.  JNIr.  Rit- 
tenhouse resigned  INIarch  23,  1896. 

April  7,  1896— B.  Button,  H.  W.  INIain,  J.  R.  Sims,  J.  H.  Spicer, 
W.  H.  Ferguson.    Held  over.  Levy,  Miller,  Pease. 

A])ril  6,  1897 — J.  H.  Eigenberg,  W.  H.  Ferguson,  E.  J.  Pease, 
Robert  Brown.     Held  over.  Button,  JMain,  Sims,  Spicer. 

April  .5.  1898— J.  H.  Spicer,  H.  W.  INIain,  J.  R.  Sims,  E.  P. 
Nellis.     Held  over.  Brown,  Eigenberg,  Ferguson,  Pease. 

Ai)ril  4.  1899— J.  H.  Eigenberg,  H.  C.  Kerr,  C.  K.  Lawson,  R. 
V.  Shockey.    Held  over,  Spicer,  INIain,  Nellis,  Sims. 

April  3,  1900— J.  H.  Heiler,  J.  A.  Campbell,  W.  H.  Main,  J^Iark 
Levy.    Held  over,  Eigenberg,  Kerr,  Lawson,  Shockey. 


76    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

April  2,  1901— S.  J.  Owens,  H.  C.  Kerr,  S.  S.  Snyder,  R.  V. 
Shockey.    Held  over,  JNlain,  Levy,  Heiler,  Campbell. 

April  1,  1902— R.  B.  Williams,  J.  C.  Campbell,  O.  C.  Zinn, 
M.  M.  Haynes.     Held  over,  Owens,  Shockey,  Snyder,  Kerr. 

April  7,  1903 — Sven  Johnson,  Ezra  Langevin,  S.  S.  Snyder,  R. 
V.  Shockey.  Held  over,  Williams,  Campbell,  Zinn,  Haynes.  ]Mr. 
Shockey  resigned  January  25,  1904. 

April  .5,  1904— R.  B.  Williams,  E.  L.  Gauvreaii.  O.  C.  Zinn, 
j\I.  M.  Haynes.  D.  JNI.  Ball  was  elected  from  the  Fourtli  AVard  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  R.  V.  Shockey.  Held 
over,  Langevin,  Snyder,  Johnson. 

April  4,  1905— Sven  Johnson,  A.  V.  Cole,  S.  S.  Snyder,  D.  M. 
Ball.     Held  over,  Williams,  Gauvreau,  Zinn,  Haynes. 

April  3,   1906— R.  B,  AVillianis,  E.  L.  Gauvreau,  O.  C.  Zinn, 

C.  G.  Ingraham.    Held  over,  Johnson,  Cole.  Snyder,  Ball. 

April  1907— E.  T.  Bowers.  R.  B.  Williams.  A.  V.  Cole,  E.  L. 
Gauvreau,  C.  L.  Alexander,  O.  C.  Zinn.  D.  ]M.  Ball,  Charles 
Ingraham. 

April.  1908— E.  T.  Bowers,  Sven  Johnson.  A.  V.  Cole.  C.  I.  Van 
Patten,  C.  L.  Alexander,  O.  C.  Zinn,  D.  ^I.  Ball,  A.  E.  Allyn. 

April,  1909— W.  S.  Dieken,  Sven  Johnson,  A.  J.  Frantz.  C.  I. 
Van  Patten,  C.  L.  Alexander,  O.  C.  Zinn.  A.  E.  Allyn.  A.  H. 
Farrens. 

April,  1910— W.  S.  Dieken,  Sven  Johnson,  A.  J.  Frantz.  C.  L. 
Ellis,  C.  L.  Alexander.  O.  C.  Zinn,  INLirk  Levy,  A.  H.  Farrens. 

April,  1911— W.  S.  Dieken,  Sven  Johnson,  A.  J.  Frantz,  C.  L. 
Ellis,  C.  L.  Alexander,  O.  C.  Zinn,  JNIark  Levy,  A.  H.  Farrens. 

A])ril,  1912— W.  S.  Dieken,  Ernest  Butzirus,  A.  J.  Frantz,  C. 
L.  Ellis,  C.  L.  Alexander,  O.  C.  Zinn,  C.  G.  Ingraham.  A.  H. 
Farrens. 

April,  1913— Ernest  Butzirus,  William  Harm,  C.  L.  Ellis.  Wil- 
liam Westering,  O.  C.  Zinn,  Percival  B.  Renner,  Walter  Livingston, 

D.  B.  ]Marti,  Ernest  Hoeppner. 

April,  1914— William  Harm,  Ernest  Butzirus,  William  Wester- 
ing. Joseph  A.  Gardiner,  P.  R.  Renner,  O.  C.  Zinn,  A.  J.  Van  Every, 
Walter  Livingston. 

A])ril,  1915 — Ernest  Butzirus,  William  Harm,  Joseph  A.  Gardi- 
ner. E.  INIiller,  O.  C.  Zinn,  P.  R.  Renner,  Walter  Livingston,  A.  J. 
Van  Every. 

April,  1916— William  Harm,  Ernest  Butzirus,  E.  ]Miller,  Joseph 
A.  Gardiner,  P.  R.  Renner,  O.  C.  Zinn,  A.  J.  Van  Every,  Walter 
IJvingston. 


CHAPTER  VI 
HASTINGS  AFTER  COUNTY  SEAT  FIGHT 

There  has  never  been  wanting  in  Hastuigs  from  its  earliest  history 
an  element  that  furnishes  expectation  of  the  future  and  furnishes  it  in 
a  more  marked  degree  than  would  characterize  simple  growth.  Before 
the  county  seat  was  won,  the  possibility  of  obtaining  it  yielded  a 
stimidus  that  would  not  be  found  in  the  j^roblems  of  simple  growth — 
there  was  added  the  sjiirit  of  rivalry  and  struggle.  When  at  last 
the  seat  of  county  government  was  secured  in  1878,  it  left  the  people 
of  the  town  suddenly  deprived  of  the  old  bone  of  contention  but  with 
a  sjjirit  develojied  by  the  old  struggle  that  could  not  be  satisfied  with 
small  conceptions  and  simjile  accomplishments.  With  a  rather  vague 
sense  of  plan  l)ut  with  unlimited  ambitions  they  set  to  work  to  build 
a  city. 

They  had  a  considerable  town  to  begin  with,  and  excellent  railroad 
facilities.  Perhaps  it  will  be  of  some  assistance  in  glimpsing  the  Hast- 
ings that  existed  when  the  county  seat  was  obtained  to  take  an  inventory 
of  tlie  business  as  it  was  represented  by  the  advertisers.  In  its  issue 
of  October  3,  1878,  the  leading  editorial  of  the  Hastings  Journal  is 
under  the  cut  of  a  triumphant,  crowing  rooster.  "Oin-  Bird  Sings!" 
scream  the  headlines,  "For  the  County  Capital  Is  at  Hastings! — And 
Don't  You  Forget  It." 

In  that  issue  the  following  attorneys  had  their  cards:  J.  JNI. 
Abbott,  J.  H.  Fleming,  J.  James,  G.  D.  Pierce,  Loui  F.  Page,  J.  A. 
Vanatta,  Ash  &  Scofield,  Batty  &  Nelson.  The  following  physicians 
had  printed  announcements:  Drs.  T.  H.  Urquhart,  A.  H.  Sowers, 
S.  Saddler,  J.  Oscar  Garmon,  J.  B.  Nagelvoort.  Other  physicians  of 
that  day  were  Dr.  Francis  Naulteus  and  Dr.  John  Cooke. 

Among  the  announcements  of  merchants  and  other  business  men 
are  those  of  Wigton  Bros.,  job  printer  and  publishers;  George  F. 
Work,  justice  of  the  peace;  L.  B.  Palmer,  notary  public,  insurance 
and  collections;  H.  G.  Newson  &  Co.,  barbers;  J.  P.  Farr,  city  dray 
and  expressman;  John  G.  INIoore,  draying  and  exjiressman;  Star 
Clothing  House  of  Simon  Daum,  First   Street,  between  Hastings 


78        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  Denver  avenues;  George  W.  Epsey,  drugs  and  groceries;  Hast- 
ings Molasses  and  Broom  Factory,  established  in  1876  by  L.  C. 
Gould;  ]\Irs.  Fleming,  dressmaker,  millinery  and  fancy  goods;  Hast- 
ings Marble  Works,  Shea  &  Stanley;  H.  &  A.  Andrus,  groceries, 
provisions  and  produce;  JNIrs.  E.  S.  Parenteau,  dressmaking,  millinery 
and  fancy  goods;  Caspar  Fischer,  manufacturer  of  tine  boots  and 
shoes ;,J.  P.  Green,  manufacturer  of  harness,  saddles,  etc.;  C.  C.  Rit- 
tenhouse,  architect;  cheaj)  town  lots,  T.  E.  Farrell;  W.  E.  Barnes, 
Boston  Clothing  Store;  Stabler  &  Deisher,  wholesale  and  retail  deal- 
ers in  farm  imiilements;  eating  house,  bakery  and  confectionery, 
H.  P.  Tonner  proprietor;  feed  mill,  grinds  all  kinds  of  grain.  B. 
Buswell;  Denver  House,  hotel,  J.  ISl.  Smith,  proprietor;  INI.  Nevil, 
manufacturer  of  boots  and  shoes;  E.  K.  Wemple,  groceries;  J.  H. 
Vandemark,  coal;  Reynolds  &  Bills,  carriage  shop;  Wolbach  Bros., 
dry  goods;  Phillips  &  Hamot.  grocers;  Chicago  Store,  dry  goods; 
N.  V.  Cole,  jeweler  and  o})tician;  Bridges  tV  Johnston.  Updike  ware- 
house; E.  Clarke's  bakery  and  confectionery;  Paul  &  Dodd.  dry 
goods;  W.  C.  Cassell,  sewing  machines;  C.  W.  Staley,  confectionery; 
^Nlowery  &  Farrell,  hardware;  Henry  &  Frahm,  drugs ;i Jacob  Fisher, 
New  Bakery;  J.  S.  Allison,  paints  and  oils;  Aaron  May,  dry  goods; 
Alexander  Bros.  (M.  I^.  and  E.  O.  Alexander),  livery  stable;  George 
Carter,  meat  market;  T.  Sanders,  blacksmithing;  Badger  Lumber 
Yard;  A.  S.  Hill,  City  IMeat  JNIarket;  Burford  &  Acheson,  harness 
shop;  Knodle  Bros.,  commercial  nurseries;  J.  Wingart  &  Bro.,  dry 
goods,  groceries,  queensware,  etc.;  Oswald  Oliver,  lumber  yard; 
Cherry  Bros.,  implement  store;  Morledge  &  ]Mc^Vade.  dry  goods  and 
groceries;  H.  A.  Forcht,  hardware  and  queensware;  T.  ]M.  Jones, 
pianos  and  organs;  Steinau.  Abbott  &  Co.,  agricultural  implements; 
E.  Stout,  harness  and  saddles.  C.  E.  Forgey,  blacksmith;  ^Vork  & 
Dungan,  real  estate;  money  to  loan.  J.  S.  Mclntyre;  horses  and 
mules  for  sale,  C.  K.  Lawson. 

The  grain  buying  business  in  the  Hastings  of  this  period  ])re- 
sented  many  features  that  do  not  characterize  the  business  today. 
The  princi])al  grain  buyers  in  Hastings  at  that  time  were  Nelson  I>. 
Thatcher  and  Isaac  Norton.  The  Thatcher  elevator  was  located  on 
the  Burlington  Railroad  and  the  Norton  elevator  on  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Denver.  Between  the  two  elevators  keen  competition  existed. 
Farmers  hauled  the  grain  to  Hastings  from  long  distances,  many 
coming  from  Kansas,  making  a  trip  of  100  miles.  Sometimes  the 
wagons  came  in  trains  with  as  many  as  seventy-five  wagons  in  the 
train.  Upon  such  occasions  it  came  to  be  noticed  that  the  grain  men 
did  not  compete.     Apprised  that  the  wagons  were  approaching  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        79 

city,  they  apparently  agreed  to  bury  the  hatchet  for  the  time  being, 
for  the  jHU-pose  of  harvesting  a  sure  thing. 

For  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  liowever,  the  two  grain  buyers, 
each  backed  by  his  raih'oad,  competed  keenly,  and  in  those  days  a 
farmer  did  not  sell  his  load  of  wheat  until  after  the  buyers  had  finished 
raising  each  other's  bid.  Some  of  the  farmers  declare  that  at  times 
they  received  more  for  their  grain  in  Hastings  than  it  would  bring  on 
the  Chicago  market,  and  here  was  visible  the  hand  of  the  railroads 
operating  through  rebates.  With  all  the  competition,  however,  wheat 
sometimes  sold  as  low  as  60  cents  per  bushel  and  barley  for  25  and 
even  20  cents.  Shortly  after  this  i:)eriod  the  element  of  competition 
disappeared  from  grain  buying  and  was  no  more  apparent  than  it 
is  at  present. 

Among  the  Hastings  mercliants  nametl  at  this  time  should  be 
A.  J.  ^lillett,  who  conducted  a  popular  grocery  store  on  First  Street. 
There  Avere,  of  course,  other  business  men  in  Hastings  at  the  time, 
but  those  mentioned  serve  very  well  to  give  an  idea  of  the  business 
activity  of  the  town  at  the  time  the  county  seat  was  removed.  In 
this  connection  it  is  of  interest  to  note  the  comparison  between 
Hastings  and  the  defeated  town,  Juniata,  at  tlie  same  period.  An 
inventory  of  the  business  at  Juniata  as  it  existed  January  1,  1879, 
reveals  the  following  business  establishments:  C.  R.  Jones  &  Co.. 
general  merchandise;  also  in  the  same  business,  Dillon  &  Cole,  Stadel- 
man  &  Bodein  and  W.  H.  Burr;  G.  W.  Carter,  stoves  and  tinware; 
Carter  &  Harsough,  hardware;  B.  E.  Swift,  farm  implements;  E. 
M.  Allen,  lumber;  G.  S.  Guild,  publisher  Juniata  Herald;  H.  E. 
Wells,  druggist;  S.  B.  Webb,  confectionery;  JM.  Scudder  &  Sons, 
nursery;  Mrs.  A.  A.  White,  millinery;  Carlock  &  Clark,  millers;  J.  N. 
Stark,  jeweler;  Clough  &  Watkins,  meat  market;  William  Twidale, 
meat  market;  B.  F.  Smith,  attorney;  James  Laird,  attorney;  Cliarles 
Kilburn,  attorney;  Ben  Hayden,  attorney;  Winfield  Ackley.  physi- 
cian; H.  M.  Crone,  jiainter;  G.  W.  JMontgomery,  barber;  W.  D. 
Belding,  livery  stable;  George  Walker,  livery  stable;  A.  J.  Peterson, 
Union  Hotel;  L.  F.  Pickard,  hardware;  Swift  &  Angell,  agricultural 
implements;  John  Chandler,  coal  dealer;  George  Stocker,  coal  dealer; 
S.  L.  Brass,  bakery  and  restaurant;  Walker  &  Van  Houten,  livery 
stable;  ]\Ir.  Lapp,  proprietor,  Jiniiata  House;  J.  A.  Robertson, 
deputy  sheriff  and  collector;  O.  Stearer,  expressman  and  justice  of 
the  peace;  F.  M.  Webb,  groceries;  O.  H.  Verber,  boarding  house; 
Mr.  Angell,  restaurant;  Titus  Babcock,  postmaster;  F.  H.  Hole, 
blacksmith;  G.  S.  Gitchel.  Sheirmerhorn  &  Co.,  wagon  makers;  O.  A. 
Buzzell,  pastor  Baptist  church;  Rev.  Mr.  Camp,  pastor  Congrega- 


so        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tional  church;  Rev.  JNIr.  Love,  pastor  Episcopal  church;  Frank 
Kellogg,  station  agent;  Miss  L.  A.  JNIcFadden,  principal  of  the 
schools,  and  Miss  Anna  Pruyn,  assistant;  John  T.  Hill,  saloon. 

I'IKST    BKICK    BUILDING 

In  1879  the  iirst  brick  buildings  were  erected  in  Hastings.  One 
of  these  stood  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Second  Street  and  Hastings 
Avenue,  where  the  First  National  Bank  Building  now  stands.  It 
was  erected  for  A.  L.  Clarke  and  George  Pratt,  and  was  the  original 
First  National  Bank  Building.  This  bank  building  was  built  of  red 
brick  and  its  dimensions  were  22xl2;5  feet;  it  was  two  stories  high. 
The  other  brick  building  stood  on  the  west  side  of  Hastings  Avenue, 
a  little  soutli  of  the  location  of  the  Clarke  Hotel.  This  building, 
wliicli  stood  initil  torn  down  in  recent  years,  was  known  as  the  "]\Ia- 
sonic  Building."     It  was  erected  by  the  Paine  Lumber  Company. 

Before  the  First  National  Bank  Building  was  completed  Hast- 
ings was  swept  with  what  was  j^erhaps  the  most  important  fire  in  its 
history,  and  the  next  few  years  witnessed  the  erection  of  a  large 
number  of  brick  buildings  in  the  business  section.  It  has  come  to  be 
believed,  therefore,  that  the  fire  of  1879  was  a  main  factor  in  ushering 
the  brick  building  era. 

On  the  night  of  January  1,  1878,  the  Thompson  Hotel,  a  very 
creditable  structure  that  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Kansas  Avenue 
between  First  and  Second  streets,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  This  loss 
awakened  the  inhabitants  of  the  new  town  to  the  fact  that  they  were 
without  means  to  protect  themselves  from  fire.  In  the  spring  following 
a  volunteer  fire  company  was  organized  with  nearly  all  the  young  men 
in  the  town  as  members,  and  with  John  D.  Crans  as  chief.  Ed  Ken- 
nard  was  foreman  of  the  hose  company  and  Caspar  Fisher  foreman 
of  the  liook  and  ladder  trucks.  This  organization  followed  the  failure 
to  vote  bonds  in  the  amount  of  $6,000  for  the  purpose  of  providing 
fire  jn-otection.  The  bonds  having  failed,  the  city  council  made  an 
appropriation  with  which  a  hand  engine  was  purchased  at  an  expendi- 
ture of  $680,  also  a  hook  and  ladder  outfit  and  fourteen  Babcock 
extinguisliers.  On  the  southwest  corner  of  the  courthouse  square  a 
two-story  frame  building  was  erected.  In  the  lower  part  the  fire- 
fighting  apparatus  was  installed.  The  upper  story  was  used  as  a 
council  cliamber  until  1890,  when  the  present  city  hall  and  engine 
liouse  was  erected  on  Burlington  Avenue,  between  First  and  Second 
streets.  It  may  be  remarked  tliat  previous  to  this  time  the  city  council 
liad  met  in  tlie  office  of  the  Hastings  Town  Company  on  Second  Street ; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        81 

at  times,  however,  sessions  were  held  in  the  stores.  The  problem  of 
fire  protection  was  by  no  means  solved  with  the  purchase  of  the  fire 
engine,  for  the  apparatus  Avas  no  good  without  a  water  supply.  The 
council,  therefore,  decided  to  erect  a  tank  centrally  located,  and  with 
a  cajiacity  of  a  thousand  barrels,  and  to  build  a  windmill  to  draw  the 
\\ater.  Bids  were  advertised  for;  the  lowest  received  was  for  $1,250 
and  the  highest  $1,500.  The  council  advertised  again,  and  Mr.  Isaac 
LeDioyt,  representing  C.  X.  Paine  &  Company,  the  proprietors  of 
the  Badger  lumberyard  offered  in  behalf  of  his  firm  to  furnish  the 
material  and  do  the  work  for  $950.     The  offer  was  accejited. 

The  tank  and  windmill  were  erected  between  First  and  Second 
streets,  in  the  rear  of  the  present  location  of  the  Masonic  Hall.  The 
tank  was  set  upon  a  heavy  frame  twelve  feet  above  the  ground,  and 
the  frame  supporting  it  lay  upon  a  heavy  stone  foundation,  which 
extended  from  below  the  frost  line.  Describing  the  course  of  the 
water  pipes  radiating  from  the  tank,  JNIr.  Isaac  LeDioyt  wrote  as 
follows:  "From  the  tank  a  six-inch  pipe  carried  the  water  to  another 
six-inch  pipe  laid  four  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  ex- 
tending through  the  alley  from  Hastings  Avenue  to  Denver  Avenue, 
and  from  the  ends  of  this  pipe  a  four-inch  pipe  extended  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  block,  where  the  water  was  brought  to  the  surface 
through  a  two-inch  pipe.  Still,  with  all  this  preparation,  there  was  no 
connection  between  the  water  works  and  the  engine. 

So,  once  more,  the  city  appropriated  money  for  the  digging  of 
cisterns  at  the  intersections  of  the  streets  in  the  business  center  of  the 
cit}'.  One  was  dug  at  the  intersection  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second 
Street,  another  at  the  intersection  of  Second  Street  and  Lincoln  Ave- 
nue, near  where  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island  tracks  end.  One  or 
two  others  were  dug  at  other  locations.  The  scheme  was  to  fill  the 
cisterns  nearest  the  corners  where  the  water  was  brought  to  the  surface, 
and  fi'om  these  cisterns  the  engine  and  hose  were  made  to  fill  the 
others.  Once  a  week  the  fire  company  would  be  called  out  and  the 
firemen  and  bystanders  would  work  upon  the  engine  mitil  all  the 
water  that  could  be  spared  from  a  cistern  had  been  sent  to  a  neighbor- 
ing cistern."  The  engine  had  two  long  handles,  wliich  a  dozen  or  more 
men  could  seize.  The  movement  of  the  handle  was  a  good  deal  like 
that  used  to  propel  handcars  on  the  railroads  before  the  advent  of  the 
gasoline  engine. 

FIRE  OF   1879 

It  was  in  the  forenoon  of  September  14,  1879,  that  the  epochal 
fire  in  the  history  of  Hastings  broke  forth  and  gave  the  Hastings 
fire  department  its  first  severe  test.     The  fire  was  discovered  in  the 


82    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

drug  store  of  J.  S.  Allison,  which  was  located  in  a  building  on  the 
west  side  of  Hastings  Avenue,  south  of  the  alley  ruiming  through 
the  block  from  Hastings  Avenue  to  Lincoln  Avenue.  The  tire  engine 
was  brought  out  and  worked  first  from  the  cistern  at  the  intersection 
of  Hastizigs  Avenue  and  Second  Street,  and  then  from  the  cistern 
at  the  intersection  of  the  same  street  with  Lincoln  Avenue.  In  the 
basement  of  the  drug  store,  which  was  a  frame  structure,  paints  and 
oils  were  stored,  and  these  inflammables  soon  caused  the  fire  to  reach 
formidable  strength.  Just  when  it  seemed  that  the  firemen  had  the 
flames  under  control,  the  engine  broke.  After  this  the  citizens  and 
firemen  were  compelled  to  fight  with  bucket  brigades.  They  were 
unable  to  check  the  flames,  and  the  main  business  section  was  wiped 
out.  Every  building  in  the  block  bomid  by  First  and  Second  streets 
and  Hastings  and  Lincoln  avenues  was  destroyed,  excejit  the  First 
National  Bank  Building  and  one  small  frame  structure.  On  the 
south  side  of  First  Street,  and  between  Hastings  and  Lincoln  avenues, 
every  building  was  burned  as  far  south  as  the  Burlington  track.  The 
loss  by  this  fire  is  estimated  to  have  been  $100,000.  Individual  losses 
were  reported  by  the  newspapers  of  the  time  as  follows:  J.  S.  Alli- 
son, stock,  $.5,000:  J.  W.  Davis,  building  and  stock,  $6,000;  H. 
Lepin,  hotel  aild  fixtures,  $8,000;  Charles  Cameron,  stock  and  build- 
ing, $13,000;  Thomas  Scale,  building,  $800;  A.  W.  Cox,  stock  and 
two  buildings,  $2,300;  J.  ^Veingart  &  Bros.,  elevator  and  2.000 
bushels  of  wheat,  $2,200;  Kelly  &  Hahn,  building  and  contents, 
$2,300;  Dr.  F.  Naulteus,  building  and  stock,  $3,000;  Wolbach  Bros., 
building  and  stock,  $15,000;  N.  F.  Damron,  hotel  and  furniture, 
$6,000;  D.  H.  Ballard,  building  and  stock,  $4,000;  G.  F.  Work,  ofiice, 
$125;  Exchange  Bank,  furniture,  $200;  Oswald  Oliver,  lumber,  $100; 
Wigton  Bros.,  oflfice  and  type,  $600;  ]\Iillett  &:  ]Mulford,  stone  works, 
$1,000;  C.  H.  Manker,  carpenter  shop,  $200:  Prindle  &  Burke,  tailor 
shop,  $50;  ]Mrs.  JNIow,  two  buildings,  $250;  JNIrs.  Higgins,  building, 
$300;  Langevin  &  Plamondon,  two  buildings,  $1,500;  J.  B.  Seridge, 
building,  $800;  W.  A.  Smith,  stock,  $900;  George  Volland,  livery 
stable,  $1,200;  J.  Kohl,  building  and  fixtures,  $1,500;  E.  Stout,  build- 
ing and  stock,  $800;  A.  J.  Nowlan,  stock,  $300;  Forch  &  Co.,  damage 
to  building,  $100;  Lowman  &  Fisher,  office  furniture,  $150;  Charles 
Carmichael,  personal  jn-operty,  $300;  Frank  Coy's  drug  store.  In  all 
tliirty-thi-ee  buildings  were  destroyed. 

EARLY    lUTILDING    PERIOD 

A  period  of  building  followed  the  great  fire,  and  the  business  activi- 
ties of  Hastings  increased  in  volume  and  ambitions  until  the  climax  was 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    «3 

reached  in  tlie  boom  of  1887.  On  the  northeast  corner  of  Second 
Street  and  Lincohi  Avenue,  the  present  location  of  the  10-cent  store, 
Morris  and  Eugene  Alexander  erected  a  brick  building  two  stories 
high  in  1881  at  a  cost  of  $10,000.  In  the  corner  building  was  located 
the  grocery  store  of  M.  J.  Lunibard.  For  many  years  this  store  was 
one  of  the  important  stores  of  the  city.  The  rooms  above  this  store 
were  occupied  as  the  offices  of  the  Benevolent  Union,  an  early 
Hastings  mutual  life  insurance  company,  which  by  1887  had  written 
$2,,)00,000  of  life  insurance  for  1,400  members. 

During  the  same  year,  1881,  F.  J.  Benedict  &  Co.,  erected  a  brick 
building  adjoining  the  Alexander  Building  on  the  east.  This,  too, 
was  two  stories  high,  4>i  by  110  feet,  and  cost  -$10,000.  It  was  in  the 
west  store  room  of  this  building  that  the  Benedict  grocery  store  was 
located. 

In  1881  also  was  erected  the  brick  building  adjoining  the  Bene(Hct 
Building  on  the  east.  This  was  known  in  the  early  days  as  the  Reed 
Building.  One  of  the  store  rooms  was  occupied  by  Burger  Brothers, 
who  conducted  a  wholesale  and  retail  hardware  store  and  in  the  other 
store  room  was  the  delicatessen  dining  hall  of  iNIessrs.  Noyes  &  Baird, 
a  very  popular  restaurant  of  that  period.  The  building  was  erected 
by  a  Mr.  Reed  at  a  cost  of  $.5,000. 

The  Kerr  Opera  House  was  not  erected  until  1884.  For  several 
years  it  was  the  most  imposing  building  in  Hastings.  The  building 
was  erected  l)y  the  Hastings  Opera  House  Company  at  a  cost  of 
$61,000.  Tlie  board  of  directors  of  this  corporation  elected,  in  1884, 
were  D.  F.  Naulteus,  James  B.  Heartwell,  ]M.  L.  Alexander, 
William  Kerr,  T.  J.  Dowd,  George  H.  Pratt,  L.  B.  Palmer,  R.  A. 
Anderson  and  C.  E.  W.  Struve.  A  long  list  of  citizens  in  addition 
to  those  named  were  stockholders.  The  house  was  named  in  honor  of 
William  Kerr,  one  of  the  principal  stockholders,  and  who  eventually 
became  the  sole  owner  of  the  building.  The  stage  is  66  feet  wide  by 
38  feet  deep  and  the  procenium  32  feet  wide  and  28  feet  high.  The 
original  curtain,  scenery  and  decorations  were  by  Noxen,  Albert  & 
Toomey,  of  St.  Louis.  The  Kerr  was  first  under  the  management  of 
F.  D.  Taggart.  William  Shellack  was  manager  for  a  time.  Subse- 
quently Manager  Stevens  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  Kerr  and  was 
succeeded  by  Thomas  Kerr,  son  of  William  Kerr.  William  Lowman 
came  after  Thomas  Kerr,  and  is  the  present  manager. 

October  18,  188.5,  Miss  Nellie  Boyd  appeared  in  a  dramatic  pro- 
duction at  the  Kerr,  and  was  very  enthusiastic  over  the  new  oj^era 
house.  Miss  Boyd  first  appeared  in  Hastings  in  1874.  She  was  the 
first  actress  to  appear  in  Hastings,  and  she  was  much  impressed  with 


84        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  change  that  had  been  wrought  in  eleven  years.  In  1874  she  ap- 
peared in  ]\Iillett  Hall.  There  were  neither  stage  nor  seats.  For 
ojjera  chairs  the  citizens  supplied  benches  made  of  rough  pine  jjlanks 
laid  across  nail  kegs.  The  stage  was  constnicted  in  a  similar  manner. 
For  the  drop  curtain  two  patchwork  qiults  were  kindly  lent,  and 
candles  did  service  for  footlights. 

Prof.  John  Rees  was  the  director  of  the  first  Opera  House  orches- 
tra. Will  Rees,  first  violin;  Ben  Urquhart,  second  violin;  Gus  Bind- 
evuY),  viola;  Elgin  Gilbert,  bass  viola;  C.  F.  Royce,  clarinet;  Walter 
Chapman,  first  cornet:  Al  Boyd,  second  cornet;  ]\I.  L.  Averill, 
trombone;  William  Bates,  drums.  Alex  JNIurray  was  the  first  stage 
director.  Ajnong  the  notable  actors  and  actresses  who  have  appeared 
at  the  Kerr  are  Mr.  and  INIrs.  J.  W.  Florence,  Thomas  W.  Keene, 
Mile.  Rhea,  Sol  Smith  Russell,  INIaggie  ]Mitchell.  Patti  Rosa,  Louis 
James,  Lewis  JMorrison,  Robert  JNIantell,  Blanche  Walsh,  INIrs.  Fiske 
and  Walker  Whiteside. 

The  Kerr  Oj^era  House  was  greatly  improved  in  1913,  a  new 
fireproof  curtain  was  installed  and  the  interior  completely  redecorated, 
new  boxes  built  and  the  stage  was  greatly  improved. 

Tlie  Bostwick  Hotel  block  was  built  in  1884-85  by  a  corporation, 
the  princi])al  members  of  whom  were  Harrison  Bostwick,  A.  H. 
Cramer.  T.  E.  Farrell,  George  M.  JNIowery,  John  Ballinger,  G.  J. 
Evans,  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman  and  J.  C.  Kay.  The  block  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $0.5,000.  W.  H.  Dildine  was  the  first  manager  of  the  Bost- 
wick Hotel,  and  from  1889  to  September  1,  1904,  W.  H.  Dillon  was 
in  charge.  He  was  succeeded  by  J.  D.  INIines,  who  remained  in  charge 
for  a  few  years.  Mr.  INIines  was  followed  by  H.  C.  Haverly.  who 
was  manager  to  within  a  short  time  of  the  opening  of  the  Clarke 
Hotel,  in  1913.  C.  H.  Dietrich  has  been  the  owner  of  the  block,  except 
the  store  room  on  the  west  side,  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1916  the 
Bostwick  Hotel  was  extensively  improved  and  the  name  clianged  to 
the  American  House.  It  was  originally  named  in  honor  of  Harrison 
Bostwick.  The  Lindell  Hotel  was  built  four  years  before  the  erection 
of  the  Bostwick,  by  N.  F.  Damron.  For  about  the  first  ten  years  this 
liotel  Avas  called  the  Commercial. 

In  1883  Charles  H.  Dietrich  erected  two  brick  business  buildings 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street  at  a 
cost  of  '$21,000.  In  190.5  the  corner  building,  occupied  by  the  German 
National  Bank,  was  completely  remodeled  and  brought  to  its  present 
form.  The  corner  building  was  the  home  of  the  dry  goods  house  of 
Pickens  &  Hanna,  of  which  the  firm  of  Pickens  &  Bratton  are  the 
descendants.     The  same  vear  in  Avhich  Mr.  Dietrich  built  these  two 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    85 

buildings,  1883,  saw  the  erection  of  a  two-story  brick  building  by 
J.  ^V.  Davis  adjoining  INIr.  Dietrich's  building  on  the  east.  This 
structure  cost  $12,000.  In  the  same  year  Charles  Cameron  erected 
the  Exchange  National  Bank  Building,  including  the  store  room 
immediately  north  of  the  bank,  at  a  cost  of  $2.5,000.  For  many  years 
]Mr.  Cameron  conducted  a  large  dr\'  goods  and  clothing  store,  the 
store  fronting  on  both  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street. 

The  "Stone  Block"  standing  on  the  south  side  of  Second  Street 
between  Denver  and  St.  Josejih  avenues  was  erected  in  1881  by  T.  E. 
Farrell  and  George  JM.  ]\Iowery.  The  stone  for  this  building  were 
broughf  from  ]Mr.  Farrell's  stone  quarries  in  Colorado.  The  corner 
store  room  of  tliis  block  was  the  early  home  of  the  J.  H.  Haney 
harness  and  saddle  business. 

In  1884  Claus  Frahm  erected  the  building  now  occupied  by  the 
A.  H.  Brooke  drug  store,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue 
and  Second  Street.  For  several  years  it  was  occupied  by  the  drug- 
store of  Frahm  Bros.,  and  later  bj^  Kay  C.  Roberts.  The  building 
immediately  south  of  the  Frahm  Building  is  called  the  Curtis  Block, 
after  the  original  owner.  It  was  erected  in  188(5.  At  about  the  same 
time  the  building  adjoining  the  Curtis  Building  was  erected  by 
George  Tyler. 

The  ^Masonic  Temple  was  erected  in  1886-87.  The  Imilding  as 
originally  built  was  66x12.5  feet  and  three  stories  high.  It  cost  $26,000 
to  build.  This  building  was  remodeled  in  1013  at  a  cost  of  nearly 
$6.5,000. 

A  brick  building  has  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Second 
Street  and  Denver  Avenue  since  1881.  In  this  building  the  City 
National  Bank  was  located. 

The  building  adjoining  the  old  City  National  Bank  on  the  west 
was  erected  by  M.  Stern  in  1883  at  a  cost  of  $.5,000.  and  in  the  same 
year  Jacob  Fisher  erected  a  brick  building  immediately  ^\est  of  ]\Ir. 
Stern's.  It  should  have  been  stated  also  that  in  the  store  )'oom 
immediately  west  of  the  City  National  Bank,  between  the  latter  and 
the  Stern  Building,  the  meat  market  of  Charles  Doyen  was  located 
for  many  years.  In  1886,  Jacob  Fisher  completed  the  erection  of 
his  second  brick  store  room  at  609  West  Second  Street.  The  third 
brick  business  building  to  be  erected  in  the  city  was  by  Wolbach  Bros., 
at  the  same  locatioji  as  that  of  the  present  site  of  the  store  of  Wolbach 
&  Bracli.  Wolbach  Bros,  commenced  the  erection  of  their  building' 
in  1870,  but  not  quite  so  early  in  the  year  as  the  First  National  Bank. 
About  the  same  time  A.  W.  Cox  erected  a  building  facing  on  Hastings 
Avenue  and  immediately  south  of  the  First  National  Bank.    Mv.  Cox 


86        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

had  come  to  Hastings  in  1873  and  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of 
this  building  was  in  partnership  with  M.  Reed  in  the  furniture 
business. 

In  1883  C.  K.  Lawson  and  Carson  J.  Hamot  erected  the  store 
room  at  704  and  706  West  Second  Street,  now  occuijied  by  the  J.  H. 
McGrath  Harchvare  Company.  The  builders  occupied  the  room  at 
704  for  their  hardware  store,  which  was  conducted  under  the  firm 
name  of  Lawson  &  Hamot.  The  building  on  the  northwest  corner 
of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street  was  built  in  1884  by  R.  R. 
Morledge  and  J.  H.  McWade.  For  many  years  the  firm  of  IMorledge 
&  McWade  was  one  of  the  important  general  merchandise  establisli- 
nients  of  the  city.  The  firm  occupied  the  corner  store  room.  In  1885 
this  store  became  the  location  of  an  important  dry  goods  store,  "The 
Bee  Hive."  of  which  A.  J.  Unna  was  the  proprietor.  It  might  also 
be  noted  that  706  North  Hastings  Avenue,  was  the  original  location 
of  the  New  Yoi-k  &  Boston  Clothing  Company,  of  which  JNIr.  JNIark 
Le\y  was  the  proprietor.  Tlie  building  at  702  West  Second  Street, 
adjoining  the  INIorledge  &  JNIcWade  Building  on  the  west,  was  erected 
by  Moses  Stern;  the  building  is  now  occupied  by  the  Barnes  Clothing 
Comjjaiiy.  In  1886  JNIr.  Stern  also  erected  tlie  building  which  is  now 
the  location  of  the  A.  F.  INIeyer  Hardware  Company,  at  61.5  West 
Second  Street.  At  about  the  same  time  Henry  Gross  erected  the 
building  immediately  east.  613  West  Second  Street,  now  occupied  by 
Kauf  &  Rinderspacher.  The  building  was  bought  by  Kauf  &  Rinder- 
spacher  from  INIessrs.  Stern  and  Gross  in  1894  and  completely  remod- 
eled by  them  in  1910.  The  meat  market  of  Kauf  &  Rinderspacher 
Mas  established  by  Karl  Kauf  and  George  Rinderspacher,  in  1887- 
their  first  location  being  216  North  Hastings  Avenue,  the  present 
location  of  tlie  Hastings  Bakery. 

The  meat  market  now  called  Blake  &  Son  has  borne  the  name  of 
Blake  since  1874.  Fred  Blake  and  wife  arrived  in  Hastings  from 
Oxfordshire.  England,  in  1873.  Mr.  Blake  became  associated  the 
following  year  in  the  meat  business  with  William  H.  Stock,  whom  he 
soon  bought  out.  This  business  was  located  at  the  present  site  of  the 
James  A.  Benson  barber  shop.  621  West  Second  Street.  In  1886 
Mr.  Blake  erected  the  brick  building  standing  at  tlie  nortliwest  corner 
of  Lincoln  Avenue  and  First  Street,  and  at  the  same  time  the  store 
room  adjoining  on  the  north  was  erected  by  Charles  Plamondon,  who 
was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  Hastings  for  many  years. 

Cliarles  Kohl  and  John  Yager  erected  the  building  containing  the 
store  rooms  212  and  214  North  Hastings  Avenue  in  188;).  ]\Ir.  Yager 
was  a  homesteader  and  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War.     He  conducted 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        87 

tlie  G.  A.  R.  sample  room  in  the  Kohl  &  Yager  Building  for  a  nmiiber 
of  years.  Mr.  Yager  always  maintained  that  his  child  was  the  first 
to  be  born  in  Adams  County.  That  honor  is  also  claimed  for  John 
Eabcock,  the  son  of  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Titus  Babcock  of  Juniata.  ]\lr. 
Yager  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Hastings  some  time  during  1871. 
He  died  at  the  Soldiers'  home  in  Burkett  (Grand  Island),  in  1915. 

The  Central  Block  comprising  713,  71j  and  717  West  Second 
Street,  or  the  present  location  of  A.  M.  Clark's  drug  store  and  the 
diy  goods  establishment  of  Pickens  &  Bratton,  was  completed  in  1886. 
The  building  at  713  was  erected  by  Samuel  Alexander  and  J.  B. 
Heartwell,  while  the  remaining  store  rooms  were  built  largely  by 
eastern  capital  under  the  management  of  E.  C.  Webster.  Dr.  Francis 
Naulteus,  L.  i\I.  Campbell  and  others,  however,  were  joint  owners  in 
the  building.  It  was  in  this  building  that  the  important  dry  goods 
house  of  Fyler  &  Wing,  afterwards  H.  A.  Fyler  &  Company,  was 
located.  This  establishment  continued  from  1886  to  1890.  In  July 
of  the  latter  year  the  Fyler  stock  was  destroyed  by  fire  entailing  a 
loss  estimated  at  the  time  as  amounting  to  between  $90,000  and 
$100,000. 

The  Nebraska  Loan  &  Trust  Company  Building  was  erected  in 
188J^  at  a  cost  of  about  $35,000.  This  building  is  three  stories  in  height 
and  has  a  frontage  on  Second  Street  of  44  feet  and  upon  Lincoln 
Avemie  of  125  feet.  The  trust  company  was  the  outgrowth  of  a 
partnership  formed  January  1,  1881,  by  James  B.  Heartwell  and 
E.  C.  Webster.  The  original  firm  name  was  J.  B.  Heartwell  &  Com- 
])any.  By  ]May  1,  the  following  year  other  capitalists  became  inter- 
ested in  the  business,  and  the  Nebraska  Loan  &  Trust  Company  was 
incorporated,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000;  this  was  increased 
INIay  1.  1883,  to  $250,000,  and  in  August,  1885,  to  $500,000.  The 
business  of  the  company  consisted  largely  in  loaning  money  on  mort- 
gages :  they  also  dealt  in  school  bonds  and  municipal  securities.  Of  the 
early  organization,  James  B.  Heartwell  was  the  j^resident;  A.  L. 
Clarke,  vice  president;  E.  C.  Webster,  treasurer;  C.  P.  Webster, 
cashier.  These  with  Samuel  Alexander,  Oswald  Oliver,  George  H. 
Pratt,  D.  M.  IMcElhinney  and  J.  J.  Wemple  comprised  the  board 
of  directors  in  1887.  Feliruary  1.  1906,  the  Nebraska  Loan  &  Trust 
Company  made  a  voluntary  liquidation,  an  action  which  was  brought 
about  through  the  placing  of  loans  on  western  Nebraska  and  Kansas 
lands  situated  in  the  arid  regions  which  became  a  burden.  In  1907  the 
Clarke.  Buchanan  Company  was  formed  with  J.  N.  Clarke  and  W.  F. 
Buchanan  of  Hastings  at  the  head.  This  firm  does  the  same  character 
of  business  as  the  Nebraska  Loan  &  Trust  Company  and  occupies  the 


88        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

same  building.  W.  F.  Buchanan  is  now  a  resident  of  Huntington, 
West  Virginia.  In  1882  the  Gazette- Journal  ComiJany  erected  a 
building  on  the  soutliwest  corner  of  Lincoln  Avenue  and  Second 
Street  which  the  following  spi'ing  was  occupied  by  their  newspaper 
and  job  printing  plant.  In  188G  the  publishing  company  built  an 
additional  building  joining  the  first  on  the  west  and  wliich  gave  them 
a  frontage  of  sixty-six  feet  on  Second  Street.  The  entire  building- 
was  occupied  bj'  the  Gazette-Journal  plant.  During  the  same  year 
Oswald  Oliver  erected  the  building  which  bears  his  name  and  which 
adjoins  the  building  erected  by  the  Gazette- Journal  on  the  west. 

The  building  oi^erations  narrated  indicates  something  of  the  strides 
taken  by  Hastings  in  the  period  between  1879  and  1887.  In  tliis 
period  the  whole  aspect  of  the  business  section  was  changed.  The 
western  town  nath  its  frame  business  buildings  was  transformed  into  a 
city  of  brick  blocks.  C.  C.  Rittenhouse  was  the  architect  that  prepared 
the  jjlans  and  specifications  for  a  great  number  of  these  buildings, 
Avhile  D.  M.  INIcElhinney  and  Sven  Johnson  under  the  firm  name  of 
jMcElhinney  &  Johnson  were  the  contractors  that  erected  the  majority 
of  the  business  buildings. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  when  the  city  was  built  in  brick  it  was 
from  brick  manufactured  in  Hastings,  and  thus  the  foundation  was 
laid  for  the  extensive  brick  industry  which  yet  characterizes  the  town. 
The  contractors  jNIcElhinney  &  Johnson  were  incorjiorated  as  brick 
manufactiu-ers  July  28.  1880.  Their  brick  j^ard  was  located  on  ten 
aci-es.  which  they  owned  in  the  southwest  jiortion  of  the  city  immedi- 
ately west  of  the  present  residence  of  Mr.  Johnson,  623  South  Bur- 
lington Avenue.  The  same  firm  established  brickyards  in  Holdrege 
and  St.  Francis,  Kansas.  Their  jiayroll  reached  a  total  of  $1,000  per 
week  for  labor,  and  their  output  of  red  brick  reached  2,000,000  a  year. 

The  years  188.5  and  1886  were  the  great  building  years  of  that 
period.  During  1886  over  300  residences  were  erected.  Among  the 
notable  dwellings  erected  that  year  were  those  of  James  B.  Heartwell, 
E.  S.  Fowler,  W.  H.  Lanning,  C.  K.  Lawson,  George  W.  Kirby,  and 
H.  jAI.  Oliver.  The  house  erected  by  James  B.  Heartwell  was  an 
extraordinarily  emphatic  mark  of  belief  in  the  city's  future.  Its 
dimensions  are  40  by  70  feet,  and  the  interior  of  the  principal  apart- 
ments are  finished  in  bird's-eye  maple,  red  oak,  cherry  and  other  elegant 
woods  in  natural  color.  The  house  is  upon  the  most  elevated  site  in  the 
city  limits.  This  residence  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $30,000.  It 
is  now  the  property  of  Clarence  J.  JNIiles. 

Among  the  principal  residences  erected  in  188.)  Avere  those  of 
Eugene  Alexander,  James  Laird,  E.  C.  Webster,  A.  L.  Clarke  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        89 

Alexander  Pickens.  The  residence  of  James  Laird  was  located  at 
123,5  West  Second  Street.  It  is  now  the  property  and  residence  of 
Eniil  Polenske.  The  Gazette-Journal  estimated  that  the  total  expen- 
diture for  new  residences  in  Hastings  in  1886  was  $395,875,  while 
business  buildings  the  same  year  had  been  built  at  a  cost  of  -fllSj-jOO. 
The  same  paper  estimated  that  all  the  building  operations  and  general 
improvements  made  by  the  railroads,  etc.,  reached  a  total  for  1886  of 
$857,375.  While  these  figures  are  perhajis  high,  still  it  is  the  opinion 
of  business  men  who  were  residents  of  Hastings  at  the  time  that  they 
are  not  far  off. 

EAKLY    BUSINESS   DEVELOPMENTS 

Tlie  building  o2)erations  narrated  connotes  a  corresjDonding  busi- 
ness activity  of  the  city.  A  summary  of  Hastings  in  1886  shows  in 
addition  to  the  brick  factory  of  JNIcElhinney  &  Johnson  a  similar 
enterprise  conducted  by  John  and  Henry  Puis,  who  during  the  year 
manufactured  about  500,000  brick.  Near  the  corner  of  JNlinnesota 
Avenue  and  Second  Street  stood  the  extensive  foundry  and  Header 
works  of  ]M.  K.  Lewis  &  Sons.  This  firm  was  incorporated  July  10. 
1885,  and  was  composed  of  Frank  S.  Lewis  and  Edgar  L.  Lewis.  In 
addition  to  headers  the  firm  manufactured  well  boring  and  drilling 
tools  and  horsepowers.  The  header  known  as  the  "Lewis  Header" 
was  patented  by  ]M.  K.  Lewis  and  was  one  of  the  important  harvesting- 
machines  of  its  type  for  many  years.  The  firm  employed  about  twenty 
men.  Cigar  manufacturing  was  already  on  a  substantial  basis.  There 
were  at  this  time  four  factories  with  thirty-two  employes.  Those 
engaged  in  this  industry  were  Snyder  &  Brewer,  Berry  &  Sons,  C.  A. 
Dunn  and  ]McTaggart  &  IMcKeehan.  The  firm  of  Snyder  &  Brewer 
was  comprised  of  S.  S.  Snyder  and  Harry  Brewer.  Their  output 
was  from  20,000  to  25,000  cigars  per  month,  while  the  output  of 
Berry  &  Sons  was  about  the  same.  The  newspapers  of  the  period 
placed  the  output  of  all  the  factories  to  be  2,500,000  cigars  per  year. 
An  industry  that  seemed  to  promise  at  the  time  was  the  manufacture 
of  the  Hot  Air  and  Hot  Water  Heating  Furnace.  This  was  the 
I^roduct  of  the  Hastings  Manufacturing  Company.  INI.  K.  Lewis 
Avas  the  president  of  this  company;  C.  K.  Lawson,  vice  president: 
li.  B.  Palme)-,  secretary,  and  William  Kerr,  treasurer.  The  Hastings 
Cornice  Works,  of  which  JNIr.  Louis  Fricke  was  the  proprietor,  em- 
ployed ten  men  in  the  manufacture  of  cornice.  There  were  two  sash 
and  door  manufacturers  that  did  an  extensive  business.  These  were 
B.  Button  and  F.  L.  Pade.     ]Mr.  Pade's  planing  mill  was  for  years 


90        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJMS  COUNTY 

tlie  most  iniijortant  jjlant  of  its  kind  in  a  large  territory  surrounding- 
Hastings.  He  continued  to  work  in  wood  in  the  city  until  his  death  in 
1914.  There  were  in  operation  at  the  time  two  firms  that  manufactured 
buggies  and  wagons.  Anstroni  &  Anderson  conducted  one  of  these 
jjlants,  and  the  other  was  a  joint  stock  company  who  were  the  i^roprie- 
tors  of  the  Novelty  Carriage  Works.  In  all  lines  of  manufacture 
including  printing  and  book  binding  about  450  men  were  employed 
in  the  city. 

The  general  dry  goods  trade  was  represented  by  Fyler  &  Wing, 
Charles  Cameron,  Pickens  &  Hanna,  Wolbach  Brothers,  A.  J.  Unna 
&  Company  and  George  E.  Brown.  Exclusive  clothing  stores  were 
operated  by  Barnes  Bros.,  the  New  York  &  Boston  Clothing  Company 
and  Stone  &  Son.  Clothing  was  also  carried  by  "Wolbach  Bros.  There 
were  fifteen  retail  grocery  stores  in  1886,  and  a  statement  made  by 
them  placed  the  retail  grocery  trade  of  the  year  at  $321,000.  A  sim- 
ilar statement  made  by  proprietors  of  thirty  different  lines  in  the 
retail  trade  placed  the  entire  retail  trade  of  Hastings  for  1886  at 
$2,673,88.5. 

Hastings  has  had  a  telephone  system  since  1881.  On  January 
17th  of  that  year  the  Hastings  Telephone  Exchange  was  incorporated. 
The  men  forming  the  corporation  were  Lyman  H.  Tower,  Allison  B. 
Ideson,  Abraham  Yeazel.  John  J.  Wemple  and  John  INI.  Ragan.  This 
system  had  about  forty  subscribers.  In  1886  the  local  company  sold 
the  exchange  to  the  Bell  telephone  interests  operating  in  Nebraska  as 
the  Nebraska  Telephone  Company.  Hy  this  sale  to  the  larger  com- 
pany Hastings  acc^uired  trunk  connections,  and  in  a  short  time  several 
liundred  telephones  were  installed.  On  September  1,  1916,  there  were 
2,952  subscribers  on  the  Hastings  exchange,  while  in  the  county  the 
number  of  subscribers  of  the  Lincoln  Telejjhone  &  Telegraph  Com- 
pany totaled  4,170. 

April  15,  1886,  the  citizens  of  Hastings  voted  bonds  in  the  sum 
of  $85,000  for  the  erection  of  a  waterw^orks  system,  and  on  Septeml)er 
6th  of  the  same  year,  the  Aurora  branch  of  the  Burlington  was  com- 
pleted to  Hastings.  At  this  period  the  railroad  anticipations  of 
Hastings  were  almost  unlimited.  The  Fremont.  Elkhorn  &  JNIissouri 
Valley  as  was  the  early  designation  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
operating  in  Nebraska,  was  expected  to  reach  Hastings  not  later  than 
1887,  and  it  was  hoped  that  it  would  extend  its  line  westward  to 
Denver.  It  was  about  a  certainty  that  the  Missouri  Pacific  would 
extend  its  line  from  Superior  to  Hastings.  The  Chicago  &  Rock 
Island  in  1886  extended  its  line  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  Nelson, 
and  its  articles  of  incorporation  stated  the  purpose  of  the  road  to  be 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY   91 

to  build  through  Adams  County.  That  the  hue  would  reach  Hastings 
was  generally  believed  by  the  citizens.  Not  less  certain  was  tlie  belief 
that  tlie  Kansas  City  &  Northwestern  would  build  into  Hastings. 
Charles  H.  Dietrich  and  A.  D.  Yocuni  were  members  of  the  board 
of  directors  of  the  latter  road.  It  was  the  expectation  of  great  rail- 
roads that  woidd  open  new  fields  for  commerce  coupled  with  the  great 
building  activities  that  had  prevailed  since  1881  that  brought  on  the 
boom  that  reached  its  height  between  February  and  June,  1887.  City 
lots  advanced  steadily  from  1882,  and  there  was  produced  an  eagerness 
on  the  part  of  investors.  The  abstractors  Cramer,  Rohrer  &  Robinson 
compiled  the  record  of  city  transfers  made  between  ^Nlarch  1,  1886, 
and  February  22,  1887.  and  found  the  aggregate  to  be  $1,. 565, 616. 

BOOM   OF    1887 

The  business  men's  organization  which  had  been  organized  Decem- 
ber 9.  1870,  was  supplanted  by  tlie  Hastings  Board  of  Trade,  which 
was  organized  JNIarch  8,  1887,  with  lo3  members.  The  1879  organi- 
zation was  called  the  Business  JNIen's  Association.  A.  D.  Yocum  was 
president;  D.  H.  Ballard,  vice  president;  A.  B.  Ideson,  secretary,  and 
C.  K.  Lawson,  treasurer.  G.  F.  Work,  J.  JNI.  Abbott,  A.  L.  Wigton, 
Samuel  Alexander  and  W.  A.  Camp  comprised  the  executive  com- 
mittee. Of  the  new  organization,  Charles  H.  Dietrich  was  president ; 
A.  F.  Clarke,  vice  j^resident;  A.  D.  Yocum,  secretary;  D.  JNI.  jNIcEI- 
hinney,  treasurer,  and  J.  A.  Casto,  attorney.  The  committees  estab- 
lished indicate  the  scope  in  prospect  at  this  time.  Besides  the  standing- 
committee  there  was  a  railroad  committee,  a  committee  on  commerce 
and  manufacturing  and  a  committee  on  advertising. 

Attending  the  honest  effort  of  many  to  build  a  substantial  town, 
there  came  in  a  large  number  of  real  estate  boomers  and  buying  and 
selling  became  a  craze.  The  spirit  of  the  time  is  well  embodied  in  a 
motion  made  by  Councilman  Charles  Cameron  in  March,  which  pro- 
vided that  "the  city  attorney  be  instructed  to  prepare  an  ordinance  to 
extend  the  city  limits  as  far  as  the  law  will  allow  us."  At  a  meeting 
of  the  council  held  within  the  same  month  an  area  embracing  1.120 
acres  was  annexed  to  the  city.  Dvn-ing  the  few  months  of  the  boom 
between  1,500  and  1,600  acres  were  added  to  the  municipal  area  of 
Hastings.  Among  the  additions  made  in  rapid  succession  at  that 
time  on  the  north  side  of  the  city  were  Campbell's  Addition,  Lowman's 
North  Side,  Cottage  Home,  Volland's  Second,  Dawes  &  Foss  and 
Pleasant  Hill;  on  the  east  side  there  were  Shockey's  Ash  Grove,  JNIiles' 
Pleasant  Hill,  East  Lawn,  Pleasant  View,  Pleasant  View  Second. 


92        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

East  Park,  Bostwick's  Second,  Berlin,  Spencer  Bros.  Park,  South 
Park;  on  the  south  side  were  Woods  &;  JMcCloud's,  J.  W.  Davis', 
H.  C.  Dean's,  Paul's,  South  Side,  Heller's,  A.  H.  Cramer's,  Vieth's 
Park,  Hamj)shire's  South  Side,  Hastings  Syndicate's  First,  Neill's, 
Kerr  &  Palmer's;  on  the  west  side  were  Catalpa  Grove,  West  Side 
Improvement  Company's  First,  Pollards  and  Pleasant  Home.  Be- 
sides these  additions  several  others  Avere  platted,  while  considerable 
of  the  annexed  area  failed  to  be  platted  before  the  bottom  fell  out  of 
the  boom.  The  postoffice  at  that  time  was  located  near  the  corner  of 
Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street,  and  the  nearest  point  of  the  Ca- 
taljia  Grove  Addition  was  two  miles  from  the  postoffice,  while  the 
most  distant  point  of  the  addition  was  two  and  one-half  miles. 

An  interesting  development  of  the  boom  days  was  the  construction 
of  two  street  railway  systems  in  Hastings.  As  early  as  December, 
1885,  the  Hastings  Street  Railway  Company  was  formed,  JMorris  li. 
Alexander  and  C.  L.  Alexander  being  the  incorporators.  This  com- 
pany asked  the  council  for  a  franchise,  and  although  the  council  con- 
sented to  call  a  sjjecial  election  the  matter  was  dropped  without  any 
additional  develoi^ments.  In  December,  1886,  the  Hastings  Improve- 
ment Company  was  incorporated  by  James  B.  Heartwell,  James 
Laird,  J.  J.  Wemple,  E.  C.  Webster,  C.  P.  Webster,  Harrison  Bost- 
wick,  Charles  P.  Heartwell,  Angus  McDonald  and  L.  JNI.  Campbell. 
At  a  special  election  held  February  10,  1887,  the  Hastings  Improve- 
ment Company  were  granted  a  franchise,  not  exclusive,  to  construct 
and  operate  a  street  railwaj'.  The  vote  at  the  election  resulted  in  656 
votes  being  cast  for  the  franchise  and  207  against.  Before  the  Hast- 
ings Improvement  Company  had  more  than  begun  the  construction  of 
their  lines,  the  Citizens'  Street  Railway  Comjiany  was  formed  by  the 
Alexander  brothers  and  others,  and  at  special  election  lield  June  17, 
1887.  tliey,  too,  were  granted  a  franchise,  the  vote  this  time  resulting 
in  1,100  ballots  being  cast  for  the  franchise  and  143  against.  The 
Hastings  Improvement  Company  constructed  in  all  about  sixteen 
miles  of  street  railway  and  operated  ten  horse  cars  furnishing  a  twenty- 
minute  service  on  some  lines  and  a  thirty-minute  service  on  others. 
The  Citizens'  Company  constructed  between  four  and  five  miles  of 
Ihie. 

The  Improvement  Company  operated  a  line  on  Second  Street 
from  St.  Joseph  Avenue  west,  and  when  tlie  Citizens'  ComiJany  sought 
to  build  a  second  line  upon  the  chief  thoroughfare  legal  and  other 
warfare  followed.  Jacob  Fisher  finally  obtained  a  court  order  that 
prevented  the  construction  of  the  second  line.  There  was  an  exciting 
race  in  constructing  the  lines  to  Cole's  Park  in  tlie  southeastern  part 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY        93 

of  tlie  city  and  during  these  strenuous  days  bodies  of  workmen  tore 
ujj  during-  the  night  what  workmen  of  the  o^jposing  lines  had  built 
dm-ing  the  day.  Street  car  lines  extended  as  far  as  the  Academy  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception,  the  Fair  grounds  in  the  northwest  part 
of  the  city  and  Cole's  Park  in  the  southeast,  and  as  far  west  on  Fifth 
Street  as  Briggs  Avenue.  The  car  barns  of  the  Improvement  Com- 
pany were  located  at  the  corner  of  Bellevue  Avenue  and  C  Street. 

In  1889  the  Improvement  Company's  lines  were  taken  over  by 
Jonas  F.  Proffitt  and  F.  B.  Thompson,  who  after  operating  them 
for  about  four  months  turned  them  back  to  the  Improvement  com- 
pany. The  line  struggled  along  until  September,  1890.  It  was  at 
midnight  in  that  month  that  ^Nlr.  Proffitt  stopjjed  in  front  of  the  Lepin 
Hotel  to  discharge  his  last  fares,  and  Avhen  he  drove  his  car  to  the  barn 
the  career  of  the  street  car  line  terminated.  The  Citizens'  Company 
continued  to  opei-ate  a  little  more  than  two  years  longer.  It  was 
reincorporated,  in  1892,  with  R.  A.  Batty,  as  president,  and  ISIrs. 
Rose  E.  Shedd,  as  vice  president.  Shortly  afterward  the  enterprise 
was  abandoned.  Of  the  street  car  drivers,  J.  F.  Proffitt  and  F.  B. 
Thompson  still  reside  in  Hastings.  Another  driver  was  John  Hall, 
now  a  Bm-lington  engineer  running  between  Hastings  and  Lincoln. 

'While  conditions  making  for  the  boom  had  been  shaping  them- 
selves for  a  mmiber  of  years,  the  boom  proper  lasted  from  the  early 
spring  of  1887  until  about  the  first  of  the  following  July.  The  price 
of  city  lots  soared  to  unreasonable  heig'hts,  and  finally  the  holders 
reahzed  that  the  values  were  fictitious.  The  reaction  was  rapid. 
Transfers  which  some  days  had  totaled  a  hundred,  suddenly  ceased. 
There  was  no  market  for  city  lots.  Several  efforts  were  made  to  keep 
the  Avheels  moving,  but  it  was  to  no  avail.  Shortly  afterward  prop- 
erties which  during  the  boom  had  sold  for  upwards  of  $2,000,  were 
offered  for  less  than  $.500,  and  found  no  buyers.  Manj'  houses  were 
sold  to  farmers  in  the  years  following  and  removed  to  the  country. 
The  recovery  from  the  boom  as  reflected  in  the  price  of  city  lots  did 
not  l)egin  until  1904.  In  some  instances  the  purchasers  of  boom  price 
lots  who  held  them  during  the  reaction  have  in  recent  years  disi^osed 
of  their  holdings  at  a  profit. 

City  lots  that  were  offered  for  sale  in  February,  1887,  for  prices 
ranging  from  $300  to  $.500,  advanced,  before  July,  to  from  $1,200  to 
$1,800  each,  and  suburban  property  increased  from  a  price  of  $100 
per  acre  to  $.500.  Hastings  was  filled  with  sj^eculators  from  the  East, 
and  when  the  collapse  came  many  of  them  returned  home  richer  only 
in  experience.  One  Hastings  business  man,  who  now  resides  in  the 
city,  possessed  a  forty-acre  tract,  for  which  he  was  offered  $20,000, 


!^4        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

$0,000  casli  down.  He  refused  the  offer,  and  after  the  boom  disposed 
of  the  tract  for  $2,400.  His  is  only  one  instance  of  many.  This 
particular  tract  is  not  located  where  it  will  advance  as  rapidly  as  some 
other  parts  of  tlie  city.  Init  for  the  last  two  or  three  years  it  would 
sell  easily  for  $12,000. 

Generally,  during  the  boom  property  advanced  from  300  to  500 
per  cent,  but  when  the  collapse  came,  in  July,  1887,  the  decrease  in 
value  ranged  from  300  to  700  per  cent.  jNIany  creditors  accepted  a 
deed  to  j^roperty  in  lieu  of  a  settlement  of  mortgages  by  borrowers. 
Still  others  foreclosed  and  took  a  deficiency  judgment  for  fi'om  2.)  to 
75  per  cent,  which  in  most  cases  was  never  collected. 

The  recovery  dates  to  1904,  when  values  began  to  rise,  not  rapidly, 
but  with  a  steady  movement.  At  the  present  time  lots  in  the  business 
section,  many  of  them,  are  worth  a  higher  price  than  was  reached 
during  the  boom,  but  the  fact  does  not  cause  a  single  flutter  of  excite- 
ment, because  the  values  now  reached  are  normal,  in  the  judgment  of 
business  men.  One  lot  in  Bostwick's  Addition  well  reflects  the  recovery 
from  the  boom.  It  was  bought  in  1904  for  $300,  sold  in  1906  for 
$600.  and  sold  again  in  1916  for  $1,700. 


CHAPTER  VII 

HASTIXGS— MODERN  DEVELOPMENTS  AND 
ACTIVITIES 

The  activities  of  Hastings  today  as  we  are  familiar  with  them  may 
he  said  to  have  hegiin  with  the  administration  of  Clarence  J.  iMiles 
who  was  elected  mayor  April  1,  1902.  A  large  portion  of  the  time 
between  the  middle  of  July,  1887,  and  1902  was  characterized  by  the 
depression  due  to  the  stagnation  of  real  estate  values  that  persisted 
long  after  the  boom.  Beginning  with  the  IMiles  administration  the 
businessmen,  reinvigorated  by  new  blood,  and  assisted  materially  by 
good  crops  and  advancing  prices  for  farm  products,  set  about  to 
make  use  of  the  possibilities  that  were  clearly  confronting  the  city. 
Early  in  this  administration  "Twenty  thousand  inhabitants  by  1910!" 
became  the  rallying  cry  of  the  business  forces.  The  mark  set  Avas 
not  reached  but  the  effort  made  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  ushering 
in  of  a  period  of  substantial  growth  in  industrial  and  commercial  lines. 

The  Legislature  of  Nebraska  in  1903  provided  for  the  location  of 
a  new  normal  school  in  the  western  part  of  the  state  and  Hastings 
entered  the  contest  with  several  Western  Nebraska  towns  to  secure  the 
location.  This  concerted  effort  was  the  first  team  work  that  the 
business  men  of  Hastings  had  engaged  in  since  the  boom.  At  this 
time  the  Commercial  Club  was  formed  at  the  instigation  of  the  mayor. 
The  mayor  was  the  j^resident  of  this  organization  and  City  Clerk 
Bratton  the  secretary  during  the  eight  years  of  the  club's  existence. 
Among  the  accomplishments  of  the  Commercial  Club  may  be  men- 
tioned the  reopening  of  the  Catholic  educational  institution,  the 
Academy  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  which  had  ])een  closed  and 
the  building  vacant  for  years,  and  the  bringing  to  Hastings  of  the 
Nebraska  Sanitarium.  The  Adventists  had  decided  to  remove  their 
headquarters  from  Lincoln  and  the  committee  was  undecided  as 
whether  to  locate  in  Grand  Island,  Kearney  or  Hastings.  It  was  the 
effort  made  by  the  Commercial  Club  to  show  the  advantages  of 
Hastings  that  was  largely  responsible  for  their  choice. 

In  1904  the  Commercial  Club  induced  the  Emerick  Bros.,  who 
95 


96        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

were  conducting  a  foundry  in  Blue  Hill,  to  move  their  plant  to 
Hastings,  and  that  was  the  inception  of  the  present  Hastings  Foun- 
dry &  Iron  Works.  The  Eniericks  had  invented  a  trij)  hammer  which 
they  wished  to  manufacture  and  they  desired  a  location  more  favor- 
able than  Blue  Hill  for  distribution.  They  filed  articles  of  incorpora- 
tion in  Hastings  December  15,  1906,  and  about  that  time  commenced 
their  foundry  and  manufacturing  business. 

The  Emericks  conducted  their  business  for  about  a  year  and  tlien 
were  bought  out  by  A.  H.  Farrens  and  C.  B.  Hutton.  The  Hastings 
Foundry  &  Iron  Works  was  incorjiorated  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$30,000.  The  hicoi-jjorators  were  A.  L.  Clarke,  C.  B.  Hutton,  C.  G. 
Wallace,  George  Wilkes  and  A.  H.  Farrens.  In  1909  the  first  of 
the  grouiD  of  six  brick  buildings  which  the  plant  now  occupies  Avas 
erected.  The  other  buildings  were  erected  in  rapid  succession  the 
greater  number  of  them  within  the  first  eighteen  months.  In  1910 
the  Western  Land  Roller  Company  began  the  manufacture  of  their 
land  packer  which  has  grown  steadily,  the  sales  in  1916  having  reached 
2,000  rollers,  four  of  which  were  shipi^ed  to  Buenos  Aires.  The 
plant  Avas  established  by  ]Mads  Anderson  and  sons  Avho  are  the 
lirojirietors. 

The  manufacture  of  flour  began  in  Hastings  in  the  early  '70s 
AA'hen  C.  G.  Ingalls  and  some  others  operated  a  biu'r  mill.  Not,  how- 
ever, until  1887  Avas  the  business  established  in  a  large  Avay.  In  that 
year  Humphrey  &  Bird  built  a  mill  on  South  Denver  Avenue  at 
the  present  location  of  the  Hastings  Milling  Company.  The  mill 
had  a  capacity  of  100  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  In  1889  ]\Ir.  Bird. 
Avho  still  resides  in  Hastings,  spld  his  interest  to  Gordon  H.  Edgei'- 
ton.  In  the  summer  of  1894  the  mill  Avas  destroyed  by  fire  and  Avas 
not  rebuilt  by  Humphrey  &  Edgerton.  JNIr.  Humphrey  is  noAv  in 
the  Klondike.  In  1895  The  Hastings  JNIilliug  Company  Avas  formed, 
the  princii)al  stockholders  being  J.  C.  Hedge,  C.  E.  Dinsmoor  and 
J.  S.  Hamilton.  They  erected  a  plant  that  year  Avith  a  capacity  of 
125  barrels  of  flour  per  day  and  ten  years  later  increased  the  capacity 
by  25  barrels  per  day.  January  19,  1904,  the  plant  came  imder  the 
control  of  the  Lincoln  ^Milling  Company  but  only  for  a  short  time 
Avhen  control  Avas  reassumed  l)y  the  Hastings  INIilling  Company.  The 
principal  stockholders  continued  the  same  until  1915  Avhen  ^Ir.  Ham- 
ilton AvithdreAv.  August  18,  1916,  the  Hastings  mill  Avas  completely 
destroyed  by  fire  and  is  being  noAv  rebuilt. 

Reference  has  been  made  in  another  chapter  to  the  brick  business 
of  early  days  and  the  manufacture  of  brick  continues  to  be  one  of  the 
most  important  industries  of  Hastings.    The  connecting  link  betAveen 


•*.«i^ 


1 1  1 1  I  1 1  I 


KASKA   SAXITAKU'M,  HASTIXC 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY   97 

the  early  brick  j)lants  and  the  present  is  Peter  Hempel,  now  a  firm 
member  of  Polensl^e  Eros.,  Schellak  &  Company.  JNIr.  Hempel 
as  a  boy  worked  in  the  yard  of  INIcElhinney  &  Johnson,  beginning  at 
a  wage  of  50  cents  a  day,  which  after  awhile  became  75  then  $1  and 
so  on  until  ^Ir.  Hempel  became  an  emijloyer  of  brickmakers  himself. 

In  1885  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cooper  operated  a  small  test  plant 
at  the  location  of  the  east  yard  of  the  Polenske  Bros.  &  Schellak 
Company's  yard  on  the  St.  Josej^h  &  Grand  Island  and  at  about 
that  time  the  plant  was  bought  by  A.  S.  Hurley.  In  1886  Samuel 
Collins  and  P.  A.  Stewart  came  from  Illinois  and  started  a  plant 
just  beside  that  of  ^Ir.  Hurley.  Through  changing  ownerships  both 
l^lants  became  merged  in  what  is  now  the  Polenske  Bros.  &  Schellak 
yard.    ]Mr.  Hurley  oiJerated  his  plant  about  one  year. 

Samuel  Collins  of  the  firm  of  Stewart  &  Collins  died  about  1892. 
It  is  probable  that  he  made  the  first  experiments  looking  to  the  manu- 
facture of  paving  brick  in  Hastings  with  a  small  kiln  which  he  built 
for  that  i^urpose.  But  ]Mr.  Collins  did  not  live  to  see  the  result  of  his 
experiment.  Just  a  few  hours  before  he  died  he  asked  that  the  brick 
be  brought  from  the  kiln  to  his  bedside.  Peter  Hempel  brought  two 
of  the  bricks  to  the  dying  man. 

"How  are  tliey?"  he  asked.  "I  want  to  hear  how  thej'  sound." 
]\Ir.  Hempel  knocked  them  together.  Mr.  Collins  shook  his  head  in 
disapproval.  They  had  been  removed,  JMr.  Hempel  says,  too  soon 
fi'om  the  kiln  and  also  the  hearing  of  the  sick  man  was  blunted.  They 
Mere  better  than  he  thought. 

After  the  death  of  JNIr.  Collins,  P.  A.  Stewart  continued  the 
business  about  a  year  alone  and  then  took  in  as  his  partner  Robert 
Klose  of  Doniphan.  JMr.  Stewart  died  after  taking  in  Mr.  Klose, 
and  shortly  afterward  W.  H.  Ferguson  became  a  partner  in  the 
business.  In  1895  Emil  Polenske  bought  out  Mr.  Ferguson.  The 
firm  of  Klose  &  Polenske  continued  until  1900  when  INIr.  Klose  sold 
to  Emil  Polenske,  Doede  Smith  and  William  Schellak.  In  1899 
what  is  now  the  south  yard  of  the  Polenske  Bros.,  Schellak  &  Com- 
pany, was  bought  by  the  Hastings  Brick  Company  which  was 
composed  of  Hugo  Polenske,  Emil  G.  Polenske,  John  Puis  and 
Fred  Butzirus.  This  yard  was  started  some  ten  years  previously, 
and  is  now  merged  in  the  larger  firm.  In  the  winter  of  1915  William 
Schellak  died  suddenly  of  heart  failure  and  in  January,  1916,  the 
firm  was  reorganized  with  the  present  name.  The  incorporators  at 
the  reorganization  were  Hugo  and  Emil  Polenske,  INIrs.  William  S. 
Schellak.  A.  A.  Lembach  and  Peter  Hempel. 

The  Western  Brick  &  Supply  Company  was  organized  in  1900  by 


98        PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

A.  L.  Clarke,  C.  B.  Hutton,  W.  H.  Ferguson,  George  Burehard, 
George  ^Vilkes,  Peter  Hempel,  A.  H.  Farrens  and  others.  In  1910 
this  firm  bought  out  tlie  Hempel  yard  which  had  been  organized  by 
Peter  Hempel  in  1904.  This  company  operates  also  plants  in 
Nebraska  City  and  Holdrege.  The  two  Hastings  plants  employ  120 
men  when  the  season  is  in  full  blast  and  the  total  output,  both  tile  and 
brick,  is  30,000,000  annually.  The  Western  Brick  &  Supply  Com- 
l)any  has  two  plants  in  Hastings. 

CIGAR  INDUSTRY 

The  cigar  industry  which  was  inaugurated  in  an  early  day  as 
previously  narrated  received  a  new  impetus  in  1900  when  the  factory 
of  Sink  (Sc  Bloom  was  instituted  by  John  Sink  and  Frank  Bloom. 
G.  J.  Evans  who  has  pushed  the  cigar  business  with  unusual  vigor 
came  into  this  firm  in  1902,  though  the  name  of  Sink  &  Bloom  was 
retained  until  1905.  John  Sink  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  factory 
in  1904  and  went  to  Grand  Island  where  he  is  still  engaged  in  the 
manufacturing  of  cigars.  In  190.5  the  name  was  changed  to  the 
]M-esent  firm  name  of  the  Evans-Bloom  Cigar  Company. 

The  firm  of  Snyder  &  Brewer,  one  of  the  earliest  factories  to 
be  established  in  Hastings,  was  purchased  by  L.  A.  Kinney  in  recent 
years  and  is  now  the  Kimiey  Cigar  Company.  For  the  last  se^■eral 
years  Harry  Brewer  has  been  a  resident  of  LaJolla,  Cal.  His 
business  partner,  S.  S.  Snyder,  died  about  two  years  ago  in  Chicago. 
W.  E.  Riggs  was  an  extensive  manufacturer  of  cigars  from  1911  to 
May.  191B.  when  he  disposed  of  liis  plant  to  the  Kip])  Cigar  Com- 
])any. 

John  H.  Kipp,  head  of  the  Kipp  Cigar  Company,  conducts  one 
of  the  largest  cigar  manufacturing  establishments  in  Nebraska.  This 
factory  was  established  in  1909.  Other  cigar  factories  operating  at 
present  are  those  of  William  Gay  &  Sons,  George  Bauer  and  John 
Hart.  The  industry  in  its  various  branches  employs  about  two  hun- 
dred workers,  many  of  whom  are  women  and  girls.  The  total  output 
for  the  year  ending  June  1.  1916.  was  7,014,28.5  cigars. 

ZMANUFACTURES  IX  I.EATHER 

The  J.  H.  Haney  harness  and  leather  goods  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment is  of  interest  because  it  has  gi-own  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
plants  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States  but  it  also  serves  as  an  index 
of  the  comnuinity's  possibilities  in  manufacturing.     The  plant  origi- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY    '■^'■^ 

iiated  in  1886  at  the  present  location  on  the  corner  of  Second  Street 
and  Denver  Avenue.  William  ^l.  Dutton  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  harness  in  Iowa  at  that  time.  JNIr.  Dutton  sent  J.  H. 
Haney  and  W.  A.  ]McKay  to  Hastings  to  establish  the  plant.  At 
that  time  he  did  not  intend  himself  to  come  to  Hastings  but  the  success 
of  the  venture  changed  his  plans.  The  output  of  the  plant  in  1880 
amounted  to  $17,800.  The  growth  of  the  plant  is  indicated  by  the 
output  of  1916  which  was  slightly  more  than  $600,000  in  value.  The 
plant  started  wtih  six  employes;  they  are  now  more  than  one  himdred 
in  number. 

In  189.5  a  branch  was  estal)lishe(I  in  Omaha,  with  Mr.  Haney  in 
charge.  The  output  of  the  Omaha  plant  is  about  one-half  that  of 
the  Hastings  establishment.  The  total  of  the  output  of  the  Hastings 
jilant  in  1916  was  slightly  more  than  that  of  the  first  twelve  years 
combined.  The  output  of  the  first  fifteen  days  of  1916  was  greater 
than  the  total  output  of  the  first  year  in  the  firm's  history. 

With  the  coming  into  use  of  the  automobile  this  firm  began  tlic 
manufacture  of  accessories  and  there  has  been  an  enormous  increase 
in  this  line  necessitating  the  establishment  of  a  warehouse  in  New 
York.  Branches  are  maintained  in  Canada  for  the  distribution  of 
tliis  line,  and  incjuiries  have  been  made  this  year  from  Spain  and  other 
Evu-opean  ])laces.  In  1914  the  firm  took  over  the  manufacture  of  the 
Rose  air  ])ump,  the  invention  of  Frank  E.  Rose  of  Hastings,  also  the 
inventor  of  the  Rose  gasket  cutter.  The  output  of  the  air  pump  has 
increased  1,000  per  cent  since  191-4  and  at  the  close  of  1916  the  firm 
was  behind  .50,000  pumps  with  its  orders.  In  191.5  the  firm  manu- 
factured and  delivered  a  large  order  of  six-horse-team  harness  for 
the  use  of  the  English  artillery.  In  December,  1916,  the  factory 
commenced  to  operate  twenty-four  houi's  in  the  day. 

GRAIX    BIX   FACTORY 

The  Hastings  Grain  Bin  ^lanufacturing  Company  is  one  of 
the  present  important  manufacturing  ]ilants.  Grain  bins  and  many 
aiticles  of  sheet  metal  are  manufactured  and  widely  distributed.  The 
company  was  incor^iorated  February  7,  1910,  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$25,000.  The  following  were  the  incorporators:  John  McKenzie, 
E.  Chambers,  A.  E.  Williams,  T.  L.  Gibson,  H.  N.  ]\Iartin,  H.  F. 
Carson,  Thomas  R.  Varah,  INI.  N.  Bair,  C.  G.  Lane,  C.  C.  Kieth,  IT. 
S.  Rohrer,  R.  R.  Morledge,  C.  C.  Christopher,  W.  D.  Devereaux 
and  Fred  Blake,  Jr. 

The  Blue  Valley  Creamery  plant  was  established  in  Hastings  in 


100       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

1911  and  within  two  years  had  doubled  its  output.  Bulletin  No.  31 
of  the  Nebraska  State  Department  of  Labor  places  the  outjiut  of 
butter  of  the  Blue  Valley  Creamery  Company  for  1915  at  1,000,000 
pounds. 

HOME  PRODUCTS  EXPOSITIOX 

]Much  interest  in  local  manufacturing  was  stimulated  in  Hastings 
in  1909  by  The  Hastings  Tribune  Home  Products  Exposition  which 
was  held  at  the  Auditorium  on  the  corner  of  Denver  Avenue  and 
Third  Street  JNIay  4th  to  7th,  inclusive.  At  that  time  thirty-three 
makers  of  local  products  had  their  wares  on  exhibition  and  many  of 
them  had  improvised  miniature  plants  to  exemijlify  the  process  of 
manufacture.  The  exposition  was  conceived  by  Henry  G.  Smith  of 
the  staff  of  The  Tribune  and  managed  by  him. 

Bulletin  No.  30,  issued  by  the  Nebraska  Department  of  Labor  in 
December,  1915,  gives  the  following  information  about  the  industries 
of  Hastings  at  that  time: 

CENSUS  REPORT 

"The  census  excludes  the  hand  trades,  the  building  trades,  and  the 
neighborhood  industries,  and  takes  account  only  of  establishments 
conducted  luider  the  factory  system.  Statistics  are  not  included  for 
establishments  having  products  for  the  census  year  valued  at  less  than 
$500.  except  that  reports  were  taken  for  establishments  idle  during  a 
])ortion  of  the  census  year,  or  which  began  operation  during  that 
year,  and  whose  products  for  such  reason  were  valued  at  less  than 
-$500. 

"It  is  estimated  that  the  population  of  Hastings  on  July  1.  Idli. 
was  10.252.  There  were  forty-six  establishments  reported  located 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  during  the  year. 

"The  capital  invested  was  $1,384,000.  In  this  connection  it  should 
be  stated  that  the  inquiry  contained  in  the  census  schedule  calls  for 
the  total  amount  of  capital,  both  owned  and  borrowed,  invested  in 
the  business,  but  excludes  the  value  of  rented  property,  plant  or 
equipment  which  was  employed  in  the  conduct  of  mamifacturing 
enterprises. 

"The  cost  of  materials  used  Avas  $954,000.  In  addition  to  the 
component  materials  which  enter  into  the  products  of  the  establish- 
ment for  the  census  year,  there  are  included  the  cost  of  fuel,  mill  suj)- 
])lies,  and  rent  of  power  and  heat.     The  cost  of  materials,  however. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       101 

does  not  include  unused  materials  and  supplies  bought  eitlier  for 
speculation  or  for  use  during  a  subsequent  j^eriod. 

"The  census  inquirj'  does  not  include  amounts  paid  for  miscel- 
laneous expenses,  such  as  rent  of  offices,  royalties,  insurance,  ordinary 
repairs,  advertising,  traveling  exj^enses,  or  allowance  for  depreciation. 

"The  value  of  products,  which  amounted  to  $1,610,000,  repre- 
sents their  selling  value  or  price  at  the  plants  as  actually  turned  out 
by  the  factories  during  the  census  year  and  does  not  necessarily  have 
any  relation  to  the  amount  of  sales  for  that  year.  The  values  under 
tliis  head  also  include  amounts  received  for  work  done  on  materials 
furnished  by  others. 

SUZMMAKY  FOR   HASTINGS 

"Number   of  establishments 46 

Persons  engaged  in  manufactures 544 

Proprietors  and  firm  members 52 

Salaried  employes   76 

Wage  earners  (average  number) 416 

Primary  horsepower 958 

Capital    $1,384,000 

Senices    315.000 

Salaries   80,000 

Wages    235,000 

Materials    954,000 

Value  of  products 1,610,000 

Value  added  by  manufacture  (value  of  pro- 
ducts less  cost  of  materials) 656,000" 

BUILDING  SINCE  1902 

Since  1902  hundreds  of  new  residences  have  been  erected  in  Hast- 
ings, the  last  ten  years  having  seen  the  erection  of  a  greater  number 
of  dwelling  houses  than  any  other  period.  In  1902  Clarence  J.  ]Miles 
built  the  "]Miles  Terrace,"  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets  on  St. 
Joseph  Avenue.  This  may  be  reckoned  as  the  beginning  of  the  mod- 
ei-n  building  period.  These  flats  were  built  with  modern  conven- 
iences and  subsequently  w^ere  purchased  by  E.  L.  Gauvreau.  The  St. 
Joseph  Avenue  flats  were  the  first  of  their  kind  to  be  erected  in  Hast- 
ings. They  were  built  in  1887  by  John  E.  Gant.  Something  of  tlie 
advance  made  in  building  site  properties  may  be  gleaned  from  the 
fact  that  when  Mr.  Miles  purchased  the  lots  upon  which  the  Miles 


102       PAST  AND  PKESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

flats  stand,  the  purchase  price  was  $2,000  for  the  three  lots  with  a 
dwelling  house  upon  one  of  them. 

The  increase  in  tlie  assessed  valuation  of  the  city  for  the  last  sev- 
eral years  are  of  interest  in  the  matter  of  advancing  values.  The 
figures  represent  one-fifth  of  the  actual  total  valuation  and  all  were 
made  under  the  same  legal  provisions  and,  hence,  are  pertinent.  The 
valuation  in  1905  was  $1,433,344;  1906,  $1,. 323,3.59;  1907,  $1,60.5,- 
412;  1908,  $1,831,000;  1909,  $1,816,000;  1910.  $1,878,902;  1911. 
$1,967,942;  1912,  $2,108,449;  1913,  $2,147,400;  1914.  $2,177,38.5; 
191.5,  $2,204,218;  1916,  $2,233,288.  The  total  vahiation  of  taxable 
property  in  Hastings  is  therefore  $11,166,440. 

The  Fraternity  building  was  erected  in  1909  at  a  cost  of  $30,000. 
The  builders  were  C.  C.  Kieth,  E.  J.  Herring,  O.  R.  Palmer,  J.  H. 
Vastine,  J.  F.  Heiler,  U.  S.  Rohrer  and  M.  B.  North,  E.  A.  Brandes 
purchased  the  property  in  1913.  The  Madgett  Building  was  erected 
in  1907. 

INDEPENDENT   TELEPHONE   COMPANY 

The  Hastings  Indejiendent  Telejjhone  Comjjany  was  incorporated 
June  13,  1904,  by  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman,  R.  A.  Batty,  H.  H.  Hender- 
son, George  F.  Keefer  and  George  H.  Pratt.  Other  prominent 
stockholders  were  W.  A.  Taylor,  G.  J.  Evans,  Herman  Stein  and 
William  S.  Schellak.  The  authorized  capital  stock  was  6,000  shares 
of  $50  each,  the  company  to  commence  doing  business  when  400 
shares  had  been  subscribed.  The  company  did  much  to  promote  the 
use  of  the  telephone  among  the  farmers  of  Adams  County.  Until 
this  period  the  number  of  farm  subscribers  was  very  small.  The 
telephone  })uilding  at  the  corner  of  Denver  Avenue  and  Third  Street 
was  erected  Ijy  this  company.    The  automatic  service  was  used. 

The  Independent  Telephone  Company  was  purchased  by  the 
Lincoln  Telegraph  &  Telephone  Company  February  6,  1913,  at 
which  time  the  subscribers  of  the  Independent  had  increased  to  3,200. 
The  purchasing  company  had  for  years  had  their  office  in  the  Clarke- 
Buchanan  Building.  When  the  independent  plant  was  acquired  the 
purcliaser  remodeled  and  enlarged  the  building. 

HASTINGS    CHAMBER    OF   COMMERCE 

Tlie  Chamber  of  Commerce  which  filed  articles  of  incorjjoration 
April  15,  1911,  is  the  successor  of  a  long  line  of  organizations,  prom- 
inent among  which  was  the  immediate  predecessor  the  Commercial 
Club.     Before  that  there  was  the  Union  Club  and  at  an  earlier  date. 


JIARY  LANXING  ilEilORIAL  HOSPITAL,  HASTINGS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       103 

1887.  the  Board  of  Trade.  Tlie  i)resent  incorporated  organization 
ein-olled  the  greater  number  of  Hastings'  business  men.  J.  N.  Clarke 
is  the  i)i-esent  president.  Former  presidents  are  Herman  Stein  and 
C  Ct.  Wallace.  It  is  the  first  organization  to  maintain  a  paid  secre- 
tary which  it  has  done  almost  from  the  beginning.  The  secretaries 
have  been  C.  H.  Disbrow,  H.  B.  Howell,  George  Middleton  and 
the  present  secretary,  R.  A.  Blake.  Will  S.  Trites  was  acting  secre- 
tary between  the  terms  of  Mv.  Disbrow  and  Mr.  Howell. 

In  a  summary  of  Hastings  in  1916  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
enumerated  among  others  three  wholesale  grocery  houses,  two  whole- 
sale fruit  houses,  two  wholesale  poultry,  butter  and  egg  houses,  one 
wholesale  hide  and  tallow  house,  three  wholesale  bakeries,  one  whole- 
sale paint,  glass  and  Avail  paper  house,  three  wholesale  lumber  com- 
l)anies,  two  wholesale  coal  companies;  one  horse  collar  factory,  three 
harness  manufacturing  establishments,  six  cigar  factories,  four  brick 
yards,  foundry  and  iron  works,  brass  and  aluminum  factory,  one 
bioom  factory,  three  sheet  metal  works,  one  lightning  rod  factory, 
two  auto  and  bicycle  tire  jiump  factories,  one  windmill  factory,  one  ice 
cream  factory,  three  large  candy  factories,  four  cement  block  manu- 
facturing i^lants,  one  corrugated  culvert  factory,  one  artificial  ice 
plant,  two  transfer  houses,  one  brewery.  The  Hastings  Brewing 
Company  was  incorporated  January  30,  1907.  There  had  been  an 
earlier  brewery  in  Hastings  or  near  Hastings,  oj^erated  by  INIartin  S. 
Shellak  and  L.  Bauersacks.  The  firm  incorporated  June  19,  1889. 
The  plant  was  operated  on  section  23  in  Denver  Townsliii)  and  ran 
for  about  two  years  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  not  rebuilt. 

Continuing  the  list  of  present  day  industries  there  are  one  canning 
factory,  one  large  flour  and  feed  mill,  eight  automobile  distributing- 
agencies,  three  tire  and  rubber  distributing  agencies,  one  furniture 
polish  factory,  one  packing  house,  one  cold  storage  plant,  three  grain 
elevators,  one  planing  mill,  two  steam  laundries,  three  monument  and 
granite  works,  one  daily  and  two  weekly  newspapers,  one  business 
college,  one  music  conservatory,  two  resident  building  and  loan  asso- 
ciations, four  photograph  houses,  four  green  houses,  four  moving 
picture  theaters,  one  blank  book  manufacturing  plant.  In  the  retail 
business  Hastings  has  unexcelled  grocery  stores,  exclusive  ladies' 
tailoring  stores,  men's  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  hardware,  lumber 
yard,  coal  yards,  meat  markets,  drug  stores  and  many  other  lines. 

MARY  LANNIXG   MEMORIAL   HOSPITAL 

One  of  the  notable  institutions  of  Hastings  in  the  matter  of  ap- 
pointment and  beauty  of  structure  is  the  Mary  Lanning  IVIemorial 


104       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Hospital  which  was  oi^ened  January  21,  1915.  It  was  erected  by 
Wilham  H.  Lanning  in  memory  of  his  only  child,  Mary  Lanning, 
who  died  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Lanning  in  Hastings,  January 
21,  1910.  Before  erecting  the  hospital  Mr.  Lanning  visited  all  the 
notable  hospitals  in  the  United  States  and  embodied  his  observations 
in  the  plans.  For  the  excellency  of  its  adaption  to  its  purpose  the 
JNIary  Lanning  ^Memorial  Plospital  is  unexcelled. 

At  the  time  of  her  death  jNIiss  Lanning  was  a  student  at  Smith 
College,  Northampton,  ]\Iass. 

The  management  of  the  institution  is  vested  in  a  board  of  seven 
trustees.  The  first  board  began  to  serve  March  24,  1914.  They  Avere 
George  H.  Pratt,  James  N.  Clarke,  Charles  G.  Lane,  Charles  F. 
INIorey,  William  H.  Lanning,  Thomas  Frahm,  Christian  Koehler. 
The  trustees  selected  by  lot  who  should  serve  for  one  year,  who  for 
two  and  so  on  the  longest  term  to  be  for  seven  years.  The  articles 
of  incorporation  provide  that  the  trustees  are  to  serve  Avithout  emolu- 
ment and  that  no  two  shall  at  any  one  time  be  members  of  the  same 
church  or  religious  organization.  The  officers  are  a  president,  vice 
president,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

THE  CLARKE  HOTEL 

The  Clarke  Hotel,  which  was  opened  for  service  February  1, 
1914,  was  the  solution  of  the  hotel  problem  that  had  confronted  Has- 
tings in  an  important  way  for  a  dozen  years.  The  building  was  erected 
by  an  organization  of  local  business  men,  the  Citizens  Hotel  Com- 
pany. The  oflficers  elected  for  the  first  year  were :  President,  A.  L. 
Clarke;  vice  president,  C.  E.  Higinbotham;  secretary,  James  N. 
Clarke;  treasurer,  George  H.  Pratt. 

The  committee  chosen  for  the  organization  of  the  hotel  company 
were  elected  December  12,  1911,  and  were  A.  L.  Clarke.  Karl  Kauf, 
Herman  E.  Stein,  J.  N.  Clarke,  W.  M.  Dutton,  C.  E.  Higinbotham 
and  A.  H.  Farrens.  The  plans  for  the  hotel  were  made  by  the  C.  W. 
Way  company  assisted  l)y  Westcott,  Ronneburg  &  Co.,  of  Chicago, 
consulting  engineers.  The  building  committee  was  A.  L.  Clarke, 
George  B.  Tyler,  C.  E.  Higinbotham,  A.  H.  Farrens,  Karl  Kauf 
and  H.  E.  Stein.  The  general  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  build- 
ing was  let  to  John  Hempel  of  Hastings.  When  opened  the  hotel 
contained  120  rooms  and  had  been  built  at  a  cost  of  $182,000.  ex- 
clusive of  furnishing.  In  1910  a  fifty  room  addition  was  constructed 
on  the  west  end  which  brought  the  total  cost  of  the  structure  to  $275,- 
000.     The  addition  was  opened  November  1,  1916.     The  proprietor. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       105 

John  M.  Teeling,  came  from  Watertown,  South  Dakota,  to  conduct 
the  hotel  at  a  rental  that  would  pay  6  per  cent  net  to  the  stockholders. 
The  hotel  was  named  in  honor  of  A.  L.  Clarke.  The  appointments, 
decorations  and  accommodations  of  the  Clarke  place  it  in  the  ranks  of 
the  best  hotels  in  the  West.  There  are  many  stockholders  of  the  Clarke 
Hotel,  some  holding  only  a  single  share  of  $100. 

MOVING  PICTURES 

The  first  moving  pictures  exhibited  in  Hastings  was  during  the 
street  fair  of  1899.  The  first  moving  picture  theater  was  opened  at 
21-i  North  Hastings  Avenue,  the  present  location  of  the  clothing- 
store  of  Harrj'  Proffitt,  by  Fred  Haj'ter,  associated  with  ]Mrs.  C.  S. 
Epley,  the  present  proprietor  of  the  New  Edison.  This  theater  was 
called  The  Nickel  and  the  ojiening  date  was  June  3,  1907.  ]Mr.  Hay- 
ter  continued  in  the  business  about  two  years  and  then  went  to  Cali- 
fornia where  he  was  engaged  in  the  same  business.  In  the  fall  of 
1916,  he  jjurchased  the  Plaza,  which  is  the  continuation  of  his  original 
h.ouse. 

The  Brach  Theater  was  erected  by  William  Brach  and  is  the  first 
elaborate,  exclusive  moving  picture  theater  to  be  erected  in  Hastings. 
The  house  was  opened  October  8.  1916.  Charles  A.  Beghtol  is  the 
proprietor. 

Next  to  the  Plaza,  the  Wonderland  is  the  oldest  moving  picture 
house  in  Hastings.  It  was  opened  at  the  present  location  on  Second 
Street  about  a  year  and  a  half  after  the  opening  of  the  Nickel,  by 
B.  F.  Livengood  who  managed  the  house  for  an  Omaha  man.  For 
about  two  years  the  Gay  Brothers,  Stanley  C.  Gay  and  Sidney  F. 
Gay  were  the  j^roprietors.  It  was  bought  from  the  Gay  brothers  by 
W.  A.  AValden  who  was  the  owner  for  several  years.  Since  the 
spring  of  1916  ]Mrs.  Walden  has  been  the  owner  of  the  Wonderland. 

TEJIPERANCE   CAMPAIGNS 

In  1908  U.  S.  Rohrer  inaugiu-ated  a  campaign  for  the  non-licens- 
ing of  saloons  in  Hastings.  A  civic  federation  was  formed  headed 
by  ]Mr.  Rohrer  and  closely  associated  with  him  were  the  pastors  of 
the  English  speaking  churches.  In  the  spring  of  1908  the  vote  in  the 
council  was  a  tie,  the  mayor  casting  the  deciding  vote  in  favor  of 
license.  The  non-license  forces  questioned  the  mayor's  authority  and 
the  question  was  carried  to  the  Supreme  Court  which  sustained  the 
mayor's  action. 


106       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  following-  year  the  non-license  forces  nominated  John  ]Mc- 
Kenzie  for  mayor.  He.  however,  was  defeated  by  Mayor  C.  J.  Miles. 
For  several  j'ears  following  the  subject  was  alive  and  there  was  much 
litigation.  In  the  spring  of  1915  the  question  of  license  was  voted 
upon  under  the  initiative  and  the  referendum.  Those  in  favor  of 
license  won  the  election. 


As  narrated  previously  the  first  great  fire  in  Hastings  was  on 
September  14,  1879.  The  next  large  fire  was  on  July  2,  1881.  This  fire 
destroyed  every  building  in  the  block  in  which  the  German  National 
Bank  is  located  except  the  Forgy  building  on  the  east  corner  where 
the  J.  H.  Haney  harness  factory  stands  and  a  little  building  adjoin- 
ing it  on  the  west  and  a  livery  barn  on  the  north.  Cole  Bros.'  circus 
was  exhibiting  in  Hastings  that  day  on  a  lot  south  of  the  Burlington 
tracks.  There  was  great  excitement  at  the  circus  when  the  fire  alarm 
spread,  and  to  avoid  accident  the  management  ordered  the  circus 
hands  to  drop  the  canvass  and  so  no  one  was  injured.  The  circus  men 
then  gave  good  assistance  in  fighting  the  flames.  The  postoffice 
burned  in  this  fire.  The  postoffice  was  again  burned  in  1886  in  a  fire 
that  burned  a  large  part  of  the  east  side  of  Hastings  Avenue  between 
First  and  Second  streets. 

In  July,  1890,  the  dry  goods  store  of  H.  A.  Fyler  &  Co..  located 
at  715-717  West  Second  Street,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  Gazette- 
Journal  plant  suffered  a  disastrous  fire,  July  29,  1889.  The  fire  that 
originated  in  the  basement  of  Stein  Bros.'  store,  606-614  West  Sec- 
ond Street,  on  the  night  of  November  3,  1905,  probably  caused  the 
greatest  property  loss  of  any  fire  in  the  history  of  Hastings.  The 
total  damage  was  estimated  at  $140,000.  Besides  the  Stein  Bros., 
J.  H.  Spotts,  who  conducted  a  clothing  store,  and  the  millinery  store 
of  JMiss  Stewart  were  badly  damaged.  The  stores  occupied  by  JMiss 
Stewart  and  Stein  Bros,  were  the  property  of  Charles  H.  Dietrich 
and  the  store  occupied  by  Mr.  Spotts  belonged  to  Dennis  Cormier. 
The  present  buildings  were  erected  as  soon  as  the  debris  could  be 
cleared  away  and  preparations  made. 

INIarch  3,  1911,  a  large  sale  barn  belonging  to  Ed  Tanner  was 
destroyed  by  fire  on  the  south  side  of  Second  Street  between  Colorado 
and  Kansas  avenues.  The  barn  was  full  of  horses  iji  readiness  for 
a  large  sale  to  be  held  the  next  day.  Forty-eight  of  the  animals  were 
burned  to  death.  Early  in  1913  the  livery  barn  of  Will  Heff'ron  on 
the  north  side  of  Second  Street  and  between  the  same  avenues  as  the 


HOTEL  CLARKE,  HASTIXG.' 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       107 

Tanner  barn,  burned  to  the  ground  and  nearly  sixty  horses  were 
burned  to  death. 

On  December  26,  1913,  tlie  Gaston  music  store  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  Second  Street  and  St.  Josepli  Avenue  was  destroyed  by 
fire  and  has  not  been  rebuilt.  This  building  was  the  property  of  Mrs. 
Herl)ert  Knox  Smith,  daughter  of  Senator  Dietrich,  and  contained 
t\\o  store  rooms  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  hall  upstairs.  INIany 
Hastings  lodges  suffered  loss  in  this  fire. 

The  Hastings  ^Milling  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire  August  18. 
1910.  The  mill  of  Hum])hrey  &  Edgerton  at  the  same  location  had 
been  burned  to  the  ground  in  the  summer  of  1894. 

Tlie  first  Hre  whicji  caused  any  considerable  loss  in  Hastings  was 
on  January  1,  1878,  when  the  Thomi)son  Hotel,  a  very  creditable 
structure  that  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Kansas  Avenue  between  First 
and  Second  streets,  was  destroyed. 

LIBERA!,    HALL 

Liberal  Hall,  called  after  January  1,  1886,  Germania  Hall,  was 
a  large  frame  structure  that  stood  on  the  southeast  corner  of  St. 
Joseph  Avenue  and  Third  Street,  from  the  fall  of  1878  to  Decem- 
ber, 1916,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Fred  Schouburg  and  wrecked  for 
the  lumber.  The  hall  was  built  by  the  contractor,  Tom  Scales,  for 
the  Hastings  Free  Religious  Society,  the  leaders  of  whom  were  R. 
A.  Batty,  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman,  M.  K.  Lewis,  and  H.  C.  Renfrew.  All 
of  those  named  are  dead.  Doctor  Lyman  died  late  in  the  fall  of  1916 
in  California. 

The  founders  were  liberal  thinkers  in  religious  matters  and  for 
a  i:)eriod  of  about  eight  years  from  the  erection  of  the  hall,  brought 
many  lecturers  on  educational  and  philosophical  subjects  to  the  city. 
The  hall  became  historic,  however,  because  of  the  many  purposes  for 
which  it  was  used.  On  December  .5,  1886,  Judge  Pound  ojjened  a 
term  of  the  district  court  in  the  hall  and  it  was  used  as  a  court  room 
tmtil  quarters  were  obtained  in  the  Stone  Block. 

It  was  here  that  the  notable  trial  of  I.  P.  Olive  was  held.  It  was 
here  also  that  Senator  Dietrich  was  in  attendance  upon  a  dance  upon 
the  night  that  he  heard  tliat  the  slayers  of  Cassius  INIillett  were  to  be 
lynched.  Later  that  night  he  saved  the  life  of  John  Babcock  by  cut- 
ting the  rope  around  the  man's  neck  just  as  the  lynchers  were  about 
to  jmsh  him  off  the  railroad  bridge. 

For  years  the  hall  was  the  social  center  where  dances  and  other 
functions  were  held.     It  also  served  as  a  theater.     Once  it  was  fitted 


108       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  a  gymnasium,  and  boxing  exhibitions  were  given.  In  1892  it  Avas 
leased  by  the  board  of  education  and  used  as  a  school  room.  It  was 
used  for  the  same  jnu-pose  at  a  later  period  both  by  the  public  schools 
and  the  parochial  school  of  the  Catholic  church.  Seven  times  it  was 
the  Salvation  Arn)y  Hall.  It  was  purchased  by  the  United  Brethren 
Church  of  Hastings  at  one  j^eriod  and  used  by  them  as  a  house  of 
worship.  The  church  sold  it  to  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  who  used 
it  for  a  lodge  room  for  a  time  and  it  was  this  organization  that  sold 
it  to  ^Ir.  Schouburg,  the  building  having  become  unsafe.  It  served  at 
one  time  as  the  lodge  room  of  many  lodges  and  was  for  a  time  the 
home  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Post. 

It  was  leased  in  1886  b}'  the  Germania  Society,  an  organization 
devoted  to  mutual  benefit  among  the  Germans  of  the  community. 
William  Breede  was  the  president  of  this  organization.  It  was  at 
this  time  that  the  name  was  changed  from  Liberal  Hall  to  Germania 
Hall. 

PRESIDENTS  VISIT   HASTINGS 

The  first  president  of  the  United  States  to  visit  Hastings  was 
Benjamin  Harrison,  who  made  a  speech  from  the  rear  platform  of 
his  private  car  at  the  Burlington  Station  on  Bellevue  Avenue  at  6:30 
in  the  morning,  May  13,  1891.  The  G.  A.  R.  headed  the  procession 
of  about  two  hundred  men  who  stood  in  line  to  greet  the  chief  execu- 
tive. 

James  N.  Clarke  and  William  R.  Burton  stepped  upon  the  plat- 
form and  greeted  the  President  when  the  train  stopped  and  JSIr. 
Clarke  presented  him  to  the  assemblage.  The  president  made  a 
speech  of  ten  minutes'  length.  In  the  presidential  party  wei-e  ^Nlrs. 
Harrison,  Postmaster  General  John  Wanamaker  and  Secretary 
Rusk  of  the  department  of  agriculture.  Secretary  Rusk  had  not  yet 
arisen  so  the  speech  for  which  he  was  scheduled  was  not  given. 

President  Roosevelt  stopped  in  Hastings  April  27,  1903,  and 
delivered  a  speech  and  later  turned  the  first  spadeful  of  dirt  for  the 
laying  of  the  foundation  of  the  Carnegie  Library.  President  Wil- 
liam Howard  Taft  visited  Hastings  in  the  fall  of  1911  and  delivered 
a  speech  of  two  hours'  length,  beginning  at  4  o'clock,  at  the  Kerr 
Opera  House.  Later  in  the  evening  the  president  was  tendered  a 
banquet  at  Brandes  Hall.  William  JNIcKinley  delivered  a  speech  in 
Hastings  while  campaigning  for  President  Harrison's  last  term. 

HASTINGS   COUNTRY   CLUB 

The  idea  of  forming  a  Country  Club  in  Hastings  originated  with 
George  Kirby  in  1889,  when  he  called  a  meeting  to  discuss  the  feasi- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       109 

bility  of  instituting  golf  as  a  regiilar  feature  of  Hastings'  outdoor 
life.  Not  very  much  enthusiasm  was  manifested  and  only  three  at- 
tended the  meeting,  ]Mr.  Kirby,  Charles  G.  Lane  and  George  W. 
Tibetts.  Nothing  daunted  by  the  lack  of  interest,  the  three  went 
ahead  with  the  business  and  elected  Mi\  Kirby  president,  ]Mr.  Lane 
treasurer,  and  Mr.  Tibetts  secretary  of  the  Hastings  Country  Club. 
Mr.  Tibetts  has  been  secretary  and  JNIr.  Lane  treasurer  ever  since. 
That  year  golf  was  instituted  by  the  three  officers. 

The  original  golfers  were  soon  joined  by  several  others,  among 
whom  were  George  H.  Pratt,  C.  K.  Lawson,  C.  F.  INIorey,  John 
Ilees,  R.  B.  Wahlquist  and  C.  B.  Wahlquist.  Some  time  later  came 
S.  L.  Stichter,  who  was  an  enthusiastic  golfer  until  the  time  of  his 
death.  About  1905  G.  J.  Evans  took  the  clubs.  These  are  the  old 
players  around  whom  the  present  golf  players,  nearly  fifty  in  num- 
ber, gathered,  and  the  original  members  are  still  in  almost  daily 
evidence  on  the  links. 

The  game  was  first  played  vipon  groimds  leased  at  about  the  same 
location  as  is  now  used,  and  upon  a  six-hole  course.  For  several  years 
a  nine-hole  course  has  been  used.  The  Country  Club  was  incorijorated 
INIarch  1,  1902,  for  a  jjeriod  of  twenty-five  years,  with  a  capital  stock 
of  .$.5,000,  divided  into  shares  of  ten  dollars  each.  The  incorporators 
were  George  H.  Pratt,  Charles  G.  Lane  and  George  W.  Tibetts. 
Immediately  thereafter  the  club  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  border- 
ing Heartwell  Lake  and  three  lots  from  Senator  Dietrich.  The  club 
house  stands  upon  one  of  these  lots. 

The  first  club  house  was  a  small  affair  erected  at  a  cost  of  seventy- 
five  dollars  and  stood  on  the  east  side  of  California  Avenue  across 
the  street  from  the  present  club  house,  Avhich  was  erected  in  the  spring 
of  1902  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  dollars.  C.  D.  Richey  drew  the 
plans  and  A.  J.  Kammerlohr  was  the  builder.  Since  1902  dances  have 
been  given  on  Friday  evenings  throughout  the  summer,  and  Tuesday, 
evenings  have  been  ladies'  reception  evenings.  The  membership  at 
present  is  one  hundred  ten.  John  Rees  is  president.  Golf  was  played 
in  Hastings  as  early  as  anywhere  in  Nebraska.  An  interesting  side- 
light upon  the  price  of  land  in  Hastings  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the 
forty  acres  owned  by  the  Country  Club  was  acquired  and  the  club 
house  built,  all  from  a  capital  stock  of  five  thousand  dollars. 

November  27,  1916,  the  stockholders  of  the  club  voted  to  pur- 
chase fifty  acres  lying  east  of  the  present  grounds  and  to  erect  in  the 
summer  of  1917  a  new  club  house  at  a  cost  of  about  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars. It  was  also  decided  to  raise  the  capital  stock  to  $.50,000  and  to 
increase  the  shares  from  ten  dollars  to  fiftv. 


no       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  following  is  the  roll  of  nieaibers  during  1902,  the  year  of 
incorporation : 

W.  D.  Abbott,  F.  G.  Babcock,  F.  C.  Babcock,  A.  M.  Bernhardt, 

A.  J.  Binderup,  D.  P.  Blankenbiller.  H.  A.  Blenkiron.  William 
Brach,  Adam  Breede,  William  Brookley,  A.  L.  Clarke.  J.  J.  Con- 
oughly.  Dr.  John  Cooke,  A.  H.  Cramer, "w.  H.  Davis,  F.  C.  Day,  F. 

B.  Dauchy,  W.  H.  Dillon,  F.  C.  Drummond,  H.  S.  Dmigan,  W.  M. 
Dutton,  jVI.  D.  Fames,  W.  J.  Falk,  W.  H.  Ferguson.  Georgia 
Fowler,  C.  H.  Hansell,  George  S.  Hays,  W.  J.  Hynes,  L.  A.  Kin- 
ney, C.  H.  Kipp,  C.  G.  Lane.  W.  H.  I^anniug.  C.  K.  Lawson,  J.  S. 
Logan,  W.  jNI.  Lowman.  W.  H.  Lynn.  Rev.  William  McDonald, 

F.  A.  ]McElhinney,  D.  B.  Marti.  George  H.  JNIead,  C.  O.  Metzler, 
A.  F.  Meyers,  C.  J.  IMiles,  C.  F.  Moery,  H.  B.  Norris.  J.  N.  Norton, 
Oswald  Oliver,  C.  A.  Philliiis.  Fred  Pickard.  A.  Pickens.  George 
I*inneo,  Rev.  John  Power,  John  T.  Powers,  G.  H.  Pratt,  John  Rees, 

C.  W.  Schmitz,  J.  M.  Sewell.  L.  J.  Siekn)an.  Sewell  Slueman.  Wil- 
liam Smith.  S.  S.  Snyder.  J.  H.  Spotte.  E.  IL  Steni.  S.  L.  Sitchter, 

G.  W.  Tibetts,  A.  r".  VanSickle,  C.  B.  Wahlquist,  R.  B.  Wahlquist, 
Mrs.  F.  C.  Wood. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
POLITICAL  HISTORY 

Politics  has  been  a  subject  of  interest  in  Adams  Countj^  through 
its  entire  history.  The  poHtical  movements  that  have  been  felt  in 
Nebraska  and  the  United  States  are  duly  reflected  in  the  votes  of  the 
county.  Prohibition,  populism,  the  free  silver  theorj,  woman  suf- 
frage, socialism  and  other  labor  theories,  all  these  have  been  jjassed 
ujjon  and  the  judgment  of  the  electors  is  preserved  in  the  record  of 
elections. 

Ill  addition  to  the  vote  for  president  of  the  Ignited  States  shown  in 
table  at  end  of  chapter,  other  candidates  have  lieen  voted  for.  In  the 
election  of  1888  230  votes  were  cast  for  Alson  J.  Streeter,  the  Union 
Labor  candidate.  Charles  H.  oNIatchett,  the  candidate  of  the  Socialist 
Labor  i^arty,  received  four  votes  in  1896.  These  were  the  first 
socialist  votes  to  be  cast  in  the  county.  Eugene  V.  Debs  was  the  social- 
ist candidate  in  1900  and  received  tive  votes  in  Adams  County.  In  .1912 
the  Adams  County  vote  for  Debs  had  increased  to  187,  but  it  dropped 
to  101  for  Benson  in  1916. 

The  political  revolution  of  Nebraska  in  1890  was  felt  in  full  force 
in  Adams  County,  which  had  hitherto  been  strongly  republican.  It 
was  in  1890  that  the  farmers  of  Nebraska  broke  away  from  the  old 
parties  and  at  one  SAvoop  elected  a  majority  in  both  houses  of  the 
Nebraska  Legislature.  John  H.  Powers,  Avho  lived  on  a  farm  a  few 
miles  north  of  Hastings,  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  organization 
of  the  Populist  or  Peoples'  Independent  party  in  Nebraska.  Mr. 
Powers  had  come  to  Nebraska  from  Illinois  and  was  a  wide  reader 
and  close  student  of  political  subjects. 

The  Farmers'  Alliance,  which  had  been  organized  in  Adams 
County  February  26,  1882,  had  prepared  the  way  for  a  farmers' 
political  party.  While  the  alliance  was  organized  primarily  to  give 
to  the  members  the  advantage  of  co-operative  marketing  and  buying, 
it  also  discussed  such  subjects  as  monopoly  and  the  oppression  of 
railroads.  In  1882  there  were  twenty-five  subordinate  alliances  in 
Adams  County  with  an  aggregate  of  600  members.  A.  M.  Hall  was 
111 


112       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tlie  first  i^resident  of  the  county  organization,  and  William  Van  Allen, 
secretary.  By  1890  the  membership  of  the  alliance  was  greatly 
increased.  Each  subordinate  alliance  was  entitled  to  one  delegate  to 
the  county  organization  to  each  ten  members,  and  one  delegate  at 
large.     The  alliance  was  well  organized. 

In  1890  came  the  great  drought  that  prostrated  Western  Nebraska 
until  about  1900.  The  hard  straits  in  which  the  farmers  found  them- 
selves assisted  in  bringing  them  under  the  banner  of  the  populist . 
l^arty,  which  represented  the  jDolitical  action  that  resulted  from  the 
political  study  made  by  the  alliance.  The  first  populist  convention 
to  be  held  in  Adams  County  was  called  to  order  at  10:30  in  the  fore- 
noon, July  26,  1890.  The  convention  was  held  at  the  Kerr  Opera 
House.  H.  J.  Straight,  of  Verona  Township,  presided,  and  H.  B. 
JMcGaw  of  Blaine,  and  F.  J.  Taylor  of  Denver,  served  as  secretary 
and  assistant  secretary. 

It  was  a  determined  convention,  and  many  of  the  demands  there 
made  have  since  been  enacted  into  law.  It  was  the  day  that  marked 
the  beginning  of  much  f)olitieal  imrest  in  Adams  County.  Resolutions 
were  adojited  pledging  the  populists  to  sujjport  no  candidate  that  was 
not  sqviarely  ojjjjosed  to  monopoly.  The  Government  ownership  of 
railroads  and  the  loaning  of  money  directly  by  the  Government  to 
farmers  at  a  low  rate  of  interest  were  further  demands.  The  delegates 
to  this  momentous  convention  were  the  following: 

West  Blue,  W.  J.  Huxtable,  H.  M.  Palmer,  I.  W.  Payne,  C.  W. 
Bi-own,  and  George  Le  Barron;  Highland.  I^.  W.  Short,  John  S. 
O'Brien.  W.  B.  Fox,  INIartin  Perkins  and  D.  A.  Chriswell;  Verona, 
J.  L.  Blue,  D.  R.  Bigelow,  W.  J.  Wellars,  T.  L.  Gibson,  H.  J. 
Straight;  Kenesaw,  John  Nelson,  ]M.  L.  Eastwood,  Lee  Willis,  John 
Dilley  and  Thomas  Cain;  Wanda,  Francis  Phillips.  Gotlieb  Lahr, 
S.  JNI.  Davis,  Israel  S])indler  and  S.  ]Miller;  Juniata.  J.  W.  Robinson, 
Ed  P.  Hubbard.  William  H.  Robinson,  Ed  Creiger  and  J.  W.  Harris; 
Denver,  D.  C.  Kerr,  F.  J.  Taylor,  J.  Doty,  M.  F.  Wallace  and  C.  JNI. 
Ijumphear;  Blaine,  B.  B.  Snodgrass,  Charles  Painter,  J.  W.  Coulter, 
J.  P.  Hoagland  and  E.  T.  Winter;  Hanover,  Henry  Miles,  George 
Colling,  W.  M.  White,  J.  W.  Crissman  and  C.  Neissen;  Ayr,  J.  S. 
Way,  J.  F.  Hill,  William  Hubbard,  W.  E.  Hart  and  M.  B.  Foote; 
Roseland,  J.  F.  Merrill,  P.  L.  Boyd,  Alfred  Johnson,  S.  Isabell,  T.  J. 
Hoffman;  Cottonwood,  C.  A.  Larsen,  G.  Fischer,  Fred  Wagner, 
Samuel  Peterson  and  George  Slay;  Logan,  G.  W.  Parks,  ]M.  Stoetzel, 
G.  W.  Maxwell,  INIartin  Lawler  and  E.  S.  Minnix;  Silver  Lake,  L.  C. 
Kieth,  G.  W.  IMunson,  W.  P.  Clawson,  William  Johnson,  and  James 
Hines;  Zero,  L.  Blumenthal,  R.  :M.  RatclifF,  Ed  JNIevers,  L.  War- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       113 

muth  and  William  Kelley;  Little  Blue,  F.  C.  ]McCorniick,  George 
Estep,  Martin  Best,  G.  Evans  and  Parker  Anderson;  Hastings,  R.  J. 
Arnold,  C.  L.  Kincaid,  S.  J.  Williams,  Oscar  Dilley,  C.  W.  Pease, 
J.  M.  Houser,  I.  W.  Tobie,  Joseph  Story,  Clarence  Shumway,  Joseph 
Marian,  J.  L.  Cline,  A.  H.  Bowen,  Jr.,  Ernest  Hoeppner,  J.  W. 
JNIcReynolds,  J.  B.  Ingraham,  J.  B.  Koch,  George  Lynn,  Rev.  T.  W. 
Sample,  Fred  Van  Horn  and  S.  L.  INIilner. 

At  the  state  convention  of  the  populists,  in  1890,  John  H.  Powers 
received  the  nomination  for  governor.  In  Adams  County,  1,527  votes 
were  polled  for  Mr.  Powers;  861  for  James  E.  Boyd,  the  democratic 
nominee;  1,331  for  the  republican  candidate,  Lucius  D.  Richards, 
and  6.5  for  B.  L.  Paine,  prohibitionist.  Mr.  Powers  was  not  elected, 
but  polled  70,187  votes;  the  official  count  gave  James  E.  Boj'd  71,331 
votes.  ]Mr.  Powers  went  from  Adams  Coimty  to  Hitchcock  County, 
where  he  still  resides. 

In  the  campaign  of  1892,  W.  E.  Andrews,  who  previously  for 
some  time  had  been  a  professor  of  Latin  in  Hastings  College,  was 
the  republican  nominee  for  Congress  from  the  Fifth  District.  Before 
tliis  date,  Adams  County  had  been  in  the  Second  Congressional  Dis- 
trict, and  when  Mr.  Andrews  entered  the  race,  W.  A.  JNIcKeighan  of 
Red  Cloud  was  the  representative  in  Congress.  ISlr.  jNIcKeighan  had 
been  elected  in  1890  by  a  combination  of  the  democrats  and  populists, 
and  the  congressman  was  a  fluent  and  able  exponent  of  populism. 
He  had  been  elected  to  succeed  Gilbert  L.  Laws,  who  filled  the  vacancy 
caused  bj'  the  death  of  Congressman  James  Laird,  in  1889.  Mr.  IMc- 
Iveighan  was  reelected  in  1892.  Adams  County  gave  Mr.  Andrews 
1,68.5  votes,  and  oMcKeighan,  1,591.  The  same  year,  Adams  County 
gave  the  republican  candidate  for  governor,  Lorenzo  Crounse,  1,507 
votes.  The  congressional  race  was  both'  contested  that  year.  A  joint 
debate  between  the  candidates  at  Hastings  drew  many  thousands  of 
listeners. 

In  1894,  jNIr.  Andrews  and  ]Mr.  JMcKeighan  were  again  pitted 
against  each  other  in  the  fight  for  Congress,  and  this  time  INIr.  Andrews 
was  victorious.  Adams  County  polled  1,915  votes  for  Andrews,  and 
1,604  for  JNIcKeighan.  IMr.  Andrews'  race  for  re-election  came  in 
1896.  Fusion  of  the  democrats  and  peoples'  independent  party  was 
at  its  height,  and  Mr.  Andrews  lost  in  the  contest  to  his  opponent, 
R.  D.  Sutherland.  Adams  County  gave  1,757  votes  to  Mr.  Andrews, 
and  2,050  to  JNIr.  Sutherland.  Following  his  service  in  Congress, 
Mr.  Andrews  was  appointed  auditor  of  the  United  States  Treasury, 
at  Washington.  He  filled  that  post  for  fourteen  years.  In  the  1916 
primary  he  was  defeated  in  the  race  for  the  congressional  candidacy, 


114   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

losing  to  Silas  R.  Barton,  who  died  upon  election  day,  November  7, 
1916. 

While  tlie  rise  of  ijopulisni  gave  new  interest  to  politics  in  1890, 
the  issues  were  further  comj^licated  by  the  submission  of  the  prohibi- 
tory amendment.  The  vote  in  Adams  County,  upon  the  amendment 
to  pi'ohibit  the  liquor  traffic,  resulted  in  1,708  votes  being  cast  for  the 
amendment,  and  1,777  against.  The  proliibitoiy  amendment  was 
again  submitted  in  1916,  and  the  vote  resulted  in  2,5.55  for  the  amend- 
ment, and  2,033  against.  The  "wet"  majority  of  69  in  1890  became, 
in  1916,  a  "dry"  majority  of  522. 

The  climax  of  jjolitical  excitement  in  Adams  County  was  reached 
in  1896.  For  weeks  before  the  election  Hastings  was  the  scene  of 
almost  nightly  parades.  Torchlight  processions,  witli  long  lines  of 
torch-bearers,  bands  and  negro  choirs,  and  other  musical  organizations, 
were  of  almost  nightly  occurrence.  On  Lincoln  Avenue,  near  Third 
Street,  was  a  grandstand  and  jjlatform,  where  night  meetings  were 
held.  Here  Roswell  G.  Horr  of  the  New  York  Tribune  spoke,  ex- 
pounding the  folly  of  free  silver;  John  V.  Farwell  also  spoke  to  the 
same  end,  and  the  "Five  Generals,"  headed  by  General  Sickles.  On 
the  afternoon  before  election,  AVilliam  J.  Bryan  spoke  on  the  old 
East  Ward  school  groimds  to  the  largest  jjolitical  audience  ever  as- 
sembled in  Hastings  or  Adams  County. 

Forerunners  of  the  political  upheaval,  which  began  in  1890,  were 
the  earlier  Foiu'th  of  July  celebrations.  The  celebration  of  1886  may 
be  recited  as  an  instance  in  point.  That  year  there  were  celebrations 
at  Hastings,  Juniata  and  Ayr.  Hastings  was  crowded,  and  hundreds 
were  in  attendance  at  Juniata  and  Ayr. 

At  Hastings  the  celebration  was  under  tlie  auspices  of  the  Kniglits 
of  Labor,  and  the  trend  of  the  political  thought  of  the  times  was 
observable  in  the  way  the  day  was  celebrated.  A  long  procession 
formed  at  10  o'clock  and  marched  through  the  principal  streets,  headed 
by  the  Hastings  Cornet  Band.  After  the  band  came  a  large  decorated 
wagon  drawn  by  four  white  horses.  Upon  the  wagon,  which  had  been 
made  into  a  float,  sat  thirty-eight  girls  in  costume,  each  girl  symbol- 
izing a  state. 

Here  and  there  in  the  long  procession  banners  fluttered  in  the 
breeze,  and  in  addition  to  tlie  usual  ])atriotic  inscriptions  the  eye  en- 
countered these  legends: 

"In  The  Sweat  of  Thy  Face  Shalt  Thou  Eat  Bread."  "We  Are 
Opposed  To  Child  Labor."  "Labor  And  Capital  ]Must  Be  Friends!" 
In  the  evening  an  address  was  delivered  by  the  Honorable  W.  A. 
JMcKeighau.  of  Red  Cloud.    The  dance,  too,  was  well  attended,  and  a 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       n5 

committee  awarded  the  silver  cup,  which  was  oiFered  to  the  most 
graceful  waltzer  by  JNIrs.  Fensler.  The  day's  program  was  well  filled 
with  sports.  A  cane  for  popularity  was  offered  to  the  newspaper 
men,  and  was  awarded  to  William  Breede,  who  received  sixty-seven 
votes.    ]Mr.  Breede's  rival,  Dick  Thompson,  got  four  votes. 

While  Hastings  was  celebrating,  hundreds  gathered  at  Juniata 
and  Ayr  for  the  festivities.  At  the  former  place  a  large  pavilion  had 
been  erected,  and  tliither  came  the  i^rocession  led  by  the  Juniata  band, 
arriving  at  the  pavilion  shortly  after  10  o'clock.  Hon.  Albert  Wat- 
kins,  of  Lincoln,  and  A.  V.  Cole,  of  Hastings,  were  the  speakers. 
Mr.  Watkins,  in  his  address,  took  a  democratic  anti-monopoly  view- 
point. In  the  evening  fireworks  completed  an  enthusiastic  Independ- 
ence Day  celebration. 

Ayr,  too,  had  a  procession  on  that  day,  and  hundreds  assembled  at 
the  village  near  the  Blue.  A  pavilion  had  been  erected'  at  Scott 
Philleo's  grove,  and  here  the  celebration  was  held.  Frank  D.  Tag- 
gart,  founder  of  Tlie  Independent,  from  which  the  present  Hastings 
Daily  Tribune  developed,  delivered  the  patriotic  address.  This  cele- 
bi'ation  is  also  memorable  in  the  annals  of  Ayr  celebrations  because 
of  the  ])resence  of  JNIr.  Jack  Wilson,  one  of  the  earliest  residents  and 
largest  property  owners,  but  who  at  that  time  was  living  at  Oberlin, 
Kan.  ]Mr.  Wilson  gave  a  history  of  the  early  days  of  Adams  County, 
particularly  the  portions  most  remote  from  the  railroads,  and  con- 
trasted tlie  pioneer  days  and  improvements  with  the  great  growth 
evidenced  by  the  country  in  1880. 

The  Fourth  of  July  that  year  had  fallen  on  Simday.  and  the  cele- 
brations were  held  on  ^Monday.  Throughout  the  county,  on  Sunday, 
sermons  suitable  for  Independence  Day  were  preached  in  the  churches. 
At  the  same  time  that  the  celebrations  were  in  progress,  July  5,  a 
meeting  of  importance  to  the  prohibition  movement  in  Adams  County 
M'as  held  at  Cole's  Park,  in  the  southeast  quarter  of  Hastings.  The 
anti-liquor  forces  held  a  picnic  of  their  own,  and  organized  their  work 
for  the  campaign  for  submitting  the  constitutional  amendment  to  a 
vote  of  the  people,  which  was  done  four  years  later.  The  speakers  at 
this  meeting  of  Adams  Countjr  i^rohibitionists  were  Judge  Obadiah 
Hewitt,  the  Rev.  JNIr.  Aitchison,  Lewis  Blank.  The  picnic  finally 
resolved  itself  into  a  mass  meeting  with  Dr.  H.  P.  Fitch,  pastor  of 
the  Ba])tist  Cliurcji  at  Hastings,  as  chairman,  and  C.  T.  Rawalt,  as 
secretary.  Resolutions  were  adopted  stating  that  inasmuch  as  the 
state  representatives  of  Adams  County  had  voted  against  the  sub- 
mission of  a  constitutional  amendment  providing  for  state-wide  pro- 
hibition to  a  vote  of  the  people,  "That  we  tender  the  issue  of  submission 


116       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

or  non-submission  of  a  prohibitoiy  amendment  as  the  leading  question 
in  this  canvass  for  the  election  of  state  senators  and  reiJresentatives." 
Stejjs  were  also  taken  to  secure  an  attendance  of  delegates  from  the 
various  townsliips  wlien  the  county  convention  should  be  called.  The 
delegates  selected  to  attend  the  state  convention  for  the  fornmlation 
of  a  plan  of  campaign  to  secure  the  necessary  legislative  and  senatorial 
candidates  favorable  to  the  submission  of  the  amendment  to  a  vote 
were:  J.  j\I.  Patterson,  S.  M.  Hoagland,  James  E.  Reed,  Robert  Ash, 
L.  W.  Parmenter,  S.  H.  Smith,  A.  N.  Hall,  Dr.  H.  P.  Fitch,  L.  B. 
Palmer,  C.  T.  Rawalt,  Judge  Hewtt,  Nat  Brass,  J.  G.  Hayslett 
and  J.  W.  Shaw.  This  picnic  marks  the  beginning  of  active  political 
work  on  the  part  of  the  prohibitionists  of  the  county,  which  continued 
with  more  or  less  activity  and  at  intervals  until  the  j^rohibitory  amend- 
ment was  carried  in  1916. 

At  an  election  held  October  12,  187.3,  upon  the  question  of  the 
adoption  of  the  present  constitution  of  Nebraska,  Adams  County 
cast  729  votes  for  the  constitution  and  21  against.  In  1882  the  amend- 
ment to  extend  the  suffrage  to  women  was  voted  upon  in  Nebraska, 
Adams  County  easting  643  votes  for  the  amendment  and  9j2  votes 
against.  In  1914  woman  suffrage  was  again  voted  on  in  Nebraska, 
being  submitted  under  the  princijjle  of  the  initiative  and  the  refer- 
endum. The  vote  on  suffrage  tied  in  Adams  Comity,  1,650  being 
cast  for  the  amendment  and  the  same  number  against.  The  vote  in 
the  Citv  of  Hastings,  too,  was  just  1,6,50,  suffrage  gaining  a  decided 
majority  in  the  city.  At  the  state  convention  of  the  Nebraska  Equal 
Suffrage  Association,  held  in  Hastings  in  the  fall  of  1916  and  at 
which  INIrs.  Carrie  Chapman  Catt  was  present,  it  was  decided  to 
petition  to  have  the  subject  again  voted  in  1918.  Among  the  leaders 
of  the  suffrage  movement  in  Adams  County,  INIiss  Lucy  Williams 
of  Kenesaw  is  a  pioneer.  INIrs.  Charles  H.  Dietrich  of  Hastings  is 
the  ])resent  president  of  the  county  equal  suffrage  association.  ]Mrs. 
Charles  W.  Brown,  ]Mrs.  John  H.  Slaker  and  INIrs.  A.  H.  Brown 
are  other  active  workers. 

Charles  H.  Dietrich  of  Hastings  was  elected  governor  of  Nebraska 
by  the  republicans  in  November,  1900,  and  served  as  chief  executive 
of  the  state  from  January  3.  1901,  to  May  1,  1901.  On  the  sixty- 
fourth  legislative  day  of  the  Legislature  of  1901  ]Mr.  Dietrich  was 
elected  United  States  senator  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  31.  L. 
Hayward.  A  deadlock  had  resulted  in  the  vote  for  senator  between 
Edward  Rosewater  and  D.  E.  Tliompson.  jMr.  Dietrich  was  elected 
on  the  fifty-foxu'th  ballot,  seventy  votes  being  cast  for  him.  He  served 
as  senator  until  190.).     Adams  County  polled  1,914  votes  for  ]Mr. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       117 

Dietrich  for  governor  and  2,139  for  his  opponent,  WiUiam  A. 
Poynter. 

At  the  first  election  held  in  the  count}%  in  1871,  twenty-nine  votes 
wei'e  cast.  The  growth  in  the  vote  as  cast  in  presidential  years  has 
been  as  follows:  1872,  133;  1876,  1,071;  1880,  1,997;  1884,  3,076; 
1888,  3,386;  1892,  2,.525;  1896,  3,918;  1900,  4,174;  1904,  3,918;  1908, 
4,532;  1912,  4,166;  1916,  5,205. 

The  first  direct  primarj'  election  held  in  Adams  County  was  Sep- 
tember 3,  1907,  at  which  time  1,644  votes  were  cast;  at  the  general 
election  following  there  were  3,607  votes.  In  the  1908  primary  there 
were  1,299  votes  cast,  and  4,597  at  the  general;  in  1909,  2,160  at  the 
primary  and  3,720  in  the  general;  in  1910,  1,636  at  the  primary  and 
4,225  in  the  general;  in  1911,  2,164  in  the  primary  and  3,975  at  the 
general;  in  1912,  2,359  in  the  primary  and  4,245  in  the  general;  in 
1916.  3,372  in  the  primary  and  5,205  in  the  general. 

The  elections  for  coimty  officers  have  resulted  as  follows: 

COUNTY   CLERK 

Russell  D.  Babcock 1871 

A.  H.  Cramer 1873 

A.  H.  Cramer 1875 

A.  H.  Cramer 1877 

Rol)ert  B.  Tussey 1879 

Robert  B.  Tussey 1881 

George  Spicknall 1883 

George  Spicknall 1885 

L.  B.  Partridge 1887 

L.  B.  Partridge 1889 

C.  B.  Bigelow 1891 

C.  B.  Bigelow 1893 

D.  R.  Bigelow 1895 

D.  R.  Bigelow 1897 

W.  J.  Ohllieiser 1899 

W.  H.  Davis 1901 

W.  H.  Davis 1903 

George  E.  JNIizen 1905 

George  E.  ^Nlizen 1907 

George  E.  Mizen 1909 

Charles  H.  Hudson 1911 

Charles  H.  Hudson 1914 

Charles  H.  Hudson 1916 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

COUNTY  TREASURER 

John  S.  Chandler 1871 

William  B.  Thorne 1873 

William  B.  Thorne 1875 

William  B.  Thorne 1877 

William  B.  Thorne 1879 

W.  S.  Crow 1881 

J.  B.  .AlcCleery 1883 

J.  B.  McCleery 188.5 

Charles  H.  Paul 1887 

Charles  H.  Paul 1889 

J.  H.  Fleming 1891 

J.  H.  Fleming 1893 

John  N.  Lyman 189.5 

John  N.  Lyman 1897 

AVill  Brookley   1899 

Will  Brookley   1901 

F.  C.  Babcock 1903 

F.  C.  Babcock 190.5 

Ernest  Hoeppner 1907 

Ernest  Hoeppner 1909 

P.  W.  JMcIntosh 1911 

P.  W.  Mcintosh 1914 

Harry  C.  Haverly 1916 

SHERIFF 

Isaac  W.  Stark 1871 

James  B.  JNIcCleery 1873 

James  B.  :McCleery 187.5 

S.  L.  JNIartin 1877 

S.  L.  Martin 1879 

S.  L.  Martin 1881 

David  L.  Barlass 1883 

David  L.  Barlass 188.5 

David  L.  Barlass 1887 

George  Crane 1889 

George  Crane 1891 

John  W.  Harris 1893 

Otto  Otten   189.5 

John  J.  Simmering 1897 

John  J.  Simmering 1899 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       119 

John  T.  Hill 1901 

John  T.  Hill 1903 

J.  Clinton  ]McCleery 1905 

J.  Clinton  McCleery 1907 

J.  Clinton  McCleeiy 1909 

W.  A.  Cole '. 1911 

W.  A.  Cole 1914 

W.  A.  Cole 1916 

COUNTY  JUDGE 

Titus  Babcock  1871 

Benjamin  F.  Smith 1873 

Benjamin  F.  Smith 1875 

Benjamin  F.  Smith 1877 

Benjamin  F.  Smith 1879 

George  F.  ^Vork 1881 

J.  H.  Fleming 1883 

J.  H.  Fleming 1885 

J.  H.  Fleming 1887 

William  H.  Burton 1889 

\Villiam  K.  Burton 1891 

Jacob  Baily   1893 

Jacob  Baily    1895 

Adna  H.  Bowen 1897 

Adna  H.  Bowen 1899 

Harry  S.  Dungan 1901 

Harry  S.  Dungan 1903 

Harry  S.  Dungan 1905 

William  F.  Button 1907 

William  F.  Button 1909 

William  F.  Button 1911 

William  F.  Button 1914 

John  Snider  (appointed) 1915 

John  Snider  (elected) 1916 

COUNTY  SURVEYOR 

George  Henderson   1871 

William  Scott 1873 

William  Van  Allen 1875 

William  Van  Allen 1877 


120       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Jasper  N.  Smith 1879 

Thomas  E.  Fairell 1881 

Thomas  E.  Farrell 1883 

Thomas  E.  Farrell 1885 

Thomas  E.  Farrell 1887 

G.  W.  Woodward 1889 

G.  ^V.  Woodward 1891 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1893 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1895 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1897 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1899 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1901 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1903 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1905 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1907 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1909 

W.  H.  Fuller 1911 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1914 

C.  A.  Heartwell 1916 

COUNTY  SUPERINTEXDEXT 

Adna  H.  Bowen 1871 

Adna  H.  Bowen 1873 

A.  L.  Wigton 1875 

L.  Darling 1877 

Lucy  A.  ]McFadden 1879 

Eucy  A.  ^NIcFadden 1881 

A.  E.  Allyn 1883 

A.  E.  Allyn 1885 

A.  E.  Allyn 1887 

F.  M.  Betteys 1889 

F.  M.  Betteys 1891 

D.  M.  Ball." 1893 

D.  M.  Ball 1895 

Richard  D.  Moritz 1897 

Richard  D.  ]Moritz 1899 

W.  A.  Julian 1901 

W.  A.  Julian 1903 

I.  A.  Downey 1905 

L.  R.  Willis . " 1907 

L.  R.  Willis 1909 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

L.R.Willis 1911 

Carrie  Sullivan 1914 

]\Iary  Dungan   1916 

COUNTY   ATTORNEY 

Charles  H.  Tanner 1886 

John  A.  Casto 1888 

Chris  Hoeppner 1890 

\y.  p.  .McCreary 1892 

W.  P.  .AleCreary 1894 

Harry  S.  Dungan 1896 

W.  P.  McCreary 1898 

John  Snider   1900 

John  Snider 1902 

Fred  P.  Ohnstead 1904 

John  Snider 1906 

M.  A.  Ilartigan 1908 

M.  A.  Hartigan 1910 

Don  C.  Fonts 1912 

Don  C.  Fonts 1914 

Don  C.  Fonts 1916 

REGISTER  OF  DEEDS 

J.  W.  BreMster 1885 

F.  C.  Mastin 1887 

C.  W.  Wilson 1889 

William  M.  Vastine 1893 

M.  W.  Burgess 1897 

M.  W.  Burgess 1901 

Charles  W.  Foote 190.5 

John  H.  Ureling 1909 

Charles  C.  Larsen 1914 

CLERK  OF  DISTRICT   COURT 

A.  H.  Cramer 1879 

R.  B.  Tussey 1883 

J.  H.  Spicer 1887 

J.  H.  Spicer 1891 

Lloyd  Lynn 189.5 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADA3IS  COUNTY 

August  Binderini 1899 

Charles  E.  Eriickinan 1903 

Charles  E.  Bruckziian 1907 

Lem  Tibbets 1911 

Lem  Tibbets 1916 

ASSESSOE 

Griffith  Evans 1907 

W.  J.  Bobbitt 1912 

Robert  Zohner 1916 

CORONER 

Isaiah  Sluyter 1871 

Hiram  C.  Humbert 1873 

Dr.  C.  M.  Wright 1875 

Winfield  S.  Ackley 1877 

Dr.  W.  H.  L>nin 1879 

Josephus  Williams   1881 

George  B.  Lloyd 1883 

F.  L.  Brown 188.5 

F.  L.  Brown 1887 

Dr.  Ralph  J.  Irwin 1889 

Dr.  Ralph  J.  Irwin 1891 

Dr.  Ralph  J.  Irwin 1893 

Dr.  John  Cooke 189.5 

Dr.  John  Cooke 1897 

Dr.  Ralph  J.  Irwin 1899 

Thomas  J."  Pearsoll 1901 

Dr.  :M.  y.  Perkins 1903 

Dr.  M.  W.  Baxter 190.5 

Dr.  M.  W.  Baxter 1907 

Dr.  J.  V.  Beghtol 1909 

Dr.  J.  V.  Beghtol 1911 

George  A.  Volland 1914 

STATE   SENATORS 

N.  K.  Griggs 1874 

J.  S.  Mclntyre 1876 

A.  L.  Wigton 1878 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADA^IS  COUNTY 

C.  B.  Coon 1880 

A.  H.  Sowers 1882 

A.  H.  Sowers 1884 

James  B.  Heartwell 1886 

Frank  U.  Taggart 1888 

J.F.Hill 1890 

Leopald  Hahn 1892 

Leopald  Hahn 1894 

Tracv  P.  Sykes 1896 

C.  L.  Alexander 1898 

J.  N.  Lyman 1900 

J.  C.  Hedge 1902 

David  Hart 1904 

A.  L.  Clarke 1906 

George  W.  Tibbets 1908 

George  W.  Tibbets 1910 

Wilf Brookley   1912 

^Vill  Brooklev   1914 

Walter  E.  Hager 1916 

STATE  REPRESENTATIVES 

A.  Nance 1874 

S.  Sadler 1876 

R.  A.  Battv 1878 

C.  R.  Jones 1880 

H.  G.  Armitage 1882 

F.  P.  Olmstead 1884 

A.  V.  Cole 1886 

F.  P.  Olmstead 1888 

W.  H.  Waldron 1890 

Peter  Griffith 1892 

Peter  Griffith 1894 

:Mart  Fernow 1896 

I.  D.  Evans 1898 

Herman  Redman 1900 

W.  G.  Saddler 1902 

W.  G.  Saddler 1904 

A.  S.  Howard 1906 

T.  J.  Cooperrider 1908 

I.  D.  Evans 1910 

William  L.  Weesner 1910 


123 


124       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

E.  P.  Hubbard 1912 

J.  C.  Snyder 1912 

J.  C.  Snyder 1914 

Albert  B.  Tibbets 1914 

Erick  Johnson 1916 

Fred  G.  Johnson 1916 

ADAMS  county's  VOTE  FOR  PKESIDEXT 

1872 — Grant,  republican,  124;  Greeley,  democratic,  9. 

1876 — Hayes,  republican,  767;  Tilden,  democratic,  204. 

1880 — Garfield,  republican,  1,447:  Hancock,  democratic,  .350. 

1884— Blaine,  republican,  1,853;  Cleveland,  democratic,  1,109;  St. 
John,  prohibition,  114. 

1888 — Harrison,  republican,  1,929;  Cleveland,  democratic.  1,282; 
Fisk.  prohibition,  375. 

1892 — Harrison,  republican,  623;  Cleveland,  democratic.  323; 
Weaver,  people's  independent,  1.425;  Bidwell,  prohibition,  154. 

1896 — INIcKinley,  republican.  1,768;  Bryan,  democratic.  2.042: 
Bentley,  prohibition,  49. 

1900 — ^McKinley,  republican.  2.108;  Bryan,  democratic,  1.991; 
Woolley,  prohibition,  70. 

1904 — Roosevelt,  republican,  2.315;  Parker,  democratic.  902; 
Swallow,  prohibition,  119. 

1908— Taft.  republican,  1.982;  Bryan,  democratic,  2,337:  Chafin, 
prohibition,  120. 

1912 — Taft,  republican,  196;  Roosevelt,  progressive,  942;  Wilson, 
democratic,  2,117;  Chafin,  prohibition,  124. 

1916 — Hughes,  republican,  2,041;  Wilson,  democratic.  2,668; 
Hanly,  prohibition,  64. 


CHAPTER  IX 

SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES 

The  history  of  the  pul)lic  schools  in  Adams  County  begins  with 
the  formation  of  District  No.  1,  the  Juniata  district,  December  16, 

1871.  The  first  school  district  Avas  thus  formed  just  four  days  after 
the  organization  of  Adams  County.  The  first  school  oflficers  were 
Harmon  H.  Ballon,  moderator;  Titus  Babcock,  director;  Samuel  Ij. 
Brass,  treasurer.  A.  H.  Bowen  had  been  elected  county  superin- 
tendent at  the  election  of  December  12th.  While  there  were  no 
schools  in  the  county  at  the  time  of  the  election,  the  superintendent's 
position  was  far  from  a  sineciu'c,  for  in  the  next  few  months  a  large 
number  of  school  districts  were  to  be  formed  under  his  direction. 
The  board  of  commissioners  fixed  the  compensation  of  the  superin- 
tendent at  $4  per  day  for  each  day  actually  occupied  with  the  duties 
of  tlie  office. 

The  officers  of  District  Xo.  1  did  not  hold  a  meeting  until  January 
;).  1872,  when  it  was  ascertained  that  it  was  necessary  to  secure  school 
facilities  for  about  thirty-one  scholars.  Miss  Lizzie  Scott  was 
emj^loyed  as  a  teacher,  and  soon  thereafter  a  contract  was  let  to  I.  G. 
Dillon  and  E.  M.  Allen  to  construct  a  schoolhouse,  and  a  small  room 
was  rented  from  them,  to  be  occupied  for  school  purposes  until  the 
new  building  should  be  completed.  The  new  schoolhouse  was  com- 
pleted before  the  end  of  the  year  and  is  described  by  an  early  writer 
as  a  "two-story  frame  from  the  main  part,  being  30  feet  wide  by  40 
feet  long,  with  one  large  recitation  room  below  and  two  in  the  second 
story,  with  study  rooms  attached.  The  cost  of  the  building  was 
about  $3,;500." 

By  April  1,  1872,  thirteen  districts  had  been  organized,  and  by 
October  1,  1873,  the  organized  districts  numbered  thirty-eight.  A 
large  jjercentage  of  the  schoolhouses  built  in  the  early  years  were  of 
sod,  and  one  district  reported  the  construction  of  a  log  building. 

District  18,  the  Hastings  district,  was  not  formed  until  July  13, 

1872.  and  one  week  later  the  school  officers  held  their  first  meeting. 
School  was  not  opened  in  Hastings,  hoAvever,  until  the  spring  of  1873. 

125 


126       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Hastings  school  officers  leased  a  little  room  which  had  been  built 
for  a  store  room.  This  room,  14  by  16  feet  in  size,  was  the  beginning 
of  the  Hastings  school  system.  ^Nliss  Phoebe  Denstoe  ^\as  the  first 
teacher  engaged. 

In  JMay,  1873,  the  erection  of  the  first  schoolhouse  in  Hastings 
was  begmi.  It  was  completed  dvu'ing  the  same  year,  and  cost  $5,000. 
This  building  was  located  on  the  block  of  ground  bounded  on  the  west 
by  Colorado  Avenue,  on  the  east  by  JVIinnesota  Avenue,  on  the  north 
by  Third  Street,  and  on  the  south  by  Second  Street.  This  school- 
house  was  a  frame  building  two  stories  high  and  would  accommodate 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  pupils.  The  building  was  used  until 
1892,  when  it  was  sold  by  the  school  district. 

In  April,  1882,  the  Hastings  district  voted  $12,000  in  bonds  for 
the  erection  of  a  high  scliool  building.  The  vote  resulted  in  293 
ballots  being  cast  i'or  the  bonds  and  67  against.  The  plans  of  C.  F. 
Driscoll  were  accepted  and  the  contract  let  to  ^Villiam  Van  Allstyne 
to  erect  the  building.  This  was  the  second  building  to  be  erected 
in  Hastings.  Fire  of  unascertained  origin  destroyed  the  first  high 
school  building  in  October.  1886.  The  insurance  carried  on  this  struc- 
ture was  $10,000.  On  Febniary  21,  1887,  Scales  &  Clark,  of  Omalia, 
were  awarded  the  contract  to  erect  a  new  high  school  at  a  cost  of 
$22,998,  the  work  to  be  finished  by  September  1,  1887.  This  building, 
at  jjresent  the  Longfellow  School,  served  as  a  high  school  until  1905, 
when  the  present  structure  became  ready  for  occupancy.  Steam  heat 
was  not  installed  in  the  old  high  scliool  until  1893. 

The  ]Morton  School,  known  until  1914  as  the  "West  Ward  School," 
was  built  in  1886.  Samuel  Chaney  was  awarded  the  contract  for  its 
erection  upon  his  bid  of  $10,995.  The  original  building  contained 
six  rooms.     It  was  enlarged  and  remodeled  in  1912. 

The  oldest  school  building  in  Hastings  at  this  tiuie  is  the  Lincoln 
School,  before  1914  known  as  the  First  Ward  School.  This  was 
erected  in  1880  by  J.  R.  Sims.  Six  years  later,  the  same  contractor 
built  a  two-wing  addition  to  the  building  at  a  cost  of  $2,875.  and  in 
1912  a  foiu'-room  building  was  constructed  near  the  old  structiu-e  and 
Avas  intended  to  form  the  nucleus  around  which  additional  rooms  may 
be  constructed. 

The  Plawthorne  School,  known,  before  the  names  in  all  the  wards 
were  changed  in  1914,  as  the  South  Ward,  was  erected  in  1888  at  a 
cost  of  $9,150.  It  was  completed  about  August  20,  1888.  J.  R.  Sims 
was  the  builder  of  this  building. 

The  East  Ward,  or  Alcott  School,  was  erected  in  1891.     In  June 


'i//  J 

l. 

; -sr 

I  Ms 

as 

•J 

Alcott   School 


iloituii   Sclioo 


SCHOOLS  OF  HASTING! 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       127 

of  that  year  the  contract  for  this  building  was  let  to  O.  W.  Staley 
for  $15,000.     School  was  opened  in  the  building  January  11,  1892. 

In  1873  the  school  census  of  Adams  County  shows  that  there  were 
407  between  the  ages  of  five  and  twenty-one;  by  1880  the  number 
had  increased  to  3,275.  The  census  of  1916  shows  a  school  population 
of  6,311  and  an  enrolment  of  4,756,  and  the  average  daily  attendance 
was  3,664.  In  1880  the  school  buildings  of  the  county  were  valued 
by  the  district  officers  at  $31,492.20.  In  1916  the  eighty-five  school- 
houses  of  Adams  County  have  an  estimated  value  of  $318,065.  In 
1880  the  sites  belonging  to  the  district  were  estimated  to  be  worth 
$911 :  in  1916  the  estimated  value  of  the  sites  is  $100,093.  In  1880 
the  salaries  of  the  seventy-three  teachers  of  the  county  amounted  to 
$12,505.01.  In  1916,  meaning  the  year  closing  in  June  of  that  year, 
178  teachers  were  employed  and  $107,946.26  was  jJaid  in  salaries; 
$19,361.85  was  paid  to  men  and  $88,584.41  to  women.  The  total 
expenditures  of  the  Adams  County  schools  for  the  year  ending  in 
June,  1916,  was  $198,308.00,  of  which  sum  $12,313.25  was  spent  for 
text  books.  The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  present  high  school 
building,  located  on  Fifth  Street,  between  Hastings  and  Lincoln 
avenues,  was  let  to  Robert  Butke  of  Omaha,  September  14,  1903,  for 
$47,740.  This  was  for  the  building  only;  plumbing,  heating  and 
ventilating  and  all  fiu'nishings  were  let  by  additional  contracts,  the 
total  cost,  including  site,  being  well  towards  $80,000.  On  July  5, 
1904,  a  special  election  to  vote  bonds  for  the  high  school  building- 
was  held,  resulting  in  417  votes  being  cast  for  the  bonds  and  50 
against.  Jacob  Baily,  now  of  Spokane,  Wash.,  Avas  president  of  the 
board  of  education  when  the  building  was  erected.  The  other  board 
members  were  D.  JM.  Ball,  E.  N.  Hamen,  M.  A.  Hartigan,  C.  D.  Nel- 
lis,  C.  H.  I'aulick,  J.  A.  Rose,  John  Slaker  and  J.  C.  Hedge.  The 
amount  of  the  bonds  voted  for  the  high  school  building  was  $40,000. 

In  the  spring  of  1912  the  Hastings  school  district  voted  bonds 
in  the  sum  of  $50,000,  and  that  year  rooms  were  built  at  the  Lincoln 
School  so  planned  as  to  form  the  nucleus  for  extension  at  a  later 
period,  and  the  Alcott  and  Morton  schools  were  remodeled  and 
enlarged.  The  school  levy  of  the  Hastings  school  district  for  1916 
Avas  34  mills,  producing  a  revenue  of  $76,486.36,  and  an  additional 
levy  of  3.5  mills  for  school  bonds  and  producing  $7,714.75. 

The  following  have  served  as  superintendents  of  the  Hastings  city 
schools:  O.  C.  Hubble,  1881  to  1884;  J.  B.  Monlux,  1885  to  1891; 
E.  N.  Brown,  1892  to  1898;  J.  D.  French,  1899  to  1908;  S.  H. 
Thompson,  1908  to  1911 ;  C.  M.  Barr,  1911  to  1915.  T.  W.  B.  Ever- 
hardt  was  elected  city  superintendent  in  the  summer  of  1915  and  is 


128       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  sujjerintendent  at  present.  JManual  training  and  domestic  science 
courses  have  been  offered  in  the  Hastings  High  School  since  1908 
and  in  the  grades  since  1911.  Normal  training,  with  state  aid,  has 
been  offered  in  the  high  school  since  1907;  millinery  instruction  was 
added  in  1915;  agi-iculture,  with  state  aid,  was  placed  in  the  high 
school  in  1914,  and  gardennig  was  placed  in  the  gi-ades  in  1915,  and 
pliysical  training  in  the  grades  and  high  school  was  inaugurated 
in  1914. 

Among  the  teacliers  who  have  served  in  the  Hastings  schools  for 
long  jjeriods  of  time  are  the  JMisses  Nina  Carpenter  and  Emma 
Parker,  each  thirty  years;  JNIiss  Alice  A.  JMason,  twenty-nine  years; 
the  jNIisses  jNIatilda  McClelland  and  Georgia  Holmes,  each  sixteen 
years.  The  name  of  JNIrs.  F.  F.  Carruthers,  formerly  JNIiss  Hattie 
Snodgrass,  aj^jjears  in  the  record  of  the  elections  of  teachers  as  early 
as  1886.  All  of  the  teachers  mentioned  are  still  on  the  teacliing  staff 
of  the  Hastings  schools,  although  ]Mrs.  Carruthers  lias  not  served  con- 
tinuously since  the  date  mentioned. 

Adams  County  towns  outside  of  Hastings  are  equipped  with  cred- 
itable brick  school  Iniildings.  The  Kenesaw  School  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $35,000,  the  Juniata  High  School  cost  $7,000,  and  the  Hol- 
stein  School  cost  cost  $8,000  to  build.  District  No.  20,  southeast  of 
Pauline,  is  the  only  country  school  district  in  the  county  equipped 
with  a  brick  school  building.  This  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$1,000.  In  his  report  made  December  31,  1888,  County  Superin- 
tendent A.  E.  Allyn  credited  Adams  County  with  five  brick  school- 
houses,  seventy-seven  frame  buildings  and  two  sod  school  houses,  and 
placed  the  value  of  the  school  jiropert}'  at  $173,014.  The  first  flag 
raised  over  a  schoolhouse  in  Adams  County  was  hoisted  over  the 
school  building  in  the  Wallace  district  January  G,  1890,  by  W.  E. 
Nute.  One  of  the  early  uses  to  which  the  schoolhouses  were  put  was 
for  the  holding  of  literary  meetings,  known  as  the  "Lyceum." 
Debates  and  readings  were  features  of  these  assemblies. 

At  the  present  time  only  nine  of  the  school  districts  of  Adams 
County  are  carrying  bonded  indebtedness,  and  these  are  districts 
that  have  recently  erected  new  buildings.  These  districts  are  Juniata, 
KenesaAV,  Holstein,  Hastings,  Ayr.  and  rural  districts  fourteen, 
thirty- four,  sixty-nine  and  seventy-five.  In  1916  tlie  standardization 
of  rural  schools  after  the  model  of  Illinois  and  Iowa  was  adopted  by 
Nebraska.  Districts  fourteen  and  thirty-one,  teachers  Blanche  Young 
and  Tecal  [McKeone,  were  the  first  in  Adams  County  to  score 
as  standard.     Scoring  is  made  with  regard  to  teacher,  grounds  and 


-f. 

***** 

"u    11 

IT 

2£ 

K. 

OLD    PUBLIC    SCHOOL    IJl'ILDLN'G,    JUNLATA 


HIGH    SCHOOL   BUILDING,   JUNL\TA 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       129 

buildings,  organization  of  school,  building,  equipment,  results  and 
country  life  agencies. 

Eighty-tAvo  teachers  are  employed  in  the  schools  of  Hastings: 
Ivenesaw,  nine;  Juniata,  seven;  Holstein,  six;  Roseland,  five;  Pauline, 
three;  and  Ayr,  three. 

In  the  fall  of  1916  Hastings  voted  $200,000  in  bonds  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  junior  high  school  and  a  new  schoolhouse  in  the  southeast 
portion  of  the  city. 

Tiie  rapidity  with  which  schools  were  established  in  the  county 
will  appear  in  the  following,  where  dates  of  the  organization  of  dis- 
tricts is  i>'iven: 


District  No.  2  was  organized  January  30th,  first  meeting  of  the 
board,  JNIarch  15th;  No.  4,  January  6th,  first  meeting  of  the  board, 
January  20th;  No.  5,  January  6th,  first  meeting  of  the  board,  Janu- 
ary 20th;  No.  9,  INIarch  18th,  first  board  meeting,  March  25th;  No.  10, 
March  25th,  officers  of  the  board,  Henry  B.  ]\Iunson,  John  Duncan 
and  John  Woods;  No.  12,  INIarch  1st,  first  board  meeting,  ^Vlarch  9th: 
No.  13,  jNIarch  14th,  first  board  meeting,  March  20th;  No.  14,  April 
2d;  No.  15,  organized  1872;  No.  16,  June  1,  1872;  No.  17,  1872;  No. 
18  (Hastings)  July  13th,  first  board  meeting,  July  20th;  No.  19, 
August  10th,  first  board  meeting,  August  24th;  No.  20,  September 
23d,  first  board  meeting,  October  5th;  No.  21,  September  23d,  first 
board  meeting,  October  5th;  No.  22,  September  28th,  first  board 
meeting,  October  6th;  No.  24,  October  10th,  first  board  meeting, 
October  15th;  No.  25,  October  26th,  first  board  meeting,  November 
2(1;  No.  26,  September  23d,  first  board  meeting,  November  12th;  No. 
28,  December  2d,  first  board  meeting,  December  7th ;  No.  29,  Decem- 
ber 18th,  first  board  meethig.  December  26th;  No.  30,  December  30th, 
first  board  meeting,  January  4th. 

1873 

District  No.  6  was  organized  August  21st,  first  board  meeting, 
August  28th;  No.  31,  January  2d,  first  board  meeting,  January  11th; 
No.  32,  January  7th,  first  board  meeting,  January  14th;  No.  33, 
February  3d,  first  board  meeting,  February  10th;  No.  34,  IMarch 
6th.  first  board  meeting,  March  12th;  No.  35,  INIarch  10th,  first  board 
meeting.  ]March  15th;  No.  36,  April  8th,  first  board  meeting,  Ajjril 
16th:  No.  37,  July  14th,  first  board  meeting,  July  30th;  No.  39, 
October  2d,  first  board  meeting,  October  llth;  No.  41,  December  31st. 


130       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1874 

District  No.  7  was  organized  jMay  18tli,  first  board  meeting,  Jan- 
uary 6th;  No.  27,  November  2.5th,  first  board  meeting,  December 
2.5th;  No.  40,  December,  first  board  meeting,  January  26th;  No.  42, 
January  30th,  first  board  meeting,  February  25th;  No.  43,  January 
30th,  first  board  meeting,  February  25th;  No.  44,  February  3d,  first 
board  meeting,  February  28th;  No.  45,  ]March  17th,  first  board  meet- 
ing, JNIarch  30th;  No.  46,  February  17th,  first  board  meeting,  April  1st; 
No.  47,  JMarch  17th,  first  board  meeting,  March  31st;  No.  48,  ]March 
27th,  first  board  meeting,  April  2d;  No.  49,  February  5th,  first  board 
meeting  February  28th;  No.  50,  September  5th,  first  board  meeting 
September  14th;  No.  51,  September  17th,  first  board  meeting,  Sep- 
tember 26th;  No.  52,  November  16th,  first  board  meeting,  November 
25th:  No.  53,  December  15th,  first  board  meeting,  December  2 1st. 

1875 

District  No.  54  was  organized  January  4th,  first  board  meeting, 
January  5th;  No.  oo,  January  20th;  first  board  meeting,  January 
30th;  No.  56,  February  22d,  first  board  meeting,  February  25th; 
No.  57,  February,  first  board  meeting,  February  3d;  No.  58;  No.  59, 
April  3d,  first  board  meeting,  April  10th;  No.  60,  organized  ^Vpril 
16th;  No.  61,  April  14th,  first  board  meeting,  April  25th. 

1876 

District  No.  63  was  organized  January  5th,  first  board  meeting, 
January  15th;  No.  64,  January  31st,  first  board  meeting,  February 
10th. 

1879 

District  No.  62  was  organized  April  18th.  and  the  first  meeting 
of  the  board  was  on  May  2d. 

1880 

District  No.  65  was  organized  February  18th;  No.  66,  February 
15th:  No.  67,  June  9th. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       131 

GKOWTH    IX    SCHOOL    POPULATION 


Children  of  school  age  in  1876  and  1916: 


Districi 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distr 

Distric 

Distri 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Dist 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 

Distric 


t  No.    1 

tNo.    2 

tNo.    3 

tNo.    4 

t  No.    5 

t  No.    6 

tNo.    7 

tNo.    8 

tNo.    9 

tNo.  10 

tNo.  11 

tNo.  12 

t  No.  13 

tNo.  14 

t  No.  15 

tNo.  16 

tNo.  17 

tNo.  18 1 

tNo.  19 

tNo.  20 

t  No.  21 

t  No.  22 

t  No.  23 

t  No.  24 

t  No.  2.5 

t  No.  26 

t  No.  27 

tNo.  28 

t  No.  29 

t  No.  30 

t  No.  31 

t  No.  32 

tNo.  33 

tNo.  34 

t  No.  35 

tNo.  36 

tNo.  37 

t  No.  38 


876 

74 

39 

14 
17 
21 
17 
10 
23 
23 

16 
15 
20 

76 
76 
89 
24 
12 
20 
39 
27 
29 
14 


1916 

155 
36 

207 
13 
35 
96 
42 
80 
53 
40 

145 
61 
46 
37 
24 
30 
31 
J009 
40 
37 
17 
33 
34 
34 


132       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Children  of  school  age  m  1876  and  1916 :           1876  1916 

District  No.  39 20  20 

District  No.  40 11  36 

District  No.  41 12  55 

District  No.  42 14  126 

District  No.  43 59  26 

District  No.  44 16  16 

District  No.  45 21  22 

District  No.  46 5  39 

District  No.  47 16  36 

District  No.  48 22  32 

District  No.  49 5  35 

District  No.  50 17  32 

District  No.  51 17  38 

District  No.  52 15  51 

District  No.  53 83 

District  No.  54 10  31 

District  No.  55 31  29 

District  No.  56 21  29 

District  No.  57 11  42 

District  No.  58 1 

District  No.  59 4 

District  No.  60 18  53 

District  No.  61 7  21 

District  No.  62 44 

District  No.  63 53 

District  No.  64 48 

District  No.  65 31 

District  No.  66 38 

District  No.  67 57 

District  No.  68 21 

District  No.  69 27 

District  No.  70 20 

District  No.  71 41 

District  No.  72 9 

District  No.  73 23 

District  No.  74 36 

District  No.  75 37 

District  No.  76 29 

District  No.  77 39 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY       133 

Children  of  school  age  in  1870  and  1910:  1870  1910 

District  No.  78 20 

District  No.  80 13 

District  No.  81 70 

District  No.  101 30 


GRADUATES  OF  HASTINGS  HIGH  SCHOOL 
1884 

Clara  Green,  Leta  Plorlocker,  Carrie  Kimball. 

1885 

Edwin  Crane,  Bertha  Green,  William  Jones,  Edward  Fowlie. 
Fannie  Green  and  Olga  Jorgensen. 

1880 

Will  E.  Adams,  Mabel  I.  Brobst,  Lulu  E.  Burbank,  Anna  Cham- 
berlin,  Kate  E.  Crane,  Aaron  W.  Croft,  Will  H.  Wigton,  ]\Iaud  H. 
Jorgensen,  Emma  M.  Nowlan  and  Fannie  E.  Shedd. 

1888 

Jennie  Carpenter,  Emma  Chamberlin,  Alonzo  INI.  Crisman,  jNIame 
W.  Dungan,  Lenore  J.  Fountain.  Bertha  F.  Kent,  Julia  E.  Noyes, 
Grace  Phillips,  Florence  B.  Work. 

1889 

Clyde  B.  Aitchison,  Effie  Albright,  Fay  G.  Babcock,  INIay  Bern- 
hard,  Sarah  J.  Bushnell,  Alma  J.  Chapman,  Lena  A.  Cramer,  Frank 
C.  Doty,  Edith  Hayzlett,  Josie  M.  Hoeppner,  Sherman  G.  Miller, 
George  E.  Payne,  Rose  E.  Stine,  Jennie  L.  Walker,  Lila  H.  Weeks. 

1890 
Birdie  Atwood,  Frank  Kennan,  INIaggie  jNIonroe,  Willard  Tobie. 

1891 

Hattie  Burke,  Belle  Caldwell,  Will  Dungan,  Ella  Dust,  Bessie 
Nowlan,  Fred  Shurb,  Elsa  Tedrow  and  Cora  Woods. 


134       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1892 

Helen  Allen.  jNIary  Adams,  Florence  Jones,  Silas  B.  Lyman, 
Addie  Morrill,  MyrtlePease,  Mara  Sill.  Hal  B.  Tedrow  and  Milton 
P.  Yocum. 

In  1893  ^liss  Bertha  Horlocker  was  the  only  member  of  the  senior 
class.  JNIiss  Horlocker  chose  to  be  graduated  with  the  class  of  the 
following  year. 

1894 

Myrtle  ]M.  Brown.  John  D.  Fuller,  Phillip  Hart  Fuller,  Luc\ 
Hakes,  Bertha  Horlocker,  Edith  Lamson,  Etta  Lamson,  Arthur 
Palmer,  Roy  Stone.  JNIay  Wanzer  and  Ruth  Wilson. 

189.5 

Grace  xVll)right,  ^label  Baily.  INIaud  E.  Bowman,  James  B. 
Brown,  Louise  Carnahan,  Will  Clarke.  Paul  B.  Dungan,  Ida  E. 
Gilbreth,  Rose  Hynes,  Frank  P.  Newmyer,  Alfred  PettygTove.  Alma 
Radinski,  Bert  W.  Serf,  Ethel  Shumway,  Charles  Stein,  Wilson 
Stichter,  Edwin  L.  Tobie,  Arthur  W.  Walker,  Fannie  B.  Williams. 

1896 

EfRe  I.  Eckles.  Elizabeth  E.  Fisher.  Merton  L.  Francis,  Aleck 
Groenewold,  Ella  Groenewold,  Julia  Heartwell,  Fenton  P.  Kelsey. 
Marie  Kinnan.  Arthur  J.  Niles,  ]Margaret  Pickens  and  Eva  Stewart. 

1897 

Henry  B.  Allen,  Waldorf  A.  Baker,  W.  Bechtelheimer,  Edward 
A.  Beck.  Nellie  Bratney,  Earle  Casto,  E.  Lulu  Coleman,  JNIay  E. 
Comley.  Grace  F.  Fonts,  Julia  M.  Jones,  Florence  Letson,  Carrie 
J.  ]\Iansfield.  IMarie  P.  McCreary.  Adna  H.  IMcDonald,  Lulu  M. 
Moeller,  Julia  M.  Palmer,  Jessie  B.  Pease,  Marion  Stichter,  Smith 
W.  Stoddard,  Edna  L.  Webster,  Gertnide  Weingart,  Zelma  Wil- 
longhby. 

1898 

Earle  T.  Arnold,  Ira  E.  Campbell,  Jessie  F.  Cramer,  Viola  Croft, 
Christine  B.  Deines,  Arthur  F.  Douglas,  IMelvina  D.  Eckels,  Ralph 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       135 

K.  Ferguson,  JNlabel  JNIcGaw,  Vera  A.  INIann,  Edyth  Payne,  Pearl 
Pettygrove,  Mae  E.  Rees,  Zetta  Rowe,  Faye  P.  Shumway,  Lulah 
E.  Taylor,  Charles  Vastine. 

1899 

Grace  Bigelow,  Ralpli  Deets,  Luella  Douglas,  Goldie  Edgerton, 
Grace  Edwards,  James  Ferguson,  Ola  Ladd,  Laura  IVIann,  ]\Iary 
Mead,  June  Xewmyer,  JNIarjorie  Russell,  Lawrence  Scott,  Robert 
Scott  and  Sainuel  Steward. 

1900 

Ren  Baily,  Hardy  Cloyd,  Esse  Hamot,  Grace  Noyes,  Corinne 
Altlien,  Lunian  E.  Morgan,  Lydia  H.  jMorgan,  Laura  Payne,  Mary 
Kelley.  3Liry  D.  Baker,  Lillo  A.  Bratton,  Archie  B.  Hopper,  Miriam 
Alberta  klaxon,  Xellie  Sherman,  Gertrude  E.  Winter,  Bertha  A. 
Yost,  flattie  E.  Hedge,  Walter  Lamoreaux,  Wallace  Phillips. 

1901 

Daisy  Carnalian.  Belle  Chambers.  Lylle  Coleman,  JNlabel  Croft, 
Alex  Dunlap.  Clara  Fisher,  James  Fisher,  Ada  Garver,  Albert  Goe- 
bel,  Guy  Kress,  Harry  Kidder,  Jessie  Lamoreaux,  'S^'ictor  Langevin, 
Hattie  Ogg,  William  Pickens,  Tracy  Rapp,  Lillian  Shellak,  Helen 
Stein,  Emma  Stichter,  JNlabel  E.  Stone,  Florence  Sherman,  Roy  Shuf- 
fleberger,  JNlabel  D.  Stone,  Bessie  Stone,  Bertha  Stout,  Flossie  Stout, 
Henrietta  Weymouth,  Grace  Winter,  Harriet  Pearson. 

1902 

Ena  Brach.  Grace  Bunce.  Estella  Craig,  John  Carnahan,  JNlabel 
Cramer,  Rena  Deets.  Charles  Duer,  JNIargaret  Dunlaji,  Edna  Dunbar, 
Fred  Fairman,  Bertha  Groenewold,  Blanch  Hoagland,  Teresa  Kelley, 
JNIinnie  Larsen,  Arthur  Lockwood,  Anna  JNIcDonald,  JNIattie  Noyes, 
Beatrice  Oliver,  Ona  Reed,  Laura  Stark,  Paul  Stark. 

1903 

JNLidge  Baily,  Ruth  Bates,  Blanche  JNI.  Cantwell,  Naomi  Chap- 
man, Bessie  L.  Duer,  Nellie  Edith  French,  Abbie  Mabel  Hallock, 
Hale  JNI.  Hunt,  JNIarv  Alice  Jordan,  Thomas  B.  Kerr,  Helen  INIeston, 


136       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

Hem-}'  R.  Sewell,  Bernice  Aldrich,  James  E.  Boehne,  Edwin  C. 
Boyd,  Eugene  Star  Cole,  JNIildied  Dunn,  Pearl  Edna  Farney,  Lulu 
E.  Funk,  Cora  E.  Hutchinson,  Ira  S.  Mansfield,  Lauren  O.  Millildn, 
Lydia  A.  'W^'oodbury.  Thomas  A.  Atkinson,  ]Mary  Amelia  Fawthrop, 
Harvey  Howard  Jones,  H.  Grace  Lamoreaux,  Kathryn  Stichter. 

1904 

Inez  Bratney,  Florence  Benedict,  Edna  Johnson,  Francis  Doug- 
las, Kate  L.  Lijjpert,  Alice  Batty,  Vida  Ferguson,  Veva  Russell, 
Grace  Phillips,  INIaude  Johnson,  Edith  Lehr,  Bessie  Crites,  Kate 
Lenhart,  Lou  Howland,  Ross  Sexson,  Sigfried  Jacks,  Helen  Dillen- 
bach,  Minnie  Durkee,  Elsie  Moore,  Ethel  Doyen,  Edward  Barrett, 
Stella  Trimble,  iNIyrtle  Fisher,  Agnes  Langevin,  Anna  Barrett. 

190,5 

Louise  Baehr,  ]Mabel  Bates,  Rose  E.  Bowles,  Kurt  Boyd,  Latta 
Devereaux,  Clara  JM.  Drollinger.  Shepherd  i\I.  Dunlap.  Sidney 
Evans,  John  A.  Ferguson,  Ena  M.  Hamot,  Ethel  Baker,  Etheloyn 
Willey,  Carrie  Woodbury,  Plenry  Blomenkamp,  William  Coleman, 
Irene  Conoughy,  Xelly  Daly,  Milford  Deets,  Robert  L.  Hitch.  Al- 
bert L.  JNIay,  Effie  Peabody,  Elwood  INI.  Pinkerton,  Harry  Proffitt. 

1906 

Flora  Cantwell,  Erma  Spicer,  JNIinnie  R.  Spicer,  JNIabel  Richey, 
Florence  M.  ^Nliles,  Doris  Toedter,  ]Mary  Koehler,  F.  W.  Blomen- 
kamp, Bessie  Hammonds,  Erlem  Bratney,  George  Panzer,  [Malcom 
Sewell,  Charles  Wicker,  Grace  Wicker,  G.  L.  Greenfield,  Latta 
Snider,  Willard  JNIann,  Elizabeth  Bowlus,  Lulu  Hoppe,  Forrest  Sims, 
Harold  Snyder,  Ruth  C.  Fahrney,  Gertrude  Crowley,  Daisy  Hall. 

1907 

Marguerite  M.  Alexander,  Theodore  H.  Bierman,  Harry  R.  Ball, 
Helen  M.  Barrett,  Elgin  F.  Bratney,  E.  Gertrude  Croft,  Julia  E. 
Cass,  Florence  Dutton,  Faye  E.  Edgerton,  John  L.  Hamsher,  Jennie 
M.  Jordan.  Olive  jNI.  Jones,  Grace  E.  Knicely,  Charles  ]M.  IMatliews, 
Walter  L.  INIeyer,  Florence  Xewmyer,  Clara  jNI.  Panzer,  William  F. 
Raney,  Carl  O.  Rinderspacher,  Helen  L.  Stein,  Howai-d  JNI.  Sheaff, 
and  Hazel  L.  Wheeler. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY       137 

1908 

Elvira  Balfanz,  Venia  ]M.  Barrett.  Majorie  A.  Blackman,  Ilva 
Boiler,  Pearl  Boyd,  Gretchen  Campbell,  Ernest  Cornelius,  Leo  E. 
Crowley,  Joseph  D.  Dallas,  Grace  O.  Dick,  Ida  Drollinger,  Bessie 
Dunlap,  Stella  A.  Eggers,  Nora  Fonts,  George  Flowerday,  Dorothy 
D.  ]McCreary,  Bedford  Johnson,  JNIarie  Kauf,  Marie  Keal,  Irene  A. 
Xernan,  Pauline  Lynn,  JNIabel  Hansen,  Lillian  Mason,  Hattie  ]M. 
]Miller,  I^awrence  Nance,  Doris  E.  Roelse,  Elizabeth  K.  Slaker, 
L.  Birdie  Sleuman,  Albert  B.  Tibbets,  :M.  Ruth  Tibbets,  Garet 
Vreeland,  and  Blanch  E.  Weeks. 

1909 

]Mabel  D.  Alexander,  Elsie  Behrens.  Luella  Balfanz,  Pavd  Bam- 
ford,  Ella  Batty,  August  Blonienkamp,  Charles  C.  Benedict,  Edward 
L.  Baugh,  Lorene  J.  Barlass.  Raymond  Brown,  Hazel  Catterson, 
Delevan  J.  Cole,  Francis  P.  Dameron,  Ethel  E.  Decker,  ]Marie  I. 
Dillow,  Reuben  G.  Dunlap,  Edgar  C.  Dykeman,  ]Mae  B.  Edwards. 
Oliver  C.  Forrester.  Orpha  O.  Funk,  Lillis  J.  Tennant,  Lilia  I. 
Fleming,  Elnora  N.  Foster,  Guy  C.  Gossard,  Perly  E.  Hansen,  Ethel 
H.  Greenfield,  Grace  H.  Hoppe,  Effie  L.  Hocking,  Clyde  H.  Kinsey, 
^Marguerite  ]M.  Levy,  J.  Frank  Mead.  Ida  H.  Panzer,  Effie  M.  Rapp, 
Una  Reed,  ]Mabelle  Riffe,  Raymond  ]M.  Roelse,  Jennie  B.  Rozelle, 
INIarion  B.  Slater,  Louis  H.  Stein,  Clara  INI.  Schaff. 

1910 

James  Everett  Allison,  Arthur  Ernest  Allyn,  Bessie  Irene  Barr, 
Wilhelmene  Berdine,  Winfield  Grant  Boyd,  Clarence  Frederick 
Brownell,  Carl  William  Cooke,  Edna  ]\Iay  Davis,  Ella  Sarah  Decker, 
Hannah  iMaines  Dunlap,  Carl  Andrew  Funk,  JMartha  ]Marie  Guef- 
froy,  Clarissa  Ella  Hall,  Lura  Ellen  Haskin,  Julia  Holm,  Alberta 
Hosier,  Howard  Homer  Huxtable,  Gertnide  Kathryn  Johnston, 
Hazel  Eleanor  Klein,  Beryl  Anna  Laird,  Ruth  Elizabeth  ]Martin, 
]Merle  INIerritt,  Rufus  Glenn  McCue,  Lorena  Elizabeth  ]McKeone, 
Carl  Herman  Panzer,  Edith  Victoria  Patterson,  Augiista  Amia 
Schlick,  Walter  Scott  Spicer,  Helen  Henrietta  Taedter,  Nellie  PLmma 
Tondinson,  Leah  Eveline  Tresenriter,  Irma  Louise  Vance,  Grace 
JNIarie  Weiler,  Erma  Fyetta  Wheeler,  Forest  Greenfield  Wheeler. 

1911 

Nell  Pierce.  Albert  Edgar  Raney,  Harold  V.  Roelse,  Hazel  Rob- 
inson, Paul  Schissler,  Jr.,  Hazel  E.  Shouse,  Helen  O.  Jones,  Ruth 


138       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Levy,  Beatrice  Langevin,  Elsie  Jean  ^lartin,  Lorenzo  INIann,  Clare 
Joseph  JNIeyer,  Uretta  JNIiller,  Orpha  Tresenriter,  Louis  E.  Uden, 
Viola  E.  Uerling,  Arthur  C.  Vance,  ]M.  ]Marie  Vastine,  Bessie  Wat- 
kins,  Clarence  Yager,  JNIartha  Butzirus.  Norma  Carst)n,  Beulah  E. 
Davidson,  Winnie  Davy,  Esther  Dreitzler,  Donald  Duane  Duncan, 
Bessie  B.  ]Moore,  Hattie  ]Moore,  Vera  McCroskey,  Antonie  JNI.  Otto, 
Florence  L.  Parks,  Hazel  E.  Parks,  Luke  Parker,  Eloise  ]M.  Barlass, 
Ralph  G.  Batty,  Alvina  Blonienkanip,  Ida  Blonienkamp,  INIary 
Virginia  Bowles,  JNIae  Brennan,  Donovan  A.  Brooke,  Julia  Guil- 
mette,  Harr}-  Forrest  Hayward,  Ruth  Holmes,  Hester  ^Nlarie  Hoon, 
Clarke  J.  Johnston,  Daisy  Anita  Joynt.  Rodney  Samuel  DunlajD, 
George  R.  Dutton,  Delia  Hyacinth  Fuehrer,  Emma  Fuehrer,  Theo- 
dore L.  Frank,  Alice  Gowdy  and  Gertrude  E.  Greenfield. 

1912 

Lee  Elliott  Browne,  ^Marguerite  Adams,  Waldorf  H.  Brach,  Vera 
Ij.  Brown,  Josephine  Laura  Blue,  Vern  Elber  Christo^jher,  Viretta 
V.  Deets,  Erma  Doty,  Yale  H.  Cavett,  Beulah  Grace  Erwin,  ^Mabel 
M.  Eastwood,  Clifford  Carl  Fink,  Pauline  Anna  Felzein,  Ermil  J.  E. 
Forrester,  James  Gibson,  Gladys  Beatrice  Garratt,  Ralph  Aj-thur 
Gossard,  Olive  ]\Iarie  Graham,  Wayne  Hayward,  JNIae  Gaines, 
William  A.  Hardin,  Elsie  Winifred  Gildea,  George  Ebert  Kline, 
Louise  O.  Hamel,  Carl  F.  Kohl,  Allie  D.  Harrenstein,  George  B. 
Kindig,  Hazel  R.  Holder.  Walter  INIcCarty,  Lucile  Helms.  John  E. 
]\Iatheny,  Leta  Frances  Itzen,  William  Ward  JNIartin,  AVanda  J. 
Kimmel,  James  Reed  IVIcCreary,  Selma  L.  Kauf,  Carl  E.  Pratt, 
Sadie  E.  Knopf,  Ijaverne  A.  Pope.  Elizabeth  Lehr.  Clarke  L.  Ryan, 
Nina  A.  JNIontague,  Rolland  L.  Ritchey,  Elizabeth  Gladys  JNIorgan, 
Joseph  Spellman,  Elsie  R.  Patterson,  Joseph  Hugh  Steele.  Viola  I. 
Pielstick,  Winfield  Stein,  Neva  B.  Rhiner,  Henrietta  M.  Raney, 
Sadie  Rosenau,  IMildred  Stein,  Tracy  Ferris  Tyler,  Nelton  H.  Baker, 
Mabel  JNIae  Stiner,  Rilla  E.  Scherrich,  Ruby  Leon  Smith,  Zelma  G.. 
Shore,  Paul  Spurgeon  Walters,  Clara  Swanson,  Clara  R.  Suchland, 
Wanda  lona  Strong,  Esther  F.  Schultz,  Bruce  Foster  Whitney, 
Marjorie  L.  Simpson,  Daisy  O.  Tompkins,  Vi  Eva  Vastine,  Vera 
Williams,  INI.  Jean  Laird.  Elsie  JNIay  Hibbard,  JNIary  E.  Higin- 
botham.  Ella  INI.  Tresem-iter,  Nora  E.  Brown,  JNIae  E.  Christopher. 
Alice  Emma  Hibbard. 

1913 

Joe  Davis.  Renata  Otto.  Paul  ISIann,  Bert  Barr.  Ruth  JNIann, 
Ruth  Bracken,  Florence  Holder,  Everett  Newkirk,  Beth  Tomilson, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       139 

Hazel  ^Villianl.s.  Harold  Rosenau,  ^Margaret  Lay,  Ada  Kee,  Fred 
Johnson,  P^uniee  Taylor,  Vida  Coulter,  Vance  Hewitt,  Bessie  Reese, 
Hazel  Hawthorne.  \N'ilbin-  Smith,  Ellzola  Banta,  Florence  Squires, 
Grover  Hehnann.  Katherine  Parker,  Cecil  Howard,  Edgar  Huxtable, 
JNIareta  Lepinski.  ^larguerite  Hughes,  Roy  Phelps,  Flossie  Bute, 
JNIildred  Foster,  Herman  Biskie.  Eva  Smiley,  Ruby  JMarion,  Gayle 
Foster,  Helen  Keith,  Robert  ^McLaughlin,  Gleah  Brown,  Allosius 
Siren,  Earl  Paik,  Glenn  Crafford,  Tay  U.  Chung,  Ina  Owens,  Fred 
Pagenkhoff,  ^Marian  Egelhoff,  Julia  Bushee,  Lawrence  Van  Sickle, 
Esther  Stein,  Addie  Spangler,  Harry  Walters,  Blanche  Westering. 
Ethel  Sheaff,  Lawrence  Hines.  Frida  Stulken,  Ida  Anderson,  Roy 
Ramsey,  Carolyn  Kimball,  Ada  Hatfield,  Ernest  Swanson,  Elsie 
^Vay,  Alfreda  Clark,  Sylvester  Siren,  JMadge  Ranch,  Nettie  Lorentz, 
"N'irgil  Stuart,  Ethel  Vance,  Vera  jNIaunder,  Walker  Sleuman,  ]Melva 
Vance,  Marie  Strouse,  Lloyd  Williams,  JNIildred  Van  Avery,  Ida 
Ijindsay,  JNlaynard  Edwards,  Howard  Turpit,  ]Merville  Vance,  Will 
Lowman,  Henry  Kim,  Blanche  Whisnand. 
1914 

Elmer  Scott,  Elizabeth  Simpson,  Edna  M.  Siekman,  Helen 
Sheaff.  Gladys  Sutter,  Florence  Sliger,  Albert  Theobald,  Gordon 
Taft,  Ray  Trowbridge,  INIiniva  Tomlinson,  Henry  Taedter,  Aiuia 
Tj'aut,  Lois  Tooley,  Don  Webster,  Rose  Waldron,  JMarion  Catherine 
A\'ood,  Helen  Weiler,  Kenneth  Westering,  Frances  V\''yckoff ,  Helen 
AVilliams.  William  AVheeler,  IMinona  Winter,  Howard  A.  Arasmith, 
Howard  Barlass,  Guy  Bonham,  Frances  M.  H.  Baniford,  Fern 
Beigh.  Paula  Brennen,  Eloise  Boiler,  IMarguerite  Bracken,  Burgess 
Creeth.  LeRoy  Cook.  JMelvin  Cramer.  Nellie  Cook.  Ruth  Deveraux. 
Kathryn  Dunlap.  Irene  Doty.  Gertrude  Dreitzler.  Viola  Drollinger, 
Artha  Englebright,  Ruby  Eversman,  Harriet  Greenfield,  Kathryn 
Gildea,  Edna  Gartner,  Louis  Goldenstein,  Frank  Gaston,  Ruby  B. 
Gra])ill,  Edgar  Huxtable,  Helen  Hallock,  Gertrude  Horn,  Samuel 
Hong,  Oscar  Hansen,  Oneta  Hollister.  Isadore  Johnson,  Lenore 
Johnson,  Joseph  Kealy,  Julia  Keal,  Lucile  Kieth,  Merle  J.  Likeley, 
Catherine  Lynn,  JMary  Lovell.  Sadie  JMitchelmore,  Ellen  JMaunder, 
Hazel  JMessick,  Ruth  McWhirter,  Tecal  IMcKeone,  J.  H.  Neu.  Clar- 
ence Orton,  IMerle  ]M.  Peterson,  Grace  Patterson,  Rant  Peters,  Wini- 
fred Paden,  Helen  Pyle,  Gertrude  Rees,  Clarence  H.  Scherrick, 
William  Schaufelberger,  Vernon  Slueman,  Earl  Smiley,  and  Riley 
Stein. 

1915 

Harry  W.  R.  Anderson,  Edith  Helen  Ashley,  E.  Janet  Benedict, 
Carl  W.  F.  Blomenkamp,  Chester  D.  Bobbitt,  Carter  Allen  Cannon, 


1^0       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Polly  Cannon,  Bessie  I.  Clark,  Laurence  Palmer  Clark,  Ruth  Daugh- 
ert_y,  Esther  Laura  P^isher,  ^^''illianl  Hugo  Flynn,  Diantha  J.  Fran- 
sisco,  Walter  L.  Good,  Norma  Lee  Graham,  Ivan  ]M.  Hall,  ^Myrtle 
Lillian  Harrell,  Hazel  L.  Harter,  Gilbert  U.  Haynes,  Hazel  Eliza- 
beth Hitch,  Wilhelmena  JNL  Janssen,  Bessie  S.  Kaser,  Louise  L. 
Kinsey,  Frederick  D.  Klein,  Katherine  C.  Kohl,  Viola  J.  Lange,. 
JNIarion  L.  Lawler,  Howard  Choo  Lee,  James  Lee,  ]Margery  D. 
Likely,  T.  Darwin  JMcCarl,  Erla  Thelma  JNIcCarl,  Pearl  :\Iagner, 
Vern  INIanahan,  Helen  M.  Nance,  Anna  INIarie  Pagenkopf,  Willard 
Holcomb  Parks,  JNIaceo  M.  Richardson,  Glenn  Rife,  INIargie  R.  Riley, 
Harry  A.  Rinderspacher,  Russell  L.  Rohrer,  Esther  E.  Scherick, 
W.  Russell  Sheets,  JNIertice  JNIar  jorie  Shreve,  Grace  Simmering,  Susan 
jNIay  Simpson,  JMary  Armilda  Steele,  Gladys  M.  Stephenson,  Luther 
E.  Stein,  Ruth  Elizabeth  Straight,  Hattie  Van  Boening,  John  J.  Van 
Boening,  ]Mabelle  B.  Vance,  Verna  Leigh  Vance,  jNIarion  Van  Every, 
Lela  E.  Van  JNIatre,  Lloyd  J.  Whitehouse,  Frieda  Wiegman.  Com- 
mercial Course — JNIargret  E.  Bramble,  Lester  R.  Coulter,  Henry 
E.  Davidson,  Edith  L.  Fairbanks,  Nevada  Almeda  Winter. 

191G 

Genevieve  C.  Addleman,  Nellie  E.  Aikman.  Ruth  Arasmith,  Dora 
Ashby,  Sigred  B.  Benson,  Anna  L.  Binfield,  Bess  Ruth  Binfield, 
Irene  Brannagan,  Gertrude  IMarie  Brown,  Veda  B.  Chancy,  JMabel 
E.  Clark,  INIary  Helen  Coon,  ]Marjorie  ]May  Cornelius,  Ruth  Eleanor 
Doty,  Mabel  Alto  Doty,  Armilda  Dutton,  Ida  ]Mae  Elliott,  Audrey 
H.  .Farrell,  Helen  Esther  Fawthrop,  Grace  Olive  Gibson,  Nita  Pau- 
line Grubb,  Dorothy  M.  Hansen,  Pauline  L.  Hardt.  Irene  ^lyrtle 
Hawthorne,  Hazel  Holmes,  Julia  Starr  Jordan.  Bernice  Keith,  "Slu- 
riel  R.  Lee,  Frances  Eugenie  Lorentz,  Allegra  Edith  ]Maunder,  Ruth 
Paulene  JNIotter,  Crystal  Leonell  INIunroe,  jNIary  Helen  ]Murray,  Ruth 
Clorinne  Nellis,  Ethyle  JNIarie  Parry,  Laura  Belle  Poulson.  Pauline 
Price,  Retta  IMarian  Rainforth,  Agnes  INIae  Siren,  Esther  C.  Sopher, 
Ruth  Stein,  Ada  Anetta  Terhune,  Esther  Tresenriter,  Hedwig  Clara 
Way,  Florence  Guc-da  Woerner,  IMarie  Elizabeth  Weyenberg,  Lola 
S.  Smith,  Virginia  Ruth  Kindig.  Adison  Adams,  C.  Howard  Aikman, 
W.  INIercer  Alexander,  Robert  B.  Ash,  Jr.,  Elbert  A.  Baugh.  Loyd 
A.  Behrends,  Charles  Burton  Brown.  Ellsworth  Clayton  Brown, 
INIorris  D.  Cramer,  Wayne  H.  Denning,  Sarah  INIartha  Hollister, 
Fred  M.  Deutsch,  Howard  M.  Doty,  Ward  D.  Dunlap,  Floyd  p:iler, 
George  J.  Fisk,  Charles  E.  Francis.  Glenn  INIcLean  Geyer,  Charles 
Lamont  Gever,  George  E.  Hall.  DufF  S.  Hansen,  Carroll  D.  Hilde- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       141 

brand.  Charles  William  Keal,  Harry  Kreiger,  Clyde  S.  W.  JNIartin, 
Alexander  JMeiiiinger,  Kay  W.  Meserall,  Elwood  JNIurray,  Clifford 
Poulson,  Jim  P.  lligg,  Henry  Herman  Schleuning,  Sylvester  Leo 
Schlick,  Harold  H.  Schultz,  Lloyd  Slife,  Bryan  W.  Stromer,  Fred 
J.  AVhitaker,  Fred  C.  ^Veigman,  JNIarguerite  Beatrice  ISIcIntosh, 
Edna  Elizabeth  Knapp,  Elsie  M.  Needham,  Ojjal  Rosamond  Nich- 
olas, Rose  Katherine  Polenske,  Grace  Roth,  Hazel  M.  Shore,  Paul  L. 
Yundt,  Yerna  Celesta  Stover,  Helen  E.  Suchland. 

HxVSTIXGS    COLLEGE 

Describing  the  beginning  of  Hastings  College  in  a  commencement 
address  delivered  June  3,  1907,  the  first  president  of  the  institution, 
Di-.  \y.  F.  Ringland,  said:  "In  August,  1873,  in  a  frame  store  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street,  about  half 
way  back  in  the  store  on  the  east  side,  there  stood,  inside  the  counter, 
JMr.  Sanmel  Alexander  and  Cajjtain  A.  D.  Yocum,  and  on  the  outside 
of  the  counter,  Mr.  A.  L.  Wigton.  The  latter  gentleman  said  to  the 
other  two,  'AMiy  not  have  a  Presbyterian  college  in  Hastings  T  The 
idea  of  Hastings  College  thus  sprang  into  existence." 

]Mr.  ^Vigton  was  the  editor  of  the  Hastings  Journal  and  a  short 
time  thereafter  gave  expression  to  the  idea  in  his  newspajjer.  The 
result  of  this  expression  of  an  idea  is  noticed  in  the  record  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Kearney  presbytery  which  then  included  all  the  terri- 
tory covered  by  Hastings  and  Kearney  presbyteries.  This  meeting 
was  held  in  November,  1873,  and  the  question  of  founding  a  college 
at  Hastings  was  discussed.  The  Synod  of  Nebraska  was  not  yet 
formed,  but  it  was  anticipated  that  it  would  be  at  the  next  general 
assembly.  At  this  meeting  of  the  presbytery  a  committee  composed 
of  the  Rev.  James  A.  Griff  es,  Rev.  Nahum  Gould  and  A.  L.  Wigton, 
was  appointed  to  receive  propositions  for  donations  of  lands  and 
funds  to  be  used  for  the  founding  of  a  college.  When  the  Synod  was 
formed  in  May,  1874,  it  extended  its  moral  support  to  the  project 
of  founding  a  college  at  Hastings,  but  declined  to  take  the  financial 
responsibility  of  the  enterprise. 

The  jiromoters,  however,  were  by  no  means  discouraged,  and  in 
November,  the  board  of  trustees  elected  the  following  officers :  Pres- 
ident. .Tames  A.  Griff  es;  vice  president,  J.  S.  IMcIntyre;  secretary, 
J.  Balangee;  treasurer,  Samuel  Alexander.  The  board  itself  had  been 
formed  some  time  in  1873,  and  was  composed  of  the  following:  Sam- 
uel Alexander,  A.  L.  Wigton,  Samuel  Reed,  M.  K.  Lewis,  A.  W. 
Cox,  George  W.  Dade  and  the  Rev.  James  A.  Griff  es.     In  187J<,  the 


142       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

grasshoppers  desti'oj'ed  the  crojjs  in  Adams  County,  and  there  resulted 
a  spirit  of  dejjression  not  calculated  to  further  new  enterprises  involv- 
ing the  hazard  of  a  new  college.  Not  until  1879  did  the  movement 
take  on  an  encouraging  aspect. 

In  September,  1882,  the  college  was  organized  and  opened  for  the 
work  of  insti-uction.  It  was  located  in  apartments  over  the  postoffice, 
which  was  then  located  at  the  corner  of  First  Street  and  Hastings 
Avenue.  There  were  forty-four  students  and  three  instructors  in  the 
literary  department  of  the  work.  In  addition  were  nmsic  and  art 
departments.  The  instructors  in  the  literary  deijartment  were  Prof. 
George  E.  White,  Prof.  J.  INI.  Wilson  and  JNIiss  Abbie  Brewer.  In 
tlie  music  and  art  departments  were  Prof.  John  Rees  and  JNIiss  Lou 
^^ance.  The  college  did  not  come  imder  the  care  of  the  synod  until 
1884.  and  until  that  time  was  controlled  by  trustees  selected  from 
the  Hastings  and  Kearney  presbyteries,  which,  meanwhile,  had  been 
separated. 

April  1,  1883,  Dr.  W.  F.  Ringland,  pastor  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  became  the  president  of  Hastings  College.  Dr.  Ring- 
land  leai'ned  that  the  Presbyterians  Avere  contemplating  the  creation 
of  a  board  of  aid  for  colleges  and  academies.  Accordingly,  he  for- 
warded to  Dr.  Herrick  Johnson,  chairman  of  the  committee  charged 
with  the  duty  of  reporting  to  the  general  assembly  concerning  the 
advisability  of  creating  the  board  of  aid  for  colleges,  a  report  on 
Hastings  College,  its  needs  and  its  outlook.  With  this  report  was 
sent  a  communication  to  be  given  to  Cyrus  H.  JNIcCormick  of  Chicago, 
and  soliciting  $5,000  for  the  erection  of  the  first  building,  to  be  given 
through  the  new  board,  subject  to  its  a])proval.  and  to  constitute  the 
beginning  of  the  work  of  that  board.  The  j^rivilege  was  also  asked  of 
Mr.  McCormick  of  naming  the  first  building  McCormick  Hall.  Both 
requests  were  granted. 

The  corner  stone  of  McCormick  Hall  was  laid  by  James  B.  Heart- 
well,  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  July  12,  1883.  The  cere- 
mom'es  were  elaborate.  The  principal  speaker  was  Dr.  Gregory, 
president  of  Lake  Forest  University.  From  the  city  a  procession 
nearly  a  mile  in  length,  led  by  the  Gazette  Journal  band,  made  its 
way  to  the  college  camjjus.  After  the  ceremonies  the  out-of-town 
guests  Avere  given  an  eight-mile  drive  in  the  country,  and  that  evening 
a  banquet  was  partaken  of,  at  which  covers  were  laid  for  400  guests. 

The  walls  of  JNIcCormick  Hall  went  up  rapidly,  and  it  was  ready 
for  the  fall  term  of  1884.  The  dedicatory  address  was  delivered  by 
Dr.  Herrick  Johnson.  The  total  cost  of  this  building  was  $14,703.00. 
Ringland  Hall  was  erected  the  following  year  at  a  cost  of  $lG,709.o4. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       143 

James  B.  Heartwell  gave  $10,000  for  the  erection  of  the  .second  build- 
ing, and  citizens  of  Hastings  gave  the  remainder.  At  about  this  time 
another  Presbyterian  college  located  at  Bellevue,  Neb.,  was  seeking 
recognition  by  the  synod,  and  it  is  likely  that  this  furnished  added 
zest  to  the  zeal  that  hurried  the  second  building  to  completion. 

The  college  campus  contains  twenty-nine  acres.  Twenty  acres 
were  donated  by  Joe  Hanson,  of  Hastings,  as  an  inducement  for  the 
erection  of  a  college  at  its  founding.  Nine  acres  have  subsequently 
been  acquired  by  purchase.  In  1884,  the  trustees  purchased  eighty 
acres  lying  Avest  of  the  college  grounds,  this  was  platted  as  College 
Addition,  and  it  was  at  this  time  that  University  Avenue  was  laid  out. 
The  jjroceeds  from  the  sale  of  lots  in  College  Addition  were  used  for 
benefit  of  the  college. 

One  of  the  most  trying  periods  in  the  history  of  the  college  was 
in  1888.  On  November  9,  of  that  year,  the  executive  committee  can- 
vassed the  situation  for  some  hours,  considering  the  accumulated  debt, 
resulting  from  securing  buildings  and  grounds,  and  meeting  running 
expenses  for  six  years  without  endowment.  The  debt  amounted  to 
about  $37,000.  Dr.  Ganse,  secretary  of  the  board  of  aid  for  colleges, 
met  with  the  trustees  at  this  time,  and  said  that  he  believed  if  the 
citizens  of  Hastings  could  lift  the  debt  then  accumulated,  it  would 
be  possible  afterwards  to  secm-e  some  endowment.  The  trustees  at 
this  time  were  seriously  considering  closing  the  doors  of  the  college; 
instead,  however,  a  strong  effort  was  made  to  lift  the  debt.  The 
widow  of  Cyrus  H.  IVIcCormick  announced  that  she  would  contribute 
$1.),000  for  endowment,  if  the  debt  were  paid.  This  was  eventually 
done,  and  the  gift  of  JNIrs.  INIcCormick  became  the  foundation  of  the 
endowment. 

A  vast  amount  of  labor  has  been  expended  in  securing  endowment. 
Friends  of  education  in  the  East  helped  liberally,  and  Hastings  has 
contributed  again  and  again.  The  endowment  at  this  time  amounts 
to  $220,000.  This  amount  was  raised  through  several  active  cam- 
paigns. The  first  $.50,000  was  completed  in  1904;  the  next  $.50,000 
in  1909;  the  next  $100,000  in  1913;  $20,000  was  raised  between 
1913  and  1916. 

Hastings  College  had  only  the  two  buildings,  jMcCormick  Hall 
and  Ringland  Hall,  until  1907,  Avhen  Alexander  Hall,  a  dormitory 
for  young  women,  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $16,011.68.  The  prin- 
cipal gift  for  this  building  was  made  by  A.  L.  Clarke;  it  was  named 
in  honor  of  Samuel  Alexander. 

Carnegie  Science  Hall  and  Library  was  completed  in  1909  at  a 
cost  of  $23,000.     Andrew  Carnegie  contributed  $20^000  for  the  erec- 


144       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJNIS  COUNTY 

tion  of  this  building,  and  it  was  named  in  liis  honor.  Shortlj^  after- 
M^ard,  Johnson  Gymnasium  was  built,  and  named  in  honor  of  P.  L. 
Johnson,  Avho  was  one  of  the  jjrincipal  workers  in  the  raising  of  the 
endowment,  and  who  for  many  years  has  been  an  active  helper  of  the 
college  in  many  ways.  Tlie  athletic  grounds  were  called  Hanson 
Field,  in  honor  of  the  donor  of  the  original  twenty  acres — Joe  Hanson, 
who  still  lives  in  Hastings. 

All  the  buildings  of  the  institution  are  heated  from  a  central  heat- 
ingvplant,  which  was  constructed  in  1912,  the  greater  part  of  the  labor 
being  done  by  the  students  under  the  direction  of  P.  L.  Johnson. 

Since  1912,  Hastings  College  has  been  classified  as  a  Class  A 
institution  by  tlie  College  Board  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  It  is 
the  only  Presbyterian  institution  of  that  class  for  nearly  three  hundred 
miles  in  any  direction,  and  the  only  one  in  this  latitude  from  Eastern 
Iowa  to  the  Pacific  Coast.  It  is  also  a  member  of  the  North  Central 
Association. 

The  library  of  the  college  contains  7.000  volumes;  the  laboratories 
Jiave  been  equipped  at  a  cost  of  $9,000,  and  the  museum  has  an  equip- 
ment valued  at  about  $15,000.  Prof.  Walter  J.  Kent  is  largely 
resjionsible  for  the  development  of  the  nuiseum.  In  1908,  Professor 
Kent  secured  the  installation  of  the  weather  dej^artment.  which  has 
since  been  furnishing  the  community  with  daily  forecasts. 

Tlie  first  graduate  of  Hastings  College  was  J.  H.  H.  Hewitt, 
who  is  now  a  practicing  attorney  at  Alliance,  Neb.  Mr.  Hewitt  was 
the  sole  member  of  the  class  of  1887.  In  all,  183  have  been  graduated 
by  the  institution.  The  class  of  1916  immbered  eighteen,  which  was 
the  largest  class  to  be  graduated  by  the  college.  The  faculty  and 
assistants  number  twenty-three. 

In  1914,  a  chair  fund  was  created  to  endow  the  chair  of  biblical 
instruction  in  memoriam  of  ]Mrs.  C.  L.  Jones,  of  Hastings,  who,  in 
that  year,  lost  her  life  through  accident.  iNIrs.  Jones  occupied  the 
chair  of  biblical  instruction  at  the  time.  The  endowment,  when  com- 
pleted, will  be  $2.5,000,  $18,000  of  ^^•hich  have  been  subscribed. 

Dr.  W.  F.  Ringland,  the  first  president  of  the  college,  served  in 
that  capacity  from  April  1,  1883,  to  his  resignation  in  June,  189.5. 
Prof.  W.  N.  Filson  then  acted  as  president  until  June,  1896,  when 
Salem  G.  Pattison  assumed  the  executive  position,  which  he  held 
until  his  resignation  in  the  early  part  of  1900.  Professor  Filson  was 
then  elected  j^resident  and  continued  in  ofl^ce  until  June,  1902,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  Van  Dyke  Wight.  President  Wight 
resigned  in  1907-  In  that  year.  Dr.  A.  E.  Tin-ner  was  elected  jjiesi- 
dent  and  continued  the  work  until  his  resignation,  in  Februarv.  1912. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       145 

The  office  was  then  vacant  until  the  meeting  of  the  trustees,  in  June, 
1912,  \\lien  President  R.  D.  Crone  was  elected.  President  Crone  has 
occupied  the  chair  from  that  time. 

Among  the  early  workers  for  Hastings  College  was  Rev.  Nahum 
Gould,  at  whose  home,  in  Kearney,  the  first  meeting  of  the  presbytery 
was  held,  and  Hastings  College  was  first  discussed  in  an  official  meet- 
ing. Reverend  Gould  favored  locating  the  institution  at  Kearney. 
A.  L.  Wigton,  a  charter  member  of  the  board  of  trustees,  continued 
to  be  a  friend  of  the  college  until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  Omaha 
in  recent  years.  His  son.  Dr.  Harrison  A.  \Vigton,  of  Omaha,  was 
gi'aduated  from  the  institution  in  1!)00. 

Samuel  Alexander,  the  pioneer  merchant  of  Hastings,  was  sec- 
retary and  treasurer  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  twenty  j^ears.  He 
died  in  Hastings  on  Easter  Sunday,  1908.  Robert  Brown  was  a  loyal 
supporter  of  the  Cf)llege  through  the  years  of  its  adversity.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  nineteen  years,  and  for  many 
years  prior  to  his  death,  ]\Iarch  20,  1905,  was  j^resident  of  the  board. 
The  Rev.  David  S.  SchafF,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  from  1887  to  1891,  and  at  j^resent  professor  of  ecclesiastical 
history  in  ^Vestern  Theological  Seminary,  Pittsburgh,  is  a  life  con- 
tributor to  the  college.  He  is  the  founder  of  the  endowment  for  the 
Junior  prize  essay. 

The  classes  graduating  from  Hastings  College  have  been  as 
follows : 

1887 

J.  H.  H.  Hewitt. 

1888 

JNIrs.  Edith  Haynes  ]Maunder,  ]Mrs.  Alice  Nowlan  Clouser,  Robert 
N.  Powers,  ]Mrs.  Alice  Yocum  Bondessen,  JNIrs.  Carrie  Kimball,  and 
Francis  I.  Cunningham. 

1889 

Henrv  R.  Corbett,  INIary  Crissman,  D.  W.  ISIontgomerv,  Elizabeth 
M.  Stine". 

1890 

D.  C.  ]Montgomery,  Mrs.  Eva  Frankenburger  Fresher,  Ira  INIc- 
Conaughv,  and  ]Mrs.  Maud  Wotring-Ravmond. 


146       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1891 

Frederick  Goble,  ^Nlaud  H.  Jorgenson,  JNIrs.  Emma  Nowlan  Filson 
and  Ida  I.  JNIyers. 

1892 

Robert  E.  Moritz,  Mrs.  Kathleen  Hartigan  Goble,  Janet  L.  Car- 
penter, Charles  C.  Caton,  and  jNIrs.  Lida  Powell  Hoeppner. 


]Mrs.  Jennie  Stuckey  Barrett,  Royal  B.  Stuckey,  Alma  Chapman, 
Mrs.  Rosanna  Stine  Clawson,  Clyde  B.  Aitchison,  Hallie  Hood, 
George  Norlin. 

1894 

jMrs.  Laiu'a  Baily  Brown,  Harriet  Mj^ers,  Mrs.  Bertha  Green 
Connells,  William  L.  Little,  Harry  B.  Allen,  Etta  Caton,  Grace 
Shepherd. 

1895 

]Mrs.  Lillian  Brown  Steele,  INIrs.  INIartha  Cunningham  Brown, 
Mrs.  Trangueline  Andrews  Taylor,  and  JMrs.  Lettie  Shepherd 
Mudge. 

1896 
Robert  A.  Patterson,  Charles  A.  Arnold.  William  O.  Bunce. 

1897 
J.  Edgar  Jones,  William  E.  Kunz,  Alfred  E.  Barrows. 

1898 
Wilham  H.  Chapman,  and  Benjamin  L.  Brittin. 

1899 

Ernest  M.  Bronillette,  James  B.  Brown,  Edward  R.  Bushnell, 
Clarence  INI.  Cook,  Urdell  ]Montgoniery,  Richard  D.  Moritz,  Charles 
Stein,  and  Wilson  F.  Stichter. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       147 

1900 

Joseph  Eaily,  Margaret  E.  Haughawout,  Mrs.  Julia  Heartwell 
Payne,  Mrs.  JNIargaret  Jones  Smith,  David  J.  Lewis,  R.  JNIelvin 
Smith,  JNIrs.  M.  Aberdeen  Webber  Ketelle,  Roy  A.  White,  Harrison 
A.  Wigton,  and  John  Brown. 

1901 

Mrs.  Edna  Ball  Davis,  Allen  Carpenter,  Chris  Christensen,  Henry 
S.  G.  Hiu'lburt,  George  U.  Ingalsbe,  ]Mrs.  Julia  Jones  Osborne, 
Hugh  T.  INIitciielmore,  Thomas  C.  Osborne,  Annie  L.  Richards- 
Letson,  Gertrude  Weingart,  and  Grace  Ingalsbe. 

1902 

Grace  A.  Boyd,  JMrs.  Anna  Halberg- Anderson,  and  Rev.  Henry 
C.  Millard. 

1903 

]Mrs.  Esther  Alexander  Young,  William  H.  Cassell.  Mrs.  Goldie 
Edgerton  Ferguson,  INIrs.  Aileen  Kress  IMax,  Cecil  Phillips,  Charles 
P.  Russell. 

1904' 

Bernard  J.  Brinkema  and  John  Skinner. 

1905 

Elmer  T.  Peters,  Alexander  J.  Dunlap,  William  Roy  Hull. 

1906 
Lawrence  R.  Wright. 

1907 

Marmaduke  F.  Forrester,  Magdelena  Gueck-EUer.  Francis  R. 
Striker,  and  Robert  C.  Theobald.  ^ 


Margaret  Agnes  Brinkema  Smith,  Henry  W.  Funk,  John  Mohl- 
man,  Allison  Henyan  Gaymon,  Carl  Everett  Hull,  Frank  Charles 
Humphrey,  INIrs.  Jeanette  Johnson  Phillips,  George  F.  JNIcDougall, 
and  Mrs.  Elizabetli  Phillips  Johnson. 


148       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1909 

Helen  Ingalls  Turner,  Adam  Lichtenburg,  Carlton  O.  Ranney, 
Byron  G.  Sager,  Norvel  H.  Smith,  Ellen  A.  Tompkins,  and  Herman 
C!  Welker. 

1910 

Shepherd  M.  'Dunlap,  Flora  F.  Fisher,  Mrs.  Jennie  Haner  Schell- 
ing,  ^Villard  T.  ]Mann.  ]Mrs.  Lois  Owen  Barbour,  Harrison  F.  Rus- 
sell, Alice  K.  SajTe-Reynolds,  Erma  E.  Spicer,  INIinnie  R.  Spicer, 
Ruth  A.  Warner,  and  Raymond  L.  Welker. 

1911 

Howard  O.  Coale,  George  E.  Crawford,  ]\Iillard  B.  Scherich, 
Carl  V.  Theobald,  and  Frank  E.  Weyer. 

1912 

Anna  Crawford,  Gretchen  Campbell,  Marie  Keal,  Doris  Roelse, 
Dorothy  McCrearj^  Blanche  Weeks,  Vera  Russell,  and  Archy  D. 
IMarvel. 

1913 

Ruth  ^Marguerite  Capps-jMarvel.  ]Mabelle  Clare  Carey-Weyer, 
INIrs.  Frances  Pearl  Damron  Brown,  ^Valter  Bedford  Johnson,  Wil- 
liam A.  Julian,  Susie  Elizabeth  Bailey-Moore,  INIattie  Antoinette 
Theobald,  Benjamin  Harrison  Bracken,  Theodore  Ray  Crawford, 
Anna  Lavina  Kelley,  Jennie  Belle  Rozell,  and  Lillis  June  Tennant. 

1914 

Chris  U.  Bitner,  Juha  Holm,  Leonard  Doolittle  Sims,  Stephen 
INIorris  Weyer,  Louis  E.  Uden,  Lorena  Elizabeth  INIcKeone,  IMuriel 
Claire  Shepperd,  Charles  H.  Velte,  and  William  F.  Raney. 

191.5 

Wan-en  Davidson,  Ethel  Decker,  Leland  Hall,  Robert  H.  Likeley, 
and  Harold  Roelse. 

1916 

Reuben  G.  Dunlaj),  William  Ward  INIartin,  Bernice  ]\I.  New- 
becker.  Hazel  E.  Parks.  Carl  E.  Pratt.  Frank  C.  Prince,  Edward 


NC^^MKxMlA^^ 


IMMACULATE  CONCEPTKUST  ACADEMY,  HASTINGS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       149 

G.  Punke,  Henrietta  jM.  Raney,  George  W.  Rosenlof,  Roland  Scott, 
Eglantine  Skillnian  Velte,  Perry  Leon  Byrani,  Daniel  J.  Gretzinger, 
Helen  O.  Jones,  Julia  Philbrick,  Howard  G.  Pratt,  ^lildred  Stein, 
and  Daisy  C.  Tompkins. 

liliJACULATE    CONCEPTIOX    ACADE3IY 

The  Immaculate  Conception  Academj'  is  located  in  Hastings,  on 
Fourteenth  Street  and  Pine  Avenue,  and  is  conducted  by  the  Sisters 
of  Saint  Dominic.  The  building  is  a  magnificent  structure  of  brick, 
standing  upon  a  foundation  ten  feet  high,  built  of  Colorado  red 
sandstone,  from  the  quarries  of  Thomas  E.  Farrell.  Mr.  Farrell  was 
lai'gely  instrumental  in  the  locating  of  the  academy  in  Hastings,  and 
donated  the  original  ten  acres  of  the  campus.  The  ground  dimensions 
of  the  building  are  60  by  184  feet,  and  it  is  three  stories  high.  The 
east  wing  is  the  monastery  and  is  especially  set  apart  for  the  sisters 
in  charge.  The  west  wing  is  the  academy  for  the  accommodation  of 
students  and  the  reception  of  visitors.  The  plans  and  specifications 
of  the  stnicture  were  prepared  by  C.  C.  Rittenhouse,  a  Hastings 
architect,  after  designs  by  Kiely  of  New  York,  and  the  contract  for 
building  was  let  to  ]M.  Trich  of  Hastings. 

The  construction  of  the  building  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1889, 
and  the  buildings  were  opened  January  6,  1890,  and  on  February  .5 
the  first  reception  of  novices  was  solenuiized  by  Bishop  Heimessy. 
The  school  at  that  time  was  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  The  Visitation, 
and  the  school  was  known  as  the  Academy  of  The  Visitation.  The 
crop  failures  of  the  next  few  years  made  the  existence  of  the  new 
academy  most  precarious,  and  in  1896  it  was  forced  to  close  its  doors. 
The  sisters  retiu'ned  to  Chicago,  and  the  property  passed  into  the 
hands  of  creditors. 

From  1896  to  1908  the  building  was  unoccupied  save  by  wandering- 
domestic  animals,  and  it  was  threatened  with  ruin.  The  creditors  were 
Tuiable  to  dispose  of  the  property.  In  1908  through  the  efforts  of 
Rev.  William  INIacDonald,  of  Hastings,  interest  was  aroused  in  Hast- 
ings, and  the  debt  of  $8,000  was  paid.  The  Commercial  Club  of 
Hastings  raised  $.5,000  of  this  amount,  and  the  Catholics  of  the  city 
raised  $3,000.  The  property  ^vas  then  given  in  fee  simple  to  the 
Sisters  of  Saint  Dominic.  At  the  solicitation  of  the  Right  Reverend 
Bisho])  Bonacum  and  Rev.  William  MacDonald  the  Sisters  of  Saint 
Dominic  of  the  Sienna  Convent  of  Kentucky  came  to  Hastings  and 
reopened  the  school,  September  13,  1909.  Those  in  charge  at  that 
time  were  Sister  ]Mary  Louis,  Superior;  and  Sisters  Aloysius,  Teresa, 


150       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Margret,  Loiiis  Bertrand,  JMaiy  Pius,  Anastacia,  and  Rose.  The 
curriculum  at  the  opening  inckided  ten  grades,  each  successive  year 
a  grade  was  added,  luitil  twelve  grades  were  offered.  In  1911,  the 
institution  was  accredited  to  tlie  state  university  as  a  high  school,  and 
the  following  year  the  course  offered  was  apjiroved  by  state  board  of 
education  to  grant  the  bachelor  of  education  degree,  normal  school 
diploma  and  professional  life  certificate.  JNIusic,  art,  dramatic  art 
and  domestic  science  are  offered.  The  teachers  at  ^Jresent  are  Sisters 
Columba.  Teresa,  ISIargret.  A^irginia,  jNIatthew,  Catherine,  Frances, 
Alvarez,  Emily.  Rose  Marie.  Bernardine  and  Benignus.  Nineteen 
were  graduated  from  the  institution  in  1916.  Fourteen  of  the  class 
were  granted  elementary  certificates;  three,  life  certificates,  and  two 
degrees  in  music. 

The  value  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  Academy  propert)^  is 
now  estimated  at  $100,000.  The  caminis  comprises  thirty  acres.  Five 
thousand  dollars  were  expended  in  finishing  the  building  before  it  was 
reopened,  and  $2.5,000  in  furnishing.  A  primary  school  was  estab- 
lished by  the  Catholics  in  1912.  The  old  church,  which  stands  on  the 
west  side  of  Colorado  Avenue,  between  Seventh  and  Sixth  streets,  is 
used  as  a  school  l)uilding.  and  has  an  attendance  of  about  seventy-five. 

:\III)-AVKST  BUSINESS  SCHOOI. 

The  ]Mid-West  Business  School  was  founded  in  1888  by  J.  H. 
Schoonover,  who  died  several  years  ago.  A  Professor  Wilson  pui'- 
chased  it  from  JNIr.  Schoonover  and  operated  the  school  for  a  number 
of  years  and  then  sold  it  to  Professor  H.  S.  ]VIiller,  now  of  Wichita, 
Kansas.  In  1903  G.  E.  Boggs  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  school 
from  JNIr.  INIiller  who  went  to  Wichita  at  that  time.  i\Ir.  Boggs 
bought  the  remaining  interest  from  Mr.  Miller  in  190.5  and  con- 
ducted tlie  school  until  1910  when  it  was  purchased  by  W.  A.  Julian 
and  Charles  W.  Foot.  In  1912  the  school  was  bought  by  tlie  ])resent 
proprietors.  F.  L.  Groom  and  H.  L.  Renick. 

It  was  first  called  the  Queen  City  Business  College  and  afterwards 
the  Hastings  Business  College.  For  many  years  the  school  was  located 
in  quarters  over  A.  M.  Clark's  drug  store,  and  it  removed  to  its  present 
quarters  in  the  Madgett  Block  sliortly  after  the  completion  of  that 
building  in  1907. 


CHAPTER  X 
ADAMS  COUNTY  BENCH  AND  BAR 

THE    BENCH 

The  constitution  of  1866,  written  for  the  oncoming  statehood 
of  Nebraska,  contains  the  first  provision  for  courts  and  judges  to 
succeed  those  disaj^pearing  under  territorial  regime.  This  document 
was  constnicted  and  adopted  by  a  convention  of  able  men  of  the 
territory,  and  on  February  9,  1866  it  was  approved  by  the  proper 
officers  and  submitted  to  a  vote  of  tlie  jjeople  June  2d  of  the  same 
year.  The  returns  of  the  election  showed  a  ratification  of  the  instru- 
ment and  on  February  9,  1867  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
passed  an  act  admitting  the  territory  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  the 
terms  of  which  act  were  accepted  on  the  "2 1st  day  of  the  same  month 
and  year  by  tlie  governor,  president  of  the  Senate  and  speaker  of  the 
House,  wliereupon  the  proclamation  of  President  Johnson  was  issued 
on  the  first  day  of  INIarch.  1867.  formally  admitting  Nebraska  into 
tl]e  Union. 

The  first  section  of  article  four  of  the  constitution  of  1866  pro- 
vides that:  "The  judicial  powers  of  the  state  shall  be  vested  in  a 
Supreme  Court,  District  Courts,  Probate  Courts,  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  and  such  other  inferior  courts  as  the  Legislature  may  from 
time  to  time  establish.  The  Supreme  Court  shall  consist  of  a  chief 
justice  and  two  associate  justices,  any  two  of  whom  shall  constitute 
a  quorum,  and  shall  hold  a  term  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  the  seat 
of  government  annually." 

The  second  section  of  the  same  article  provides  that  the  state  shall 
be  divided  into  three  judicial  districts  and  the  several  District 
Courts  thereof  shall  be  presided  over  by  one  of  the  supreme  justices. 
Tliis  practice  obtained  until  the  adoption  of  a  new  constitution  for 
the  state  in  1875:  hence,  from  the  date  of  the  organization  of  Adams 
County  up  to  the  time  of  the  going  into  effect  of  the  provisions  of 
the  new  constitution,  the  District  Court  was  presided  over  in  turn  by 
Oliver  P.  ^Nlason  and  Daniel  Gantt,  members  of  the  supreme  bench. 
151 


152       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Justice  JNIason  occiij)ied  the  trial  bench  of  the  county  until  1873  and 
Justice  Gantt  until  1870,  when  this  arrangement  was  superseded  by 
the  jirovisions  of  the  new  constitution. 

In  the  line  of  judicial  officers  no  change  was  made  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  187.5  from  those  in  the  prior  constitution  except  the  addition 
of  police  magistrates  for  towns  and  cities. 

Under  ajjpropriate  legislation  based  upon  the  constitution  of 
1875  Adams  County  became  a  constituent  part  of  the  Fifth  Judicial 
District,  and  at  the  election  in  1876  William  Gaslin  of  Buffalo 
County,  then  a  part  of  the  district,  was  chosen  as  the  judge  of  the 
district  and  served  as  such  continually,  barring  a  short  period  when 
Adams  County  was  attached  to  the  Fourth  District  under  Judge 
Morris,  until  he  was  succeeded  by  Fred  B.  Beale  of  Harlan  County. 
INIr.  Beale  was  elected  in  November,  1891,  and  held  his  first  term  of 
court  in  Adams  County  the  following  INIarch. 

In  the  meantime,  the  number  of  the  district  had  been  changed  in 
1880  to  the  Eighth  District  and  carried  that  number  by  legislative 
action  until  189'2,  when  by  another  change  in  number  and  territory, 
it  became  the  Tenth  District  and  so  rema-ns  to  this  time,  191.3. 

^Villiam  Gaslin,  strictly  speaking,  the  first  district  judge  of  the 
county,  was  of  the  sturdy  New  England  stock  and  was,  by  educa- 
tion and  exi)erience,  well  equipped  for  the  serious  and  arduous 
service  upon  the  bench  in  a  border  state.  He  was  of  an  exception- 
ally strong  personality,  skillfid  in  the  application  of  any  or  all  the 
resources  at  his  command.  Probably  his  most  valuable  and  lasting 
service  upon  the  district  bench  was  his  courageous  holding  of  a  firm 
hand  over  the  lawless  elements  of  frontier  life.  At  the  close  of  his 
long  service  the  affairs  of  the  several  counties  comprising  the  district 
were  as  peaceable  and  orderly  as  in  the  New  England  whence  he 
came,  and  at  his  death,  coupled  with  deep  regret  there  was  a  gener- 
ous expression  of  gratitude  for  the  public  service  he  had  so  well 
rendered. 

In  1891  Fred  B.  Beale  was  county  attorney  of  Harlan  County, 
Nebraska,  and  resided  at  Alma,  looking  after  the  pleas  of  the 
commonwealth  under  Judge  Gaslin.  At  the  hustings  that  fall 
]Mr.  Beale  became  the  candidate  of  the  independent  voters  for  the 
district  bench  and  defeated  Judge  Gaslin  at  the  ensuing  election. 
Pie  changed  his  residence  to  Hastings  and  resided  there  during  his 
two  terms  upon  the  bench.  He  was  a  just  man  of  many  refinements, 
well  suited  to  the  improved  conditions  of  society  made  possible  by  the 
rugged  methods  of  his  predecessor.  It  is  no  disparagement  of  either 
to  remark  that  Beale  could  not  have  done  the  work  of  Gaslin's  time; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       153 

neither  would  Gaslin  have  maintained  his  prestige  in  Beak's  time. 

Edwin  L,  Adams  of  Kearney  County  succeeded  Judge  Beale 
in  1900.  He  brought  to  the  district  bench  all  the  good  acquirements 
of  both  Gaslin  and  Beale.  further  embellished  by  native  ability  little 
short  of  the  marvelous.  He  served  t^o  terms  and  retired.  With 
better  health,  he  was  destined  to  rank  still  higher  as  a  jurist  and  as 
a  leader  of  his  fellowmen. 

The  Tenth  Judicial  District  consists  of  six  large  and  populous 
counties:  Adams,  Kearney,  Phelps,  Harlan,  Franklin  and  ^^'^ebster. 
Hariy  S.  Dungan,  of  Hastings,  was  elected  to  succeed  Edwin  Ij. 
x\dams  and  in  January,  1908,  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  presid- 
ing judge  of  the  Tenth  Judicial  District.  The  growth  in  population, 
commerce,  education  and  retinement,  called  for  enhanced  equipment 
of  the  incumbent  of  this  important  office.  His  excellent  training 
at  the  fireside  of  his  parents,  and  in  the  public  schools,  rounded  out 
with  a  full  course  in  college,  supplemented  bj^  years  of  reading  under 
the  tutorship  of  an  able  practitioner,  linked  with  diligence  eveiy 
day  in  the  year,  put  JNIr.  Dungan  forward  in  the  ranks  of  the  legal 
profession  clothed  Avith  the  essential  })reliminary  attainments  that 
pave  the  way  for  a  successful  and  honorable  career  among  men.  He 
has  brought  to  the  bench  in  the  discharge  of  its  burdensome  duties 
the  skill  of  an  Adams,  the  energy  of  a  Gaslin  and  the  refinement  of 
a  Beale,  and  is  now  reaching  the  close  of  his  second  term,  carrying 
M'ith  him  the  confidence  of  the  district  in  his  integrity  and  ability. 

The  Probate  or  County  Court  is,  in  some  resi^ects,  the  most 
important  tribimal  in  the  commonwealth,  because  of  its  original  and 
exclusive  jurisdiction  at  first  hand  over  the  settlement  of  the  estates 
of  decedents,  and  also  as  the  conservator  of  the  estates  of  minors, 
incompetents  and  spendthrifts,  together  Avith  certain  jiowers  and 
duties  touching  the  personal  custody  and  welfare  of  juvenile  delin- 
quents, and  has  lodged  with  it  the  sole  power  to  issue  marriage 
licenses  and  concurrent  authority  to  perform  the  marriage  ceremony. 
It  also  possesses  a  limited  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  District 
Cf)urt  in  certain  criminal  and  civil  actions. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  coimty  Titus  Babcock  of  Juniata 
was  chosen  as  the  judge  of  this  court,  and  by  re-election  continued  to 
serve  until  succeeded  by  Benjamin  F.  Smith  of  the  same  town.  INIr. 
Smith  was  followed  by  George  F.  Work  of  Hastings,  who  in  turn 
was  re])laced  by  James  H.  Fleming.  jNIr.  Fleming  occupied  the 
bench  from  January,  1884.,  to  January,  1890.  He  was  then  suc- 
ceeded by  William  R.  Burton,  of  Hastings,  who  held  the  office  for 
four  years  and  was  followed  by  Jacob  Baily  of  Hastings,  who  occu- 


154       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAJSIS  COUNTY 

pied  tliis  bench  during  the  ensuing  four  years.  Adna  H.  Bowen 
was  elected  next  and  assumed  the  duties  of  the  office  in  January, 
1899,  and  retired  at  the  close  of  his  second  term  to  be  followed  by 
Harry  S.  Dungan  who  presided  over  this  court  vintil  the  exj^iration 
of  his  third  term  in  1908.  William  F.  Button  suceeded  Judge  Dun- 
gan and  was  elected  for  four  successive  terms.  In  the  summer  of 
1915  Judge  Button  resigned,  his  resignation  to  take  effect  at  the 
expiration  of  the  first  year  of  his  third  term,  January  1,  1916.  The 
county  board  of  supervisors  elected  John  Snider  to  fill  the  unexpired 
term  of  JNIr.  Button.  INIr.  Snider  was  Judge  Button's  opjjonent  in 
the  campaign  of  1914. 

The  several  townships  have  kept  in  office  competent  men  as 
justices  of  the  peace  and  the  towns  entitled  thereto  have  been  served 
with  police  judges  or  magistrates. 

In  the  territorial  days,  the  pleas  of  the  commonwealth  were 
looked  after  by  the  attorney-general,  but  upon  the  adoption  of  state- 
hood the  attorney-general  was  replaced  in  this  duty  by  a  prosecuting 
officer,  legally  designated  as  district  attorney.  The  latter  rode  the 
circuit  with  the  judge  and  had  charge  of  the  important  prosecutions 
in  all  of  the  counties  of  the  district.  In  addition  to  this  office,  the 
several  county  boards  were  empowered  to  employ  an  attorney  to 
assist  in  the  conduct  of  the  civil  affairs  of  the  county.  The  office 
of  district  attorney  was  abolished  in  1885  and  the  election  of  a  county 
attorney  provided  for  whose  duties  embrace  both  tlie  civil  and 
criminal  affairs  of  the  county.  Prior  to  1885  criminal  proceedings 
could  be  begun  only  upon  an  indictment  against  the  accused  being 
returned  by  a  grand  jury;  since  that  time,  however,  proceedings  can 
be  begun  ujjon  the  filing  of  an  information  by  the  county  attorney. 
The  last  grand  jury  called  in  Adams  County  was  in  INIay.  1915, 
when  Judge  Dungan  ordered  an  investigation  of  the  bribery  charges 
made  in  court  by  W.  P.  Davis  of  Hastings  against  John  T.  Culavin 
of  Omaha  in  the  John  O'Connor  Avill  case.  Davis  testified  that  Cula- 
^  in  had  offered  him  and  his  wife  $2,000  each  to  witness  a  will  in 
favor  of  Culavin.    No  indictments  were  returned  by  the  grand  jur^^ 

The  United  States  District  and  Circuit  Court  for  the  district  of 
Nebraska  consists  of  eight  divisions.  The  City  of  Hastings  in 
Adams  County  is  one  of  these  divisions  and  one  regular  session  of 
court  is  held  each  year  in  the  well  appointed  and  commodious  court 
room  in  the  Federal  Building.  This  term  begins  on  the  first  INIonday 
in  JMai'ch  and  continues  until  the  business  of  the  term  is  disposed. 
Hon.  T.  C.  Hunger,  of  Lincoln,  is  the  present  United  States  district 
judge  and  George  F.  AVork,  Esq..  is  tlie  de])uty  clerk.    The  territory 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       155 

comprising  this  branch  of  the  Federal  Court  is  identical  with  that  of 
the  Tenth  Judicial  District  of  the  State  Court  with  the  addition  of 
the  Counties  of  Clay  and  Nuckolls.  The  Federal  District  Court  of 
Nebraska  is  entitled  under  the  law  to  two  judges.  The  death  of  the 
Hon.  William  H.  ]Munger  on  August  11,  1915,  one  of  the  incum- 
bents, left  a  vacancy  on  the  bench.  P>deral  judges  are  appointed  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States  and  serve  during  good  behavior 
but  with  the  privilege  of  retiring  after  reaching  the  age  of 
seventy    years. 

NOTES 

Oliver  P.  JMason  was  appointed  to  the  supreme  bench  in  1867 
and  was  elected  in  1868.  He  served  as  chief  justice  from  1867  to 
1873  and  died  at  Lincoln  August  18,  1890. 

Daniel  Gantt  went  upon  the  supreme  bench  January  16,  1873, 
and  served  until  iNlay  29,  1878.  He  was  chief  justice  from  January 
3.  1878,  to  ]May  29th  f)f  that  year  upon  which  date  he  departed  this 
life  at  Nebraska  City. 

Judge  William  Gaslin  died  at  Alma,  in  Harlan  County,  June  14. 
1910,  and  by  his  dying  request  his  funeral  oration  was  delivered  by 
the  Hon.  James  P.  A.  Black,  of  Hastings. 

.Judge  Edwin  L.  Adams  died  in  California,  whither  he  had  gone 
for  the  benefit  of  his  health. 

.Judge  Beale  removed  to  Oklahoma  to  engage  in  professional  and 
other  business  affairs. 

All  the  judges  of  the  County  Court  are  still  living  except  Judge 
Eabcock  and  Judge  Fleming.  Of  the  incumbents  of  this  office  Bab- 
cock.  Smith,  Work,  Burton  and  Bowen  were  veteran  Union  soldiers 
in  tlie  Civil  war.  and  Judge  Dungan  was  an  officer  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war. 

THE    BAR 

"NVlien  the  first  term  of  tlie  district  court  in  Adams  County  was 
o]jened  ]May  6,  1873,  in  a  schoolhouse  in  Jiuiiata,  there  were  only 
four  cases  on  the  docket,  and  there  were  only  seven  attorneys  in  the 
county.  At  this  term  James  Laird,  Benjamin  F.  Smith,  Titus  l^ab- 
cock.  Harrison  H.  Blodgett,  Guvera  ^I.  Blodgett  and  John  ]M. 
Al)l)ott  were  admitted  to  ])ractice  at  the  Nebraska  bar.  Judge  IDaniel 
Gantt  presided  at  this  term.  James  Laird,  C.  J.  Dilworth  and  John 
D.  Hays  were  appointed  the  committee  to  examine  the  applications 
foi-  admission  to  the  bar. 


156       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAI^IS  COUNTY 

Benjamin  F.  Smith  is  the  only  member  of  the  original  bar  still 
residing  in  Adams  Comity.  His  home  is  in  Juniata.  Adna  H.  Bowen 
continued  to  practice  Jaw  in  the  county  until  shortly  after  completing 
a  term  of  office  as  county  judge,  in  1901,  when  he  removed  to  his 
IH'esent  location,  Fayette,  Idaho.  That  ]Mr.  Bowen's  capabilities  were 
versatile  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  he  was  a  physician  as  well 
as  an  attorney,  and  upon  his  arrival  in  the  county  he  practiced  medicine 
to  some  extent.  Mr.  Bowen  was  the  attending  physician  at  the  first 
accouchement  in  Adams  County.  He  was  also  the  first  superintendent 
of  schools  and  served  in  that  capacity  for  two  terms.  The  first  case 
to  be  tried  in  the  district  court  was  the  case  brought  by  JNIr.  Bowen 
for  himself  against  the  Challenge  Windmill  Company.  He  was  one 
of  the  JMichigan  colony  that  settled  at  Juniata  in  1871. 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  James  Laird,  also  from  ^Michigan, 
though  he  was  born  at  Fowlerville,  N.  Y.,  June  20,  1849,  was 
the  most  distinguished  member  that  ever  graced  the  Adams  County 
bar.  This  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  ]Mr.  Laird  was  eminently 
successful  in  jjublic  life  as  well  as  a  keen  and  able  lawyer.  After  the 
apportionment  based  upon  the  census  of  1880,  when  Nebraska  was 
divided  into  three  districts,  JNIr.  Laird  was  elected  by  the  republicans 
as  the  member  to  Congress  of  the  then  Second  District.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Forty-eighth,  Forty-ninth.  Fiftieth,  and  Fifty-first 
congresses,  his  majority  being  increased  with  each  election.  He  was 
an  active  member  of  the  committees  on  military  affairs  and  on  pen- 
sions. In  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  old  soldiers  he  was  tireless.  One 
of  his  most  notable  contests  in  Congress  was  in  repudiation  of  the 
charge  that  a  great  majority  of  the  entries  of  the  public  lands  were 
fraudulent,  and  that  the  West  was  mostly  made  up  of  land  thieves 
and  ])erjurers. 

Although  Laird  was  only  twelve  years  old  when  the  Civil  war 
broke  out,  by  virtue  of  a  good  bodily  growth  he  succeeded  in  enlisting 
for  service  in  Company  K,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  INIichigan  Infantry, 
and  though  but  a  lad  through  the  term  of  the  war  he  was  promoted 
to  file  positions  of  sergeant,  second  lieutenant,  first  lieutenant,  captain 
and  brevet  major.  He  received  four  gunshot  wounds  and  one  saber 
cut,  and  was  imprisoned  in  Libby  prison  for  six  weeks.  Laird  fought 
at  Hanover  Court  House,  Gaines'  Mills,  Chancellorsville,  Gettys- 
burg, and  in  the  struggles  about  Richmond.  The  captain  of  Laird's 
regiment  wrote  General  ^Nlanderson  of  the  lad's  conduct  at  a  critical 
moment  at  Dabney's  INIills,  when  the  enemy  had  turned  the  Federal 
flank: 

"Under  a  galling  fire.  Laird  rode  along  the  line  encouraging  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       15T 

Avavering  and  cursing  tlie  cowardly.  His  long  hair  fluttering  and 
eye  lit  with  enthusiasm,  he  appeared  the  personification  of  war's 
fiery  madness.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  boy  awoke  a  steady  deter- 
mination in  the  men.  The  impending  stampede  stopped,  and  under 
his  inspiring  leadership  the  regiment  took  a  new  position  with 
unbroken  ranks." 

]\Ir.  Laird  came  to  Juniata  in  1871.  and  prior  to  his  election  to 
Congress  took  a  leading  part  in  the  county's  affairs.  He  was  a 
strong  i^artisan  for  Jimiata  in  the  county  seat  fight,  but  after  the 
affair  was  settled  he  announced  shortly  afterward  in  a  political  meet- 
ing held  in  Liberal  Hall  that  though  he  was  disappointed,  he  was 
sure  that  the  county  seat  had  passed  into  good  hands  and  that,  there- 
fore, he  would  change  his  residence  to  Hastings.  Thereafter  he  was 
second  to  none  in  loyalty  to  the  new  county  seat. 

The  legal  and  oratorical  abilities  of  INIr.  Laii'd  were  never  dis- 
played to  better  advantage  than  during  the  thirty  days  occupied  by 
the  Olive  trial.  JNIr.  Laird  Avas  one  of  the  ])rincipal  attorneys  for  the 
defense,  and  his  address  to  the  jury  at  that  time  is  probably  the 
climax  of  court  oratory  in  Adams  County. 

]Mr.  Laird  was  never  married,  and  after  his  death.  General  INIan- 
derson,  addressing  Congress,  said:  "To  me  there  is  something  pitiful 
in  the  loneliness  of  the  last  few  years  of  his  short  life.  He  had  no 
near  relative  living  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  the  last  of  his 
race.  His  father,  the  strong  preacher,  died  in  his  youth.  His  two 
brothers  were  killed  on  the  field  of  honor,  near  his  side,  in  the  earlj' 
days  of  the  war.  His  younger  brother  died  of  a  distressing  accident 
some  years  ago."  Until  her  death,  his  mother  had  made  her  home 
Avith  Mr.  Laird. 

While  he  was  elected  to  the  Fifty-first  Congress,  JNIr.  Laird  did  not 
actively  particijiate  in  its  Avorkings.  He  had  made  a  very  strenuous 
campaign  the  j^receding  November,  and  a  fcAv  days  before  the  election 
he  Avas  suddenly  prostrated.  He  rallied  sufficiently  to  return  to 
^Vashington  folloAving  his  election,  but  the  rally  Avas  only  temjjorary. 
On  the  morning  of  August  7,  1889,  ]Mr.  Laird  died  at  his  home  in 
Hastings,  at  123.5  West  Second  Street.  A  number  of  years  later, 
Avitli  fitting  ceremony,  his  resting  place  in  ParkvicAv  Cemetery  Avas 
marked  Avith  a  giant  Colorado  boulder  and  a  cannon  that  had  seen 
service  in  the  Civil  war. 

R.  A.  Batty  was  a  notable  member  of  the  Adams  County  bar. 
Lie  practiced  laAV  in  Hastings  continuously  from  his  arrival  in  June, 
1873.  to  Avithin  about  a  year  of  his  death  in  June,  1911.  INIr.  Batty 
Avas  Avidelv  read  outside  of  the  laAv  and  Avas  a  keen  thinker  and 


158       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

observer,  brusque  of  manner,  but  much  beloved  by  many  intimate 
friends.  In  jiolitics  he  was  a  democrat  and  in  1878  was  elected  to  the 
lower  house  of  the  State  Legislature.  The  question  of  prohibition 
was  before  the  Legislature  that  session  and  it  had  been  understood 
that  Mr.  Batty  would  support  a  prohibitory  measure.  He,  however, 
did  not  do  so,  and  the  incident  probably  had  something  to  do  with 
keejjing  him  more  out  of  political  life  than  otherwise  Avould  have  been 
the  case.  In  1883  he  was  defeated  in  the  race  for  district  judge  by 
Judge  INIorris.  He  subse(juently  took  part  in  city  campaigns  against 
licensing  saloons  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  strong  supporter 
of  the  "drys." 

]Mr.  Batty  had  pronounced  independent  views  in  religion  and  it 
was  largely  through  his  influence  in  the  early  '70s  there  was  organized 
the  Free  Religious  Church  Society.  Other  members  were  John  N. 
Lyman,  George  W.  ]Mowry,  E.  Steinau,  A.  D.  Yocum  and  ]M.  K. 
Lewis.  In  1878  the  society  erected  Liberal  Hall,  which  still  stands 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Third  Street  and  St.  Joseph  Avenue.  For 
a  number  of  years  the  free  religious  thinkers  of  the  community  met 
in  the  hall  and  from  time  to  time  lecturers  on  jjhilosophical  and 
kindred  subjects  were  listened  to  in  the  hall.  The  building  has  had 
a  varied  career,  having  been  used  as  a  gymnasium,  public  school, 
theater,  church,  and  now  as  a  vulcanizing  and  bicycle  repair  shop. 

"Honest  Bob  Batty"  was  a  sobriquet  often  used  by  his  friends. 
"He  was  a  formidable  opponent  in  a  case,"  said  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Adams  County  bar.  "^Vhen  he  was  thoroughly  aroused,  which 
happened  every  year  oi-  tAvo,  we  had  to  get  out  from  under."  jNIr. 
Batty  was  variously  associated  as  follows:  Batty,  Abbott  &  Dow; 
Batty  &  Ragan;  Batty  &  Casto;  Batty.  Casto  &  Dungan.  and  Batty, 
Dungan  &  Burton. 

Caleb  J.  Dilworth  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Nebraska  bar, 
beginning  his  practice  in  Lincoln  in  1870.  He  came  to  Nebraska 
from  I^ewiston.  111.  In  1874  he  was  elected  district  attorney  for  the 
Second  Nebraska  District,  which  then  embraced  the  two  tiers  of  coun- 
ties from  the  IMissouri  River  to  the  Colorado  line.  He  served  two 
terms  as  district  attorney,  and  in  1878  was  elected  attorney-general 
of  the  State  of  Nebraska  and  filled  that  office  for  two  terms. 

In  1883  he  came  to  Hastings  and  formed  a  law  partnership  with 
Benjamin  F.  Smith  and  his  son,  William  A.  Dilworth.  who  had  been 
admitted  to  the  bar  at  Sidney  in  1880.  From  Hastings  JNIr.  Dil- 
worth removed  to  Omaha,  Avhere  he  died  a  number  of  years  ago.  Will 
Dilworth  was  a  member  of  the  first  Nebraska  State  Railway  Commis- 
sion, and  subsequently  was  for  several  years  a  member  of  the  legal 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       159 

department  of  the  Burlington  Railroad.  He  is  now  in  private  prac- 
tice in  Holdrege. 

John  A.  Casto  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  attorney  of 
Hastings,  beginning  his  practice  in  1883  and  continuing  his  residence 
in  the  city  until  his  death  in  the  middle  '90s.  JNIr.  Casto  was  a  grad- 
uate of  Union  Law  College.  He  was  a  classmate  and  roonmiate  of 
William  Jennings  Bryan.  In  1884  Mr.  Casto  was  joined  in  Hastings 
by  a  college  classmate,  INIorris  Cliggitt,  and  they  were  law  partners 
until  1887,  when  ]\Ir.  Cliggitt  left  Hastings  and  Mr.  Casto  formed 
a  partnership  with  R.  A.  Batty. 

In  the  spring  of  1877  Bedford  Brown  was  graduated  from  the 
Columbian  University  Law  School  at  Washington  D.  C,  and  shortly 
afterAvards  came  to  Hastings.  He  was  in  the  office  of  Dilworth, 
Smith  &  Dilworth  for  about  three  months  and  then  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  W.  L.  jNIarshall,  who  came  to  Hastings  from  Leadville, 
Colo.  The  partnership  formed  in  April,  1888,  continued  until  Janu- 
ary 2.5,  1890,  when  ^Mr.  Marshall  left  Hastings.  Mr.  Brown  was 
married  to  ^liss  Laura  Baily,  daughter  of  Judge  Jacob  Baily  of 
Hastings,  and  in  the  later  '90s  removed  to  Spokane,  Wash.,  where  he 
is  now  practicing  his  profession. 

James  H.  Fleming  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Springfield,  111., 
in  1876,  and  in  1878  came  to  Hastings  and  entered  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession.  ]Mr.  Fleming  was  a  republican  and  manifested  con- 
siderable interest  in  politics.  In  1883  he  was  elected  county  judge 
of  Adams  County  and  was  elected  to  the  office  three  times.  For  the 
last  several  years  of  his  life  he  did  not  engage  in  active  practice.  He 
died  in  Hastings  in  the  simimer  of  1911. 

Chris  Hoeppner  began  practicing  law  in  Hastings  in  1886,  coming 
from  Fremont  County,  Iowa.  In  1890  he  was  elected  county  attor- 
ney. In  1887  ^Ir.  Hoe])pner  formed  a  law  partnership  with  his 
brother,  Ernest  Hoeppner,  who  came  to  Hastings  that  year.  He  was 
for  a  time  associated  with  A.  H.  Bowen.  iNIr.  Hoeppner  left  Hast- 
ings in  1893,  going  first  to  Omaha  and  subsequently  to  St.  Louis.  He 
is  now  practicing  his  profession  in  Los  Angeles. 

Jacob  Baily  began  practicing  law  in  Hastings  in  1886,  coming 
from  Richardson  County.  He  was  a  republican  and  took  an  active 
interest  in  politics.  He  was  elected  county  judge  in  1893  and  served 
in  tliat  capacity  for  two  terms.  ]Mr.  Baily  formed  a  law  partnership 
M'ith  A.  ]M.  Cunningham,  who  came  to  Hastings  the  same  year  as 
jNlr.  Baily.  Judge  Baily  removed  with  his  family  to  Spokane,  Wash., 
in  190.J,  where  he  still  resides. 

J.  B.  Cessna  was  a  well-known  member  of  the  Adams  Countv 


160       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

bar  from  1885  to  the  early  years  of  the  present  century.  He  was 
a(hiiitted  to  the  bar  at  Bedford,  Pa.  JNlr.  Cessna  was  a  rei^ubhcan  and 
frequently  took  the  stump  for  his  party.  He  was  much  interested 
and  one  of  the  chief  jjromoters  of  the  Nebraska  &  Gulf  Railroad, 
Avhich  contemplated  building  a  railroad  from  a  point  in  Dakota  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  INIr.  Cessna  was  an  impulsive  gentleman  with 
a  quite  distinct  personality.  He  contributed  some  articles  to  the  North 
American  Review.  Since  leaving  Hastings  his  home  has  been  at 
Erie,  Pa. 

I^ucius  Junius  Capps  was  a  member  of  the  Adams  County  bar 
^^ho  in  many  ways  displayed  unusual  strength.  Speaking  of  him. 
years  after  his  death,  an  Adams  County  attorney  said:  "In  his  cases 
jNIr.  Capps  ^as  quick  to  recognize  the  strong  positions,  and  to  dis- 
lodge him  was  practically  impossible.  He  was  perhaps  the  most 
tenacious,  in  this  regard,  of  any  member  of  the  bar." 

]Mr.  Capps  was  a  graduate  of  Ann  Arbor,  graduating  with  the 
class  of  187.5.  Following  his  graduation  he  practiced  in  Paris,  111., 
until  he  came  to  Hastings,  in  December,  1878.  For  a  time  he  was 
associated  with  W.  P.  ]McCreary.  Mr.  CapjJs  took  a  keen  interest  in 
politics,  and  especially  in  the  campaign  of  1896  he  did  a  good  deal 
of  speaking  for  the  republicans.  For  some  time  prior  to  his  death, 
which  took  place  March  21,  1907,  he  Mas  a  United  States  deputy 
internal  revenue  collector. 

Angus  B.  IMcDonald  was  a  graduate  of  the  Yale  Law  School  and 
had  practiced  for  many  j'ears  in  New  York  State  before  coming  to 
Hastings  in  1885.  He  Avas  a  quiet,  studious  attorney  and  had  served 
in  the  constitutional  convention  of  New  York  in  1867.  He  was  an 
attorney  for  fifteen  years  in  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  and  thirteen  years  in 
Rochester.  In  Hastings  he  was  the  attorney  for  the  Nebraska  Loan  &: 
Trust  Company,  but  did  not  live  in  Hastings  for  long. 

Charles  H.  Tanner  was  the  first  county  attorney  of  Adams  Comity 
to  be  elected  by  a  general  vote  in  Adams  County.  This  was  in  1886, 
and  he  served  one  term.  Previously  the  county  attorney  had  been 
employed  by  the  commissioners  as  the  occasion  required.  ]Mr.  Tanner 
is  recalled  as  a  man  of  versatility  and  a  gift  of  ready  speech,  with 
erratic  habits.  His  greatest  streng-th  was  in  conducting  the  defense 
and  addressing  the  jury.  He  was  born  in  New  York  State  in  1853, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Lancaster  County  in  1877.  He  settled 
in  Hastings  in  1879  and  continued  to  practice  there  until  the  latter 
years  of  the  90's.  He  died  at  Eustis,  Neb.,  about  1901.  He  had 
practiced  his  profession  in  Eustis  since  leaving  Hastings. 

J.  INI.  Hester  came  to  Hastings  from  New  Albany,  Ind.,  about 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       161 

the  latter  part  of  1884.  He  purchased  a  farm  a  short  distance  south 
of  the  city  and  for  a  time  lived  upon  it,  at  the  same  time  practicing 
law  in  town.  He  was  associated  with  W.  P.  McCreary  for  a  time, 
but  was  in  Hastings  only  a  few  years.  An  incident  occurred  in  the 
life  of  Judge  Hester  Avhich  lends  itself  to  romance  more  readily  than 
the  usual  tenor  of  the  legal  life  affords.  Some  years  before  coming 
to  Hastings,  JNIr.  Hester  defended  a  woman  under  indictment  for 
murder  in  the  court  at  New  Albany,  Ind.  INIrs.  JNIelissa  Morton  was 
the  woman.  Mrs.  Morton  related  that  she  shot  a  young  man  upon 
the  doorstep  of  her  home  because  he  had  persisted  in  forcing  his  atten- 
tions vii3on  her.  Some  time  after  her  acquittal  her  husband  died,  and 
subsequently  she  was  married  to  the  attorney  who  defended  her  case. 
Judge  Hester,  and  whom  she  then  met  for  the  first  time. 

Frank  D.  Taggart,  a  graduate  of  Wooster  University,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  Adams  County  in  December,  1881.  He  was 
the  founder  of  the  Hastings  Independent,  out  of  which  the  Hastings 
Daily  Tribune  eventually  developed. 

Charles  D.  Taylor  was  an  attorney  who  came  to  Hastings  from 
Marshalltown,  Iowa,  in  1885.  After  a  short  time  he  removed  to  Wash- 
ington State,  where  he  died  about  twelve  years  ago.  I.  E.  Pierce  is 
another  attorney  who  practiced  in  Adams  Coimty  only  a  short  time, 
coming  to  Hastings  in  1887.  George  I^ynn  came  also  in  1887.  He 
was  an  ardent  populist  and  contributed  to  the  local  press  on  political 
subjects.  A.  D.  Yocvim  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Hastings  in  1878, 
and  William  S.  ]McKinney  in  September,  1883,  when  he  came  from 
Kalamazoo,  JNIich.,  and  near  which  place  he  was  killed  in  an  automo- 
bile accident  in  1914. 

T.  D.  Scofield  was  active  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  the 
early  days  of  the  coimty.  He  was  frequently  employed  as  county 
attorney  by  the  early  commissioners.  He  was  one  of  the  prosecutors 
in  tlie  Olive  trial.  From  Hastings  he  Avent  West.  A.  T.  Ash  was 
another  of  the  well-known  early  Adams  County  lawyers.  INIr.  Ash 
died  in  Hastings  in  the  early  '80s. 

.lohn  Finley  practiced  law  in  Adams  County  for  about  ten  years, 
coming  about  1880.  Subsequently  INIr.  Finley  has  attained  promi- 
nence in  the  politics  of  Western  Kansas. 

Elmer  E.  Ferris  is  remembered  as  one  of  the  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  the  Adams  Coimty  bar.  JNIr.  Ferris  was  born  in  Wisconsin 
and  was  graduated  from  the  Chicago  University  and  the  Chicago 
Union  Law  College.  He  came  to  Hastings  and  began  practicing  law 
in  1888.  and  two  years  later  became  the  junior  member  of  the  firm 
of  Tibbets,  Morev  &  Ferris.    The  firm  of  Tibbets  &  IMorev  was  estab- 


162       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

lished  in  April,  188G.  After  about  ten  years  with  the  law  tirni. 
Mr., Ferris  gave  up  the  law  and  became  a  minister,  removing  his  resi- 
dence east.  He  has  since  become  a  novelist  and  short  story  writer, 
contributing  to  the  best  fiction  magazines. 

Obadiah  Hewitt  was  a  much  respected  member  of  the  Adams 
County  bar  for  a  period  of  about  a  dozen  years  centering  around  1889, 
in  which  year  he  ran  for  county  judge  on  an  independent  ticket. 
jMr.  Hewitt's  son,  who  is  now  an  attorney  at  Alliance,  Neb.,  was  the 
first  student  graduated  from  Hastings  College.  ]\Ir.  Hewitt  served 
as  city  attorney  of  Hastings  for  a  time.  He  formed  a  law  jjartner- 
shiji  with  F.  P.  Olmstead.  JMr.  Hewitt  was  an  independent  candidate 
for  county  judge  in  1889,  though  normally  a  republican  in  politics. 

John  C.  Stevens  attained  notalile  distinction  in  the  Adams  County 
bar  through  his  success  in  influencing  juries.  He  enjoyed  a  remark- 
ably wide  ac(|uaintance  throughout  Adams  County  and  easily  won 
the  confidence  of  those  he  met.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  politics 
and  was  a  candidate  for  county  judge  vipon  the  democratic  ticket. 
Before  studying  law,  JMr.  Stevens  taught  school  in  Blaine  Township 
and  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the  ofl^ce  of  Capps  &  JMcCreary. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1887  and  continued  in  active  practice 
until  his  death,  January  23,  1914.  In  December,  1913,  he  formed  a 
law  partnership  with  John  A.  Lawler.  Walter  JM.  Crow,  the  present 
deputy  county  attorney,,  studied  law  in  the  office  of  John  Ste^'ens. 
JMr.  Stevens  was  born  in  Okanee,  111. 

As  mentioned  before,  Benjamin  F.  Smith  has  been  longer  in  the 
county  than  any  other  member  of  the  bar.  Judge  W.  R.  Burton 
began  practicing  in  Hastings  in  1884.  George  W.  Tibbets  and 
Charles  F.  JMorey  have  been  members  of  the  Adams  County  bar  since 
1886,  and  JM.  A.  Hartigan  since  1888,  coming  from  Plattsmouth. 
John  JM.  Ragan  first  came  to  Hastings  in  1874,  at  that  time  remaining 
for  only  a  short  time.  JMr.  Ragan  returned  in  1878,  and  in  October 
of  that  year  formed  a  partnership  with  R.  A.  Batty,  buying  the 
interest  of  J.  F.  Nelson,  who  went  to  Kansas.  JMr.  Ragan  has  served 
as  city  attorney  and  was  six  years  on  the  Nebraska  Supreme  Bench. 

F.  P.  Olmstead  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Adams  County  in  1888. 
He  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature  in  1884  and  in  1888.  and  intro- 
duced the  bill  providing  for  the  locating  of  the  State  Hospital  for 
the  Insane  at  Hastings.  W.  P.  JMcCreary  has  practiced  law  in  Hast- 
ings since  1884.  He  was  three  times  elected  county  attorney,  and  for 
several  years  was  prominently  identified  with  politics,  with  the  repub- 
licans. With  the  exception  of  those  mentioned,  the  Adams  County 
bar  is  lai'gely  made  up  of  younger  men  who  have  become  members 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       163 

within  the  last  ten  years.  The  bar  is  now  composed  of  James  E. 
Addie,  J.  P.  A.  Black,  A.  T.  Bratton,  W.  R.  Burton,  W.  F.  Button, 
P.  E.  Boslauoji,  W.  H.  Baugh,  C.  E.  Bruckman,  J.  J.  Buchanan, 
Karl  D.  Beghtol,  W.  ]M.  Crow,  James  Crowley,  R.  R.  Damerell, 
E.  E.  Danly,  II.  S.  Dungan,  Phillip  H.  Fuller,  H.  F.  Favinger.  Don 
C.  Fonts,  Joseph  A.  Gardiner,  C.  E.  Higinbotham,  C.  K.  Hart, 
Ernest  Hoeppner,  JNI.  A.  Hartigan,  J.  W.  James,  F.  J.  Johnson, 
W.  H.  Lanning,  John  A.  Lawler,  Charles  F.  IMorey,  W.  P. 
INIcCreary,  F.  P.  Olmstead,  John  INI.  Ragan,  B.  F.  Smith,  John 
Snider,  George  W.  Tibbets,  Raymond  Tibbets,  George  F.  Work  and 
J.  E.  Willits.  The  present  law  firms  are  IMcCreary  &  Danly:  Tib- 
bets, INIorey,  Fuller  &  Tibbets;  P'outs  &  Crow;  Stiner  &  Boslaugh, 
and  Bruckman  &  Johnson. 

John  ^I.  Abbott  opened  the  first  law  office  in  Hastings  June  1, 
1873.  For  several  years  Mr.  Abbott  was  the  law  partner  of  R.  A. 
Batty.  When  the  Adams  County  bar  was  formed  there  was  only 
one  term  of  the  District  Court  a  year,  and  the  first  year  there  were 
only  foiu"  cases  on  the  docket.  Now  there  are  forty  resident  attorney's, 
four  terms  of  court  a  year,  with  the  cases  each  term  reaching  well 
toward  two  hundred. 


CHAPTER  XI 
NOTABLE  ADAMS  COUNTY  TRIALS 

In  point  of  intense  dramatic  interest  no  case  brought  to  trial  in 
Adams  County  rivals  that  of  I.  P.  Olive  who  with  eight  others  was 
arraigned  before  Judge  William  Gaslin  in  the  District  Court  at 
Hastings,  in  the  sj^ring  of  1879.  These  men  were  charged  with  the 
murder  of  Luther  JNIitchell  and  Ami  W.  Kitchem  in  Custer  County, 
December  10,  1878.  The  interest  was  not  alone  in  the  outcome  of  the 
trial  itself  but  it  was  surrounded  with  an  atmosphere  that  was  tense 
and  charged  with  suspense. 

All  Western  Nebraska  was  rife  %\'ith  tales  depicting  the  desperate 
character  of  the  men  on  trial.  The  brutality  with  which  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  murder  had  been  committed  caused  the  central 
characters  to  be  regarded  with  a  sense  of  disconcerting  awe.  ]\Iore- 
over,  tliere  were  rumors  that  in  the  wilds  of  the  unorganized  West 
the  friends  of  the  men  charged,  lawless  desperadoes  like  themselves, 
wei-e  organizing  an  armed  band  to  rusli  the  jail,  overpower  the  offi- 
ce]"s  of  the  law,  and  rescue  the  prisoners.  This  feature  alone  lent 
an  excitement  to  the  times  which  it  is  difficult  at  this  period  to  realize. 
At  any  moment  of  the  day  or  night  the  peaceful  citizens  more  than 
half  expected  to  hear  the  thunder  of  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  of  the 
invaders,  their  ringing  shouts  of  challenge  and  the  sharp  cracks  of 
t!ie  Winchesters  heralding  the  fray. 

To  guard  against  this  eventuality  soldiei's  were  liin-riedly  sum- 
moned from  Fort  Omaha  to  ward  off  the  gang.  Three  companies 
arrived,  coming  in  a  special  train  over  the  Burlington  that  made  the 
trijD  from  Omaha  in  three  hours.  The  soldiers  brought  with  them 
to  the  citizens  a  sense  of  greater  secvn'ity  but  the  excitement  was  not 
abated  one  whit;  indeed,  the  presence  of  the  military  added  zest  to  the 
pros])ect.  A  patrol  guarded  the  jail,  a  small  wooden  affair  stand- 
ing on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  present  Court  House  Square,  and 
M'lien  the  prisoners  were  taken  to  and  from  the  court  room  they  were 
escorted  by  a  military  guard. 

164 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       165 

The  case  was  tried  in  Liberal  Hall,  which  still  stands  on  the 
corner  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  Third  Street.  When  marching 
to  or  from  the  court  the  prisoners  were  marched  handcuffed,  tv,-o 
and  two.  Spectators  lined  the  way,  many  of  them  women,  and 
remarked  upon  the  appearance  and  character  of  the  men  being  tried. 
At  intervals  the  bugle  of  the  military  might  be  heard  all  over  the 
town  as  the  giiard  was  changed,  and  its  clear  tones  was  a  constant 
reminder  of  the  unusual  event  that  was  transpiring. 

The  trial  lasted  nearly  four  weeks  and  the  court  room  was 
crowded,  very  many  of  them  being  women.  One  interested  specta- 
tor was  a  small  boy,  who  sold  peanuts  to  the  hungrj^  visitors  to  the 
coin-t.  He  was  stationed  near  the  entrance  in  a  little  room  on  the 
north  side  of  the  building,  and  while  he  plied  his  business  with  energy 
and  much  satisfaction  with  the  generous  patronage,  he  enjoyed  the 
dime  novel  features  of  the  case  to  the  utmost  and  kept  his  eyes  upon 
the  ])risoners  and  the  lawyers  whenever  the  stress  of  business  per- 
mitted. Then  and  there  he  resolved  to  become  a  lawyer  when  he 
should  become  a  man.  He  never  changed  liis  mind  and  in  due  time 
came  to  preside  as  judge  over  the  very  same  court  in  which  his 
ambition  was  first  awakened.  The  boy  is  now  Judge  Harrj'  S. 
Dungan,  judge  of  the  Tenth  Judicial  District. 

JNIrs.  Olive,  wife  of  the  chief  prisoner,  was  in  constant  attendance 
at  the  trial.  She  wore  throughout  a  look  of  anxiety  but  admitted 
no  appearance  of  lack  of  confidence  that  her  husband  would  be 
cleared.  With  JNIrs.  Olive  was  their  son,  a  lad  of  about  ten,  who  was 
envied  by  the  small  boys  of  the  town  because  of  the  inexhaustible 
supply  of  marbles  which  he  seemed  to  have  at  all  times. 

Olive  and  those  brought  with  him  here  for  trial  as  well  as  the 
miu-dered  men,  INIitchell  and  Kitchem,  were  cattle  men  operating 
their  business  in  the  western  jjart  of  Nebraska,  chiefly  in  Custer 
County.  Custer  County  at  that  time  was  not  organized  for  judicial 
purposes,  nor  had  it  been  joined  to  any  organized  territory  for  that 
purpose  and  that  is  the  reason  that  the  case  was  tried  in  Adams 
County,  which  at  that  time  was  a  part  of  the  Fifth  Judicial  District. 

Late  in  the  autumn  of  1878  a  warrant  had  been  issued  for  the 
arrest  of  jNIitchell  and  Kitchem  on  the  charge  of  cattle  stealing  and 
on  November  •27th  of  that  year  a  party  of  men  set  out  to  arrest  them. 
They  proceeded  to  the  house  of  JNIitchell  who  i-esided  on  Clear  Creek 
and  here  they  found  the  two  men.  JNIitchell  and  Kitchem  resisted 
with  a  brisk  gunfire  which  is  said  to  have  been  in  return  of  volleys 
fired  at  them  by  the  deputies.    The  two  men  declared  that  thev  were 


166       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

willing  to  be  arrested  and  tried  by  the  proper  authorities  but  they 
feared  the  cowboys  of  Custer  County. 

After  the  exchange  of  a  number  of  shots,  Kitcheni  was  wounded 
in  the  arm.  Immediately  following  his  wounding  he  shot  and  killed 
a  deputy  by  the  name  of  Stephens.  In  the  confusion  that  followed 
the  killing  of  Stephens,  INIitchell  and  Kitchem  escaped. 

The  deputy  Stephens,  it  transj^ired,  was  a  brother  of  I.  P.  Olive, 
the  rich  cattleman  of  the  South  Loup  country.  The  name, 
"Stei^hens,"  was  an  alias.  Stephens  is  described  as  a  rough  character 
with  proclivities  of  a  desperado.  It  is  also  reasonably  certain  that 
there  was  a  woman  in  the  case,  for  it  is  known  that  both  Kitchem 
and  Stephens  had  been  paying  court  to  a  handsome  widow  and  resi- 
dents of  that  country  declared  that  Stephens  as  well  as  Olive  had  been 
active  in  securing  the  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  JNIitchell  and  Kit- 
chem in  order  to  dispose  of  the  latter  as  a  rival  for  the  affection  of 
the  widow. 

At  all  events  Olive  offered  a  reward  of  $1,000  for  the  capture, 
dead  or  alive,  of  both  INIitchell  and  Kitchem.  They  were  soon  caj)- 
tured  and  arrested  and  several  sheriffs  and  dejjuties  of  the  adjoining 
counties  received  their  proportions  of  the  reward  offered  by  Olive. 

While  the  two  men  were  being  taken  from  Kearney  County  to 
Custer  County  for  their  preliminary  examination,  in  the  custody  of 
Sheriff  Gillan  of  Keith  County,  Phil  Dufrand  of  Custer  County 
and  others,  the  party  was  set  upon  by  a  band  of  armed  men  and 
the  prisoners  were  taken  away. 

The  following  afternoon  the  bodies  of  INIitchell  and  Kitchem 
were  found  in  a  canyon  near  the  south  line  of  Custer  County,  north 
of  the  present  Town  of  Lexington,  but  in  Custer  County.  The  body 
of  Kitchem  was  still  hanging  to  the  limb  of  a  tree  by  a  rope  which 
had  been  fastened  about  his  neck.  The  rope  with  which  Mitchell  had 
been  hung  to  the  same  limb  had  broken  and  the  man's  body  lay  in 
ashes  still  smouldering  at  the  foot  of  the  tree.  The  body,  however, 
was  slightly  supported  by  the  left  arm  the  wrist  of  which  was  hand- 
cuffed to  the  right  wrist  of  Kitchem  as  he  hung  from  the  limb. 

In  the  indictments  brought  against  Olive  and  his  party  it  was 
charged  that  the  two  men  had  been  shot  as  well  as  hung,  several  shots 
having  been  fii-ed  into  each  body,  and  that  their  clothes  had  been 
saturated  with  oil  and  set  on  fire.  The  testimony  of  the  prosecution 
sought  to  establish  that  the  men  had  been  burned  alive  after  being 
tortured  with  knives. 

The  state  attorney  general.  Gen.  C.  J.  Dilworth,  set  about  at 
once  to  gather  information  that  would  lead  to  the  ending  of  these 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       167 

deetls  of  violence  which  were  terrorizing  the  homesteaders  of  western 
Nebraska  and  in  a  short  time  was  able  to  inform  the  authorities  at 
Kearney  tliat  everything  was  ready  for  the  making  of  arrests.  A  num- 
ber of  deputies  were  sworn  in  at  Kearney  and  the  party  proceeded  to 
Plum  Creek,  now  Lexington,  where  the  arrests  were  made.  The  cap- 
ture was  arranged  so  that  the  men  were  taken  unawares  and  singly. 
1.  1'.  Olive,  who  had  declared  that  there  were  not  enough  inhabitants 
in  the  state  to  capture  him,  was  taken  without  trouble  in  the  post- 
office.  A  brother  of  the  murdered  Kitchem  was  one  of  the  deputies 
that  arrested  Olive,  and  it  was  he  that  placed  the  handcuffs  upon  his 
^vrist.  When  Olive  was  introduced  to  him,  the  former  merely  smiled 
and  remarked,  "That's  all  right,  boys." 

The  State  of  Nebraska  appropriated  $10,000  for  the  pi-osecution 
of  tlie  case  and  retained  John  ]M.  Thurston  of  Omaha  and  others  to 
assist   General  Dilvvorth. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  court  for  the  Fifth  Judicial  District  held 
at  Hastings  in  February,  1879,  Judge  Gaslin  designated  Adams 
County  as  the  county  where  the  crime  should  be  investigated  by  the 
gi-and  jury  and  tried  if  an  indictment  should  be  found.  On  Febru- 
ary 27th  District  Attorney  T.  D.  Scofield  filed  three  indictments 
charging  I.  P.  Olive,  William  H.  Green,  John  Baldwin,  Fredrick 
Fisher,  Bion  Brown,  Barney  J.  Gillan,  Pedro  Dominicus,  Dennis 
Gartrell  and  an  unnamed  man  with  murder  in  the  first  degree  in  the 
killing  of  ^Mitchell  and  Kitchem. 

The  defendants  retained  as  their  attorneys  James  Laird  of 
Hastings,  Beach  I.  Hinman  of  North  Platte  and  General  Connor  of 
Kearney;  associated  with  these  in  the  defense  were  Attorneys 
Neville,  Hamen  and  Warrington. 

The  case  was  set  for  trial  April  1,  1879,  and  the  defense  began  a 
stubborn  resistance  which  was  kept  up  unceasingly  throughout  the 
month  that  the  trial  lasted.  Motions  to  quash  the  indictment  and 
asking  for  change  of  venue  were  overruled  by  the  court  in  rapid 
succession.  In  sujjport  of  the  motion  asking  for  change  of  venue 
hundreds  of  affidavits  were  signed  by  citizens  of  Adams  and  other 
counties  declaring  that  on  account  of  the  stories  that  had  been  printed 
by  the  newsjiapers  throughout  western  Nebraska  concerning  the 
defendants  and  the  rumors  that  were  constantly  repeated  it  would  be 
imi)ossible  to  find  an  open  minded  jury  in  Adams  County,  and  the 
same  was  declared  of  Buffalo,  Furnas,  Custer  and  other  counties. 

The  motion  to  quash  was  on  the  ground  the  grand  jury  had  not 
l)een  called  in  the  manner  required  by  law  and  that  the  grand  jury 
had  been  called  from  one  county  while  the  alleged  crime  had  been 


168       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADA3IS  COUNTY 

coiiiinitted  in  another.  It  was  also  urged  that  the  grand  jury  had 
been  called  at  a  special  term  of  the  court  and  it  was  claimed  that  that 
procedure  was  illegal;  also  that  Custer  County  was  properly  organ- 
ized but  did  not  belong  to  the  Fifth  Judicial  District  and  that 
therefore  Judge  Gaslin  did  not  have  jurisdiction  to  try  the  case. 

All  the  objections  of  the  defense  having  been  overruled  on  April 
7th  all  the  defendants  except  Fredrick  Fisher  and  I.  P.  Olive 
demanded  separate  trials.  This  the  court  granted  and  the  case  pro- 
ceeded to  trial.  The  brilliance  of  James  Laird  was  never  more  in 
evidence  than  at  this  trial,  though  his  especial  duty  seemed  to  be  to 
arouse  the  anger  and  disturb  the  judicial  serenity  of  the  court, 
evidently  for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  lead  Judge  Gaslin  to 
commit  judicial  errors.  Laird's  address  to  the  jury  was  talked  about 
for  years  and  no  doubt  the  reputation  won  at  this  trial  was  a  factor 
in  securing  for  him  later  the  nomination  and  election  to  Congress. 

John  M.  Thurston,  too,  had  his  reputation  to  make  at  this  time 
and  from  the  time  of  the  trial  on  he  was  known  throughout  the  ^Vest 
as  the  silver  tongued  orator.  In  later  years  he  became  a  senator  of 
the  United  States  and  attained  a  high  place  in  the  national  council 
of  the  republican  party. 

It  is  probable  that  the  attorneys  decided  to  try  Olive  and  Fisher 
together  that  the  former  might  benefit  from  whatever  sympathy  the 
youth  of  the  latter  might  win  from  the  jurors.  Fisher  was  scarcely 
twenty  years  old  and  very  youthful  in  appearance.  Olive  and  Fisher 
wei'e  found  guilty  of  manslaughter  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary. 

The  case  Avas  appealed  and  the  Supreme  Court  held  that  the 
indictment  and  trial  in  Adams  County  was  an  error  and  that  the 
proceedings  should  have  been  brought  in  Custer  County.  Although 
a  new  trial  was  ordered  the  grand  jury  of  Custer  County  took  no 
action,  and  the  prisoners,  released  on  their  own  recognizance,  did  not 
face  the  charge  a  second  time.  Several  years  later  Olive  was  fatally 
shot  in  a  quarrel  over  a  poker  game  in  a  town  in  Kansas. 

Sheriff  Gillan  and  three  other  men  implicated  in  allowing  iSIit- 
cliell  and  Kitchem  to  be  taken  from  them  by  the  band  that  killed  the 
two,  were  arrested  and  lodged  in  the  Buffalo  County  jail. 

John  W.  Lyman  was  the  foreman  of  the  grand  jury  that  indicted 
Olive  and  his  friends. 

Because  of  fear  of  vengeance  from  the  friends  of  Olive,  it  was 
difficult  to  find  men  willing  to  take  the  risk  of  sitting  on  the  jury  in 
this  trial.  The  selecting  of  the  twelve  men  was  completed  on  April 
10th.  The  following  comprised  the  jury:  James  Slote.  W.  ]M.  West. 
A.  J.  INIillett,  Thomas  Carroll,  Connor  Knopf,  C.  O.  Henry,  A.  R. 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       16^ 

Pierson,  H.  M.  Palmer,  J.  C.  Davis,  H.  L.  Pratt  and  William  Bailey. 

It  was  the  influence  of  Thomas  Carroll  that  saved  Olive  from 
being-  found  guilty  of  murder  in  the  first  degree.  The  strong  resist- 
ance of  Carroll  to  his  fellow  jurors  resulted  in  the  verdict  of  man- 
slaughter. 

Diu'ing  the  trial.  Bion  Brown  turned  state's  evidence  and  narrated 
the  story  of  the  crime  in  detail.    Brown  was  released. 

The  trial  of  Baldwin  and  Green  was  begam  April  24,  1879,  In 
this  case  Pedro  Dominicus,  as  well  as  Bion  Brown,  testified  for  the 
state.  The  jury  disagreed,  however,  and  the  men  were  taken  to  the 
Kearney  Covnitj^  jail  to  await  a  second  trial.  There  they  succeeded 
in  breaking  jail  and  making  their  escape. 

Xext  to  Olive  and  Fisher  of  the  men  tried  here  the  ]Mexican, 
Pedro  Dominicius  and  the  negro  are  best  remembered.  The  JNIexican 
was  a  one-eyed  man  and  peculiarly  vicious  in  appearance.  The  negro 
insisted  on  singing  in  a  loud  voice  whenever  there  was  an  opportunity, 
and  it  Avas  his  habit  to  clamber  up  to  the  high  windows  of  the  jail 
from  where  his  strong  voice  in  song  could  be  heard  for  many  blocks. 

FIRST  PROVEX   :MURI)ER 

The  first  murder  proven  to  have  been  committed  in  Adams 
County  was  in  February,  1879,  when  ^Villiam  John  ^NIcElvoy,  alias 
John  Brown,  was  convicted  of  the  murder  of  Hem-y  Stutzman  at  his 
home  about  foin-  miles  southwest  of  Hastings.  McElvoy  was  a  young 
man  who  usually  made  his  home  with  a  relative  in  Red  Cloud.  Dur- 
ing the  year  or  two  preceding  the  nmrder  of  Stutzman  jMcElvoy  had 
worked  for  a  number  of  farmers  in  Adams  County,  and  at  the  time 
of  the  murder  was  employed  as  a  printer  in  the  office  of  the  Hastings 
Journal. 

On  the  evening  of  February  7th  ]McElvoy  left  Hastings  afoot, 
starting  south.  He  was  armed  with  a  rifle  and  a  revolver  and  said 
he  was  going  to  Red  Cloud. 

The  next  morning  Cameron  Belliel,  a  neighbor,  while  passing  the 
house  of  Stutzman  noticed  that  the  latter's  nudes  were  gone  and  the 
atmosphere  siu-rounding  the  jilace  suggested  to  him  that  something 
was  wrong.  Belliel  went  up  to  the  house  and  called  Stutzman  by 
name  several  times.  He  got  no  reply  and  now  about  convinced  that 
there  had  been  foul  play  he  went  to  the  home  of  Joseph  Wolf  and 
informed  him  of  his  suspicions.  The  two  returned  to  the  home  of 
Stutzman  and  broke  through  the  door. 

Thev  found  Stutzman  dead.     The  body  was  still   on   the  chair 


170       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

with  the  head  bent  over  the  table.  Under  the  head  of  the  dead  man 
a  tin  pan  had  been  placed  to  receive  the  blood  which  had  flown  from 
two  wounds,  one  from  a  rifle  bullet  and  the  other  from  a  revolver. 

The  news  of  the  murder  spread  rapidly  and  the  people  of  the 
community  gatliered  in  numbers  to  search  for  the  slayer.  A  new 
snow  lay  ujjon  the  ground  and  the  tracking  of  the  mules  was  easy. 
The  tracks  led  south  and  thither  went  the  posse.  Clark,  a  Burlington 
engineer,  while  on  the  way  from  Red  Cloud  had  noticed  a  man 
traveling  south  with  some  mules.  Upon  reaching  Hastings  and 
hearing  of  the  murder  he  concluded  that  the  man  he  had  seen  was 
the  murderer.  Following  the  receipt  of  this  new^s  another  group, 
Clark  among  them,  left  Hastings  to  join  the  jjosse.  INIcElvoy  was  by 
this  time  generally  suspected. 

About  a  mile  south  of  the  Blue  River  INIcElvoy  Avas  caught  with 
tlie  nmles  in  his  possession.  He  made  no  resistance  nor  did  he 
attempt  to  escape  but  maintained  that  he  had  killed  Stutzman  in 
self  defense  and  unintentionally  at  that.  He  explained  that  seeing 
he  had  killed  the  man  it  occurred  to  him  that  he  might  just  as  well 
take  the  mules.  The  party  with  their  prisoner  reached  Ayr  a  few 
minutes  before  the  arrival  of  the  northbound  train  upon  which 
]\IcElvoy  was  brought  to  Hastings. 

Meanwhile  the  news  of  the  captin-e  of  JNIcElvoy  had  been  brought 
to  town  by  those  who  had  tin-ned  back  when  he  was  first  captured, 
and  the  recital  of  his  story  greatly  incensed  the  populace.  A 
great  crowd  gathered  near  the  jail  on  the  jn-esent  Court  House 
Square  and  lynching  Avas  freely  talked  of.  Lynching,  indeed,  seemed 
imminent. 

That  JMcElvoy  was  not  hanged  immediately  upon  his  arrival  in 
Hastings  is  probably  due  to  the  effort  of  the  Rev.  D.  Schley  Schaff 
Avho  was  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  From  a  buggy 
the  minister  addressed  the  angry  crowd  and  besought  them  to  allow 
the  law  to  take  its  course  and  save  the  credit  of  Adams  County.  He 
succeeded  in  allaying  the  feeling  for  the  time.  Schaff,  by  tlie  way 
was  the  son  of  Doctor  SchafF,  the  Bible  scholar  of  international  repu- 
tation; he  was  also  a  relative  of  Admiral  Schley. 

Later  tliat  evening,  however,  the  populace  assembled  a  second 
time  and  lynching  was  again  imminent.  By  a  ruse  Sheriff  ]Martin 
led  the  mob  to  believe  that  INIcElvoy  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  jail 
and  wliile  tliey  sought  to  reacli  him  from  that  side  the  officer  and  his 
deputies  got  the  prisoner  out  through  a  window  on  the  north  side. 
He  was  hurried  to  a  waiting  wagon  and  driven  rapidly  to  the  Burling- 
ton track  and  put  aboard  a  west  bound  train  at  a  point  near  the  present 
roundhouse.    He  was  taken  to  Kearny  and  lodged  in  jail. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       171 

The  grand  jury  soon  indicted  ]McEIvoy  on  two  counts;  first,  mur- 
der in  the  first  degree  by  shooting  Stutzman  with  a  rifle.  The  second 
count  charged  the  same  ofl^ense  witli  a  pistol. 

Judge  Gaslin  immediately  convened  the  court  and  McElvoy  was 
airaigned.  The  case  for  the  state  was  conducted  by  the  district  attor- 
ney, T.  D.  Scofield,  who  was  assisted  by  A.  H.  Bowen,  .John  M. 
]{agan  and  A.  T.  Ash  were  retained  by  the  defense.  JNIcElvoy 
entered  a  plea  of  "Not  Guilty." 

The  following  were  the  jurors  in  the  case:  A.  J.  Adams,  R.  H. 
\'anatta,  C.  A.  Lane,  E.  W.  Hall,  T.  L.  Orton,  M.  L.  Cook,  J.  W. 
Sheffield,  \y.  T.  Pomeroy,  J.  H.  Spencer,  D.  Bigelow,  S.  G.  John- 
son and  George  Beatte. 

The  defense  maintained  that  INIcElvoy  and  Stutzman  had  quar- 
reled and  that  the  latter  had  seized  the  former's  rifle  and  that  ]McE]\oy 
then  seized  the  gun  and  that  a  struggle  ensued  during  which  the  fatal 
shots  were  fired.  The  prosecution  sought  to  show  that  the  prisoner 
shot  Stutzman  when  the  latter  returned  to  the  house  from  outside  and 
upbraided  the  young  man  whom  he  found  ransacking  his  pockets. 
Stutzman  was  a  bachelor  and  there  was  nobody  in  the  house  but  the 
two. 

The  trial  lasted  only  one  day  and  about  10  o'clock  the  following 
day  tlie  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  "Guilty"  and  Judge  Gaslin 
sentenced  the  prisoner  to  hang  INIay  29,  1879.  Sentence  was  pro- 
nounced in  a  little  less  than  eight  days  after  the  commission  of  the 
muider. 

McElvoy.  however,  was  not  hanged.  On  appeal  the  Supei'ior 
Court  remanded  the  case  back  for  new  trial.  At  the  second  trial  he 
was  allowed  to  plead  guilty  to  murder  in  the  second  degree,  and  was 
sentenced  to  life  imprisonment.  Ten  years  later  he  was  iiardoned  by 
Governor  Thayer. 

I.  P.  Olive  and  his  friends  were  in  the  Hastings  jail  at  the  time 
that  JNIcElvoy  was  confined  there  awaiting  removal  to  the  peniten- 
tiary. When  Olive  received  his  ten-j^ear  sentence  he  fumed  and 
raged  angrily,  declaring  that  he  would  rather  be  hanged  than  put  in 
ten  years  in  the  penitentiary.  This  view  did  not  appeal  to  INIcElvoy 
who  stoutly  maintained  that  after  experiencing  a  death  sentence  and 
a  life  term  sentence  he  was  prepared  to  testify  that  the  latter  looked 
a  good  deal  the  better  to  a  fellow. 

YOCUM   MURDEK   TRIAL 

On  the  afternoon  of  February  22,  1892,  Capt.  A.  D.  Yocum. 
prominently  identified  with  Hastings  and  the  development  of  Adams 


172       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Countj',  having  served  on  the  board  of  county  commissioners  and  as 
mayor  of  Hastings  from  April,  1876.  to  April,  1877,  shot  and  killed 
Myron  Van  Fleet,  also  a  resident  of  Hastings.  The  shooting  took 
place  in  front  of  the  cigar  store  located  at  512  West  Second  Street. 
A  revolver  was  the  weapon  used.  The  shooting  resulted  from  the 
bad  feeling  aroused  because  of  reports  circulated  by  "Sir.  Yan  Fleet 
concerning  INIr.  Yocum's  daughter,  and  which  he  declared  were  slan- 
derous. JefF  Teenier  was  arrested  with  Captain  Yocum  as  an  accom- 
plice in  the  killing.  The  trial  of  Yocum  was  held  in  the  District  Coiu't 
in  iNTarch.  1892.  The  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  manslaughter  on  the 
24th  of  iNIarch.  The  case  against  Teenier  was  dismissed  on  the  motion 
of  the  county  attorney.  The  release  of  Yocum  was  procured  and  he 
did  not  serve  any  of  his  sentence. 

In  the  prosecution  of  Captain  Yocum,  County  Attorney  Chris 
Hoeppner.  a  brother  of  Ernest  Hoeppner,  was  assisted  by  Batty, 
Casto  &  Dungan,  C.  H.  Tanner  and  W.  P.  ^IcCreary.  The  defense 
was  conducted  by  A.  H.  Bowen,  JNI.  A.  Hartigan,  C.  J.  Dilworth, 
Jesse  B.  Strode  and  J.  G.  Tate.  In  the  dispatches  of  General  Vodges, 
commander  of  the  federal  forces  before  Charlestown,  S.  C.  while 
complimenting  his  staff  officers.  Corporal  A.  D.  Yocum  is  mentioned 
as  having  disjilayed  conspicuous  bravery  and  efficiency  in  furnishing 
information  of  the  enemy,  for  Avhicli  he  was  promoted  to  adjutant  of 
his  regiment,  the  Sixty-second  Ohio.  From  Hastings,  Captain 
Yocum  went  West  and  took  up  land  in  a  colony  south  of  Yuma,  on 
the  Arizona  side  of  the  Colorado  River.  At  9  o'clock  on  a  June 
morning,  1902,  he  committed  suicide  on  the  grave  of  his  wife  in 
Mountainview  Cemetery  at  Pasadena,  Cal.  In  a  letter  he  left 
explaining  his  suicide  he  said:  "Sixty  years  of  relentless  conflict 
with  adversity  have  rendered  me  incapable  of  further  usefulness  in 
the  world,  mentally  and  physically." 

THE   ilASON   CASE 

On  the  night  of  August  1,  1892,  Delavan  S.  Cole  was  shot  and 
killed  in  a  little  vacant  building  in  the  extreme  southeastern  portion 
of  Hastings.  IMr.  Cole  had  come  to  Hastings  in  an  early  day.  and 
the  park  that  he  laid  out  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town  was  for 
many  years  the  principal  recreation  grounds  of  the  city.  January 
19,  1893,  ]Mrs.  Anna  B.  IMason,  who  lived  near  IMr.  Cole,  was 
arraigned  in  the  District  Court,  charged  with  the  murder  of  Mr.  Cole. 
The  accused  woman  pleaded  guilty  to  the  charge  and  was  sentenced 
to  four  years  in  the  penitentiary.     She  was  pardoned  by  Governor 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       173 

Crounse  on  December  15,  1893.  Her  husband,  Edward  W.  JNIason, 
\\as  arrested  and  charged  as  an  accomplice  of  his  wife  in  the  crime. 
On  April  1.5,  1893,  he  was  acquitted  by  the  jury.  County  Attorney 
W.  P.  ]McCreary  was  the  prosecutor  in  these  cases.  Tibbets,  ]SIorey 
&  Ferris  conducted  the  defense. 

HORLOCKEK   TRIAL 

September  2.5,  1899.  an  information  was  filed  in  the  District  Court 
charging"  JNIiss  Viola  Horlocker  with  administering  arsenic  to  iNIrs. 
Anna  R.  ^lorey  \\ith  the  intent  to  kill.  JNliss  Horlocker  was  released 
on  $.5,000  bail  and  the  case  came  for  trial  in  the  JMarch  term,  1900. 
For  many  days  the  District  Covu't  room  was  crowded.  The  prosecu- 
tion charged  that  jNIiss  Horlocker  had  concealed  the  poison  in  candy 
and  then  left  the  package  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Morey,  the  package 
bearing  the  label,  "Sweets  for  ]\Irs.  Morey."  This  package  was  left 
at  the  home  of  INIrs.  Morey  April  10,  1899,  and  severe  illness,  almost 
resulting  in  the  death  of  the  recipient,  had  followed  the  eating  of  the 
candy.  ]Miss  Horlocker  bore  a  high  local  reputation  as  a  singer.  She 
was  employed  as  a  stenographer  in  the  law  firm  of  which  INIrs.  Morey's 
husband  was  a  member.  She  was  acquitted  of  the  charge  by  the  jury 
March  30,  1900.  She  left  Hastings  and  subsequently  was  married 
in  New  York,  where  she  resides.  County  Attorney  W.  P.  INIcCreary 
conducted  the  prosecution;  John  INI.  Ragan,  R.  A.  Batty  and  John 
C.  Stevens  were  the  attorneys  for  the  defense.  Temporary  insanity 
was  the  basis  of  the  defense. 

PEARSON   CASE 

On  May  10,  1907.  Bonde  R.  Pearson  of  Hastings  was  arraigned 
in  the  District  Court,  charged  with  the  killing  of  Walter  R.  ]\IcCulla 
of  Kenesaw.  As  narrated  by  the  prosecution,  JNIcCulla  Avas  shot  while 
standing  at  the  telephone  talking,  in  the  Pearson  home  at  109  East 
Fifth  Street.  The  accused  stood  outside  the  house  and  shot  through 
the  window.  The  Aveapon  used  Avas  a  shotgim.  The  shot  struck 
McCulla  on  the  left  side  of  the  back.  He  died  from  the  Avounds  early 
July  30.  1906.  The  shooting  Avas  done  about  midnight,  and  AA'as 
caused  by  the  objection  of  Pearson  to  McCulla  as  a  visitor  to  his 
home  and  an  associate  of  his  Avife.  The  prosecutor  AA^as  County  Attor- 
ney John  Snider,  assisted  by  R.  A.  Batty.  John  C.  Stevens  and 
William  F.  Button  defended.  The  defense  contended  that  Pearson 
had  been  subjected  to  great  and  unusual  provocation  that  had  ren- 


174       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

dered  him  temporarily  unaccountable.    On  May  10,  1907,  the  defend- 
ant was  acquitted  by  the  jury. 

TRIAL   OF   ANDERSON 

Arthur  Anderson,  a  colored  boy  about  twenty  years  old,  killed 
Arthur  Newell,  a  white  young  man  of  about  the  same  age,  on  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1910,  by  striking  him  on  the  head  with  a  billiard  cue.  The 
killing  was  done  in  a  pool  room  on  Hastings  Avenue,  near  the  First 
Street  corner  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  avenue.  Anderson  resented 
being  bandied  about  his  bad  luck  at  pool  and  a  remark  made  about 
his  color.  After  striking  Newell,  who  died  instantly,  Anderson  fled. 
He  was  not  captin-ed  for  several  days,  but  A\hen  found  not  far  from 
(Jlenville,  his  feet  were  so  badly  frozen  that  it  was  necessary  to  ampu- 
tate them  at  the  Nebraska  Sanitarium.  He  was  arraigned  in  District 
Court  JNIarch  24,  1910,  and  pleaded  guilty  to  manslaughter.  He  was 
sentenced  to  live  years  in  the  jjcnitentiary  by  Judge  H.  S.  Dungan, 
and  committed  the  following  day.  Newell,  the  young  man  killed, 
was  also  a  resident  of  Hastings. 

HARRY    PAI,:MER   TRIAL 

Sunday  afternoon,  April  2,  1911,  Harry  Palmer,  aged  twenty- 
six,  shot  and  killed  his  wife,  Odessa  Palmer,  aged  twenty-two,  at  the 
home  of  her  mother  in  the  west  side  of  Hastings.  JNIrs.  Palmer  died 
at  the  Nebraska  Sanitarium  about  four  hours  later.  After  shooting 
his  wife  in  the  right  breast  with  a  revolver,  the  young  man  attempted 
to  kill  himself  and  inflicted  severe  wounds  in  the  attempt.  JNIrs. 
Palmer  had  left  her  husband  and  gone  to  live  with  her  mother.  On 
the  fatal  Sunday  the  young  man  came  with  a  buggy  and  asked  her 
to  return  to  their  home  in  another  part  of  the  city.  Upon  her  refus- 
ing, he  drew  the  revolver  and  immediately  shot  her.  On  May  9,  1911, 
lie  ])leaded  guilty  to  miu'der  in  the  second  degree  and  was  sentenced 
l)v  Judge  Dungan  to  serve  twenty-two  years  in  the  penitentiary  at 
Lincoln.  He  was  later  removed  to  the  hospital  for  the  insane  at 
Ingleside. 

NELSON    TRIED   FOR    KILLING 

The  police  at  Hastings  were  notified  August  5,  1885.  that  a  negro 
boy  by  the  name  of  Lish  Nelson  had  stolen  a  lady's  watch  and  chain 
at  Holdrege  and  was  believed  to  have  boarded  a  train  bound  east- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       175 

ward.  J.  jNI.  Tennant  was  a  member  of  the  police  force  at  that  time, 
and  on  that  particular  night  was  in  charge  of  the  force.  Officer  Ten- 
nant ordered  the  poHce  at  the  Burhngton  Station,  C.  J.  Balcom,  to 
he  on  the  lookout.  The  latter  officer  about  midnight  observed  a 
young  negro  clamber  off  a  freight  train  coming  from  the  west.  When 
lie  ordered  him  to  halt,  the  negro  opened  fire  with  a  revolver,  one  of 
the  liullets  striking  the  policeman  in  the  abdomen.  Two  days  later 
the  officer  died  from  the  woimd. 

After  firing,  the  negro  fled,  followed  by  a  posse  headed  by  Officer 
'JVnnant.  The  negro  made  for  the  southeastern  part  of  the  city  and 
at  length  came  to  a  clump  of  tall  grass  and  weeds  in  the  vicinity  of 
Polenske  Schellac  &  Co.'s  east  brick  yard.  Here  he  secreted  himself 
and  Avhen  the  jjosse,  which  meanwhile  had  been  reinforced  by  Sheriff 
Dave  Barlass  and  others,  came  up,  opened  fire.  There  was  a  lively 
exchange  of  shots,  and  the  negro  was  badly  wounded  in  the  cheek. 
He  would  not  surrender,  however,  and  Officer  Tennant  decided  that 
he  could  not  be  taken  with  i-evolvers  \\ithout  unnecessarily  exposing 
the  i)ursuers  to  danger.  Accordingly,  deputies  were  sent  back  to  the 
city  to  secure  shotguns.  ]Members  of  the  jjosse  had  ridden  horses, 
\vhich  were  tethered  close  by.  The  j^oung  negro  was  so  near  to  liis 
])ursuers  that  he  heard  their  plan  to  get  shotguns,  and  while  they 
were  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  deputies  he  stealthily  stole  from 
the  grass  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  horses.  Rapid  hoofbeats 
making  southward  apprised  the  pursuers  that  their  quariy  had  fled. 

Officer  Tennajit  now  hurried  back  to  the  city,  and  a  large  number 
of  the  i)osse  boarded  a  train  that  was  just  ready  to  start  south.  They 
got  off"  at  Ayr  and  were  joined  by  a  large  number  from  that  village 
and  they  began  scouring  the  country  toward  Hastings.  Not  far  from 
.\yr  they  encountered  young  Lish.  He  was  still  full  of  fight  and 
kept  up  a  lively  fire.  Several  of  the  posse  were  hit  by  the  bullets, 
but  none  were  seriously  wounded.  The  negro  finally  surrendered. 
Fearing  that  he  would  be  lynched  in  Hastings,  the  officers  took  I^isli 
to  Fairfield  and  later  transferred  him  to  the  jail  in  Kearney.  He 
was  brought  for  trial  in  the  District  Court  at  Hastings  in  the  Decem- 
ber term,  188.5.  County  Attorney  C.  H.  Tanner  prosecuted,  and 
the  court  appointed  Capps  &  jNIcCreary  of  Hastings  and  Hon.  W. 
E.  Green  of  Kearney  to  conduct  the  defense.  On  December  11th, 
he  was  found  guilty  of  murder  in  the  second  degree  and  sentenced 
to  the  penitentiary.  The  sentence  was  commuted  by  Governor 
Crounse  JNIay  2.5,  1894,  and  on  June  1  he  was  discharged.  According 
to  his  confession  to  his  attorneys,  Lish  planned  to  become  a  desperado, 
and  had  ]n-acticed  with  a  revolver  until  he  became  very  expert  with 


176       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  weapon.     He  later  became  insane  and  was  confined  in  Ingleside. 
At  the  time  that  he  shot  Balcom,  Lish  was  about  seventeen  years  old. 

BUBXED  STATION  AND  KILLED  YOCUM 

About  midnight,  November  24,  1879,  fire  was  discovered  shooting 
from  the  windows  of  the  Burlington  passenger  station.  The  station 
and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  freight  depot  were  burned  to  the 
ground.  No  definite  information  has  been  gained  about  just  what 
took  i^lace  on  that  night.  In  the  morning  the  dead  body  of  a  young- 
man,  Allen  J.  Yocum,  was  discovered  in  the  ruins.  It  was  ascertained 
that  a  number  of  men  had  been  playing  cards  in  the  station  that  night, 
and  that  Yocum  was  a  party  in  the  game.  The  theory  developed  was 
that  the  jjlayers  had  quarreled  and  that  one  of  them  shot  and  killed 
Yocum  and  set  fire  to  the  station  to  conceal  the  crime.  Yocimi  had 
been  shot  through  the  heart.  Warrants  were  issued  for  the  arrest  of 
William  ]M.  Baldwin  and  Ralph  jM.  Taylor,  whom  evidence  showed 
to  have  been  among  the  j^arty  and  who  were  not  seen  after  the  night 
of  the  murder.  Considerable  difficulty  was  encountered  in  capturing 
them,  for  they  had  fled  the  county.  On  INIay  6,  1880,  Baldwin  was 
arraigned  in  the  District  Court,  charged  witli  the  murder  of  Yocum 
and  burning  the  railroad  property,  and  on  jNIay  18th  he  was  found 
guilty  of  manslaughter  by  the  jury  and  sentenced  to  ten  years  in  the 
jjenitentiary.  T.  D.  Scofield  was  the  prosecuting  attorney  and  John 
^I.  Ragan  and  R.  A.  Batty  were  appointed  by  the  court  to  defend. 
An  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court  resulted  in  granting  a  new  trial 
to  Baldwin  and  he  was  released  upon  the  motion  of  the  county  attor- 
ney. The  jury  that  convicted  Baldwin  were  A.  D.  Briggs,  W.  Gra- 
bill,  J.  C.  Ball,  J.  D.  Evans,  John  Exelby,  Hiram  Gardner,  W.  C. 
Robinson,  A.  F.  Powers,  John  Van  Houten,  Simon  Sanger,  Benja- 
min Van  Sickle  and  H.  31.  Sage.  Yocum  was  an  employee  at  the 
Burlington  station. 

In  the  December  term  Taylor  was  brought  to  trial  and  found  not 
guilty. 

LYNCH   SLAYERS   01'    MILLETT 

One  of  the  most  sensational  incidents  in  the  history  of  Adams 
County  took  place  in  the  latter  part  of  ]\Iarch,  1883,  but  only  a  frag- 
ment of  it  is  narrated  in  the  records  of  the  court.  This  was  the 
murder  of  Cassius  INI.  INIillett  and  the  lynching  of  two  men  for  the 
crime.    Mr.  ^Nlillett  was  the  proprietor  of  a  grocery  store  on  the  north 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       177 

side  of  Second  Street,  between  Hastings  and  Denver  avenues.  Dur- 
ing tlie  afternoon  jireceding  the  evening  when  he  was  shot,  INIr.  jNIillett 
liad  observed  three  men  pass  and  repass  his  store  several  times.  When 
he  closed  the  store  they  were  not  in  sight,  but  he  soon  became  aware 
that  they  were  following  him.  When  he  was  only  a  short  distance 
east  of  his  liome,  which  was  located  on  the  north  side  of  First  Street, 
a  short  way  west  of  that  street's  intersection  with  Bellevue  Avenue, 
he  was  held  up  by  three  masked  men,  whose  purpose,  as  they  after- 
ward confessed,  was  to  lead  him  to  a  cave  west  of  the  city  and  there 
compel  him  to  deliver  his  money. 

The  three  men  started  off  westward  witli  their  victim,  threatening 
to  kill  him  if  he  made  an  outcry.  When  in  front  of  the  gate  opening 
upon  the  lawn  surrounding  the  residence  of  Aaron  INIay,  a  merchant, 
]Mr.  JNIillett  broke  away  from  his  captors,  and  just  as  he  entered  the 
gate  one  of  them  shot,  the  bullet  striking  Mv.  Millett.  The  wounded 
man  was  able  to  reach  the  back  door  of  his  residence.  There  he  was 
met  by  JMrs.  INIillett  and  fell  unconscious  into  her  arms.  He  died  a 
short  time  later,  ]March  27,  but  before  death  came  was  able  to  make 
a  statement  of  the  affair  to  Isaac  Le  Dioyt,  notary  public.  The 
funeral  services  for  Mr.  Millett  were  conducted  April  1  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repulilic.  of  whicli  organization 
he  was  a  member. 

When  fleeing  from  the  scene  of  the  murder,  one  of  the  highway- 
men dropped  his  mask,  which  was  found  a  day  or  so  later  by  Miss 
Hall,  a  daughter  of  W.  A.  Hall.  The  mask  was  turned  over  to  Chief 
of  Police  J.  C.  Williams,  who  found  that  it  was  of  the  same  material 
as  a  table  cover  that  had  disappeared  from  the  St.  Louis  Boarding 
House  on  South  Street,  between  Hastings  and  Lincoln  avenues. 
This  caused  suspicion  to  fall  upon  one  of  the  boarders,  James  Green, 
and  two  men  who  were  known  to  associate  with  him,  Fred  Ingraham 
and  John  Babcoek.  The  three  were  arrested  while  digging  a  well 
upon  the  farm  of  Charles  Kohl,  a  few  miles  south  of  Hastings.  When 
the  news  of  the  arrest  spread  around,  indignation  was  worked  up  to 
a  high  pitcli,  and  there  was  general  talk  of  lynching  them. 

A  few  nights  after  their  arrest  there  was  a  dance  in  Liberal  Hall 
and  almost  at  the  outset  of  the  program  Charles  H.  Dietrich,  after- 
wards LTnited  States  Senator  Dietrich,  who  heard  the  talk  about 
lynching  but  who  was  not  yet  fully  convinced  of  the  guilt  of  the  men, 
left  the  hall  and  undertook  an  investigation  on  his  own  account. 
Babcoek  was  confined  in  a  room  in  the  Commercial  Hotel,  now  the 
Lindell.  and  tlie  other  two  were  under  guard  in  another  portion  of 
the  city.     'Mr.  Dietrich  secured  a  permit  from  [Mayor  W.  H.  Lan- 


178       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ning  to  interview  Babcock,  and  from  him  he  secured  a  complete  con- 
fession. ]Mr.  Dietrich  was  convinced  by  the  straightforward  story 
told  by  the  prisoner,  who  was  about  eighteen  years  old.  Ingraham 
and  Green  Avere  much  older,  and  it  appeared  to  INIr.  Dietrich  that 
the  young  man  had  been  drawn  into  the  jjlot  by  the  older  men.  He 
determined  to  save  him  from  the  lynchers  if  possible.  The  next  day 
Babcock  made  a  written  confession,  but  when  this  was  noised  about, 
it  only  heightened  the  determination  of  some  of  the  citizens  to  take 
the  law  into  their  own  hands  and  avenge  the  crime. 

That  evening  a  meeting  was  held  in  a  lumber  yard  south  of  the 
Burlington  track,  at  which  thirty-three  men  were  present.  They  are 
now  referred  to  as  the  "Thirty-threes."  Before  starting  on  their 
expedition  they  were  numbered  and  each  responded  in  order  as  the 
roll  was  called.  All  were  masked,  and  taking  from  the  lumber  yard 
a  heavy  timber  to  use  as  a  battering  ram,  they  started  toward  the 
Stone  Block  where  the  prisoners  were  confined. 

The  jirisoners  were  guarded  l)y  Edward  Burton,  Hi  Farr.  J.  E. 
Hutchinson,  W.  C.  Cutler  and  Charles  Dietrich.  ISIr.  Dietrich  had 
asked  to  be  apjjointed  because  he  anticipated  that  there  would  be  an 
attempt  to  lynch.  The  lynchers  put  in  an  appearance  about  10 
o'clock.  Their  approach  was  heralded  by  a  great  noise  on  the  stairs. 
A  few  moments  later  the  door  of  the  room  in  which  the  prisoners 
were  confined  was  dealt  a  terrific  blow  with  the  battering  ram.  It 
required  a  second  blow  to  smash  the  door,  and  then  the  thirty-three 
entered  the  room  with  revolvers  drawn.  The  determination  mani- 
fested by  the  masked  men  in  the  outset  had  convinced  the  guards  that 
resistance  would  be  useless.  The  lynchers  took  immediate  possession 
of  the  prisoners  and  marched  them  to  a  bridge  on  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Grand  Island  Railroad,  where  they  were  placed  side  by  side  on  the 
bridge.  A  rope  was  immediately  tied  about  each  man's  neck  and 
fastened  to  a  tie.  ]Mr.  Dietrich  had  not  yet  given  up  the  hope  of 
saving  Babcock,  although  as  yet  no  opportunity  to  do  so  had  pi'e- 
sented  itself.  Ingraham  and  Green  were  pushed  off.  Babcock  \\as 
next  in  order.  Just  as  he  was  slipping  off  the  bank,  ]Mr.  Dietrich 
seized  the  rope  and  cut  it  with  his  knife.  Babcock  fell  to  the  ground 
unhurt.  The  lynchers  gathered  angrily  about  INIr.  Dietrich  and 
demanded  an  explanation.  It  was  the  psychological  moment  for  him 
to  make  an  impression  favorable  to  the  man  he  would  save.  At  no 
other  moment  could  he  so  well  have  obtained  the  concentrated  atten- 
tion of  the  croAvd.  With  a  voice  carrying  authority,  he  recited  the 
storv  of  Babcock's  confession.     He  told  the  listening  lynchers  that 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       179 

he  had  promised  the  young  man  he  would  save  his  life,  and  declared 
that  he  would  make  that  promise  good. 

After  a  short  consultation,  the  lynchers  decided  to  let  the  young- 
man  go.  A  few  M-eeks  later  he  was  sentenced  by  the  court  to  ten 
years'  imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary,  where  he  was  taught  the 
trade  of  stone-cutting.  He  was  released  in  seven  years,  and  nothing 
has  been  heard  of  him  in  recent  years. 

TRIAL    OF    :MRS.    AI.DRICH 

In  the  ]May  term  of  the  District  Court,  1889,  ]Mrs.  Lizzie  Aldrieh 
was  arraigned,  charged  with  the  killing  of  her  husband,  Jolm  Aldrieh, 
a  farmer  who  lived  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county.  He  had  died 
suddenly  and  neighbors  caused  the  body  to  be  exhumed  and  the  con- 
tents of  the  stomach  were  sent  to  Rush  INIedical  College,  Chicago, 
for  analysis.  Arsenic  was  discovered  in  the  stomach  and  soon  after 
]Mrs.  Aldrieh  was  arrested.  She  was  acquitted,  hoAvever,  many  believ- 
ing that  the  farmer  had  administered  the  poison  to  himself. 

SPROETZ    ESCAPED 

The  body  of  James  Quinn,  a  bachelor  and  a  farmer,  was  found 
in  a  field  near  his  house,  jNIarch  26,  1886.  The  body  had  been 
buried  in  a  shallow  grave,  from  which  it  had  been  dug  out  by  the 
hogs  and  jiartly  eaten.  Wilhelm  Sproetz  Mas  arrested  and  charged 
with  this  crime.  His  attorney,  Charles  H.  Tanner,  obtained  the  dis- 
charge of  the  defendant  at  the  preliminary  trial.  Following  this  an 
inquest  was  held  and  Sproetz  gave  evidence  before  the  coroner. 
Immediately  afterwards  he  fled,  and  has  not  been  seen  in  the  comity 
since,  although  the  coroner's  jury  on  December  7th  found  him  guilty 
of  wilful  murder. 

SHOOTING    OF    DOCTOR    RAXDAIJ. 

In  the  spring  of  1886  Dr.  G.  W.  Randall  was  bound  over  in  the 
County  Court  to  await  trial  in  the  District  Court  on  the  charge  of 
criminal  assault  upon  Lora  May  Hart,  the  eleven-year-old  daughter 
of  jNIr.  and  Mrs.  INIarion  Hart  of  Edgar.  The  little  girl  had  been 
brought  to  Hastings  and  left  there  to  be  treated  by  Doctor  Randall  for 
eye  trouble.  While  the  papers  fixing  his  $.5,000  bail  were  being  signed 
in  County  Judge  Fleming's  office  in  the  Stone  Block,  a  shot  reverb- 
erated through  the  courtroom  and  Randall   fell  to  the  floor.      He 


180       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

expired  almost  immediately.  The  shot  had  been  fired  by  a  brother 
of  the  little  girl.  No  attempt  was  made  to  capture  the  avenger  of  his 
small  sister's  wrong.  Doctor  Randall  was  buried  in  the  jjotter's  field. 
Mrs.  Randall  was  brought  to  trial  as  an  accomplice  of  her  husband, 
but  the  case  was  dismissed. 

CASE  OF  TKEASUKEK   THORNE 

Adams  County  has  had  two  defaulting  county  treasurers,  William 
B.  Thorne  and  Charles  H.  Paul.  The  Thorne  defalcation  afl'airs  were 
first  in  the  court  in  1881,  and  the  case  against  Treasurer  Paul  was 
brought  in  1892. 

AVilliam  B.  Thorne  was  a  homesteader  and  was  first  elected  treas- 
urer in  the  fall  of  1873.  He  was  exceedingly  active  in  the  early 
political  afl'airs  of  Adams  County  and  took  a  leading  part  in  the 
county  seat  removal  contest.  It  is  probable  that  the  expenditures 
made  by  the  county  treasurer  in  these  years  of  political  storm  were 
largely  accoimtable  for  the  subsequent  shortage  in  his  accounts. 
Rumors  that  affairs  were  not  as  they  should  be  in  his  office  were 
current  long  before  disclosures  were  made.  ]Mr.  Thorne  was  a  strong 
Juniata  partisan  in  the  covmty  government  removal  contest  and  in 
consequence  had  incurred  i)olitical  enmities  which  did  not  allow  the 
rumors  to  rest.  According  to  the  reports  of  early  settlers,  it  was 
noised  about  at  one  time  that  the  treasurer's  shortage  was  $105,000, 
and  that  only  the  friendly  offices  of  a  banker  friend  in  Lincoln  saved 
the  treasurer  from  exposm-e  at  that  time.  Arriving  from  Lincoln, 
the  story  goes,  the  treasurer  brought  with  him  a  valise  full  of  money 
and  opened  it  before  the  investigators.  "You  say  I  am  short  $105,- 
000,"  he  said.  "Well,  there's  the  money.  Count  it."  They  counted 
the  money  and  found  the  foregoing  sum.  But  when  they  would  take 
over  tlie  money,  the  treasurer  halted  them.  "I  am  the  county  treas- 
urer." he  said;  "I'll  take  charge  of  the  money."  Next  day  the  valise 
and  its  contents  were  returned  to  the  Lincoln  banker. 

Several  investigations  by  the  county  commissioners  had  failed  to 
discover  a  shortage  until  February  1,  1881.  The  county  treasurer 
had  been  in  office  continuously  since  1873.  On  February  1st  the  com- 
missioners began  an  investigation,  which  ended  IMarch  12th.  They 
reported  that  Thorne  was  a  defaulter  in  a  sum  exceeding  $50,000, 
and  on  that  day  the  county  treasurer  resigned.  It  was  discovered 
that  before  resigning  he  had  conveyed  his  proiJerty  to  Abraham  Yea- 
zel,  one  of  his  sureties  as  treasurer.  These  properties  were  located 
in  AVebster  and  Adams  counties  and  were  estimated  by  attornevs 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       181 

opposing  Thorne  to  have  a  value  of  $62,886.93.  On  the  same  date, 
jNIarch  12,  1881,  the  county  commissioners  entered  into  an  agreement 
with  Thorne  and  Yeazel  that  the  Thorne  jiroperties  should  he  con- 
veyed by  them  to  A.  L.  Clarke  of  Hastings  and  C.  R.  Jones  of 
Juniata,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  Adams  County.  In  consideration  for 
this  conveyance,  the  sureties  upon  the  treasurer's  bond,  which  was  for 
$2.5,000,  were  released.  The  conuuissioners  at  that  time  were  A.  C. 
]Moore,  A.  D.  Yocum  and  C.  G.  Wilson.  On  March  18,  1881,  Messrs. 
Clarke  and  Jones  entered  into  agreement  with  the  county  to  admin- 
ister the  trust,  and  the  properties  were  deeded  to  them  by  Thorne 
and  Yeazel.    The  trustees  gave  bond  in  the  sum  of  $30,000. 

According  to  the  agreement,  INIessrs.  Clarke  and  Jones  were  to 
dispose  of  all  the  properties  thus  turned  over  to  them,  converting 
them  into  cash,  and  file  a  statement  with  the  commissioners.  The 
trustees  were  unable  to  dispose  of  all  the  properties  within  the  required 
time,  and  on  August  13,  1883,  Thorne  brought  suit  in  the  District 
Court  against  Clarke  and  Jones,  claiming  that  the  defalcation  had 
lieen  paid  out  of  the  sales  already  made,  and  asking  the  court  to  order 
the  return  of  the  remaining  property.  October  29,  1883,  Thome's 
case  was  dismissed.    Thorne  then  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court. 

Awaiting  the  decision  of  the  higher  court,  the  trustees,  Clarke 
and  Jones,  ceased  making  fiu'ther  payment  to  Adams  County,  but 
Avere  ordered  by  the  District  Court  to  pay  to  Harrison  Bostwick,  on 
a  claim  against  the  properties,  $ll,3o.>.72.  Bostwick  giving  bond  to 
turn  the  siuii  over  to  the  county  should  the  court  later  so  decide. 
Time  went  on  and  the  trustees,  not  knowing  what  the  court  would 
order,  upon  the  advice  of  counsel  made  no  further  payment  to  the 
county.  On  April  29,  1886,  County  Attorney  L.  J.  Capps  brought 
suit  in  the  District  Court  to  compel  a  settlement  between  Adams 
County  and  the  trustees,  A.  L.  Clarke  and  C.  R.  Jones.  This  suit, 
liowever,  was  acquiesced  in  by  the  trustees,  who  were  desirous  to  obtain 
their  discharge,  but  because  of  the  appeal  of  Thorne  to  the  higher 
court  they  did  not  feel  justified  in  making  the  final  settlement.  On 
July  22,  1886,  the  trustees  filed  their  report,  in  which  it  was  shown 
that  they  had  paid  into  the  treasury  of  Adams  County  $21,411.04. 
"Other  disbursements"  were  given  at  $239.3.5.  These  sums,  together 
with  $11,3.'5.>.72  paid  to  Harrison  Bostwick,  brought  the  total  realized 
from  the  Thorne  properties  to  $39,2.54.16.  In  December,  1886,  the 
court  oi'dered  Bostwick  to  pay  the  amount  that  had  been  paid  to  him 
by  the  trustees,  $11,3.5.5.72,  into  the  treasury  of  Adams  County,  and 
five  days  later  Mr.  Bostwick  complied  with  the  order.  Adams  County 
received  from  the  Thorne  property  $32,766.76,  and  lost  through  the 


182       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

defalcation  something  in  excess  of  $20,000.  In  discharging  the  trus- 
tees, Judge  ]\Iorris,  who  occujiied  the  bench,  complimented  INIr.  Clarke 
and  jVIr.  Jones  for  the  faithful  administering  of  their  tnisteeship. 

Thorne  was  sentenced  to  one  year  in  the  jjcnitentiarj',  but  served 
no  time.  He  ajjpealed  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  within  two  years 
that  body  had  taken  no  action,  nor  had  it  been  urged  to  do  so  by 
Adams  County.  At  about  the  expiration  of  that  time  Thorne  was 
accidentally  killed  by  falling  from  a  load  of  hay  while  working  upon 
his  farm  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  county.  !Many  good  words  are 
heard  of  Mr.  Thorne,  for  he  was  always  sympathetic  of  the  needy 
among  the  settlers,  and  many  of  them  were  spared  from  want  through 
his  generosity.  The  Thorne  bondsmen  diu-ing  his  last  term  were 
Abraham  Yeazel,  William  Graybill,  W.  E.  Thorne,  Ira  Dillon,  C. 
R.  Jones  k  Co.,  James  Sewell,  J.  S.  Chandler  and  William  West. 

CASE   OF   CHARLES   H.    PAUL 

Charles  H.  Paul,  the  second  Adams  County  treasurer  who  was 
found  short  in  his  accounts,  was  one  of  the  earliest  business  men  of 
Hastings,  having  established  a  shoe  business  in  the  town  in  1873.  He 
was  of  a  retiring  disposition  and  well  thought  of  among  his  townsmen. 
He  served  as  postmaster  of  the  Hastings  postoffice  for  one  term. 

I\Ir.  Paul  was  first  elected  county  treasurer  in  the  November 
election,  1887,  and  he  was  reelected  two  years  later.  As  in  the  case 
of  Treasurer  Thorne,  rumors  Avere  current  that  there  were  irregulari- 
ties in  the  office  for  some  time  before  disclosures  were  made.  On  Jan- 
uary 7.  1892,  the  settlement  committee  of  the  board  of  supervisors 
reported  to  the  board  that  there  was  a  balance  due  from  the  treasurer 
to  the  county  of  $9.5,947.68  and  that  Mr.  Paul  had  on  hand  and  had 
paid  in  $7-5, .574.08.  The  report,  made  in  the  forenoon,  indicated  a 
shortage  of  $21,770.25,  which  sum  was  immediately  paid  in  by  the 
following  sureties,  G.  J.  Evans,  O.  G.  Smith,  William  Kerr,  A.  L. 
Clarke,  Sewell  Slueman,  J.  R.  Pentield.  Abraham  Loeb,  H.  E.  Nor- 
ton. P.  E.  Hatch,  Alex  Pickens,  John  ]M.  Ragan,  George  E.  Douglas, 
John  N.  Lyman,  Mark  Levy,  George  J.  Volland,  George  ^V.  JMowery 
and  Leopald  Hahn.  By  an  unanimous  vote  the  board  of  supervisors 
the  next  day,  January  8,  1892,  agreed  to  settle  with  Paul  in  full  for 
the  sum  already  paid  in  by  the  sureties,  $21,770.2.).  In  the  meantime, 
however,  the  deputy  treasurer,  Emanuel  Fist,  a  man  of  unusual  alert- 
ness, made  a  statement  to  the  bondsmen  that  the  shortage  was  con- 
siderable more  than  the  investigation  of  the  supervisors  had  yet 
revealed,  and  as  a  result  the  bondsmen  proposed  to  the  board  to  make 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       183 

up  a  deficiency  totaling  $30,749.  They  oif  ered  to  give  their  individual 
notes  for  that  amount,  payable  in  five  annual  payments,  or  to  pay 
$10,000  in  cash  in  addition  to  the  smn  already  paid.  In  consideration, 
the  bondsmen  asked  to  be  released  from  further  obligation  in  the 
deficiency.  It  was  a  strenuous  moment  for  the  board  of  supervisors 
tile  tenseness  of  which  had  been  increased  by  the  discovery  of  the  addi- 
tional shortage,  which  it  now  became  known  was  in  excess  of  $.50,000. 
Considerable  debate  followed  the  two  proposals  of  the  bondsmen,  and 
at  length  Sujjervisor  E.  S.  Fowler  moved  the  acceptance  of  the  five- 
year  payment  plan.  This  motion  was  tabled  and  F.  J.  Benedict 
moved  the  acceptance  of  $10,000  in  cash  offered  by  the  sureties  in 
addition  to  the  sum  previously  paid  by  them.  R.  A.  Batty  made  a 
memorable  sj^eech,  j^rotesting  in  behalf  of  several  taxpayers  that  no 
settlement  be  made  except  upon  payment  by  the  sureties  of  the  full 
amount  of  the  shortage.  When  the  roll  was  called,  Mr.  Benedict's 
motion  carried  by  a  vote  of  14  to  12.  Those  who  voted  for  the  motion 
were  L.  C.  Lukins,  H.  F.  Einspahr,  John  Gordon,  F.  J.  Benedict, 
D.  H.  Ballard,  Ed  Burton,  R.  V.  Shockey,  D.  M.  INIcElhinney,  P. 
A.  Stewart,  A.  C.  ]Moore,  William  Huxtable,  Ed  S.  Fowler  and 
Fred  Wagner.  Those  voting  against  the  motion  were  Bart  F.  Ker- 
nan.  W.  J.  Willars.  J.  H.  Walker,  Jesse  Doty,  J.  W.  Thornton, 
J.  C.  Woodworth,  H.  C.  INIinnix,  T.  T.  Jones,  Lester  Wornmth, 
Frank  P.  Harman,  C.  B.  Kemple  and  Jacob  Barnhardt. 

There  was  much  discussion  among  the  siu"eties  about  taking  legal 
action  against  JNIr.  Paul.  This  resulted  in  the  issuing  by  County 
Judge  Burton,  upon  the  complaint  of  the  county  attorney,  Chris 
Hoejjpner.  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Charles  H.  Paul  upon  the 
charge  of  embezzling  $.54,909.88.  The  defendant  waived  the  right 
to  ])reliminary  examination  and  was  released  on  $10,000  bail. 

The  case  came  up  for  trial  in  the  June  term  of  the  District  Court, 
1892.  June  20th,  on  the  application  of  the  county  attorney,  A.  H. 
Bowen  and  R.  A.  Batty  were  appointed  by  the  court  to  assist  in  the 
prosecution,  and  the  case  was  set  for  trial  on  June  27th.  On  the 
a]j]3lication  of  the  defendant.  W.  P.  McCreary  and  B.  F.  Smith  were 
a])])ointed  counsel  for  the  defense,  and  on  June  29  the  jury  was 
ini])anelled  and  sworn.  The  following  were  the  jurors.  J.  H.  Pope, 
S.  A.  Nash,  Joseph  Stormer,  Richard  Spicknall,  Jacob  Stein,  W.  .1. 
Clark,  J.  B.  Johnson,  J.  C.  Daugherty,  J.  R.  Steele,  B.  F.  Evans, 
and  W.  F.  Wilson.  The  jury  retired  on  July  6th,  and  on  July  8th 
returned  a  verdict  of  "Guilty  as  charged,"  and  that  Charles  H.  Paul 
had. converted  $7-50  of  the  county's  money  to  his  own  use.  The  de- 
fendant Avas  sentenced  to  three  years  in  the  penitentiary.     ^Ir.  Paul, 


I8i       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

however,  was  not  removed  to  the  penitentiary,  but  remained  confined 
in  the  county  jail  at  Hastings  until  September  19,  1892,  when  he  was 
pardoned  by  Governor  James  E.  Boyd.  Mr.  Paul  continued  to  live 
in  Hastings  imtil  1915,  when  he  removed  to  Lincoln.  He  made  no 
attemj)t  to  mingle  hi  the  affairs  of  the  city,  but  quietlj^  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  traveling  salesman. 

On  the  complaint  of  Levi  L.  Lukins,  the  deputy  treasurer,  Eman- 
uel Fist,  was  arrested,  charged  with  embezzlement  in  the  same  sum 
as  his  in-incij^al.  The  trial  of  Fist  was  had  in  the  September,  1892, 
term  of  the  district  court.  M.  A.  Hartigan  and  George  Tibbets  were 
the  attorneys  for  the  defense,  while  A.  H.  Bowen  assisted  Count}' 
Attorney  Chris  Hoeppner  in  the  prosecution.  The  jury  in  the  Fist 
case  were  H.  B.  Talbert,  W.  P.  jNIay,  Lee  Willis,  L.  W.  Parmenter, 
JNI.  W.  Burgess,  Fred  Faecknitz,  William  Kelsey,  Samuel  Lap^j,  B. 
]\Iorgan,  Charles  T.  Garries,  J.  Gearhart,  and  J.  F.  Craig.  On  Sep- 
tember 11,  1892,  they  returned  a  verdict  of  "Not  Guilty."  The  record 
indicates  that  through  the  defalcation  of  Charles  H.  Paul,  Adams 
County  lost  about  $23,140.  His  jiroperties,  which  were  rather  exten- 
sive, were  assigned  to  sureties  on  his  treasurer's  bond,  and  by  them 
disposed  of. 

THE    $100,000    MYSTERY 

Next  to  tlie  Olive  case  the  John  OConnor  case  aroused  the  most 
widespread  interest  of  any  case  tried  in  the  district  court  of  Adams 
County.  O'Connor  died  at  the  Nebraska  Sanitarium,  in  Hastings, 
August  17,  191.3.  Although  he  had  lived  in  Hastings  since  the  early 
seventies,  and  for  a  number  of  years  had  conducted  a  shoe  store  on 
First  Street,  it  developed  at  the  time  of  his  death  that  nobody  knew 
anything  about  his  life  before  he  came  to  Hastings.  It  was  reported 
that  he  had  walked  into  the  town  in  the  early  days  with  2.3  cents  in  his 
pocket,  and  had  opened  a  cobbler's  shop  on  First  Street,  which  later 
grcAV  into  a  shoe  store. 

At  the  time  of  his  deatli  lie  was  possessed  of  property  and  money 
valued  at  about  $100,000.  His  property  consisted  of  the  southwest 
quarter  of  Section  27  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  34  in  Blaine 
TownshijD,  and  lots  3,  4,  and  5,  in  Block  26,  in  the  original  town  of 
Hastings.  Store  buildings  stood  upon  the  town  lots,  and  he  left  about 
$10,000  in  cash.  Nothing  was  left,  at  least  nothing  that  became  com- 
mon knowledge,  or  was  revealed  in  court,  among  his  belongings  to 
identify  relatives  nor  to  hidicate  what  disposition  should  be  made  of 
the  propertv.     The  body  of  O'Connor  was  kept  in  tlie  Livingston 


PAST  AND  PKESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY   l«5 

uijdertaking  rooms  until  February  10,  1916,  when  burial  was  made  in 
Parkview  Cemetery.  The  Rev.  A.  A.  Brooks  condueted  the  funeral 
service  at  the  Livingston  chapel. 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  O'Connor,  a  will  pin-porting  to  be  that 
of  John  O'Connor,  was  received  at  the  countj'  court  by  registered 
mail,  from  an  unknown  man  by  the  name  of  Smith.  This  instrument 
came  from  Grand  Island,  and  bequeathed  the  entire  estate  to  John  T. 
Cuknin,  of  Omaha.  The  will  was  thrown  out  of  court  because  it  was 
unwitnessed.  Some  time  afterwards,  another  will,  making  John  T. 
Culavin  the  beneficiary,  was  received  in  the  county  coiu't  from  Dimcan 
]M.  A^insonhaler,  an  attorney  of  Omaha.  Culavin  had  been  found 
tln-ough  advertisements  inserted  in  newsj^apers  by  Nelson  H.  Tunni- 
cliif,  a  New  York  attorney.  This  will  was  signed  February  25,  1887, 
and  the  two  witnesses,  J.  H.  Culavin  and  T.  K.  Scott,  were  dead  long 
before  tlie  will  came  for  probate.  John  T.  Culavin  also  claimed  to  be 
a  ne])hew  of  John  O'Coiinor.  It  was  about  the  genuineness  of  this 
A^ill  tliat  a  legal  battle  raged. 

The  will  came  for  probate  before  Judge  William  F.  Button  in 
the  county  court,  July  8,  1914.  Several  hearings  were  had,  and  many 
witnesses  examined.  On  November  18,  1914,  Judge  Button  held  that 
the  will  was  genuine.  Meanwhile,  many  other  claimants  appeared, 
and  an  appeal  was  taken  to  tlie  district  court.  The  trial  opened  before 
Judge  Harry  S.  Dungan  ]M:ircli  1,  191.),  and  the  taking  of  testimony 
continued  until  11a.  m.,  JNIarch  12.  At  9.30  the  following  morning, 
the  jury  returned  a  verdict  declaring  the  will  to  be  fraudulent. 
Twenty-one  witnesses  had  testified  for  the  j^roponent,  and  fifty  for 
the  contestants.  The  contestants  were  in  seven  groups,  representing 
136,  wlio  claimed  to  be  heirs.  Seventeen  attorneys  represented  the 
contestants,  and  Duncan  JNI.  Vinsonlialer  represented  Mr.  Culavin. 
The  following  were  the  jurymen:  Henry  Bentert,  R.  J.  Ashmore, 
Ira  Graham,  John  Rowe,  William  Parsons,  George  CrafFord,  Ed 
George,  A.  U.  Kay,  JNIark  Campbell,  R.  B.  Smith,  E.  D.  Pratt  and 
Chris  Christensen.  The  Hastings  attorneys  participating  were  INIc- 
Creary  &  Danly,  Ragan  &  Addie,  F.  P.  Olmstead  and  C^  E.  Bruck- 
man;  other  attorneys  were  Daniel  L.  Johnston,  Omaha;  JNIinihan  & 
INIinihan,  Green  Bay,  Wis.;  P.  E.  McGray,  St.  Paul,  IMiim.:  INIcDon- 
nough  &  IMcDonnough,  Denver;  Atty.  Gen.  Willis  E.  Reed,  Dexter 
T.  Barrett.  W.  T.  Thompson  and  Don  C.  Fonts  for  the  state. 

Tlie  j)ropouent  appealed  from  the  district  coiu't.  and  tlie  case  is 
now  pending  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nebraska. 

January  3,  191(),  the  state  of  Nebraska  brought  the  case  up  in 
the  district  court  to  quiet  title.     Seventy-two  witnesses  were  heard. 


186       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  the  case  was  not  concluded  until  March  12.  This  case  was  tried 
by  Judge  Corcoran,  of  York,  who  found  in  favor  of  the  state  of 
Nebraska,  Avhich  by  the  decision  holds  the  estate  in  trust  pending  the 
apjjearance  of  a  claimant  who  can  prove  heirship.  John  Slaker,  of 
Hastings,  was  appointed  administrator  by  Judge  Snider,  judge  of 
the  county  court. 

The  attorneys  in  the  last  trial  were  the  same  for  the  contestants 
as  in  the  will  case,  except  that  there  were  added  M.  A.  Hartigan, 
Tibbets,  ^Nforey,  Fuller  &  Tibbets.  James  B.  O'Connor,  Roscoe  F. 
Kirkman  and  Judge  Sutton. 

During  the  trial  of  the  will  case  the  witness,  William  F.  Davis, 
for  the  contestants,  charged  on  the  stand  that  Culavin  had  offered 
him  $2,000,  and  his  wife  a  like  sum,  to  witness  the  will  falsely.  This 
charge  led  to  an  investigation  by  the  grand  jury,  which  began  May  11, 
1915,  and  ended  INIay  20th.     No  indictments  were  returned. 

My.  Culavin's  narrative  of  the  life  of  John  O'Connor  before  he 
came  to  Hastings,  as  told  on  the  stand,  was  to  the  effect  that  O'Connor 
had  participated  in  Kiel's  Rebellion,  in  Canada,  and  subsequently  had 
killed  two  of  the  mounted  police.  He  then  fled  to  the  United  States. 
In  Canada  he  was  married  to  an  Indian  woman,  and  went  by  the  name 
of  Olaf  Olsen.  In  1887.  he  had  commissioned  his  nephew,  the  pro- 
ponent, to  go  to  Canada,  and  spread  the  report  that  Olaf  Olsen  was 
dead.  This  was  to  lead  the  authorities  to  cease  in  their  attempts  to 
find  the  slayer  of  the  moimted  police.  For  successfully  spreading  this 
report,  John  T.  Culavin  was  made  the  beneficiary  of  the  will. 


CHAPTER  XII 
PHYSICIANS  AND  VITAL  STATISTICS 

Tlie  liealtliful  climate  characterizing  the  oiJen,  prairie  country  out 
of  which  Adams  County  was  carved  does  not  tend  to  bring  the  med- 
ical profession  into  as  much  prominence  as  might  pertain  to  it  under 
different  climatic  conditions.  Nevertheless,  there  has  been  in  the 
natural  course  of  affairs  a  demand  for  medical  attention,  and  in  the 
forty-five  years  of  its  history,  a  large  number  of  physicians  have  settled 
in  the  county  for  greater  or  longer  periods.  Nearly  five  hundred 
j)hy.siciaiis  at  one  time  or  another  have  practiced  their  profession  in 
Adams  County. 

There  was  very  little  regulation  of  the  profession  in  the  early  days. 
Doctors  could  practice  in  the  western  country  with  scarcely  any  previ- 
ous preparation.  The  early  settlers,  of  course,  were  of  Hmited  means, 
and  also  they  were  of  a  hardy  stock,  and  they  lived  nuich  in  the  open 
and  lived  on  simple  food.  The  prospect  was  not  alluring  to  young- 
men  from  reputable  medical  schools. 

A.  H.  Bowen  was  probably  the  first  doctor  to  settle  in  the  county, 
and  he  did  not  have  the  intention  to  follow  that  calling,  but  finding 
a  demand  for  the  service  of  a  physician,  and  no  one  to  supply  the 
demand,  Mr.  Bowen  practiced  intermittently  in  the  couple  of  years 
following  his  settlement  in  Juniata  in  1871.  Probably  the  first  doctor 
to  ])ractice  in  Hastings  was  Dr.  C.  M.  Wright.  Doctor  Wright  located 
in  Hastings  in  the  spring  of  1873,  coming  from  Malcolm,  la.  He  was 
joined  by  his  wife  the  following  December.  The  Wrights  erected  a 
frame  house,  about  where  the  store  of  Wolbach  &  Brach  is  now  located, 
and  the  office  was  in  the  residence. 

It  is  ])ossible  that  Doctor  Morgan  settled  in  Juniata  a  little  prior 
to  tlie  arrival  of  Doctor  Wright.  Doctor  JNIorgan  i)racticed  several 
years.  In  1872,  Dr.  .7.  R.  Laine  presented  a  bill  to  the  county  com- 
missioners for  amputating  the  foot  of  Peter  Fowlie,  but  no  one  now 
living  in  the  county  a])pears  to  remember  Doctor  Laine  as  a  resident 
of  the  county. 

Dr.  A.  D.  Buckworth  also  settled  in  Hastings  about  the  same 
187 


188       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

time  that  Doctor  Wright  arrived.  He  i^urchased  some  lots  near  the 
corner  of  St.  Josei:)h  Avenue  and  Second  Street  and  erected  a  house 
there.  Doctor  Buckworth  did  not  come  to  Hastings  especially  to  prac- 
tice medicine.  He  was  in  the  coal  business  for  a  time,  and  then  opened 
a  drug  store.  He  was  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  young  town,  and 
when  it  became  incorporated  was  soon  elected  to  the  city  council. 
Upon  leaving  Hastings,  Doctor  Buckworth  went  to  North  Platte  and 
Avas  employed  in  the  United  States  land  office. 

Before  the  end  of  1873,  Doctor  Sadler  located  in  Hastings,  and 
soon  acquired  a  good  jn-actice.  He  was  interested  in  political  affairs  as 
well  as  medicine,  and  in  1876  was  elected  a  state  rei^resentative.  He 
left  Hastings  soon  after  serving  his  term  in  the  Legislature. 

Doctor  'Wright  preempted  a  quarter  section  of  land  a  short  distance 
east  of  Hastings  and  became  possessed  of  240  acres  in  all.  By  1881 
he  was  able  to  dispose  of  his  land  for  $12. .30  per  acre.  He  then  went 
to  Ann  Arbor  and  was  graduated  from  the  medical  dej)artment  of 
that  university.  He  now  operates  a  drug  store  and  practices  his 
profession  at  Rock  Island,  Tex. 

The  early  doctors  of  Hastings  practiced  over  a  wide  territory, 
nortli  to  the  Platte  River,  and  south  as  far  as  Red  Cloud.  Returning 
from  Red  Cloud  one  niglit,  Doctor  Wright  was  caught  in  a  violent  rain 
storm  in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Blue,  and  was  unable  to  find  his  way 
out  of  the  hills  imtil  the  morning  came.  There  was  mucli  exposiu'e  to 
the  early  practice.  As  payment  for  his  service  one  time.  Doctor  Wright 
was  given  a  turkey  hen  by  a  farmer.  JNIrs.  Wright  succeeded  in  raising 
fifty  young  turkeys  from  the  mother  hen.  and  so  they  felt  that  there 
were  ways  of  beating  the  game. 

Dr.  T.  A.  Urquhart  came  to  Hastings  about  1874i  and  became  one 
of  the  best  known  doctors  in  the  country  surrounding  Hastings.  He 
came  originally  from  Virginia,  and  retained  a  warm  sympathy  for 
the  lost  cause  in  the  Civil  war.  For  many  years  Doctors  Urquhart, 
Cooke  and  Ackley  were  the  lioard  of  examiners  for  pensions.  These 
examinations  of  tlie  old  soldiers  were  usually  conducted  in  the  office 
of  Doctor  Cooke,  which  was  then  located  in  the  second  story  above 
the  store  l)uildings  on  tlie  west  side  of  Hastings  Avenue,  south  of 
the  alley.  These  offices  are  now  for  the  most  part  occupied  by  attor- 
neys, but  in  the  early  80's,  and  for  a  time  afterward,  they  were  tlie 
strongholds  of  the  doctors.  Besides  Doctor  Cooke.  Dr.  Ralph  J. 
Trwin  and  Doctor  Urquhart  had  tlieir  offices  here.  Doctor  Irwin  for 
manv  years  was  one  of  the  well-known  doctors  of  Hastings.  He  came 
from  Illinois,  where  lie  received  his  medical  education.  He  was  unusu- 
allv  well  read,  and  served  for  some  time  on  the  Hastings  Board  of  Edu- 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       189 

cation.  In  1898  lie  went  as  an  armj'  surgeon  with  a  Nebraskan  regiment 
to  Cuba.  While  in  the  army  he  lost  liis  health,  and  upon  his  return 
was  unable  to  practice  with  the  old-time  vigor,  and  finally,  several 
years  afterward,  left  for  jNIissouri,  where  at  latest  accounts  he  still 
lives. 

In  1877  there  arrived  in  the  county  a  number  of  doctoj-s  who 
remained  and  who  left  a  dee}}  impression  ujion  the  county  from  the 
medical  side.  Among  the  physicians  arriving  that  year  were  Doctors 
John  Cooke,  Francis  A.  Naulteus  and  Winfield  S.  Ackley.  Some  time 
•  prior,  but  not  long,  Dr.  T.  H.  Urquhart  had  located  in  Hastings. 
Doctor  Urquhart  had  graduated  from  JeiFerson  College,  Philadel- 
pliia.  in  1848,  and  continued  to  practice  successfully  in  Hastings  until 
his  death  in  the  early  90's. 

(^f  the  doctors  Avho  came  in  1877  and  attained  a  lasting  prominence, 
only  Doctor  Ackley  and  Doctor  Naulteus  remain.  Doctor  Ackley 
settled  in  Juniata,  where  he  still  practices,  and  is  the  only  physician 
in  the  town.  Doctor  Ackley  was  graduated  from  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Keokuk,  la.,  in  1876.  He  later  attended 
lectures  at  Rush  3Iedical  College,  Chicago,  and  was  graduated  from 
that  institution  in  1 880.  He  ]:)receded  Doctor  Naulteus  to  the  covmty 
a  short  time,  and  therefore  has  practiced  longer  in  the  county  than 
any  other  physician. 

Dr.  John  Cooke  was  a  remarkable  man  and  took  a  wide  interest 
in  matters  outside  of  his  profession,  especially  along  governmental 
and  industrial  lines.  He  was  a  large  man  physically  and  spoke  with  a 
rich  Scotch  brogue,  and  had  a  remarkable  way  of  inspiring  confidence 
in  his  ])atients.  Years  after  his  death,  a  doctor  who  knew  him  well 
said:  "If  a  patient  died  under  Doctor  Cooke,  the  relatives  generally 
felt  all  right.  They  felt  that  all  that  could  be  done  had  been  done." 
His  son.  Dr.  Neil  Cooke,  died  at  the  outset  of  his  medical  career, 
June  19,  1902.  From  this  blow  Doctor  Cooke  never  recovered  his 
spirits,  and  on  February  13,  1903,  he,  too,  died,  after  a  short  illness. 
Doctor  Cooke  received  his  medical  education  in  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
and  before  coming  to  Hastings  practiced  in  Braidwood,  111.,  and  other 
places  in  the  East. 

Doctor  Cooke,  though  at  times  brusque  of  manner,  was  of  quick 
sympathy.  Once,  returning  from  seeing  a  patient  in  the  country,  he 
observed  a  cow  lying  in  a  pasture  in  great  distress  and  about  to  die. 
The  doctor  felt  at  once  the  physician's  impulse  to  save,  and  succeeded 
in  his  veterinary  adventure  to  such  a  degree  that  the  life  of  the  animal 
was  spared.     When  the  farmer  learned  of  the  incident,  he  insisted 


190   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

upon  paying  the  doctor  for  his  service.  "Oh,  I  did  that  more  partic- 
ularly for  the  cow,"  jirotested  the  physician. 

Dr.  W.  A.  Chapman  came  to  Hastings  in  1886,  and  soon  acquired 
a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  was  surgeon  for  the  Burlington 
railroad  for  years.  Doctor  Chapman  was  a  very  affable  man  and 
won  hosts  of  friends.  His  interests  were  wide  and"  he  read  much 
outside  of  his  specialty.  Doctor  Chapman's  two  children,  a  son  and 
a  daughter,  are  physicians.  The  daughter.  Dr.  Alma  J.  Chapman, 
is  located  at  Hastings;  the  son.  Dr.  William  A.  Chapman,  is  located 
in  California.    Doctor  Chajaman  died  in  Hastings  in  December,  1898. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Lynn  came  to  Hastings  in  the  early  80's  and 
acquired  a  large  practice.  For  the  last  several  years  of  his  life  ill 
health  prevented  Doctor  Lynn  from  practicing  his  profession.  He 
died  in  Hastings  March  21,  1907. 

Dr.  Francis  Naulteus,  who  came  to  Hastings  in  1877.  holds  the 
seniority  among  the  doctors  now  practicing  in  the  city.  Doctor  Xaul- 
teus  was  active  in  the  building  up  of  Hastings,  taking  an  especial 
interest  in  building  operations,  and  helloing  along  development  by 
making  investments  with  local  building  organizations.  He  received 
his  medical  education  in  Germany.  Next  to  Doctor  Naulteus  in  point 
of  seniority  among  Hastings  doctors,  is  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Steele,  who 
came  to  Hastings  in  1884.  Dr.  F.  J.  Schaufelberger  has  a  penchant 
for  botany,  and  has  familiarized  himself  very  largely  with  the  botan- 
ical life  of  Adams  County.  His  brother,  Franklin  Schaufelberger, 
has  been  associated  with  Doctor  Schaufelberger  in  the  practice  since 
1894.  Dr.  F.  J.  Schaufelberger  came  to  Hastings  in  1886  and  is  third 
in  point  of  seniority. 

Dr.  A.  R.  Van  Sickle  came  to  Hastings  in  1881  and  became  well 
known  throughout  the  county.  In  the  latter  years,  Doctor  ^''an  Sickle 
became  interested  in  land  in  Garden  City,  Kan.,  and  was  not  actively 
in  practice  in  Hastings,  although  maintaining  his  residence  here.  He 
died  in  Hastings  June  19,  1913.  Dr.  E.  T.  Cassell  was  associated 
with  Doctor  Van  Sickle  for  several  years.  Doctor  Cassell  was  inter- 
ested in  church  work.  He  was  the  prime  mover  in  establishing  the 
south  side  Baptist  mission.  He  was  a  singer  and,  with  IMrs.  Cassell. 
composed  a  number  of  hymns  which  are  in  general  use  throughout 
the  country.  Doctor  Cassell  now  resides  in  Denver  and  is  engaged 
in  church  work. 

The  registration  of  physicians  in  Adams  County  dates  back  to 
1881.  On  June  1st  of  that  year  the  state  laws  of  Nebraska  for  the 
first  time  required  registration  of  physicians  with  the  county  clerk. 
The  law.  however,  did  not  ])rovide  that  the  ai)plicants  must  furnish 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY   Wl 

credentials.  They  merely  presented  diplomas  without  reference  to 
the  standing  of  the  institutions  granting  them.  In  1891  the  state 
hoard  of  health  came  into  heing  charged  to  raise  the  standards  neces- 
sary for  medical  practice.  The  board  then  as  now  consisted  of  the 
governor  of  the  state,  the  state  superintendent  of  public  instruction, 
tlie  attorney  general  and  four  physicians  appointed  by  the  governor 
and  called  secretaries  of  the  board.  The  secretaries  represent  two 
of  the  regular  scliool,  allopaths;  one  homeopath  and  one  eclectic 
pliysician. 

Dr.  J.  V.  Beghtol,  of  Hastings,  was  the  first  jiresident  of  the 
secretaries  of  the  state  board.  Tlie  others  were  Dr.  F.  D.  Haldeman, 
of  Ord;  Dr.  C.  F.  Stewart,  of  Auburn,  and  Dr.  E.  T.  Allen,  of 
Omaha.  Through  county  organizations  of  physicians  tlie  state  board 
in  the  first  year  of  its  existence  enforced  the  requirement  that  appli- 
cants for  license  to  practice  must  furnish  evidence  of  having  been 
graduated  from  rei)utable  institutions.  If  not  graduated  they  may 
lie  allowed  to  practice,  provided  they  had  been  practicing  in  Nebraska 
for  five  years  pi'ior  to  the  enactment  of  the  law,  which  became  opera- 
tive in  1891.  They  are  known  as  licensed  physicians  as  distinguished 
from  graduates.  ^Vith  the  enforcement  of  the  new  law,  some  400 
])hysicians  removed  from  Nebraska.  Doctor  Beghtol,  who  located  in 
Hastings,  in  1903,  was  president  of  the  secretaries  of  the  board  for 
seven  years. 

The  sanitation  and  general  health  conditions  of  Adams  County 
are  in  the  care  of  the  county  board  of  health,  which,  is  composed  of 
the  board  of  supervisors  and  one  physician  designated  by  them.  In 
Hastings  tlie  board  of  health  comprises  the  mayor,  one  councilman 
appointed  by  him,  the  chief  of  police  and  one  physician  appointed 
by  the  mayor  and  approved  by  the  council.  While  Hastings  and 
Adams  County  have  been  gratifyingly  free  from  conditions  making 
for  ill  health,  there  have  been  epidemics  of  contagious  disease.  In  the 
late  summer  of  1879,  many  children  in  Hastings  died  of  diphtheria, 
and  at  times  between  then  and  1896,  and  in  that  year  the  disease 
reached  epidemic  proportions.  Since  the  latter  year,  while  there  have 
been  occasional  cases,  there  is  no  sense  of  impending  danger.  In  the 
early  80's  and  until  the  erection  of  the  municipal  water  plant, 
typhoid  fever  was  distressingly  prevalent  in  Hastings.  Since  that 
time  and  the  installation  of  the  sewer  system  in  1889,  there  have  been 
only  scattering  cases  of  typhoid.  Investigation  has  revealed  that  no 
contagious  disease  is  indigenous  to  Adams  County.  JNIicroscopic  in- 
spection of  the  water  of  the  municipal  water  plant  at  Hastings,  which 
is  made  by  the  railroads  twice  yearly,  shows  the  water  from  the  plant 


192       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

to  be  free  from  disease  germs  at  the  wells.  There  have  been  sporadic 
outbreaks  of  a  mild  form  of  smallpox  in  the  county.  A  number  in 
Hastings  were  quarantined  for  this  disease  in  the  winter  of  1914-1.5, 
but  no  deaths  from  smallpox  were  reported.  A  small  hospital  for 
the  isolation  of  those  suffering  with  contagious  disease  Avas  built  bj^ 
the  city  on  the  sewer  farm  in  1915. 

In  a  bulletin  issued  by  the  state  board  of  health  in  January,  1916, 
it  is  recorded  that  there  were  335  deaths  in  Adams  County  in  1915. 
The  number  of  births  were  518;  273  male  and  245  female.  Of  the 
births  of  1915,  452  were  Americans,  35  Germans,  28  Scandinavians, 
2  British  and  1  unclassified.  During  1912  the  number  of  births  in 
the  county  were  exactly  the  same  as  in  1915,  518.  Of  the  births  in 
1912.  285  were  male  and  233  female. 

In  1911  there  were  264  marriages  in  Adams  County,  and  in  1914 
there  were  259.  In  1911  there  were  48  api)lications  for  divorce  in 
the  county,  and  in  1914  there  were  42.  Of  the  1914  applications  for 
divorce,  eighteen  were  by  those  who  had  been  married  two  years.  In 
fourteen  cases  of  the  1914  applications,  cruelty  was  given  as  the  cause, 
drunkenness  was  alleged  in  1  case,  non-support  in  7,  desertion  in  18, 
and  adultery  in  2. 

The  Adams  County  Medical  Society  was  organized  in  1886. 
Among  the  charter  members  were  Doctors  Sowers,  W.  H.  Lynn,  F.  A. 
Naulteus,  J.  T.  Steele,  R.  J.  Irwin  and  T.  A.  Urquhart.  The  society 
did  little  more  than  formally  organize.  After  the  creation  of  the  state 
board  of  health,  in  1901,  the  Adams  County  IMedical  Society  was 
formed  and  tb.e  greater  number  of  Adams  County  physicians  are 
members.  The  county  societies  are  affiliated  with  the  Nebraska  State 
Medical  Association,  and  this  in  turn  is  a  unit  of  the  American 
^Medical  Association. 

Tlie  resident,  registered  physicians  of  Adams  County  at  the  pres- 
ent time  are:  Charles  V.  Artz,  James  V.  Beghtol,  Julian  Raymond 
Blackman,  Claude  Bernard  Calbreath,  Alma  J.  Chapman,  Charles 
Lloyd  Egbert,  Eugene  Foote.  Oscar  Herman  Hahn.  Eli  Barton 
Hamel,  Elam  Dolphus  Haysmer,  S.  R.  Hopkins,  Sherman  J.  Jones. 
Wellington  W.  Kietli.  Theodore  Lightner,  Russell  Ross  INIarble. 
James  B.  INIcPherson.  Francis  Naulteus,  Warren  James  O'Hara, 
Amy  B.  Robinson,  Frederick  J.  Schaufelberger,  Franklin  Schaufel- 
berger,  Arthur  Andrew  Smith,  Charles  R.  Spicer,  Joseph  Turner 
Steele,  John  W.  Straight,  W.  L.  Sucha,  James  E.  Warrick,  S.  J. 
Stewart  and  W.  T.  Carson,  all  of  Hastings.  In  the  towns  outside 
of  Hastings  are  the  following  physicians: 

Ingleside — Superintendent,  W.  S.  Fast,  and  assistants,  Drs.  J.  S. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       193 

Leisure,  Clara  M.  Hayden,  C.  A.  Oaks,  W.  H.  Crutcher,  W.  W. 
Hedlund. 

Ayr — Oscar  Sylvester  and  O.  S.  Grey. 

Pauline — Charles  N.  JMerriwether. 

Roseland — John  S.  Mace. 

Holstein— C.  E.  Kidder. 

Kenesaw — Elbert  Johnson  Latta,  Walter  E.  Nowers  and  Liberty 
jMarion  Robinson. 

The  fourteenth  annual  session  of  the  Nebraska  State  IMedical 
Association  was  held  in  Hastings  in  May,  1881,  and  the  forty-eighth 
in  :\ray,  1915. 

Dr.  Charles  K.  Struble  was  the  first  osteopath  to  locate  perma- 
nently in  Adams  County.  He  became  established  in  Hastings  in 
1903,  and  still  practices  his  profession.  Other  osteopaths  are  Drs. 
Floyd  Pierce,  W.  J.  Black  and  George  Jones. 

PHYSICIAXS    KEGISTEREl)    IX    1881 

William  H.  Lynn.  J.  O.  Garmon,  Hogan  J.  Ring,  T.  H.  Urqu- 
hart.  S.  A.  Bookwalter,  W.  W.  Phar,  Winfield  Ackley,  Sarah  E. 
Young.  A.  H.  Sowers,  C.  O.  Arnold,  Francis  Naulteus,  John  Cooke, 
E.  H.  Gale.  B.  M.  Shockey,  Emma  Watkins,  J.  Williams,  A.  R.  Van 
Sickle,  J.  Alonzo  Greene.  INIary  Breed.  John  N.  Lyman,  ]\Liry  A. 
Howard. 

REGISTERED    IX    1883 

A.  S.  Fishblatt,  C.  T.  Lawrence,  George  F.  Loyd,  L.  J.  Forney, 
Samuel  E.  Furry,  JMary  M.  Michail,  L.  K.  INIarkley,  H.  P.  Fitch. 

REGISTERED    IX    1884 

L.  R.  ]\Lirkley,  Ralph  J.  Irwin,  Sol  C.  Warren,  James  W.  Wood, 
John  W.  Smith,  Henry  J.  Smith,  George  H.  Chaffee,  T.  J.  Eaton, 
E.  L.  Yarletz.  Louis  Lodd,  J.  O.  Mote.  F.  C.  Brosius. 

REGISTERED    IX    188.5 

Sheldon  E.  Cook,  William  Tanner,  L.  N.  Howard,  C.  W.  Selick, 
H.  S.  Rogers,  C.  M.  Williams,  Albert  S.  Pierce,  C.  U.  Ullrich,  A.  F. 
Naulteus. 


194       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

REGISTERED    IN    1886 

M.  O.  B.  McKinney,  W.  A.  Chapman,  Jos.  T.  Steele,  Laura  A. 
Edwards.  J.  S.  Curtiss,  J.  E.  Anderson,  F.  J.  Schaufelberger,  Cieorge 
W.  Randall. 

REGISTERED    IX    1887 

K.  E.  Blair,  Edward  D.  Barrett,  John  JM.  France,  Rufus  C. 
Corey,  George  B.  M.  Free,  L.  J.  Rogers,  E.  T.  Cassell,  Alvm  H. 
Keller,  Louis  Turner,  A.  E.  Wessell,  A.  M.  Rickett,  Luther  L.  Ames, 
Charles  J.  Carrick. 

REGISTERED    IN    1888 

Arthur  PL  Brownell,  C.  A.  Bassett,  C.  G.  A.  Hullhorst,  J.  M.  F. 
Cooper,  Milo  S.  Kensington,  J.  C.  Solomon,  A.  Lee  Sabin. 

REGISTERED    IN    1889 

A.  J.  Bacon,  Jacob  B.  Iloshaw.  E.  H.  Waters.  C.  J.  Yates.  A.  J. 
Rogers.  William  ISIcGregor,  Ed  R.  Holmes.  H.  S.  Aley  and  P.  James. 

REGISTERED    IN    1891 

T.  AV.  Rose,  W.  A.  Chapman,  F.  C.  Brozius.  Josephus  Williams, 
Fiederick  J.  Bricker,  Laura  A.  Edwards,  W.  S.  Kern,  E.  L.  Dagley, 
E.  T.  Cassell,  INIary  A.  Howard,  J.  M.  Jennings,  Albert  S.  Pierce, 
John  W.  Smith. 

REGISTERED    IN    1892 

William  T.  Pubt.  Orville  ]\Iastin,  Grant  Cullimore,  H.  Hartwig, 
IT.  ISr.  Bailey,  INIary  ^Michael. 

REGISTERED    IN    1893 

C.  V.  Artz.  G.  A.  Weirick,  W.  T.  Carson,  Seymour  Putman. 
H.  B.  Gwin.  C.  C.  Stivers,  M.  W.  Baxter,  Henry"  Swigart,  F.  L. 
King,  J.  J.  INIoreland. 

REGISTERED    IN    1894 

]\r.  T.  INTozee,  Franklin  Schaufelberger,  Charles  Bruce. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       193 

REGISTEEED    IX    1895 

E.  J.  Latta,  G.  M.  Johnson,  INI.  V.  Perkins. 

REGISTERED    IN    1896 

Luke  Fox,  W.  A.  Franklin. 

REGISTERED    IX    1897 

Alma  Chapman.  W.  M.  Follett,  Thomas  Barr,  W.  L.  Downing. 

REGISTERED    IX    1898 

T.  J.  Piersol,  A.  Disbrow,  J.  Fleckinger. 

REGISTERED    IX    1899 

B.  Rea,  Louis  Turner,  W.  F.  Tin-ner,  Charles  Sprague,  Aimer 
Sahin,  J.  Roberts,  H.  H.  Ewing,  S.  Scrugs,  Anna  M.  Pott. 

REGISTERED    IX    1900 

C.  S.  Shepard,  Sarah  E.  Green,  C.  S.  Hubbard. 

REGISTERED    IX    1901 

Charles  Lucas,  A.  J.  Shimp,  William  Wegman,  Charles  C.  Cor- 
bin,  I.  M.  Voorluis,  James  C.  Warrick. 

REGISTERED    IX    1902 

F.  ]M.  Cooke.  J.  Capelka,  Theo  Lightner.  R.  R.  Marble,  James 
Davies.  W.  H.  Chapman.  C.  K.  Struble. 

REGISTERED    IX    1903 

F.  L.  Taylor.  Joseph  O.  Riddle,  A.  C.  Sabin.  C.  A.  Rydberg, 
E.  B.  Grubs.  Emma  E.  Robbins.  Owen  D.  Piatt.  O.  S.  Talbot. 
J.  O.  Bruce. 

REGISTERED    IX    1904. 

O.  jNI.  Caldwell,  J.  V.  Beghtol. 

REGISTERED    IX    190.5 

A.  ]Morefield,  F.  Pierce,  J.  R.  Sample,  G.  E.  Spear,  C.  M.  Head- 
wick,  J.  F.  .AIcNulty,  E.  C.  Foote,  J.  W.  Straight,  A.  C.  Sabin,  A.  A. 
Pottei-f,  J.  H.  Fargher. 


196       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

REGISTERED    IN    1906 

F.  W.  Buck,  George  Jones,  Doctor  Wier,  Doctor  Chamberlain. 

REGISTERED    IX    1907 

F.  p.  Simms,  W.  W.  Kieth,  S.  E.  Bamford,  R.  H.  Foster,  J.  M'. 
Kent,  F.  A.  Kriegle,  L.  H.  Howland,  F.  A.  Wells,  Amy  Robinson, 
B.  W.  Kinsey,  J.  W.  Greemnan. 

REGISTERED    IX    1908 

C.  H.  Davies,  C.  W.  Meriwether,  D.  M.  Judkins,  L.  L.  James, 
E.  B.  Hamel,  R.  S.  Stuckey,  A.  A.  Blair,  M.  L.  Wilson.  T.  J.  Van- 
derhoof,  L.  B.  Simms,  K.  J.  Hohlen. 

REGISTERED    IX    1909 

W.  J.  Black,  S.  J.  Stewart.  W.  "SI.  Bair,  J.  P.  Riddle,  J.  W. 
Doran,  Allan  M.  Lafferty,  W.  E.  ]\Iowers.  O.  S.  Gray.  K.  S.  J. 
Hohlen,  J.  S.  Leisure,  C.  L.  Egbert. 

REGISTERED    IX    1910 

Samuel  Hopkins,  Emanuel  Kaufman,  Sadie  Doran,  H.  L.  Hub- 
bard. S.  J.  Jones,  Hugh  Hover,  H.  A.  Green,  Herman  Hahn,  W.  J. 
O'Hara.  Guy  BriUhart,  C.  D.  IMoran. 

REGISTERED    IX    1911 

C.  B.  Cal])reath.  J.  L.  ^Mace.  S.  F.  Jones,  H.  S.  Brevoort,  Margery 
Gilfillan. 

REGISTERED    IX    1912 

A.  Galloway,  M.  S.  Rich.  R.  D.  INIartin,  Q.  E.  INIathewy,  W.  B. 
Kern,  Frank  Uray,  J.  R.  Blackman. 

REGISTERED    IX    1913 

G.  M.  White,  Henry  C.  Williams,  Albert  C.  Colman,  W.  B. 
Hudson,  Glenn  C.  Harper,  C.  M.  Hayden. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       197 

BEGISTEKED    IN    1914) 

W.  L.  Sucha,  Clarence  E.  Kidder,  S.  J.  Jones,  E.  D.  Haysmer. 

REGISTERED    IX    191.5 

A.  Smith,  C.  M.  Schunk,  Harlan  Foster,  F.  C.  Townley,  C.  S. 
Hershnier. 

REGISTERED    IN    1916 

C.  R.  Spicer,  Henry  S.  Munro.  Robert  C.  ]\Iiller,  E.  A.  Somnier, 
J.  W.  BroMTi,  J.  L.  Hull. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
BANKS  AND  BANKING 

Early  banking  in  Adams  County  was  conducted  through  private 
enterprises.  Probably  the  first  institution  was  that  of  A.  H.  Bowen 
and  James  Laird  who  began  banking  operations  in  connection  with 
their  law  business  in  Juniata.  This  was  in  1873.  A  section  of  the 
law  ofiice  was  jjartitioned  off  for  banking  purposes  and  the  equip- 
ment was  one  of  extreme  simplicity.  This  enterprise  was  conducted 
by  the  two  lawyers  for  only  a  few  months. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1873  or  early  in  1874  J.  J.  Worswick 
associated  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Wells  launched  a  banking 
enterjirise  at  Hastings.  The  firm  of  J.  J.  Worswick  &  Company  was 
the  first  banking  institution  to  operate  in  Hastings.  The  St.  Joseph 
&  Grand  Island  Railroad,  then  called  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City, 
terminated  in  Hastings  and  Mr.  Worswick  opened  his  bank  for  the 
purpose  of  financing  the  extending  of  the  railroad  to  Grand  Island. 
The  firm  failed  in  its  enterprise  in  about  a  year  after  its  opening.  This 
bank  Avas  located  on  First  Street  at  the  rear  of  the  lot  which  is  now 
101  North  Denver  Avenue.  Worswick  was  an  Englishman,  jovial, 
and  a  lover  of  hunting.  He  returned  to  England  following  the 
collapse  of  his  prairie  venture,  and  his  partner  returned  to  Omaha. 

During  this  year,  however,  1873,  there  was  established  a  bank 
destined  to  survive  the  inicertainties  of  tlie  new  country  and  to  con- 
tinue its  life  unbrokenly  until  the  affairs  of  the  county  reached  a 
state  of  stability.  This  was  the  Adams  County  Bank,  which  was  the 
beginning  of  the  present  First  National  Bank.  Tliis  bank  was 
organized  late  in  the  year  1873  by  J.  S.  ^Iclntyre  who  came  to 
Hastings  from  Clarinda,  Iowa. 

The  vicissitudes  of  the  early  banks  only  reflected  the  inicer- 
tainties of  the  earlier  settlers.  There  was  a  demand  for  loans  to 
develop  the  young  comity  but  the  nature  of  the  securities  and  the 
problematical  state  of  the  future  tended  to  send  interest  rates  soar- 
ing, and  this  condition  continued  more  or  less  until  after  the  drought 
198 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAIMS  COUNTY       199 

of  1894.  and  the  jjartia]  droughts  of  other  years.  Not  until  after  the 
introduction  of  winter  wlieat  as  one  of  the  i^rincipal  crops  of  the 
community  did  affairs  become  stable.  In  the  jieriod  extending  from 
about  1878  to  about  1885  interest  on  farm  loans  ran  as  high  as  12 
per  cent  per  annum,  while  interest  on  chattel  mortgages  ranged  from 
one  to  four  per  cent  per  month. 

On  more  than  one  occasion  bankers  were  at  tlieir  wit's  ends 
in  grappling  witli  the  problems  confronting  them.  The  low  prices 
and  crop  failures  prevailing  around  1894  and  1896  caused  some  of 
tlie  i'armers  so  much  discouragement  that  they  were  disj)osed  to  yield 
their  farms  to  meet  the  mortgages  which  they  bore,  and  in  some 
instances  bankers  of  the  county  purchased  supplies  for  their  cus- 
tomers in  order  to  tide  them  over  to  the  better  times  which  the  more 
courageous  felt  sure  were  lying  just  ahead.  When  the  Adams 
County  Bank,  the  forerunner  of  the  First  National,  was  purchased 
by  A.  L.  Clarke  and  George  H.  Pratt,  some  five  years  after  its 
o])ening  in  1873,  the  deposits  in  the  institution  aggregated  between 
seven  and  eight  thousand  dollars.  In  the  statement  issued  by  the 
First  National  INIay  1,  1916,  the  deposits  are  given  as  $1,7'27,'236.18. 
This  growth  in  deposits  marks  the  development  of  the  country  in 
wealth  and  the  consequent  establishment  of  business  confidence. 

The  deposits  of  the  three  national  banks  of  Hastings — the  First 
National,  the  German  National  and  the  Exchange  National — as 
shown  by  their  statements  made  February  28,  1896,  aggregated 
$381,88.5.42.  Ten  years  later,  November  12,  1906,  the  statements  of 
the  same  three  banks  show  aggregate  deposits  of  $2,101,217.76, 
while  the  total  of  the  deposits  in  the  four  banks  oiierating  in  Hast- 
ings at  that  time  amounted  to  $2,307,141.49.  On  ]May  1.  1916, 
deposits  in  the  four  banks  of  Hastings — the  First  National,  German 
National,  Exchange  National  and  the  Bank  of  Commerce — totalled 
$3,484,038.20.  On  the  same  date  about  three  thousand  two  hundred 
dollars  was  on  deposit  in  the  Postal  Savings  Bank.  The  Bank 
Register  of  the  Credit  Company  of  New  York  gave  the  total 
deposits  in  the  ten  Adams  County  banks  operating  in  towns  outside 
of  Hastings  at  $790,000  in  June,  1915.  From  the  insignificant 
deposits  of  the  private  banks  of  the  county  established  in  1873  the 
aggregate  in  1916  is  considerable  in  excess  of  four  and  one-quarter 
millions  of  dollars,  distributed  among  fourteen  banks  all  of  which 
bear  evidence  of  being  upon  a  thoroughly  stable  basis.  Taking  the 
1915  statements  of  the  banks  outside  of  Hastings,  and  the  May  1, 
1916,  statements  of  the  latter,  the  aggregate  of  the  deposits  is 
$4,274,038.20.  to  which  must   be  added  about  three  thousand  two 


200       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

hundred  dollars  representing  the  deposits  in  the  Postal  Savings  Bank. 

The  Adams  County  Bank  which  was  organized  in  the  latter  part 
of  1873  by  J.  S.  JNIcIntyre  was  located  in  a  small  frame  building  in 
Hastings.  It  fronted  east  on  Hastings  Avenue  at  about  the  loca- 
tion of  the  present  First  National  Bank  Building.  In  the  early 
daj^s  two  men  were  able  to  attend  to  the  business  of  the  bank. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  sold  the  bank  to  George  Hazzard  and  in  1877  it  was 
converted  into  a  stock  companJ^  The  principal  stockholders  were 
George  Wilkins,  Samuel  Alexander  and  Oswald  Oliver.  Soon  after- 
ward it  was  purchased  by  A.  L.  Clarke  and  George  H.  Pratt  and  in 
1881  it  was  reincorporated  as  the  First  National  Bank  with  a  caj^ital 
of  $25,000.  In  1879  the  frame  building  w^as  supplanted  by  a  two- 
story  building  built  of  red  brick  and  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  eight 
thousand  dollars.  The  red  brick  building  was  torn  down  in  1903  and 
the  present  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $40,000. 

It  was  in  1902  that  the  First  National  Bank  purchased  the 
Adams  Count}'  Bank  which  had  been  opened  Ajsril  2,  1886,  with 
William  Kerr,  president;  J.  M.  Sewell,  vice  president  and  O.  G. 
Smith,  cashier.  This  bank  was  located  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Lincoln  Avenue  and  Second  Street,  the  present  location  of  the  Bank 
of  Commerce.  ^Vhile  bearing  the  same  name  as  the  bank  preceding 
the  First  National  and  out  of  which  the  latter  grew,  ]Mr.  Kerr's  bank 
was  an  entirely  different  organization.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
Adams  County  Bank  was  $60,000. 

Tlie  capital  stock  of  the  First  National  Bank  is  now  $200,000. 
Its  officers  are  A.  L.  Clarke,  president;  W.  A.  Taylor,  vice  president; 
Fred  Pease,  cashier;  W.  B.  Remer  and  O.  A.  Riley,  assistant  cash- 
iers. The  directors  are  A.  L.  Clarke,  G.  J.  Evans,  Ernest 
Hoeppner,  W.  M.  Lowman,  C.  J.  Miles,  Fred  Pease,  G.  H.  Pratt 
and  W.  A.  Taylor. 

The  Exchange  National  Bank  has  existed  as  a  national  bank 
since  January  8,  1884.  The  beginning  of  the  institution,  however, 
dates  back  to  October  14,  1877,  when  I.  M.  Raymond,  A.  S.  Ray- 
mond and  A.  Yeazel  opened  the  Excliange  Bank,  a  private 
institution  with  a  paid  up  capital  of  $10,000.  These  men  were  resi- 
dents of  Lincoln,  in  which  city  the  Raymonds  Avere  wholesale 
grocers.  I.  M.  Raymond  Avas  the  president  of  the  institution,  and 
Mr.  Yeazel  came  to  Hastings  to  manage  the  business,  and  was  a 
resident  of  the  city  for  many  years.  INIr.  Yeazel  died  early  in  the 
nineties. 

In  1884  the  Exchange  Bank  Avas  reorganized  as  the  Excliange 
National  Bank  and  its  capital  stock  increased  to  $100,000,  at  Avhich 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      201 

figure  it  now  stands.  In  1891  W.  H.  Lanning  became  president  of 
the  bank,  Charles  G.  Lane  becoming  casliier  at  the  same  time.  JNIr. 
Lanning  continued  as  president  until  1909  when  he  retired  and 
31  r.  Lane  became  the  jj resident  and  David  P.  Jones  the  cashier. 
The  Raymonds  still  continue  their  interest  in  the  institution. 

This  bank  began  its  business  in  a  frame  building  near  the  site 
of  its  present  location.  It  continued  in  the  frame  building  mitil 
188.3  when  the  Cameron  Block  was  built.  Upon  the  completion  of 
that  block  the  bank  moved  into  the  location  which  it  now  occupies. 
The  present  officers  of  the  bank  are:  president,  C.  G.  Lane;  vice 
president,  V.  B.  Trmible;  cashier,  D.  P.  Jones. 

The  Bank  of  Commerce  is  a  state  bank.  It  Avas  opened  for 
business  August  1,  190.5,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $50,000.  This  bank 
is  located  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  Second 
Street,  and  began  business  in  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  Adams 
County  Bank  of  which  William  Kerr  was  the  jiresident.  At  the  time 
of  organization  the  officers  of  this  bank  were:  president,  William 
Lowman;  vice  president,  O.  C.  Zinn;  cashier,  F.  E.  Garratt.  In 
April,  1915,  the  management  changed  and  the  controlling  interest 
of  the  bank  was  purchased  by  J.  S.  INIarvel  and  J.  W.  JNIarvel,  who 
came  to  Hastings  from  Hamilton  County.  The  capital  stock  at 
present  remains  as  it  was  originally,  $50,000.  The  building  occu- 
pied by  the  Bank  of  Commerce  was  remodeled  during  1914  and  1915 
at  a  cost  of  about  $10,000.  At  this  time  a  safety  deposit  vault  was 
installed  and  modern  conveniences  for  bank  customers. 

The  officers  of  this  bank  are:  president,  J.  S.  Marvel:  vice  presi- 
dent, Emil  Polenske;  cashier,  J.  W.  ^larvel.  The  directors  are 
J.  S.  :Marvel,  C.  B.  Wahlquist,  Emil  Polenske  and  J.  W.  ]Marvel. 

The  German  National  Bank  was  organized  June  24,  1887,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $50,000.  Senator  Charles  H.  Dietrich  was  presi- 
dent, W.  ]\I.  Lowman,  vice  president;  W.  H.  Fuller,  cashier,  and 
John  Slaker,  assistant  cashier.  A  nvmiber  of  years  after  organiza- 
tion ]Mr.  Lowman  sold  his  interest  in  the  bank  to  Jacob  Bernhardt, 
who  became  vice  president.  INIr.  Bernhardt  disposed  of  his  interest 
to  William  JNIadgett  who  in  turn  sold  to  J.  P.  A.  Black.  Henry 
Siekmann  succeeded  Mr.  Bernhardt  as  vice  president.  A  few  years 
afterward  ]Mr.  Bernhardt  died  at  Depue,  Illinois.  In  July,  1905, 
Senator  Dietrich  retired  from  the  l)ank  and  \\'as  succeeded  in  the 
presidency  by  J.  P.  A.  Black  Avho  still  retains  the  ]5osition.  In 
October  1911,  ]\Ir.  Slaker.  the  cashier,  who  had  been  with  the  bank 
for  twenty-four  years  retired.  A.  R.  Thompson  became  vice  presi- 
dent and  J.  H.  Lohmann  cashier.     The  i)resent  officers  are:  J.  P. 


202       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

A.  Black,  president;  A.  R.  Thompson,  vice  president;  L.  J.  Siek- 
mann,  vice  president;  J.  H.  Lohmann,  cashier  and  H.  Welch, 
assistant  cashier.  In  1906  the  deposits  in  this  bank  were  $38.>,760 
while  in  the  statement  of  May  1,  1916,  they  aggregate  !i>797, 117.83. 

The  German  National  Bank  first  opened  its  doors  at  108  North 
Hastings  Avenue,  where  it  remained  until  1889  when  it  removed 
to  the  present  location  in  the  building  owned  by  ]Mr.  Dietrich.  At 
that  time  the  building  was  a  store  building  and  before  the  installa- 
tion of  the  bank  was  occupied  by  the  dry  goods  store  of  Pickens  & 
Hanna.  In  190.5  the  building  was  completely  remodeled  and  new 
fixtures  costing  $.5,500  installed.  In  1912  the  furniture  was  further 
im^Jroved  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000. 

The  Postal  Savings  Bank  was  opened  in  the  Hastings  Post 
Office  July  13,  1911.  ]Mrs.  J.  S.  Spriggle  and  C.  Harrison  Fergus, 
R.  F.  D.  carrier  No.  3,  tossed  a  coin  to  determine  who  should  be  the 
first  depositor.  Mr.  Fergus  won  and  opened  his  account  with  a 
deposit  of  $1.25.  By  the  end  of  the  month  the  savings  bank  had 
thirteen  dejiositors  aggregating  $235.  When  the  bank  was  opened 
each  dej^ositor  was  limited  to  $500  per  year  and  not  to  exceed  $100 
in  one  month.  In  July  1916  the  limit  was  raised  to  $1,000  with  no 
restriction  as  to  the  amount  ])er  montli,  provided  the  yearly  aggre- 
gate does  not  exceed  one  thousand  dollars.  By  January  1,  1912,  the 
dei)osits  amounted  to  $1,400;  in  1914  at  the  same  period  they  had 
climbed  to  about  four  thousand  eight  Hundred  dollars.  During  1914 
there  were  many  withdrawals  for  homebuilding  so  that  January  1, 
1915,  the  deposits  amounted  to  about  two  thousand  dollars.  At  the 
beginning  of  1916  about  three  thousand  one  hundred  dollars  was  on 
deposit  in  the  postoffice.  At  this  time  the  number  of  depositors  are 
about  forty-five.  Several  of  the  depositors  have  converted  Itheir 
deposits  into  bonds  which  pay  them  interest  at  the  rate  of  2io', 
per  annum.     Regular  deposits  draw  2',. 

In  November  1881  two  banks  were  established  which  were  later 
consolidated,  and  the  consolidated  institution  resulted  in  the  only 
failure  in  the  banking  annals  of  Adams  County.  The  Farmers  & 
INIerchants  Bank  was  organized  by  A.  H.  Cramer  and  Harrison 
Bostwick.  The  firm  erected  a  Ijuilding  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Denver  Avenue  and  Second  Street.  About  the  same  time  the  City 
Bank  was  organized  and  was  located  in  the  stone  block.  L.  II. 
Tower  was  the  president  and  E.  S.  Fowler  the  cashier  of  the  City 
Bank.  Its  ca])ital  stock  was  $20,000.  In  October,  1883,  the  City 
Bank  was  reorganized  as  a  national  bank  and  became  the  City 
National  Bank.     Its  capital  stock  was  raised  to  $50,000.     A.   H. 


PAST  AND  TRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       203 

Craiuer  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  Farmers  &  Merchants  Bank 
to  his  partner,  Harrison  Bostwick  in  1884  and  the  following  year 
JNIr.  Bostwick  and  Walter  G.  Clark  of  Omaha  secured  a  controlling- 
interest  in  the  Citj^  National  Bank  by  purchasing  the  interests  of 
L.  II.  Tower  and  E.  S.  Fowler.  After  the  consolidation  which 
came  as  a  surprise  to  the  remaining  stockholders  of  the  City  National 
Bank,  the  institution  continued  vmder  the  latter  name.  Its  officers 
were:  president,  Harrison  Bostwick;  vice  president,  C.  J.  Dilworth; 
cashier,  W.  G.  Clark;  assistant  cashier,  J.  M.  Ferguson.  The  direc- 
tors were  Harrison  Bostwick,  J.  ]M.  Ferguson,  W.  G.  Clark,  C.  J. 
Dilworth,  John  Slaker,  John  JSI.  I^'man  and  G.  J.  Evans. 

Harrison  Bostwick  was  prominently  identified  Avith  politics  and 
is  said  to  have  been  a  dispenser  of  railroad  patronage.  Rumors  of 
indiscreet  loans  became  rife,  particularly  regarding  a  brick  manufac- 
turing plant  which  was  being  developed  at  Brickton,  and  these 
resulted  in  a  run  on  the  bank  August  12,  1890.  Its  doors  Avere 
closed,  but  ui)on  the  recommendation  of  Bank  Examiner  Griffith 
the  bank  was  reopened  in  the  latter  part  of  September  after  an 
assessment  of  1.5  per  cent  had  been  levied  on  the  capital  stock.  By  the 
reorganization  effected  at  this  time  E.  ]M.  Morseman  of  Omaha 
became  president:  G.  J.  Evans,  vice  president  and  A.  W.  Jones, 
cashier.  Among  the  directors  of  this  organization  was  William 
Neville  of  North  Platte,  father  of  the  present  democratic  candidate 
for  governor.  Before  the  year  Avas  over,  however.  Doctor  Lymer 
of  Iowa  was  apjjointed  receiver  to  Avind  up  the  affairs  of  the  institu- 
tion. The  deposits  in  the  City  National  Bank  were  in  excess  of 
$3.50.000  and  the  failure  resulted  in  much  litigation.  Some  loss  was 
entailed  by  depositors  and  the  stockholders  Avere  heavy  losers.  Harri- 
son BostAvick,  the  president,  Avas  a  lawyer.  At  present  he  i-esides  in 
Seattle,  Wash.,  and  is  reported  to  have  amassed  a  fortune. 

In  August,  1879,  C  R.  Jones  and  J.  M.  SeAvell  opened  a  bank  in 
.Timiata.  This  Avas  a  private  bank  and  after  a  number  of  years  it 
Avas  bought  by  George  T.  BroAvn  noAv  a  resident  of  California. 
This  bank  became  the  Bank  of  Juniata  in  1900  Avith  A.  L.  Clarke 
president,  George  T.  BroAvn,  vice  president,  and  C.  J.  Van  Houten, 
cashier.  These  remain  the  officers  of  the  bank  except  that  the  ])resent 
casliier  is  Mr.  W.  A.  Taylor.  The  frame  building  in  Avhich  the  bank 
ojierated  for  many  years  Avas  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  winter  of 
1908.  The  present  brick  building  Avas  erected  soon  afterAvards  and 
was  occupied  by  the  bank  in  September,  1909.  In  June,  191.5,  the 
Bank  of  Juniata  had  on  deposit  $9.5,000. 


204       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  remaining  banks  may  be  summarized  as  follows,  the  officers 
named  being  those  serving  in  1916: 

The  First  State  Bank  of  Highland  was  established  in  1913, 
M.  JMoritz  cashier;  J.  F.  Ernstmeyer,  president. 

Tlie  Hansen  State  Bank  was  established  in  1912,  H.  A.  Red- 
man, president;  C.  jM.  Redman,  vice  president;  J.  J.  ^Slohlman, 
cashier. 

The  Prosser  State  Bank  was  establislied  in  1904,  Charles  K. 
Hart,  president;  C.  J.  Hart,  vice  president;  R.  A.  AValker.  cashier. 

The  First  State  Bank  of  Kenesaw  was  established  in  1908,  B. 
J.  Hilsaback,  president;  William  Bernhard,  vice  jjresident. 

The  Kenesaw  Excliange  Bank  was  established  in  1884,  A.  L. 
Clarke,  president:  S.  A.  Westing,  vice  president;  H.  R.  Coplin, 
cashier. 

The  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Ayr  was  established  in  1912,  ]M. 
Bonham,  president;  C.  S.  Woodworth.  vice  president;  C.  L.  Bon- 
ham,  cashier. 

The  Roseland  State  Bank  Avas  established  in  1904,  W.  F.  Dun- 
can, president;  Erick  Johnson,  vice  president;  Ed  Hall,  cashier. 

The  First  State  Bank  of  Holstein  was  established  in  1902,  A. 
L.  Clarke,  president;  W.  B.  Hargleroad,  cashier. 

The  Bank  of  Pauline  was  established  in  1906,  A.  L.  Clarke, 
president;  W.  A.  Taylor,  vice  president;  F.  N.  Ferry,  cashier. 

HASTINGS   BUILDING   AND   LOAN   ASSOCIATION 

The  Hastings  Building  and  Loan  Association  was  organized  in 
1896  and  incorporated  Mav  2  of  that  vear  bv  Henrv  Siekmann,  A.  L. 
Clarke,  E.  C.  Webster.  David  B.  l".  Breede,  J.  H.  Fleming,  S.  C. 
Heacox,  G.  H.  Pratt,  John  Rees.  S.  E.  Howard,  H.  C.  Haverly  and 
J.  M.  Tennant.  Before  the  organization  of  the  present  association 
another  similar  organization  was  carried  on  for  a  time.  The  first 
organization  was  called  the  Hastings  Land,  Loan  and  Building  Asso- 
ciation.   It  had  no  connection  at  any  time  with  the  present  association. 

The  association  has  an  authorized  capital  stock  of  $1,000,000  di- 
vided into  shares  of  $100  eacli.  The  assets  on  October  1.  1896.  were 
$l,062.o0;  at  the  present  time  tliey  have  increased  to  $22.3.000:  while 
in  1906  they  Avere  $9.5,000.  The  present  officers  are  H.  C.  Haverly, 
president;  F.  L.  Pease,  vice  president;  .John  Snider,  attorney;  J.  O. 
Rohrer,  treasin-er  and  secretarv. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
FRATERNAL  AND  OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS 

MASONS 

The  history  of  organized  INIasonry  in  Adams  County  begins  with 
the  organization  at  Juniata  in  June,  1873,  of  Juniata  Lodge  No.  42. 
A  few  months  later,  August  14,  1873,  a  call  was  issued  to  all  JNIasons 
in  good  standing  to  attend  a  meeting  at  the  store  of  E.  Steinau  in 
Plastings.  This  call  was  signed  by  G.  W.  IMowery,  James  Corbin, 
Sam  Sadler,  E.  Steinau,  L.  D.  Reynolds,  L.  W.  Spier,  R.  V.  Shockey, 
F.  S.  Wells,  W.  M.  West,  William  L.  Smith  and  L.  C.  Gould.  At 
this  meeting  a  lodge  was  organized,  but  a  charter  was  not  granted 
until  June  26,  1874.    The  number  given  the  lodge  was  No.  .50. 

The  first  officers  were :  L.  C.  Gould,  W.  :M.  ;  C.  E.  Forgy,  S.  W. ; 
J.  li.  Parrott,  J.  W.  The  lodge  held  its  first  meetings  in  the  school 
house  or  in  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Hall;  in  fact,  many  temporary  quarters 
were  used  until  the  fall  of  1879,  when  it  moved  into  the  second  story 
of  the  first  brick  building  to  be  built  in  Hastings.  This  was  located 
on  North  Hastings  Avenue  and  is  generally  referred  to  as  the  "old 
Masonic  Building."  This  lodge  room  served  its  purpose  until  1887, 
when  the  various  jNIasonic  lodges  moved  into  the  Masonic  Temple,  at 
6I9I0  West  Second  Street.  This  building  was  remodeled  in  1913  at 
a  cost  of  about  $65,000.  The  Temple  Craft  Building  is  one  of  the 
best  in  the  City  of  Hastings,  and  the  lodge  rooms  are  commodious  and 
elegant.  The  property  of  the  ^Masonic  organization  in  Hastings  is 
estimated  to  be  worth  $100,000.  The  masters  of  the  Blue  Lodge  for 
some  few  years  were  selected  from  the  charter  members.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  the  Past  JNIasters:  Alexander  D.  Buckworth. 
]874:  Lucius  C.  Gould,  1874;  Thomas  M.  Abbott,  187o:  Emanuel 
Steinau.  1876;  G.  W.  Mowery,  1877-8-82;  John  J.  Wemple.  1879; 
Fred  J.  Benedict,  1880;  George  H.  Pratt,  1881 ;  David  INI.  JNIcElHin- 
ney,  1883-.5-90;  Joseph  JNIeyer,  1884;  Edwin  C.  Webster.  1886;  C.  C. 
Rittenhouse,  1887;  William  S.  McKinney.  1888;  ^Villiam  F.  Buchan- 
an, 1889;  A.  R.  Van  Sickle,  1891-2-3;  Charles  K.  Lawson,  1894; 
205 


206       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Perry  H.  Sherrard,  189.5;  Tracy  P.  Sykes,  1896;  John  Raynard, 
1897;  John  J.  Buchanan,  1898;  J.  F.  Beardsley,  1899-1900;  Frank 
C.  Babcock,  1901-02;  JNI.  W.  Burgess,  1903-04;  John  D.  French,  1905; 
W.  A.  Reynolds,  1906-7-8;  W.  R.  Alexander,  1909-10;  Curtis  L. 
Walters,  1911;  W.  J.  Rmderspacher,  1912-13;  Fred  B.  Remer,  1914; 
Harry  Proffitt,  191.5;  Gordon  L.  Hammonds,  1916. 

The  Past  Grand  blasters  are:  John  J.  Wemple  and  James  P. 
A.  Black. 

Hastings  ChajJter  No.  21,  R.  A.  ]M.,  was  chartered  January  14, 
1881,  A.  I.  2,411,  with  the  following  officers:  J.  J.  Wemple,  H.  P.; 
Emanuel  Fist,  K.;  J.  S.  Allison,  S.;  R.  W.  Oliver,  treasurer;  William 
Cline,  secretary;  J.  J.  Raymaker,  C.  of  H.;  G.  J.  Evans,  P.  Sojr. ; 
Joseph  JNIeyer",  R.  A.  C.;' Jacob  Fisher,  G.  M.  3V.:  B.  F.  Rawalt, 
G.  M.  2V. ;  J.  Vandemark,  G.  M.  iV. ;  and  M.  L.  Alexander,  S. 

The  Past  High  Priests  are:  John  J.  Wemple,  1879-81 ;  Emanuel 
Fist,  1882;  Joseph  S.  Allison,  1883;  John  J.  Raymaker,  1884;  Ben- 
jamin F.  Rawalt,  188.5-86;  D.  :M.  McElHhmey,  1887:  Edwin  C. 
Webster,  1888;  C.  C.  Rittenhouse.  1889-90;  Fred  J.  Benedict.  1891; 
William  M.  Cline,  1892:  William  S.  JNlcKinney,  1893;  A.  R.  Van 
Sickle,  1894;  William  H.  .Alarshall,  189.5-06;  William  F.  Buchanan, 
1897:  Edward  P.  Nellis,  1898-99;  John  D.  French,  1900;  John  J. 
Buchanan,  1901;  Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger.  1902;  M.  W.  Burgess, 
1903;  ^^'illiam  O.  Wing,  1904-0.5-06-07-08;  Jacob  Fisher,  1909-10; 
Volney  B.  Trimble,  1911-12;  G.  N.  R.  Brown,  1913-14-1.5;  John  J. 
Stanley,  1916. 

The  Past  Grand  High  Priest,  Charles  C.  Rittenhouse. 

Hastings  Council  No.  8,  R.  and  S.  INI.,  was  chartered  by  the  Grand 
Council,  December  13,  1887,  w'ith  twenty-seven  members,  namely: 
C.  L.  Alexander,  M.  L.  Alexander,  W.  F.  Buchanan,  F.  J.  Benedict, 
W.  M.  Cline,  Emanuel  Fist,  Jacob  Fisher,  C.  K.  Lavvson,  B.  S.  INIor- 
rill,  D.  M.  [McElHinney,  W.  S.  JNIcKinney,  James  C.  McNaughton, 
Francis  Naulteus,  R.  W.  Oliver,  G.  H.  Pratt,  B.  F.  Rawalt,  C.  C. 
Rittenhouse,  E.  H.  Reed,  F.  J.  Schaufelberger,  Eevi  Stone,  J.  R. 
Sims,  J.  H.  Scales,  J.  J.  Wemple,  E.  C.  Webster,  J.  B.  Webster, 

E.  H.  Bartlett  and  E.  C.  Sawyer. 

The  Past  INIasters  are:  Edwin  C.  Webster,  1887-88;  Chai-les  C. 
Rittenhouse,    1889;   Fredrick   J.    Schaufelberger.    1890-91;   William 

F.  Buchanan,  1892;  William  S.  McKiimey,  1893-94;  Edgar  J.  Pease, 
189.5-01;  ]Martin  L.  McWhinney,  1902-03;  Fred  J.  Benedict,  1904- 
12-13-14-1.5;  Volney  B.  Trimble,  1916;  Past  M.  I.  Grand  ^Masters: 
Charles  C.  Rittenhouse.  and  Fred'k  J.  Schaufelberger. 

]Mount  Nebo  Commanderv  No.  11,  K.  T.,  was  organized  February 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      207 

22,  A.  D.,  1881,  with  the  following  Sir  Knights  as  officers  and  mem- 
bers; John  J.  Wemple,  E.  C;  John  J.  Raymaker,  G. ;  Joseph  S. 
Alhson,  C.  G.;  Benjamin  F.  Rawalt,  P.;  J.  W.  Small,  S.  W.;  T.  F. 
Pardee,  J.  W.;  Oswald  Oliver,  Rec.;  Robert  W.  Oliver,  Treas.;  INIor- 
ris  E.  Alexander,  S.  B.;  E.  H.  Bartlett,  S.  B.,  and  Jacob  Fisher,  W. 

A  charter  was  granted  April  27,  1881,  to  the  following  named 
members  (the  officers  named  were  elected  June  14)  :  John  J.  Wem- 
ple, E.  C;  Joseph  S.  Allison,  C.  of  G. ;  John  J.  Raymaker,  G. ;  Ben- 
jamin F.  Rawalt,  P.;  J.  W.  Small,  S.  W.;  W.  H."Lanning,  J.  W.: 
R.  W.  Oliver,  T.:  Oswald  Oliver,  Rec;  M.  L.  Alexander,  St.  B.; 

E.  H.  Bartlett.  S.  B.;  Jacob  Fisher,  ^V.;  J.  G.  Hayzlett,  George 
H.  Bott.  W.  U.  Cline,  Jacob  ]\Iiller,  J.  A.  Tulleys,  Fred  J.  Bene- 
dict, J.  J.  Wagen,  Charles  Cameron,  C.  K.  Lawson,  A.  L.  \Vebb, 
and  Henry  Gibbon,  Paul  Kidmuck,  R.  Vj.  Borney. 

The  Past  Commanders  are  John  J.  ^Vemple,  1881-2-3-4-.5;  Ben- 
jamin F.  Rawalt.  1890;  Jacob  Fisher,  1887;  Fred  J.  Benedict,  1888- 
8!l;  Edwin  C.  \Vebstcr.  1890;  .Alorris  E.  Alexander.  1891;  ^Villiam 

F.  Buchanan,  1892;  David  M.  :McElHinney,  1893;  William  M.  Cline, 
1894:  Charles  C.  Rittenhouse,  189.J:  P:dgar  J.  Pease,  1896;  ]Martin  E. 
IMcWhinney,  1897;  William  S.  ]\IcKinney,  1898;  F.  J.  Schaufel- 
berger,  1899;  William  H.  ^Marshall,  1900;  George  W.  Tibbets,  1901- 
02;  William  O.  Wing.  1903;  INIyron  W.  Burgess,  1904-0.5;  Herman 
E.  Stein,  1900;  Volney  B.  Trimble,  1907;  John  W.  Houseman,  1908; 
George  W.  Tibbets,  1909;  Edward  P.  Nellis,  1910;  George  W.  Tib- 
bets,  1911-12-13;  Claude  B.  Calbreath,  1914;  C.  G.  Lane,  1915-10. 
Past  Grand  Commanders:  John  J.  Wemple,  Edwin  C.  Webster. 
Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger. 

Fiducia  Lodge  of  Perfection  No.  3.  A.  and  A.  S.  R..  was  founded 
October  0,  1883,  and  chartered  December  20,  that  year,  with  the  fol- 
lowing charter  members: 

b!  F.  Rawalt.  32  ;  W.  H.  Lanning.  32  ;  H.  C.  Thatcher,  32  : 
R.  W.  Oliver.  32  ;.J.  D.  Hayes,  32°;  W.  F.  Schulthies,  32=;  S.  E. 
Furry,  32  ;  W.  W.  Miles,  32°;  C.  L.  Alexander,  32°;  E.  D.  Davis, 
32°;  Charles  D.  Moore,  32°;  Arthur  Williams,  32°;  Henry  Drum, 
32°  ;  W.  J.  Thompson,  32° ;  J.  S.  Walbach,  32° ;  N.  B.  Vinyard.  32  : 
E.  S.  Post.  32    ;  R.  H.  Wilson,  32° ;  L.  P.  INIunger,  14  . 

The  Past  Venerable  blasters  are:  Benjamin  F.  Rawalt,  33,  Hon.. 
1883-4-.5-0;  Jolm  J.  ^^^emple.  32.  1887;  Francis  Naulteus,  32.  1888- 
89;  David  M.  McElHinney,  33,  Hon.,  1890;  JNIelville  W.  Stone,  32, 
1891;  Edwin  C.  Webster.  33.  Hon.,  1892;  Charles  W.  Bronson,  32, 
1893;  William  F.  Buchanan,  32,  K.  C.  C.  H.,  1894-.3-6;  INIark  Levy. 
32,  1897;  Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger.  33.  Hon..  1898-99-1900;  Edgar 


208       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

J.  Pease,  18,  1901;  Frank  C.  Babcock,  33,  Hon.,  1902;  George  W. 
James,  33,  Hon.,  1903;  ^Vill  Brookley,  32,  1904;  Myron  W.  Burgess, 
32,  190.):  John  F.  Beardsley,  32,  K.  C.  C.  H.,  1900-07;  Ernest 
Hoeppner,  32,  1908;  C.  C.  Keith,  32,  1909-10;  A.  M.  Clark,  32,  1911; 
J.  H.  Vastine,  32,  1912;  C.  L.  Walters,  32,  1913-14;  J.  P.  A.  Black, 
32,  191.5;  John  D.  Fuller,  32,  1916. 

Constans  Chapter  No.  3,  of  Knights  Rose  Croix,  A.  &  A.  S.  R., 
was  chartered  October  20,  1893,  with  the  following  charter  members: 
James  A.  Tulleys,  33  ;  D.  M.  :McElHinney,  32  ;  R.  E.  French,  32° ; 
W.  H.  Eanning,  32" ;  E.  C.  Webster,  33° ;  M.  W.  Stone,  32° ;  R.  W. 
Oliver,  32  ;  C.  L.  Alexander,  32°;  C.  W.  Bronson,  18°;  W.  F. 
Buchanan,  18° ;  C.  H.  Dietrich,  32° ;  G.  E.  Douglas,  32° ;  J.  F.  Gan- 
shaw,  32° ;  J.  W.  Harris,  18° ;  J.  F.  Heiler,  18° ;  G.  R.  Johnson,  32° ; 
Mark  Levy,  18° ;  B.  S.  Mori-ill,  18° ;  C.  H.  Roberts,  18° ;  F.  J.  Schau- 
felberger,  18° ;  Harry  Stern,  32° ;  Artman  Snyder,  32°. 

The  Past  Wise  Masters  are:  James  A.  Tuileys,  33,  1892;  William 
H.  Lanning.  32,  1893-4-5-6-7;  William  F.  Buchanan,  32,  K.  C.  C.  H., 
1898-9-0;  Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger,  33,  1901;  ]Mark  Levy,  32, 
1902-3;  Frank  C.  Babcock,  33.  1904-5;  George  W.  James,  33,  1906- 
7;  Jolm  M.  Hiner,  32,  1908;  W.  R.  Alexander,  32,  1909;  Peter  Hem- 
pel,  32.  1910-11;  C.  L.  Walters.  32,  1912;  J.  A.  Riddle,  32,  1913-14; 
Gordon  Hammonds,  32.  1915;  Harry  Proffitt,  32,  1916. 

Frederick  Webber  Council  of  Kadosh  No.  3,  A.  &  A.  S.  R.,  was 
chartered  October  20,  1909,  with  the  following  members: 

Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger,  33°:  Frank  C.  Babcock,  33°;  Wil- 
liam F.  Buchanan,  32°,  K.  C.  C.  H.;  John  F.  Beardsley,  32°,  K.  C. 
C.  H.;  George  W.  James,  32°,  K.  C.  C.  H.;  M.  W.  Burgess,  32°; 
Mark  Levy,  32° ;  J.  J.  Buchanan,  32° ;  Will  Brookley.  32° ;  William 
Brach,  32°;  A.  M.  Clark,  32°;  J.  P.  A.  Black,  32°;  M.  L.  McQuin- 
nev,  32°;  J.  F.  Heiler,  32°;  C.  H.  Dietrich,  32°;  J.  M.  Hiner,  32°; 
S.'S.  Snyder,  32°;  A.  E.  Stitt,  32°;  H.  C.  Haverly,  32°;  G.  B. 
Loucks,  32°;  E.  Hoeppner,  32°;  M.  Pressler,  32°;  M.  W.  Baxter, 
32  ;  J.  H.  Rothwell,  32° ;  L.  B.  Stiner,  32°  ;  W.  B.  Kern.  32° :  L.  F. 
Fryar,  32° ;  J.  E.  Cunningham,  32° ;  W.  G.  Saddler.  32°. 

The  Past  Commanders  are:  F.  C.  Babcock.  33  Hon.,  1910-11; 
C.  C.  Keith,  32,  1912-13;  W.  J.  Rinderspacher.  32,  1914;  Jacob  F. 
Heiler,  32,  1915-16. 

Plastings  Consistory  No.  3,  A.  &  A.  S.  R.,  was  chartered  October 
16,  1911,  with  a  charter  membership  of  thirty-three  members.  The 
Masters  of  Kadosli  liave  been:  George  W.  James,  32° ;  K.  C.  C.  H., 
1911:  George  W.  James,  33°,  1912;  George  B.  Loucks,  32°;  1913- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      209 

1914,  Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger,  33%  191.5:  Robert  R.  Danierell, 
32%  191G. 

The  charter  members  are: 

Fredrick  J.  Schaufelberger,  33° ;  Frank  C.  Babcock,  33" ;  George 
W.  James,  33%  John  F.  Beardsley,  32%  K.  C%  C.  H.;  William  F. 
Buchanan,  32%  K.  C.  C.  H.;  W.  G.  Saddler,  32^ ;  M.  L.  IMcWhinney, 
32  :  Charles  Moritz,  32°;  H.  C.  Haverly,  32°;  J.  J.  Buchanan,  32°; 
M.  W.  Baxter,  32° :  C.  L.  Alexander,  32° ;  J.  P.  A.  Black,  32°  ;  H.  T. 
Broer,  32  ;  J.  F.  Heiler,  32  ;  W.  B.  Kern,  32°;  M.  Pressler,  32°; 
S.  S.  Snyder,  32°;  H.  M.  Bailey,  32°;  William  Brach,  32°;  M.  W. 
Burgess,  32°;  J.  M.  Hiner,  32°;  Mark  Levy,  32°;  J.  H.  Rothwell, 
32°;  L.  B.  Stiner,  32°;  G.  W.  Maxwell,  32°;  Will  Brookley,  32°; 
A.  M.  Clark,  32° ;  E.  Hoeppner,  32° ;  G.  B.  Loucks,  32° ;  A.  E.  Stitt, 
32°:  A\%  II.  Wigton,  32  %  J.  Ritterbush,  32°. 

EASTERN    STARS 

Acacia  Chapter  No.  39,  O.  E.  S.,  was  organized  June  17,  1891, 
with  thirty-six  members.  JNIeetings  were  held  once  a  month  in  the 
jMasonic  Temple.  The  first  officer  was  Mrs.  Hartigan,  Worthy 
Matron,  and  the  charter  members  were:  Hattie  Alexander,  Clara 
Barnes,  INIay  Buchanan,  Ella  Cramer,  Ellen  Cramer,  Fannie  Crane, 
Sarah  Cline,  Alice  Collins,  Kittie  Creeth,  Alice  Dilworth,  Clara  Har- 
ris, jNIartha  Hartigan,  Jennie  Hayzlett,  INIinnie  Howard,  Alice  Hurst, 
Caroline  Kay,  ]Mrs.  LalNIonte,  Anna  Marshall,  Addie  JNIorrill,  Sarah 
JMcWhinney,  ]Maud  IMcWhinney,  Eliza  Nellis,  Lucy  Nellis,  Lucy 
Partridge,  Clara  Pease,  Pet  Reed,  Elvina  Rittenhouse,  Eva  Schau- 
felberger, Eva  Sherrard,  INIaria  Sims,  Ida  E.  Stewart,  Eva  Van 
Sickle.  Rose  Webster,  Phoebe  Williams,  and  Verna  Yetter. 

The  present  officers  are:  W.  M.,  Mrs.  Ray  Damerell;  W.  P., 
Harry  Proffitt;  A.  iNI.,  INIrs.  Grace  Sims;  secretary,  Mrs.  Ed  Francis; 
treasurer.  Elizabeth  Alford.     The  membership  now  numbers  215. 

The  Grand  Lodge  have  had  two  reunions,  or  conventions,  at  the 
JMasonic  Temple,  one  in  May,  1900,  and  the  last  one  May,  1915. 

ODD    FELLOWS 

Hastings  has  two  lodges  of  Odd  Fellows,  Lodge  No.  50  and 
Lodge  No.  350.  Lodge  No.  50  was  organized  August  13,  1874,  with 
Fred  Forcht,  Noble  Grand:  Alfred  Berg,  V.  G.;  Benjann'n  E.  Boyer, 
recording  secretary;  C.  M.  Wright,  treasurer:  Melville  Griffith,  W.; 
D.  W.  Dalton,  C;  G.  E.  Grant,  R.  S.  N.  G.;  J.  T.  Ross,  R.  S.  V.  G., 


210       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  C.  B.  Sperry,  O.  G.  Among  the  charter  members  was  R.  A. 
Batty,  and  within  a  short  time  the  names  of  James  B.  Heartwell, 
James  JNIcWade,  J.  H.  Fleming,  N.  L.  Jorgensen,  J.  F.  Heiler,  D. 
M.  JMcElHinney,  E.  C.  Webster,  W.  W.  Brown,  A.  L.  Wigton, 
S.  jM.  Clark,  c' C.  Rittenhouse,  L.  A.  Royce  and  E.  C.  O'Donald 
appeared  on  the  roll. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhonse,  which  was  located 
between  JNIinnesota  and  Colorado  avenues,  near  Second  Street.  After- 
wards, the  lodge  met  in  a  frame  building  on  Second  Street,  between 
Hastings  and  Denver  avenues.  In  1880.  the  lodge  occupied  rooms 
in  the  old  jMasonic  Building,  on  North  Hastings  Avenue.  In  1884, 
the  Odd  Fellows  of  No.  50  built  and  occuiJied  a  brick  two-story  build- 
ing of  its  own  at  216  North  Lincoln  Avenue,  which  is  still  the  home  of 
the  lodge.  In  191G  the  lodge  purchased  the  adjoining  building  and 
comijletely  remodeled  the  lodge  rooms.  It  is  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion and  has  about  12.5  members. 

Lodge  No.  3.50,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized  February  21,  1910, 
at  Fraternity  Hall,  now  Brandeis  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Burlington 
Avenue  and  Second  Street.  The  greater  number  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers were  drawn  from  Lodge  No.  50.  These  members  were  J.  F. 
Heiler,  U.  S.  Rohrer,  J.  H.  Vastine,  Adam  Grass,  Henry  B.  Huck- 
feldt,  Arthur  C.  Kanatzar,  A.  K.  DefFenbaugh,  C.  C.  Keith.  Dr. 
James  V.  Beghtol,  G.  P.  Eastwood,  E.  A.  Francis,  JNIilton  B.  North, 
W.  O.  Vastine,  D.  M.  NefF,  Ed  M.  Dorwart,  H.  M.  Vastine,  C.  I. 
Van  Patten,  Eugene  Battan,  J.  H.  RifFe,  J.  H.  Hoagland,  J.  M. 
Dailey,  M.  L.  IMcBride,  D.  B.  Parsill.  Jr.,  J.  E.  Dennis.  George  W. 
INIaxwell,  Herman  Kohlbry.  ]\Iulford  M.  Haynes.  O.  R.  Palmer.  A. 
V.  Cole,  G.  A.  Wheeler,  E.  J.  Herring,  Fred  D.  James,  David  Bry- 
son,  C.  A.  Doj^en,  A.  I.  Battan,  Adam  Breede,  C.  A.  Heartwell, 
David  J.  Lewis,  J.  B.  Pizer  and  W.  B.  Hartigan. 

The  first  officers  of  No.  350  were:  James  V.  Beghtol.  noble 
grand:  D.  B.  Parsill.  Jr..  vice  grand;  E.  A.  Francis,  secretary,  and 
C.  C.  Keith,  treasurer.  The  present  officers  (1916)  are:  B.  F. 
Rohrer,  noble  grand;  John  D.  Goudy,  vice  grand;  H.  F.  Favinger, 
secretary,  and  D.  ]M.  NefF.  treasurer.  The  membership  of  I^odge 
No.  350  is  about  one  hundred. 

Enterjirise  Encampment  No.  29  was  organized  INIarch  22.  1888. 
The  charter  members  were  D.  INI.  INIcElHinney,  D.  M.  IMorris,  O.  F. 
Heartwell,  J.  C.  Kay,  A.  J.  Neimeyer.  H.  C.  Hansen  and  J.  F. 
Heiler.  The  first  ofl^cers  were:  H.  C.  Hansen.  C.  P.;  J.  C.  Kav, 
H.  P.;  J.  F.  Heiler,  S.  W.;  O.  F.  Heartwell,  J.  W.;  D.  M.  3IcEl- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      211 

Hinne3%  scribe;  A.  J.  Neinieyer,  treasurer;  D.  M.  Morris,  I.  S.    The 
encaniijment  now  has  a  membership  of  about  twenty. 

REBEKAH  LODGES 

Schuyler  Rebekah  liodge,  No.  52,  was  organized  July  14,  1890. 
Tlie  charter  members  Avere  Jennie  Dalby,  Anna  JMarshall,  Catherine 
Heiler,  Addie  L.  Brown,  Teana  Doyen.  Elizabeth  Kempel,  INIary 
C.  jMarian,  Frances  L.  Kimball,  Kathleen  Hartigan,  Delia  I.  Brown, 
Ada  C.  Michael,  Fannie  A.  Schilling,  Lulu  B.  Upton,  ^Nlaiy  C. 
Goodin,  Annie  C.  demons,  Lizzie  F.  Coons,  Harriet  M.  Hickman, 
C.  I^illis  Tennant,  Amelia  Lustig,  Jennie  Furstenau,  Eliza  A.  Bates, 
Sophronia  M.  Ferguson,  Martha  C.  Hartigan,  Belle  Rhodes,  Caro- 
line Kay,  Phoebe  J.  Morledge  and  ^Martha  E.  "White.  The  first 
officers  Avere:  Addie  L.  Brown,  noble  grand;  Jennie  Dalby,  vice 
grand;  Lulu  B.  Upton,  recording  secretary;  Catherine  Heiler,  finan- 
cial secretary,  and  Ada  JNIichael,  treasurer.  The  present  officers  are: 
]Mrs.  Elsie  Haubrock,  noble  grand;  ]Mrs.  Anna  Bohnet,  vice  grand; 
U.  S.  Rohrer,  secretary;  Mrs.  Catherine  Heiler,  treasurer.  The  pres- 
ent membership  of  the  lodge  is  56. 

Rebekah  Lodge  No.  312  was  organized  August  26,  1914.  jMeet- 
ings  are  held  in  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  lodge  rooms  at  216  North  Lincoln 
Avenue.  The  charter  members  were  Elsie  Haubrock,  Anna  Camp- 
bell, P.  J.  Greuter,  Harry  Smith,  L.  L.  DufFord,  F.  D.  Campbell, 
Lilly  Hibbard,  Blanch  C.  Lavine,  Pauline  Smith,  Ed  Livingston. 
Lou  Lavine,  T.  J.  Ralston,  Alice  Hibbard,  Leah  Rosenberg,  Eva 
Derricks,  Dave  Rosenberg,  P.  J.  Peterson,  Henry  Congers,  Ella 
Jacks,  Sarah  Greuter,  Hattie  Garratt,  Albert  E.  Williams,  H.  A. 
Kelley,  A.  F.  Copeyon,  Emma  Jacks,  Amanda  Orton,  Ethel  Keith, 
Fern  Reider,  INI.  J.  Plnmmer,  C.  S.  Woodworth,  IVIyrrel  Legler. 
The  officers  from  the  time  of  organization  are: 

AtTGUST  26,   1913,  TO  JAXUARY   1,   1914 

JMrs.  Lilly  Hibbard,  noble  grand;  ISIrs.  Sarah  Greuter.  vice  gi-and; 
Miss  Elsie  Hibbard,  secretary;  ]Mrs.  Blanche  Levine,  treasurer,  and 
]Mrs.  I^eah  Rosenberg,  chaplain. 

DECEMBER  31,   1913,  TO  JUNE  30,   1914 

Mrs.  Sarah  Greuter,  noble  grand;  INIrs.  Anna  Campbell,  vice 
grand ;  INIiss  Ella  Peterson,  secretary ;  ]\Irs.  Blanche  Levine,  treasurer, 
and  ]\Iiss  Hattie  Garratt,  chaplain. 


212       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

JUNE  30,   1914  TO  DECEMBER  31,   1914 

Mrs.  Anna  Camjibell,  noble  grand;  jNIrs.  Blanche  Levine,  vice 
grand;  ]Miss  Ella  Peterson,  secretary;  ]Mrs.  Leah  Rosenberg,  treas- 
urer, and  ]\Irs.  Edith  Sinclair,  chaplain. 

JANUARY   1,    1915,  TO  JULY   1,    1915 

Mrs.  Blanche  Levine,  noble  grand;  ]Miss  Alice  Hibbard,  vice 
grand;  ]Mrs.  ]\Iinnie  AVillianis,  secretary;  JNIrs.  Leah  Rosenberg,  treas- 
urer, and  JNIrs.  Edith  Sinclair,  chaplain. 

JULY   1,   1915   TO  JANUARY   1,    1916 

JNIiss  Alice  Hibbard,  noble  grand;  JNIrs.  Edith  Sinclair,  vice  grand; 
Miss  Ella  Peterson,  secretary;  JNIrs.  JNIartha  White,  treasurer,  and 
JNIrs.  Lottie  Dufford,  chaplain. 

JANUARY   1,   1916,  TO  JULY   1,   1916 

Mrs.  Edith  Sinclair,  noble  grand;  Mrs.  JNIartha  White,  vice  grand; 
JNIrs.  Fern  Rider,  secretary;  JNIrs.  Leah  Rosenberg,  treasurer,  and 
JNIrs.  Belle  Goudy,  chaplain. 

JULY  1,  1916,  TO  JANUARY  1,  1917 

Mrs.  JNIartha  White,  noble  grand;  JNIrs.  Belle  Goudy,  vice  grand; 
JNIrs.  Xeonia  Hutchinson,  secretary;  Miss  Lena  Olson,  treasurer,  and 
JNIrs.  Blanche  Levine,  chaplain. 

MODERN    WOODMEN 

The  JNIodern  Woodmen  of  America  maintain  two  lodges  in  Hast- 
ings and  have  witnessed  stirring  scenes,  particularly  during  the  great 
fight  that  was  made  in  1912  against  the  action  of  the  head  camp  in 
raising  the  rates.  Queen  City  Cam]),  Xo.  4201,  took  a  leading  part  in 
that  memorable  movement  and  furnished  in  the  person  of  Dr.  James 
V.  Beghtol  a  national  president  of  the  insurgent  movement. 

Hastings  Camp,  Xo.  277,  JNIodern  Woodmen  of  America,  how- 
ever, is  the  elder  of  the  two  lodges  and  was  chartered  June  6,  1887. 
The  first  officers  were:  J.  F.  Ballinger,  venerable  consul;  Wes 
JNIontffomerv,  wortliv  adviser;  J.  H.  Hanev,  excellent  banker;  A.  J. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       213 

Nowlan,  clerk;  Fred  Reimer,  escort.  The  present  officers  are:  J. 
A.  Rose,  venerable  consul;  Dr.  F.  J.  Schaufelberger,  worthy  adviser; 
H.  C.  Kerr,  banker;  W.  A.  Pielstick,  clerk.  The  membership  of  this 
camp  at  present  is  thirty-seven. 

Queen  City  Camp,  No.  4201,  was  chartered  in  1896.  Officers  have 
served  as  follows:  Venerable  consul — 1896,  J.  J.  Simmering;  1897, 
Z.  B.  Shreve;  1898  and  1899,  G.  L.  Macfarlane;  1900,  M.  W.  Bur- 
gess; 1901,  I.  A.  Downey;  1902,  D.  A.  Jones;  1903,  G.  L.  Macfar- 
lane; 1904,  Amos  Sutton;  190.5,  J.  V.  Beghtol;  1906,  D.  H.  Went- 
worth;  1907,  G.  L.  Macfarlane;  1908,  C.  M.  Stephens;  1909  to  1915, 
Walter  Livingston;  1915,  C.  E.  Coblentz;  1916,  A.  J.  Sliger.  Excel- 
lent liankers  have  been  as  follows:  1896,  E.  JM.  ]\Iarquis;  1897,  Carl 
J.  Miller;  1898  to  1901,  Z.  B.  Shreve;  1901  to  1904,  Carl  J.  JNIiller; 
1904,  Jacob  Wooster;  1905  to  1916,  Z.  B.  Shreve;  1916,  E.  D.  Bruce. 
The  following  have  been  clerks:  1896  to  1904,  S.  L.  Stichter;  1904 
and  1905,  D.  H.  Wentworth;  1906,  D.  A.  Jones;  1907  to  1910, 
L.  A.  Daily;  T.  H.  Wilhams  assumed  tlie  clerkship  June  1,  1909,  and 
served  through  1910:  1911  to  1915,  L.  A.  Daily;  1915,  L.  J.  Moore; 
1916,  Earl  Benson. 

Queen  City  Camp,  No.  4201,  of  Hastings,  took  a  leading  part  in 
tlie  insiu'gency  movement  in  Nebraska  to  protest  against  the  raising 
of  tlie  insurance  rates  of  the  ]Modern  Woodmen  as  pro2:)osed  by  the 
head  camp  officials  in  Chicago  in  1911.  It  was  contended  by  the  offi- 
cials that  unless  the  rates  should  be  increased  the  order  would  encounter 
a  crisis  in  1917,  because  of  the  increase  in  the  death  roll  that  might 
])e  expected  by  that  time.  Among  the  leaders  to  protest  against  the 
raise  from  the  Hastings  camp  were  Dr.  J.  V.  Beghtol,  Walter  I^iv- 
ingston  and  Z.  B.  Shreve.  The  movement,  which  can  be  said  to  have 
started  in  Hastings  so  far  as  Nebraska  was  concerned,  soon  became 
statewide. 

On  ^March  20,  1912,  a  state  meeting  of  the  insurgents  was  held 
at  the  Kerr  Opera  House.  The  meeting  was  attended  by  376  dele- 
gates, representing  219  Nebraska  camps.  A^enerable  Counsel  Walter 
Livingston  presided  throughout  the  convention,  and  the  keynote  of 
insurgency  was  sounded  by  Dr.  J.  V.  Beghtol  in  a  notable  speech,  in 
which  he  charged  that  Woodmen  were  face  to  face  with  the  problem 
of  taxation  without  representation. 

The  following  resolutions  committee  was  chosen:  M.  L.  Corey, 
Clay  Center;  R.  D.  Sutherland,  Nelson;  F.  A.  Anderson,  Holdrege; 
Alexander  JNIcFarland,  Friend,  and  A.  J.  Van  Every,  Hastings.  The 
resolutions  drafted  by  this  committee  became  the  foundation  of 
insurgency  throughout  the  state.     The  resolutions  demanded  the  sub- 


2J4       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

mission  of  the  rate  question  to  the  entire  membership  for  a  referendum 
vote.  If  the  J'  should  fail  in  tliis,  it  was  resolved  to  endeavor  to  secure 
a  meeting  of  a  nevvlj^  elected  head  camp  for  the  reconsideration  of  the 
rate  question,  and  if  this,  too,  should  fail,  it  was  resolved  to  institute 
legal  i^roceedings  to  prevent  the  enforcement  of  the  new  rates  pend- 
ing consideration  of  the  question  by  the  next  regular  head  camp. 
Failing  in  all  these,  it  was  determined  to  call  another  meeting  to  take 
such  action  as  the  circumstances  warranted. 

An  executive  committee  of  nine,  with  Doctor  Beghtol  as  chair- 
man, was  chosen  to  put  in  operation  the  resolutions  of  the  convention. 
Doctor  Beghtol  later  became  national  president  of  the  insurgents  and 
had  the  latter  gained  control  of  the  national  convention  at  Toledo, 
Ohio,  in  1914,  it  was  generally  understood  by  insurgent  Woodmen 
throughout  the  United  States  that  Doctor  Beghtol  would  be  elected 
head  consul.  Delegates  sent  from  insurgent  camps,  however,  were 
in  many  instances  contested,  and  the  old  guard  controlled  the 
gathering. 

The  rates  have  not  been  raised.  Injunctions  obtained  from  the 
courts  of  Des  JMoines,  la.,  Springfield,  111.,  and  Hastings,  Neb.,  pre- 
vented the  Chicago  rates  from  going  into  effect  as  scheduled  for  Jan- 
uary 1,  1913,  and  by  the  time  of  the  Toledo  convention  in  1914  the 
officers  had  receded  from  their  position  and  advocated  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  old  rates. 

Head  Consul  A.  R.  Talbot,  of  Lincoln,  was  himself  present  at 
the  convention  held  in  Hastings  in  1912.  and  led  the  bolting  delegates 
out  of  the  convention  hall  to  the  Bostwick  Hotel,  now  the  American 
House,  M'here  they  held  a  convention  and  elected  delegates.  The 
increase  in  assessments  as  proposed  by  the  Chicago  rates  would  have 
raised  the  obligation  of  Nebraska  Woodmen  a  million  dollars.  The 
activities  of  the  insurgents  in  Hastings  were  probably  the  most 
momentous  that  ever  came  liefore  a  fraternal  order  in  Adams  County. 

EOYAL   NEIGHBORS 

The  Royal  Neighbors,  Queen  City  Local  No.  6.59,  was  granted 
a  charter  April  30,  1897. 

The  charter  members  were  John  Coffey,  Kate  Coffey,  Hattie 
Hadden.  Louis  Hadden,  W.  H.  Lynn,  C.  J.  3Iiller,  ISIarie  ]\Iiller, 
Alma  INIorgan,  Abbie  Seagraves,  B.  I.  Seagraves,  J.  W.  Shaw, 
3Iartha  Shaw,  Jennie  Shreve,  Z.  B.  Shreve,  Emma  K.  Stichter. 
S.  L.  Stichter,  A.  R.  Van  Sickle,  Lavina  Werrick,  E.  Q.  Winter, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      215 

Arabella  Winter,  Jacob  Wooster,  J.  A.  WycofF,  Lula  Wycoff  and 
John  Simmering. 

The  officers,  from  time  of  organization,  have  been: 

1897 

Mrs.  Werrick,  oracle;  Hattie  Hadden,  vice  oracle;  Ennna  Stich- 
ter,  recorder;  Mrs.  Carl  Miller,  receiver. 

1898 

Hattie  Hadden,  oracle;  Arabella  Winters,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Cof- 
fey, recorder;  Mrs.  Carl  Miller,  receiver. 

1899 

Hattie  Hadden.  oracle;  Arabella  Winter,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Cof- 
fey, recorder;  Abbie  Seagraves,  receiver. 

1900 

Nolia  Burgess,  oracle;  Kate  Coffey,  vice  oracle;  Jennie  Shreve, 
recorder:  Abbie  Seagraves,  receiver. 

1901 

Kate    CoiFey,   oracle;    Mrs.    Beck,    vice   oracle;    Jennie    Shreve, 
recorder:  Abbie  Seagraves,  receiver. 

1902 

Kate    Coffey,    oracle;    INIrs.  Beck,    vice    oracle;    Jennie    Shreve, 
recorder;  Abbie  Seagraves,  receiver. 

1903 

Arabella  Winters,  oracle;  Mrs.  Beck,  vice  oracle;  Jennie  Shreve, 
recorder;  Abbie  Seagraves,  receiver. 

1904 

]Mollie  Schaff er,  oracle ;  Sarah  Owens,  vice  oracle ;  Jennie  Shreve, 
recorder;  Kate  Coffey,  receiver. 

1905 

]Mollie    SchafFer,    oracle;    Caroline   Vance,    vice   oracle;   Jennie 
Shreve.  recorder;  Kate  CofFev,  receiver. 


216       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1906 

Ida  Brown,  oracle;  Grace  Gauvreau,  vice  oracle;  Jennie  Slireve, 
recorder ;  Lucy  Guthrie,  receiver. 

1907 

Grace  Gauvreau,  oracle:  3Iollie  SchafFer,  vice  oracle;  Florence 
Straight,  recorder;  Caroline  Vance,  receiver. 

1908 

Jennie  Shreve,  oracle;  Hattie  Coblentz,  vice  oracle;  Clara  Jones, 
recorder;  Caroline  Vance,  receiver. 

1909 

Jennie  Shreve.  oracle;  Ida  Coblentz,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Coffey, 
recorder;  Ida  Brown,  receiver. 

1910 

Jennie    Shi'eve,   oracle;   Ida   Brown,   vice   oracle;   Kate   Coffey, 
recorder;  Abbie  Seagraves.  receiver. 

1911 

Jennie  Shreve,  oracle;  Arabella  Winters,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Cof- 
fey, recorder;  IVIollie  Scliaffer,  receiver. 

1912 

Jennie  Shreve,  oracle;  Ennna  Pielstick,  vice  oracle;  jNIae  Snyder, 
recorder;  j\Irs.  Saucernian,  receiver. 

1913 

Emma  Pielstick,  oi'acle;  Ida  Brown,  vice  oracle;  INIae   Snyder, 
recorder;  Nella  Nichols,  receiver. 

1914 

Emma  Pielstick,  oracle;  Annie  Foster,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Coffey, 
recorder;  Nella  Nichols,  receiver. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       217 

1915 

Editli  ]Moore,  oracle;  Anna  Foster,  vice  oracle;  Kate  Coffey, 
recorder;  Nella  Nichols,  receiver. 

1916 

Edith  ]Moore,  oracle;  Anna  J^oster,  vice  oracle;  Ivy  Labrie, 
recorder;  Nella  Nichols,  receiver. 

KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS 

Hastings  Lodge,  No.  28,  Knights  of  Pythias,  is  the  j^ioneer  of 
Pythianisni  in  ^^^estern  Nebraska  and  was  organized  in  Hastings 
May  7,  1883.  This  lodge  is  still  in  a  flourishing  condition  and  has  a 
nienibershi])  of  136.  Since  May  10,  1907.  a  purely  social  organization 
of  Pythianisni,  the  Dramatic  Order  Knights  of  Khorassan,  with  a 
present  niembershii)  of  31.5,  has  been  maintained. 

July  1,  1886,  a  number  of  the  German  members  of  No.  28,  seeing 
that  there  was  a  sufficient  number,  organized  an  exclusively  German 
organization,  which  was  given  the  name  Teutonia  Lodge,  No.  .59. 
This  lodge  existed  for  a  number  of  years,  but  finally  disbanded. 

May  21,  188.5,  Uniform  Rank,  No.  4,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was 
instituted  with  thirty-six  members.  The  first  commander  was  John 
M.  Dungan.  W.  A.  Dilworth  succeeded  him,  and  subsequently 
Stephen  Schwaibold  and  Ed  N.  Thacker  occupied  that  position.  This 
division  of  Pythianisni  disbanded  about  six  years  ago,  some  retaining 
their  membership,  but  there  are  no  meetings  of  the  rank  held. 

The  charter  members  of  the  Pioneer  Lodge,  No.  28,  are:  James 
Walling,  John  Dungan,  O.  H.  McNeil,  C.  Paulich,  S.  J.  Weigel. 
Sam  Hirsch,  P.  C.  Westover,  H.  C.  Haverly,  B.  F.  Lied,  George 
W.  Green,  J.  C.  Williams,  A.  Loeb,  L.  Hahn  and  S.  Johnson.  The 
first  officers  were:  A.  Yeazel,  chancellor  commander;  A.  B.  Ideson. 
vice  chancellor:  A.  J.  Anderson,  prelate;  W.  F.  Schultheir,  keeper  of 
records  and  seals;  jNL  L.  Alexander,  master  of  finance;  A.  H.  Cramer, 
master  of  excheqvier;  J.  F.  Ballinger,  master  of  arms;  A.  S.  Camp- 
bell, inside  guard;  F.  Naulteus,  outside  guard. 

The  present  officers  are:  Tom  ]\Ladgett,  commander;  G.  A.  Olson, 
vice  chancellor;  O.  D.  Bolster,  prelate;  H.  H.  Holt,  keeper  of  records 
and  seals;  C.  J.  Sherman,  master  of  finance;  A.  H.  Binderup,  master 
of  exchequer;  O.  L.  Plum,  master  of  arms;  L.  A.  Lacalli,  inside 
guard;  I.  L.  Anderson,  outside  guard;  W.  R.  Alexander,  master  of 
work. 


218       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  Dramatic  Order  Knights  of  Khorassan,  Delhi  Teniiile  No. 
109,  the  Shrine  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized  IMay  10, 
1907.  It  is  a  state  organization,  and  has  only  one  temple  in  the  state. 
A  meeting  is  held  twice  a  year.  The  first  officers  and  charter  members 
were:  G.  A.  Weirick,  royal  vizier;  F.  A.  Pemiall,  mahdi;  Welley 
Williams,  satrap;  Peter  Hempel,  grand  emir;  J.  JNI.  Tennant,  secre- 
tary; J.  jNI.  Conoughy,  sahib;  C.  A.  Phillijis,  sheik;  L.  Hoagland, 
treasurer. 

The  i^resent  officers  are:  W.  R.  Alexander,  royal  vizier;  Harry 
S.  Dungan,  mahdi;  L.  C.  Erwin,  satrap;  C.  A.  Phillij)s,  grand 
emir;  C.  J.  Sherman,  secretaiy;  A.  H.  Binderup,  treasurer;  H.  C. 
Haverly,  sahib;  L.  B.  Steiner,  sheik;  C.  A.  Olson,  mokanna;  J.  M. 
Tennant  and  C.  I.  Roush,  escorts;  H.  H.  Holt,  saruk;  J.  P.  Mad- 
gett.  imjjerial  nabob. 

PYTHIAN   SISTERS 

Pythian  Sisters,  Queen  City  Temple,  No.  25,  Hastings,  then 
called  the  Voung  Assembly.  No.  1,  Pythian  Sisterhood,  of  Hastings, 
was  organized  April  30,  1889.  The  first  officers  were:  Mrs.  John 
Harris.  JMrs.  W.  A.  Dilworth,  JNIrs.  George  Tyler,  Mrs.  Curt  Alex- 
ander, Mrs.  J.  C.  Williams,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Allen,  Mrs.  D.  A.  Guldin, 
^Irs.  Saddler,  Mrs.  S.  S.  Schwaibold,  Mrs.  D.  Barlass,  INIrs.  J.  M. 
Tennant  and  jNIiss  Anna  Breed.  The  charter  members,  fifteen  in 
number,  were:  INIrs.  W.  Breed,  INIiss  Louise  Engle,  ]Mrs.  H.  H.  Gil- 
breth,  ]Mrs.  J.  E.  Gant,  JNIrs.  G.  Heitkemper,  IMrs.  C.  Hoeppner, 
Mrs.  T.  Hoeppner,  IMrs.  S.  S.  Johnson,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Kent.  JMrs.  Jim 
JNIoore,  JMrs.  Otto  Otten,  Mrs.  Jack  Mines,  JMrs.  J.  J.  Raymaker, 
JMrs.  G.  Tyler  and  JMrs.  William  Saunders. 

Tlie  clubroonis  were  located  at  what  was  then  called  the  K.  P. 
Hall,  above  the  Gastons'  JMusic  Store,  then  located  at  the  corner  of 
Second  Street  and  St.  Joseph  Avenue.  This  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire  and  all  records  of  the  organization  were  bm-ned.  The  club- 
rooms  were  then  moved  to  Brandeis  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Second 
Street  and  Burlington  Avenue.  The  membership  now  numbers 
thirty  ladies,  and  the  present  officers  are:  Past  cliief,  JMrs.  JMay  B. 
JMadgett;  most  excellent  chief,  JMrs.  Francis  Holt;  excellent  senior, 
Mrs.  JMinnie  Hoffman;  excellent  junior,  Mrs.  Erdine  Elinor;  man- 
ager, JMrs.  Lou  Harrington;  mistress  of  records  and  correspondence, 
Beulali  Erwin;  mistress  of  finance,  Mrs.  Clara  Manning;  protector, 
JMrs.  Sadie  Erwin;  guard.  JMrs.  Cynthia  Anderson;  musician.  Miss 
JMaude  Cravens. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      219 

K.   O.   T.   M. 

Knights  of  JMaccabees,  South  Platte  Tent,  No.  18,  have  a  member- 
ship iji  Hastings  of  thirty-six.  Authority  to  form  and  institute  a 
lodge  was  received  JNIay  2,  1896. 

The  first  officers  were:  A.  T.  Kennedy,  Sr.  Kt.  Commander; 
Thomas  Hainar,  Sr.  Kt.  Light  Commander;  Thomas  Rowe,  Sr.  Kt. 
R.  K.;  John  H.  Hardt,  Sr.  Kt.;  Gust  Larson,  Sr.  Kt.  Chaplain; 
John  Stack,  Sr.  Kt.  Sergeant;  R.  J.  Erwin,  Sr.  Kt.  Physician;  J.  R. 
Koch,  Sr.  Kt.  Mat.;  Charles  McMillan,  Sr.  Kt.  First  M.  of  G.; 
H.  G.  Wheeler,  Sr.  Kt.  Secretary;  J.  C.  Stanley,  Sr.  Kt.  Sentinel; 
Ferdinand  Panzer,  Sr.  Kt.  Picket. 

The  present  officers  are:  P.  C,  Gust  Kistler;  C,  James  Peter- 
son: R.  K.,  Lemuel  Tihbets. 

T.  w.  B.  A.  o.  T.   M. 

The  Woman's  Benefit  Association  of  the  INIaccabees  was  organ- 
ized in  the  G.  A.  R.  Hall,  Hastings,  February  15,  1894,  under  the 
name  of  Hari'ison  Hive.  No.  4,  which  in  recent  years  was  changed  to 
the  present  name.  ]Mrs.  ]NLiggie  McKain  was  the  instituting  officer 
and  appointed  ]\Irs.  May  Wheeler  to  act  as  record  keeper  pro  tern. 
The  lodge  was  organized  with  tlie  following  charter  members :  ]Mrs. 
Alice  Thompson,  INIaud  Thompson,  Mrs.  JNIary  Hart,  Mrs.  Hannah 
Kammelohr,  Miss  Belle  Humphrey,  Mrs.  Jane  A.  Wheeler,  ]Mrs. 
]\Iay  Wheeler,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  JVIorrow,  Mrs.  Rachel  Reinhart  and 
jNIrs.  Laura  A.  Edwards.  The  first  officers  were:  P.  L.  C.  I\Irs. 
Elizabeth  Morrow;  L.  C,  ]Mrs.  Alice  Thompson;  Lt.  C,  Mrs.  Rachel 
Reinhart;  R.  K.,  Miss  Belle  Humphrey;  F.  K.,  Mrs.  JNIay  Wheeler; 
physician.  Dr.  Laura  A.  Edwards;  chaplain,  Mrs.  Jane  A.  Wheeler; 
sergeant,  ]Mrs.  Hannah  Kammelohr;  ]Mat.  A.,  Miss  Maud  Thompson; 
sentry,  JNIrs.  Mary  Hart:  picket,  Miss  Caroline  Hammil. 

The  present  officers  are:  JNIrs.  Sarah  Cramer,  Lieut.  Com.;  JNIrs. 
Louise  Proffitt,  record  keeper;  JVIiss  Elizabeth  Croushorn,  finance 
creditor;  JNIrs.  Nellie  Cantwell,  official  prompter. 

A  large  nimiber  of  former  members  have  moved  away,  leaving 
the  membership  at  present  at  about  thirty. 

ANCIENT    ORDER    OF    UNITED    WORKJIEN 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  Hastings  Lodge,  No.  43, 
was  granted  a  charter  December  31,  1884.     The  first  officers  were: 


220   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

B.  F.  Rawalt,  P.  M.  W.;  Jacob  Wooster,  M.  W.;  S.  C.  Heacox,  F.; 
F.  C.  Mastin,  O. ;  W.  F.  Bybee,  recorder;  A.  H.  Brown,  financier; 
J.  B.  Webster,  treasurer;  Charles  Kelsey,  G. ;  F.  E.  Watkins,  inside 
watclinian,  and  S.  ]\I.  Wright,  outside  watchman. 

Tlie  charter  members  of  the  organization  were  Dr.  John  Gorman, 
L.  B.  Pahner,  E.  C.  Rittenhouse,  J.  W.  Wigton,  Jacob  Wooster, 
J.  A.  Wigton,  E.  C.  Webster  and  A.  R.  Van  Sickle. 

Present  officers  are:  G.  A.  VoUand,  P.  M.  W.;  E.  E.  Lindley, 
yi.  W. ;  H.  J.  Brown,  foreman;  Ed  Igou,  overseer;  George  Ander- 
son, guide;  Earl  D.  Bruce,  recorder;  A.  J.  Van  Every,  O.  W. ;  John 
]Mordhorst,  I.  W. ;  P.  W.  Yager,  treasurer;  W.  B.  Remer,  financier; 
and  W.  A.  Pielstick,  J.  JNI.  Tennant  and  H.  B.  Huckfeldt,  trustees. 
The  jjresent  membership  is  440. 

In  1913  there  was  a  state  gathering  of  the  Workmen  in  Hastings. 

DEGREE    OF    HONOR 

Degree  of  Honor,  Butler  Lodge,  Xo.  6,  was  organized  August 
7,  1891,  and  the  charter  was  granted  to  Carrie  I.  Butler,  P.  C.  of  H.; 
Georgia  E.  ^Marquis,  L.  of  H.;  Alma  Chapman,  recorder;  Amanda 
Rose,  I.  W.;  iNIinnie  E.  ]Moran,  C.  of  H.;  Emma  Scherick,  C.  of  C; 
Elizabeth  E.  Foote,  financier;  Eva  E.  Work,  L.  U. 

The  charter  members  are  ]Mrs.  W.  H.  Dilworth,  JNIrs.  J.  C.  Wil- 
liams, j\Irs.  Emma  Scharard,  Mrs.  Ogden,  JNIrs.  Amia  Rogers,  INIrs. 
Dora  Train.  JNIrs.  Emma  Pielstick,  ]Mrs.  James  Fawthrop,  JNIrs.  Car- 
rie Butler,  Mrs.  JNIinnie  INIoran,  JNIrs.  Georgia  JNIarquis,  Mrs.  E.  C. 
Schuck,  JNIrs.  Eva  Work,  JNIrs.  S.  E.  Foote,  JNIrs.  Amanda  Rose,  JNIrs. 
Gregorie,  JNIrs.  Ora  Ford,  JNIrs.  F.  W.  Rose,  JNIrs.  Dora  Heggett,  JNIrs. 
Williams  and  Alma  Chapman. 

The  i^resent  officers  are  Mrs.  Anna  Gay,  P.  C.  H.;  JNIrs.  Sarah 
Gruther,  C.  H.;  Mrs.  Anna  Herring,  L.  of  H.;  JNIrs.  Spath,  C.  of 
C;  X'^ina  Robare,  recorder;  Albina  Hempel,  financier;  JNIary  Beach, 
receiver. 

On  December  26.  1913,  the  K.  of  P.  Hall  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
and  all  the  records  and  the  cliarter  of  Butler  Lodge  were  burned. 

On  August  23,  1892,  the  first  grand  lodge  was  held  in  Hastings, 
and  the  twelve  lodges  represented  were  Hebron.  South  Omaha, 
JNIcCook,  Plattsmouth,  St.  Edward.  Hastings,  Holdrege,  Geneva, 
Lincoln,  Chester,  Bloomington  and  Republican  City.  The  present 
membership  is  128. 

Degree  of  Honor,  Hastings  Lodge,  X'^o.  275,  was  organized 
X'^ovember  20,  1913.     The  charter  was  granted  to  Agnes  Whitsell, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      221 

P.  C.  of  H.;  Ali^ha  Haines,  L.  of  H.:  Lucy  C.  Guthrie,  recorder; 
Nina  Ramsey,  receiver:  Warren  Brennenian,  I.  W.;  Emma  Battan, 
C.  of  IT.;  Sarah  High,  C.  of  C;  Cora  Smith,  financier;  Louisa 
Schatz,  U. ;  Cornelia  Geyer,  O.  W. 

The  charter  members  were  JNIinnie  JNI.  WilHams,  Lila  A.  Drol- 
linger,  Ada  Van  Every,  Ahce  Dorwort,  Grace  A.  Remer,  ]\I.  ]McRey- 
nolds,  Grace  N.  Gauvreau,  Hannah  LaBrie,  Emma  Bayly,  Alma 
Chapman.  ]\Iai'y  A.  Stevens,  Jennie  F.  Often,  Florence  Arvenette, 
Sarah  High,  Lizzie  Rose,  Clarence  Schatz,  Warren  Brenneman, 
Howard  High,  Roy  E.  Guthrie,  C.  J.  Geyer,  Emma  Battan,  A.  J. 
Battan,  Christina  Yager,  P.  W.  Yager,  Dora  Kohl,  Sylvia  Saunders, 
Katherine  Lee,  Christina  Lee,  Nannie  Wicker,  C.  H.  Dinsmore, 
Lucy  C.  Guthrie,  Ida  Tilger,  Cora  Smith,  A.  J.  Smith,  Louisa  A. 
Schatz.  Sarah  L.  Davey,  Winnie  Davey,  Charles  C.  Davey,  Nana 
Arnold,  digues  Whitsell,  Grace  Rathbun,  Francis  Paris,  Florence 
Fogel,  Aljjha  Haines,  ^Minnie  West,  Louise  Shaaf.  Clara  Shaaf, 
Mina  Ramsey,  Ida  Brenneman,  Ida  Panzer,  Cornelia  Geyer,  Rebecca 
]M.  Richardson  and  Christina  Knapp. 

Hastings  Lodge,  No.  27.),  now  has  147  members.  The  present 
officers  are  Louisa  Schatz,  C.  of  PL;  Ivy  LaBrie,  P.  C.  of  H.;  Anna 
Ray,  L.  of  H.;  Grace  Rathbun,  C.  of  C;  Clara  Shaaf,  U.;  Lucy 
Guthrie,  recorder;  Fannie  Wanzer,  financier;  Clara  LaBrie,  treas- 
urer: ^Martha  Bremser,  I.  W. 


January  22,  1889,  W.  H.  Lynn,  O.  H.  Gordon  and  George  B. 
Tyler  received  a  dispensation  to  organize  a  lodge  of  Elks.  Hastings 
Lodge.  No.  1.39,  was  organized  February  22,  1890,  and  the  charter 
was  granted  July  10th  of  the  same  year.  The  charter  members  were 
Dr.  W.  H.  Lynn,  O.  H.  Gordon,  George  B.  Tyler,  A.  H.  PhiUips, 
W.  II.  Elledge,  C.  L.  Alexander,  Richard  Thompson,  Nat  JM.  JNIiller. 
J.  B.  Patterson,  Harry  Brewer,  F.  C.  Babcock,  R.  A.  Barr,  J.  A. 
Casto,  G.  J.  Evans,  C.  A.  Diamond,  John  Musselman.  William 
Snyder,  A.  H.  Farrens,  R.  B.  Wahlquist,  Charles  H.  Kipp.  C.  L. 
Rose,  L.  B.  Partridge,  W.  H.  Dillon,  George  Wood,  S.  V.  B.  Holla- 
way,  J.  B.  Dallas,  C.  A.  Turner,  F.  E.  Hewitt,  Charles  Schaufel- 
berger,  H.  C.  Haverly,  L.  H.  Gurnsey.  D.  B.  Welpton.  F.  M.  Crow, 
and  C.  D.  Thurman. 

The  following  have  been  the  exalted  rulers :  W.  H.  I^ynn,  1890-1 ; 
John  A.  Casto,  1891-2;  Nat  INI.  Miller,  1892-3;  Thomas  Frahm, 
1894-,);  C.  B.  Wahlquist,  189o-6;  W.  H.  Ljmn,  1896-7;  John  W. 


222       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Pickens,  1897-8;  O.  C.  Ziiin,  1898-9;  S.  S.  Snyder,  1899-1900;  H. 
C.  Haverly,  1900-01;  W.  P.  JNIcCreary,  1901-02;  J.  H.  Spotts, 
1902-03;  James  Galway,  1903-04;  James  Galway,  1904-05;  F.  C. 
Babcock,  1905-06;  F.  C.  Babcock,  1906-07;  F.  C.  Babcock,  1907-08; 
H.  E.  INIoss,  1908-09;  H.  E.  Moss,  1909-10;  Dr.  James  V.  Beghtol, 
1910-11;  Dr.  James  V.  Beghtol,  1911-12;  A.  W.  Borden,  1912-13; 
A.  W.  Borden,  1913-14;  Raymond  M.  Tibbets,  1914-15;  Raymond 
jM.  Tibbets,  1915-16;  Harry  C.  Haverly,  1916-17. 

The  present  officers  are:  Exalted  ruler,  H.  C.  Haverly:  leading' 
knight,  Thornton  Thornberg;  loyal  knight,  W.  F.  Norris;  lecturing 
knight,  JM.  A.  Hartigan;  esquire,  Louis  Stein;  inner  guard,  Ross 
Sexson;  secretary,  Roy  E.  Churchill;  treasurer,  Bowne  S.  Koehler. 
The  membership  at  the  present  time  is  240.  In  connection  with  the 
lodge  rooms  the  Elks  maintain  clubrooms,  which  have  been  finely 
furnished,  at  an  expenditure  of  $2,500.  Among  the  furnishings  are 
pool  and  billiard  tables,  Victrola  and  piano.  During  the  winter  many 
social  functions  are  given. 

Tlie  first  lodge  room  of  the  Elks  was  in  the  G.  A.  R.  Hall.  They 
remained  there  a  short  time  and  afterward  secured  quarters  of  their 
own  in  the  Stone  Block.  The  next  move  was  to  rooms  above  Wol- 
bach  &  Bi-ach's,  before  the  present  store  was  built.  In  1905  the  order 
secured  the  commodious  rooms  which  they  still  occupy,  on  the  third 
floor  of  the  First  National  Bank  Building.  In  1908  the  Elks  bought 
a  lot  with  a  75-foot  frontage  on  the  east  side  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue, 
between  Second  and  Third  Streets,  and  upon  this  they  plan  some  time 
in  the  future  to  erect  a  building. 

EAGI-ES 

Hastings  Aerie,  Xf).  592.  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  was  organ- 
ized January  8,  1904,  with  the  following  charter  members:  F.  J. 
Eindeman,  John  Tweedy,  F.  B.  I^epinski.  J.  W.  Neylon,  W.  E.  ]Mc- 
Fadden,  L.  B.  Iloagland,  A.  T.  Varter.  J.  B.  Couper.  H.  W.  Gease, 
A.  J.  Lepinski,  W.  L.  Eves,  Emil  Polenski,  John  Hempel.  H.  C. 
Hansen,  J.  J.  Gettman,  W.  H.  Bertwell,  O.  C.  Zinn,  W.  E.  St. 
John,  C.  W.  Jacobs,  L.  E.  Shaulis,  F.  J.  Neylon,  H.  C.  Thompson, 
F.  C.  Babcock,  J.  Corey,  H.  E.  Stein,  O.  E.  Serf,  W.  L.  Hoagland, 
W.  H.  Bierman,  W.  S.  Schellak,  F.  A.  Rau,  W.  J.  Falk,  E.  C. 
Scherck,  Lee  Golden,  C.  D.  Nellis,  C.  Moessner,  R.  B.  Jacobs,  C. 
J.  Giuthner,  F.  Naidteus.  Peter  Barrie.  A.  H.  Chabot,  George  Lovell, 
John  Lichtenberg.  W.  J.  Legg,  M.  0.  Bishop,  T.  A.  INIcDonald, 
H.  A.  Blenkiron,  T.  Hostler,  S.  S.  Snyder,  L.  Zimmer,  Hugo  Polen- 
ski, J.  Shalda,  Charles  Adams,  Frank  Bloom,  W.  A.  Bnier,  J.  B. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      223 

Wallace,  W.  H.  Edwards,  Phil  Hempel,  J.  C.  Saucerman,  Percy 
Renner,  E.  A.  Shaffer,  A.  L.  Twidale,  C.  J.  Miles,  J.  W.  Turpit,  J. 
Tilger,  J.  H.  Spotts,  R.  L.  Sabin,  W.  S.  JMcAuley,  W.  A.  Young, 
Fred  Biitzirus,  Mark  Levy,  C.  P.  Rhodes,  W.  J.  Biles,  A.  J.  Town- 
send,  L.  G.  McKnight,  H.  M.  Eves,  C.  W.  Nelson,  George  E.  Keller, 
A.  Rinderspacher,  Julian  Lumbard,  Andrew  Pederson,  F.  Schaufel- 
berger,  A.  J.  Kanimerlohr.    The  present  membership  is  231. 

The  first  officers  were  W.  E.  St.  John,  W.  P.;  W.  H.  Bertwell, 
W.  V.  P.;  W.  L.  Eves,  worthy  chaplain;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  worthy 
secretary:  H.  C.  Hansen,  worthy  treasiu'er;  R.  B.  Jacobs,  W.  Cond.: 
F.  liindeman,  inside  guard;  A.  Kanimerlohr,  outside  guard;  trustees. 
S.  S.  Snyder,  W.  S.  Schellak,  O.  C.  Zinn;  physician,  Frank  Schaufel- 
berger.     The  princijial  officers  subsequently  have  been  as  follows: 

1905— W.  H.  Bertwell,  W.  P.;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  W.  S.;  H.  C. 
Hansen,  treasurer:  trustees,  O.  C.  Zinn,  Emil  Polenski,  John  Hem- 
pel.  1906— W.  S.  Schellak,  W.  P.;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  secretary:  H.  C. 
Hansen,  treasurer;  trustees.  S.  S.  Snyder.  W.  S.  Schellak.  O.  C.  Ziim. 
1907— O.  E.  Serf,  W.  P.;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  secretary;  J.  Thomas, 
treasurer;  trustees,  Emil  Polenski,  Mark  Levy,  Charles  Jacobs. 
1908— H.  C.  Hansen,  W.  P.;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  secretary;  Jacob 
Thomas,  treasurer:  trustees,  C.  W.  Jacobs,  William  Schellak,  jNIark 
Levy.  1909— J.  H.  Hart,  W.  P.;  L.  B.  Hoagland,  secretary;  Jacob 
Thomas,  treasurer;  trustees,  William  Schellak,  Emil  Polenski,  W.  H. 
Bertwell.  1910— George  Lovell,  W.  P.;  W.  H.  Bertwell,  secretary: 
J.  H.  Uerling,  treasurer;  trustees,  O.  E.  Serf,  F.  J.  Lindeman. 
Charles  Zeigler.  1911 — L.  B.  Hoagland,  W.  P.;  John  Schafer,  sec- 
retary; J.  H.  Hart,  treasurer;  trustees,  C.  J.  JNIiller,  Frank  Burger. 
Charles  Zeigler.  1912 — J.  A.  Benson,  W.  P.;  John  Schafer,  secre- 
tary; J.  H.  Hart,  treasurer;  trustees,  Frank  Burger,  Ernest  Butzirus. 
C.  J.  ^Miller.  1913— J.  H.  Hart.  W.  P.;  John  Schafer,  secretary; 
J.  H.  Lohmann,  treasurer:  trustees,  E.  Hartmann,  Louis  White, 
Ernest  Butzirus.  Sei^tember  1.5,  1913.  O.  E.  Serf  was  elected  secre- 
tary and  has  filled  the  office  since  that  time  until  the  present.  1914 — 
William  Harm,  W.  P.;  J.  H.  I^ohmann,  treasurer;  trustees,  E.  Hart- 
mann. Ernest  Butzirus,  Louis  White.  191.5 — Jacob  White,  W.  P.: 
J.  H.  Hart,  treasurer;  trustees,  E.  Hartmann,  Ernest  Butzirus,  Emil 
Polenski.  1916— A.  L.  Hibbard.  W.  P.;  J.  H.  Hart,  treasurer; 
trustees,  E.  Polenski,  E.  Hartmann.  Ernest  Butzirus. 

KNIGHTS   OF   COLUMBUS 

Hastings  Council,  No.  1123,  Hastings  Knights  of  Columbus,  was 
organized  INIay  18,  1906.     Fitzgerald  Council,  of  Lincoln,  came  to 


224       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Hastings  on  a  special  train  upon  that  day  and  was  in  charge  of  the 
ceremony.  The  organization  was  perfected  at  Germania  Hall,  corner 
of  St.  Josejih  Avenue  and  Third  Street.  In  the  evening  a  notable 
banquet  was  jjartaken  of  at  the  Bostwick  Hotel.  The  council  pur- 
chased Germania  Hall  and  for  a  number  of  years  met  at  that  place. 
In  1914  the  lodge  rooms  were  removed  to  111  North  Hastings  Ave- 
nue, where  the  council  still  meets.  Germania  Hall  still  remains  the 
property  of  the  order.    The  membership  at  present  is  4.00. 

The  charter  members  of  the  order  were:  J.  H.  Uerling,  John 
Donlon,  William  P.  Waters.  C.  E.  Simon,  W.  H.  La  Brie,  M.  J. 
HefFron,  George  F.  Ashton,  D.  C.  Plamondon.  Rev.  J.  Cronin,  E. 
N.  Hamen,  J.  V.  Harrison,  C.  E.  Crouch,  John  Hobon,  W.  H. 
Cushing,  John  R.  Hobon,  J.  ]M.  Connoughy,  James  INIullen,  J.  J. 
Hobon,  C.  L.  Feeney,  B.  B.  Cronin,  C.  Cronin,  E.  D.  Buttell,  Percy 
M.  Jones,  John  KiefFe,  A.  Langevin,  Rev.  J.  C.  Caraher,  Rev.  C. 
A.  Becker,  Rev.  Walter  INIcDonald.  Rev.  L.  A.  Duni)hy,  Frank 
Kendlen,  J.  M.  Norton,  J,  J.  Connoughy,  Rev.  William  JNIcDonald, 

D.  A.  Jones,  J.  F.  Kealy,  Rudolph  Lippert,  T.  J.  Brennan,  J.  F. 
Crowley,  Charles  Lippert,  W.  B.  Cushing,  E.  Connoughy,  Phillip 
Lippert,  E.  L.  Gauvreau,  J.  V.  Helmann,  John  Gore,  James  L. 
Hyres.  Julian  Bassett,  Owen  F.  Simon,  Albert  V.  Laughlin,  George 
S.  Helmann,  George  V.  Helmann,  Stephen  Swigle,  Rev.  J.  F. 
Gilroy,  John  ]\IcKenna,  Thomas  Donlon.  Phillip  C.  Willy,  John 
Waters,  Harry  V.  Summers,  Thomas  Hoban,  Peter  W.  Smith,  Edgar 
jNIcBride,  Bert  Corbett,  John  J.  Donahue,  T.  J.  Hoye,  F.  B.  Simon, 
]\Ir.  Gaudreault,  P.  J.  INIullen,  J.  B.  ^McCarthy.  Thomas  F.  Duffy, 

E.  Langevin.  Rev.  William  Crane,  Rev.  INI.  W.  Nemer  and  Rev.  E. 
Boll. 

GEMUTLICHKEIT    LODGE 

O.  D.  H.  S.,  No.  44,  Gemutlichkeit  Lodge,  was  granted  a  charter 
December  13,  1905.  JNIeetings  were  held  in  the  Germania  Hall  until 
the  lodge  rooms  were  moved  to  the  G.  A.  R.  Hall,  the  present 
meeting  place. 

The  first  officers  were:  Karl  Kauf,  president;  Emil  Polenske, 
vice  president,  and  A.  A.  Lembach,  secretary.  The  charter  mem- 
bers were  Andrew  J.  lA'])inski,  Henry  Gartner,  A.  J.  Kamnierlohi", 
William  J.  Falk,  Anthony  A.  Lembach,  Peter  Erwin,  Fred  Day, 
Ernest  Butzirus,  Herman  Stein,  Fred  Butzirus,  Philip  W.  Yager, 
William  S.  Schellak,  Anthony  TTreling,  Karl  Kauf,  Leo  Brobt, 
George  A.  ]Mann,  Jr.,  Emil  Polenske,  George  H.  Brandt,  George  W. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      225 

I^ehr,  Fred  Jasiier,  Hugo  Polenske,  John  J.  Froscheuser,  George 
Riiiderspacher,  James  V.  Beghtol. 

There  are  now  103  members,  witli  ten  social  members.  The  present 
officers  are:  Emil  Polenske,  president;  Jacob  Schatz,  vice  presi- 
dent, and  E.  Hartmann,  secretary. 

DANISH  BROTHERHOOD 

Danish  Erotlierhood.  Frederich  d:  7de  Lodge  No.  93,  was  organ- 
ized 3Iarch  27,  1896,  for  the  purjiose  of  keeping  in  touch  with  the 
life  in  Denmark. 

The  first  officers  and  charter  members  were:  P.  P.,  Christen 
Neilsen;  P.,  Christien  M.  Christansen ;  N.  P.,  Jeus  Peter  Larsen; 
Soren  B.  Sorensen;  T.,  Carl  Jensen  Coordt;  G.,  William  Bindenip; 
I.  G.,  Jeus  Peter  Peterson;  O.  G.,  John  G.  Coordt;  T.  B.,  Andreas 
Lorentzen. 

The  present  officers  are  S.  B.  Sorensen,  treasurer;  Christ  Neilson, 
secretary.     The  lodae  now  has  thirty  members. 


Tlie  Loyal  Mystic  Legion  of  America  is  a  national  beneficiary 
order  organized  by  Hastings  men  and  maintaining  the  head  office 
in  Hastings.  The  articles  of  incorporation  were  filed  February  24, 
1892.  The  incorporators  were  George  O.  Churchill,  G.  A.  Wigton, 
James  T.  Ogden,  Dr.  F.  J.  Schaufelberger  and  James  B.  Heartwell. 

The  by-laws  of  the  society  provide  for  a  supreme  or  governing 
body  called  the  supreme  council,  and  subordinate  councils  to  be  organ- 
ized in  different  localities.  The  first  supreme  officers  elected  were: 
James  B.  Heartwell,  supreme  councilor;  James  T.  Ogden,  supreme 
vice  councilor;  George  O.  Churchill,  supreme  secretary;  G.  A.  Wig- 
ton,  supreme  treasurer;  Dr.  F.  J.  Schaufelberger,  supreme  medical 
director.  Since  1910,  Doctor  Schaufelberger  has  been  supreme  coun- 
cilor and  J.  E.  Watkins  supreme  vice  councilor.  The  other  officers 
are  the  same  as  at  the  beginning. 

In  1900  the  order  erected  its  own  brick  office  building  upon  the 
southeast  corner  of  Second  Street  and  Burlington  Avenue.  The 
building  and  the  site  are  valued  at  $40,000.  In  insurance  the  stand- 
ard rate  is  maintained.  The  order  has  paid  to  the  beneficiaries  of 
deceased  members  more  than  $1,000,000  and  has  invested  in  farm  and 
other  securities  more  than  $100,000.  Subordinate  councils  exist  in 
Nebraska,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  INIichigan,  Indiana,  Iowa,  i\Iin- 


226       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

nesota,  Kansas,  Oklahoma,  Colorado  and  California.  Pioneer  Coun- 
cil, No.  1,  of  Hastings,  was  the  first  subordinate  council  to  be  estab- 
lished. 

WOODMEX   OF  THE   WORLD 

Camp  46.5,  W.  O.  W.  was  organized  in  Hastings  March  .5,  1914. 
This  order  occupied  the  same  hall  with  the  Eagles  for  some  time,  but 
in  the  last  few  months  the  order  has  had  no  lodge  rooms,  though  an 
organization  is  maintained  with  a  membership  of  about  fifty.  The 
present  officers  are:  Counsel  commander,  George  A.  Volland:  vice 
counsel  commander,  Boyd  Hensman;  clerk,  G.  O.  Schellenberger ; 
banker,  C.  H.  Fergus;  escort,  Julius  Hartmann;  watchman,  S.  P. 
Barewin. 

Y.  M.  c.  A. 

The  Voung  Glen's  Christian  Association  of  Hastings  was 
organized  JNlay  1,  1881,  with  a  membership  of  thirty- four.  The  rooms 
first  occupied  were  located  upstairs  at  7'20  West  Second  Street. 
After  a  few  months  the  association  removed  its  location  to  somewhat 
larger  quarters  in  the  basement  of  the  building  now  occupied  by  the 
German  National  Bank.  In  1885  the  growth  of  tlie  organization 
is  indicated  by  its  activity  in  erecting  a  building  costing  $5,000,  at 
214  North  Lincoln  Avenue.  This  building  was  tlie  first  in  the  state 
to  be  erected  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  November 
20,  1885,  the  importance  of  Hastings  as  an  association  center  is 
shown  by  its  selection  as  the  location  for  the  state  convention  of  the 
organization,  which  met  upon  that  date.  One  week  before  the  assem- 
bling of  the  convention,  the  new  building  had  -been  dedicated  to  its 
purjioses.  The  building  was  built  under  the  direction  of  Samuel 
Alexander,  George  F.  ^Vork  and  I>.  INI.  Campbell. 

The  first  Iniilding  erected  was  in  1889.  exchanged  for  pro])erty 
in  the  disposal  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Churcli, 
and  in  this  transaction  tlie  association  acquired  the  site  upon  which 
the  present  building  stands  and  the  Presbyterian  Churcli  l)uilding 
which  was  the  home  of  the  Y.  ]M.  C.  A.  until  the  present  building 
was  erected. 

The  contract  for  erecting  the  present  building  was  let  in  ]March, 
1906.  Building  and  lot  is  estimated  to  be  worth  between  $30,000  and 
$40,000.  Money  for  raising  the  present  building  was  derived  largely 
through  subscriptions.  The  features  of  the  building  are  natatorium, 
"vmnasium.  reading  room  and  men's  aj^artments  in  the  second  story. 


Y.  M.  C.  A.   BUILDING,  HASTINGS 


n^i^ 


Mi 


^EeuNU  STREET,    I.OOKIXC    WEST   FROM    DENVER   AVENUE.   HASTINGS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY      227 

The  charter  members  of  the  Y.  JM.  C.  A  were:  J.  B.  Heartwell, 
L.  M.  Campbell,  Rev.  D.  S.  Schaff,  Olb  Hewitt,  John  Reese,  J.  W. 
Wigtoii,  George  Wigton,  W.  Snook,  L.  A.  Royce,  Davis  Lowman, 

A.  P.  Green,  L.  B.  Palmer,  Rev.  J.  D.  Stewart,  George  F.  Work, 
W.  E.  Ullmer,  E.  C.  Webster,  Frank  Haynes,  N.  V.  Stine,  E.  B. 
Stevenson,  A.  L.  Work,  J.  J.  Wemple,  W.  F.  J.  Comley,  D.  P. 
Grew,  C.  J.  ^Vork,  O.  C.  Hubble,  L.  H.  Felt,  Samuel  Alexander, 
C.  J.  Doris,  A.  Anderson,  C.  F.  Royce,  Rev.  J.  H.  Nise,  W.  Bates, 
George  B.  Johnson  and  William  Brach. 

Officers  of  the  association  have  been  as  follows:     President — J. 

B.  Heartwell,  1881;  O.  C.  Hubble,  1882-83;  George  F.  Work,  1884- 
H.j;  E.  B.  Palmer,  1886-87;  G.  M.  Gillan,  1888,  succeeded  shortly 
by  D.  W.  Palmer  in  1889.  The  general  secretary  serving  in  1885 
for  six  months  was  JMr.  Baker;  O.  F.  Purdy  and  C.  L.  Kirk,  in  1886, 
each  for  six  months;  Charles  Kelsey,  for  a  short  time.  In  February, 
1887,  J.  T.  Ogden  was  elected.  The  directors  in  1887  were:  L.  B, 
Palmer,  S.  W.  Campbell,  J.  W.  ^Vigton.  H.  B.  Gil)bert,  Frank  Doty, 
A.  M.  Cunningham,  Frank  Haynes,  Charles  Kelsey,  G.  F.  ^Vork 
and  C.  K.  Powell. 

1888 

President,  L.  B.  Palmer;  general  secretary,  J.  T.  Ogden; 
directors.  P.  L.  Johnson,  John  P.  Harding,  L.  W.  Campbell,  F.  W. 
Place,  George  F.  Work.  D.  W.  Palmer,  J.  B.  Heartwell,  J.  \V. 
Rodgen  and  Dr.  H.  P.  Fitch. 

1889 

President,  D.  ^V.  Palmer;  general  secretary,  J.  T.  Ogden;  direc- 
tors. R.  P.  Falkner,  D.  W.  Palmer,  L.  M.  Campbell,  L.  B.  Palmer, 
F.  W.  Place.  Dr.  E.  T.  Cassell.  W.  W.  Dungan  and  George  F. 
Work. 

1890 

President,  J.  T.  Ogden;  general  secretary,  D.  C.  ^Montgomery; 
directors,  J.  F.  Sturgess,  E.  T.  Cassell,  L.  W.  Campbell.  L.  B. 
Palmer,  W.  W.  Dungan,  G.  F.  Work,  R.  P.  Falkner.  C.  K.  Powell. 

C.  G.  Lane  and  A.  W.  Jones. 

1891 

President,  J.  N.  Clarke:  general  secretary.  William  Franklin: 
dii-ectors,  J.  A.  Ferguson.  W.  W.  Dungan,  J.  M.  Gillen.  George  F. 


228       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Work,  J.  W.  Place,  A.  P.  Falkner,  F.  F.  Sturgess,  C.  K.  Powell, 

E.  A.  Waldron,  A.  W.  Jones  and  J.  H.  Flemming. 

1892 

President,  J.  N.  Clarke;  general  secretary,  William  Franklin; 
directors,  J.  N.  Clarke,  P.  L.  Johnson,  H.  P.  Fitch,  A.  W.  Jones, 
J.  A.  Ferguson,  L.  G.  Giles,  H.  B.  Cornelius,  G.  W.  Woodward, 
J.  D.  Henry,  W.  W.  Dungan  and  J.  H.  Flemming. 

1893 

President,  E.  E.  Ferris;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carrvithers; 
directors,  J.  N.  Clarke,  P.  L.  Jolmson,  G.  W.  Woodward,  George 

F.  Work,  J.  R.  Sims,  E.  E.  Ferris  and  L.  G.  Giles. 

1894 

President,  E.  E.  Ferris;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carruthers; 
directors,  J.  N.  Clarke,  P.  L.  Johnson,  G.  W.  Woodward,  George 
F.  Work,  J.  R.  Sims,  J.  D.  Henry,  H.  B.  Cornelius,  J.  A.  Fergu- 
son, L.  J.  Gilles  and  L.  J.  Seikman. 

1895 

President,  George  F.  Work;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carruthers; 
directors,  J.  S.  Winey,  L.  J.  Gilles.  H.  B.  Cornelius,  P.  W.  Haskins, 
F.  L.  Griffing,  J.  N.  Clarke,  P.  L.  Johnson.  G.  W.  Woodward,  E.  E. 
Ferris,  D.  C.  Palmer,  W.  A.  Pielstick,  George  Work,  Samuel  Alex- 
ander, Oswald  Oliver,  J.  R.  Sims  and  J.  H.  CofFman. 

1896 

President,  George  F.  Work;  genei'al  secretary.  F.  F.  Carruthers; 
directors,  Samuel  Alexander,  Oswald  Oliver,  J.  R.  Sims,  J.  H. 
CofFman,  J.  S.  Winey,  P.  L.  Johnson,  D.  C.  Palmer,  F.  L.  Knapp, 
J.  T.  Powers,  J.  Brown,  and  C.  P.  Sheaf. 

I- 

1897 

President.  George  F.  Work;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carruthers; 
directors,  P.  L.  Johnson,  D.  C.  Palmer,  F.  L.  Knapp,  J.  T.  Powers, 
J.  Brown,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  J.  S.  Winey,  D.  Barr,  G.  H.  La  INIonte, 
J.  R.  Sims. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      229 

1898 

President,  George  F.  Work;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carrutliers; 
directors,  P.  L.  Johnson,  D.  C.  Palmer,  F.  L.  Knapp,  J.  T.  Powers, 
J.  Brown,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  George  F.  Work,  J.  S.  Winey,  G.  H.  Edger- 
ton,  G.  H.  La  ]Monte,  Mr.  iMarshall,  J.  C.  Hedge. 

1899 

President,  C.  E.  Dinsniore;  general  secretary,  F.  F.  Carruthers; 
directors,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  E.  P.  Webster,  D.  C.  Palmer,  ]Mr.  :Marshall, 
J.  S.  Winey,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  A.  R.  A^an  Sickle,  C.  E.  Dinsniore, 
Mr.  Ferguson,  O.  M.  Barr,  and  J.  C.  Hedge. 

1900 

President,  H.  S.  Dungan;  general  secretary,  A.  J.  Scott;  direc- 
tors, Harry  Fellman,  C.  E.  Dinsniore,  D.  C.  Palmer,  ]Mr.  Ferguson, 
Adam  Rutherford,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  P.  L.  Johnson,  G.  H.  Edgerton, 
J.  C.  Hedge,  Mr.  Mellicke,  C.  P.  Webster,  William  Rapp,  and  J.  S. 
AViney. 

1901 

President,  H.  S.  Dungan;  general  secretary,  G.  M.  Pineo;  direc- 
tors, C.  P.  Webster,  AVilliam  Rapp,  J.  S.  Winey,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  D.  C. 
Palmer,  P.  L.  Jolmson,  C.  E.  Van  Patten,  Adam  Rutherford, 
Mr.  Mellicke,  H.  S.  Dungan,  George  Miller,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  C.  E. 
Dinsniore,  M.  M.  Haynes,  and  Al  Giffin. 

1902 

President,  H.  S.  Dungan;  general  secretary,  G.  N.  Hogue;  direc- 
tors, C.  P.  Webster.  Wilhani  Rapp,  J.  S.  Winey,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  D.  C. 
Palmer,  P.  L.  Johnson,  C.  E.  Van  Patten,  Adam  Rutherford,  iM. 
]\rellicke,  H.  S.  Dungan,  George  JNIiller,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  C.  E.  Dins- 
more,  M.  M.  Haynes,  Al  Giffin,  F.  C.  Day.  Lilo  Bratton. 

1903 

President,  H.  S.  Dungan;  secretary,  J.  W.  Hogue;  directors, 
P.  L.  Johnson,  Adam  Rutherford,  M.  jMellicke,  W.  W.  Dungan, 
C.  E.  Van  Patten,  Al  Giffin.  G.  H.  Edgerton.  C.  E.  Dinsniore, 
M.  M.  Havnes,  F.  C.  Dav,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  and  J.  S.  Winev. 


230       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1904 

President,  H.  S.  Duiigan;  secretary,  J.  W.  Hog\ie;  directors, 
George  JNIiller,  J.  H.  Edgerton,  C.  E.  Dinsinore,  M.  M.  Haynes, 
Al  Giffin,  F.  C.  Day,  C.  P.  Sheaf,  J.  S.  Winev,  S.  H.  Pratt,"  and 
F.  I..  Taylor. 

190.5 

President.  H.  S.  Dungan:  secretary,  J.  W.  Hogue;  directors, 
Hans  Hansen.  C.  P.  Sheaf.  J.  S.  Winev,  S.  H.  Pratt,  and  George 
IMiller. 


1906 


President.  H.  S.  Dungan:  secretary,  J.  W.  Hogue;  directors, 
H.  S.  Dungan,  C.  P.  Sheaf.  J.  S.  Winey,  J.  N.  Clarke,  Hans  Han- 
sen, C.  M.  Barr.  C.  E.  Dinsniore,  F.  L.  Taylor,  C.  H.  Edgerton,  Lilo 
Eratton.  S.  FI.  Pratt,  and  C.  E.  Iliginbothani. 


190^ 


President.  H.  S.  Dungan;  secretary,  G.  A.  INIclNIicheal;  direc- 
tors, F.  L.  Taylor.  C.  E.  Higinbotham,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  Lawrence 
Daily. 

1908 

President,  H.  S.  Dungan;  secretary,  G.  A.  INIcMicheal;  direc- 
tors, F.  L.  Taylor,  Ren  Hueller,  J.  H.  Riife,  Lawrence  Daily,  G.  H. 
Edgerton,  W.  H.  Adams,  Hans  Hansen,  and  R.  P.  Falkner. 

1909 

President,  C.  P.  Sheaf;  secretary.  G.  A.  IMclMicheal;  directors, 
C.  E.  Higinbotham.  Lawrence  Daily,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  J.  H.  RifFe, 
R.  P.  Falkner.  Lilo  Bratton.  F.  L.  Taylor,  and  W.  H.  Adams. 


President,  John  Snider;  secretary.  William  Parker;  directors, 
C.  E.  Higinbotham,  Lawrence  Daily,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  Thomas 
Varah,  R.  P.  Falkner,  Dr.  J.  W.  Straight,  Lilo  Bratton,  J.  H.  Slaker, 
W.  H.  Adams.  Dr.  E.  A.  Wier.  and  Hans  Hansen. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      231 
1911 

President,    John    Snider;    secretary,    J.    S.    Daniels;    directors, 

C.  E.  Higinbothani,  Lawrence  Daily,  G.  H.  Edgerton,  Thomas 
Varah,  R.  P.  Falkner,  Dr.  J.  W.  Straight,  Lilo  Bratton,  J.  H.  Slaker, 
\y.  H.  Adams.  Dr.  E.  A.  Wier,  and  Hans  Hansen. 

1912 

President  John  Snider;  secretary,  J.  S.  Daniels;  dii'ectors, 
Thomas  ^^arah,  M.  M.  Haynes,  W.  H.  Adams.  Dr.  E.  A.  Wier, 
John  Snider,  Hans  Hansen,  Dr.  JVI.  Thomas,  R.  A.  Bawder,  and 

D.  P.  Jones. 

1913 

President.  J.  N.  Clarke:  secretary.  S.  J.  jNIcCracken;  direc- 
tors. C.  E.  Higinbotham.  D.  P.  Jones,  Ira  Battan,  J.  H.  Slaker, 
Jolm  Snider,  E.  A.  Wier,  W.  H.  Adams,  R.  A.  Bawder.  J.  N.  Clarke, 
C.  C.  Christopher,  and  ^y.  B.  Remer. 

1914 

I'resident,  J.  N.  Clarke;  secretary.  S.  J.  JNIcCracken;  directors, 
J.  II.  Riffe,  P.  L.  Johnson,  W.  B.  Remer,  W.  H.  Adams,  R.  A. 
Bawder,  C.  C.  Christopher,  Thomas  Varah,  C.  INI.  Barr,  Doctor 
Thomas,  and  C.  E.  Higinbotham. 

191.5 

President,  Dr.  E.  A.  Thomas:  secretary.  E.  JNI.  Eobb;  directors. 
Dr.  E.  A.  Tliomas.  J.  II.  Rifle.  Roy  Carter.  E.  C.  Ilnxtable, 
W.  II.  Adams.  C.  C.  Christopher.  Thomas  Varah.  C.  W.  Foote, 
Dr.  C.  K.  Strnble.  J.  E.  Addie.  Raymond  Bawder.  and  O.  A.  Riley. 

1916 

President,  Dr.  E.  A.  Thomas;  secretary.  M.  M.  Lobb;  directors, 
J.  H.  RifFe.  O.  A.  Riley.  Roy  Carter.  Raymond  Bawder,  C.  W. 
Foote,  C.  C.  Christopher,  Dr.  C.  K.  Struble,"and  J.  E.  Addie. 

YOUNG    WO:\rEX's    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION 

In  1887.  a  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  was  organized 
in  Hastings,  but  owing  to  lack  of  support,  and  a  failure  to  impress 


282       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

their  society  on  the  minds  of  the  puhlic,  the  organization  soon  died  out. 
Not  until  February,  1916,  was  the  question  again  agitated,  and  the 
result  was  the  establishing  of  a  Young  Women's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, on  February  25,  of  that  year,  under  the  direction  of  ^Nliss  ]Mar- 
guerite  O'Connel,  field  secretary  from  Minneajiolis. 

The  first  officers  were  Dr.  JNIabel  Dixon,  president;  INIiss  Latta 
Snider,  vice  jiresident;  Miss  JNIary  Dungan,  recording  secretary;  JNIiss 
Nellie  Harrinstein,  treasurer;  ]\Irs.  Mayme  Logsdon,  corresponding 
secretary;  directors— Mrs.  E.  C.  Foote,  Mrs.  G.  C.  Still,  INIrs.  T.  W. 
B.  Everhart,  INIrs.  M.  M.  Haynes,  JNIrs.  Charles  Kohl,  ]Mrs.  Harry 
Bohnet,  ]Mrs.  Donald  JNIcKay,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Lehr,  JNIrs.  A.  L.  Twidale, 
JMrs.  H.  J.  Lantz,  Mrs.  F.  D.  Greene,  Mrs.  G.  H.  Booker,  and  the 
jMisses  Edna  Work,  INIay  Christojiher,  Zelna  Brown,  Marie  Keal, 
Ethel  JMcDannel,  and  Ada  Garver. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  the  clubrooms,  at  213  North  Denver 
Avenue,  with  a  pledged  membershij)  of  .509,  of  these  77  were  sustain- 
ing members.  Within  six  months  the  membership  reached  543,  with 
the  same  number  of  sustaining  members.  The  clubrooms  were  fur- 
nished a  little  at  a  time;  some  of  the  articles  were  donated,  and  others 
purchased  with  money  earned  by  different  activities  among  the 
members. 

A  cafeteria  was  opened  in  connection  with  the  Young  Women's 
Christian  Association,  on  JNIay  -1,  1916,  meals  being  served  in  the 
basement  of  the  club  rooms. 

The  Hastings  High  School  girls  at  once  became  enthusiastic  in 
their  support  of  the  society,  and  a  branch  was  organized  for  them 
about  the  same  time  as  the  main  association,  with  a  membership  of 
seventy-two.  Miss  Latta  Snider,  a  member  of  the  high  school  faculty, 
was  jolaced  in  general  charge,  and  JNIiss  Glades  Smith  was  elected  first 
president.  The  high  school  girls  have  had  various  entertainments  for 
the  raising  of  funds. 

A  tennis  club  was  started  INIay  1,  1916,  in  connection  with  the 
high  school  Young  Women's  Christian  Association,  with  a  total  mem- 
bershi])  of  sixty-five.  JNIiss  Ena  Hamot  Avas  elected  president,  Eloise 
Barlass,  secretary,  and  JNIrs.  A.  D.  JNIarvel,  treasvu-er.  The  tennis 
court  is  located  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Denver  Avenue  and  Third 
Street.  Each  girl  is  required  to  pay  10  cents  a  month  toward  tlie 
keeping  up  of  the  court. 

A  Star  Gazing  Class  was  organized,  with  JNIiss  JNIayme  Logsdon 
as  teacher.    Lectiu'es  are  given  on  astronomy  every  week. 

An  Eight  Weeks  Club  was  formed  in  June,  1916,  for  high  school 
girls,  with  Octavia  Jones  and  JMrs.  William  Dutton  in  cliarge.    ^Meet- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      233 

ings  are  held  once  a  week  for  a  period  of  eight  weeks.  Different  sub- 
jects are  taken  up  for  study,  and  if  tlie  chib  comes  up  to  standard  in 
its  work,  a  certificate  of  commendation  is  received  from  the  National 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association  headquarters,  which  is  signed 
by  ]\Irs.  Jessie  Wilson  Sayres,  who  is  a  member  of  the  National  Board, 
and  especially  interested  in  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 
work. 

A  Ladies'  Band  was  organized  February  18,  1916,  by  Mr.  J.  S. 
I^eick.  The  instrumentation  was  as  follows:  Clarinets — Latta  Snider, 
Viola  Grounds,  Clara  Tompkins,  and  Mrs.  IMay  Henkins ;  cornets — 
Irene  Wieckleman,  Ketha  Barth,  oNIrs.  Joe  Hershey,  Lula  Anderson, 
iMrs.  Zimmer  and  jNIrs.  Charles  Snider;  altos — Alta  Carson,  Dora 
Carriker,  and  Emma  Carriker;  trombones — Marjorie  Shreve,  Jessie 
Reinders,  IMrs.  Ira  Herring,  Florence  Sliger;  baritones — JNIrs.  Clara 
Allison  and  Bonna  Luick;  bass — JMrs.  H.  J.  Lantz. 

The  band  made  its  first  public  appearance  July  14,  1916. 

Hastings  Castle  No.  69,  Royal  Highlander  Lodge  of  Hastings, 
Neb.,  was  organized  December  2*3,  1897.  At  that  time  there  were  no 
ladies  connected  with  it.  Their  meetings  were  held  in  the  G.  A.  R. 
Hall. 

Isabella  Castle,  the  Women's  Highlander  Lodge,  was  organized 
about  the  same  time  as  the  men's  lodge,  the  meetings  being  held  in 
the  rooms  above  Clark's  Drug  Store,  located  at  713  West  Second 
Street. 

The  two  lodges  consolidated  on  December  26,  1901,  and  the  G.  A. 
R.  Hall  was  kejjt  for  the  lodge  rooms.  The  lodge  rooms  were  after- 
ward moved  to  the  K.  of  P.  Hall,  and  later  to  the  Brandeis  Hall, 
904  West  Second  Street,  the  present  meeting  place. 

The  charter  members  of  the  Hastings  Castle  No.  69,  Royal  Higli- 
lander  Lodge,  are  as  follows : 

W.  H.  Lynn,  M.  D.,  Frank  A.  Watkins,  John  P.  IVIadgett,  B.  T. 
Walton,  George  D.  INIyers,  Peter  Scheuerman.  Benj.  G.  Urquhart, 
Samuel  J.  IMattocks,  Percy  A.  Wells,  John  C.  Power,  W.  S.  IMcKin- 
ney,  Jas.  A.  Kennedy,  George  Wheeler,  Henry  A.  Reader.  Henry 
Hammerand,  Theo.  INIiller,  INIiles  D.  Garver,  S.  S.  Snyder,  Joseph 
IMaxes,  Edwin  V.  D.  Wight,  John  C.  Crissman,  Alonzo  Stanner, 
Frank  M.  Hogan,  George  II.  I^rquhart.  Henry  H.  Brungard.  John 
J.  Simmering,  Warren  JefFers,  Albert  Kadolph,  A.  B.  Tenvilliger, 
Frank  L.  King,  M.  D.,  Elmer  E.  Cole,  A.  E.  Wildinsen,  Le  Roy 
Royce,  Chas.  F.  MaclNIillen,  George  W.  Tibbets,  Robert  W.  Oliver, 
Turner  W.  Power,  Thos.  A.  Seifken,  Fred  Springer,  William  H. 
Young,  Henry  Dungan,  Harry  Haverly,  Shadrack  \Vinholtz,  Henry 


234       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

K.  ]Mervin,  II.  A.  Blenkiron,  31.  ]M.  Abbott,  John  W.  Kipp,  Jasper 
E.  Butte,  J.  A.  Campbell,  Clarence  E.  Holmes,  Elmer  C.  Johnson, 
O.  Lejiley,  Robert  Falkner,  O.  H.  Koehler,  Charles  G.  Larson, 
Charles  I..  Watkins,  C.  A.  Kendall,  W.  T.  Johnson,  John  JNI.  Busby, 
Percival  R.  Renner,  John  T.  Powers,  Edward  Watkins,  O.  V.  Booul, 
Utica;  F.  S.  Chnton,  Lincoln;  A.  M.  B_ernhard,  Rudolph  Lippart. 

The  first  officers  were:  Illustrious  jjrotector,  Samuel  J.  JNIat- 
tocks;  chief  comiseler,  William  S.  jVIcKinney;  worthy  evangel.  Rev. 
John  G.  Power;  secretary,  Jolm  P.  JNIadgett;  treasurer,  Percy  A. 
Wells;  valiant  guide,  George  Wheeler;  valiant  herald,  George 
Myers;  first  worthy  censor,  Jasper  A.  Kennedy;  second  worthy 
censor,  Albert  E.  Wildenson;  chief  of  archers,  Turner  Power;  chief 
of  spearsmen,  Le  Roy  Royce;  warden,  Charles  F.  iMacJMillen;  sen- 
trj%  Thomas  A.  Seifken;  first  prudential  chief,  Frank  Watkins; 
second  prudential  chief,  John  A.  Simmering;  third  prudential 
chief,  Benjamin  G.  Urquhart;  physical  examiner.  ^Villiam  H. 
Lynn;  physical  examiner.  Frank  L.  King. 

The  officers,  in  the  following  order,  past  illustrious  protector, 
illustrious  protector,  chief  counselor,  worthy  evangel  and  secretary, 
were  elected  as  follows:  January  2,  1899,  A.  E.  Wilkinson,  E.  C. 
Johnson,  Lem  Tibetts,  E.  Van  Dyke  Wight,  M.  M.  Abbott:  January 
1.",,  1900,  E.  C.  Johnson,  W.  T.  Johnson,  Lem  Tibetts,  H.  C.  Pagen- 
koph,  jNI.  :M.  Abbott;  January  10,  1901.  W.  T.  Johnson,  T.  A.  Seif- 
ken, J.  E.  Elinor.  H.  C.  Pagenkoph.  Omar  Lepley;  December  26, 
1901.  A.  P.  Brown,  Aurelia  Tibetts,  Sue  Falkner,  Lola  Holmes, 
Laura  A.  Alibott :  December  9,  1903,  A.  P.  Brown,  ]Mrs.  Gaines,  Mrs. 
Fisher,  ]Mrs.  V.  B.  RoUins,  Miss  Alma  Chapman;  December  27,  1905, 
Lem  Tibetts,  Mrs.  A.  P.  Brown,  JNIrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  Dr.  Alma 
Chapman;  December  12.  1906,  ]Mr.  Lem  Tibetts,  "Sirs.  S.  A.  Gaines, 
]Mrs.  J.  E.  Elinor.  3Irs.  Lem  Tibetts;  January  9,  1907,  jNIr.  Lem 
Til)etts,  Mv.  S.  A.  Gaines.  INfrs.  C.  E.  Holmes",  Mrs.  Lem  Tibetts; 
December  11,  1907.  A.  P.  Brown.  Mrs.  D.  L.  Barlass,  Mrs.  Lem 
Tibetts,  ]Mrs.  V.  P.  Rollins;  December  8.  1909,  Harry  Shultz,  INIrs. 
C.  E.  Holmes,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Gaines,  and  I\I.  :M.  Abbott;  March  9,  1910, 
Harry  Shultz,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  ]Mrs.  S.  A.  Gaines,  Mrs.  L.  A. 
Abbott;  June  8,  1910,  J.  E.  Elinor,  ]Mrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  Mrs.  S.  A. 
Gaines,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Abbott;  June  10,  1911,  Ed  Igao,  JNIrs.  C.  E. 
Holmes,  ]\Irs.  S.  A.  Gaines,  ]Mrs.  L.  A.  Abbott;  June  14,  1911,  T.  H. 
Williams,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  :Mrs.  S.  A.  Gaines,  ]Mrs.  L.  A.  Abbott; 
December  13,  1911,  T.  H.  Williams,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  Mrs.  S.  A. 
Gaines,  ]\Irs.  L.  A.  Abbott;  June  11.  1913,  Dr.  Alma  Chapman,  INIrs. 
C.  E.  Holmes,  IMrs.  Gaines,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Abbott.     Present  officers. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      235 

Dr.  Alma  Chapman,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Holmes,  JNIrs.  R.  E.  Current,  and 
3Irs.  S.  A.  Gaines. 

The  present  memhership  is  168. 

EARI.V    FAKJIEUS'    ORGANIZATIONS 

The  Farnieis'  Alliance  was  organized  in  Adams  County,  as  indi- 
cated in  the  chapter  dealing  with  politics  in  Adams  County,  in  1882. 
This  was  two  years  after  the  organization  of  the  first  alliance  in 
Nebraska,  in  York  County.  August  31,  1889,  the  Adams  County 
Alliance  was  reorganized  with  Francis  Phillii^s,  of  Kenesaw,  pres- 
ident: AV.  I.  Huxtable,  West  Blue,  vice  president;  H.  B.  McGaw, 
Blaine,  treasurer;  John  Shea,  West  Blue,  sergeant-at-arms ;  A.  C. 
Tompkins,  ^^'^est  Blue,  lecturer,  and  John  Brechmer,  Ayr,  chaplain. 

Interest  in  politics  following  the  formation  of  the  populist  party 
tended  to  divert  interest  from  the  original  objects  of  the  Alliance, 
cooperative  marketing  and  buying  of  farmers'  supplies  and  products. 
The  organization  ceased  to  be  about  1898. 

Before  the  organization  of  the  Alliance  the  Grange  flourished 
in  Adams  County,  but  was  eventually  supplanted  by  the  Alliance 
in  prominence. 

The  Hastings  Grange  was  established  in  February.  1874.  by  D.  D. 
Organizer  R.  S.  Langley,  assisted  by  S.  I^.  Brass.  J.  W.  Holt  was 
elected  master,  with  G.  W.  Lazenby,  J.  W.  Coulter,  J.  H.  Hanson, 
S.  Sadler.  ]M.  B.  Holly  and  Secretary  Blake  filling  the  other  offices. 

Blue  A^alley  Grange  was  organized  at  Kingston  in  February, 
1874,  with  E."d.  Jones,  A.  W.  Waldeck,  W.  H.  Coultrin,  J.  B. 
McCleery,  W.  S.  INIoote,  C.  G.  Wilson,  C.  H.  Edgerton,  John  Gray, 
]Mary  J.  Heaps,  x\da  Snodgrass,  Enmia  Wilson  and  JMiss  ]Martin 
tilling  the  offices  in  the  order  of  rank. 

Silver  Lake  Grange  was  organized  in  February,  1874',  with  J.  P. 
Duncan.  J.  C.  Wilson,  R.  K.  Daily,  J.  J.  Hoyleman.  John  Woods, 
Patrick  Dimcan,  J.  B.  Roscoe,  INIrs.  Woods,  H.  Humphrey.  INLiss 
Mary  Duncan,  IMrs.  Roscoe,  ]Mrs.  Blackledge  and  INIrs.  Hoyleman 
officials. 

Lone  Star  Grange  was  organized  at  the  Hawley  school  house  in 
INfarch.  1874.  with  I>.  P.  Hawley,  I.  Yocum,  J.  A.  Innis,  M.  Van 
Fleet,  H.  Houghtaling,  T.  Boice.JMrs.  L.  P.  Hawley.  D.  H.  Holmes, 
S.  E.  Gardener.  Mrs.  T.  R.  Boice.  Mrs.  Innis  and  Mrs.  C.  L.  Aldridge 
officers  in  the  order  of  rank. 

Rose  Hill  Grange  (three  miles  southeast  of  Hastings)  was  organ- 
ized in  ]March,  1877,  with  B.  F.  Brower,  master,  and  N.  R.  Pratt, 


236       PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

secretary.  The  charter  members  were  the  officers  named,  T.  Wisdom, 
Josepli  Bland,  S.  and  N.  Schoonover,  John  Connor,  Robert  "NVilhams, 
T.  N.  White,  A.  J.  OrendorfF,  James  Kemp,  James  Purdy.  "Sirs. 
Orendorff,  E.  Bower,  Rhoda  and  Hannali  Schoonover,  Bertha  Kemp, 
Jessie  J.  Connor,  Sopliia  White,  Sue  A.  Pardee,  Sarah  Williams  and 
]Mrs.  Pratt. 

A  County  Council  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry  was  organized  Feb- 
ruary 24,  18T4,  with  A.  H.  Brown,  master;  M.  B.  Kelley,  O.;  J.  W. 
Holt,  lectin-er ;  James  INIcCleary,  steward :  J.  H.  Vandemark,  assistant 
steward;  James  McKelvey,  chaplain;  R.  K.  Daily,  treasurer;  A.  D. 
Rust,  secretary;  J.  ]\I.  Cole,  gate  keeper;  Miss  Rose  Kelley,  ceres; 
Miss  Edna  Lowry,  flora;  Miss  Ada  Snodgrass,  pomona:  Julia  A. 
Rust,  lady  assistant  steward,  and  D.  H.  Freeman,  agent. 

The  Central  Horticultural  Society  was  organized  in  September, 
1878,  Avith  ]M.  K.  Lewis,  of  Adams,  jjresident;  J.  W.  Small,  secretary; 
A.  D.  Williams,  assistant  secretary,  and  J.  M.  Flynn,  treasurer.  The 
vice  presidents  chosen  were  H.  S.  Kaley,  of  Webster;  George  F. 
Warner,  of  Clay:  R.  D.  Granger,  of  Kearney;  JNI.  S.  Budlong,  of 
Franklin;  A.  X.  Hall,  of  Adams;  H.  H.  Williams,  of  Xuckolls; 
M.  Creason.  of  Hall ;  and  O.  P.  Duncan,  of  Hamilton. 

ST.  Andrew's  society 

The  Republican  Valley  and  Central  X'^ebraska  St.  Andrew's  So- 
ciety held  the  third  annual  meeting  at  the  Lepin  Hotel  in  December, 
188S.  H.  Stevenson,  of  Inavale,  was  chosen  president;  John  Allan, 
of  Grand  Island,  vice  president;  Peter  Fowlie,  of  Hastings,  secretary; 
A.  Richmond,  treasurer;  Dr.  John  Cooke,  physician;  Andrew  Cosh, 
Grand  Island;  G.  A.  Kent,  Hastings;  James  Ewing.  Wood  River, 
and  John  JNIitchell,  of  Riverton,  directors. 

bachelor's  club 

The  Bachelor's  Club  of  Hastings  was  organized  in  X'^ovember, 
1881.  with  fort}'  members.  "Carpe  Diem"  was  the  motto  adopted. 
W.  H.  Lamiing  was  president;  R.  A.  Batty,  vice  president;  G.  J. 
Evans,  secretary,  and  E.  Steinau,  treasurer.  The  organization  Avas 
abandoned  through  matrimony. 

germania  society 

The  Germania  Club  was  organized  in  September,  188.5.  with  ^Vil- 
liam  Breed,  president;  A.  S.  Yetter.  vice  president:  .John  G.  Burk- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      237 

liardt.  secretary;  Leopold  Hahn,  treasurer,  and  IMessrs.  Pade,  Schwai- 
bold  and  Landman,  trustees.  Liberal  Hall  was  leased  by  the  Ger- 
niania  Society  in  January,  188G,  and  named  Germania  Hall. 

The  Germania  Society  was  formed  by  the  Germans  as  a  mutual 
benefit  society.  Social  gatherings  and  dances  were  enjoyed.  The 
society  grew  until  the  membershij)  became  about  fifty.  It  existed 
for  seven  years. 


CHAPTER  XV 
G.  A.  R.  ORGAXIZATIOXS 

The  question  of  organizing  a  post  of  the  G.  A.  R.  was  considered 
at  a  soldiers'  meeting  held  at  Millett's  Hall,  April  18,  1878.  C.  H. 
Paul  presided,  with  E.  Steinau,  secretary.  A  committee,  comprising 
.r.  X.  Lyman,  F.  S.  Wells  and  the  officers  named,  was  appointed  to 
obtain  a  charter.  The  charter  was  duly  granted,  and  on  ]May  13, 
1878.  Strickland  Post,  Xo.  13,  was  organized,  with  T.  D.  Scofield, 
commander;  C.  H.  Paul,  S.  V.  C;  W.  H.  Brown,  J.  V.  C:  J.  X. 
Lyman.  Q.  jNI.;  A.  H.  Sowers,  surgeon;  F.  S.  Wells,  chaplain:  L.  C. 
Palmer,  adjutant;  John  D.  Crane,  S.  M.;  E.  Steinau.  Q.  JNI.  S. 

Post  Xo.  13,  G.  A.  R.,  met  October  .5,  1880,  for  reorganization. 
A.  D.  Yocum  was  elected  P.  C;  A.  H.  Bowen,  S.  V.  C. ;  James 
\Valling,  J.  V.  C;  A.  H.  Sowers,  surgeon;  W.  H.  Stock,  Q.  M.; 
I^.  B.  Palmer,  adjutant;  George  F.  Work,  chaplain;  A.  Poole.  O. 
G.;  W.  W.  Dung^n,  O.  D.;  R.  R.  :\Iorledge.  Q.  M.  S.;  A.  S.  Hill, 
S.  M.,  and  A.  L.  Wigton,  A.  A.  JNI.  O.,  and  four  unofficial  members. 

The  roster  of  the  post  in  1890  was  as  follows,  the  eighteen  first 
named  being  charter  members:  S.  Alexander,  1st  Xeb.  Inf.;  A.  Ij. 
Wigton.  88th  O.  Inf.;  W.  W.  Dungan.  .>th  la.  Inf.;  E.  M.  Abbott, 
84th  111.  Inf.;  A.  I).  'S'ocum.  62d  O.  Inf.:  George  INIiller,  1.5th  I^. 
S.  Inf.;  J.  D.  Crane,  .3th  X.  V.  Art.;  L.  B.  Palmer,  62d  111.  Inf.; 
A.  F.  Benjamin,  lo7th  X.  Y.  Inf.;  W.  S.  JNIartin.  83d  O.  Inf.;  Alex 
Rogers,  .54th  111.  Inf.;  A.  H.  Sowers,  14th  O.  Inf.;  David  Koch.  •23d 
Mo.  Inf.;  J.  X.  Lyman;  J.  F.  Ileiler,  2Gth  111.  Inf.;  J.  F.  Ross, 
U.  S.  Xavy;  F.  S.  VVells.  U.  S.  Xavy;  C.  L.  Stone,  Chicago  M.  Bat.; 
H.  Shedd,  117th  X.  Y.  Inf.;  A.  Poole,  11th  Wis.  Vol.;  James  Wall- 
ing, 141)th  X.  Y.  Inf.;  J.  Wooster.  36th  O.  Inf.;  R.  R.  ^Nlorledge, 
4th  la.  Inf.;  A.  S.  FLill,  3d  Wis.  Inf.:  E.  H.  Bartlett,  1st  la.  Cav.; 
W.  II.  II.  Coulter,  8th  Mo.  Inf.;  X.  C.  Barlow,  9.5th  111.  Inf.; 
C.  L.  Kinkaid,  1st  la.  Cav.;  S.  Rhinhardt.  2d  INIich.  Inf.;  A.  J.  ]Mil- 
let,  12th  la.  Inf.;  John  M.  Boyd,  (51st  Pa.  Inf.:  F.  M.  Clark.  8th 
O.  Inf.;  J.  A.  Snyder.  7th  Wis.  Inf.;  C.  B.  Sperry,  4th  Wis.  Art.: 
Joseph  S.  Land,  16th  INIich.  Inf.;  R.  D.  Babcock,  11th  Mich.  Cav.: 
238 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      239 

Edward  Orton,  7th  111.  Inf.;  W.  H.  Colton,  45th  111.  Inf.;  Hart 
Livingstone.  99th  Ind.  Inf.;  F.  C.  Mastin,  1.53d  111.  Inf.;  Fred  Rinker, 
64th  111.  Inf.;  L.  H.  Tate,  8th  ISIass.  Art.;  J.  E.  McCleary,  1st  Col. 
Cav.;  T.  D.  Scofield,  27th  M.  S.  S.;  H.  B.  Tanner,  17th  Mo.  Inf.: 
Henry  Williams,  78th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  H.  A.  Forcht,  JMerriU's  Horse; 
J.  E.  Hutchinson,  4th  la.  Batt.;  W.  H.  Stock,  17th  111.  Cav.;  A. 
H.  Bowen,  4th  ^Mich.  Inf.;  Carl  Clark,  83d  111.  Inf.;  J.  T.  Ross,  14th 
Ind.  Inf.:  J.  Stebbler;  A.  G.  Willis,  2d  la.  Cav.;  J.  R.  Hursh,  19.5th 
Pa.  Inf.:  II.  B.  ]McGaw,  97th  O.  Inf.;  William  Callahan,  28th  Pa. 
Inf.:  Charles  H.  Paul:  W.  C.  Beal,  9th  Mich.  Inf.;  S.  H.  Henderson, 
24th  la.  Inf.:  J.  L.  Chne,  oth  Pa..  H.  A.;  J.  P.  Hoagland,  132d 
Pa.  Inf.;  W.  II.  Griffith,  1st  JNIich.  Inf.;  L.  S.  Gould,  73d  111.  Inf.; 
I.  W.  Cramer,  30th  Wis.  Inf.;  J.  Hodges,  14th  O.  Inf.;  George  ]\I. 
Rogers,  18th  Wis.  Inf.;  F.  S.  Browning,  1st  111.  Art.;  Jonathan 
Carter,  17th  Mich.  Inf.;  W.  C.  Ridley,  118th  O.  Inf.;  Nicholas  Cor- 
hin,  7th  :\Io.  Cav.;  G.  A.  Whitman,  72d  111.  Inf.;  C.  M.  Millett,  65th 
X.  Y.  Inf.;  C.  H.  Hurd,  2d  Pa.  Inf.;  James  Corliss,  42d  Mo.  Inf.; 
C.  B.  Nelson.  1st  N.  Y.  Eng.;  D.  :M.  Leland,  24th  la.  Inf.;  George 
P.  Alford.  27th  O.  Inf.;  Byron  S.  INIorrell.  <i4th  N.  Y.  Inf.:  William 
Ilorlocker,  20th  Wis.  Inf. :  C.  J.  Delnitt,  3.5th  111..  Inf. :  M.  W.  Peters, 
1st  Wis.  Inf.;  O.  B.  Hewett,  2d  Neb.  Cav.:  William  Croft,  6th  Mich. 
Inf.:  John  Yeager,  12th  111.  Inf.;  J.  H.  Darnell,  48th  111.  Inf.:  John 
Weytman.  13th  Kan.  Inf.;  D.  S.  Wilkinson,  7th  Wis.  Inf.:  James 
T.  Farrer.  10th  la.  Inf.;  Henry  Jewett.  47th  111.  Inf.;  James  Ross. 
2d  la.  Inf.;  William  INIonroe,  i3th  Wis.  Inf.;  D.  II.  Holmes,  .Aler- 
rill's  Horse;  H.  G.  Wetherill,  96th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  D.  B.  Wirt,  46th 
Ind.  Inf.:  J.  AV.  Coulter.  33d  111.  Inf.;  N.  A.  Nash,  42d  Wis.  Inf.: 
P.  Allender.  .58t]i  111.  Inf.:  G.  W.  Dade,  19th  Mass.  Inf.;  Henry 
Yan  Fleet,  27th  :\Iich.  Inf.:  F.  L.  Stock,  142d  111.  Inf.;  George  V. 
Cope.  10th  ]Mich.  Inf.:  T.  F.  Pearl,  21st  N.  Y.  Cav.:  IMyron  Van 
Fleet,  30th  :Mich.  Inf.:  Thomas  F.  Coy,  26th  Ky.  Inf.;  Edwin  Bur- 
roughs, 42d  111.  Inf.:  M.  H.  Batty.  SdN.  Y.  H."  A.:  Fred  Stoelting. 
20th  Wis.  Inf.;  J.  J.  Bassett,  160th  N.  Y.  Inf.:  Nick  Zimmer,  36th 
111.  Inf.:  H.  L.  Grisell.  7.5th  Ind.  Inf.:  L.  V.  Albershardt,  72d  O. 
Inf.:  T.  J.  Dowd,  3d  Wis.  Inf.;  G.  K.  Douglass,  1.57th  N.  Y.  Inf.: 
Isaac  A.  Hall.  101st  N.  Y.  Inf.;  H.  E.  Houghtaling,  10th  Wis.  Inf.: 
Alfred  ^Martinis,  202d  Pa.  Inf.;  W.  R.  Saine.  17th  O.  Inf.;  H. 
Bromley,  92d  N.  Y.  Inf.:  H.  G.  Nights,  36th  la.  Inf.;  George  H. 
Hurd,  37th  111.  Inf.:  W.  H.  Scott,  60th  O.  Inf.:  W.  A.  Snu'th,  16th 
Ky.  Inf.;  J.  D.  Van  Houten,  5th  111.  Cav.;  J.  R.  Sims.  203d  Pa. 
Inf.:  Peter  Zobel.  32d  Ind.  Inf.:  J.  O.  Garmon.  19tli  ^Nlich.  Inf.: 
A.  A.  Adams,  22d  Y.  R.  C:  S.  C.  Dillev,  V.  S.  Art.:  Richard  Con- 


240       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

quest,  1st  Col.  Cav.;  A.  M.  Eager,  124th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  Peter  New- 
eonib,  129tli  Ind.  Inf.;  F.  M.  Alexander,  26th  Ind.  Inf.;  William 
Worline;  Lewis  D.  Reynolds;  Robert  B.  Williams;  J.  T.  Briggs, 
77tli  111.  Inf.;  John  G.*Bm-gerofF,  49th  111.  Inf.;  Charles  Dominic, 
20th  Pa.  Cav.;  H.  M.  Carpenter,  1.3th  JVIass.  Inf.;  West  JMontgomery, 
1st  Neb.  Inf.;  H.  S.  Rogers,  14th  la.  Inf.;  J,  J.  Buchanan,  3d  Mo. 
Cav.;  James  K.  Sample:  Albert  S.  Pierce,  17th  V.  R.  C;  A.  C. 
Moore,  5th  la.  Inf.;  H.  G.  Mills,  102d  111.  Inf.;  Joseph  JMarion, 
46th  111.  Inf.;  A.  Benedict,  6.5th  111.  Inf.;  B.  F.  Ranall,  8th  aSfinn. 
Inf.;  George  N.  Waller,  61st  111.  Inf.;  S.  B.  Whitman,  2d  U.  S.  S.; 
W.  H.  Marshall,  140th  111.  Inf.;  Samuel  Long,  20th  Wis.  Inf.;  John 
R.  ^Yinter,  186th  O.  Inf.;  J.  P.  Sackrison,  40th  111.  Inf.;  Milton 
C.  Ross,  3d  la.  Inf.;  Griffin  Yeatman,  1st  Del.  Inf.;  William  H. 
Reed,  80th  111.  Inf.;  B.  F.  Noll,  20th  111.  Inf.;  Anson  Forbes,  1st 
Mich.  Eng.;  A.  H.  Brown,  13th  la.  Inf.;  James  Steffins,  loth  111. 
Inf.;  Henry  P.  Klinger,  47th  111.  Inf.;  Frank  Dalbry,  2d  O.  Inf.; 
Stephen  Mason,  104th  111.  Inf.;  William  C.  Hodges,  41st  O.  Inf.; 
U.  K.  Brown,  .53d  Pa.  Inf.;  Joseph  A.  Palmer,  54th  Mass.  Inf.; 
Jo  Beebe,  1st  R.  I.  L.  A.;  Jolui  D.  Hayes,  Berdine's  S.  S.;  John 
Stabler;  Isaac  E.  Dorsey,  30th  O.  Inf.;  s".  H.  Snively,  1st  Pa.  Cav.; 
J.  H.  Knight,  3d  Ind.  Cav.;  Seth  Lewis,  6th  N.  Y.  H.  D.;  N.  R. 
Burton;  James  Meadows,  51st  Mo.  Inf.;  G.  S.  jNIorgan,  2d  Ky. 
Cav.;  James  Bence,  67th  O.  Inf.;  Alfred  Burge,  42d  111.  Inf.;  Josiah 
Lee,  40th  la.  Inf.;  Frank  Kearney,  106th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  James  Gibson, 
Art.;  Calvin  Sowers,  6th  O.  Inf.;"Charles  Nute,  2d  D.  C.  Inf.;  C.  B. 
Kemple,  86th  111.  Inf.;  W.  S.  Reeser,  151st  O.  Inf.;  G.  W.  Spay, 
38th  111.  Inf.;  W.  H.  Akenum,  186th  N.  Y.;  H.  E.  W.  Deremus, 
2d  Col.  Cav.;  James  JMilman,  5th  Wis.  Inf.;  James  T.  Reuther, 
8th  111.  Inf.;  George  Stratton,  3d  N.  Y.  Inf.;  Jacob  B.  Boyer.  84th 
111.  Inf.;  F.  M.  Hickok,  11th  la.  Inf.;  Jesse  Doty,  54th  "o.  Inf.; 
Frank  Ilartman,  1st  111.  Art.;  W.  H.  Chadwick,  20th  INIich.  Eng.; 
C.  W.  De  Rocher,  3d  INIe.  Inf.;  W.  C.  Beale.  9th  N.  Y.  Inf.:  George 
R.  Wolfe,  175th  O.  Inf.;  L.  C.  Shields.  2d  Kan.  Inf.;  J.  W.  Forbes, 
142d  111.  Inf.;  James  T.  Johnson.  17th  111.  Inf.;  Oliver  Wright, 
106th  N.  Y.  Inf. 

In  January,  1888,  James  Gibson  was  adjutant  and  W.  R.  Burton 
commander.  In  December  of  that  year  H.  G.  Knight  was  elected 
commander;  H.  M.  Carpenter,  S.  V.  C. ;  Frank  Kearney,  J.  V.  C; 
Jacob  Wooster,  Q.  M.;  I.  W.  Cramer,  O.  of  D.;  Byron"  S.  JNIorrell, 
surgeon:  W.  S.  Beale,  I.  G.;  S.  PI.  Snively,  O.  G.;  T.  F.  Pearle,  and 
J.  R.  Hursh,  delegates,  with  J.  L.  Kline  and  J.  E.  Bruce,  alternates; 
John  Winters,  O.  of  G.  Byron  S.  INIorrell  was  subsequently  appointed 


FIRST  SERGEAXT  B.  SCHXEGEL 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       241 

adjutant,  and  Dr.  Pierce  appointed  surgeon  to  fill  vacancy,  J.  R. 
^Vriglit,  chaplain;  George  Stratton,  S.  M.;  J.  M.  Boyd,  Q.  M.  S.; 
and  W.  C  Beale,  sentinel. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  in  December,  1889:  A.  H. 
Brown,  B.  S.  ^Morrell,  G.  M.  Rogers,  W.  R.  Burton,  D.  :M.  Leland, 
F.  :M.  Alexander,  Mr.  Snively,  J.  M.  Boyd,  Mr.  Real,  John  Winter, 
T.  F.  Pearle  and  J.  R.  Hursh,  delegates,  and  A.  C.  ^Nloore  and  I.  W. 
Cramer,  alternates.     George  Stratton  was  appointed  adjutant. 

In  1884  the  G.  A.  R.  Post  acquired  the  lot  upon  which  their  build- 
ing is  located,  at  .509  West  Second  Street,  and  on  October  8,  1885, 
the  building  was  formally  opened.  A  dance  was  one  of  the  pleasing- 
social  numbers  of  the  program.  Upon  the  same  evening  the  Bostwick 
Hotel  across  the  street  was  also  being  opened  with  a  ball.  In  recent 
years  there  has  been  talk  of  arranging  to  tm-n  the  property  of  the 
Post  over  to  the  city  upon  mutually  satisfactory  terms,  but  no  action 
has  l)een  taken  by  the  Post. 

Tlie  following  are  the  past  post  commanders:  T.  D.  Scofield, 
A.  D.  Yocum,  James  Walling,  Jacob  Wooster,  J.  E.  Hutchinson, 
William  R.  Burton,  H.  ]M.  Carpenter,  D.  M.  McKnight,  William 
Croft,  Aaron  Nash,  A.  S.  Pierce,  John  Howard,  R.  R.  JMorledge, 
Josepli  Yocum,  L.  A.  Payne,  R.  B.  Williams,  J.  F.  Heiler,  David 
Bryson,  Joseph  Meyer,  Jacob  Smith,  J.  R.  Wright,  J.  JM.  Ferguson, 
J.  F.  Schell,  John  Farner.  Ed  Smitli.  H.  ]M.  Carpenter  is  the  com- 
mander in  1916. 

The  roster  for  1913  contained  the  following:  C.  L.  Alexander, 
Company  C,  iSth  Iowa,  Hastings;  L.  W.  Albershardt,  Company  K, 
72d  Ohio.  Hastings;  A.  S.  Arnold,  Company  C,  3.)th  Pennsylvania 
Militia,  Hastings;  A.  C.  Albright,  Company  K,  34.th  Ohio,  Hastings; 
J.  J.  Buchanan,  Comi^any  A,  3d  ^Missouri,  Hastings;  W.  R.  Burton, 
Company  E,  23d  Indiana,  Hastings;  Nelson  Briley,  Company  K, 
118th  U.  S.  Col.,  Hastings;  S.  B.  Bierce,  Company  F.  13th  ^Michigan, 
Hastings;  J.  A.  Bowles,  Company  K,  21st  Pennsylvania  Cavaliy, 
Hastings;  David  Bryson,  Company  I,  75th  Illinois,  Hastings;  W.  C. 
Baker,  Company  H,  179th  Ohio  Infantry,  Pauline;  Thomas  M. 
Clark,  Company  G,  8th  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  Kansas  City;  William 
Croft,  Company  I,  6th  INIichigan,  Hastings;  H.  JM.  Carpenter,  Com- 
pany B,  1.5th  INIassachusetts,  Hastings;  Frank  Carrier,  Company  K, 
31st  Illinois,  Hastings;  A.  V.  Cole,  Company  G,  6th  Michigan  Cav- 
alry, and  Company  C,  4th  ^Michigan  Infantry,  Hastings;  W.  H. 
Chadwick.  Company  C,  20th  JMichigau  Engineers  Corps,  Hastings: 
J.  W.  Carmichael,  Company  C,  97th  Indiana  Regiment,  Hastings; 
George  Colling,  Company  A,  i52d  Illinois,  Hastings;  A.  J.  Dake, 


242       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Compauj'  I,  27th  New  York  Dragoons,  Hastings;  T.  E.  Davis,  Com- 
pany C,  19th  United  States  Infantry,  Hastings;  J.  K.  Dooley,  Com- 
pany G,  30th  Indiana,  Hastings;  W.  W.  Dungan,  Company  B,  oth 
Iowa,  Hastings;  L.  M.  Doughis,  Company  F,  51st  Wisconsin,  Hast- 
ings; B.  A.  Dean,  Company  H,  .53d  Indiana,  Hastings;  Cx.  H.  Edger- 
ton,  Company  E.  112th  Illinois,  Hastings;  C.  J.  Egbert,  Company  C, 
33d  jNIissouri  Infantry,  Hastings;  B.  F.  Evans,  Company  D,  69th 
Ohio,  Hastings;  Joseph  Ferguson,  Signal  Corps,  United  States 
Army,  Hastings;  F.  J.  Ferguson,  Company  H.  4th  Illinois  Cavalry, 
Hastings;  John  Earner,  Company  B,  13th  Ohio  Inf.,  Hastings;  A.  J. 
Frantz,  Company  I,  3d  ]\Iaryland,  Hastings;  R.  H.  Gilmore,  Com- 
pany C,  36th  Illinois,  Hastings:  J.  A.  Howard,  Company  C,  .52d 
Pennsylvania,  Eagle  Point,  Ore.;  J.  P.  Hoagland,  Company  H,  132d 
Pennsylvania,  Hastings;  J.  F.  Heiler,  Company  B,  101st  New  York, 
Hastings;  I.  A.  Flail,  Comjiany  B,  26th  Illinois  Infantry,  Hastings; 
J.  E.  Hutchison,  4th  Iowa  Battery,  Eagle  Point,  Ore.;  G.  W.  Houck. 
Company  C,  1st  Michigan  Artillery,  Yuma,  Col.;  W.  H.  Hoblit. 
Company  H.  12th  Illinois,  Florida;  J.  jNI.  Houser,  Company  H,  29th 
Iowa,  Hastings;  J.  B.  Ingram,  Company  H,  37th  Illinois,  Hastings: 
E.  D.  Jones,  Company  A,  23d  Indiana,  Flastings;  H.  C.  Kerr,  Com- 
I>any  B,  168th  Ohio  National  Guard,  Hastings:  George  S.  Kilgore, 
Company  H,  102d  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  Hastings;  Samuel 
Long,  Company  I,  20th  Wisconsin,  Hastings;  J.  N.  Lyman,  Surgeon, 
United  States  Army,  Hastings:  Jason  Lyons,  Company  I,  73d  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  Hastings;  ]\I.  Liebhart,  Company  H,  26th  Illinois. 
Hastings;  A.  M.  Lathrop,  Company  E,  18th  Connecticut,  Inland; 
R.  R.  Morledge,  Company  K,  4th  Iowa,  Hastings;  AYilliam  INIonroe, 
Company  A,  13th  Wisconsin,  Hastings;  Joseph  INIarion,  Comjjany 
E,  46th  Illinois,  Hastings;  J.  C.  IMiller,  Company  G.  113th  Illinois, 
Hastings;  G.  H.  JMills.  Company  K,  102d  Illinois,  Hastings:  D.  M. 
McKnight,  Company  B,  138th  Pennsylvania,  South  Dakota;  H.  B. 
McGaw,  Company  C,  97th  Ohio,  Hastings;  Joseph  INIyer,  Company 
I,  26th  Pennsylvania  Vohmteer  Infantry,  Hastings;  Nicholas  INIetzer, 
Company  I,  9th  Wisconsin  Infantry,  Hastings;  O.  T.  McConnell, 
Company  C,  1.5th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Hastings;  J.  ]M.  IMiller, 
Company  M,  1st  Indiana  Heavy  Artillery,  Hastings:  M.  L.  Mc- 
Whinney,  Company  B,  .57th  Indiana  Infantry,  Hastings;  J.  F.  IMer- 
rell,  Company  G,  7-5th  New  York.  Hastings;  J.  F.  Moon,  Company 
B,  40th  Iowa,  Hastings;  Aaron  Nash,  Company  K,  12th  Wisconsin, 
Hastings;  I.  D.  Newell,  Com])any  F,  7th  Illinois,  Glenville;  J.  F. 
Nyce.  Company  A,  44th  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  Hastings:  Pat- 
rick O'Brian.  Company  E,  48th  Peimsylvania  Volunteers,  Hastings; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      243 

Edward  Ortoii,  Company  A,  7th  Illinois,  Hastings;  A.  S.  Pierce, 
Company  C,  27th  JNIissouri,  Omaha;  C.  H.  Paul,  Company  A,  7th 
New  Hampshire,  Hastings;  L.  A.  Payne,  Company  A,  34th  Illinois 
Volunteers,  Sutherlin,  Ore.;  H.  H.  Partlow,  Company  F,  57th  Illi- 
nois, Hastings;  J.  S.  Peebles,  Company  H,  1.50th  Indiana,  Hastings; 
Thomas  L.  Patterson,  Company  H,  1st  Nebraska  Cavalry,  Hastings; 
John  Peterson,  Company  E,  47th  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  Hastings; 
George  S.  Parks,  Company  D,  '26th  Illinois  Infantry,  Hastings: 
John  Regan,  Comjiany  A,  23d  Wisconsin,  Hastings;  James  Richeson, 
Company  K,  Ith  Iowa  Cavahy,  Hastings;  G.  Rickerson,  Company 
M,  .5th  New  York  Artillery,  Hastings;  J.  O.  Riley,  Company  E,  28th 
Iowa,  Hastings;  J.  F.  Schell,  Company  F,  2d  United  States  Volun- 
teers, Hastings;  T.  F.  Stock,  Company  E,  I42d  Illinois,  Hastings; 
A.  D.  Stoddard,  Company  F,  77th  Illinois,  Hastings;  A.  Shannon, 
Company  A,  16th  Illinois,  Hastings;  W.  M.  Stewart,  Company  E, 
4.5th  Ohio,  Hastings;  J.  D.  Smith,  Company  H,  12th  Ohio  Cavalry, 
Hastings;  Jacob  Smith,  Company  H,  30th  Indiana.  Hastings;  Edwin 
Smith,  Company  G,  139th  Illinois,  Hastings;  W.  G.  Saddler,  Com- 
pany G.  13th  Kentucky  Cavalry,  Company  D.  32d  N.  Y.  Infantry, 
Hastings;  H.  S.  Siefkin.  Company  G,  10th  Illinois,  Hastings:  D.  B. 
S.  Tatroe,  Company  G,  142d  New  York,  Omaha;  George  B.  Tyler, 
Company  B,  6th  Iowa  Cavalry,  Hastings;  H.  B.  Talbert.  3d  Indiana 
Artillery,  Trumbull;  Elias  Tatman,  Company  E,  10th  Iowa.  Hast- 
ings; Chesley  Taylor,  Company  H,  7th  Iowa  Cavalry,  Giltner;  John 
Unger,  Company  K,  7-5th  Ilhnois,  Hastings;  J.  R.  Vance,  Company 
I,  39th  Ohio,  Hastings;  Jacob  Wooster,  Company  A,  36th  Ohio. 
Hastings;  A.  J.  Williams,  Company  C,  3d  Iowa  Cavalry,  Kansas 
City:  J.  R.  Wright,  8th  Ohio,  Hastings;  S.  S.  Welch,  Company  C, 
4.5th  Indiana,  Hastings;  J.  R.  Winter,  Company  II,  186th  Ohio, 
Iowa;  R.  B.  Williams,  Company  E,  111th  Pennsylvania,  Hastings: 
James  Walling,  Company  F,  149th  New  York,  Hastings;  J.  C. 
^Vilson,  Company  B,  117th  Indiana,  Trumbull;  George  F.  Work. 
Company  B,  .5th  Iowa,  Hastings;  John  Yager,  Company  D.  12th 
Illinois,  Burkett;  Joseph  Yocum,  Company  E,  62d  Ohio,  Omaha. 

A  list  of  soldiers  buried  in  Hastings  Cemetery,  given  in  the  record 
of  this  post,  is  as  follows :  G.  AV.  Howe,  Colonel  Burke,  Otto  Ai-noux. 
Keating,  Levi  W.  IMiller,  Riggs,  Alex- 

ander, Stephen  Carson,  C.  M.  JNIillet,  N.  A.  Nash,  J.  W.  Hansel. 
James  IMcCleary,  James  Riley.  J.  H.  Scott,  Aug.  Poole.  Ca])tain 
Wicks,  George  Brennan,  Palmer,  Cope,  Pearson.  Joseph 

Howe,  and  Willis  Campbell. 

Other  deaths  recorded  on  the  records  of  the  Post  are:     A.   S. 


244       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Arnold,  April  6,  191.5;  J.  M.  Boyd,  February  13,  1909;  A.  F.  Ben- 
jamin, December,  1904;  Jacob  Boyer,  June  7,  1910;  W.  H.  Cutler, 
Ajjril  16,  190.3;  W.  E.  Cox,  October  1.5,  1911;  W.  H.  Chadwick, 
January  7,  1916;  Silas  Clark,  August  23,  1912;  W.  A.  Coon,  July  4, 
1911;  A.  J.  Dake,  October  17,  1914;  C.  J.  Egbert,  October  16,  1914; 
I.  A.  Hall,  October  5,  1915;  J.  Hoagland,  April  6,  1916;  W.  H. 
Hess,  October  22,  1911;  W.  H.  Hoblet,  September,  1913;  John 
Holmes,  December  28,  1911;  John  Larkins,  July  15,  1913;  Samuel 
Long,  October  4,  1915;  Seth  Lewis,  September  28,  1912;  Jason 
Lyons,  April  17,  1914;  Hart  Martin,  December,  1916;  Lewis  T. 
Meyers,  December  7,  1912;  I.  D.  Newell,  1914;  L.  A.  Payne,  March 
20,  1915;  John  H.  Oatnian,  May  15,  1912;  Patrick  O'Bryan,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1915;  Charles  Tinsley,  January  17,  1913;  Jacob  Smith,  De- 
cember 3,  1913;  John  F.  Schell,  April  15,  1916;  Samuel  S.  Welsh. 
February  20,  1915;  James  Walling,  April  8,  1914. 

woman's  belief  corps 

Woman's  Relief  Corps  No.  9,  auxiliary  to  Silas  A.  Strickland 
Post  No.  13,  was  organized  February  23,  1884,  with  ]Mrs.  E.  O. 
Dilworth,  president;  JNIrs.  Julia  S.  Bowen,  Y.  P.;  INIrs.  Mary  L. 
Garison,  J.  Y.  P.;  iSIrs.  Jane  Horlocker,  secretary:  JNIrs.  Agnes  A. 
Hurd,  treasurer;  JNIrs.  Katie  Judd.  chajjlain;  JNIrs.  Emily  Stoelting, 
conductor;  and  JNIrs.  JNIary  Gould,  G. 

The  past  presidents  have  been  Alice  C.  Dilworth,  Jennie  Dalby, 
JNIary  Dowd,  Clara  Andrews,  Sadie  INIarquis,  JNIrs.  A.  D.  Taggart, 
Julia  Bowen,  Kate  Boyd,  Elizabeth  Croft,  Elizabeth  Bacon,  JNIartha 
Hutchinson,  Ada  Hess,  Ellen  Cox,  Lenora  Cutler,  Anna  Boyd,  JNIary 
C.  JNIarion,  Nannie  Kilgore,  Florence  Rainsforth.  Edna  J.  Hill, 
Jennie  Goudy,  Leanora  Bowles, .  JNIjii'y  JNIyer,  JNIinnie  Kolb,  Floye 
Dake,  Rodie  JNIeyer,  and  JNIrs.  Florinda  Partlow,  the  present 
president. 

The  present  members  are:  Sophia  Albershardt,  JNIyra  Anders, 
Eliza  Baker,  Bettie  Berg,  Mary  Bierce,  Leanora  Bowles,  JNIary  L. 
Bryson,  Mrs.  Collins,  Elizabeth  Croft,  Winifred  A.  Cutler,  Leonora 
Cutler,  E.  Floye  Dake,  Grace  Decker,  Azalia  DroUinger.  JNIrs.  Eddie. 
JNI.  C.  Eldrige,  JNIary  Earner,  JNIrs.  L.  C.  Frantz.  .Jennie  Goudy, 
Eliza  Hamium,  J.  H.  Hanshaw,  Ada  Hess,  JNIartha  Hutcliinson, 
JNIinnie  Iloff'man.  Estella  Ingram,  Hannah  Kammerlohr,  Nannie 
Kilgore,  JNIinnie  Hoffman.  JNIinnie  Kolb.  Emma  Lockhart.  Jennie 
I^ivingood,  JNIary  Marion,  Ruby  JNIarion,  Alice  JNIaster,  JNIillie  JNIa- 
theny,  Mary  JNIattock.  Rebecca  JNIerrill,  Ruth  JNIiller,  Hope  JNIills, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      245 

]Mary  ^loeuk,  ]Mrs.  JNIoon,  JNIarv  JNIyer,  Rodie  JMyer,  Amanda  Orton, 
Susan  Olijjhant,  jNIatilda  Palmer,  Florinda  Partlow,  JNlrs.  Parsons, 
Florence  Rainsforth,  Jennie  Ray,  jMartha  Shaw,  Emma  Stock,  Sarah 
Smith,  Anna  Snyder,  Edith  Sinclair,  Rachael  Walling,  Nancy 
Williams. 

JUXLVTA    POST 

Juniata  Post  of  the  G.  A.  R.  was  instituted  Octoher  24,  1881, 
\mder  the  title  of  Geary  Post  No.  82,  with  B.  F.  Smith,  commander; 
S.  L.  Salishury,  S.  V."c.;  A.  H.  Brown,  J.  V.  C;  J.  W.  Livering- 
house,  adjutant;  G.  T.  Brown,  Q.  ]M.;  O.  Steever.  surgeon;  W.  Spade, 
chaplain;  A.  V.  Cole,  O.  of  D.;  H.  H.  Ballon,  O.  of  G.;  G.  S.  Guild, 
S.  31.:  and  M.  Van  Buskirk,  Q.  M.  S.  Philip  Hoover,  R.  H.  Nolan, 
S.  J.  Shirley,  S.  L.  Brass,  G.  Avery,  F.  M.  Thompson,  B.  W.  Jam- 
mond,  G.  T.  Brown,  W.  Twidale  and  James  Newell,  unofficial  mem- 
hers.  The  position  of  commander  has  heen  filled  by  the  following 
named  members:  B.  F.  Smith,  A.  V.  Cole.  S.  L.  Brass,  James 
Newell,  J.  Burwell,  O.  Steever,  James  L.  Kelvey  and  I.  R.  Ball. 
S.  L.  Brass  was  the  adjutant. 

The  roll  of  members  in  1890  comprises  the  following  names:  B.  F. 
Smith,  1st  ]Mich.  S.  S.;  O.  Stevers,  96th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  Wm.  Spade, 
147th  Pa.  Inf.;  A.  V.  Cole,  4th  Mich.  Inf.;  H.  H.  Ballon,  13th  Vt. 
Inf.;  R.  H.  Nolan,  U.  S.  Navy;  G.  Avery,  23d  JNIich.  Inf.;  B.  W. 
Plammond,  Wm.  Twidale,  9th  ]Mich.  Cav. ;  J.  W.  Liveringhouse,  30th 
Ind.  Inf.:  D.  H.  Freeman,  13th  ]Mich.  Inf.:  ]M.  K.  Hutchinson,  47th 
O.  Inf.;  G.  G.  Vreeland,  36th  111.  Inf.;  H.  Schick,  3d  Pa.  Art.:  A.  H. 
Brown,  13th  la.  Inf.;  G.  S.  Guild,  ]Mass.  Inf.;  S.  L.  Salisbury.  139th 
Pa.  Inf.;  P.  Hoover,  104th  O.  Inf.;  S.  L.  Brass,  1st  Mich.  Cav.;  S.  J. 
Shirley,  83d  111.  Inf.;  F.  M.  Thompson,  6th  P.  R.  V.  C;  :M.  Van 
Buskirk,  109th  N.  Y.  Inf.;  G.  T.  Brown,  47th  la.  Inf.;  J.  Newell, 
30th  Ind.  Inf.;  J.  Burwell,  14th  O.  Inf.;  R.  S.  Langley,  122d  111. 
Inf.;  A.  Borden.  J.  S.  Price,  James  ]McKelvey,  16th  N.  Y.  Inf.; 
Jacob  Swift.  N.  Y.  Inf.;  C.  H.  Chapman.  18th"  ]Mich.  Inf.;  Henry 
Vinear,  12th  Md.  Inf.;  D.  Morgan,  13th  Wis.  Inf.;  O.  A.  Buzzell, 
33d  Mass.;  John  E.  Adams,  30th  Ind.  Inf.;  James  Beach.  2d  IMich. 
Art.;  N.  L.  Brass.  1st  ]Mich.  Cav.;  Alex.  Rogers,  1st  and  .>4th  111. 
Cav.;  Adam  Land,  123d  111.  Cav.;  Benj.  Davis,  38th  la.  Cav.;  Jacob 
Silvers,  l.->th  U.  S.  Cav.;  F.  Kieser,  34th  Ind.  Inf.;  Wilson  S.  Rich- 
ards, 68th  O.  Inf.;  Jacob  Hammer,  47th  Ind.  Inf.;  I.  Vanderwort, 
140th  111.  Inf.;  Jacob  ^Morgan.  31st  O.  Inf.;  Peter  Anderson,  2d  U.  S. 
Art.;  Rilev  D.  Burton.  67th  Ind.  Inf.;  Simeon  Johnson.  14th  Pa.. 


246       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Cav. ;  Joseph  Basey,  1st  O.  H.  Art.;  Absalom  O.  Overman,  9i5th  Ind. 
Inf.;  John  F.  JNIerrill;  James  JMcFerren,  21st  Pa.  Cav.;  Wm.  Champ- 
lin,  1st  JNIich.  Inf.;  Geo.  JMizen,  Sr..  4-2d  Wis.  Inf.;  Jesse  ^Nlillikan, 
139th  Ind.  Inf.;  G.  P.  Alford;  Alvin  Wells,  1st  Mich.  Cav.;  W.  P. 
Davis,  III.  Inf.;  G.  S.  Dwight,  Gottleib  Laher,  68th  O.  Inf.;  John 
Young,  JSIexican  War;  E.  J.  Hanchett,  N.  Y.  Cav.;  C.  F.  Onis, 
14.-)th  111.  Inf.;  Amos  Wilson,  36th  O.  Cav.;  B.  E.  Swift,  117th  N.  Y. 
Cav.:  II.  E.  Drake,  30th  Ind.  Cav.;  J.  G.  Mahler,  20th  Ind.  Cav.; 
James  .M.  Miller,  1st  Ind.  Art.;  Nick  Gordon,  2d  la.  Inf.;  O.  F. 
Foote,  7th  Pa.  Cav.;  W.  F.  Kellar,  D.  R.  Ball.  46th  Ind.  Inf.;  Rich- 
ard Van  Buskirk,  21st  N.  J.  Inf.;  Henry  Winkley,  27th  Wis.  Inf.; 
Joseph  Lilly,  172d  Pa.  Inf.;  Lewis  Alvers,  58th  111.  Inf.;  B.  F. 
Baker;  Wm.  Martin,  83d  O.  Inf.;  Charles  Collins,  7th  Mo.  Inf.; 
Darius  C.  Kerr,  14th  Ind.  Inf.;  W.  J.  Barger,  15th  la.  Inf.;  Samuel 
Wright,  5th  JNIass.  Inf.;  Isaac  Smith,  128th  Pa.  Inf.;  C.  Hohlfelt,  nth 
Wis.  Inf.;  Elias  Knowles,  26th  111.  Inf.;  Norman  G.  Gibson,  29th 
Ind.  Inf.;  W.  B.  Hamilton,  53d  111.  Inf.;  Henry  Jewett,  47th  111. 
Inf.:  John  Konkright.  155th  Ind.  Inf.;  John  D.  Ball.  2d  Mo.  Cav.; 
Chas.  S.  James,  27th  Mich.  Inf.;  L.  D.  Sergeant,  32d  Wis.  Inf.; 
Jacob  II.  Gates,  40th  Wis.  Inf.;  R.  J.  Worthington,  13th  Mich.  Inf.; 
O.  E.  Woods,  21st  N.  Y.  Cav.;  D.  M.  Griswold.  129th  111.  Inf.:  Al  M. 
Clay,  97th  Ind.  Inf.;  Logan  Sarrison,  17th  Ind.  Inf.;  David  Bruck- 
man.  99th  Ind.  Inf.;  N.  K.  jNIetser,  9th  Wis.  Inf.;  Samuel  P.  How- 
land,  4th  JNIich.  Inf.;  W.  S.  Webster,  8th  INIich.  Cav.;  M.  D.  Ovitt, 
17th  Vt.  Inf.;  Wm.  H.  Stephens,  11th  Ind.  Cav.;  D.  V.  Stevens, 
118th  Ind.  Inf.;  N.  H.  Kathorn,  12th  111.  Cav.:  John  R.  Van  Houten, 
151st  111.  Inf.:  Calvin  Ball,  26th  Ind.  Inf.;  Geo.  S.  Parks,  26th  111. 
Inf.:  W.  D.  Burroughs.  9th  INIich.  Inf.:  T.  M.  Battrell,  26th  111.  Inf.; 
Lafayette  L.  Anger,  1st  N.  Y.;  Henry  W.  Crone,  13th  Ind.  Inf.; 
Samuel  Nicholas,  18th  111.  Inf.;  James  Powell,  87th  Ind.  Inf.;  C.  B. 
Booth.  7th  Ind.  Inf.;  Edward  JNIorgan,  1st  111.  Cav.;  J.  S.  Robesy, 
1st  :Md.  Cav.;  Peter  Griffith,  102d  111.  Inf.;  John  W.  IMcCracken, 
38th  Wis.  Inf.;  Sanford  Webster.  2d  Minn.  Cav. 

The  Juniata  Post  is  still  maintained,  though  many  of  the  early 
nienibevs  have  died,  and  others  have  moved  away. 

."Mii.rn.'v  t():\ii'AXv 

On  jNIay  21.  1880,  Company  K.  afterward  F.  was  reorganized, 
and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  A.  V.  Cole,  captain;  S.  J. 
Shirley,  first  lieutenant:  E.  L.  Dutton,  second  lieutenant.  The  mem- 
bers presented  a  list  of  names  for  non-commissioned  officers,  from 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       247 

wliich  Captain  Cole  selected  the  following:  Sergeants,  William 
Spade,  James  Kent,  ]M.  K.  Hutchinson,  Josiah  Hodges  and  George 
W'atkins;  corporals,  F.  C.  Erosius,  D.  Conger,  P.  Nash,  R.  Crawford, 
George  ]Mizen,  O.  Button,  ^V.  Bahcoek  and  \V.  \Vinter. 

In  1882  the  company  was  represented  in  the  State  Encanipmenl 
at  Omaha  by  the  following  named  members:  A.  V.  Cole,  E.  L.  But- 
ton, J.  31.  Kent,  JNI.  K.  Hutchinson,  S.  J.  Sliirley,  William  Spade, 
Josiali  Hodges,  George  \Vatkins,  Bamon  Conger,  A.  Bordon,  Way- 
land  Babcock,  Robert  Crawford,  INIarshal  Ash,  W.  G.  Beal,  H.  G. 
Armitage,  G.  S.  Guild,  W.  H.  Payne,  William  A.  Ballou,  E.  R. 
Farrabee,  Byron  H.  Button,  William  Ellington,  Bavid  Houts,  R.  W. 
Crone,  Irwin  Farrabee,  AVilliam  Knickerbocker,  Francis  Ballou,  J.  J. 
Flemming,  E.  F.  Walker,  J.  B.  Osier,  Charles  Signor,  FTenry  Ho- 
man,  Charles  F.  Boty,  William  Winter,  Ed  A.  Buzzell,  C.  R.  Bige- 
low,  Frampt  Brosius,  Frank  Rosencrans,  H.  W.  JNIitchell. 

'J'he  company  under  the  command  of  A.  V.  Cole  took  the  gov- 
ernor's challenge  cup  at  the  encampment  at  Crete,  in  1883.  They 
held  the  cup  until  1885,  when  Company  C,  of  Beatrice,  took  it.  The 
strength  at  that  time  was  about  forty-one.  The  conunissioned  officers 
are:  L.  A.  Ballou,  captain;  W.  A.  Ballou,  first  lieutenant;  T.  H. 
Ellis,  second  lieutenant,  with  four  sergeants,  three  corporals,  one 
musician,  and  twenty  privates.  In  1890,  Company  F  of  Juniata  par- 
took in  the  Indian  disturbances  of  which  tlie  battle  of  Wounded  Knee 
was  the  most  important  event. 

HANSEN    POST 

Hansen  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  was  instituted  June  23,  1883.  with  A.  F. 
Powers,  commander;  J.  jNI.  Bearse,  S.  V.  C;  J.  F.  Nyce,  J.  V.  C. ; 
M.  B.  Holley,  surgeon;  F.  H.  Calder,  chaplain;  Fred  Albright,  Q. 
M.:  J.  Countryman,  O.  of  B.;  J.  G.  Honeywell,  O.  of  G.;  J.  Smith, 
Adjt. :  T.  M.  Beatreall,  S.  M. ;  and  George  Mills,  sergeant.  The  post 
^\as  not  then  in  active  work.  In  fact  it  was  alleged  that  beyond  the 
formal  organization  nothing  was  accomplished. 

AYR    POST 

The  G.  A.  R.  Post  at  Ayr  was  established  at  about  the  same  time 
as  t]]e  Hastings  Post;  for  the  last  ten  years,  however,  this  ])ost  has 
not  been  active,  due  to  the  death  of  many  of  tlie  veterans,  and  others 
moving  away.     An  organization  still  exists.     An  organization  is  also 


2i8       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

maintained  at  Kenesaw.     The  Kenesaw  jjost  was  among  the  earhest 
to  be  organized  in  Adams  County. 

SONS   OF   VETEKANS 

Strickland  Camp  No.  20,  Sons  of  Veterans,  was  organized  at 
Hastings,  January  8,  1887,  with  L.  C.  Bartlett,  captain;  C.  Burggraf 
and  C.  A.  Gardner,  Heutenants;  R.  A.  Bruce  and  A.  H.  Bowen,  Jr., 
sergeants;  Ross  Dalby,  chaplain;  W.  Yager,  color  sergeant:  J.  B. 
Koch,  Joe  Alexander,  H.  K.  Snively,  J.  M.  Boyd,  J.  Y.  Snively, 
E.  Carkins  and  F.  C.  Bassett,  junior  officers.  This  organization  was 
active  for  a  number  of  years;  interest,  however,  dwindled  with  the 
moving  away  of  members,  so  that  the  organization  virtually  ceased 
to  exist  a  mnnber  of  years  ago. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
SOME  ADAMS  COUNTY  CHURCHES 

It  is  probable  that  the  first  public  religious  service  conducted  in 
Adams  County  was  that  held  on  the  third  Sunday  in  January,  1871, 
at  the  home  of  William  Kress  in  Little  Blue  Township.  About 
twenty  pioneers  assembled  for  this  meeting,  notice  of  which  had  been 
passed  from  mouth  to  mouth  for  several  days.  The  service  was 
conducted  by  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Warwick,  a  Baptist  minister.  All 
around  the  little  shantj'  stretched  the  desolate  prairie,  and  not  a  few 
shed  tears  as  the  first  hymn  was  sung.  "The  ever  mindful  care  of 
God"  was  the  appropriate  theme  of  the  minister. 

Some  of  the  difficulties  attending  spiritual  ministration  in  the  early 
days  appears  in  the  records  of  the  county  commissioners,  where  it  is 
recorded  that  in  1872,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Warwick  applied  to  the  commis- 
sioners for  aid,  stating  that  he  and  his  family  were  in  dire  need. 

The  first  religious  service  held  in  Hastings  was  conducted  in  the 
sample  room  of  Charles  Kohl,  early  in  1873.  The  Rev.  J.  F.  Clark- 
son,  who  had  come  to  Hastings  with  the  English  colony  in  the  spring 
of  1871,  conducted  the  service.  JNIr.  Kohl  laid  aside  all  glasses  and 
concealed  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  sample  room.  The  pro- 
prietor did  this  voluntarily  to  contribute  to  the  success  of  the  first 
meeting. 

The  churches  of  the  county  have  grown  with  the  community.  In 
1891  there  were  sixty-four  Sunday  schools  with  a  membership  of 
4, .51 4.  The  growth  of  the  religious  life  of  the  comminiity  will  be 
indicated  in  the  history  of  the  churches  that  follows. 

HASTINGS  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH 

The  Presbyterian  Church  began  its  activities  in  Adams  County 
almost  as  soon  as  the  county  was  organized,  and  the  growth  of  the 
movement  has  kept  pace  with  the  develo])ment  of  the  county.  Fires 
and  other  discouragements  have  served  only  to  strengthen  the  faith 
and  stimulate  the  work  of  the  denomination. 
249 


250       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

It  was  on  August  1,  1873,  that  the  Rev.  James  A.  GrifRs  visited 
Hastings  and  found  here  a  number  of  Presbyterians  who  were  with- 
out a  church  liome.  The  Rev.  Gritiis  lost  no  time  in  complying  with 
their  wishes,  and  ten  days  later  a  church  was  organized.  The  first 
services  were  held  in  the  building  then  being  erected  for  the  Methodist 
Church.  A  bundle  of  shingles  laid  across  the  top  of  an  empty  barrel 
served  as  a  pulpit,  and  in  these  unfavorable  surroundings,  the  churcli 
was  organized.  The  charter  members  were  Mr.  A.  L.  Wigton  and 
wife,  Samuel  Alexander,  H.  M.  Robinson,  H.  M.  Palmer  and  wife, 
and  W.  jM.  Snodgrass,  and  the  first  officers  of  the  church  w^ere  Sam- 
uel Alexander  and  A.  L.  Wigton,  elected  elders.  On  September  3, 
1873,  the  church  was  received  under  the  care  of  the  Nebraska  City 
Presbytery,  and,  in  connection  with  the  church  at  Kearney,  Rev. 
James  A.  Griffis  was  engaged  as  supply. 

As  soon  as  the  church  became  firmly  established,  and  had  a  suf- 
ficient membership,  steps  were  taken  toward  the  building  of  their  first 
church.  TJie  building  was  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Third 
Street  and  Lincoln  Avenue,  and  was  dedicated  entirely  free  from 
debt,  the  total  cost  being  approximately  $3,000.  The  church  was 
erected  under  the  supervision  of  Samuel  Alexander,  A.  L.  Wigton. 
and  Ij.  B.  Palmer.  The  congregation  held  their  services  in  this  build- 
ing until  1888,  when  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  Seventh  Street  and 
Lincoln  Avenue  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $2, .500.  ^Vork  was  begun 
on  this  building  in  the  sjjring  of  that  year.  The  building  committee 
were  Samuel  Alexander.  Rev.  George  T.  Crissman,  D.  D..  C.  P. 
Webster,  L.  B.  Palmer.  A.  J.  Neimeyer,  and  L.  M.  Campbell.  The 
Rev.  George  T.  Crissman  held  the  first  services  in  the  new  church  in 
.January.  1889.  The  building  was  planned  by  the  famous  Presby- 
terian architect,  L.  B.  Valk,  of  Los  Ajigeles,  and  followed  the  usual 
Presbyterian  style,  being  more  or  less  irregular  in  outline  and  having 
a  large  tower  room.  The  total  cost  of  the  liuilding.  pipe  organ,  and 
furniture  inclusive,  was  $49,982.24. 

On  September  2.5,  1910.  this  beautiful  edifice  was  com])letely 
destroyed  by  fire.  W.  F.  Raney,  at  that  time  a  deacon  of  the  chui-ch. 
was  killed  while  assisting  in  removing  some  records  from  the  study. 
A  large  stone  on  the  corner  of  the  building  became  loosened  by  the 
lieat.  and  fell  on  him,  killing  him  instantly. 

Plans  were  made  inmiediately  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  church,  and 
tlie  result  is  the  present  building,  also  designed  by  INIr.  Valk,  which 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $.52,000,  exclusive  of  the  salvage  from 
the  old  building.  The  building  committee  were  W.  F.  Buchanan. 
F.  L.  Pease.  A.  H.  Jones.  J.  H.  RifFe,  C.  A.  Heartwell.  and  W.  T. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       251 

Blackmail.  The  design  of  the  new  church  follows  that  of  the  old  one 
as  nearly  as  possible. 

The  dedication  services  lasted  all  day,  and  in  the  evening,  the 
sacred  cantata,  "The  Nazarene,"  by  William  JNladoc,  was  given  under 
the  direction  of  Prof.  John  Rees.  The  dedication  was  on  Sunday, 
January  14,  1912. 

The  following  ministers  have  served  the  church:  Rev.  James  A. 
Griffis,  Rev.  John  Rutherford,  Rev.  D.  S.  Schaff,  Rev.  E.  S.  Wil- 
liams. Rev.  W.  F.  Ringland,  Rev.  G.  T.  Crissman,  Rev.  Harry  O. 
Scott,  Rev.  E.  A^an  Dyke  Wight,  Rev.  C.  W.  AA'eyer,  and  the  Rev.  J. 
W.  Eean,  who  is  the  present  pastor. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH 

September  23,  1872,  the  first  ^Nletliodist  Episcopal  church  was 
organized  in  Hastings  in  the  section  house  of  the  St.  Joe  k  Denver 
City  Railroad,  by  the  Rev.  R.  PI.  Crane,  who  continued  for  some  time 
to  minister  to  the  little  flock.  Of  the  flrst  ^Methodist  class  the  follow- 
ing were  members:  William  Hudson,  JNlaria  Hudson,  Benjamin 
Blown.  Rebecca  Brown,  Richard  Rainforth,  Lizzie  Rainforth,  and 
IMarv  E.  Rose.  After  the  organization  of  the  class,  services  were 
held  in  different  homes,  and  in  business  houses,  which  were  kindly 
opened  for  the  preaching  service.  The  cottage  of  John  Gillespie 
IMoore,  1122  West  Second  Street  (exact  location  not  agreed  u])on 
by  the  early  settlers  still  living  in  Hastings),  was  the  principal  house 
of  worship  until  the  erection  of  a  church  became  possible. 

Shortly  after  its  organization,  the  Hastings  Town  Company,  in 
1873  donated  three  lots  to  the  JMethodists  at  the  corner  of  Kansas 
Avenue  and  Second  Street,  and  on  July  13  of  that  year  a  site  for  a 
church  was  selected  by  Presiding  Elder  White.  Funds  had  been 
collected  for  the  building  of  a  church,  and  August  10,  1873,  the  par- 
tially completed  building  was  formally  dedicated.  The  Rev.  James 
GrifRs.  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  officiated.  The  dedication 
of  the  ^Methodist  Church  by  the  Presbyterian  pastor  came  about 
tlirough  a  misunderstanding.  This,  however,  has  not  proven  to  be 
nnpropitious,  for  the  church  has  enjoyed  remarkable  growth.  In  1880 
the  church  property  was  sold  to  the  German  Evangelical  Association, 
and  the  ^Methodists  acquired  a  site  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Burling- 
ton Avenue  and  Third  Street.  August  12,  1880,  the  corner  stone  of 
a  new  church  was  laid.  Rev.  A.  C.  Crosthwaite  officiating.  The  build- 
ing was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  During  the  process  of  con- 
struction, the  services  were  held  in  Germania  Hall,  then  known  as 


252       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

Liberal  Hall.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  G.  W.  Isham  the  church 
was  practically  rebuilt.  The  remodeled  church  served  its  j^urpose 
satisfactorily  for  a  number  of  years,  but  eventually  the  growth  in 
membership  forced  upon  the  JNIethodists  the  necessity  for  erecting 
a  new  church.  On  INIarch  5,  1912,  the  official  board  authorized  the 
l^astor,  Rev.  A.  A.  Brooks,  to  appoint  a  plan  committee  to  begin 
preparing  jilans  for  the  erection  of  a  new  church  to  be  erected  upon 
lots  acquired  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Seventh  Street  and  Hastings 
Avenue.  The  committee  appointed  was:  D.  P.  Jones,  A.  J.  Gay- 
mon.  Dr.  J.  W.  Straight,  John  Snider,  J.  W.  Plummer,  ^Nliss  Grace 
Sylla  and  JNIrs.  George  Kimball,  Sr.  Of  this  committee,  ]Mr.  Jones 
was  the  chairman  and  Doctor  Straight  the  secretary.  The  committee 
held  fifty  meetings  and  consulted  with  many  achitects,  and  after 
three  years  of  consideration  i)resented  plans  which  ^^ere  unanimously 
ado])ted  by  the  board.  These  plans  were  prepared  by  Fulton  &  Butler 
of  Uniontown,  Pa.  The  finance  committee  was:  C.  G.  Lane,  U.  S. 
Rohrer,  W.  A.  Taylor,  H.  B.  Cornelius,  J.  C.  Hedge,  W.  A.  :Martin 
and  N.  H.  Jones.  The  campaign  for  raising  the  money  was  begun 
Januaiy  .31st,  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  T.  C.  Iliff  of  Denver,  and 
within  forty-eight  hours  $37,000  had  been  pledged.  The  total  cost 
of  the  church,  including  chime,  lot,  furnishings  and  parsonage,  is 
about  $80,000.     The  j^arsonage  and  church  are  under  one  roof. 

The  chime  of  ten  bells  was  presented  to  the  community  by  ]Mr. 
W.  H.  Lanning  and  installed  in  the  church  building  with  the  jNIeth- 
odist  organization  as  trustee.  The  bells  have  a  total  weight  of  9,200 
pounds,  and  were  presented  by  Mr.  Lanning  as  a  memorial  of  his 
mother,  Mrs.  jNIary  Lanning.  The  bells  were  first  rung  upon  the 
morning  of  June  23,  1916,  about  7  o'clock,  upon  the  occasion  of  the 
dejiarture  of  Company  G  of  the  National  Guard,  of  Hastings,  for 
Lincoln,  to  mobilize  in  response  to  the  call  of  President  Wilson  for 
guardsmen  for  service  on  the  ^Mexican  border. 

The  auditorium  of  this  church  is  56  by  66  feet.  Other  rooms  on 
the  main  floor  are  pastor's  study,  choir  room,  choir  loft,  large  Sunday 
school  room  with  large  and  small  classrooms,  mothers'  rest  room,  etc. 
The  church  was  dedicated  with  a  series  of  exercises  beginning  at 
10  o'clock,  July  30,  1916,  and  ending  with  a  pipe  organ  recital  by 
William  JNI.  Jenkin  of  St.  Louis,  assisted  by  Rollin  INI.  Pease  of  St. 
Paul,  on  the  evening  of  August  4th.  Bishop  Homer  C.  Stuntz  was 
among  those  who  delivered  addresses,  also  a  former  pastor,  Dr. 
George  W.  Isham.  The  following  pastors  have  served  the  church: 
R.  H.  Crane,  1872;  Hiram  Hersey,  1873;  E.  J.  Willis,  1874-75; 
Richard  Pearson,  1876-77:  Edward  Thompson.  1878;  A.  C.  Cros- 


ZldX  (JKRMAX  LUTHERAN  CHllU  H.  HASTIX( 


:\\   -\Li;iijui)i.^T  lulklU.  ham 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       253 

thwaite,  1879-81;  S.  H.  Henderson,  1882-83;  John  Galligar,  1884; 
\V.  R.  Jones,  188.5-86;  L.  F.  Britt,  1887-1891;  R.  G.  Adams,  1892; 
G.  S.  W.  Dean,  1893-94;  George  W.  Ishani,  1895-98;  G.  W.  Abbott, 
1898-1903;  E.  M.  Evans,  1904;  M.  Bamford,  1905-07;  George  P. 
Trites,  1908-11;  A.  A.  Brooks,  the  present  pastor  since  1911. 

BAPTIST   CHURCH 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Hastings  was  organized  April  29, 
1873,  by  the  Rev.  I.  D.  Newell,  who  was  the  first  general  missionary 
of  the  denomination  to  carry  on  work  in  this  section  of  Nebraska. 
The  Rev.  ]Mr.  Newell,  who  died  in  Glenville  in  191.5,  organized  in 
pioneer  days,  and  subsequently,  a  large  number  of  Sunday  schools  in 
Adams  and  Clay  counties.  At  the  organization  of  the  Hastings 
chiu'ch  there  was  present  the  Rev.  J.  N.  Webb,  general  state  mission- 
ary, who  assisted  Reverend  Newell.  The  members  present  at  the 
organization  were  D.  S.  Cole,  J.  W.  Holt,  James  Purdy,  Hiram 
Starr,  Mrs.  Purdy,  Lulu  Purdy  and  Christine  Starr.  Mrs.  I.  D. 
Newell  was  also  present.  Among  the  very  early  members  of  the 
Hastings  chiu'ch  were  Jacob  Wooster,  J.  H.  Vandemark,  N.  T. 
Eckles,  Frank  Talmadge  and  J.  R.  Sims,  ]Mrs.  Talmadge,  ]\Irs.  Alli- 
son and  ]\Irs.  Vandemark.  For  a  number  of  years  the  congregation 
met  for  worship  at  the  residences  of  different  members.  On  Jime 
7,  1879,  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the  Congregational  Church, 
which  edifice  they  used  for  about  a  year.  At  this  time  the  membership 
was  thirty-four.  The  next  year  they  leased  the  hall  of  the  Good 
Templars  and  subsequently  arranged  with  one  of  the  German 
churches  for  the  use  of  their  building. 

January  21,  1880,  the  congregation  decided  to  buy  lots  upon  which 
to  erect  a  church,  and  upon  February  7th  they  acquired  three  lots 
adjacent  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Lincoln  Avenue  and  Fifth  Street. 
July  7,  1881,  a  committee  composed  of  Jacob  Wooster,  J.  H.  Van- 
demark, C.  H.  Felt,  ]Mrs.  Allison  and  ]\Irs.  Vandemark  was  appointed 
to  receive  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  church.  The  Home  INIission 
Society  promised  to  advance  $.500  if  the  committee  could  raise  $1,000. 
The  building  committee  was:  J.  R.  Sims,  Jacob  Wooster,  Frank 
Talmadge  and  L.  C.  Gould. 

September  22,  1881,  the  contract  to  erect  the  new  church  upon 
the  site  already  purchased  was  let  to  J.  R.  Sims  for  $1,66.5.  The 
record  shows  that  a  business  meeting  was  held  in  the  wing  of  the  new 
church  December  18,  1881.  but  the  church  was  not  dedicated  until 
January  31,   1882.     Upon  January  23,   189.5,  the  Baptist   Church 


254       PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTV 

acquired  a  lot  on  South  Lincoln  Avenue  and  erected  thereon,  subse- 
quently, the  South  Side  Chapel.  Successful  missionary  work  was 
carried  on  in  the  chapel  for  a  number  of  years,  but  of  late  the  work 
has  been  discontinued,  though  the  iJroperty  is  still  held  by  the  church. 
The  names  of  Dr.  E.  T.  Cassell  and  wife  should  be  associated  with 
the  work  of  the  chapel. 

It  was  upon  December  7,  1900,  that  the  Kev.  ^Mr.  Cloyd  began 
securing  subscrijitions  for  the  erection  of  the  present  church,  and  on 
March  20,  1901,  the  contract  was  let  to  C.  D.  Ricliey  to  erect  a  church 
after  the  jjlans  and  specifications  prepared  by  Turnbull  &  Jones  of 
Elgin,  111.  Some  changes  and  additions  were  made,  so  that  the  total 
cost  of  the  building  was  about  $12,000.  C.  P.  SheafF  was  chairman 
of  the  building  committee  and  W.  S.  French  secretarj'.  The  church 
was  dedicated  in  December,  1901,  by  Dr.  H.  O.  Rowlands,  then 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Lincoln.  The  church  has  a 
total  seating  capacity  of  about  five  hundred,  and  is  free  of  encum- 
brance. The  site  of  the  old  church  was  sold  in  1900  and  the  present 
site  acquired  in  July  of  that  year.  The  church  owns,  altogether,  five 
lots.  The  membership  at  present  is  409.  Among  the  active  workers 
of  the  Bajitist  Church  in  Hastings  may  be  enumerated  Jacob  Woos- 
ter.  J.  R.  Sims,  William  Huxtable.  John  Owen,  Dr.  E.  T.  Cassell 
and  wife.  C.  P.  SheafF,  W.  L.  SheafF,  Samuel  Roger,  J.  H.  Rodgers 
and  Uvs.  H.  J.  Prather. 

Doctor  Cassell  and  wife  are  the  composers  of  many  hymns,  words 
and  music.  Two  hynms  are  widely  sung  throughout  the  United 
States — "Loyalty  to  Christ"  and  "The  King's  Business."  A  sermon 
by  the  Rev.  INIr.  Cloyd  preached  in  the  Hastings  churcli  was  the 
inspiration  for  one  of  these  hymns.  Doctor  Cassell  removed  to  Colo- 
rado in  1902,  and  while  thei-e  "Sirs.  Cassell  came  to  her  death  by 
accident. 

The  following  have  been  the  pastors  who  have  served  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Hastings:  I.  D.  Newell.  April  29,  1873,  to  JNIarch,  187.>; 
H.  A.  Guild,  IVIarch  2.5,  1876,  to  JNIarch,  1877:  J.  E.  Rockwood.  June 
3,  1879,  to  July.  1880:  J.  H.  INIize.  February  24,  1881.  to  June  W, 
188.'}:  II.  P.  Fitch.  December,  1883,  to  January  10,  188G;  J.  Y. 
Aitchison  ]May  1,5.  1886.  to  April  1.  1887:  C.  H.  Holden,  June.  1887. 
to  May,  1889-  H.  P.  Fitch,  August,  1889,  to  April,  1891:  J.  E.  R. 
Folsom,  September  1,  1891,  to  June  4.  1898;  L.  L.  Cloyd.  3Iarch  1, 
1900.  to  IMay  1,  1903;  C.  R.  Welden.  June  20,  1903.  to  October  18, 
1904;  Birney  S.  Hudson.  April.  190.5.  to  November  1,  1908;  William 
J.  Coulston.  February  18.  1909.  to  October  29,  1911;  George  W. 
Taft.  January  1.5,  1912,  to  December  1,  1913:  AV.  T.  Richardson, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       255 

December  7,  1913,  to  October  1,  1914;  C.  H.  Holden,  January  IT, 
1915,  to  Seiitember  1,  191,5;  B.  P.  Richardson,  the  present  pastor, 
began  his  jiastorate  October  24,  1915. 

The  present  deacons  of  the  churcli  are:  A.  V.  Brown,  chairman; 
D.  INI.  Tinder,  secretary;  C.  P.  Sheaff,  treasurer;  J.  W.  Crissman, 
Henry  Groth,  G.  W.  Koon,  W.  L.  Newkirk,  Ed  Baker,  Dr.  C.  K. 
Struble,  Enno  Uden,  Dr.  E.  E.  INIarr.  Church  clerk,  W.  A.  Piel- 
stick. 

FIRST   COXGREGATIOXAL   CHURCH 

The  Congregationalists  of  Adams  County  enjoy  the  distinction 
of  perfecting  the  first  church  organization  in  the  county  and  of 
liohling  tlie  first  rehgious  services  in  Hastings.  The  Rev.  J.  F. 
Chirkson,  \vlio  reached  this  vicinity  in  1871  with  the  British  colony, 
was  a  Congregationalist,  and  upon  the  arrival  of  the  wagons  he  con- 
ducted services  the  first  Sunday,  standing  in  a  wagon  while  he  spoke, 
and  using  a  spring  seat  for  his  pulpit.  When  sod  houses  were  built, 
services  were  held  in  them  by  the  Rev.  INIr.  Clarkson. 

Services  M^ere  conducted  in  the  residences  of  members  until  the 
completion  of  the  first  school  building,  which  served  until  1875,  when 
the  congregation  moved  their  church  home  to  JMillet  Hall,  located 
on  the  corner  of  First  Street  and  Hastings  AAcnue.  They  remained 
here  for  about  three  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1878  once  more  trans- 
ferred their  church  home  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  which  in  the 
meantime  had  been  erected  and  dedicated.  Through  these  years  the 
congregation  grew  slowly,  but  had  increased  from  thirteen  to  a  few 
more  than  twenty.    In  1888  the  membership  had  grown  to  110. 

]March  29,  1879,  is  a  red  letter  day  in  the  history  of  the  Congrega- 
tionalists in  Hastings,  for  on  this  date  the  first  church  building  was 
dedicated.  This  w-as  a  frame  structure  and  was  located  at  the  corner 
of  I^incoln  Avenue  and  Third  Street.  The  cost  of  the  building  was 
$2,100.  In  the  steeple  of  this  church  a  bell  was  hung,  and  its  tones 
were  those  of  the  first  church  bell  to  be  rung  in  the  town.  In  1887 
a  site  was  secured  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Sixth  Street  and  Lincoln 
Avenue,  and  on  September  27th  of  that  year  the  church  building  was 
moved  to  what  is  still  the  site  of  the  Congregational  house  of  worship. 
The  first  frame  edifice  was  56  feet  long  by  34  feet  wide  and  had  a 
A^n'ng  addition  22  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide.  This  chvu'ch  building  was 
used  until  the  dedication  of  the  present  brick  edifice. 

The  building  now  occupied  was  dedicated  with  elaborate  services, 
extending  from  ^Nlav  10  to  JNIav  15,  1910,  and  Avas  erected  at  a  cost 


256       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

of  $20,000.  The  building  committee  was:  A.  H.  Brooke,  Hans 
Hansen  and  E.  L.  Vance.  The  total  seating  cajjacity  of  the  present 
church  is  .500.  The  membership  is  200.  The  following  pastors  have 
served  the  congregation:  Rev.  John  F.  Clarkson,  1872  to  1873;  Rev. 
W.  Haviland,  1873  to  1874;  Rev.  M.  F.  Piatt,  1874  to  1870:  Rev. 
Jacob  Winslow,  1876  to  1877;  Rev.  A.  W.  Curtis,  1878  to  1870; 
Rev.  J.  D.  Stewart,  1879  to  1883;  Rev.  Henry  Wilson,  1883  to 
1885;  Rev.  George  R.  Milton,  188.5  to  1886;  Rev.  William  Walters, 
1886  to  1892;  Rev.  S.  F.  Powell,  1892  to  1894;  Rev.  S.  S.  Healy, 
1894  to  189,5;  Rev.  L.  P.  Rose,  1895  to  1898;  Rev.  J.  W.  Nelson, 
1898  to  1901;  Rev.  Theo  C.  Hunt,  1901  to  1904;  Rev.  H.  B.  Har- 
rison, 1905  to  1910;  Rev.  Grant  B.  Wilder,  1910  to  1911;  Rev. 
Wilham  A.  Tyler,  1911  to  1913;  Rev.  Fred  J.  Clark,  1914  to  1916. 
The  present  pastor,  Joseph  Toms,  assumed  the  pastorate  October  8, 
1910. 

FIRST    CHRISTIAN     CHURCH 

The  First  Christian  Church  of  Hastings  ^\'as  organized  imder  the 
auspices  of  the  Nebraska  Christian  ]Missionary  Society  by  R.  C. 
Barrows,  a  pioneer  evangelist,  in  1885.  Until  1887  the  denomination 
had  no  pastor.  During  these  two  years,  a  few  months  of  each  year 
tlie  church  was  served  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elliot,  a  student  at  the  Chris- 
tian college  at  Fairfield,  Nebraska-Fairfield  College.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Tucker  followed  ]Mr.  Elliot,  preaching  for  a  few  months.  The  first 
regular  pastor  was  Rev.  W.  T.  ^Nlaupin,  the  father  of  the  well-known 
Nebraska  newspaper  man.  Will  jMaujjin.  ]Mr.  jNIaupin's  pastorate 
continued  through  the  winter  of  1888-9.  At  this  time  services  were 
held  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  H.  J.  Kirchstein  was  pastor  for 
two  i^eriods,  the  first  extending  from  1891  to  1893,  and  the  second 
from  1901  to  1902.  Short  pastorates  were  held  by  H.  J.  ]\IcSparren 
and  N.  A.  Stull.  H.  G.  Wilkinson  was  the  pastor  in  1898,  and 
Rev,  H.  S.  Gilliam  served  from  1903  to  1906.  The  Rev.  INIr.  Gilliam 
did  much  to  organize  the  Sunday  school  upon  modern  lines,  giving 
it  a  place  among  the  leading  schools  of  the  state,  which  place  it  still 
maintains.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Robert  A.  Schell,  1906  to 
1912.  the  church  increased  very  largely  in  menibershi]).  Following 
a  very  successful  evangelistic  meeting  by  Dr.  Charles  Reign  Scoville 
of  Chicago,  the  old  frame  building  became  entirely  inadequate  and 
a  l)uilding  project  was  launched  which  resulted  in  the  erection  of  the 
present  splendid  brick  edifice  upon  the  site  of  the  old  frame  church. 
The  cornerstone  of  the  present  building  was  laid  in  1910,  and  in  June, 


First  rix-sl.yttTian  Church  1  ii 

A  GROUP  OF  HASTINGS  CIirRCIEF! 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      257 

1911  it  was  dedicated  by  Chancellor  William  Oeschger  of  Cotner 
Universit}'.  The  cost  of  the  chui'ch  was  $30,000.  The  church  now 
has  a  membership  of  596  and  a  Bible  school  enrollment  of  475. 

J.  E.  Holly  was  called  to  the  postorate  in  December,  1913,  but 
on  account  of  ill  health  was  forced  to  resign  the  following  spring. 
The  jjresent  jjastor,  Clarence  E.  Lemmon,  has  been  in  charge  since 
September,  1914. 

The  present  elders  of  the  church  are  M.  M.  Haynes,  A.  B.  Craw- 
ford, R.  T.  Eller  and  Lee  H.  Haggard.  The  trustees  are  M.  JNI. 
Haynes,  J.  W.  Turpit  and  F.  N.  Addleman.  The  deaconesses  are 
Edith  Hart,  Rhoda  Scott  and  jNIargaret  Caton.  Ira  Scott  is  chair- 
man of  the  following  board  of  deacons :  L.  W.  Belknap,  E.  J.  Spieth, 
Elmer  Corbin,  E.  H.  Lange,  Sam  Stewart,  J.  W.  Turpit,  F.  N. 
Goudy,  C.  E.  Chadwick,  L.  P.  Mills,  Charles  Dyer,  Frank  Long, 
G.  L.  Straight,  R.  C.  Carter,  F.  O.  Steward,  Charles  Smiley  and 
C.  L.  Egbert. 

GRACE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH 

The  Grace  United  Evangelical  Church  is  located  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  Denver  Avenue  and  Sixth  Street.  It  is  a  neat  frame 
building,  that  in  its  architectural  i)lan  does  not  follow  the  strictly 
modern  type,  but  has  tjie  pleasing  outlines  of  the  spiral  church  of 
an  earlier  style. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1894.  It  had  at  that  time  a  mem- 
bership of  about  twenty.  It  enjoyed  a  satisfactory  growth  and  by 
1906  the  membership  had  increased  to  120.  The  first  house  of  wor- 
ship was  a  small  frame  edifice  moved  in  from  the  country,  and  valued 
at  not  to  exceed  $200.  This  building  was  located  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  Kansas  Avenue  and  Seventh  Street.  The  congregation 
continued  to  worship  in  this  church  vmtil  1904,  when  the  present 
chinch  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $9,500.  It  was  dedicated  in  the  same 
year. 

^\  loss  of  membersliip  to  the  number  of  about  forty  Avas  sustained 
by  this  church  in  1911,  when  there  was  a  withdrawal  folloAving  a 
revival  in  which  the  doctrine  of  holiness  was  emphasized.  It  was  from 
the  members  who  withdrew  that  the  Pentecostal  Church  of  the 
Nazarene  Avas  organized. 

While  this  reverse  imposed  unlooked  for  hardships  upon  the  con- 
gregation, it  has  survived  and  services  have  been  held  continuously  in 
the  chin-ch.  The  first  pastor.  Rev.  T.  W.  Serf,  in  whose  pastorate 
the  chiu'ch  was  organized,  remained  with  his  congregation  through 


258       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

the  trying  times  attending  the  drought,  removing  to  Aurora  shortly 
before  the  erection  of  the  building.  He  is  still  located  in  Aurora. 
The  i^resent  membership  is  seventy-five. 

The  following  pastors  have  served  this  congregation:  Rev.  E.  S. 
Smith,  1903-04;  Rev.  A.  Lemkau,  1904-06;  Rev.  T.  ]M.  Evans, 
1907-08;  W.  C.  Brewer,  1908-10;  Rev.  Q.  A.  Deck,  1910-11;  Rev. 
Arthur  P.  Layton,  1911-14;  Rev.  S.  B.  Dillow,  the  present  pastor, 
since  1914. 

UNITED   BRETHREN    CHURCH 

The  United  Brethren  Church  in  Hastings  was  organized  during 
IMarch,  1892,  with  a  class  of  thirty-five  members,  by  the  Rev.  ^^''illiam 
Thompson,  who  had  come  to  Hastings  in  December,  1891.  At  that 
time  there  were  only  a  few  United  Brethren  families,  among  whom 
were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Austin,  ]\Ir.  and  JNIrs.  J.  S.  Winey,  INIrs.  Anna 
Garver,  IMrs.  J.  H.  CofFman  and  some  others.  The  organization  of 
the  church  followed  a  revival  meeting  conducted  by  tlie  Re^'.  JNlr. 
Thompson.  The  first  building  used  by  the  denomination  was  a  small 
building  wliich  they  rented  at  the  corner  of  Second  Street  and  INIinne- 
sota  Avenue.  The  cliiu'cli  rented  was  the  property  of  the  "Come- 
Outers,"  a  denomination  who  carried  on  services  for  about  two  years, 
but  finally  disbanded.  The  church  was  originally  moved  upon  the 
location  at  the  coi-ner  of  Second  Street  and  JNIinnesota  Avenue. 
Before  the  close  of  1892  the  United  Brethren  bought  this  church 
propert_y  for  $200.  In  1894  this  property  was  sold  by  the  church,  and 
Germania  Hall,  at  the  corner  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  Third  Street, 
was  purchased  for  $1,000.  October  1.5,  1908,  the  property  on  St. 
Joseph  Avenue  was  sold  for  $3,000  to  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  and 
the  United  Brethren  purchased  the  site  for  the  present  building  upon 
the  southeast  corner  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  Sixth  Street  for 
$1,.5.50.  The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  present  church,  a  hand- 
some brick  structure  with  a  seating  capacity  of  300,  was  let  to  C.  E. 
Coblentz  of  Hastings,  November  19,  1908.  upon  liis  bid  of  $7,875. 
This  bid  did  not  include  the  heating  plant,  windows  or  furnishings. 
The  plans  were  drawn  by  INI.  X.  Bair  of  Hastings,  and  tlie  brick  work 
was  done  ])y  Lou  Ellis.  The  church  was  dedicated  July  25,  1909, 
by  Bishop  W.  M.  Weekly.  The  building  committee  was:  The  pas- 
tor. Rev.  L.  O.  Sanderson,  W.  F.  Dunbar  and  J.  S.  Winey.  The 
trustees  were  W.  F.  Dunbar,  X.  W.  Coleman,  J.  V.  Hess,  J.  S. 
Winey,  C.  E.  Smith,  V.  A.  Palm,  Ira  Hickman.  The  following 
ministers  have  served  the  church:    W.  H.  Thompson,  1892  to  1896; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       259 

A.  Boyd,  1896  to  1898;  A.  Gile,  1898  to  1899;  W.  O.  Harper,  1899 
to  1902;  S.  Hobson,  1902  to  1903;  S.  M.  Zike,  1903  to  1906;  E.  F. 
Wriggle,  1906  to  1907;  L.  W.  Nine,  1907  to  1908;  L.  O.  Sanderson, 
1908  to  1910;  S.  E.  Kasey,  1910  to  1911;  J.  F.  Mower,  1911  to  1912; 
J.  E.  Edwards,  1912  to  1914;  I.  A.  Chivington,  November,  1914, 
to  February  1,  191o;  C.  M.  Fuller,  February  1,  1915,  to  September, 
191.3;  J.  J.  Ramsey  served  about  six  Aveeks,  and  tlie  present  pastor, 
O.  S.  Long,  assumed  tbe  pastorate  in  JNIarch,  1916. 

The  official  name  of  the  church  in  Hastings  is  "West  Nebraska 
Memorial  United  Brethren  Chiu-ch." 

In  1892,  at  about  the  time  that  he  organized  the  church  in  Hast- 
ings, tlie  Rev.  INIr.  Thompson  conducted  a  series  of  revival  meetings 
in  a  sclioolhouse  three  miles  south  of  Hastings,  and  as  a  result  of  these 
meetings  the  Bethel  class  was  formed,  with  a  membership  of  fifty. 
In  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  S.  ]M.  Zike  a  frame  church  was  erected 
at  Bethel  at  a  cost  of  $2,044.  Bethel  Church  now  has  a  membership 
of  about  thirty,  and  "West  Nebraska  jNIemorial,"  at  Hastings,  eighty- 
five.  Before  the  erection  of  their  chiu'ch,  the  class  at  Bethel  worshiped 
in  the  Wallace  schoolhouse,  in  District  No.  60. 

Tlie  present  officers  of  the  church  at  Hastings  are :  Trustees,  li. 
W.  Smith.  C.  E.  Smith,  C.  M.  Fuller,  Ira  Hickman,  Earl  Hickman, 
Mavy  Thompson  and  Ada  Garver. 

The  trustees  at  Bethel  are:  Julius  AVallace,  Pearl  Daugherty  and 
Ed  Foster. 

CHURCH   Ol'  THE  NAZARENE 

The  Pentecostal  Chui'ch  of  the  Nazarene  was  organized  in  Hast- 
ings March  14,  1911.  The  first  members,  for  the  most  part,  withdrew 
in  that  year  from  the  United  Evangelical  Church  following  a  revival 
meeting  held  in  that  church  Avhich  laid  particular  emphasis  on  sancti- 
fication,  Avhicli  is  a  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Pentecostal  Church. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  home  of  Thomas  Varah.  The 
fii'st  organization  was  a  missionary  one,  but  on  the  23d  of  jNIay  of 
the  same  year,  encouraged  by  the  growth  in  numbers,  a  church  organ- 
ization was  formed.  JNIeetings  were  held  thereafter  in  the  hall  occu- 
jDied'by  the  Salvation  Army  until  the  conflict  in  the  times  of  services 
of  the  two  organizations  determined  the  new  congregation  to  erect 
their  own  church  home.  Dm'ing  1912  the  present  church  building  was 
erected  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Lexington  Avenue  and  Fifth 
Street,  at  a  cost  of  $4,100.  A  parsonage  was  also  erected  adjacent 
to  the  churcli  u])on  the  east. 


260       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  church  was  organized  bj'  the  Rev.  Q.  A.  Deck,  who  before 
the  formation  of  this  church  was  the  pastor  of  the  United  Evangelical 
Church  in  Hastings.  The  pastors  who  have  served  this  church  have 
been  the  following:  Rev.  Q.  A.  Deck,  1911-13;  Edward  Silverbrand, 
completed  1913;  J.  E.  Wigfield,  came  in  1914  and  is  still  the  i^astor. 
The  first  trustees  were  Thomas  Varah,  H.  X.  jNlartin,  Frank  Frink, 
John  Lans,  Jack  Reynolds  and  O.  N.  Kemiedy. 

AMien  the  cliurch  was  organized  the  membership  was  twentj'- 
seven.  The  jjresent  membershii)  is  sixty,  and  the  seating  cajjacity  of 
the  building  is  300. 

SEVENTH  DAY  ADVENTISTS 

The  Seventh  Day  Adventists  of  Nebraska  have  had  their  state 
lieadquarters  at  Hastings  since  1907-  For  many  years  previous  to 
that  date  the  headquarters  had  been  maintained  at  Lincoln,  the  change 
to  Hastings  being  made  in  order  to  locate  headquarters  more  cen- 
trally, and  the  excellent  railroad  facilities  was  a  factor  in  making 
the  selection.  Elder  Robinson  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 
making  this  change. 

The  denomination  purchased  nine  100-foot  lots  in  1907  in  the 
northeast  quarter  of  Hastings  and  at  once  began  to  erect  buildings. 
In  the  fall  of  1907-08  the  Nebraska  Sanitarium,  the  church  building, 
conference  office  and  Bible  supply  house  were  ready  for  occupancy. 
Subsequently  intermediate  school  dormitories  were  erected,  and  in 
191.3  an  annex  to  the  sanitarium  was  built.  The  sanitarium  is  con- 
nected Avith  a  similar  institution  conducted  by  the  denomination  at 
College  View,  near  Lincoln.  The  building  is  of  brick  and  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $30,000.  INIuch  surgery  is  done  at  the  sanitarium,  which 
also  emphasizes  hydriatic  treatment.  The  sanitarium  is  properly  one 
of  the  church  activities. 

A  colony  of  Seventh  Day  Adventists  followed  the  headquarters 
to  Hastings,  and  at  the  present  time  there  are  about  forty  families 
who  live  in  the  vicinity  of  the  denomination's  property.  A  school 
is  maintained  independent  of  the  Hastings  public  schools.  Classes 
are  conducted  in  the  church,  and  the  enrollment  in  the  school  this 
year  is  .50. 

ST.  :MARK's  EPISCOrAL  CHUKCH 

St.  ^Mark's  Episcopal  Church  was  established  in  Hastings  on  ]May 
3,  1880,  and  the  first  service  was  conducted  on  April  18t]i  of  that  year 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       261 

in  a  public  liall.  Among  the  principal  members  concerned  in  the 
movement  of  establishing  this  church  were  Charles  Cameron,  L.  H. 
Tower,  I.  M.  Norton,  Oswald  Oliver,  J.  C.  Ideson,  F.  J.  Benedict, 
A.  R.  Ideson,  H.  ]M.  Ohver.  A  church  edifice,  28  by  60,  was  erected 
in  1881,  iqjon  the  southeast  corner  of  Burlington  Avenue  and  Fifth 
Street,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The  church  was  dedicated  March  26,  1881, 
by  Rishop  Clarkson  of  Omaha.  The  parish  house  was  added  during 
the  rectorshi^J  of  Rev.  Edward  D.  Irvine,  and  tlie  rectory  was  bought 
in  1909. 

The  bishop  of  the  diocese  changed  his  residence  from  Kearney 
to  Hastings  in  1913,  and  since  that  time  Hastings  is  the  "See  City," 
the  bishop  being  in  residence,  and  is  the  center  of  the  Hastings  Dean- 
ery, that  portion  of  the  Diocese  of  Western  Nebraska  lying  south  of 
the  Platte  River,  and  over  which  the  rector  is  the  dean.  The  Rt.  Rev. 
George  Allen  Reecher  lives  in  the  Episcopal  residence  located  at 
920  North  St.  Joseph  Avenue.  Tlie  rectory  is  located  at  820  West 
Fifth  Street.  The  first  rector  was  the  Rev.  John  W.  Greenwood, 
who  divided  his  time  between  Hastings  and  Grand  Island.  The  suc- 
ceeding i-ectors  were:  Rev.  Henry  C.  Sliaw,  1883;  J.  W.  Gillman, 
1886  to  1890;  William  Lucas,  1891  to  1895;  Edward  D.  Irvine,  189.5 
to  1897;  John  Power,  1898  to  1904-;  Lee  H.  Young,  1904.  to  1916. 
In  1882  the  membership  was  about  seventy-two.  The  communicant 
list  at  the  present  time  contains  114  names.  Rev.  J.  S.  Rudlong 
became  the  rector  in  the  summer  of  1916. 

riRST    CHURCH    OF    CHRIST,    SCIENTIST 

Interest  in  Christian  Science  became  active  in  Hastings  in  1893. 
The  first  services  were  held  in  various  residences  and  later  in  the 
rooms  of  the  public  library.  A  Christian  Science  Society  was  formed 
in  1898  and  a  room  rented  and  furnished  in  which  services  were  held. 
This  society  grew  and  in  1900  a  church  was  formed.  The  church  was 
incorporated  in  jNIay  of  that  year,  the  signers  of  the  articles  being 
Frank  C.  Woolley,  Florence  I.  Woolley,  ]Mrs.  Nellie  I.  Zinn.  Rertie 
M.  Parmenter,  ]Mrs.  Emma  Parmenter,  J.  R.  ^McLaughlin,  ]Mrs. 
Marie  IMiller,  JNIrs.  Amelia  Scanlan,  INIrs.  ]\Iary  Adalin  Rruce, 
Mrs.  Susan  M.  Oliphant.  Francis  A.  Smith.  William  INIaurice  Rruce, 
Eva  Clara  Heartwell,  Russell  S.  Rruce,  INIrs.  Fred  Renner,  JNIrs. 
Rosa  INIcLaughlin  and  INIrs.  Angie  H.  Raney.  After  the  formation 
of  the  church  a  children's  Sunday  school,  was  formed  and  regular 
Sunday  services  and  Wednesday  evening  testimonial  services  were 
held. 


262       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ^VDAMS  COUNTY 

A  few  years  ago,  anticij^ating  their  future  growth,  the  church 
purchased  two  building  lots  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Lincoln  Ave- 
nue and  Fifth  Street,  which  they  now  hold  for  the  time  when  they 
shall  decide  to  erect  a  church  building.  For  several  years  services 
have  been  held  in  the  Carnegie  library,  where  they  maintain  a  free 
reading  room  and  loan  library  which  are  ojien  to  the  public  every 
afternoon.  The  ])resent  officers  are  R.  A.  Blake  president,  M.  H. 
Baker,  clerk,  Arthur  JMuchow  treasurer,  Mrs.  Nellie  I.  Zinn  and 
Mrs.  Georgiana  Brownell  directors.  The  five  named  constitute  the 
lioard  of  trustees. 

CATHOLIC  CHURCHES 

Tliere  are  four  Catholic  churches  in  Adams  County.  One,  St. 
Cecelia's  Catholic  Church,  is  located  at  Hastings;  St.  Patrick's  stands 
on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  5  in  Highland  Township,  and  the 
Church  of  the  Assumj^tion  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  is  located  on  the 
southwest  quarter  of  section  4  in  Roseland  Township,  and  the  Sacred 
Heart  Catholic  Church  is  in  Kenesaw.  St.  Cecelia's  and  Assumption 
are  mucli  older  parishes  than  St.  Patrick's,  and  tlie  Sacred  Heart 
Churcli  is  the  youngest  of  the  four. 

In  ]March,  1878,  Rt.  Rev.  John  O'Coimor,  bishop  of  Omaha, 
made  Hastings  the  residence  of  a  priest  and  Rev.  G.  Glauber  was 
appointed  rector-  of  Hastings  and  the  sin-rounding  country.  There 
were,  however,  a  mimber  of  Catholics  resident  in  Hastings  and  in  the 
German  settlement  near  Assumption,  at  that  time  called  Roseland. 
TJntil  1878,  the  nearest  priest  resided  at  Crete.  Before  churches  were 
organized.  Rev.  Lechleitner  and  Rev.  B.  Kuppenbender  of  Liberty 
Creek,  Nuckolls  County,  Ansited  the  settlers  several  times  and  cele- 
brated mass  and  administered  the  sacraments.  The  first  records  of 
the  missions  in  tliis  part  of  the  state  form  a  part  of  the  parish  records 
of  Crete. 

In  the  years  between  1872  and  the  comijletion  of  the  first  Cath- 
olic chiu-ch  in  Hastings,  in  the  spring  of  1879,  services  were  held  in 
tlie  residence  of  Thomas  E.  Farrell.  Among  the  first  Catholic  fam- 
ilies to  settle  in  and  aroimd  Hastings  were  those  of  Thomas  Farrell, 
John  ^Nlalone,  Peter  Horrigan,  George  Brannon,  Thomas  ^Nlonahan. 
P.  Z.  Gauvreau,  Michael  M.  INIcKenna,  B.  J.  Kernan,  Thohias  Ker- 
nan.  Tliomas  Keimedy.  Dol])hus  INIitchell,  Ezra  Langevin,  E.  Paris, 
and  a  number  of  Frencli  Catliolics  who  settled  here  in  1873. 

The  building  of  the  first  Catholic  chiu'ch  in  Hastings  was  begim 
in  October  1878,  and  completed  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year. 


Ill  l;i  II    111-    llli:    ASSIMI'TIOX.   KdSKLAXn 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       263 

It  stood  on  Second  Street,  at  about  the  location  of  the  present  gas 
plant.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  the  main  part  32  feet  by  50  feet,  and 
with  an  extension  in  the  rear  12  feet  by  18  feet.  This  church  was 
moved  to  the  location  of  the  present  church,  on  the  corner  of  Kansas 
Avenue  and  Seventh  Street,  early  in  the  postorate  of  Reverend  Eng- 
lish. It  was  enlarged  at  that  time  to  a  seating  capacity  of  500,  and 
ser\ed  as  a  house  of  worship  until  its  removal  to  Colorado  Avenue 
to  make  room  for  the  present  structure.  It  is  now  used  as  a  parochial 
school  building.  The  present  house  for  the  jjriest  was  acquired,  with 
the  six  lots  which  now  form  the  church  property,  at  the  time  the  church 
was  moved. 

The  ]n-esent  church  is  among  the  beautiful  churches  of  Nebraska. 
It  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $70,000,  including  the  price  of  the  organ. 
It  occupies  a  space  148  feet  by  72  feet.  The  nave  is  95  by  58  feet 
and  the  transept  in  front  of  the  sanctuary  is  74  by  30  feet.  The 
apex  of  the  ceiling  is  42  feet.  The  sanctuary  is  30  feet  by  30  feet  in 
front  of  the  main  altar  and  11  by  12  feet  in  front  of  the  side  altars. 
The  apex  of  the  roof  is  65  feet  from  the  grade,  the  corner  tower 
95  feet  and  the  smaller  tower  75  feet. 

The  church  has  a  framework  of  steel  and  the  exterior  facing  is 
brown  Persian  tapestry  brick,  the  first  to  be  used  in  Adams  County. 
All  windows  and  lower  traceries  are  of  American  art  stone.  The 
roof  is  red  tile.  The  design  is  Gothic  throughout.  The  feature  that 
distinguishes  it  from  most  buildings  of  its  type  is  the  absence  of 
obstructing  columns  between  the  nave  and  the  side  aisles.  From  the 
vaulted  ceiling  at  the  places  where  columns  ordinarily  are  used,  hang 
pendants  which  form  a  part  of  the  indirect  lighting  system. 

The  church  was  dedicated  December  22,  1912.  The  dedication 
mass  was  said  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  J.  Henry  Tihen,  bishop  of  Lincoln; 
the  sermon  was  by  His  Grace,  J.  J.  Keane,  archbishop  of  Dubuque. 
Tlie  singers  were:  Sopranos,  INIay  Brennen,  Alice  Goodwin,  Stella 
Kernan,  Philomena  Stevens;  altos,  Kathryn  Farrell.  Alice  Fisher, 
Aimee  Kealy,  Gertrude  Kealy,  Agnes  Uerling;  tenors,  Frank  Cant- 
well.  Howard  Helms,  Frank  Hoffman.  Joseph  Kealy,  Leo  Hissen- 
baugh:  basses,  Frank  Kealy,  Charles  Kroutwick,  A.  Siren  and 
Director  Father  Patrick,  O.  S.  B.     Organist.  Dorsey  D.  Baird. 

Plans  and  specifications  were  made  by  Architect  C.  W.  Way. 
and  the  contractor  was  John  Hemple.  Rev.  William  INIcDonald, 
John  V.  Helmann  and  John  D.  iMcKenna  were  the  building  com- 
mittee.   jNIr.  Helmann  was  overseer  of  the  work. 

The  priests  that  have  served  the  church  began  their  work  upon 
tlie  following  dates:     Rev.  George  Glauber,  ^Nlarch  25.  1878;  Rev. 


264       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

James  Simeon,  August,  1881,  remaining  until  July  2,  1888.  Father 
English  succeeded  Rev.  Simeon  and  remained  until  the  appointment 
of  Rev.  William  ^McDonald,  September  1,  1894.  With  the  appoint- 
ment of  Father  English,  the  Hastings  priest  was  designated  as  the 
dean  of  the  Hastings  Deanery.  The  deanery  embraces  that  part  of 
the  Diocese  of  Lincoln  lying  M'est  of  Hastings,  as  far  as  the  Colorado 
line.  There  are  about  fifteen  priests  in  the  deanery.  Hastings  is 
in  the  Diocese  of  Lincoln  and  the  Province  of  Dubuque.  The  Hast- 
ings church  has  about  one  thousand  communicants. 

ASSUMPTION 

About  1873  several  Catholic  families  of  German  descent  settled 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  Adams  County.  Among  these  were  John 
Baech,  Theodore  ShifFerence,  JNl.  Widert,  Thomas  Trausch,  John 
Gerten  and  John  Scholl.  A  little  later  came  John  Lorang.  P.  Schnei- 
der, John  Gussenberger,  X^.  Goedert,  JNL  Diedrech  and  others.  When 
Rev.  George  Glauber  became  the  resident  priest  of  Hastings,  iNIarch 
2.5,  1878,  he  soon  afterward  made  arrangements  for  holding  a 
monthly  service  in  a  schoolhouse  in  the  settlement. 

The  building  of  a  church  for  the  mission  was  in  contemplation 
for  a  number  of  years,  but  the  settlers  were  unable  to  agree  among 
themselves  as  to  the  location.  At  length,  upon  the  advice  of  the 
bishop,  five  acres  were  purchased  at  the  present  location  for  $2.5.  A 
building  committee  composed  of  ]M.  Beiringer,  John  Scholl,  Theo- 
dore Weber  and  X^ick  Lorentz  solicited  funds  and  a  little  church, 
24  by  36  feet,  was  erected.  Shortly  afterward  an  addition,  10  by  20 
feet,  was  built  for  sanctuary  and  sacristy.  In  1889  the  church  was 
again  enlarged.  The  church  was  named  the  Church  of  the  Assump- 
tion of  the  Blessed  Virgin  JMary,  the  fourth  Siniday  in  October,  1883. 

The  services  were  administered  l)y  the  priests  from  the  Hastings 
parish  until  April  27,  1888,  when  Rev.  F.  Schraffle  was  made  resident 
rector,  continuing  until  August  1,  1888,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  X^.  Stoltz.  The  successor  of  Reverend  Stoltz  was  Reverend 
Petrasch,  who  came  in  December,  1889,  and  remained  until  ]May, 
1891.  Rev.  A.  C.  Rausch  followed  Reverend  Petrasch.  l)ut  remained 
only  a  few  months  before  being  succeeded  by  Rev.  B.  Sproll.  The 
next  rector  was  the  Rev.  B.  Kuppenbender,  who  assumed  charge  in 
April,  1892.  It  was  in  this  rectorship  that  the  parochial  school  was 
erected.  For  several  months  following  Reverend  Kuppenbender's 
rectorship  the  parish  was  attended  by  Rev.  J.  J.  I^oughran  of  ]Minden, 
until  July,  1900,  when  Rev.  E.  Boll  was  appointed  rector. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       265 

<• 

Reverend  Boll  was  the  rector  for  many  years  being  succeeded  in 
1913  by  Rev.  Anthony  Lutz,  ^\ho  was  succeeded  in  the  summer 
of  1916  by  the  present  priest,  Rev.  Joseph  Fleckinger. 

The  cornerstone  of  the  present  church  M-as  laid  by  the  Rt.  Rev. 
Thomas  Bonaciim,  bishoj)  of  Lincoln,  and  dedicated  bj'  him  October 
28,  1903.  The  edifice  is  of  brick,  the  extreme  length  being  II7I/2 
feet  and  the  width  48  feet.  The  tower  is  100  feet  high.  The  cost  of 
the  building  is  $1.5,000.  The  plans  were  drawn  by  James  Craddock 
of  Lincoln,  and  the  contract  for  building  was  let  to  Fred  Butzirus 
and  John  Saucerman  of  Hastings.  The  building  committee  was: 
Nick  Streff.  IMatt  Scholl.  Christ  Loskill,  Peter  Bohr,  Gust  Bourg 
and  3Iath  Plein.  The  general  merchandise  store  of  Matt  Scholl 
opposite  the  church  was  erected  by  him  in  the  fall  of  1899.  Assump- 
tion has  now  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  communicants. 

ST.  Patrick's  catholic  church 

The  Catholic  Church  in  Highland  Township,  St.  Patrick's,  is  an 
outgrowth  of  the  Hastings  parish  and  Avas  for  a  time  attended  by 
jiriests  from  Hastings.  The  church  was  organized  in  1890  and  a 
house  of  worship  was  erected  in  that  year.  The  building,  enlarged 
several  times,  is  still  in  use.  The  church  and  furnishings  cost  about 
$3,000.  The  building  committee  was:  Tom  Winne,  Bart  Kernan, 
Thomas  Kennedy  and  ^Michael  ]McKenna.  At  the  time  of  organiza- 
tion there  were  about  seventy-five  communicants ;  at  present  there  are 
about  three,  hundred.  The  resident  priests  have  been  the  following: 
Reverends  Carriher,  Fitzgerald,  Dumphy,  Gilroy,  Luhno,  Higgins 
and  the  present  rector,  Reverend  Bernard. 

SACRED  HEART  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 

This  church  was  organized  in  1909  with  about  thirty-five  charter 
members.  A  house  of  worship  was  erected  that  year  at  a  cost  of  about 
four  hundred  dollars.  Among  the  charter  members  were  John  ]Mar- 
tin,  James  Robinson,  INIrs.  John  Ramsey.  G.  R.  Gale,  John  Cain, 
Mr.  and  INIrs.  N.  Schunk,  Peter  ^Martin.  Thomas  Cain,  INIrs.  ]Mary 
Davis  and  Timothy  Quinn.  The  building  committee  of  the  church 
was  the  Reverend  ]Mr.  Cronin,  John  Cain  and  John  INIartin.  Fol- 
lowing Reverend  Cronin  the  church  has  been  in  the  charge  of  Rev- 
erends Luhnot,  O'Brien,  Hunt,  Gilroy  and  the  present  pastor.  Rev. 
R.  J.  Dowd  of  Minden.  The  church  is  operated  as  a  mission,  there 
being  no  priest  in  residence.     Reverend  Gilrov  attended  the  church 


266       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

about  five  years  from  Heartvvell  and  Reverend  Dowd  is  from  INIin- 
den. 

Gerjian  Churches 

first  german  congregational  church 

This  church  was  organized  on  ]\Iarch  15,  1890,  by  a  council  of 
Congregational  churches  called  for  that  purpose.  The  church  is 
located  at  the  corner  of  New  York  Avenue  and  B  Street.  The  church 
property  is  valued  at  $12,000,  including  a  parsonage  located  at  324 
South  Baltimore  Avenue.  The  first  church  building  Avas  erected  in 
the  year  the  church  was  organized.  In  1904  this  building  was  enlarged 
and  in  1909  the  enlarged  church  was  torn  doA\n  and  the  present 
church  building  erected,  which  seats  about  750  people.  The  first 
pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  John  Lich.  After  him  the  following 
ministers  served  tlie  church :  Treiber,  Grob.  Quarder,  Gelletz,  Wur- 
schmidt,  Thiel,  SuflPa  and  Anient.  Since  October  1,  1914,  Rev.  John 
D.  Crrosz  has  been  pastor  of  tlie  church.  The  congregation  now  has 
350  members.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  children  belong  to  the  Sunday 
school.     The  Christian  Endeavor  Society  consists  of  fifty  members. 

SECOND  GERMAN  CONGREGATIONAL 

The  Second  German  Congregational  Churcli  was  organized  by 
the  Rev.  A.  SufFa.  then  pastor  of  the  First  German  Congregational 
Church,  in  1908.  During  the  summer  of  that  year  a  house  of  worship 
was  erected  under  the  leadership  of  ]Mr.  J.  H.  Eckhardt,  a  theological 
student  of  the  Chicago  Seminary.  Mr.  Eckhardt  served  as  pastor 
dui'ing  that  summer.  Rev.  Ernst  Grams  was  really  the  first  pastor 
of  the  church  and  served  from  October,  1908,  to  October,  1909.  He 
was  followed  by  Rev.  August  Wiska,  who  served  as  pastor  for  two 
years.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Herman  Eiserer,  whose  pastorate 
continued  for  three  years.  Dining  this  pastorate  a  beautiful  parson- 
age was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The  church  propertj^  is  now 
valued  at  $0,000,  and  the  membership  is  about  one  hundred ;  the  mem- 
bersliip  of  the  Sunday-school  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty.  The 
]iresent  pastor,  Rev.  Peter  J.  Thiel,  was  called  to  the  Hastings  charge 
May  1,  1915. 

ZION    EVANGELICAL   LUTHERAN 

This  church  is  located  in  Hastings  on  South  Denver  Avenue  and 
B  Street.     In  1900  a  number  of  men  who  had  been  connected  with 


lAPTlST  (  HlRt  H.  KEXESAW 


;(  H.  KKXKSAW 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      267 

tile  Lutheran  congregation  then  already  existing  in  the  city  separated 
from  that  body  and  together  with  a  few  others  who  had  as  yet  found 
no  cliurch  home  effected  a  preliminary  organization  and  called  the 
Rev.  H.  W.  ]Meyer,  then  of  Prosser,  to  supply  them  with  regular 
service.  Shortly  afterwards  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Schmidt,  who  had 
recently  been  graduated  from  the  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary  at 
St.  I^ouis,  was  assigned  to  the  charge,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  about 
a  formal  organization  September  4,  1900. 

In  the  following  year  the  congregation  bought  the  house  of  wor- 
ship which  had  been  formerly  used  by  the  German  Baptists  and  stood 
on  South  ^Minnesota  Avenue  and  B  Street.  As  soon  as  possible  the 
l^iesent  more  favorable  location  was  purchased  and  the  church  build- 
ing moved  upon  it.  In  1903  the  Rev.  ]Mr.  Schmidt  resigned  because 
of  ill  health  and  was  followed  by  the  Rev.  L.  W.  Plehu,  who  contin- 
ued as  pastor  for  nearly  three  years.  In  1907  the  Rev.  K.  Kretzsch- 
mar  was  called  and  is  still  the  pastor  in  1916. 

It  was  in  1913  that  the  splendid  brick  edifice  which  is  now  the 
church  home  of  the  congregation  was  built.  It  was  dedicated  October 
2(5tli  of  that  year.  The  membership  in  1915  was  upward  of  two  hun- 
dred. This  church  maintains  a  parish  school,  the  spiritual  training- 
quarters  of  the  children.  Besides  the  usual  school  studies  courses  are 
given  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Lutheran  Church  and  in  German.  Tiie 
children  become  members  of  the  congregation  through  confirmation. 
For  several  years  the  school  was  in  the  charge  of  the  pastor;  since  1909, 
however,  a  special  teacher  has  been  employed.  In  1915  the  enrollment 
of  the  school  was  forty  pupils  and  it  is  situated  in  a  well  located 
property  on  St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  D  Street. 

The  congregation  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Synod  of  j\Iis- 
soui-i.  It  stands  for  the  jH'inciple  of  salvation  by  grace  through  faith 
in  the  vicarious  suffering  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ;  of  church  union 
only  on  the  basis  of  a  mutual  agreement  in  the  essentials  of  Christian- 
ity: of  complete  and  unequivocal  separation  of  church  and  state,  and 
of  the  admission  of  new  members  into  fellowship  not  by  sudden  reso- 
lution, but  thorough  instruction. 

GERMAN    PRESBYTERIAN 

The  German  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hastings  was  organized 
INIay  8,  1887,  under  the  leadership  of  the  Rev.  I.  Grissman  and  A.  C. 
Stark.  The  Rev.  INIr.  Stark  was  the  pastor  until  ^Nlarch,  1895.  In 
April  of  that  year  the  Rev.  J.  Schaedel  assumed  the  ]>astorate  which 
he  retained  until  1900.    The  Rev.  A.  C.  Kruse  followed  IMr.  Schaedel, 


268       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

and  continued  in  charge  until  1906,  when  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Rosenau 
was  called.  JNIr.  Rosenau  continued  the  pastorate  until  1913.  Fol- 
lowing his  resignation  in  that  year  the  pulpit  was  supplied  hy  Christ 
Walter,  a  student  of  Duhuque  College,  for  four  months.  In  Decem- 
ber, 191-1,  the  Rev.  C.  A.  ]Maerz,  of  Iowa,  accepted  the  call,  and  is  the 
pastor  in  1916. 

This  chuix'h  was  organized  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Christian 
Paulick,  Jacob  Gease,  George  Bauer  and  jNIr.  Frocheuser.  For  tlie 
first  few  months  services  were  held  in  the  First  Ward  School  Build- 
ing. In  1888  a  site  was  purcliased  at  South  Lincoln  Avenue  and  B 
Street,  and  a  church  building  was  purchased  from  the  German  Evan- 
gelical Association  and  moved  upon  the  site.  This  building  was 
formerly  the  INIethodist  Ej^iscopal  Church  building  and  stood  at  the 
corner  of  Second  Street  and  Kansas  Avenue.  In  1903  the  congi'e- 
gation  purchased  a  half  block  at  the  present  site  at  the  corner  of 
St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  B  Street  and  moved  their  churcli,  which  still 
stands  in  191.5.  In  the  same  year  they  erected  the  parsonage  which 
stands  beside  the  church.  The  church  plant  is  estimated  at  $4,000. 
The  church  has  a  membership  of  about  fifty,  and  dedicated  a  new 
church  November  26,  1916.  At  the  time  of  organization  the  mem- 
bership was  about  twenty,  and  reached  1.50  before  the  establishment 
of  other  German  congregations  caused  some  to  withdraw.  The  Ger- 
man Presbyterian  Church  is  a  pavt  of  the  general  organization  of  the 
English  Presl)vterian  body.  The  new  frame  building  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $3,.500.  The  dimensions  of  the  main  building  are  30  feet  by 
40  feet  with  a  wing  addition  14  feet  by  16  feet  and  a  steeple  10  feet 
by  10  feet. 

ST.    PAUl/s   GEiniAN    I.UTHERAX    CHL^RCH 

The  St.  Paul's  German  Lutheran  Clmrch.  of  South  Hastings, 
was  oi-ganized  in  1904  as  the  result  of  the  missionary  work  of  the 
Rev.  Henry  Sielanan.  It  began  with  a  membership  of  fourteen  fam- 
ilies. The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a  private  dwelling  house  rented 
for  church  purposes.  In  the  same  year  that  it  was  organized  the 
congregation  erected  a  church  building  at  a  cost  of  $1,200.  Four 
years  later  a  new  churcli  home  was  built,  church  and  parsonage  costing 
$.5,000.  In  191.5  the  church  is  in  a  thrifty  condition  and  has  a  mem- 
bership of  fifty-one  families.  The  pastors  of  this  church  have  been 
as  follows:  From  1904  to  October,  1907,  Rev.  Henry  Siekman:  from 
October,  1907.  to  April,  1911,  Rev.  F.  Eichorn;  from  June,  1911,  to 
April,  1913.  Rev.  H.  Techaus;  from  April,  1913,  to  April.  191.5, 
Rev,  F.  Wiegmann.     Following  tlie  resignation  of  the  Rev.   INIr. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      269 

Wiegniann  in  1915,  the  Rev.  E.  Wendt  accepted  the  call  and  is  now 
the  pastor. 

GERMAN   EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION 

Emanuel  Church  was  organized  in  April,  1879.  Among  the 
members  at  that  time  were  jNIr.  and  INIrs.  Jacob  Weingart,  ]Mr.  and 
]Mrs.  John  Weingart  and  j\Ir.  and  INIrs.  George  Marks.  The  entire 
membership  at  the  time  of  organization  was  eighteen.  The  church 
belongs  to  the  Hastings  Mission  of  the  Nebraska  Conference. 

At  first  services  were  conducted  in  the  ]\Iethodist  Episcopal 
Church  which  stood  at  the  corner  of  Second  Street  and  Kansas  Ave- 
nue. In  1880  tliis  building  was  bought  from  the  JMethodists.  In 
1888  it  was  sold  to  the  German  Presbyterians  and  a  new  church  and 
parsonage  were  erected  on  Fifth  Street  and  Saunders  Avenue,  where 
the  congregation  worshiped  until  1904,  when  the  church  was  moved 
to  its  present  location  on  Fourth  Street  and  Colorado  Avenue,  and 
vvliere  it  was  enlarged.  In  1906  the  parsonage  on  Saunders  Avenue 
was  sold  and  a  new  one  built  at  the  present  location,  731  North  ^lin- 
nesota  Avenue.  The  parsonage  for  the  presiding  elder  is  located  at 
749  North  Colorado  Avenue.  The  churcli  property,  including  the 
parsonage,  is  valued  at  $12,.500.  The  Rev.  Julius  Scherbacher  is 
the  presiding  elder  of  the  Hastings  District  in  191a.  The  member- 
shij)  of  the  Hastings  church  is  about  sixty  and  the  enrollment  of  the 
Sunday  school  one  hundred.  The  senior  young  peoples'  alliance  has 
twenty-four  members  and  the  junior  alliance  twenty  members. 

In  1902  Canaan  Church  was  built  by  the  denomination  three  miles 
north  of  Holstein.  This  church  was  organized  with  about  a  dozen 
families  as  members,  and  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  the  jiastors  from 
Hastings.  In  191i5  this  church  was  sold,  the  members  uniting  with 
the  United  Evangelical  Church  of  Holstein.  Other  charges  supplied 
by  the  pastors  from  Hastings  for  a  number  of  years  were  located 
three  miles  southwest  of  Ayr  and  five  miles  north  of  Juniata.  ]Mect- 
ings  were  held  in  school  houses.  These  charges  have  been  discon- 
tinued. The  first  pastor  to  serve  was  Rev.  G.  Zellhoefer.  In  1880 
Rev.  ]M.  Inlielter  assumed  the  pastorate,  and  in  tlie  next  year  was 
assisted  by  the  Reverend  Althouse.  Reverend  Inhelter  remained  until 
Rev.  F.  ^V.  Schuelzky  was  sent  to  the  mission  in  1883.  Mi:  Schuelzky 
served  three  years  and  the  membership  was  eighty-six.  Rev.  J. 
Schafle  came  in  1886  and  was  the  pastor  for  one  year;  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  H.  Illian,  who  served  until  1889.  Since  that  time  the 
congregation  has  been  served  by  the  following:   A.  Wichmann,  1889- 


270       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1891;  O.  Radinsky,  1891-1893;  A.  Brauchle,  1893-1894;  F.  H. 
Doescher,  1894-1898;  H.  G.  Goetz,  1898-1900;  A.  Wichmaiin,  1900- 
1904;  E.  Mehl,  1904-1900;  F.  W.  Schuelzky,  1906-1910;  C.  Fuehrer, 
1910  to  April  15,  191.5.  At  the  latter  date  the  Rev.  Mr.  Schuelzky 
returned  to  the  pastorate  which  position  he  now  holds. 

ST.    PAUL    GERMAN    LUTHERAN 

The  St.  Paul  German  Lutheran  Church,  located  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  Street  and  Burlington  Avenue,  Hastings,  was  organized  by 
the  Rev.  Henry  Sieknian  in  1879.  This  was  the  first  church  organ- 
ized by  JNIr.  Siekman  in  Hastings.  The  first  trustees  of  the  church 
were  August  Forcht,  Henry  Stannner,  Sr.,  Andrew  Vieth  and  H. 
Biernian. 

The  first  house  of  worship  was  a  small  frame  building.  The  pres- 
ent brick  structiu'e  was  erected  at  a  cost,  completed,  of  $20,000  and 
was  dedicated  July  23,  1916.  The  organizer,  the  Rev.  JNIr.  Siekman, 
])artook  in  tlie  dedicatory  service  of  the  new  church.  Others  partici- 
pating in  the  service  were  the  pastor.  Rev.  F.  E.  jMotzkus  and  Rev. 
C.  Goede,  of  Glenville.  The  dedicatory  procession  was  led  by  ^V.  S. 
Dieken,  Karl  Kauf  and  Henry  Damkroeger. 

The  exterior  of  the  new  church  is  of  matt  faced  brick  and  the  roof 
of  tile.  The  main  body  of  the  church  is  63  feet  by  38  feet.  The 
auditorium  has  a  seating  capacity  of  3.50  and  the  balcony  will  accom- 
modate 1.50  additional.  Following  Rev.  Siekman  the  church  has 
been  served  by  the  Reverends  Fritze,  Bieger,  Kronsbaen.  Frank, 
Kar]3enstein  and  the  present  j^astor.  Rev.  F.  E.  ]Motzkus.  At  pres- 
ent the  church  has  110  members. 

DUNKARDS  AND   MEXXOXITES 

The  Dunkards  and  the  ^lennonites  are  represented  in  Adams 
County  by  prosperous  communities  located  for  the  most  part  in  the 
northern  portion  of  Silver  Lake  Townshij)  and  the  southern  part  of 
Roseland  Township.  The  first  of  the  denomination  to  settle  in  the 
county  were  ]Mrs.  AVeidler  Grabill  and  jNIrs.  Hargleroad  who  came 
in  the  spring  of  1875.  JNIrs.  Grabill  came  from  Illinois  and  JMrs. 
Hargleroad  from  Pennsylvania,  and  it  is  from  these  two  states  that 
botli  Dunkards  and  IMennonites  came  to  Adams  County.  JMrs. 
Hargleroad  died  in  1882  and  JMrs.  Grabill  in  1913.  Mr.  Grabill, 
who  joined  the  church  at  a  later  period,  and  was  one  of  the  large 
landowners  of  Silver  Lake  Township,  died  in  1897. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       271 

The  first  ineeting  held  by  the  Dunkards  in  the  county  was  conducted 
in  a  tent  on  the  farm  of  Weidler  Grabill  on  the  shore  of  Silver  Lake. 
This  was  in  Sejiteniber,  1879.  Diu'ing  this  meeting,  which  began 
Saturday  afternoon  and  ended  the  following  Sunday  night,  the  first 
love  feast  of  the  denomination  was  celebrated.  The  love  feast  in- 
cludes the  Lord's  suijper  followed  by  the  taking  of  bread  and  wine 
and  the  ceremony  of  the  washing  of  the  feet.  Between  thirty  and 
forty  were  present  at  this  first  public  meeting  of  the  denomination, 
commimicants  having  come  from  Kansas,  Kearnej'  and  the  western 
part  of  Nebraska. 

About  1884  the  Duukard  community  was  considerably  strength- 
ened in  numbers  by  the  coming  in  of  new  families.  Among  those 
settling  in  the  community  about  this  time  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dan 
Kindig,  JNIr.  and  ^Irs.  Bazzle  JNIcCue,  J.  J.  Kindig,  Tommy  Evans 
and  wife,  Peter  Evans  and  wife,  the  Blankenbillers,  George  Kistler 
and  wife  and  ]\Irs.  JefF  Huffman. 

It  was  the  increased  number  of  communicants  that  led  to  the 
building  of  the  present  church  on  what  is  now,  in  191:5,  the  Christ 
Hargleroad  farm  southeast  of  Roseland,  but  which  then  belonged  to 
John  Evans  who  had  settled  in  the  community  in  1877.  It  was  in  the 
'9()s  that  the  district  was  divided  and  a  church  estal)lished  in  Juniata 
which  still  continues  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

The  Dunkards  do  not  maintain  a  salaried  minister.  Instead  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation  who  feel  the  call  to  preach  prepare  them- 
selves foi-  the  duties  of  the  minister  through  prayer,  study  and  medi- 
tation. The  minister  is  known  as  an  elder  and  is  elected  by  the  con- 
gregation. The  present  elders  in  Adams  County  are  Christ  Hargle- 
road and  Peter  Gi-abill.  J.  J.  Kindig  was  an  elder  for  a  number  of 
years  and  befoi-e  Mr.  Kindig  Elder  Fahrney  served  for  many  j'ears. 

The  Dunkards  maintain  a  plain  standard  of  living,  and  wear  no 
jewelry,  even  the  wedding  ring  is  not  used.  The  women  wear  plain 
black  bonnets,  but  when  they  attend  chiu'ch  service  these  are  sup- 
planted Ijy  plain  white  caps.  Baptism  is  by  immersion,  the  body  being 
dipped  forward  and  not  backward  as  with  most  other  denominations 
that  immerse.  There  is  an  annual  meeting  of  national  scope  held  in 
various  cities  and  to  this  Adams  County  Dunkards  always  send  a  dele- 
gate. The  greater  number  of  the  conununicants  are  of  Pennsyl- 
vania German  descent  though  there  are  members  of  other  nationali- 
ties. There  are  about  forty  families  of  Dunkards  now  in  Adams 
County. 

The  Mennonite  Churcli  is  located  on  section  3.3  in  Roseland  Town- 
shi])  and  has  a  membership  well  along  towards  one  hundred.    Tlie  first 


272       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

church  was  huilt  on  the  j^resent  location  in  1887.  Tlie  first  church  was 
su])i)Linted  by  tlie  present  building  in  the  '90s.  The  church  is  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  The  general  belief  of  the  Mennonites  is  verj'  sim- 
ilar to  that  of  the  Dunkards.  Plain  dress  and  living  are  characteristic 
and  the  women  wear  plain  black  bonnets  and  no  jewelry.  jNIennonites, 
however,  do  not  immerse,  the  sacrament  of  bajjtism  being  administered 
by  sjirinkling.  They  do  not  celebrate  the  Lord's  supper  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Dunkards.  The  latter  partake  of  a  meal  upon  that 
occasion  which  is  followed  by  the  bread  and  wine.  The  JNIennonites 
omit  the  meal  feature. 

Dunkards  and  JNIennonites  live  on  terms  of  friendship  with  each 
other  and  their  large  well  tilled  fields  and  substantial  improvements 
mark  them  as  among  the  county's  best  farmers  and  citizens. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
PUBLIC  UTILITIES  AND  INSTITUTIONS 

The  first  action  taken  by  the  Hastings  City  Council  looking  toward 
the  establishment  of  tlie  present  municipal  waterworks  was  on  ]\Iarch 
8,  1886,  when  it  was  decided  to  submit  to  the  voters  on  April  loth  the 
jjroposition  of  issuing  $8.5,000  in  bonds  for  the  construction  of  the 
plant.  Previous  to  this  time  the  council  had  investigated  various 
waterworks  systems  and  there  was  considerable  difference  of  opinion. 
M.  K.  Lewis  favored  the  installation  of  a  hydraulic  well,  which  J.  E. 
Coates,  representing  a  Kalamazoo,  ]Mich.,  company,  proposed  to  con- 
.struct  ff)r  $1.),000.  This  well  was  to  be  25  feet  in  diameter.  On 
several  occasions  the  general  public  met  Avith  the  covmcil  for  con- 
sultation. Through  the  Avinter  of  188.J-G  the  new  project  was  the 
subject  of  much  discussion. 

At  the  special  election  of  April  15,  1886,  629  votes  were  cast, 
the  waterworks  bonds  carrying  by  a  majority  of  301.  On  JNIay  18, 
1886,  the  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  waterworks  was  let  to 
A.  L.  Strang  &  Co.  of  Omaha,  for  $75,775.  Tlie  plans  and  specifica- 
tions for  the  plant  were  formulated  by  the  city  engineer,  T.  E.  Far- 
rell,  and  the  assistant  engineer,  A.  A.  Richardson.  The  original  plant 
was  designated  as  the  "Cook  System."  It  comprised  a  group  of  eight 
deep  wells  with  a  combined  capacity  of  60,000  gallons  per  hour.  In 
1888  an  "air-lift"  well  was  installed.  Three  other  air-lift  wells  were 
installed  from  time  to  time;  one  in  1896,  anotlier  in  1906  and  the 
last  in  1910.  In  July,  1916,  the  plant  was  equipped  with  an  elec- 
trically driven  deep  well  with  a  capacity  of  1,000  gallons  per  minute. 
This  well,  together  with  the  four  air-lifts,  compose  tlie  pumping  equip- 
ment at  present,  which  has  a  cai^acity  of  160,000  gallons  per  hour. 
The  average  amount  of  water  pumped  is  1,000,000  gallons  per  day. 
One  of  the  air-lifts  is  300  feet  deep  and  three  have  a  depth  of  360 
feet.  The  electric  well  is  equipped  witli  a  centrifugal  pump  located 
in  the  water  strata,  158  feet  deep. 

In  addition  to  the  original  $85,000  bonds,  $15,000  additional  were 
issued  September  15,  1888,  and  this  sum  was  augmented  by  $10,000 

Vol.  I— IS 


274       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

in  the  issue  of  jMay  21,  1894.  Tlie  rejiort  of  Water  Commissioner 
W.  S.  Watson  sliowed  that  on  JNIarch  31,  1916,  the  plant  had  2.494 
customers  and  that  the  average  cost  to  the  consumers  the  year  ending 
with  that  date  Avas  17.61  cents  per  1,000  gallons.  The  amount  reg- 
istered hy  the  customers'  meters  for  the  same  jieriod  was  132,686,250 
gallons. 

At  the  time  of  the  installation  of  the  waterworks  there  AVere 
members  of  the  council  who  favored  locating  the  plant  downtown. 
Particularly  strong  in  this  advocacv  was  Councilman  E.  C.  Webster. 
In  1873,  however,  the  city  had  contracted  with  the  Union  Pacific  Rail- 
road Companj^  to  purchase  forty  acres  described  as  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  1,  township  7,  range  10, 
and  in  1883  had  received  a  deed  for  that  forty  acres.  The  sentiment 
prevailed  that  the  waterworks  should  be  located  upon  the  property 
already  bought  by  the  city.  The  forty  acres  were  bought  for  $.520. 
The  committee  that  located  the  exact  spot  where  the  waterworks 
stand  was:  T.  E.  Farrell,  W.  H.  Stock  and  C.  C.  Rittenhouse.  T. 
M.  Clark  was  the  first  engineer  at  the  waterworks.  For  twenty  years 
Henry  Gauvreau  has  been  connected  with  the  plant,  beginning  as 
fireman  and  serving  as  assistant  engineer  and  chief  engineer  at  the 
plant. 

Before  the  installation  of  tlie  present  plant,  water  was  delivered 
to  customers  in  barrels  and  the  business  was  a  private  enterprise. 

THE    SEWER    SYSTEM 

The  next  imjiortant  public  improvement  in  Hastings  following 
the  erection  of  the  waterworks  Avas  the  installation  of  a  sewerage 
system,  in  1890.  At  a  special  election  held  July  16,  1889,  a  proposi- 
tion to  issue  bonds  in  the  sum  of  $75,000  for  the  construction  of 
sewerage  was  lost.  There  Avere  46.5  votes  for  the  bonds  at  this  election 
and  494  against.  The  proposition  to  construct  a  sewer  system  had 
been  received  from  Andrew  RoscAvater  of  Omaha,  and  on  .Time  10th 
the  council  ordered  a  A'ote  upon  the  subject  July  16th. 

The  seAverage  bonds  had  lost  in  the  election  of  1889  by  only 
tAventy-nine  votes.  Accordingly,  the  promoters  of  this  improvement 
hastened  to  have  the  question  of  bonds  submitted  a  second  time.  The 
council  set  the  date  of  tlie  second  special  election  April  30,  1890.  The 
voting  public  manifested  less  interest  than  they  had  in  the  first  cam- 
paign. The  amount  asked  for  in  the  second  election  Avas  $60,000. 
Of  the  78.5  votes  cast.  631  Avere  for  the  bonds  and  1.54  against.  The 
plans  for  the  seAver  Avere  made  by  T.  E.  Farrell,  aaIio  also  Avas  aAvarded 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      275 

the  general  contract  for  the  work.     The  original  provision  was  for 
iiistalhng  sewerage  in  an  area  ll/^  miles  square. 

In  July,  1890,  the  City  of  Hastings  purchased  seventy  acres  of 
land  northeast  of  town  for  the  recejjtion  of  sewage.  The  "sewer 
farm"  comprises  thirty  acres,  purchased  from  Louis  Hadden  July 
21st,  for  $1,500,  and  forty  acres  bought  from  Mary  A.  INIcSparen 
and  Frank  ]McSparen  July  10th,  for  $1,600. 

ELECTRIC    LIGHT    PLANT 

Hastings  has  had  electric  light  and  power  since  1885.  A  franchise 
for  operating  the  plant  was  granted  by  the  council  September  22, 
1884,  to  a  man  named  Reynolds.  At  that  time  the  city  entered  into 
a  contract  agreeing  to  take  forty-five  lights  for  street  illumination 
at  a  rate  not  to  exceed  $15  per  month  per  light.  A  small  plant  was 
erected  at  215  South  Denver  Avenue.  The  plant  was  not  conspicu- 
ously successful,  either  in  service  or  financially.  The  collaj^se  of  the 
l)oom  in  1887  was  discouraging  and  the  original  owners  decided  to  sell 
the  plant,  and  in  that  year  it  was  bought  by  George  B.  Johnson  of 
Hastings.  Financially  interested  with  INIr.  Johnson  was  Adam  Cook 
of  New  York. 

The  new  owners  greatly  enlarged  the  plant  and  it  was  installed  the 
same  year  in  a  new  brick  building  erected  cm  the  southeast  corner  of 
St.  Joseph  Avenue  and  First  Street,  a  location  now  forming  the  west 
end  of  the  park  west  of  the  Burlington  Station.  The  business  was 
pushed  with  considerable  vigor  and  grew  satisfactorily.  It  was  not 
destined,  however,  to  be  financially  successful  i^ermanently. 

JMarch  4,  1891,  the  Hastings  Electric  Light  &  Power  Company 
filed  articles  of  incorporation,  which  show  the  following  members: 
Adam  Cook,  Adam  Cook,  Jr.,  George  B.  Johnson  and  M.  A.  Harti- 
gan.  About  two  years  afterwards  Charles  G.  Lane  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  enterprise  through  the  foreclosure  of  mortgages  on  the 
machinery  and  tax  mortgages.  jNIr.  Lane  overhauled  the  plant,  made 
improvements  and  bought  some  new  equipment  and  was  manager  of 
the  business.  Scarcely  had  Mr.  Lane  finished  making  tlie  improve- 
ments when  the  plant  was  badly  damaged  by  fire.  The  owner  then 
reequipped,  purchasing  new  machinery,  and  the  enterprise  continued 
on  its  career. 

]Mr.  Lane  was  on  the  point  of  selling  the  business  early  in  1898; 
the  negotiations  were  practically  completed,  when  the  jiurchaser  met 
with  discouragement  from  the  city  council.  It  was  in  JNIayor  Fislier's 
administration  and  the  purchaser  thought  there  were  signs  of  an 


276       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

awakening  desire  for  municipal  o\\iiership  and  decided  to  delay  the 
jHu-chase  of  the  plant.  JNIr.  Lane,  not  satisfied  with  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  business,  gave  notice  in  the  press  that  on  August  1st 
the  service  would  be  discontinued.  When  the  first  of  Augtist  came, 
JNIr.  Lane  shut  down  the  plant  and  the  privately  owned  light  and 
jiower  enterprise  passed  into  history.  A  part  of  the  machinery  was 
bought  by  the  York  plant. 

June  26,  1899,  the  council  ordered  a  special  election  upon  the 
l)roposition  to  issue  $20,000  in  bonds  for  the  installation  of  an  electric 
light  and  power  plant  in  conjunction  with  the  municipal  waterworks. 
The  bonds  carried  by  a  vote  of  377  for  and  194  against.  Upon  its 
being  found  that  the  election  had  been  held  without  sufficient  notice 
as  required  by  law,  another  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  November 
6,  1899.  At  the  second  election  the  bonds  carried  by  a  vote  of  525 
for  and  194  against.  The  lights  were  turned  on  under  the  auspices 
of  the  city  in  February,  1901. 

The  growth  and  operation  of  the  municipal  lighting  and  jjower 
systems  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  phases  of  the  development  of 
Hastings  as  a  city.  No  bonds  have  been  issued  against  the  municipal 
plant  since  the  original  $20,000  was  voted  in  1899.  The  record  in 
the  office  of  the  city  clerk  shows  that  when  the  city  began  the  opera- 
tion of  the  plant  the  investment  was  $24,678.41.  On  March  31, 
1913,  the  plant  had  grown  until  it  represented  an  investment  of 
$159,991.11.  The  additional  investment  was  made  wholly  from  the 
earnings  of  the  plant,  and  includes  the  distribution  and  street  light- 
ing systems.  In  the  administration  of  JNlayor  Charles  Ingraham,  who 
assumed  the  office  in  April,  1913,  a  levy  of  two  mills  was  made  for 
street  lighting  and  the  levy  has  been  continued.  In  this  administra- 
tion, also,  a  reduction  in  rate  Avas  made  of  more  than  33  1/3  per  cent. 
The  report  of  the  water  and  light  commissioner,  W.  S.  Watson,  shows 
that  the  plant,  lighting  and  distribution  systems  on  March  31,  1916, 
represented  an  investment  of  $189,442.23.  The  increase  since  1901, 
amounting  to  $164,763.92,  has  come  out  of  the  earnings,  with  the 
exception  of  the  amount  produced  by  the  levy  of  2  mills  made  in  1913. 

The  total  revenue  from  current  sold  during  eleven  months  in  1901 
was  $4,851.17.  The  revenue  from  current  during  the  month  of 
December,  1912,  was  $6,328,  or  $1,476.83  more  than  the  receipts  for 
the  first  eleven  months  that  the  plant  was  ojierated.  The  total 
receipts  for  1912.  the  last  year  imder  the  old  rates,  were  $60,315.90, 
or  almost  three  times  the  amount  of  the  original  investment.  The 
total  re\enue  from  cm-rent  sold  during  the  year  ending  ^Nlarch  31, 
1916,  was  $61,489.79.     On  the  same  date  there  were  in  Hastings  a 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      ^77 

total  of  2,2G9  active  services,  distributed  as  follows :  Residence  con- 
sumers, 1,8.53;  commercial  users,  323;  jjower  consumers,  76;  cooking- 
consumers,  17.  These  figxu'es  represent  a  K.  AV.  H.  output  increase 
over  1915  of  17-77  per  cent. 

Previous  to  188-1  Hastings  had  no  street  lighting  system.  During 
that  year,  when  the  first  electric  light  and  gas  plants  were  established, 
contracts  were  made  with  both  the  gas  company  and  the  electric  light 
l)lant  for  street  lighting  and  the  two  systems  were  in  use  most  of  the 
time  until  the  discontinuance  of  the  electric  light  plant  by  JNIr.  Lane. 
Gas  lighting  for  streets  was  discontinued  with  the  opening  of  the 
nuHiicipal  electric  light  plant  Febiaiary  1,  1901. 

Arc  hghts  were  used  for  street  lighting  mitil  1912,  when  the  elec- 
trolier sj'stem,  with  underground  conduits,  was  installed  in  the  busi- 
ness district.  The  electrolier  sj'stem  has  been  extended  continuously. 
Tliere  are  now  in  service  186  five-light,  200-candlepower  electroliers; 
228  bracket-system,  60-candlepower  lights.  The  plant  is  at  present 
equipped  with  two  Westinghouse  generators  and  one  Corliss-engine- 
driven  generator.  The  plant  cajiacity  is  1,.500  kilowatt  hours  daily, 
and  the  output,  based  upon  the  current  used  during  the  first  four 
months  in  1916,  is  1,769,720  kilowatt  hours  per  year. 


The  City  of  Hastings  has,  finished  and  under  contract,  about 
seventeen  miles  of  paved  streets.  The  first  paving  movement  was  in 
1891.  On  November  2d  of  that  year  intersection  paving  bonds  were 
voted  in  the  sum  of  $5,000.  The  bonds  that  year  carried  by  a  majority 
of  365 ;  647  votes  were  cast.  On  July  5th  of  the  following  year,  addi- 
tional intersection  bonds  of  .$25,000  were  voted  by  a  majority  of  288 
out  of  334  votes  cast.  Not  until  1910  was  there  another  paving- 
movement.  On  JNIarch  8th  of  that  year  $50,000  in  bonds  were  voted. 
The  majority  was  511  out  of  1,027  votes  cast.  On  Jime  29,  1915, 
by  a  vote  of  932  for  and  278  against,  $50,000  bonds  were  voted,  and 
a  like  sum  was  voted  August  22,  1916,  the  vote  being  690  for  and 
242  against.  The  total  intersection  bonds  voted  in  twenty-five  years 
amount  to  $185,000  and  the  interest.  The  first  paving  district  was 
created  by  the  city  council  September  28,  1891,  and  comprised  Second 
Street  from  the  east  line  of  Burling-ton  Avemie  to  the  east  line  of 
St.  Joseph  Avenue.  At  about  this  period  First  Street  was  paved 
from  the  west  side  of  Denver  Avenue  to  the  west  side  of  Belleviie 
Avenue,  and  Bellevue  Avenue  from  the  south  side  of  First  Street 
to  the  Burlington  right  of  way.    Lincoln,  Hastings  and  Denver  ave- 


278       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

nues  also  were  paved  from  the  south  side  of  Third  Street  to  the 
Burlington  right  of  way.  All  the  paving  of  this  period  was  of  com- 
mon hrick,  of  Hastings  manufacture,  laid  edgewise. 

In  the  paving  jjeriod  of  1910,  districts  8  to  21,  inclusive,  were 
paved.  District  8,  which  is  Lincoln  Avenue  from  Third  Street  to 
Twelfth  Street,  was  the  first  street  to  be  paved  with  asphalt,  and 
this  was  in  1910.  The  second  paving  period,  inaugurated  in  1910, 
brought  the  paving  of  the  city  to  a  little  more  than  six  miles  and 
included  such  important  residence  avenues  as  Lincoln,  Hastings,  St. 
Joseph  and  Denver  to  the  south  side  of  Twelfth  Street,  and  Seventh 
Street  from  Lincoln  to  Wabash  avenues.  Second  Street  paving  was 
also  extended  west  to  Briggs  and  east  to  Wabash. 

Tlie  third  paving  period  was  in  1916.  In  ]\Iarch  of  that  year  a 
conti-act  was  let  by  the  city  council  for  a  little  more  than  ten  miles 
of  asphalt  paving,  aggregating  in  cost  approximately  $300,000. 
This  contract  was  let  to  Watts  &  Ammerman  of  Concordia,  Kan. 
The  plans  and  specifications  for  the  1916  paving  were  made  by  City 
Engineer  W.  H.  Fuller  of  Hastings,  who  died  in  the  spring  of  1916. 
W.  L.  Collier  was  then  appointed  engineer.  Mr.  Collier  completed 
the  plans  and  sujjcrintended  the  work.  Among  the  streets  paved  in 
the  1916  contract  were  South  Hastings  and  South  Lincoln  avenues. 
These  were  the  first  streets  to  be  paved  on  the  south  side.  Other  dis- 
tricts have  been  formed  since  the  letting  of  the  contract,  and  city 
officials  estimate  that  the  total  paving  by  the  close  of  1917  will  be 
twenty-five  miles. 

GAS    WORKS 

The  gas  business  in  Hastings  has  always  been  a  privately  owned 
enterprise.  The  first  franchise  was  granted  by  the  city  council  to 
C.  R.  JMiller,  June  22,  1885.  November  10,  188.5.  the  Hastings  Gas 
Light  Company  was  organized  and  built  the  j^lant  which  was  oper- 
ated under  the  franchise.  The  incorporators  were:  President,  L. 
Patterson,  Mankato,  JNIinn. ;  vice  president,  John  Van  Liew,  Van 
Wert,  Ohio;  treasurer,  Sidney  Patterson,  Hartford  City,  Ind.;  sec- 
retary, H.  B.  Knowlton,  Hastings.  Mr.  Knowlton  is  now  a  resident 
of  Chicago. 

By  the  latter  part  of  1886  the  gas  plant  had  about  five  miles  of 
street  mains.  For  some  years  the  gas  business  proved  hazardous,  and 
in  1890  tlic  business  was  assigned  to  its  creditors,  who  were  composed 
largely  of  the  present  corporation.  The  Hastings  Gas  Company  is 
now  formed  as  follows:     James  C.  Fox,  Portland,  INIe.,  president; 


I  _j^<r*'«^ml  j 


f  ^3fe.>^^. 


rOSTOFUCE,  HASTIXi;S 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      279 

Echvaid  Woodman,  Portland,  JNIe.,  secretary  and  treasiu-er;  A.  W. 
Borden,  Hastings,  vice  president.  Carson  J.  Haniot  of  Hastings 
and  ^Nliss  Botter  of  ]Maine  are  members  of  the  board  of  directors. 
Mr.  Woodman  is  the  principal  owner. 

The  twenty-five  year  franchise  of  the  gas  company  expired  in 
191.5  and  at  the  time  of  renewal  there  was  agitation  for  mmiicipal 
ownershij).  At  an  election  held  in  1913  the  projjosition  to  grant  a 
franchise  was  lost.  In  1915  the  comjiany  was  granted  a  virtual 
twenty-five  year  franchise,  although  it  was  provided  that  the  city 
might  i^urchase  the  franchise  at  any  time  after  the  expiration  of  ten 
years.  In  the  new  franchise  the  city  fixed  a  maximum  rate  for  gas 
of  $1..50  per  thousand  cubic  feet,  Avhich  was  a  reduction  of  50  cents 
per  thousand  from  the  maximum  in  vogue  previously. 

The  plant  now  operates  twenty-five  miles  of  street  mains,  and  the 
annual  sale  of  gas  totals  about  30,000,000  cubic  feet.  Since  1908 
gas  has  been  manufactured  from  oil  instead  of  coal.  The  change 
^^'as  made  partly  because  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  coal  supply  in  the 
winter  and  partly  because  the  labor  cost  of  tlie  oil  product  is  less. 
Between  1908  and  1912  the  plant  was  modernized  and  largely  recon- 
structed. The  manufacture  of  gas  has  always  been  at  the  present 
location  on  North  ^Minnesota  Avenue. 

THE    HASTINGS    POSTOFFICE 

Tlie  Hastings  postofiice  was  established  October  8,  1872,  and  was 
first  located  in  the  store  of  Alexander  &  Wheeler  at  the  corner  of 
Hastings  Avenue  and  Second  Street,  opposite  the  present  First 
National  Bank  Building.  JMr.  Alexander's  salary  was  fixed  at  first 
at  $1  ])er  month.     He  continued  to  be  the  postmaster  for  ten  years. 

Charles  H.  Paul  was  the  second  postmaster,  receiving  the  appoint- 
ment in  1881.  G.  J.  Evans  was  appointed  in  1886;  James  B.  Pleart- 
M-ell  in  1889;  R.  B.  Wahlquist  in  1894;  Leopald  Hahn  in  1897;  Jacob 
Fisher.  June  24.  1901;  and  tlie  present  postmaster,  R.  B.  Wahlquist, 
in  1913. 

For  several  months  in  the  early  part  of  1881  the  postoffice  was 
located  between  Hastings  and  Denver  avenues,  on  the  north  side  of 
Second  Street,  and  was  bvu'ned  in  the  fire  of  July  2,  1881.  It  was 
tlien  removed  to  the  corner  of  Hastings  Avenue  and  First  Street, 
the  ]M-esent  location  of  the  Arvanette  candy  store.  Here  again  it 
was  burned  late  in  1886,  the  fire  happening  on  the  night  before  the 
water  was  available  from  the  new  waterworks.  It  was  then  removed 
to  a  store  room  in  the  Stone  Block,  afterwai'ds  to  the  G.  A.  R.  Build- 


280       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ing.  About  1897  it  was  removed  to  the  corner  of  St.  Joseph  Avenue 
and  Second  Street,  where  it  occui^ied  the  "Dietricli  Building,"  subse- 
quently destroyed  by  fire.  In  November,  1905,  the  postoffice  became 
quartered  in  its  jjermanent  home  in  the  Federal  Building. 

Daily  delivery  ol'  mail  was  inaugurated  September  1,  1887.  Four 
routes  were  established  and  the  first  carriers  were  James  D.  Campbell, 
Isaac  A.  Hall,  George  Van  Houten  and  AVilliam  Jaynes.  Of  these, 
James  D.  Campbell  only  remains  a  city  carrier.  There  are  now  nine 
carriers:  James  D.  Campbell,  Eugene  Hammonds,  Carl  F.  Hau- 
brock,  Henry  H.  Heiler,  George  ]McAtee,  Jacob  Roelse,  Ira  Scott, 
D.  W.  P.  Sinclair  and  Henry  H.  Holt.  The  corporation  of  Hast- 
ings comprises  6l/>  square  miles.  It  is  esthnated  that  1.5,500  persons, 
occupying  3'>4  square  miles,  are  served  by  the  office. 

Rural  service  was  inaugurated  October  1,  1900,  when  Route  1  was 
established,  with  Jess  Stevens  as  carrier.  Routes  2  and  3  were  com- 
missioned April  1,  1902,  with  Frank  W.  Wheeler  carrier  on  Route  2 
and  B.  Frank  Hill  on  Route  3.  Routes  4  and  5  were  commissioned 
INIay  16,  1904,  with  J.  C.  jMiller  carrier  on  Route  4  and  J.  C.  Fergiis 
on  Route  5.  Since  1901  N.  W.  Coleman  has  been  the  carrier  on 
Route  1.  Frank  Wheeler  and  J.  C.  Fergus  are  still  the  carriers  on 
their  respective  routes. 

At  present  II.  W.  Snyder  is  assistant  postmaster;  Elizabeth 
Alford,  stamp  clerk;  C.  W.  Heartwell,  G.  P.  O'lNIera  and  A.  L. 
Rickel,  mailing  clerks;  Charles  A.  Nelson  and  R.  H.  Rickel.  city 
distributors,  and  Joseph  Spriggle,  money  order  clerk.  The  Hast- 
ings postoffice  was  declared  an  office  of  the  first  class  July  1,  1914. 
The  postmaster's  salary,  which  began  at  $12  per  year  with  JMr.  Alex-. 
ander's  jjostmastership,  had  advanced  to  $2,400  before  1896  and  at 
present  is  $3,100. 

Postal  receipts  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1897,  were  $14,60.5; 
for  the  year  ending  on  the  same  date  in  1907,  $27,299.94,  and  the  year 
ending  June  30,  1916,  $.53,839.22.  Receipts  for  stamps  sold  during 
the  j'ear  ending  June  30,  1899,  were  $17,69.5.12,  and  newspaper  post- 
age amounted  to  $229.49;  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1916,  the 
receipts  for  stamps  had  increased  to  $48.1.53.88,  and  newspaper  post- 
age to  $1,690.31.  The  outgoing  letters  diu-ing  October,  1907.  were 
103.000:  during  July,  1916,  they  were  202..500.  The  incoming  letters 
during  October,  1907,  were  111,000:  during  July,  191().  they  were 
220,000.  Outgoing  second,  third  and  fourth  class  mail  during  October, 
1907,  numbered  97.500,  and  in  July,  1916.  they  numbered  200.000. 
Incoming  mail  of  the  same  three  classes  during  October,  1907,  num- 
l)ere(l  299,000  jjieces;  in  July,  1916.  there  were  500.000  i)ieces.     Dm-- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      281 

ing-  the  year  ending  June  30,  1899,  9,652  money  orders  were  sold, 
amounting  to  $-1.9,47-).72;  in  tlie  year  ending-  on  the  same  date  in  1916 
the  orders  numbered  16,297,  amounting  to  $90,722.34;  the  orders  paid 
during  the  same  time  in  1899  were  12,868,  amounting  to  $111,323.0.5, 
and  in  1916  they  numbered  16,076,  amounting  to  $94,539.27. 

The  Hastings  postofRce  is  the  depository  for  eighty-two  post- 
otHces.  The  remittances  in  1902  were  $395,163  and  for  the  year 
endijig  June  30,  1916,  they  were  $372,952.  In  the  number  of  regis- 
trys  made  Hastings  takes  rank  as  the  third  city  in  Nebraska  and  also 
as  the  sender  of  insured  parcels.  In  tol)acco  shipments  the  Hastings 
postoffice  ranks  second  in  Nebraska.  In  1901  the  total  registries  were 
2,007.  During  the  year  ending  June  30,  1916,  they  were  5,533; 
insured  parcels,  5.012,  with  a  value  of  $49,923.35;  c.  o.  d.  parcels, 
3.084.  with  a  value  of  $9,588.79. 

Early  Country  Postoffices 


This  was  a  country  postoffice,  located  about  eleven  miles  northeast 
of  Hastings.  The  office  was  established  in  January,  1880,  with  G.  Ij. 
Huff  as  postmaster.  The  mail  Avas  taken  from  the  Hastings  office 
to  Ludlow  twice  a  week  until  the  Aurora  branch  of  the  Burlington 
was  completed  in  1886,  when  the  office  was  abandoned. 

HAZEI,    DEIX 

Hazel  Dell — Postoffice  situated  eight  miles  south  of  Juniata. 
IMostly  German  settlers.  Postoffice  was  established  on  April  7,  1879, 
and  F.  M.  Thompson  was  appointed  postmaster.  A  congregation 
was  organized  bj^  the  Congregationalists,  in  1879,  at  Hazel  Dell 
Schoolhouse,  but  owing  to  a  lack  of  means  to  carry  forward  the  work, 
the  attempt  soon  proved  a  failure.  Rev.  M.  F.  Piatt  was  the  chief 
interest  in  its  establishment. 

KINGSTON 

Kingston — Postoffice  was  located  about  five  miles  east  of  Ayr,  and 
liittle  Elue,  also  a  post  station,  lays  about  the  same  distance  south  of 
Ayr,  while  to  the  west  of  Little  Blue,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles, 
was  Silver  Lake,  also  a  country  postoffice. 

:\rAYFI.OWER 

Mayflower — Post  station  in  the  western  part  of  the  county  and 
about  seven  miles  south  of  Kenesaw.  It  was  christened  in  honor  of 
the  historic  vessel,  the  Mayflower. 


2S2       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

3IORSEVILLE    AXD    ROSEDALE 

iNIorseville  and  Rosedale — These  were  postoffices  situated  in  the 
soutliwest  corner  of  the  county,  and  about  four  miles  distant  from 
each  other. 

These  early  postoffices  Avere  served  by  carrier  from  Hastings, 
usually  tM'ice  a  week.  They  disa^ipeared  with  the  coming  of  the  rail- 
roads througii  the  southern  section  of  tlie  county. 

EAKLY    LIBRARIES 

At  an  early  date  movements  looking  toward  the  establishment  of 
a  circulating  library  were  on  foot  in  Hastings.  One  of  the  early 
organizations,  The  Red  Ribbon  Club,  ojjened  a  reading-room  on  the 
second  floor  of  the  Forgy  Building,  corner  of  Denver  Avenue  and 
Second  Street,  JNIay  14,  1878.  The  club  met  weekly  and  programs  of 
readings,  music  and  book  reviews  were  rendered.  Among  the  mem- 
bers A\'ere  A.  L.  Clarke.  J.  J.  Wemple,  the  Renfrews,  the  Staleys, 
.J.  Y.  Acheson,  James  Cline,  ]Mrs.  Curtis  and  Miss  Gertie  Ingalls, 
afterward  Mrs.  A.  L.  Clarke.  In  the  programs  printed  in  the  Hast- 
ings Journal,  in  1878,  appear  the  names  of  A.  L.  Clarke  and  Harry 
S.  Dungan.  the  former  scheduled  to  sing  solos  and  the  latter  for  reci- 
tations. In  that  year  the  club  discussed  the  feasibility  of  instituting  a 
circulating  library. 

In  the  following  year,  1879,  the  Adams  County  Teachers'  Library 
Association  was  formed  to  provide  a  circulating  library  among  the 
teacliers.  B)^  the  articles  adopted  the  county  superintendent  was  to 
act  as  president  of  the  association  and  librarian.  Uiion  the  payment 
of  $.5.00  a  teacher  obtained  a  life  membership,  but  could  become  a 
member  upon  the  payment  of  $1,  and  2,5  cents  quarterly  dues.  This 
organization  was  formed  in  the  superintendency  of  L.  Darling.  This 
library  movement  did  not  accomijlish  much  and  was  short  lived. 

In  1887,  however,  a  movement  was  started  which  resulted  in  the 
estal)lisliing  of  a  permanent  library  in  Hastings.  ^Ir.  William  H. 
I^anning  called  a  meeting  in  that  year  and  an  organization  was  formed 
with  Mr.  Lanning  as  jn-esident  and  W.  H.  Lichty  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Tlie  following  library  board  was  elected:  JNIesdames 
H.  M.  Oliver,  J.  M.  Ragan,  George  Tibbets,  C.  F.  IMorey,  Robert 
Oliver  and  Oswald  Oliver.  INIr.  Lanning  donated  two  cases  of  books, 
standard  works  of  fiction  and  some  reference  books.  Books  were 
added  from  time  to  time  by  gifts  and  purchased  with  money  raised  by 
giving  entertainments.     The  library  room  was  located  in  the  Oliver 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       285 

Block  oil  West  Second  Street,  on  the  second  floor.  No  reading-room 
was  maintained.  JNIrs.  Robert  Oliver  was  the  first  librarian.  A  niem- 
ber.'^hip  fee  of  $1.00  per  year  was  charged.  ]\Ir.  Lanning  continued 
his  interest  in  the  library  mitil  it  was  taken  over  by  the  city  in  1903, 
although  for  the  last  few  years  previous  to  that  date  INIrs.  J.  N.  Clarke 
was  the  president  of  the  organization.  During  the  presidency  of 
]Mrs.  Clarke,  while  the  project  was  wholly  in  the  hands  of  the  women, 
the  library  was  moved  to  the  ground  floor  in  the  Lincoln  Avenue 
Flats,  where  it  remained  until  September,  1903,  when  it  was  removed 
to  the  oflice  of  the  water  commissioner,  509  West  Second  Street,  where 
it  remained  until  its  removal  into  the  Carnegie  Librarj^  Building,  it.« 
present  home.  oVIiss  Schaffer  followed  ]\Irs.  Oliver  as  librarian  and 
then  the  following  served  in  succession,  JNIiss  Katherine  Bierce,  now 
Mrs.  L.  A.  Bratton,  ]\[iss  Grace  Dillon,  now  Mrs.  A.  E.  Stitt. 

CARNEGIE    LIBRARY 

On  New  Year's  Day,  1903,  IMayor  C.  J.  Miles,  of  Hastings, 
received  an  offer  from  Andrew  Carnegie  to  donate  $1.5,000  for  a 
library  Iniilding  on  the  condition  that  a  site  should  be  provided  and 
that  an  annual  tax  of  not  less  than  $1,500  be  levied  for  the  support 
of  tile  institution.  The  proposition  provoked  much  discussion,  many 
objected  to  receiving  the  donation,  and  many  were  favorable.  Janu- 
ary 20,  1903,  a  mass  meeting  to  discuss  the  subject  was  held  at  the 
coiu'thouse,  ^Nlayor  INIiles  presiding.  Speakers  favoring  the  accep- 
tance were  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman,  A.  L.  Clarke,  J.  B.  Cessna,  Claus 
Frahm,  Judge  H.  S.  Dungan,  L.  J.  Capps,  Jacob  Wooster,  'William 
INIadgett,  Dr.  A.  R.  Van  Sickle,  M.  J.  Tennant,  Prof.  W.  A.  Julian 
and  Rev.  Cloyd,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church.  C.  R.  Barnes  gave 
tlie  mayor  a  long  petition  praying  for  acceptance. 

]March  16,  1903,  the  city  council  passed  an  ordinance  establishing 
the  Carnegie  Library  upon  the  condition  imposed  by  the  donor.  At 
tlie  same  meeting  the  council  accepted  the  site  upon  which  the  library 
stands,  three  lots  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  Street  and  Denver  Avenue. 
The  corner  lot  was  presented  by  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman  and  tlie  other  two, 
a  ]iortion  of  the  Beitel  estate,  were  purchased  and  donated  to  the  city 
by  John  Slaker.  Jacob  Bernliardt,  Dr.  George  Douglas,  ^V.  H.  Dillon 
and  Senator  Charles  H.  Dietrich.  William  Kerr  liad  offered  to 
donate  a  site  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  Street  and  Ijincoln  Avenue  and 
considerable  feeling  was  manifested  between  the  partisans  of  the 
com])eting  sites. 

The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  building,  after  j^lans  and  speci- 


284       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

fications  by  Latenser,  of  Omaha,  was  let  to  C.  D.  Riche}%  of  Hast- 
ings, upon  his  bid  of  $11,-189  and  $390  for  extra  bricks  for  the  rear  of 
the  building',  which  he  agreed  to  complete  by  February  1,  1904. 
D.  H.  ^^'■entworth,  of  Hastings,  was  the  superintendent  of  construc- 
tion. The  total  cost  of  the  building  was  $1.5,6.58.63.  The  furniture 
cost  $900.  The  site  was  dedicated  and  the  first  spadeful  of  dirt  turned 
by  President  Theodore  Roosevelt,  April  27,  1903.  The  spade  used 
by  the  President,  suitably  inscribed,  is  preserved  as  a  relic. 

The  first  board  of  directors  elected  by  the  citj^  council  were  the 
following:  Lucy  ]M.  Nellis  (JNIrs.  W.  F.  Button),  Agnes  Ferguson, 
Mary  C.  Tibbets,  V.  B.  Trimble,  L.  A.  Kinney,  Dr.  J.  N.  Lyman, 
Jacob  Wooster,  L.  J.  Capps  and  Captain  Saxton.  The  directors  met 
on  April  11,  1903,  and  organized  with  V.  B.  Trimble,  president; 
J.  N.  Lyman,  vice  president;  Lucy  M.  Nellis,  secretary.  April  14, 
1903,  Miss  Grace  Dillon  was  elected  librarian.  All  librarians  have 
served  until  their  resignations,  and  have  been  elected  at  the  follo^\^ng 
dates:  Miss  Vida  Ferguson,  January  19.  1907;  INIiss  ^Nlabel  Stone, 
February  2,5.  1904:  JNIiss  Emma  Nowlan.  September  2,  1907; 
Mrs.  Ida  E.  Capps,  March  7,  1910. 

Tlie  librai-y  was  opened  to  the  public  December  7,  1904,  and  was 
a  free  library  from  the  first.  At  the  time  of  opening,  it  contained 
about  2, .500  volumes,  exclusive  of  government  publications.  With 
the  same  exclusion  there  are  now  about  6,.533  vohmies.  The  average 
circulation  of  books  per  month  is  2,747  and  the  average  visitors  to  the 
reading-rooms,  actual  readers,  number  1,2.50. 

The  fourteenth  annual  meeting  of  the  Nebraska  State  Library 
Association  was  held  in  Hastings,  October  21,  1908,  and  3Iiss  Emma 
Nowlan  was  elected  vice  president  of  the  association.  Representa- 
tives of  twent_y-five  Nebraska  libraries  were  present. 

The  city  council  increased  the  levy  for  the  library  at  a  meeting  in 
August,  191.5,  aiid  tlie  appropriation  is  now  $200  per  month. 

PARKVIEAV    CEMETERY 

Parkview  Cemetery  is  one  of  tlie  most  beautiful  burying  grovmds 
in  Nebraska.  Its  name  was  suggested  by  the  commanding  view  its 
site  affords  of  the  parks  in  College  and  Parkgrove  additions  and  the 
more  distant  City  Park;  in  fact  this  excellent  view  determined  the 
selection  of  this  location  for  a  cemetery. 

The  cliief  mover  in  the  establishing  of  tliis  cemetery  was  Davis 
I^owman,  the  father  of  William  M.  Lowman  and,  curiously  enough, 
the  burial  of  INIr.  Lowman  was  the  first  to  be  made  in  the  new  ceme- 
terv;  this  was  on  October  20,  1880. 


AIIXKCIK   LIHKAKY,   l[ASTIN( 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY      285 

On  April  27,  188.5,  200  citizens  petitioned  the  city  council  to  pur- 
chase suitable  grounds  for  a  new  cemetery  and  to  discontinue  the  sale 
of  lots  in  the  old  cemetery.  December  26,  1885,  the  council  passed 
an  ordinance  forbidding  the  further  sale  of  lots  in  the  old  cemeterj*. 
The  city  government  declined  to  assume  financial  responsibility  in  the 
conteniijlated  cemetery,  and  as  a  result  a  corporation  of  citizens  was 
formed.  January  19,  1886,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  office  of  James 
B.  Heartwell  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  cemetery  association. 
There  were  present  James  B.  Heartwell,  A.  L.  Clarke,  Samuel  Alex- 
ander, O.  B.  Hewett,  ^Villiam  T.  Putt,  Oswald  Oliver,  F.  H.  Firmin, 
Davis  Lowman,  William  Lowman,  Jacob  Fisher,  T.  E.  Farrell,  Har- 
rison Bostwick  and  D.  jNI.  JNIcElHinney.  IMr.  Hewett  was  chosen 
cliairman  and  Samuel  Alexander  clerk.  It  was  voted  to  form  a  ceme- 
tery association  and  nine  trustees  were  elected,  as  follows:  O.  B. 
Hewett,  A.  L.  Clarke,  Samuel  Alexander,  Davis  Lowman,  F.  H. 
Firmin,  T.  E.  Farrell,  Jacob  Fisher,  D.  M.  McElHinney  and  James 
B.  Heartwell.  On  the  same  day  the  Hastings  Cemetery  Association 
was  incorporated.  Eighty  acres  of  ground,  which  is  described  as  the 
south  one-half  of  the  southwest  one-quarter  of  section  5,  town  7, 
range  9,  were  jjurchased  for  $6,000;  the  plan  of  the  association  was  to 
pay  for  the  cemetery  from  the  sale  of  lots. 

The  cemetery  was  laid  out  and  i^latted  by  A.  X.  Carpenter,  a 
landscape  architect  of  (xalesburg,  Illinois.  The  ground  as  platted 
contains  1,952  lots;  about  30,000  burials  may  be  made  in  the  cemetery. 
There  are  four  acres  of  ornamental  grove  and  lawns,  besides  the 
avenues  and  small  lakes.  One  block  has  been  set  ajDart  as  a  potter's 
field  and  a  tract  containing  157  lots  was  sold  to  the  INlount  Sinai  Ceme- 
tery Association,  to  be  used  as  a  Jewish  cemetery.  This  sale  was  made 
for  $480,  the  actual  cost  of  the  tract. 

HIGHLAND    CEMETERY 

In  the  city  records  the  "Old  Cemetery"  is  called  Highland  Ceme- 
tery, as  the  park  in  which  it  is  located  is  called  Highland  Park  in  the 
records.^  The  entire  tract  was  acquired  by  contract  with  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  at  an  early  date,  probably  1873,  although  the  city 
did  not  receive  a  deed  until  1883. 

George  F.  Work  was  the  chairman  of  the  committee  named  by 
tlie  City  Council  to  plat  the  cemetery  and  most  of  the  work  ^\•as  done 
by  the  chairman.    The  cemetery  contains  ten  acres. 

There  does  not  appear  to  be  a  clear  record  as  to  -who  was  first 
buried  in  Iligliland  Cemetery  nor  what  tlie  date  was.     Some  of  the 


2S6       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

old  settlers  believe  that  iMrs.  Thomas  R.  Boyce  was  the  fii-st  to  tind 
a  resting-  place  here,  early  in  1873.  Others  say  that  a  Colonel  Burke 
who  claimed  to  have  been  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army  was  the 
first  to  be  buried  in  the  "Old  Cemetery."  A  fe\Y  say  that  the  first 
l)urials  were  made  at  some  point  just  south  of  Hastings  and  that 
after  the  cemetery  was  laid  out  they  were  removed. 

The  original  potter's  field  was  located  in  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  forty  acre  tract  owned  by  the  city  and  several  burials  were  made 
at  this  point.  The  greater  number  of  the  bodies  were  removed,  but 
a  few  graves  remain  as  evidence  of  the  first  potter's  field.  Among 
the  very  early  undertakers  were  Andrew  Vieth  and  William  H. 
Stock.  " 

HASTIXGS    PARKS 

Hastings  has  three  beautiful  parks  within  easy  walking  distance 
of  the  business  section  of  the  city  and  reached  by  good  streets  and 
sidewalks. 

Highland  Park,  commonly  called  the  City  Park,  and  sometimes 
the  AVaterworks  Park,  is  the  oldest  park  with  respect  to  ownership 
by  the  city.  It  is  a  part  of  the  forty  acre  tract  purchased  from  the 
L^nion  Pacific  Railroad  by  contract  some  time  prior  to  1876  and  for 
which  the  city  received  a  deed  May  11,  1883.  Upon  the  same  tract 
the  water  works  were  located,  and  Highland  Cemetery,  conunonly 
called  the  "Old  Cemetery,"  was  platted. 

No  move  was  made  by  the  city  to  develop  Highland  Park  as  a 
park  until  1886.  During  the  administration  of  JSIayor  Yocum  the 
council  ordered  that  trees  be  purchased  and  planted.  It  is  probable 
that  Councilman  C.  C.  Rittenhouse  was  the  first  to  urge  the  council 
to  develop  the  park,  and  Mr.  Rittenhouse  was  made  chairman  of  the 
committee  to  pui-chase  and  sujjcrintend  the  planting  of  the  trees. 
Highland  Park  lies  immediately  north  of  the  postofRce  and  the  tract 
of  which  it  is  a  part  lies  between  Burlington  and  St.  Joseph  avenues 
and  Twelfth  and  Fourteenth  streets. 

During  the  year  that  Highland  Park  was  laid  out,  1886.  Hast- 
ings received  Prospect  Park,  commonly  called  Chautauqua  Park,  as 
a  Christmas  gift  from  Dewitt  C.  Palmer  and  Daniel  C.  Crane.  This 
park  was  transferred  to  the  city  by  deed  December  24,  1886.  It 
comprises  twenty-four  acres  of  which  ]Mr.  Palmer  donated  eighteen 
acres  and  INIr.  Crane  six.  It  was  at  this  time  that  INIr.  Palmer,  who 
had  come  to  Hastings  from  the  State  of  New  York,  was  platting 
Palmer's  Prospect  Park  Addition. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      287 

The  terms  iijjon  which  the  jjark  was  donated  jirovide  that  it  shall 
lie  used  for  park  pin-poses  forever  and  that  intoxicating  liquors 
shall  not  be  sold  Avithin  its  limits.  It  was  also  specified  that  the 
park  should  be  immediately  fenced  and  that  trees  should  be  planted 
in  1887  and  that  the  jjark  should  be  kept  in  good  condition.  The 
conditions  have  been  well  complied  with  by  the  city,  except  the  one 
specifying  that  a  lake  should  be  formed  within  the  park.  There  is 
a  fine  growth  of  trees,  and  the  comfort  with  which  the  many  thou- 
sands have  enjoj^ed  the  Chautauqua  and  other  entertainments  well 
fulfills  any  anticipations  that  the  donors  may  have  had.  JNIr.  Palmer 
returned  to  New  York  many  years  ago,  but  he  has  visited  Hastings 
while  Chautauquas  have  been  in  j)rogTess  and  has  been  well  pleased 
with  the  use  that  the  city  is  making-  of  his  gift. 

Heartwell  Park  lies  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  city  and  com- 
prises blocks  5,  6,  7,  8  and  9  of  the  Heartwell  Park  Addition.  It 
is  an  irregular  strijj  lying  between  ^^'^abash  and  Elm  avenues  and 
Forest  Street  and  Park  Avenue.  A  dam  across  the  ravine  at  Cali- 
fornia Avenue  forms  a  lake  by  storing  the  water  from  the  city  drain- 
age sewers.  During  the  winter  months  Heartwell  Lake  affords  good 
skating  for  hundreds  of  children  and  in  summer  there  is  some  boating. 
Heartwell  Park  is  well  supplied  with  grass  and  trees  and  is  a  favorite 
resort  for  jJicnics,  band  concerts  and  similar  recreations.  In  the 
summer  of  1916,  and  once  before,  the  state  convention  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Adventists  was  held  in  Heartwell  Park,  the  white  tents  with 
the  great  canvas  pavilion  completely  filling  the  park.  This  park 
was  acquired  by  the  city  during  JNIayor  Jacob  Fisher's  administration, 
or  between  April  .5,  1898,  and  July  1.5,  1901. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AVOMEN'S  CLUBS 

Just  when  the  first  woman's  club  was  organized  in  Hastings  is 
not  known;  certain  it  is  that  it  was  in  a  verj'  early  day.  Something- 
like  thirty  years  ago,  about  188.5,  a  Chautauqua  reading  circle  existed 
that  was  greatly  enjoyed  by  the  fortunate  few  who  comi^osed  it.  This 
circle  disbanded  long  ago,  and  the  greater  number  of  its  members 
have  moved  away  from  Hastings.  Among  the  membership  the  names 
of  Mrs.  John  Ideson,  Mrs.  O.  G.  Smith,  ]Mrs.  II.  B.  Knowlton  and 
Mrs.  Lou  Vance  Phillips  are  recalled. 

GEORGE    ELIOT 

The  George  Eliot  Club  claims  the  honor  of  being  the  mother  of 
clubs  in  Hastings.  It  was  organized  in  December,  1889,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  twelve,  to  which  number  the  membership  is  limited.  The 
first  year's  work  was  devoted  to  the  studj^  of  the  Avorks  of  George 
Eliot.  The  first  members  were:  JMrs.  John  iNI.  Ragan,  JNIrs.  J.  N. 
Clarke,  Mrs.  C.  L.  Stone,  JMrs.  J.  M.  Ferguson,  ]Mrs.  Claus  Frahm, 
Miss  Katherine  Graydon,  INIiss  Carrie  Renfrew,  Miss  Ella  Royce, 
Mrs.  H.  Bostwick,  JNIrs.  O.  G.  Smith,  ]Mrs.  H.  B.  Knowlton  and  Miss 
]Margaret  Jones.  The  personnel  of  the  club  has  changed  greatly  from 
time  to  time ;  some  members  have  been  lost  by  death,  some  have  moved 
to  otiier  j)laces,  and  a  few  have  dro])ped  out,  so  that  only  four  of  the 
original  mnnber  remain.  The  Eliot  has  remained  purely  a  cultural 
club  and  it  has  done  some  excellent  work  along  its  chosen  lines. 

On  the  anniversary  of  George  Eliot's  birthday  in  the  fall  of  1897 
this  club  gave  a  reception  to  all  the  other  women's  clubs  in  town ;  it  was 
given  in  the  old  Elks'  club  rooms  in  the  Stern  Block  and  was  a  most 
delightful  affair.  This  Avas  the  beginning  of  a  number  of  recijn-ocal 
social  afi^airs  between  the  clubs  and  it  was  probably  due  to  these  inter- 
changes of  courtesies  that  the  idea  of  one  large  club  developed  in  later 
years. 

288 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      289 


The  P.  E.  O.  is  a  sorority  chapter  rather  than  a  club  proper.  In 
Hastings,  however,  it  has  always  followed  some  line  of  literary  work 
and  in  addition  has  done  its  share  of  philanthropic  and  educational 
work  as  directed  by  its  central  organization.  The  Hasting  chapter 
was  formed  in  October,  1889,  thus  antedating  the  George  Eliot  Club 
by  a  few  months.  Its  original  membership  was  jNIiss  Helen  Officer, 
Mrs.  W.  M.  Button,  Miss  jMinnie  Button  (now  INIrs.  John  Pickens), 
Mrs.  ]Mollie  Campbell,  Mrs.  Florence  Lowman,  JNIrs.  Grace  IvipjD, 
Mrs.  Lillian  ]Main,  iNIrs.  Flora  Pearl,  ]Miss  Carrie  Brown,  JNIiss  Estelle 
Ryan,  ]Miss  Elizabeth  Jones,  JNIiss  ]Mary  Jones,  Miss  Ada  Nolan,  Miss 
Laura  Billey  (now  JNIrs.  Rainard  Wahlquist),  JNIiss  INIay  Billey  (now 
Mrs.  Graham) .  Unlike  the  Eliot,  the  P.  E.  O.  is  not  a  limited  organi- 
zation, but  only  three  of  the  original  ehai)ter  remain. 


A  small  reading  circle  of  neighbors,  started  in  1894,  developed 
in  189(5,  into  a  club  called  the  Carlyle.  Eight  delightful  and  profitable 
years  Mere  spent  in  a  comi^rehensive  study  of  German,  English, 
French  and  Russian  history,  followed  by  five  devoted  to  English  liter- 
atiu'e.  The  membership  was  limited  to  twelve.  The  social  aft'airs  of 
this  club  were  few,  the  most  notable  one  being  the  bringing  of  Prof. 
I'aul  iNI.  Pearson  to  interpret  the  writings  of  Rudyard  Kipling.  The 
memliers  were  INIrs.  S.  V.  B.  HoUoway,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Fuller,  JNIrs. 
I>amson.  JNIiss  Bella  Cooke,  JNIrs.  L.  J.  Capps,  Mrs.  Robert  Moritz, 
JNIis.  W.  N.  Filson,  Mrs.  Rose  Sliedd,  JNIrs.  Mary  Michael,  JNIiss  JNIary 
Forsythe,  JNIiss  JNIargaret  Lynn  and  JNIrs.  JNIary  Isham.  Beath  of 
members  and  the  removal  of  others  from  the  city  caused  the  club  to 
disl)and  in  1910. 

The  JNIiss  JNIargaret  I^ynn  mentioned  was  the  professor  of  English 
literature  at  Hastings  College  during  her  stay  in  the  city,  and  is  now  a 
teacher  of  English  in  the  University  of  Kansas.  She  has  done  some 
excellent  work  for  publication;  among  other  things  are  a  number  of 
delightful  essays  with  story  elements  contributed  to  the  Atlantic 
Monthly.  These  were  recently  compiled  in  a  ])ook.  "A  Half-sister  to 
the  Prairie." 

EOUXn    TABLE 

The  Round  Table  Avas  organized  in  1893  with  the  following  mem- 
bers: JNIrs.  F.  JNI.  Crowe,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Holland.  JNIrs.  L.  B.  Terrill, 
Mrs.  Thomas  JNIcIntosh,  JNIrs.  N.  R.  Hamilton,  JNIrs.  N.  F.  Bamron, 


290       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Bertha  Jefferson,  [Mrs.  C.  B.  Hutton,  ]Miss  Harriet  FyiFe,  Mis!> 
Ella  Koyce,  Miss  Edith  Damron,  ^Nlrs.  W.  H.  Dillon.  Miss  Fyft'e 
was  the  president  for  a  number  of  years. 

Tliis  club  has  followed  a  varied  program,  which  has  included  his- 
tory, biograi^hy,  fiction,  poetry,  the  drama,  and  mythology;  the  year 
1914  was  devoted  to  the  historj'  of  Nebraska.  Thoroughness  and  en- 
thusiasm have  characterized  all  the  work.  Current  events  have  been 
discussed  informally  at  nearlj'  all  the  meetings.  The  membershij)  has 
greatly  changed  but  the  number  has  always  remained  the  same,  twelve 
being  the  limit.  Mrs.  W.  H.  Dillon  is  the  only  charter  member  re- 
maining in  the  club.  The  early  members  were  j\Irs.  ]M.  A.  Hartigan, 
Mrs.  S.  S.  Snyder,  Mrs.  Will  Duer,  ]Miss  Grace  Dillon.  ^Nlrs.  William 
Sheldon,  Mrs.  C.  J.  INIiles,  Miss  Clara  Miles,  Mrs.  Russell,  3Irs. 
D.  W.  Palmer,  JNIrs.  ]McKee  St.  John,  ]Miss  Diantha  St.  John.  :Miss 
Pearl  Tomlinson. 

I'ORTNIGHTLY 

Because  the  Fortnightly  was  the  only  one  of  the  culture  clubs  to 
federate  and  also  the  only  one  to  disband  when  the  larger  democratic 
club  was  formed,  it  seems  to  merit  the  distinction  of  having  been  the 
direct  forerurmer  of  the  present  Woman's  Club.  The  Fortnightly 
Club  was  formed  among  the  little  group  that  gathered  for  study 
around  a  very  remarkable  man,  the  Rev.  John  Power,  who  was  the 
]"ector  of  St.  JNIark's  Episcopal  Church  at  the  opening  of  the  present 
century.  ]Mr.  Power  was  a  most  accomplished  Shakespearean  scholar 
and  drew  around  him  a  group  of  friends  who  met  to  study  the  works  of 
the  great  dramatist  under  his  instruction  and  guidance.  Later,  when 
]Mr.  Power  left  the  city  to  go  to  Brownwood,  Texas,  where  he  now 
resides,  the  little  study  club  organized  itself  into  the  Fortnightly  Club 
and  began  the  study  of  the  American  novel;  later,  it  took  up  varied 
programs.  The  members  were  ]Mrs.  R.  P.  Falkner,  ]\Irs.  Lem  Tib- 
bets,  ]Mrs.  S.  E.  Howard.  ]Mrs.  W.  H.  Fergiison,  ^Irs.  M.  Reed.  ]Miss 
Grace  Dillon,  IMiss  Clara  JMiles,  jMiss  Agnes  Power,  ]\Iiss  Julia  Vine- 
yard, IMrs.  F.  C.  Wood,  Miss  INIaude  Faxon,  JNIrs.  Louise  Kimball, 
Miss  Stella  Payne,  INIiss  Laura  Payne,  ]Mrs.  L.  H.  Young,  Mrs. 
William  Dutton. 

'J'lie  Fortnightly  was  the  only  one  of  the  small  clubs  that  e\er 
joined  the  state  federation;  it  did  so  in  the  same  year  that  it  was 
organized  and  IMrs.  S.  E.  Howard  and  IMrs.  Lem  Tibbets  were  sent  as 
delegates  to  the  meeting  of  the  state  federation  in  the  fall  of  1903. 
The  club  continued  to  do  good  work  along  literary  lines  until  the 
Woman's  Club  was  formed  in  1906,  when  it  disbanded. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      291 

AMERICAN    LITERATURE 

The  American  Literature  Club  was  organized  in  189.5  with  the  fol- 
lowing membership :  President,  IMrs.  Nellie  S.  Willard;  vice  president, 
Mrs.  JNIay  Weeks  JMattocks:  secretary,  JMrs.  M.  E.  Averill;  critic, 
Miss  Elizabeth  Pease;  Mrs.  Isabel  Work,  ]Mrs.  Nettie  M.  Scott,  JMrs. 
Lulu  J.  Pease,  ]Mrs.  JNIinnieL.  Ferris,  ]Mrs.  E.  M.  Schaufelberger, 
Mrs.  Susette  E.  Pease,  Miss  Emma  Parker,  Miss  ]\Iatie  D.  Kelley. 
As  indicated  by  the  name,  this  club  was  organized  to  study  American 
literature,  which  course  it  pursued  for  some  three  years,  after  that  fol- 
lowed a  period  of  art  study,  then  English,  French  and  German  history 
and  literature;  also  two  years  each  to  the  study  of  Shakespeare  and 
Browning.     The  club  continues  to  flourish  at  the  present  writing. 

JUNIOR    CLUBS 

A  history  of  Hastings  clubs  would  indeed  be  incomplete  without 
mention  of  Uvo  junior  clubs  that  met  with  INIrs.  John  M.  Ragan  and 
enjoyed  the  jjrivilege  of  her  instruction  and  guidance.  The  first  was 
called  the  Odd  Number  Club,  the  latter  was  the  INIargaret  Fuller  Club, 
^^arious  subjects  were  taken  up  from  time  to  time.  Among  others 
was  a  comprehensive  consideration  of  Dante's  Inferno.  Many  of  the 
brightest  among  the  young  women  of  Hastings  look  back  with  pleas- 
ure and  gratitude  to  the  time  when  they  enjoyed  the  rare  privilege  of 
Mrs.  Ragan's  scholarly  leadership  and  her  influence  is  felt  in  many 
distant  states  through  the  altruistic  service  of  these  young  women 
\vhose  characters  she  helped  to  mould. 

The  Odd  Number  Club  was  composed  of  the  following  young 
girls:  Ruth  Wilson,  Mary  INIcCreary,  Carrie  Jones,  Eugenie  Hayden, 
Margaret  Pickens,  Gertrude  Yocum,  and  the  members  of  the  JMar- 
garet  Fuller  Club  were  Essie  Hamot,  Luella  Brach,  Sadie  Bailey, 
^^ida  Ferguson.  Ona  Reed,  Grace  McClelland. 

MATINEE    MUSICAL 

The  iVIatinee  ]Musical  or  INIusical  Culture  Club,  as  it  was  called 
later,  was  organized  in  1908  at  the  home  of  3Irs.  W.  E.'  Barnes.  The 
following  officers  were  elected:  President,  Mrs.  R.  B.  Wahlquist; 
vice  president,  JNIiss  Clara  JNIiles;  secretary.  Miss  Lillian  Brown;  exec- 
utive committee,  ]Mrs.  John  INI.  Ragan,  INIrs.  John  Slaker,  IMrs.  Fred 
J.  wSchaufelberger,  Mrs.  Beall,  JMrs.  Townsend,  JMrs.  Van  Sickle, 
Mrs.  H.  A.  Blenkiron;  program  committee,  JMrs.  O.  C.  Zinn.  JMrs. 


292       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

O.  Oliver,  JNIrs.  W.  E.  Barnes;  musical  director,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Barnes. 
Sixty-five  active  members  signed  the  constitution  at  the  first  meeting ; 
subsequently  the  number  reached  eighty-five  with  twenty-five  asso- 
ciate members. 

This  organization  was  active  for  ten  years,  giving  a  number  of 
delightful  programs.  In  1908  this  society  ceased  to  be  as  a  separate 
unit  and  became  merged  in  the  Woman's  Club  as  the  musical  depart- 
ment, and  has  been  a  very  valuable  addition  to  the  club,  supplying 
musical  numbers  for  general  programs  and  rendering  efficient  assist- 
ance in  many  ways.  Shortly  after  its  fusion  with  the  Woman's  Club 
a  series  of  reciprocal  programs  was  arranged  with  Grand  Island, 
Fairburj'  and  Kearney.  This  department  maintains  a  high  standard 
of  culture.  In  1914  it  gave  its  members  two  rare  artistic  treats  in  the 
form  of  two  illustrated  lectures,  one  on  "Italian  ]Music"  by  ]\Irs.  C.  F. 
Morey  and  one  on  "Parsifal"  by  INIiss  Grace  Sylla.  Both  were  accom- 
panied with  appropriate  music. 

HASTINGS    AVOJIAX'S    CLUB 

AVith  such  an  array  of  small  culture  clubs  already  in  existence  it 
would  seem  that  tliere  was  no  place  in  Hastings  for  the  larger  demo- 
cratic club.  But  when  it  is  considered  that  these  clubs  were  all  limited 
in  membership  and  were  ijurely  self-culture  circles  it  Avill  be  seen  that 
their  existence  only  emphasized  the  need  for  the  general  club.  The 
small  clubs,  like  the  women's  colleges,  had  been  teaching  women  to 
think.  The  study  of  literature  inevitably  leads  the  student  to  the  con- 
sideration of  life  in  its  various  phases,  and  then  comes  the  call  to 
action. 

The  history  of  the  Hastings  Woman's  Club,  or  rather,  the  history 
of  the  causes  which  led  to  its  organization,  is  precisely  the  history  of 
every  club  of  its  kind — north,  south,  east  and  west,  England,  the  con- 
tinent and  the  islands  of  the  sea.  It  is  one  chapter  of  the  great  social 
phenomenon  of  the  age — the  awakening  of  woman.  As  the  small 
clubs,  exclusive  and  aristocratic  in  their  tendencies,  outgrew  their  spirit 
of  mere  mental  acquisition,  there  arose  a  desire  to  do  and  to  be;  then 
came  the  call  to  act  their  ])art,  to  bear  their  share  in  the  woi-ld's  work. 

On  the  afternoon  of  February  10,  1906,  a  group  of  women  met  liy 
invitation  at  the  home  of  ]Mrs.  William  Dutton,  1200  West  Third 
Street.  ]Mrs.  Alice  Whitney  was  called  to  the  chair  and  ]Mrs.  W.  B. 
Snyder  stated  the  purpose  of  the  meeting,  which  was  the  organization 
of  a  woman's  club  on  broad,  democratic  lines,  whose  object  should  be 
"individual  development,  a  united  effort  toward  harmony,  charity  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      293 

that  broad  culture  which  comes  through  service  to  others."  A  com- 
mittee composed  of  ]Mrs.  John  Pickens,  Mrs.  J.  D.  French  and  ]Mrs. 
S.  E.  Howard  was  ajjpointed  to  draft  a  suitable  constitution  and  by- 
laws. Later,  the  committee  reported  and  the  proposed  constitution 
was  adopted,  after  which  the  following  names  were  affixed: 

]Mesdames  Ida  ]\I.  Rowland,  Gilliam,  Will  Snyder,  Robert  Falk- 
ner,  J.  D.  French,  P.  E.  IMcCoy,  John  Pope,  A.  INIeston,  F.  P. 
Olmstead,  F.  G.  Endelman,  C.  L.  Alexander,  John  Pickens,  H.  S. 
Rollins,  R.  H.  iMeyer,  William  Button,  Laura  M.  Gaines,  Effie  C. 
AVilber,  James  Sewell,  Frank  Nance.  William  JNLadgett,  M.  J.  Law- 
ler,  F.  C.  Babcock,  George  Kimball.  P.  G.  Cunningham,  S.  L.  Stich- 
ter.  Earnett.  Percy  Renner.  William  J.  Falk,  F.  A.  Watkins,  H.  E. 
Reaghler.  Z.  H.  Hughes,  Oliver  Whitney,  George  JNI.  Hoerner,  T.  B. 
Parker,  O.  E.  von  Oven,  J.  R.  Corey,  Pauline  Ragan,  J.  T.  Steele, 
M.  E.  Barnes,  J.  E.  Warrick,  Heartwell,  F.  A.  Boiler,  J.  V.  Beghtol, 
George  Churchill,  Frank  Schaufelberger,  B.  F.  Barr,  Herman  E. 
Stein,  Charles  Kohl.  Elizal)etli  Babcock,  Harry  Brewer.  Harry 
Haverly,  W.  B.  Kern;  JNIisses  Bertha  Hope  Lee.  E.  Virginia  Reed, 
Annie  L.  Richards,  Beatrice  Walling,  ^latilda  jMcClelland,  Richards, 
Dorr,.  :Mildred  3Ic]Millan,  Birdsell.  Gertrude  Dietrich  and  Edna 
Work. 

Temporary  officers  were  then  elected  as  follows:  President,  ]Mrs. 
Ida  ]M.  Howland;  vice  president,  JNIrs.  Gilliam;  recording  secretary, 
]\Irs.  W.  R.  Snyder;  corresjsonding  secretary,  Mrs.  Robert  Falkner; 
treasurer,  INIrs.  J.  D.  French.  JNIeetings  were  held  every  two  weeks 
at  different  places  but  considerable  difficulty  was  encountered  in  find- 
ing a  suitable  club  home;  finally,  the  auditorium  of  the  Carnegie 
Library  was  secured  and  regular  meetings  were  held  there  until  the 
s])ring  of  1910  when  the  club  moved  into  its  present  comfortable  quar- 
ters in  Brandes  Hall,  on  Second  Sti-eet  and  Burlington  Avenue. 

In  jNIarch,  1906.  the  following  dejiartments  were  formed:  Parlia- 
mentary law,  civics,  cm-rent  topics,  household  economics  and  physical 
cultin-e.  Excej^ting  the  last,  these  departments  are  all  actively  at 
work  at  the  present  time,  and  they  have  been  re-enforccd  by  literature, 
art,  music  and  dramatic  art  departments. 

]May  12,  1906,  the  following  permanent  officers  were  elected:  Pres- 
ident, ]Mrs.  J.  D.  French;  vice  president,  IMrs.  W.  R.  Snyder;  record- 
ing secretary,  JNIiss  Gertrude  Dietrich;  corresponding  secretarj-,  Mrs. 
J.  IM.  Sewell;  treasurer,  IMrs.  JNI.  E.  Barnes.  These  officers  were  re- 
elected in  1907. 

In  February,  1906,  the  club  became  affiliated  with  the  state  fed- 
eration and  the  following  December  it  became  a  member  of  the  gen- 


294       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

eral  federation.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  state  federation  held 
in  Kearney  in  1906  the  club  was  represented  by  JMrs.  French  and  JNIrs. 
W.  M.  Dutton.  jVlrs.  French  as  president  of  tlie  Hastings  Club  ex- 
tended an  invitation  to  the  federation  to  hold  its  next  meeting  at 
Hastings.  The  invitation  was  accepted  and  the  convention  met  in 
Hastings  in  the  JNIethodist  Cliurch  during  October,  1907.  It  was  a 
courageous  thing  for  so  young  a  club  to  attempt  to  entertain  the 
whole  state  federation,  but  the  meeting  was  a  great  success  from  start 
to  finish  and  placed  the  Hastings  Club  in  the  front  rank  of  the  Ne- 
braska clubs  that  are  "doing  things,"  which  rank  has  been  maintained. 
Among  the  notable  social  events  of  the  convention  were  a  rare  musical 
treat  provided  by  local  talent  and  a  banquet  at  the  JMasonic  Temple  at 
which  150  guests  were  seated. 

The  officers  elected  in  1908,  while  meetings  were  still  being  held  in 
the  library  auditorium,  were:  President,  iNIrs.  W.  E.  St.  John;  vice 
jiresident,  JMrs.  A.  H.  Brooke;  recording  secretary,  IMrs.  R.  P.  Falk- 
ner;  corresponding  secretary,  JMrs.  John  M.  Ragan;  treasurer,  Mrs. 
E.  A.  St.  John.     These  officers  were  re-elected  in  1909. 

Among  the  things  accomplished  during  JMrs.  St.  John's  presidency 
was  the  furnishing  of  a  room  at  the  Young  JMen's  Christian  Associa- 
tion for  the  use  of  that  association  at  a  cost  of  $100;  also  the  tajving  up 
of  tlie  club's  abode  in  tlie  new  Fraternity  Hall  (Brandes  Hall) ,  where 
there  is  ample  accommodation  in  tlie  parlors  for  general  club  meetings, 
also  department  meetings,  with  the  free  use  of  a  well  equipped  kitchen 
and  of  the  large  auditorium  for  the  pliysical  culture  class,  and  large 
social  gatherings,  including  the  annual  club  banquet. 

In  January,  1910,  the  officers  elected  were:  President,  JMrs.  John 
JM.  Ragan;  vice  president,  Mrs.  U.  S.  Roherer;  corresjionding  secre- 
tary, JMiss  Louise  Lepin ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Hurst ;  treasiu'cr. 
JMiss  Ella  St.  John;  Mrs.  Ragan  was  elected  delegate  to  the  biennial 
convention  to  the  general  federation  to  be  held  in  Cincinnati  in  June 
of  that  year.  This  was  the  first  time  that  the  Hastings  Club  was 
represented  in  the  general  federation. 

The  most  notable  event  of  this  administration  was  the  establish- 
ment of  that  organization  known  as  the  Civics  Board  of  Charities. 
As  early  as  1907  the  club  had  a  charity  committee.  It  sought  to  relieve 
suffering  whenever  possible,  especially  among  women  and  children. 
A  number  of  orphans  and  neglected  children  have  been  cared  for; 
some  placed  in  homes,  others  in  the  various  state  institutions  such  as 
the  Institute  for  the  Feeble  JMinded,  at  Beatrice,  the  Girls'  Industrial 
School  at  Geneva  and  the  Boys'  Industrial  School  at  Kearney.  The 
club  feels  particularly  hapjjy  over  the  fact  that  one  of  its  proteges,  a 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      295 

crijjpled  boy,  whom  it  was  able  to  place  in  the  Orthopedic  Hospital 
at  Lincoln,  is  greatly  improved  and  is  learning  a  trade,  so  that  he  bids 
fair  to  become  a  self-supporting  and  useful  citizen.  Among  other  activ- 
ities this  committee  collects  cast  off  clothing  from  the  citizens  and  dis- 
tributes them  in  different  ways  according  to  the  need.  In  winter 
a  room  is  open  once  a  week  where  people,  especially  mothers,  can  come 
and  replenish  the  family  wardrobe.  JMrs.  Alice  Brooke  and  JNlrs. 
F.  C.  Wood  are  the  leading  spirits  in  this  part  of  the  club's  activities. 

Early  in  their  work  the  club  found  that  there  was  danger  of  con- 
fusion and  positive  harm  from  the  duplication  and  overlapping  of  the 
work  of  different  organizations,  all  seeking  to  alleviate  suffering,  so 
the  plan  of  the  civics  board  of  charities  was  devised.  It  is  composed 
of  the  Charity  Committee  of  the  Woman's  Club,  the  three  members 
of  the  board  of  county  sujiervisors  who  reside  in  Hastings,  the  super- 
intendent of  the  Hastings  schools,  the  truant  officer  and  the  editors 
of  the  daily  newspaper.  The  plan  has  worked  out  admiral)ly  and  has 
resulted  in  a  much  more  intelligent  and  efficient  method  of  dealing 
with  cases  of  destitution. 

Mrs.  W.  H.  Dillon  was  elected  president  in  1912,  with  JMrs.  J.  M. 
Sewell  vice  president;  Mrs.  A.  E.  Allyn,  recording  secretary;  JMrs. 
(ieorge  Kimball,  corresponding  secretary;  and  Mrs.  W.  E.  Painter, 
treasurer.  In  June  of  that  year  the  general  federation  met  at  San 
Francisco  and  Hastings  was  represented  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Ragan, 
JMrs.  F.  C.  Babcock,  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Morey  and  JMrs.  John  Slaker. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year  the  convention  of  the  clubs  of  the  Fifth  Con- 
gressional District  met  in  Hastings. 

In  1913,  according  to  the  club's  established  precedent,  JMrs.  Dillon 
was  reelected  president,  but  because  of  removal  and  other  changes 
her  fellow  officers  were  changed  to  JMrs.  F.  C.  Babcock,  vice  i^resi- 
dent:  JMrs.  Sexson,  recording  secretary;  JMrs.  Slaker,  corresponding- 
secretary,  and  JMrs.  George  Kimball,  treasurer.  These  were  suc- 
ceeded in  1914-  by  JMrs.  John  Slaker,  president;  J\Irs.  George  Kim- 
ball, vice  president;  JMrs.  Silas  Ljaiian,  recording  secretary;  JMrs. 
George  Churchill,  corresponding  secretary;  and  Mrs.  E.  A.  Francis, 
treasurer.  All  of  these  ladies  are  now  filling  their  respective  offices, 
having  been  reelected  January,  1915,  with  the  exception  of  Mrs. 
George  Kimball,  Avho  declined  reelection  and  was  succeeded  by  JMrs. 
Agnes  JMeston. 

It  was  during  JMrs.  Dillon's  administration  that  the  club  ventured 
upon  the  most  imjiortant  undertaking  of  its  career,  tlie  thing  by 
Avhich  it  will  be  remembered  when  all  of  its  other  activities  have  been 
forgotten — the  establishment  of  Sunnyside.     For  a  long  time  the 


296       PAST  AND  PRESP:XT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

civics  board  of  charities,  and  especially  the  women  of  the  charitv 
committee  of  the  club,  had  been  realizing  the  need  of  some  place 
where  those  in  need  of  temporarj'  shelter  might  find  a  safe  place, 
where  a  sick,  tired  woman  could  go  for  a  time,  where  a  neglected 
or  abandoned  child  could  find  a  loving,  friendly  welcome  and  where 
old  people  of  limited  means  could  be  cared  for.  From  the  first 
suggestion  of  its  possibilities  the  enterprise  met  with  enthusiastic 
suiJjJort  from  the  club  women.  Several  entertainments  were  given 
to  raise  funds  and  finally,  on  February  27,  1914,  a  resolution  was  in- 
troduced providing  for  the  apjjointment  of  a  committee  to  take  the 
necessary  stejis  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  such  a 
home.    The  resolution  was  passed  with  one  dissenting  vote. 

The  Sunnyside  Home  was  opened  April  1,  1914,  upon  the  site  and 
building  purcliased  at  the  corner  of  Lincoln  Avenue  and  Fourteenth 
Street.  The  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  night  of  January  6, 
1916.  Steps  were  taken  at  once  for  rebuilding  and  the  present  Home 
was  erected  and  opened  in  September,  1916.  The  cost  of  the  build- 
ing was  $12,000.  Sunnyside  has  thirty  rooms  and  at  present  has 
twenty  guests.  It  has  awakened  interest  in  its  work  among  the 
woman's  clubs  in  many  states.  jNIiss  ]Margaret  Kealy  has  been  the 
matron  since  the  oiJening  of  the  institution  and  at  the  time  of  the  fire 
saved  the  life  of  two  of  her  wards  at  the  risk  of  her  own. 

In  June,  1914,  the  biennial  convention  of  the  general  federation 
was  held  in  Chicago.  At  this  meeting  Hastings  was  represented  by 
its  i^resident,  Mrs.  Slaker,  and  its  ex-president,  IMrs.  Dillon,  also 
]Mrs.  A.  H.  Brooke,  Mrs.  Will  Lowman,  JNIrs.  William  Dutton  and 
Mrs.  C.  F.  Morey.  It  was  at  this  meeting  that  the  general  federa- 
tion took  its  stand  as  being  unequivocally  in  favor  of  equal  suffrage 
for  men  and  women.  One  of  the  Hastings  delegates  described  it  as 
one  of  the  most  dramatic  episodes  she  had  ever  witnessed.  This  was 
the  moment  for  which  many  of  those  women  had  striven  for  years; 
whichever  way  it  Avent  it  was  fraught  with  consequences  of  deep 
significance,  and  yet  the  spirit  manifested  was  one  of  most  kindly 
consideration. 

It  took  less  than  ten  minutes  from  the  time  that  the  resolution 
was  introduced  until  it  was  passed,  the  cheering  over  and  that  vast 
assembly,  which  completely  filled  the  ^Vuditorium  Theater,  settled 
back  to  the  order  of  the  day.  Some  had  feared  that  the  southern 
women  would  balk  at  it  but  it  was  found  that  some  of  its  Avarmest 
supporters  were  among  the  southern  delegates. 

Jt  was  because  of  the  action  of  its  central  body  that  the  Hastings 
club  threw  itself  so  enthusiastically  into  tlie  campaign  for  woman 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       297 

suffrage  in  the  fall  of  1914.  The  City  of  Hastings  was  carried  for 
suffrage,  but  the  total  vote  for  Adams  County  resulted  in  a  tie. 

While  engaging  freely  in  civic  affairs  the  club  strongly  empha- 
sizes its  jjosition  as  a  conserver  of  culture  in  the  community  and  its 
influence  is  always  to  be  felt  in  any  undertaking  which  tends  to 
advance  the  intellectual  status  of  Hastings,  also  as  a  social  center  it 
is  a  valuable  asset.  Each  year  several  dehghtful  social  affairs  find 
place  on  the  club  calendar  and  the  annual  birthday  jjarty  which  is 
celebrated  on  or  about  the  first  of  February  is  always  an  event  of 
delightful  importance.  At  first  it  took  the  form  of  a  club  breakfast, 
but  in  more  recent  years  it  has  been  the  occasion  for  a  formal  evening 
banquet,  at  which  toasts  are  responded  to  in  a  manner  quite  up  to  the 
liigh  standard  which  the  club  has  set  in  every  other  branch  of  its 
activity. 

The  real  work  of  the  club  is  done  chiefly  in  the  departments,  the 
general  meeting  being  a  kind  of  clearing  house  for  department  and 
committee  work,  and  so  the  annual  banquet  is  almost  the  only  occa- 
sion when  all  the  members  are  together. 

During  the  spring  of  191.5  the  club  gave  an  entertainment  at  the 
Kerr  Oj^era  House  which  was  unique  in  many  ways.  This  was  the 
presentation  of  a  morality  play.  "Everymatron,"  modeled  after  the 
old  morality  plays  of  the  dawn  of  English  literature  and  written  by 
]Mr.  R.  D.  Scott  of  the  state  university.  The  play  was  beautifully 
staged  under  the  direction  of  JNIrs.  Frank  Babcock,  the  cast  was 
unusually  strong,  there  were  no  evidences  of  amateurishness  and  alto- 
gether the  performance  left  nothing  to  be  desired.  Admission  was  by 
invitation  only;  each  club  member  being  given  a  certain  number  of 
tickets,  which  she  was  free  to  distribute  among  her  friends. 

Among  the  notable  achievements  of  the  club  was  the  historical 
parade  which  formed  a  part  of  the  Fourth  of  Jidy  celebration  in 
191.5.  It  was  a  panorama  of  American  history  by  periods  from  the 
landing  of  Columbus  down  to  the  present  time.  Some  of  the  floats 
were  remarkably  beautiful,  others  were  humorous;  the  whole  parade 
was  an  object  lesson  in  om-  liistory  not  easily  forgotten.  The  difficult 
undertaking  was  carried  to  its  successful  issue  by  a  committee  com- 
posed of  Mrs.  C.  H.  Dietrich,  chairman;  ]Mrs.  Alice  Dudley,  ^Nlrs. 
Silas  I>yman  and  ]Mrs.  A.  E.  Stiff. 

In  September,  191.5.  when  the  state  federation  met  at  Norfolk 
]Mrs.  Slakei-,  the  president,  unanimously  endorsed  by  the  chamber 
of  commerce  and  the  city  council,  asked  for  tlie  federation  to  meet 
in  Hastings  in  1916.  This  invitation  has  been  accepted  and  the  fed- 
eration will  meet  here  in  October,  1916. 


298       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Among  the  recent  acts  of  generositj-  are  a  gift  of  $35  to  the 
civics  board  of  charity  to  be  used  for  the  jjoor  at  Thanksgiving  time 
and  a  box  of  some  two  hundred  books  and  magazines  to  a  small  club 
in  the  western  jxirt  of  the  state  that  is  making  heroic  eiForts  to  start 
a  public  library. 

The  club  is  hojjing  that  at  some  time  in  the  future  it  may  possess 
its  o«n  club  house  for  there  are  many  things  that  it  would  be  able 
to  do  that  are  impossible  while  occupying  rented  qviarters.  A  few 
years  ago  a  fund  was  started  for  this  purpose,  but  for  the  past  few 
years  club  energies  have  been  expended  in  other  ways.  Its  mission 
is  to  do  the  thing  at  hand,  to  fulfill  the  duty  of  today  and,  adapting 
itself  to  Avhatever  condition  may  arise,  the  Hastings  Woman's  Club 
is  proving  its  value  to  the  communit^^ 

The  scope  of  the  work  carried  on  by  the  woman's  club  necessitates 
the  division  of  the  workers,  hence  there  are  the  following  depart- 
ments: Parliamentary  law,  civics,  physical  culture,  household 
economies,  literature,  art,  current  events  and  dramatic  art.  New 
departments  are  added  from  time  to  time  as  the  need  appears. 

UAUCJHTEKS  ()]•'  THE  AJIEKICAX  REVOLUTION 

Niobrara  Chapter  of  Hastings  was  organized  October  12,  lOlO, 
and  chartered  ]March  23,  1911,  with  nineteen  members,  JNIrs.  Charles 
G.  Lane  charter  regent. 

The  chajjter  has  had  enrolled  one  real  daughter.  A  real  daughter 
is  one  whose  father  rendered  Revolutionary  service.  JNIrs.  Caroline 
Herrick  Johnson  was  born  in  Towanda,  Pennsylvania.  Her  father 
when  a  mere  boy  was  enrolled  in  the  Eighth  regiment,  state  militia, 
and  was  soon  called  into  active  service.  These  poorly  equipped, 
young  and  undisciplined  troops  were  quickly  discharged.  Hence- 
forth Ebenezer  Herrick's  service  was  that  of  the  camp.  The 
national  society  pays  a  small  monthly  pension  to  each  real  "daughter." 

The  chapter  is  open  to  any  woman  proving  her  eligibility  under 
conditions  of  article  3,  section  1,  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the 
national  society:  "Any  woman  may  be  eligible  for  membership  who 
is  of  the  age  of  eighteen  and  who  is  descended  from  a  man  or  a  woman 
who  with  unfailing  loyalty  rendered  material  aid  to  the  cause  of  inde- 
pendence, ])rovided  the  applicant  be  acceptable  to  the  society." 

The  jjurpose  of  the  organization  is,  "To  foster  true  patriotism, 
love  of  country  and  love  of  God;  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  men 
and  women,  who  by  self-denial,  sacrifice  and  heroic  endeavor  achieved 
American  independence;  and  to  uphold  the  blessings  and  responsi- 
bilities of  liberty;  to  hold  hands  and  hearts  ever  ready  to  aid  the 
needy  and  succor  the  distressed." 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      299 

The  monthly  meetings  are  devoted  to  general  business,  study  and 
discussion  of  history  and  topics  of  interest  and  importance  at  the 
present  day.  A  beautiful  silk  flag  is  displayed  by  request  of  the  late 
Mrs.  S.  T.  Riordan.  The  flag  was  presented  to  the  chapter  by  Mrs. 
Riordan,  mother  of  ]Mrs.  Charles  F.  jMorey. 

A  few  examples  will  illustrate  the  activities  of  the  chapter. 
October,  1911,  a  committee  composed  of  JMrs.  J.  M.  Dailey,  JNIrs.  A. 
II  Allyn  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Fuller  was  appointed  to  take  charge  Of 
raising  money  for  a  marker  to  be  placed  on  the  Oregon  Trail  at  the 
point  nearest  Hastings.  The  fund  was  started  by  voluntary  con- 
tributions from  chapter  members.  In  February,  1912,  JMrs.  C.  F. 
JMorey.  with  the  consent  and  approval  of  the  proper  authorities,  gave 
an  entertaining  and  instructive  lecture  on  "JHistoric  Spots  in  Amer- 
ica" at  the  Hastings  High  School.  Pupils  who  wished  to  do  so  con- 
tributed their  mites  to  the  cause.  In  April,  1912,  Mrs.  F.  C.  Bab- 
cock  gave  a  reading  from  Dickens  at  Fraternity  Hall.  Her  highly 
cultivated  natural  talent  and  sympathetic  delineation  of  character 
assured  a  large  audience  and  crowned  the  eff'ort  with  success.  The 
Oregon  Trail  State  Commission  added  $2o.  The  granite  marker, 
engraved : 

OREGOX  TRAIL 

Erected  by  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution 

And 

The   State  of  X^ebraska 

1811-1912 

was  placed  on  the  LeRoy  Road,  seven  miles  south  of  Hastings. 

A  moving  picture  show  was  given  by  the  chapter,  X^ovember, 
1913,  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  pupils  of  Longfellow  School, 
to  secure  a  silk  flag  for  the  assembly  room  and  similar  flags  for  the 
other  rooms.     They  were  presented  February,  1914. 

During'  February,  1915,  woolen  scarfs,  caps,  and  socks  were 
knitted  by  chapter  members  and  their  friends  and  sent  to  the  Belgian 
suft'erers.  Enough  clothing,  non-perishable  food  and  toys  for  little 
children  to  fill  three  large  boxes,  was  collected  and  sent  to  the  war 
stricken  countries  of  Europe  on  the  Christmas  ship  of  1913. 

The  chajiter  was  invited  to  take  charge  of  a  patriotic  program 
before  the  patrons'  league  of  the  Alcott  School,  JMay  20,  1915. 
Pu])ils  furnished  the  music.  JMrs.  E.  B.  Hamel  real  a  paper  on  "How 
to  Teach  Patriotism  in  the  Home,"  and  JMrs.  William  JMadgett  pre- 
sented a  paper  on  "How  to  Teach  Patriotism  in  the  School." 

The  Liberty  Bell,  en  route  to  the  San  Francisco  Exposition, 
arrived  in  Hastings  at  6:30  P.  JM.  July  9,  1915.     The  program  was 


300       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTV 

in  the  charge  of  Niobrara  Chapter,  ]Mrs.  A.  E.  Allyn,  regent.  An 
automobile  parade,  in  wliich  the  cars  were  beautifully  decorated  in 
the  national  colors,  started  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  at  -t  the 
school  children  assembled  on  the  court  house  lawn  and  with  Civil  war 
veterans  and  a  large  concourse  of  citizens  listened  to  a  program  of 
music  and  speaking.  The  music  was  in  the  charge  of  ]Mrs.  W.  E. 
Barnes  and  the  sjjeakers  were  J.  N.  Clarke,  ]Mayor  William  ^Nladgett 
and  Rev.  A.  A.  Brooks,  pastor  of  the  JNIethodist  Church.  ]Miss 
Lucia  Dillenback  gave  a  reading,  and  at  intervals  the  JNlonroe  Drum 
Corjjs  rendered  stirring  music.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  i^rogram 
the  children  under  the  escort  of  the  teachers  and  Company  G,  state 
militia,  marched  to  the  train  to  greet  the  Liberty  Bell.  The  car 
stojijied  immediately  east  of  the  Burlington  Station,  where  a  plat- 
form had  been  built  that  enabled  pedestrians  to  view  the  old  bell 
Avith  comfort  and  despatch. 

On  the  occasional  social  affairs  mention  may  be  made  of  one, 
a  garden  party  given  on  Flag  Day,  1912,  on  the  lawn  of  Mrs.  A.  E. 
Stitt.  Chapter  members  wore  colonial  costumes  and  a  varied  pro- 
gram realizing  the  spirit  of  the  colonial  era  and  the  work  of  its  leaders 
was  enjoyed.  Fortunes  were  told  in  a  wigwam  and  the  Treble  ClefF 
Society  of  Hastings  College  sang  patriotic  songs.  A  display  of 
relics  of  colonial  and  revolutionary  days  was  made  on  the  veranda, 
which  was  beautifully  decorated  with  flags,  flowers,  and  the  colonial 
colors,  buff  and  blue.  Among  the  articles  were  a  family  tree  and 
rare  books  and  samplers.  ]Mrs.  Lucy  E.  Gutherie  exhibited  a  rolling- 
pin  12.5  years  old;  ]Mrs.  E.  B.  Hamel  displayed  embroidery  12 j  years 
old  and  Mrs.  A.  E.  Allyn  contributed  for  the  occasion  solid  silver 
monogramed  spoons  of  an  equally  early  date.  An  interesting  ex- 
hibit Avas  a  hand  embroidered  dress  that  had  been  worn  at  a  party 
honored  with  the  presence  of  George  and  JNIartha  Washing-ton. 
This  dress  is  the  possession  of  JNIrs.  A.  E.  Stitt  and  is  an  heirloom 
from  the  family  of  JMrs.  W.  H.  Dillon. 

The  charter  members  of  Niobrara  Chapter  are  jNIesdames  Charles 
G.  Lane.  C.  E.  Pratt.  L.  C.  Gutherie,  A.  E.  Allyn,  M.  Sims.  W.  H. 
Waldron.  E.  F.  Yarndley,  A.  R.  Van  Sickle.  M.  Stewart.  G.  W. 
Tibbets,  E.  B.  Hamel,  W.  T.  Blackman,  J.  A.  Loudermilch,  S.  T. 
Riordan,  Chicago,  G.  H.  Pratt.  W.  H.  Fuller.  Oswald  Oliver.  J.  M. 
Dailey  and  A.  E.  Stitt.  INIrs.  Riordan  lost  her  life  August  17,  1013. 
in  the  wreck  of  the  S.  S.  California  off  the  coast  of  Alaska.  The 
real  daughter,  Mrs.  Carolina  Herrick  Johnson,  died  at  Hastings.  Jan- 
uary 23,  191.').  She  would  have  been  ninety  j^ears  old  the  follow- 
ing IMarch. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
BASEBALL  AND  ENTERTAINMENTS 

BASEBALL 

Adams  County  and  Hastings  displayed  a  thorough  American  spirit 
from  tlieir  earliest  days  in  many  ways,  but  by  perhaps  nothing  more 
characteristic  than  the  manifestation  of  enthusiasm  for  the  great 
national  game.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  many  of  the  names  identified 
with  the  early  development  of  business  in  Hastings  and  the  county 
were  also  the  ones  who  promoted  baseball,  not  merely  as  fans  but  in 
the  early  days  as  players,  too. 

Hastings  had  very  good  amateur  baseball  as  far  back  as  1878, 
when  the  ball  ground  was  located  a  little  south  of  the  Burlington  track 
on  Lincoln  Avenue.  In  1879  H.  S.  ]Mulford,  ''Sandy  INIulford,"  as  he 
was  familiarly  known,  arrived  in  Hastings.  "Sandy"  was  the  first 
"curve"  pitcher  to  make  his  home  in  Nebraska,  and  his  ability  to  fool 
the  batter  gave  Hastings  baseball  a  zest  that  it  had  never  known 
before.  There  were  many  in  those  days  who  did  not  believe  that  it 
was  possible  to  pitch  a  ball  so  that  it  would  curve,  and  as  the  prowess 
of  ]Mulford  became  noised  about  be  came  to  be  regarded  as  a  won- 
der and  a  hero.  In  the  summer  of  1879  G.  J.  Evans  was  the  catcher 
for  Hastings,  and  with  "Sandy"  in  the  box  they  were  able  to  admin- 
ister defeat  to  the  West  Blue  team  which  heretofore  had  proven  a 
foi-midable  opponent.  William  INIonroe  and  the  Tompkins  brothers 
were  important  members  of  the  West  Blue  aggTcgation.  The  Hast- 
ings team  at  this  time  was  composed  of  "Sandy"  Mulford,  G.  J. 
Evans.  Johnnie  Crosthwaite,  S.  J.  Weigel,  H.  G.  Newsom,  Frank 
Stine,  J.  B.  Dallas,  Harry  Haverly  and,  when  the  opponents  were 
particularly  strong,  William  JMonroe.  Games  were  played  in  the 
early  days  Avitli  Grand  Island,  Central  City,  Fairbmy,  Harvard,  Sut- 
ton, Juniata  and  Red  Cloud.  George  IMizen  is  a  survivor  of  the 
Juniata  players.  J.  B.  Dallas  figured  as  an  important  pitcher  for  the 
early  Hastings  team  as  well  as  Mulford. 

Baseball  activities  in  Adams  County  have  naturally  centered  prin- 
301 


.302       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

cipally  in  Hastings  where  it  has  been  characterized  by  periods  reach- 
ing a  high  pitch  of  enthusiasm  and  achievement  alternating  with 
periods  of  ahnost  total  dormancy.  The  chief  activities  may  be  said 
to  have  commenced  June  23,  1880,  when  the  Hastings  Baseball  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  with  Charles  H.  Paul,  president;  John  Stabler, 
vice  president;  George  T.  Williams,  secretary;  R.  D.  Tussey,  treas- 
urer; J.  D.  Crosthwaite,  captain;  Edwin  Boelich,  umpire  and  John 
Ballard,  scorer.  The  players  comiJosing  the  team  under  this  organiza- 
tion were  G.  J.  Evans,  H.  S.  Mulford,  J.  D.  Crosthwaite,  Frank 
Stine,  O.  F.  Lambertson,  J.  J.  Cline,  J.  A.  Dallas,  E.  Hersey  and 
Frank  Miner.    The  game  at  this  time  was  on  a  non-jjrofessional  basis. 

In  1884  there  was  a  reorganization  of  the  association  and  the 
Hastings  Athletic  Association  came  into  being  and  took  steps  to  place 
the  game  ujjon  a  permanent  footing.  During  this  year  the  association 
purchased  block  3  in  St.  Joseph  Addition.  This  ground  was  located 
on  the  south  side  between  Colorado  and  Kansas  avenues  and  D  and  E 
streets.  A  grandstand  and  bleachers  were  erected  and  the  block 
fenced.  It  was  upon  these  grounds  that  the  game  was  jilayed  until 
about  1890,  when  the  fence  was  presented  to  Hastings  College  and 
removed  to  the  college  campus.  The  college  grounds  were  used  for 
about  two  years. 

In  1892  D.  S.  Cole  prepared  a  ball  ground  immediately  east  of 
Cole's  park  in  the  southeast  portion  of  Hastings.  A  bicycle  track  was 
also  constructed  around  the  diamond  and  for  a  few  years  following 
1892  bicycle  racing  was  a  prominent  sj^ort.  Among  those  who 
attained  good  reputations  as  bicyclists  were  L.  C.  Landis,  H.  C. 
Wanzer,  Curt  Clark,  Henrj'  Jacobson  and  others.  These  athletic 
grounds  were  used  for  bicycle  races,  baseball  and  football  until  about 
1895.  Then  grounds  were  fitted  up  south  of  the  fair  grounds  in  the 
extreme  northwest  part  of  the  citv.  In  1897  the  locus  of  athletics 
again  moved,  this  time  to  the  old  east  ward  school  grounds,  located 
between  Second  and  Third  streets  and  JNIinnesota  and  Colorado  ave- 
nues. This  ground  was  fenced  and  in  the  course  of  time  serious  objec- 
tion to  the  location  of  tlie  grounds  was  raised  by  nearby  residents. 
Following  the  sale  of  the  ground  by  the  board  of  education  in  the 
winter  of  1907-8  the  complaining  residents  detei'mined  to  settle  the 
matter  by  tearing  down  the  fence  and  with  this  purpose  a  considerable 
body  of  men  went  to  work  with  their  hammers.  Alarmed,  baseball 
supjjorters  rushed  to  the  courthouse  to  secure  an  order  to  prevent  the 
demolition  of  the  fence.  The  court  hastily  granted  a  temporary 
injunction  but  before  the  papers  coidd  be  served  the  fence  was  down. 

In  1908  grounds  were  leased  from  the  Y.  ]M.  C.  A.,  who  held  it 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP^  ADAMS  COUNTY      303 

under  lease  from  the  Burlington  railroad  and  since  that  time  the 
games  have  been  jjlayed  on  that  ground,  which  is  located  between  First 
and  Second  streets  and  Baltimore  and  Briggs  avenues. 

During  the  season  of  1884  the  Hastings  team  was  made  up  partly 
of  professionals  and  parti}'  of  amateurs.  It  served  to  determine  the 
supporters  of  the  game  to  assemble  such  a  team  as  would  advertise 
the  city  to  be  one  of  the  most  progressive  in  this  section  of  the  west. 
The  1885  team  was  wholly  professional.  The  team,  known  as  the 
"Hastings  Reds,"  made  two  notable  trips  dining  the  season.  On  the 
first  trij)  games  were  played  Avith  Atchison,  Leavenworth  and  St. 
Joseph.  The  second  trip  was  to  the  west  and  games  were  played 
with  Denver,  Pueblo  and  LeadA^ille.  This  trij)  was  managed  and 
finanoially  guaranteed  by  Charles  H.  Dietrich.  Hastings  won  about 
one-half  of  the  games  played  on  the  two  trips.  It  was  in  this  year 
that  "Dad"  Rohrer  came  to  Hastings  from  Illinois  upon  an  invita- 
tion to  join  the  Hastings  Reds.  After  that  time,  JNIr.  Rohrer  was 
actively  one  of  the  chief  sujjporters  of  baseball  in  various  capacities 
until  the  formation  of  the  state  league,  and  still  is  one  of  the  keenest 
of  the  fans. 

Diu'ing  this  trip  Hastings  won  a  notable  game  from  the 
Omaha  Union  Pacific  team.  The  score  was  2  to  1  and  the  game  went 
twelve  innings.  It  was  in  this  year  that  Hastings  played  its  first 
game  with  Fremont.  During  the  itineraries  of  the  team  G.  J.  Evans 
was  the  umpire,  and  during  the  game  with  St.  Joseph  seemed  for  a 
time  to  be  in  imminent  danger  of  losing  his  life  at  the  hands  of  St. 
Joseph  patrons  who  resented  his  decisions. 

During  the  season  of  1886  the  Reds  played  as  an  independent  club 
which  was  organized  by  Amasa  G.  Smith,  the  Reds'  pitcher,  in  188.5. 
Games  were  played  with  the  clubs  of  the  Western  Leagiie.  Toward 
the  close  of  the  season  Hastings  challenged  Lincoln  and  the  challenge 
was  accepted  for  Lincoln  by  Dave  Rowe.  Three  games  were  played 
with  Lincoln  at  Hastings  and  Hastings  won  all  three  and  by  that 
winning  claimed  the  championship  of  Nebraska  in  baseball. 

February  1.  188.5,  the  Hastings  Reds  were  admitted  into  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Western  League,  the  certificate  being  signed  by  E.  E. 
JMurphy.  The  other  cities  composing  the  league  were  Lincoln, 
Omaha,  St.  Joseph,  Leavenworth,  Denver,  Kansas  City  and  Topeka. 

The  year  1887  was  the  year  of  the  boom  in  Hastings  and  that  year 
Hastings  was  a  member  of  the  Western  League.  That  year  INI.  L. 
Elsemore  was  president  of  the  Hastings  Baseball  Association  and 
H.  B.  Knowlton,  secretary.  Fred  Corey,  of  the  Athletics,  was 
secured  for  manager  at  a  salary  of  $.500  per  month.     He  held  that 


304       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

position  only  a  short  time  and  was  succeeded  by  U.  S.  Rohrer.  The 
2)itcliers  for  Hastings  in  the  season  of  1887  were  Wehrle,  who  after- 
wards Mon  distinction  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  Nicholson,  afterwards 
with  Chicago.  Topeka  won  the  j^ennant  for  1887  and  Hastings  fin- 
ished about  the  middle.  By  the  next  year  the  boom  liad  collapsed  and 
with  it  went  Hastings  baseball  for  a  season.  The  next  year  there  was 
no  Hastings  club. 

The  first  period  of  professional  baseball  in  Hastings  was  188.5  to 
1887.  inclusive,  with  the  team  of  1884  partly  on  a  professional  basis. 
Among  the  financial  sujiporters  of  the  game  at  that  time  may  be  men- 
tioned Jay  Cherry,  G.  J.  Evans,  J.  B.  Dallas,  Durley  Dent,  A.  H. 
Cramer,  C.  K.  Lawson,  J.  F.  Ballinger,  A.  L.  Clarke,  C.  K.  Lawson, 
C.  H.  Dietrich  and  F.  J.  Benedict.  Pay  of  the  players  ranged  from 
$7-5  per  month  to  $2.50.  Of  the  team  of  1885  Brimblecom,  fielder, 
subsequently  won  distinction  in  the  Western  League  and  the  Three  I. 
Avhile  A.  G.  Smith,  pitcher,  became  prominent  in  the  Southern 
League.  Ebright,  Reds  catcher  in  1886,  won  subsequent  laurels  in 
the  Western  League. 

Following  the  collapse  of  professional  liaseball  in  1887  there  was 
not  much  baseball  activity  in  Hastings  until  1891  when  U.  S.  Rohrer 
organized  a  team  known  as  "Rohrer's  Rustlers,"  and  composed  of 
local  players.  Tliis  team  was  run  on  the  cooperative  plan  and  lasted 
practically  through  the  season.  The  team  fared  successfully  finan- 
cially imtil  the  last  game,  which  was  played  with  Fremont.  The 
adversity  sustained  in  this  game  caused  the  team  to  disband. 

In  1892  Hastings  joined  the  state  league  for  the  first  time.  The 
league  was  composed  of  the  clubs  from  Grand  Island,  Fremont, 
Plattsmouth,  Lincoln.  Beatrice  and  Hastings.  One  after  another  the 
clubs  dropped  out  and  the  league  disbanded  July  4.  Hastings  was 
the  last  club  to  drop  out. 

In  189.-3  F.  F.  Carruthers  organized  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  team  on  the 
cooperative  plan  and  baseball  was  kept  alive.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  team 
ke])t  the  baseball  fire  smoiddering  for  about  two  years.  Subsequently 
independent  teams  were  organized  by  U.  S.  Rohrer,  Will  IMace,  H.  C. 
Schauble  and  William  Hoagland  and  a  semblance  of  baseball  life  was 
maintained  until  tlie  tearing  down  of  the  baseball  fence  on  the  East 
AVard  school  grounds  in  the  spring  of  1908. 

Hastings  again  became  a  member  of  the  state  league  in  1910. 
Baseball  supporters  were  incorporated  February  25  of  that  year  and 
the  following  were  elected  directors:  F.  C.  Babcock,  C.  G.  Lane, 
H.  E.  Stein,  P.  R.  Renner  and  Will  Neimeyer.  Herman  E.  Stein 
was  elected  president  and  C.  G.  Lane  vice  president.     Sul)sequent 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      305 

presidents  of  the  organization  were  C.  J.  ^Miles,  Ed.  Deines  and  John 
U.  Teeling. 

About  $2, .500  was  subscribed  in  the  spring  of  1910  and  a  chib 
was  assembled  under  the  management  of  George  Harm.  The  team 
was  christened  "The  Brickmakers."  In  addition  to  The  Brickmakers 
the  state  league  comjirised  tlie  clubs  of  Fremont,  Grand  Island,  Supe- 
rior, Seward,  Kearney,  Columbus  and  Red  Cloud.  The  league  con- 
tinued until  about  the  middle  of  the  season  of  191.5,  although  in  the 
meantime  there  were  a  number  of  changes  in  its  makeup.  York  pur- 
cliased  the  franchise  of  Red  Cloud,  Seward  sold  to  Beatrice,  Fremont 
to  Norfolk  and  Superior  to  Fairbury.  The  state  league  pennant  was 
won  by  Fremont  in  1910  and  then  sviccessively  by  Superior,  Kearney, 
Hastings  and  Grand  Island.  No  pennant  was  awarded  in  1915,  when 
the  league  disbanded. 

C.  J.  ]Miles,  of  Hastings,  was  a  strong  suj^porter  of  the  game  and 
became  known  as  one  of  the  i^rincipal  fans  in  Nebraska.  He  was 
jiresident  of  the  state  league  in  191-4  and  191.5. 

An  interesting  incident  of  baseball  in  Hastings  was  the  visit  of 
the  Chicago  and  All- American  clubs.  These  teams  stopped  en  route 
u])on  their  toin-  around  the  world.  Being  guaranteed  $.500  they 
stopped  in  Hastings  and  played  a  game  October  "26,  1888.  The  gate 
receipts  upon  that  day  totalled  about  $1,300.  The  score  Mas  8  to  4 
in  favor  of  Chicago.  The  players  were,  for  Chicago:  Ryan.  Pettit. 
Sullivan,  Anson,  Pfeffer,  Williamson,  Burns,  Tener  and  Baldwin. 
Tener  is  now  jjresident  of  the  National  League  and  one  time  gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania.  The  All-Anierican  team  were  Hanlon, 
Wood,  Hengle,  Carroll,  Van  Haltren,  Long,  Brown,  Flint  and 
Fogarty.  Some  of  the  Hastings  fans  are  positive  that  Billy  Sunday 
was  with  the  aggregation.  His  name,  however,  does  not  ap])ear  upon 
the  score  book. 

Several  baseball  players  who  began  their  careers  in  the  game  at 
Hastings  or  became  known  in  Adams  County  through  being  members 
of  clubs  of  the  state  league  have  gone  up  in  the  game  for  longer  or 
shorter  periods.  Besides  those  mentioned  as  having  played  in  Hast- 
ings prior  to  1888,  there  was  Byron  IMcKibben,  playing  in  Hastings 
in  1892.  who  was  subsequently  with  the  Western  Leagaie;  outfielder 
and  catclier.  ]McFarland,  played  afterwards  with  the  Eastern  League 
and  the  American  Association;  Fred  Clark,  once  a  fielder  for  Hast- 
ings, became  distinguished  in  the  Southern  League  and  the  National 
and  was  the  manager  of  the  Pittsburgh  club  for  years.  Jake  Gett- 
man  began  his  career  in  Hastings  and  stayed  in  baseball  for  many 
years.  ])laying  in  the  Texas,  American  and  Eastern  leagues.     Retir- 


306       PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OP^  ADAMS  COUNTY 

ing  from  baseball,  Gettinan  now  operates  a  cigar  factory  in  Nortli 
Platte. 

Of  the  last  state  league  jilayers  mention  might  be  made  of  ]Mitch- 
ell,  Red  Cloud  pitcher,  afterwards  with  Detroit  and  Cincinnati; 
Agnew,  catcher  for  Colmiibus,  afterwards  with  St.  Louis  and  Boston ; 
Dazzy  Vance,  of  Hastings,  jjitcher  for  Superior,  afterwards  with 
the  New  York  Americans;  Norton,  pitcher  for  Hastings,  subse- 
quently with  Indianapolis;  Riley  and  Hershey,  both  pitchers  for 
Hastings,  the  former  was  afterwards  with  the  St.  Louis  Browns  and 
the  latter  with  Boston;  Piercy,  another  Hastings  pitcher,  climbed  to 
the  New  York  Americans;  JNIapel,  a  Hastings  fielder,  was  bought  by 
Cleveland;  Lotz,  pitcher  for  Kearney,  became  enrolled  with  the  Car- 
dinals, while  Noyes,  another  Kearney  pitcher,  was  taken  on  by  the 
Athletics.  Will  Johnson  and  W.  U.  Rohrer  are  other  Hastings  boys 
who  made  good  in  the  game.  Johnson  was  a  center  fielder.  After 
leaving  the  Nebraska  State  League  he  played  with  INIonmouth.  Illi- 
nois, in  the  Central  Illinois  League.  He  played  later  Avith  San  Fran- 
cisco, going  from  there  to  the  Southern  League  and  the  Texas  League. 
Rohrer  played  Avith  Oakland  and  other  western  clubs. 

The  managers  of  the  Hastings  club  jilaying  in  the  state  leagiie 
following  George  Harm  were  John  Kling,  Bert  Shaner  and  L.  D. 
Bennett. 

THE    COUNTY    FAIR 

The  holding  of  a  county  fair  in  Adams  County  dates  back  to  the 
beginning  of  farming  in  the  county.  On  ]\Iay  6,  1872,  an  organization 
was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  fair.  Of  this  organiza- 
tion W.  W.  Selleck  was  chosen  president;  Charles  Bird  and  Walter 
West,  vice  presidents;  John  Bauchman,  secretary  and  Gordon  Edger- 
ton,  treasurer.  G.  I.  Selleck,  L.  G.  King,  W.  F.  Selleck,  J.  L.  John- 
son and  H.  B.  Munson  were  the  directors.  With  the  officers  there 
were  thirtj'-nine  members  of  this  organization. 

No  fair  was  held  that  year,  but  the  next  year,  largely  through  the 
efforts  of  Charles  K.  Lawson,  Samuel  Alexander,  C.  C.  Ingalls  and 
others  of  Hastings,  a  fair  was  held  at  Kingston  on  the  Blue  about  due 
south  from  Hastings,  October  10th  and  11th.  This  fair  was  so  well 
attended  and  so  much  enthusiasm  was  displayed  that  it  was  seen  that 
the  county  fair  had  possibilities  in  Adams  County,  a  fact  which  not  a 
few  had  doubted  when  the  project  Avas  being-  jjromoted.  A  large  num- 
ber of  Juniata  peo])le  now  joined  the  organization  and  desired  that 
the  fair  should  be  held  in  their  town  and  on  IMarch  9,  1874.  the  Adams 
County    Agricultural    Society    perfected    organization    at    Juniata. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      o07 

E.  M.  Allen  was  i^resident ;  H.  C.  Humbert  and  W.  W.  Selleck,  vice 
presidents;  D.  H.  Freeman,  of  Juniata  and  Dr.  A.  D.  Buckworth, 
of  Hastings,  secretaries;  W.  B.  Thorne,  treasurer.  The  directors 
were  Samuel  J.  Shirley,  E.  N.  Noyce,  A.  D.  Williams,  D.  S.  Cole 
and  C.  G.  Wilson.  The  other  members  were:  R.  S.  Langley,  Charles 
Kilbourn,  William  Caller,  C.  C.  Babcock,  John  Stark,  W.H.  Burr, 
H.  J.  Savery,  E.  Warn,  W.  H.  Gardner,  W.  B.  Cushing,  T.  Bab- 
cock, W.  L.  Van  Alstyne,  Pliny  Allen,  H.  H.  Ballon,  C.  JNIorrison, 

C.  H.  Chapman,  N.  J.  Smith,  R.  D.  Babcock,  Joseph  Carr,  A.  C. 
Wright,  J.  JNIcKelvey,  Judson  Burwell,  George  Brown,  John  Dun- 
can, A.  C.  ]Moore,  George  Kuder,  D.  H.  Babcock,  George  W.  Wol- 
cott,  Abram  Park,  Ira  G.  Dillon,  S.  L.  Brass,  Lewis  Keith,  Robert 

.  Ash,  Peter  Fowlie,  AVilliam  L.  Kemp,  M.  C.  Lindsey,  John  ]M.  Cole, 
M.  B.  Kelley,  Henry  Shedd,  Adna  H.  Bowen,  Nathan  Piatt,  A.  H. 
Brown,  J.  jM.  Jacobson,  James  Laird,  Charles  R.  Jones,  J.  S.  Chan- 
dler, B.  F.  Smith,  Nathan  L.  Brass,  A.  Clute,  William  B.  Kelly, 
A.  V.  Cole,  J.  W.  Stark  and  Conrad  House.  On  the  completion  of 
this  organization  $.50  was  subscribed.  By  a  somewhat  later  organiza- 
tion of  the  plan  five  vice  presidents  were  chosen,  the  first  elected  to 
have  seniority  in  office.  The  first  group  of  vice  presidents  were  ]M.  K. 
Lewis,  of  Hastings:  Robert  Ash,  of  Juniata;  A.  C.  Moore,  of  Silver 
Lake;  G.  H.  Edgerton,  of  Little  Blue:  and  Y.  Darling,  of  Kenesaw. 
This  provided  one  vice  president  from  each  of  the  voting  precincts. 

D.  H.  Freeman,  of  Juniata,  was  the  first  recording  and  financial  secre- 
tary, and  W.  A.  Smith,  of  Hastings,  was  the  corresponding  secre- 
tary. W.  B.  Thorne  was  treasurer  and  O.  H.  Wright,  of  Kenesaw, 
was  elected  general  superintendent.  The  board  of  directors  were  com- 
posed of  one  from  each  of  the  congressional  townships,  sixteen  in  num- 
ber. The  first  board  were  the  following:  W.  S.  INIoote,  AVilliam 
AVilloughby,  J.  H.  Yandemark,  L.  B.  Palmer,  John  Waldeck.  W.  M. 
West,  Wiiliam  B.  Cushing,  Henry  Shedd,  J.  P.  Duncan.  :NL  B. 
Kelley,  William  L.  Kemp,  E.  J.  Hanchett,  E.  C.  Shellhammer, 
Jacob  Spindler,  F.  Phillips  and  W.  V.  INIiller.  S.  J.  ^Marshall  was 
appointed  marshal. 

Within  this  board  of  officials  there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as 
to  where  the  fair  should  be  held.  There  were  partisans  of  Kingston 
and  ])artisans  of  Juniata.  As  a  compromise  the  fair  was  twice  held 
on  the  ])rairie  midway  between  Juniata  and  Hastings.  Then  the  fair 
grounds  were  located  in  Jimiata.  By  1878  Hastings,  confident  that 
the  county  seat  contest  then  ])ending  in  the  court  would  be  decided  in 
its  favor,  was  desirous  of  having  the  fair  in  Hastings,  but  the  Adams 
County  Agricultural   Society  still  clung  to  Jimiata.     Accordingly 


308       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

there  was  organized  in  Hastings  the  Hastings  Fair  Grounds  Associa- 
tion. This  association  was  incorporated  Augiist  6,  1878,  with  the  fol- 
lowing members:  R.  A.  Batty,  A.  D.  Yocum,  A.  L.  Clarke,  Samuel 
Alexander,  J.  N.  Smith,  C.  H.  Paul,  B.  JMartin,  W.  A.  Camp,  G.  W. 
Warren,  Oswald  Oliver,  J.  D.  Crans,  A.  L.  Wigton,  O.  V.  Weir  and 
A.  J.  Millett.  This  corporation  issued  300  shares  at  $10  per  share. 
A  fort_y-acre  tract,  now  Thompson's  Addition,  was  jnu'chased  by  the 
association  and  fitted  up  as  a  fair  gTomids.  This  tract  lay  between 
Third  and  Seventh  streets  and  California  and  Elm  avenues.  A  pavil- 
ion for  the  exhibition  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  products  was 
erected  and  provision  made  for  the  exhibition  of  live  stock.  Around 
the  grounds  a  racetrack  was  built  and  races  were  a  feature  of  the 
annual  show. 

This  fair  was  calculated  to  be  of  wider  scope  than  a  county  fair : 
it  was  a  district  fair  j)lanned  to  draw  from  all  Central  Nebraska.  A 
county  fair  was  carried  on  at  Juniata  for  a  part  of  the  time  that  the 
district  fair  was  maintained.  On  April  1.5,  1884,  the  association  sold 
tlie  fair  grounds  to  George  Pratt  for  $3,000  and  the  area  was  platted 
by  him.  \\^ith  the  j^assing  of  the  district  fair  steps  were  taken  at  once 
to  reorganize  the  Adams  County  Agricultural  Association.  A  numbei- 
of  the  Hastings  people  who  had  been  the  i^romoters  of  the  district 
fair  joined  in  the  reorganization  which  retained  many  who  had  been 
members  of  the  first  organization.  Davis  Lowman  and  William  jNI. 
Lowman  were  active  supporters  of  the  reorganized  association. 

Acting  for  the  agricultural  society  C.  K.  Lawson  bought  from 
James  H.  Knight  a  tract  of  forty  acres  in  the  northwest  part  of  Hast- 
ings; that  is  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  southwest  (juarter  of  section 
1,  township  7,  range  10.  This  transaction  was  on  Augiist  1,  188.).  and 
on  June  7,  1887,  Mr.  Lawson  transferred  this  property  to  the  agricul- 
tural society.  The  society  sold  ten  acres  that  year  and  uiJon  the 
remaining  thirty  acres  the  fair  grounds  was  established  and  a  fair  held 
until  the  dry  years  in  the  early  '90s  forced  the  project  to  be  aban- 
doned. In  an  effort  to  tide  over  the  enterprise  the  property  of  the 
agricultural  society  was  mortgaged  and  eventually  there  was  a  fore- 
closure. 

The  fair  grounds  had  a  very  good  racetrack  and  for  several  years 
considerable  interest  was  manifested  in  trotting  horses.  The  trotting 
association  was  a  separate  organization  from  the  Adams  County 
Agricultin-al  Society  and  was  formed  about  the  time  that  the  lattei- 
was  reoi'ganized  in  1885.  Among  the  members  of  the  trotting  asso- 
ciation were  C.  K.  Lawson,  A.  L.  Clarke,  M.  L.  Alexander,  E.  C. 
Webster,  Fred  Benedict,  A.  H.  Farrens  and  Oswald  Oliver.    Racing 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      309 

tournaments  were  revived  after  the  county  fair  had  been  abandoned 
largely  through  the  eft'orts  of  A.  H.  Farrens  who  also  became  for  a 
time  a  breeder  of  trotting  animals.  Last-At-Law,  a  horse  that  made 
fast  trotting  records  in  Illinois  and  other  eastern  circuits,  was  raised 
by  ]\Ir.  Farrens.  The  last  trotting  tournament  held  in  Hastings  was 
in  the  summer  of  1910. 

STREET   FAIR 

After  the  abandoning  of  the  county  fair  there  was  a  lull  for  several 
years  in  the  matter  of  county  entertainment  and  no  jJermanent  insti- 
tution has  been  since  established,  though  several  kinds  of  entertain- 
ments have  drawn  large  attendance  from  time  to  time.  The  Hastings 
Street  Fair  was  held  September  18-23,  1899,  and  drew  many  thou- 
sands of  peojile  from  far  and  near.  Adam  Breede,  the  editor  of 
the  Hastings  Tribune,  was  a  prime  mover  in  this  fair  project.  The 
streets  were  closed  and  lined  with  midway  attractions.  The  fair 
was  opened  with  a  grand  ball,  at  which  JNIrs.  William  Lowman  was 
crowned  queen.  The  maids  were  Georgia  Fowler,  Effie  ]McIntyre, 
Eleanor  Kirby,  Flora  Fisher,  Rachel  Alexander,  Edna  Cramer, 
Jessie  Pease,  Eugenia  Hudson.  B.  M.  Parmenter  was  prime  minister. 
The  fair  was  notable  in  that  the  window  decorations  were  the  most 
elaborate  that  Hastings  merchants  had  yet  attempted,  and  the  impetus 
in  that  direction  given  then  is  yet  felt.  Prizes  were  given  for  the 
best-decorated  carriages,  single  and  double  turnouts,  and  nearly  iifty 
carriages  were  in  the  floral  parade.  They  were  followed  by  a  hundi'cd 
bicycle  riders  with  decorated  cycles.  ]Mrs.  Biles  and  INIiss  Stewart 
won  first  prize  for  double  turnouts,  and  JNIiss  ]Mary  ^NlcCreary  second 
])rize.  In  single  turnouts,  Mrs.  Fred  Renner  and  JMiss  Laura 
Buchanan  won  first  and  the  Misses  Pickens  second. 

TROXTIER   I'ESTIVAI, 

In  the  fall  of  1907  and  1908  a  frontier  festival  was  held  at  the 
fair  gromids  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  city.  The  festival  was 
patterned  after  the  frontier  festival  of  Cheyenne.  A.  W.  Borden 
headed  a  large  number  of  Hastings  business  men  in  promoting  this 
enterprise.  Roping  and  riding  contests  were  participated  in  by 
famous  riders  among  the  cowboys  of  the  western  ranges,  attracted  to 
Hastings  by  large  cash  and  other  prizes.  One  of  the  j^rizes  offered 
for  riding  was  a  $,500  saddle  given  by  the  J.  H.  Haney  Company. 
Among  the  outlaw  horses  at  tlie  exhi])ition  was  "Steamboat."  who 


310       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

remained  luiconquered  by  the  most  skillful  cowboys.  The  frontier 
festival  drew  visitors  from  all  Central  Nebraska,  the  number  of  vis- 
itors aggregating,  it  was  estimated,  fifty  thousand  for  the  week. 

FALL  FESTIVAL 

In  1910  the  fall  festival  Avas  projected  by  a  large  organization 
of  Hastings  business  men.  Of  this  organization  Herman  E.  Stein 
was  the  first  president  and  Will  S.  Trites  secretary.  A  large  number 
of  committees  were  formed,  all  the  townships  in  the  county  being 
rej^resented.  The  festival  was  held  in  the  business  section  of  Hast- 
ings. It  combined  street  fair  and  agricultural  fair  features.  The 
first  festival  was  held  in  October,  1910,  and  in  the  next  two  succeeding 
autumns.  The  festival  was  designed  to  interest  entire  Central 
Nebraska. 

The  cliief  social  event  of  these  festivals  was  the  Yt-Nuoc-Smada 
ball,  held  at  Ingleside,  where  the  king  and  queen  were  crowned.  None 
but  the  court  officers  knew  the  identity  of  the  king  and  queen  until 
they  were  crowned.  The  monarch  Avas  crowned  King  Lartnec.  The 
name  of  the  realm,  Lartnec,  is  formed  by  reversing  the  word  "central," 
and  signified  that  the  king's  domain  extended  over  Central  Nebraska. 
Yt-Nuoc-Smada  is  Adams  County  reversed.  Clarence  J.  jNIiles  was 
croAvned  King  Lartnec  I,  October  14,  1910;  Miss  Helen  Stein 
was  croAvned  queen  with  him.  The  next  year  A.  W.  Borden  and 
INIiss  Beatrice  LangcA'in  Avere  crowned,  and  Judge  Harry  S.  Dungan 
and  INIiss  Florence  Dutton  the  last  year  of  the  festiA^al.  This  social 
event  was  brilliant  and  Avitnessed  by  large  nmnbers.  In  addition 
to  the  king  and  queen,  there  were  ambassadors,  ladies  in  Avaiting,  and 
a  host  of  courtiers  in  costume.  The  fall  festival,  hoAvcA'er,  Avas  aban- 
doned as,  on  the  whole,  not  satisfactory,  chiefly  because  of  the  incon- 
venience attending  the  closing  of  the  streets  and  the  difficulty  of 
obtaining  street  shoAvs  that  met  with  the  approval  of  the  patrons. 

The  first  fall  festival  was  notable  for  the  large  number  of  deco- 
rated automobiles  that  partook  in  the  floral  parade.  Nearly  one 
hiuidred  machines  Avere  in  line.  The  farmers'  parade  also  won  general 
commendation,  especially  toAvnship  floats,  such  as  West  Blue  and 
some  others  entered.     The  festivals  lasted  a  Aveek  each. 

THE  FIRST  AEROrLAXE 

No  exhibit  ever  made  in  Adams  County,  perhaps,  Avas  accorded 
sudi  breathless  attention  as  Avas  tlie  aviation  meet  held  in  tlie  summer 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       311 

of  1911.  The  college  grounds  were  fenced  in  for  tliis  meet,  and  seats 
for  several  thousand  were  erected.  The  meet  lasted  three  days. 
"Jimmy  Ward"  of  Chicago  was  the  aviator.  The  flights  were  made 
in  a  Curtiss  biplane,  the  aviator  encircling  the  college  campus  in 
circles  several  miles  in  diameter  and  at  an  altitude  of  about  three 
thousand  feet.  On  one  flight  Ward  soared  to  5,000  feet,  amid  thun- 
derous apjilause.  This  was  the  first  time  that  the  majority  of  the 
sjJectators  had  witnessed  a  flight.  Three  years  later  the  aeroj)lane 
figured  in  the  daily  news  dispatches  and  was  the  eyes  of  the  armies 
engaged  in  the  greatest  war  in  history.  The  meet  was  held  on  the 
Hastings  College  campus. 

POULTRY   SHOW 

The  annual  show  of  the  Nebraska  State  Poultry  Association  has 
been  held  in  Hastings  twice.  First  during  the  week  beginning  Janu- 
ary 17,  1910,  and  again  in  January,  1915.  The  first  show  was  held 
in  tlie  Auditorium,  now  a  garage,  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Denver  Avenue  and  Third  Street.  The  second  show  was  held  in  the 
Stephen  Schultz  garage  on  Second  Street,  between  Burlington  and 
I^exington  avenues.  Al^out  three  thousand  birds  were  exhibited  at 
eacli  show. 

G.  A.  R.   REUNIONS 

The  first  state  reunion  of  the  G.  A.  R.  was  held  in  Hastings  in 
September,  1883.  It  was  the  first  reunion  to  be  held  in  Central 
Nebraska  and  the  attendance  was  very  large,  veterans  assembling  not 
only  from  Nebraska,  but  from  Kansas  and  states  bordering  on  the 
west.  The  reunion  was  held  about  a  mile  southwest  of  Hastings,  along 
the  Red  Cloud  branch  of  the  Burlington.  Tents  were  erected,  sham 
battles  fought,  and  the  soldiers  recalled  in  many  ways  the  days  of  the 
Civil  war.  Prominent  speakers  addi'essed  the  veterans  daily  at  the 
cani])fii'e.  The  enjoyment  of  the  occasion  was  marred,  however,  by  an 
accident  by  which  N.  A.  Nash  lost  his  life.  The  prematvn-e  exjjlosion 
of  powder  to  be  iised  in  a  sham  battle  caused  the  death. 

The  reunion  was  held  again  in  Hastings,  beginning  August  10, 
189.),  and  lasting  for  one  week.  This  time  the  encamjiment  was  placed 
north  of  tlie  Burlington  track  in  the  northwest  part  of  Hastings.  The 
last  state  reunion  of  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  war  was  held  in  Hast- 
ings in  September,  1898.  The  state  reimion  was  abandoned  because 
tlie  weiglit  of  years  borne  by  the  veterans  rendered  attendance  too 
onerous,  notwithstanding  the  j^leasure  of  meeting  old  comrades. 


312       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

THE  HASTINGS  GUN   CLUB 

Between  the  years  1880  and  190-i  the  Hastings  Gun  Club  was  a 
nuich  lieard  of  organization.  Among  the  members  of  the  first  chib, 
formed  about  1886,  were  Capt.  \ViUiani  Harden,  Col.  Curt  Alex- 
ander, "Poker"  Bill  Duer,  L.  A.  Khniey,  Sr.,  Judge  J.  H.  Fleming, 
G.  A.  Gardner,  William  Beach  and  ^V.  P.  ]McCreary.  This  club 
maintained  its  organization  for  about  ten  years  and  staged  many 
shooting  events  of  great  interest.  Both  target  and  live  bird  shooting 
events  were  frequent. 

About  1896  the  club  was  reorganized  and  to  the  list  of  shooters 
were  added  George  W.  jNlaxwell  of  Holstein;  Charley  Holsworth 
of  Juniata;  Al  INIiller,  Prosser;  Lou  Zobel,  Albert  Bernhardt.  Andy 
]\Iann,  Cieorge  E.  Isaman,  Ed  Greenwold,  Ran  Yost,  Carl  Tinsley, 
Fred  Binderup,  W.  P.  Borden,  Bob  Carter  (now  chief  of  police  of 
Hastings),  Walt  Fisher  and  F.  A.  McElhinney.  ]\Iany  big  shoots 
Avere  jjulled  off  by  this  club,  and  tlie  greater  number  of  the  member- 
ship could  score  90  per  cent.  A  clubhouse  was  built  in  the  nortliwest 
part  of  Hastings,  upon  property  of  Andy  jNIann. 

In  1903  the  state  shooting  tournament  was  held  in  Hastings,  and 
the  following  year  the  club  disbanded.  Among  the  members  of  this 
club  was  George  W.  INIaxwell,  who,  althougli  handicapiJed  by  the  loss 
of  one  hand,  has  made  some  of  the  best  scores  in  the  United  States 
with  a  shotgun.  JMr.  INIaxwell  resides  in  Hastings  at  present.  For 
a  numlier  of  years  he  lias  shot  professionally. 

HASTINGS    CHAUTAUQUA 

Among  the  far-reaching  results  following  the  visit  of  Lincoln 
]McConnell,  the  Georgia  evangelist,  to  Hastings  was  the  organization 
of  the  Hastings  Chautauqua  Association.  In  the  winter  of  190.> 
INIr.  ]McConnell  conducted  a  series  of  revival  meetings  in  Hastings, 
and  through  his  influence  and  the  activities  of  Rev.  Hiram  B.  Har- 
rison, pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  the  association  was 
formed  and  the  following  summer  the  first  assembly  was  held. 

The  organization  was  formed  February  13,  1906.  Mr.  Harrison 
was  successful  in  interesting  the  business  men  and  in  securing  their 
suppoi't.  Stock  subscriptions  w^ere  secured  to  the  amount  of  about 
$2,000,  and  the  follo\\ing  officers  were  elected :  President.  James  N. 
Clarke:  vice  president,  William  INI.  Lowman.  These  two,  with  W. 
T.  Blackman,  O.  E.  Von  Oven,  H.  B.  Harrison.  J.  C.  Hedge  and 
O.  H.  Barr,  constituted  the  board  of  directors.     Subsequently  Mr. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      313 

Harrison  was  elected  secretary  and  W.  A.  Taylor  treasurer,  and 
C.  E.  Higinbothani  succeeded  ^Ir.  Von  Oven  on  the  board  of  direc- 
tors, the  latter  removing  to  Chicago. 

The  first  assembly  Avas  held  in  a  tent  in  Chautauqua  Park  and 
tlie  attendance  was  very  satisfactory.  The  first  sjieaker  was  the  Rev. 
Sam  Jones,  and  when  Senator  La  Follette  spoke,  upon  the  second 
Sunday,  the  attendance  was  given  out  by  the  officials  as  8,000.  Before 
tlie  next  assembly  was  held,  a  pavilion  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,000. 
The  Chautauqua  continued  as  an  independent  institution,  with  J.  N. 
Clarke  as  president,  until  1913,  when  the  local  management  yielded 
to  the  circuit  system,  under  which  assemblies  are  still  held  yearly. 
While  it  continued  independent,  the  Hastings  association  was  classed 
as  one  of  the  "big  fifteen"  independent  chautauquas  in  the  United 
States.  A  gradual  falling  off  in  attendance  and  some  rainy  days 
finally  led  to  financial  deficiencies  at  the  close  of  assemblies,  which 
i;esulted  in  its  abandonment  by  the  local  stockholders.  The  indebted- 
ness against  the  pavilion  led  to  its  being  sold  to  the  city  in  191.5. 


There  have  been  many  nmsical  organizations  in  Hastings.  The 
Red  Ribbon  Club,  organized  in  1878,  was  partly  musical.  The  Hast- 
ings papers  prior  to  that  date  refer  to  a  cornet  band.  In  November, 
1889,  the  Ladies'  Quartet  was  organized.  The  members  were  ]Mrs. 
^^'i]liam  M.  Lowman,  and  the  INIisses  ^NLimie  Kerr,  Freda  Wahl- 
(|uist  and  Zora  Horlocker.     Miss  Helen  Officer  was  the  pianist. 

It  was  in  1889,  also,  that  the  Apollo  Club  was  organized,  with 
sixteen  members,  to  promote  musical  education  and  to  bring  good 
music  to  Hastings.  Doctor  Waters  was  president  of  this  organiza- 
tion: bushiess  manager,  O.  H.  Gordon;  O.  F.  Farnham,  secretary 
and  treasiu'er.  T.  I^.  Burger  was  the  musical  director,  and  INIiss 
Maria  Kerr  pianist,  viith  ^Nliss  Floy  Work  as  assistant  pianist.  The 
first  clul)  concert  was  given  December  30,  1889. 

Prof.  John  Rees  has  been  a  leading  figure  in  Adams  County 
musical  circles  since  his  arrival  in  Hastings  in  the  winter  of  1878. 
Professor  Rees  was  first  introduced  to  a  Hastings  audience  the  sec- 
ond night  after  his  arrival  in  Hastings,  at  a  nuisical  program  under 
the  direction  of  Professor  Love  at  Liberal  Hall.  Tliat  evening  ^Nlr. 
Rees  played  the  violin  and  also  sang  a  solo. 

Professor  Rees  organized  his  first  orchestra  that  winter,  playing 
fii'st  violin  himself.  Other  members  of  the  orchestra  were  Jacoli 
Bohnet,  bass:  Will  Clarke,  son  of  A.  L.  Clarke,  clarinet:  Cliarles 


3li       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

H.  Paul,  cornet:  H.  II.  Cheriy,  trombone,  and  Charles  Ingalls, 
jjiano.  Professor  Rees  had  charge  of  the  music  for  many  years — 
from  1889  to  1915.  Mrs.  Fred  J.  Schaufelberger  played  the  pipe 
organ  at  the  Presbyterian  Church  for  some  time  after  its  installation. 
This  was  the  first  pipe  organ  to  be  installed  in  Hastings. 

In  1888  a  band  was  organized  by  ^Valter  Chapman,  who  was  also 
the  leader  of  the  band.  Among  the  member  of  this  band  were  Adam 
Breede,  Adoljih  Binderui^,  Roy  Royce,  Bill  Albertshardt,  Harry 
Snively,  Arlie  Gardner,  Hemming  Binderup,  Ben  Boyd,  John 
Snively,  Bert  JNIorledge,  David  B.  L.  Breede,  JNIartin  Boqett,  Al 
Kennedy  and  some  others. 

The  Gazette- Journal  Band,  as  constituted  in  1889,  was  under 
the  leadership  of  Prof.  F.  W.  White.  J.  W.  Wigton  was  treasurer; 
J.  H.  Bassett,  secretary;  Messrs.  McElroy,  Wigton  and  Thacker, 
executive  committee.  The  members  of  the  band  were  G.  B.  ]Mc- 
Elroy,  Al  Boyd,  F.  W.  Cooley,  John  Beardsley,  C.  F.  Royce,  S. 
W.  McAtee,  J.  H.  Bassett,  T.  F.  Sturgess,  George  C.  Hensman. 
Fred  Taggart,  J.  W.  Wig-ton,  Ed  N.  Thacker,  B.  H.  Bowen,  D.  T. 
Evans,  Samuel  Payne  and  C.  H.  Taylor. 

The  members  of  Bandmaster  Miller's  band  as  constituted  at  the 
time  of  the  S})anish- American  war  can  be  found  in  the  roster  of 
Company  K.  in  Chapter  XX.  For  several  years  prior  to  1915  Will 
Bohnet  was  the  leader  of  the  Hastings  Band.  The  Hastings  jMunici- 
pal  Band,  the  present  band,  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1915. 
John  S.  Leick  Avas  in  Hastings  on  his  wedding  journey,  having  mar- 
ried ]Miss  jMabel  Kieth,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Kieth 
of  Hastings.  Miss  Kieth  had  made  several  tours  of  Europe  ami 
had  won  international  reputation  as  a  cornetist.  JNIr.  Leick  had  been 
with  Sousa's  Band  and  Avas  the  leader  of  the  Kilties  Band  of  Canada 
for  two  years,  during  Avhich  he  with  the  Kilties  toured  Europe.  iNIr. 
and  ]Mrs.  Leick  were  married  at  the  factory  of  musical  instrument 
makers  at  Elkhart,  Ind. 

Mr.  Leick  directed  the  Hastings  Band  at  the  Fourth  of  July 
celebration  in  1915,  and  this  led  to  the  organization  of  the  municipal 
band,  Avith  INIr.  Leick  as  leader.  JNIr.  Leick  has  organized  a  boys' 
band,  Avhich  made  its  first  appearance  in  the  spring  of  1916.  The 
account  of  the  formation  of  the  ladies'  band  will  be  found  in  the 
sketch  of  the  Hastings  Y.  W.  C.  A.  Under  the  arrangement  made 
the  salai'y  of  IVIr.  Leick  is  paid  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and 
tlie  other  band  members  are  paid  by  the  city.  During  the  summer 
of  1916  a  series  of  fifty  free  concerts  Avas  given  by  the  band. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      315 

GRAND    OPERA 

'I'o  Williaui  ]M.  Lownian,  manager  of  the  Kerr  Opera  House 
goes  the  honor  of  bringing  grand  opera  to  Hastings  for  the  first  time. 
The  San  Carlo  Grand  Opera  Company,  Fortune  Gallo,  impresario, 
jjresented  Verdi's  Rigoletto  at  the  ojjera  house  on  the  evening  of 
November  29,  1916.  At  the  matinee  the  following  day  the  company 
jiresented  Cavalieria  Rusticana  and  I  Pagliacci,  and  in  the  evening 
II  Trovatore  was  presented.  In  the  cast  of  these  presentations  wece 
Pietro  Corallo,  Angelo  Antola,  Evidge  Vaccari,  Pietro  Dibiasi, 
Stella  Demette,  Natale  Cervi,  A.  Canova,  Alice  Homer,  Luciano 
Rossni,  ]\Iadelena  Carreno,  Anna  Haase,  Salvatore  Sciaretti,  David 
Silva,  Luigi  Dellemole,  Lucia  Darclee,  Emanuel  Salazar,  Giuseppe 
Battistini,  Ada  Paggi,  Luciano  Dossini. 


CHAPTER  XX 
CHRONICLE  OF  COMPANIES  K  AND  G 

When  on  April  23,  1898,  President  IMcKinley  called  for  volun- 
teers to  enforce  the  resolution  of  Congress  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the 
United  States  to  demand  that  the  Government  of  Spain  relinquish  its 
authority  and  government  of  the  Island  of  Cuba  and  that  the  people 
of  the  island  are,  "and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent," 
Adams  County  for  the  first  time  in  its  history  experienced  the  thrill 
of  excitement  attendant  upon  a  peojjle  whose  country  faces  war.  As 
we  look  back  and  recall  the  comparative  ease  with  which  the  enemy 
country  was  overcome,  and  remember  that  the  once  proud  kingdom  of 
Spain  had  at  this  time  dwindled  to  a  point  where  it  was  the  most  tot- 
tering old  grandma  of  Evn'0])e,  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  the 
])rospect  of  war  with  her  could  arouse  even  a  ripple  of  excitement. 
Tliere  was  no  doubt  of  course  in  the  mind  of  anybody  in  the  county 
concerning  the  outcome,  but  the  situation  was  new  and  it  Avas  not 
known  that  the  victory  would  be  so  easily  won. 

On  Aj^ril  6th  Governor  Holcomb.  anticipating  hostilities,  had 
tendered  to  the  President  the  organized  military  forces  of  Nebraska, 
and  on  April  2.5th  the  chief  executive  through  the  secretary  of  war, 
Russel  A.  Alger,  called  on  Nebraska  to  furnish  two  regiments.  This 
quota,  2,114  men,  represented  1.6909  per  cent  of  the  12.5,000  volun- 
teers called"  for.  In  accordance  with  General  Order  No.  9  the  First 
and  Second  regiments  I'eported  for  duty  on  April  27th. 

At  that  time  there  were  no  organizations  of  the  national  guai'd 
or  the  state  militia  in  Adams  County.  There  were  many,  however, 
who  exi^ressed  a  desire  to  assist  in  the  impending  struggle  and  the 
Hastings  Band  were  successful  in  being  enlisted  with  the  Second 
Regiment  on  INIay  lOtls.  Later  there  was  a  second  call,  this  time  for 
1.268  men.  and  it  was  directed  that  600  of  that  quota  should  be  enlisted 
and  mustered  into  the  First  and  Second  Nebraska  regiments,  raising 
them  from  the  minimvim  to  the  maximum  formation.  After  deduct- 
ing that  number,  it  left  practically  about  two  battalions  to  be  fur- 
.316 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY      317 

iiished  by  the  state.  Instead  of  furnishing  two  battalions  to  make 
iij)  the  quota  Nebraska  was  granted  the  privilege  of  furnishing  an 
entire  regiment,  and  over  1,800  men  reported  for  enlistment.  Out  of 
this  number  1,326  were  mustered  in  and  the  command  became  the 
Third  Kegiment  under  Col.  William  J.  Bryan. 

AVhen  the  second  call  for  men  was  made  the  spirit  which  had 
been  apparent  in  Adams  County  from  the  beginning  was  given  an 
ojjportunity  to  exjiress  itself  in  action.  Harry  S.  Dungan,  then  a 
young  practicing  attorney  at  Hastings,  and  now  judge  of  the  Tenth 
Judicial  District,  lost  no  time  in  getting  the  permission  of  the  gov- 
ernor to  raise  a  company  of  volunteers.  In  this  work  he  was  assisted 
by  AVilliam  J.  Ohlheiser,  of  Hastings,  and  Carl  L.  ShufF,  of  Lincoln. 
Dungan  and  Ohlheiser  kept  a  sharp  lookout  as  to  the  jjhysical  con- 
dition of  the  applicants,  and  as  a  result  the  company  had  the  lowest 
jxicentage  of  rejected  men  of  any  in  the  Third  Regiment. 

The  earliest  enlistments  were  made  on  INIay  27th.  The  recruiting 
cam])  was  locited  on  the  old  East  Ward  school  ground,  between  Sec- 
o)id  and  Third  streets  and  ^Minnesota  and  Kansas  avenues,  at  Hast- 
ings. The  company  was  known  as  Company  K.  The  officers  elected 
were:  Captain,  Harry  S.  Dungan;  first  lieutenant,  Carl  L.  ShufF. 
I^iiK'oln:  second  lieutenant,  William  J.  Ohlheiser;  first  sergeant, 
Carl  Ij.  Jacobson;  quartermaster  sergeant,  Walter  G.  Garver;  ser- 
geants, 3Ierl  E.  Palmer,  Adam  Rutherford  and  Fredrick  Gundel, 
the  latter  from  Sjiring  Ranch,  and  Jay  L.  Benedict;  corporals, 
Guy  31.  Brown,  Lincoln,  Walter  JM.  Burr,  Juniata,  Edward  ^Nle- 
Cartney.  Juniata,  David  W.  P.  Sinclair,  Hastings,  Francis  N.  Foun- 
tain. Hastijigs,  George  B.  Roberts,  Hastings,  Charles  Criswell,  Hast- 
ings. Robert  M.  Decker,  Prosser,  Cyiiis  A.  Abbott,  Algiei-s,  Indiana, 
Lloyd  Cline,  Juniata,  Bartholomew  W.  Parks,  Holstein,  and  Frank 
E.  Dickson,  Clay  Center;  wagoner,  Peter  C.  Werner,  Hastings; 
nuisicians.  John  D.  Honser,  Hastings,  and  George  T.  Israel,  Juniata; 
artificer.  George  Frisch,  Glenville.  These  elected  officers  were  sub- 
sequently ajipointed  by  the  governor,  and  the  company  was  mustered 
into  the  service  at  Fort  Omaha  July  13,  1898.  The  company  had  left 
Hastings  the  latter  part  of  June  and  recruiting  was  completed  after 
they  reached  Omaha.  Captain  Dungan  and  Lieutenant  Ohlheiser 
returning  to  Adams  County  for  that  purpose. 

Following  the  signing  of  the  peace  protocol  on  August  12th 
Colonel  Bryan  resigned  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  Lieut. -Col.  ^'ietor 
Vif(|uain  lieing  promoted  to  his  position.  Capt.  Harry  Dungan 
of  Company  K  was  promoted  to  major  of  the  Third  Battalion 
to  rank  from  December  12,  1898.     First  Lieutenant  ShufF  became 


318       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

captain  of  Company  K  ui^on  the  j^i'oniotion  of  Dungan,  and  later 
was  raised  to  regimental  quartermaster ;  Walter  Garver  was  raised  to 
regimental  quartermaster  sergeant.  Following  the  promotion  of 
Ohlheiser  First  Lieut.  Oscar  H.  Allen  of  Company  B  was  promoted 
to  the  cai:)taincy  of  Company  K  and  Second  Lieut.  ]\Iills  of  Com- 
pany jM  was  made  first  lieutenant.  R.  R.  Damerell,  who  had  mustered 
as  a  private,  but  had  from  the  first  been  at  headquarters  at  the  adju- 
tant's ofiice,  was  promoted  first  to  sergeant  and  then  to  second  lieuten- 
ant of  Conqjany  K.  The  latter  position  had  become  vacant  when 
Ohlheiser  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant,  vice  Carl  L.  ShufF, 
resigned. 

^Mobilization  of  the  Third  Regiment  having  been  completed  they 
were  ordered  to  Jacksonville,  Florida,  and  entrained  at  Omaha  on 
the  19th  of  July,  and  arrived  in  Jacksonville  five  days  later.  The 
train  carrying  the  regiment  was  in  three  sections,  the  section  bearing 
Company  K  being  the  one  upon  which  the  headquarters  officers 
traveled. 

All  along  the  route  throngs  gathered  at  tlie  stations  to  indicate 
their  good  wishes  to  the  soldiers,  and  upon  several  occasions  they 
experienced  material  demonstrations  of  the  hosjiitality  of  the  South. 
The  train  carrying  the  Adams  County  company  arrived  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  at  noon,  Jidy  21st,  and  the  men  were  gratified  to  find  that 
the  ladies  of  that  city  had  2)ro\'ided  a  substantial  dinner  for  every  man 
in  the  battalion.  Not  only  that,  but  every  man  was  given  a  neat  lunch- 
box  containing  an  ample  supply  of  delicacies  for  the  next  meal,  and 
to  make  the  items  complete  a  large  number  of  the  baskets  contained 
the  name  of  the  .young  woman  responsible  for  that  particular  basket. 
It  was  of  course  incumbent  upon  every  young  soldier  to  acknowledge 
the  courtesy  of  the  fair  donor.  JNIany  friendships  Avere  thus  begun 
and  in  due  time  a  number  of  marriages  were  solemnized  as  a  residt  of 
this  incident.  ComjDany  K  demonstrated  its  appreciation  of  the 
women  of  Nashville  when  later  Max  W.  Hadden  married  the  young 
lady  whose  name  graced  his  basket.  For  several  years  ]Mr.  and  3Irs. 
Hadden  made  their  home  in  Nashville. 

The  battalion  was  again  the  recipient  of  marked  courtesy  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  on  the  23d  of  July.  Here  the  Veterans  of  the 
Confederacy  were  holding  their  annual  reunion  and  lined  the  streets 
to  salute  the  men  on  the  way  to  the  seat  of  war.  The  officers  were 
conveyed,  amid  a  cheering  throng,  to  the  Kimball  Hotel,  where  they 
Avere  entertained  at  lunch.  The  dining  room  was  on  the  thii'd  floor 
of  the  hostelry  and  here  before  the  lunch  was  finished  came  the  sound 
of  great  cheering.    The  crowd  below  was  caUing  for  Bryan.    Colonel 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      319 

Bryan  at  once  arose  and  going  to  a  window  acknowledged  the  cheers 
of  the  assemblage  that  packed  nian_v  squares.  Thej-  were  largely 
the  confederate  veterans. 

After  Innch  the  officers  were  presented  to  the  sponsors  of  the 
Sonthern  States.  This  was  a  gronp  of  young  women,  each  one  chosen 
to  represent  her  state  at  the  reunion,  and  the  group  representing  the 
flower  of  Southern  beauty.  General  Longstreet  also  was  presented 
to  the  officers  and  JMrs.  Pickett,  the  widow  of  the  leader  of  the  famous 
charge  at  Gettysburg,  came  and  graciously  greeted  the  officers.  AVhen 
it  was  time  to  leave  the  hotel  so  great  was  the  pressure  of  the  throng 
that  it  was  necessary  for  the  police  to  clear  the  lobbies. 

The  next  daj%  July  24th,  Company  K  and  their  fellow  soldiers 
readied  Jacksonville  and  after  inspection  by  Inspector-Gen.  Cur- 
tis Guild,  afterwards  governor  of  INIassachusetts,  were  made  a  j^art 
of  the  Seventh  Army  Corps  under  Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee,  and  quar- 
tered at  Camp  Cuba  Libre  in  Panama  Park.  The  red,  white  and  blue 
seven-])ointed  star  was  the  insignia  of  the  corps. 

Panama  Park  was  a  sandy  plain  A^ith  no  shelter  from  the  sun, 
and  under  the  sweltering  rays  drill  and  camp  life  took  on  the  rigors 
of  war.  "It's  120  in  the  shade,"  was  the  desperate  remark  of  a  per- 
spiring private  of  Companj^  K  as  he  threw  off  his  hat. 

"Yes,"  returned  "Count"  Lepinski,  "and  no  shade."  "Count's" 
fame  for  aptness  at  repartee  and  ability  at  vaudeville  spread  through- 
out the  regiment  and  his  sense  of  humor  was  regarded  as  a  regimental 
asset.  The  Adams  County  men  were  located  in  this  camp  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  seven  miles  from  Jacksonville  and  for  that  reason 
were  dejirived  of  the  j^leasure  of  social  intercourse  with  the  city  -which 
a  nearer  position  would  have  supplied.  INIany  suffered  from  dysen- 
tery and  tlie  illness  incident  to  torrid  heat,  but  none  was  lost. 

Near  tlie  camji  stood  the  pavilion  in  which  the  Mitchell-Corbett 
championship  battle  had  been  fought  disastrously  for  the  former 
not  long  before.  Near  by  was  the  St.  John's  River  in  which  the  men 
found  great  comfort  in  bathing  until  one  day  a  huge  alligator  four- 
teen feet  in  length  was  caught  in  the  stream.  The  river  at  once  lost 
its  attraction  and  would  not  be  used  for  bathing  again,  not  if  the  men 
were  forced  to  use  a  sliaving  mug  for  a  bathtub. 

At  Panama  Park  the  Third  Regiment  was  brigaded  with  the 
Second  INIississippi  and  the  One  Plundred  and  Sixty-first  Indiana. 

The  men  welcomed  the  change  when  on  September  9th  they  were 
ordered  from  Panama  Park  to  Pablo  Beach,  a  small  summer  resort 
about  twenty  miles  from  Jacksonville  and  on  the  Atlantic  Coast. 
Camps  were  pitched  here  near  one  of  the  best  beaches  in  the  country. 


o20       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

It  was,  however,  the  season  for  the  severe  storms  of  the  equinox,  and 
one  of  these  furnished  excitement  with  some  actual  danger  foi"  the 
regiment. 

The  camp  Avas  behind  high  sand  dunes  and  also  close  to  a  small 
creek.  When  a  terrific  wind  and  rain  storm  broke  in  the  night  the 
creek  soon  swelled  to  river  proportions  with  a  strong  current.  ^lany 
of  the  tents  were  blown  away  and  a  dangerous  confusion  impended 
for  a  time.  The  executive  ability  of  Ohlheiser  was  at  this  time 
marked.  He  was  acting  regimental  quartermaster  and  with  great 
coolness  and  ability  assisted  in  getting  the  men  out  of  the  danger  zone 
and  into  the  town  without  loss  of  life,  althougli  they  waded  in  A\ater 
to  the  waist. 

On  October  -ith  tliey  moved  to  Fairfield,  Florida,  where  they 
remained  until  October  '24^th,  when  the_y  were  ordered  to  Camp 
Onward  near  Savannah,  Georgia.  This  time  Company  K  Avas  fortu- 
nate in  being  located  near  the  city.  The  people  of  Savannah  were 
most  hospitable  and  men  and  officers  were  provided  by  them  with 
many  social  pleasures,  not  the  least  appreciated  of  wliich  was  a  turkey 
dinner  Avliich  was  served  to  men  and  officers  on  Thanksgiving  Day. 
At  Savannali  tlie  Third  Regiment  was  brigaded  with  the  First  iSlis- 
sissi])pi  and  the  Second  Louisiana.  Here,  too,  a  review  of  the  force 
was  made  by  President  IMcKinley  and  Secretary  Alger.  It  was  at 
tliis  camp  that  Colonel  Bryan  resigned  and  n)any  of  tlie  promotions 
were  made.  After  the  signing  of  the  peace  protocol  the  War  Depart- 
ment reduced  tlie  force  and  twenty  men  of  Company  K  were  dis- 
charged, being  mostly  those  on  sick  furlough. 

On  December  31st  the  men  embarked  on  the  United  States  trans- 
port Michigan  and  sailed  for  Havana.  Morro  Castle  was  sighted, 
according  to  the  diary  of  Lieutenant  Damerell,  on  the  morning  of 
January  3,  1899,  and  the  transport  entered  the  harbor  of  Havana  at 
9  o'clock  A.  JNI.  The  regiment  went  ashore  January  4th  and  marched 
through  the  city  to  Camp  Columbia  near  Ceibia.  The  location  was 
an  elevated  place  overlooking  the  sea. 

April  7.  1899,  at  5  P.  INI.  the  regiment  left  the  harbor  of  Havana 
homeward  bound  and  tlie  next  day  arrived  at  the  Dry  Tortugas  off" 
the  Florida  coast.  Here  the  facilities  for  landing  were  poor  and  a  higli 
sea  was  rolling  so  that  a  landing  could  not  be  made  without  danger. 
Accordingly  they  were  ordered  to  the  detention  camp  on  Daufaus- 
kie  Island  off  the  coast  of  South  Carolina,  where  a  landing  was  made 
on  April  r2th.  On  the  18th,  after  medical  inspection  on  the  island, 
tlie  men  embarked  on  the  river  steamer,  Santie,  and  reached  Gordon 
Wharf,  at  Savannah,  tliat  evening.     JNIany  were  looking  forAvard  to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      321 

a  renewal  of  the  acquaintances  they  had  made  at  Savannah,  where 
they  expected  to  be  mustered  out,  and  were  disappointed  when  ordered 
tu  proceed  to  Augusta,  where  they  arrived  the  next  day.  They  were 
here  quartered  in  Camp  jNIacKenzie,  where  they  were  mustered  out 
May  11,  1899. 

It  was  while  at  Savannah  that  an  incident  occurred  illustrating 
tb.at  while  the  Southern  people  received  their  fellow  countrymen  from 
the  North  ^vith  the  greatest  cordiality,  yet  underneath  remained  some 
feelings  reminiscent  of  the  great  civil  struggle.  Captain  Underwood, 
of  Company  I,  once  connected  witli  the  English  army  and  very 
sociable  in  nature,  had  become  acquainted  with  a  family  in  the  city, 
and  was  entertained  in  their  home.  The  captain  was  fond  of  singing 
and  tlie  family,  too,  was  nuisical.  Captain  Underwood  was  invited 
by  them  to  bring  some  of  his  friends  who  could  sing,  and  acting  upon 
tliis  invitation  he  brought  with  him  among  others  Captain  Dungan 
of  Company  K  and  ]Major  Scharmann  of  North  Platte. 

When  the  major  was  presented  to  the  family  the  visitors  noticed 
that  the  social  atmosphere  cooled  perceptibly,  in  fact,  the  evening- 
threatened  to  become  a  social  failure,  and  the  guests  were  at  a  loss  to 
account  for  it.  In  the  course  of  the  evening  Captain  Dungan  found 
an  ojjportunity  to  speak  j^rivately  with  one  of  the  gentlemen  of  the 
house  and  frankly  communicated  to  him  that  something  had  gone 
Avrong  and  that  the  guests  were  very  desirous  to  be  put  right.  At  first 
the  young  man  insisted  that  all  was  well,  but  presently  made  an 
admission. 

"The  ladies  of  the  house."  he  explained,  "consider  that  it  is  a  little 
inoonsiderate  to  bring  here  a  nephew  of  General  Sherman's.  You 
see,"  lie  went  on,  "the  estate  belonging  to  the  grandparents  of  these 
young  ladies  suft'ered  at  the  time  of  Sherman's  marcli  through  the 
South." 

It  was  Cai)tain  Dungan's  pleasure  to  explain  away  the  error  that 
had  arisen  because  of  the  similarity  of  the  names,  the  clouds  were  at 
once  banished  and  the  social  ])leasures  were  from  then  on  unmarred. 

While  the  Third  Regiment  was  entraining  at  Pablo,  Florida, 
just  before  moving  to  Fairfield  a  little  incident  happened  which  serves 
to  .show  some  of  the  qualities  of  William  Ohlheiser  that  led  to  his 
])i-omotion  from  second  lieutenant  of  Company  K  to  regimental  quar- 
termaster. 

As  the  conductor  was  al)out  to  signal  the  train  to  go  aliead  he  was 
accosted  by  Ohlheiser. 

"On  whose  authority  are  you  going  to  move  this  train?" 

"On  the  orders  of  the  railroad  company." 


322       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"We  are  not  ready  to  move.  Hold  the  train  until  you  get  oi'ders 
from  me." 

"Can't  do  it,"  persisted  the  railway  official. 

"Sergeant,"  said  Ohlheiser,  addressing  Walter  Garver,  "with 
your  squad  arrest  this  man  if  he  attempts  to  move  this  train  without 
my  order."  Similar  instructions  were  given  relative  to  the  engineer. 
The  train  men  attempted  to  carry  out  the  railroad's  order  and  were 
jjromjjtly  arrested. 

The  railroad  complained  of  this  conduct  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment and  subsequently  Ohlheiser  was  called  upon  to  explain  to  Colo- 
nel Vitquain.  His  explanation  was  that  no  provisions  nor  camp 
equipment  had  yet  been  put  aboard  and  he  did  not  purpose  to  land 
the  men  in  Fairfield  without  provender. 

The  \Var  Department  endorsed  Ohlheiser's  action.  The  men  of 
the  Third  still  speak  of  the  efficiency  with  which  their  quartermaster 
saw  to  it  that  they  were  properly  looked  after  in  the  matter  of  food 
and  clothing  and  camji  equipment. 

Sergeant  Jay  L.  Benedict,  of  Company  K,  continued  his  uiili- 
tary  career,  seeing  service  in  the  Philippine  Islands.  He  received 
appointment  to  West  Point  and  was  graduated  from  that  institu- 
tion in  190-1.  Subsequently  he  was  instructor  at  West  Point  and 
now,  191.5,  is  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  regular  army. 

The  Hastings  ^Military  Band  enlisted  ^Nlay  10,  1898,  and  were 
assigned  to  the  Second  Regiment.  The  members  were  as  follows: 
Chief  musician,  Theodore  A.  JNIiller;  principal  musician,  Bert  L. 
Brown,  Theodore  Y.  Knapp;  regimental  band  musicians,  Waldorf  A. 
Baker,  Pkld.  F.  Barnhouse,  Harry  Bohnet,  ^Villiam  Bohnet,  Walter 
F.  Boyd,  Florus  H.  Cassel,  Ed  Cushing,  Edward  Chaloupka,  R. 
Ralph  Ferguson,  Alfred  R.  Giffin,  Fred  Grass,  Otto  Grass,  William 
B.  Hartigan,  Frank  Herman,  Boyd  C.  Littlefield,  William  S.  :\rc- 
Gintie,  Newton  Pratt,  Roy  S.  Work,  Charles  R.  Yocum,  Ernest  E. 
Yocum. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  privates  in  Company  K,  as  given 
in  the  adjutant  general's  report  of  1897-98: 

Oliver  Anderson,  Hastings:  Otto  H.  Arnold,  Denver,  Colorado; 
Ray  A.  Baratt,  Ashland:  Samuel  L.  Bowling,  Hastings;  Charles  F. 
Behr,  Wood  River;  Alfred  F.  Brookhoven,  Hastings:  Frank  Butler, 
Juniata;  Daniel  P.  Carrol,  A^erona;  Charles  A.  Cockrall,  Red  Cloud; 
Chester  A.  Cofield,  Juniata;  Charles  R.  Colford,  ]Maryville,  Cali- 
fornia; William  A.  Coj)ley,  Goudy;  George  F.  Clawson,  Bladen; 
Louis  D.  Culy,  Oak;  Ray  R.  Damerell,  Hastings;  William  H.  Dean, 
Pauline;  Charles  F.  Dodd,  Hastings;  Hays  C.  H.  Dool,  Aledo.  Illi- 
nois; Lawrence  M.  Douglas,  Hastings;  Arthur  J.  Edgerton,  Hast- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       323 

ings;  C.  Charles  Eppler,  Centerville,  I.  T.;  Stephen  L.  Fitzgibbons, 
Fairfield;  Charles  A.  Galer,  Clay  Center;  Lyman  Gray,  Hastings; 
Henry  C.  Gress,  Bladen;  INlax  W.  Hadden,  Trumbull;  Jesse  A. 
Hansen,  Hampton:  Glenn  H.  Hanna,  Juniata;  Howard  W.  Hare, 
Prosser;  Edward  H.  Hanbrock,  Hastings;  John  Herberg,  Hastings; 
Harry  A.  Hightower,  Omaha;  Herbert  Hunt,  Georgetown;  Fredrick 
L.  Huford,  West  Liberty;  Robert  E.  Jessup,  Clay  Center;  Frank  J. 
Jordan,  ^^'^aterloo;  John  F.  Kealy,  Hastings;  James  H.  Kendall, 
Hastings;  George  H.  Kennedy,  Ranch  City,  Mo.;  Clinton  D.  Kank- 
right,  Juniata;  Jacob  F.  Kostmii,  Hastings;  William  Kruger, 
^Vabash;  Frank  J.  Lampman,  Culbertson;  William  Llewellyn,  Glen- 
ville;  Frank  B.  Lepenski,  Hastings;  Casper  E.  Liston,  Hastings; 
P^red  jNIagne)-,  Grundy  Center,  Iowa;  Harry  E.  JNIarian,  Hastings; 
Francis  W.  INIasters,  Springgreen;  Fredrick  E.  JNIasters,  Spring- 
green;  Stanley  JNIatthews,  Fairbury;  Donald  G.  ]VIcCarty,  Juniata; 
^Villiam  G.  JMcCaulley,  Seward,  Iowa:  Philip  S.  McCormick,  How- 
ard: AVilliam  B.  ]Meade,  Dawn,  INIo. ;  James  S.  ^Nlines,  Hastings:  Bert 
M.  IMinnix,  Stamford:  Wilbur  E.  JMorse,  Juniata;  Joseph  E.  jNIax- 
well,  Valentine:  Troy  Nicholson,  Omaha;  William  C.  Painter;  James 
R.  Porterfield,  Fairfield;  Patrick  J.  Reardon,  Omaha;  Charles  C. 
Reynolds,  Hastings;  James  W.  Roberts,  Hastings;  John  L.  RofF, 
Hastings;  Fred  Sands,  Wagner;  William  S.  Sidwell,  Juniata;  Edgar 
F.  Siegner,  Juniata;  William  Small,  Hastings;  Albert  I.  Smith, 
Prairie  View,  Kan.:  Charles  Snider,  Nebraska  City;  JNIitchel  Soulig- 
ney,  Hastings;  Samuel  Stamp,  Hastings;  Daniel  O.  Stockton,  Grant; 
Abram  W.  Thomas,  Cowles;  James  B.  Thompson,  Kearney;  Harry 
W.  Vance,  Glenville;  Orpha  A.  Van  jNIater,  Hastings;  Cyrus  Van 
Sickle,  Gothenburg;  Clarence  F.  Ward,  Kansas  City;  William  M. 
Williams,  Gothenburg. 

Walter  W.  Weierschmidt,  of  Hastings,  enlisted  in  the  second 
Nebraska  Regiment. 

The  roster  of  the  First  Regiment  contains  the  names  of  the  follow- 
ing fi'om  Adams  County;  Salem  J.  Hammond,  Clarence  A.  Belknap, 
Roy  O.  Sutton,  Thomas  C.  North,  Joseph  Edgar  Jones  and  George 
W."  Work. 

In  Jime,  101.5,  an  organization  of  the  Spanish-American  and 
Philijipine  war  veterans  was  organized  at  Hastings  with  Dr.  C.  K. 
Struble  as  president  and  Frank  Kealy,  secretary. 

COMPANY   G 

Hastings  lias  maintained  a  company  of  the  National  Guard  since 
the  summer  of  1906,  when  Company  D  was  formed.     The  company 


^24       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  later  designated  as  Company  G.  John  P.  Madgett  was  the  lirst 
captain  of  the  eonijiany.  Others  who  have  served  a  period  in  that 
capacity  are  G.  E.  Boggs,  J.  H.  RifFe,  Raymond  Crosson,  Leonard 
Brown,  Will  Crosson,  and  John  G.  L.  Hanlen,  the  present  captain. 
Raymond  Crosson  was  particularly  energetic  in  stimulating  interest 
in  the  company,  and  in  the  sin-ing  of  1915  was  promoted  to  major  of 
the  Th.ird  Battalion,  Fifth  Infantry,  National  Guard.  The  com- 
pany's armory  is  located  in  Brandes  Hall  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
Second  Street  and  Burlington  Avenue. 

When  the  National  Guard  was  called  out  hy  President  Wilson  in 
June,  1916,  Company  G  entrained  at  Hastings  for  the  mobilization 
grounds  at  Lincoln,  June  23.  They  were  escorted  to  the  train  by 
about  l,oOO  citizens,  although  the  hour  of  departure  was  7  o'clock 
A.  jNI.  All  the  steam  whistles  in  the  city  loudly  screeched  their  good 
wishes  to  the  company  who  were  soon  to  depart  for  the  INIexican 
l)order.  War  with  JNIexico  seemed  to  be  impending.  Bishop  Beecher, 
bishoj)  of  the  EiMscoiialian  diocese  of  Western  Nebraska,  Avas  chap- 
lain of  the  Fifth  Regiment  and  took  his  departure  with  the  company. 
One  of  the  impressive  scenes  enacted  in  Hastings  was  witnessed  that 
morning  when  the  bishop  addressed  the  silent  throng  and  the  attentive 
soldier  boys.  "Remember  this,  friends,"  closed  the  bishop,  "so  long  as 
we  have  a  God  in  heaven  and  a  man  on  earth  our  Hag  will  remain  tlie 
sym])ol  of  liberty,  truth  and  justice." 

The  following  officers  of  the  Third  Battalion,  Fifth  Infantry. 
National  Guard  departed  with  Company  G:  ]\Iajor,  Raymond  L. 
Crosson;  First  Lieutenant,  John  P.  jNIadgett;  Second  Lieutenant, 
INIarcus  L.  Evans.  The  latter  was  disqualified  because  of  physical 
disabilities.    Company  G  and  officers  were  as  follows: 

Captain — John  G.  I^.  Hanlen,  Hastings. 

First  Lieutenant — James  Allison,  Hastings. 

Second  Lieutenant — Floyd  E.  Eller,  Hastings. 

First  Sergeant — Flavins  Wood,  Hastings. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant — Harry  B.  Fry,  Hastings. 

Sergeants — Oscar  Dykeman,  Hastings;  Elbert  A.  Dailey,  Hast- 
ings: Paul  Pottorf.  Jimiata;  Clayton  Gibson,  Hastings. 

Cor]5orals — Worley  Daugherty,  Hastings;  Paul  Waltei-s, 
Omaha:  William  J.  Sliger,  Hastings;  Lloyd  Petro,  Hastings. 

Artificer — George  H.  Helmick,  Hastings. 

]Musicians— Harry  E.  Kahl.  Ralpli  ^Viese.  Hastings. 

Cooks — Harry  Haines,  Ed  Duncan,  Hastings. 

Company  Clerk — Ward  E.  Simpson. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      325 

Privates — William  Arvanette,  Hastings;  Earl  S.  Adair,  Spring- 
field; Roy  Aiken,  Hastings;  Henry  Burns,  Hastings;  Henry  Brem- 
ser,  Hastings;  Ralph  Butler,  Juniata;  Edward  Brown,  Hastings; 
Fred  L.  Bailey,  Plastings;  Fred  G.  Crawford,  Hastings;  Frank 
Dixon,  Hastings;  ^Nlike  Diedrick,  Hastings;  Ivan  L.  Gaddis,  Omaha; 
Arthur  Holbert,  ]Mc^Iinnville,  Ore.;  John  C.  Hedge,  Hastings; 
Harold  Hess,  Harvard;  Raymond  J.  King,  Lowell;  A.  A.  Lewis, 
Grand  Island;  Max  Lepinske,  Hastings;  Nick  JNIeges,  Hastings; 
David  Masters,  Hastings;  Jesse  S.  Mauley,  Oklahoma  City,  Okla- 
homa; Joseph  L.  MclNIinn,  Exeter;  Walter  B.  Nation,  Wallace; 
Claire  F.  Newby,  Hastings;  Constantine  P.  Papageorge,  Hastings; 
Linn  Potts,  Harvard;  Glenn  C.  Pope,  Gretna;  Charles  Quick,  Hast- 
ings; George  W.  Stout,  Beatrice;  Ernest  Smith,  West  Frankfort, 
Illinois;  Chester  A.  Taylor,  Exeter;  Bert  Van  Meter,  Hastings; 
Ralph  Versch,  Roseland;  Albert  AVingert,  Hastings;  Percy  C.  Win- 
ters, Hastings;  Ralph  M.  Wells.  Fargo,  N.  D.;  Brandon  G.  Wheeler. 
Hastings. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    PrOMESTEADER— THEN    AND   NOW— POPULA- 
TION AXD  OTHER  STATISTICS 

The  first  bill  passed  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  pro- 
viding for  homestead  entries  was  j^resented  to  James  Buchanan, 
President  of  the  United  States,  for  his  signature  and  approval,  in 
.Time.  1860,  and  upon  the  22d  day  of  that  month  was  by  him  vetoed 
in  a  vigorous  message  denying  the  jjower  of  Congress  to  disjjose  of 
the  ])ul)lic  lands  in  that  way.  The  closing  sentence  of  the  message 
was  that  "This  bill,  which  proposes  to  give  away  land  at  an  almost 
nominal  price  out  of  the  j^roperty  of  the  Government,  will  go  far 
to  demoralize  the  people  and  repress  the  noble  spirit  of  independence. 
It  may  introduce  among  us  those  pernicious  social  theories  which 
have  proved  so  disastrous  in  other  countries." 

On  ]May  20,  1862,  the  Homestead  Bill  was  presented  to  President 
Lincoln  for  his  signature  and  approval,  the  same  having  passed  both 
houses  of  Congress.  The  bill  was  promptly  signed  and  approved. 
This  became  the  original  homestead  law,  and  under  its  provisions 
every  person  who  is  the  head  of  a  family  or  who  has  arrived  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years  and  is  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or  has 
filed  his  declaration  of  intention  to  become  such,  as  required  by  the 
naturalization  laws,  shall  be  entitled  to  one  quarter  section  or  a  less 
quantity  of  unapj^ropriated  public  land. 

Under  the  law  as  passed,  anyone  filing  upon  public  lands  within 
the  limit  of  a  railroad  grant  could  only  acquire  title  to  one-half  of 
tlie  quarter  section.  These  homestead  filings  carried  with  them  the 
right  on  the  part  of  the  entryman  of  commutation  after  one  year's 
occupancy  and  improvements.  That  is  to  say,  he  could  pay  to  the 
Government  at  the  rate  of  $2.a0  per  acre  for  land  within  the  limits 
of  any  railroad  grant,  and  upon  payment  and  j^roof  of  compliance 
with  the  terms  of  the  law  in  other  respects,  receive  his  patent  for 
the  quantity  of  land  filed  upon.  In  like  manner,  with  entryman  who 
had  filed  upon  land  beyond  the  limits  of  any  railroad  grants,  except 
in  his  connnutation  he  would  only  be  required  to  pay  $1.2.5  per  acre 
326 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       327 

for  the  quantity  of  land  filed  upon  to  entitle  him  to  the  issuance  of 
a  jjatent  upon  the  same.  As  a  badge  of  title  in  the  interim  between 
the  acts  of  commutation  and  the  issuance  of  a  patent,  the  entryman 
received  from  the  receiver  of  the  local  land  office  a  receiver's  final 
receipt,  which  was  a  valid  basis  for  subsequent  transfers. 

In  the  absence  of  commutation,  entrymen  were  required  to 
occujjy,  cultivate  and  improve  their  claims  as  sjjecified  in  the  law  for 
the  i^eriod  of  five  years  at  least.  Public  lands  were  also  acquired 
through  complying  with  the  preemption  and  timber  culture  laws. 
By  means  of  the  three  methods,  homestead,  preemption  and  timber 
culture,  one  jjerson  could  acquire  title  to  three  tracts,  not  exceeding 
in  the  aggregate  480  acres.  From  experience  it  was  found  that  as 
a  means  of  securing  the  permanent  settlement  and  improvement  of 
the  public  domain,  the  homestead  method  was  the  preferred  one, 
and  the  j^reemption  and  timber  culture  acts  were  repealed  and  wise 
amendments  were  adopted  for  the  homestead  law.  Chief  among 
tliese  amendments  was  that  allowing  the  entryman  Avithin  railroad 
land  grant  limits  to  take  additional  lands  sufficient  to  make  the  total 
of  each  holding  a  quarter  section.  In  the  semi-arid  lands  the  home- 
stead entry  may  cover  an  entire  section.  While  there  are  none  of 
the  semi-arid  lands  near  Adams  County,  yet  many  of  her  citizens 
have  taken  advantage  of  the  teftipting  provisions  of  this  amended 
law  and  emigrated  to  parts  where  these  lands  are  found,  and  under 
the  stimulus  of  pioneer  pluck  have  prospered. 

It  is  conceded  that  a  great  body  of  the  men  who  have  acquired 
land  titles  by  virtue  of  these  generous  land  laws  were  soldiers  of  the 
United  States  Army  in  the  Civil  war.  Their  number  and  influence 
were  such  that  from  the  early  '70s  until  overtaken  by  age  and  infirm- 
ity this  soldier  element  dominated  in  the  offices  of  school,  church  and 
state.  Having  been  faithful  soldiers,  they  readilj'  became  good  citi- 
zens, and  by  patient  industry  have  transformed  the  wild  and  raw 
prairie  into  the  richest  and  best  farm  lands  in  the  world. 

All  have  moved  out  of  the  sod  house  or  dugout  into  well- 
ajjpointed  modern  homes.  Their  sons  and  daughters  return  home 
from  the  State  University  and  other  colleges  each  year  in  large  num- 
bers, carrying  back  to  father  and  mother  well-earned  di2:)lomas.  The 
father  and  mother  foimd  their  way  to  their  claim  forty  years  ago  in 
an  ox  cart.  They  niee'i  their  sons  and  daughters  now  at  the  railroad 
station  with  an  elegant  motor  car  that  conveys  them  to  a  beautiful 
home  ujion  a  farm  valued  from  twelve  thousand  dollars  uj^wards. 

The  prairie  farmer,  now  a  gentleman,  bids  fair  to  become  a  prince 
under  the  rapid  imj^rovement  of  the  methods  of  tillage  and  the  con- 


328       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

version  of  products  into  cash.  In  this  county  now,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  1916,  the  average  homestead  of  160  acres,  whose  entry 
fee  was  the  trifling  sum  of  a  few  dollars,  is  now  readily  sold  in  some 
instances  for  $20,000  and  always  at  a  veiy  satisfactory  price.  To 
si^eculate  as  to  the  futin'e  advance  in  the  price  of  these  farm  lands 
would  only  be  a  leap  into  the  midst  of  uncertainties.  Prices  are 
now  beyond  the  reach  of  the  man  of  moderate  means,  and  with 
enhanced  yields  resulting  from  a  more  intensive  culture,  they  will 
go  higher. 

THE    SOD    HOUSE 

A  very  considerable  number  of  the  homesteaders  who  settled  in 
Adams  County  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  laws  outlined 
in  the  foregoing  jiortion  of  this  chapter  by  Judge  WiUiam  R.  Burton 
lived  in  sod  houses  very  similar  in  appearance  to  that  of  INIr.  Dean's, 
a  photograph  of  which  is  among  the  illustrations  of  this  history. 
William  Croft,  who  now  resides  in  Hastings,  at  803  North  Burling- 
ton Avenue,  has  had  a  good  deal  of  experience  in  the  building  of 
sod  houses.  Many  of  the  homesteaders  had  had  no  experience  in 
constructing  these  houses  and  so  they  sought  the  assistance  of  those 
who  had  built  them  before. 

INIr.  Croft  was  among  those  who  assisted  many  in  the  erection  of 
their  houses.  "To  build  a  sod  house,"  said  ]Mr.  Croft,  "would  require 
about  three  weeks'  work  for  a  man  and  team.  The  first  tiling  done 
was  to  clear  a  place  the  size  of  the  house,  which  would  usually  be 
about  16  by  24'  feet.  The  walls  would  then  be  built  inside  the 
clearing  and  would  be  about  two  feet  thick.  The  door  and  the  front 
window  were  made  in  one  opening.  The  best  place  to  get  sod  was 
from  lagoons,  where  furrows  would  be  plowed  that  would  make  strips 
of  sod  about  a  foot  wide.  The  strips  would  be  about  two  feet  long 
and  in  building  the  wall  would  be  laid  on  top  of  one  another.  The 
ridge  pole  at  the  top  was  generally  about  ten  inches  in  diameter  and 
quite  often  brush  would  be  used  in  place  of  rafters,  and  then  the 
sod  laid  over  them.  Many  of  the  sod  houses  were  papered  with 
newspapers,  and  a  well-made  sod  house  was  cool  in  summer  and  warm 
in  winter. 

"Where  a  side  hill  was  available,  dugouts  were  often  made,  and 
there  were  a  few  log  cabins.  The  last  man  to  live  in  this  kind  of  a 
house  that  I  remember  was  Jacob  Yocum,  who  lived  in  his  dugout  in 
the  southwest  pai't  of  the  county  until  about  190.5." 


A  PIOXKKi;   SOD  HorSK 
Tlie  Ho.iu.  of  .Ta.ncs  M.   |),.an.  at    I'anlinr,  in   IS 


\  ii:\\   III    iiAsi 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      329 

DEVELOPMENT    IN    VALUES 

Wlien  the  first  county  commissioners,  E.  j\I.  Allen,  S.  L.  Brass 
and  Wellington  W.  Selleck,  ordered  the  first  taxes  to  be  levied  in 
Adams  County  they  declared  the  number  of  acres  subject  to  taxation 
to  be  182,043,  and  the  valuation  they  placed  averaged  a  little  more 
than  $.5.00  per  acre,  making  an  aggregate  of  $921,235.  The  aggre- 
gate value  of  the  personal  property  in  the  county  that  year  was 
jjlaced  at  $20,003.  The  value  of  the  town  lots  in  Juniata  was  placed 
at  $1.5,94'.5.  These  were  the  valuations  in  1872.  The  total  valuation 
of  the  taxable  proj^erty  the  first  year  was  $957,183. 

In  187.5  the  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  the  county  had 
increased  to  $1, 117,328.-50;  in  1876  it  was  $1,048,913.60;  in  1880  it 
had  grown  to  $1,943,060,  and  in  1881  it  was  $2,234,,579.  In  1881 
the  number  of  city  lots  was  902,  with  an  assessed  valuation  of 
$1.54,378. 

The  assessor's  record  shows  that  in  1904  the  total  acres  of  taxable 
land  in  Adams  County  was  34.5,826,  with  an  aggregate  actual  value 
of  $10,467,-511.  Of  the  total  acreage,  316,625  acres  were  under  cul- 
tivation and  29,201  not  under  cultivation.  The  actual  value  of  the 
cultivated  lands  is  recorded  as  $9,097,776  and  of  the  uncultivated  as 
$469,735. 

In  1916  the  cultivated  acreage  is  recorded  as  350,244,  with  an 
actual  value  of  $18,274,225.  The  improvements  on  the  farms  are 
recorded  with  a  valuation  of  $1,370,675,  bringing  the  total  of  tax- 
able lands  and  improvements,  actual  value,  to  $19,644,900.  In  so 
far  as  the  assessor's  records  indicate  the  total  increase  in  the  value 
of  farm  lands  in  the  twelve  years  intervening  between  1904  and  1916 
amounts  to  $9,067,399. 

In  1904  there  were  in  Adams  County  5,529  improved  city  lots, 
with  an  aggregate  actual  value  of  $4,030,657,  and  7,791  unimproved 
lots,  with  an  actual  value  of  $353,563.  Total  value  improved  and 
unimproved  lots,  $4,384,220. 

In  1916  there  are  recorded  6,390  improved  lots,  the  lots  having 
a  valuation  of  $2,819,825  and  the  improvements  $4,349,505.  The 
unimj)roved  lots  are  recorded  as  numbering  7.737.  with  an  actual 
value  of  $813,300.  Total  value  of  lots,  improved  and  unimproved, 
$7,982,630.  In  1916  there  are  1,177  more  lots  than  there  were  in 
1904,  and  there  was  an  increase  of  $3,638,410  in  the  total  actual  value 
of  city  lots  throughout  the  county.    This  includes  improvements. 

The  total  assessed  value  of  all  taxable  property  in  Adams  County 
as  equalized  and  corrected  by  the  county  board  since  1912  is  recorded 


330       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  follows:  1912,  $7,638,237;  1913,  $7,601,957;  1914,  $7,682,885; 
1915,  $7,847,559;  1916,  $7,924,659.  These  figures  represent  one-fifth 
of  the  actual  value  and  include  lands,  personal  jjroperty  and  rail- 
roads. The  assessed  valuation  in  1916  is  apportioned  as  follows: 
Personal  property,  $1,277,960;  lands,  $3,924,383;  lots,  $1,599,381; 
railroads  and  car  companies,  $1,122,935.  According  to  these  figures, 
the  total  wealth  of  Adams  County  in  1916  is  $39,623,295.  It  is  the 
consensus  of  opinion  of  many  versed  in  land  values  that  the  figures 
on  the  assessment  books  rejiresenting  actual  values  as  a  matter  of  fact 
represent  about  80  per  cent  of  actual  values. 

Some  of  the  items  in  the  i^ersonal  schedules  of  1904  and  1916 
afford  an  oj^portunity  for  some  interesting  comparisons.  In  1904 
there  were  scheduled  for  Adams  County  494  pianos,  906  organs  and 
other  instruments,  70  threshing  machines,  63  corn  shellers,  2,084  dogs, 
467  automobiles,  tricycles,  \elociiJedes,  bicycles,  motorcycles,  and  like 
vehicles,  4,822  carriages,  10,745  horses  of  all  ages,  765  mules  of  all 
ages,  20,374  cattle  of  all  ages,  28,006  hogs  of  all  ages,  and  81,485 
poultry. 

Personal  schedules  for  1916  show  1,502  pianos,  549  organs  and 
other  musical  instruments,  124  threshing  machines  and  power  corn 
shellers,  1,172  automobiles,  1,011  cream  separators,  3,732  carriages, 
M'agons,  coaches,  hacks,  drays  and  other  like  vehicles.  9,948  horses 
of  all  ages,  1,850  mules  of  all  ages,  and  13.713  cattle  of  all  ages. 

In  1880  there  were  4,219  horses,  744  mules  and  asses,  and  4,938 
cattle. 

IIRST     AUTOMOBILE 

In  1904  automobiles  were  not  considered  of  enough  importance 
to  schedule  separately,  but  were  listed  with  bicycles,  tricycles  and 
other  similar  vehicles.  Charles  Jacobs  of  Hastings  brought  the  first 
automobile  into  Adams  County  in  the  spring  of  1901  and  the 
first  motorcycle  in  1894.  The  automobile  was  a  Mobile  Steam,  made 
by  the  ])resent  manufacturers  of  the  IMaxwell.  One  of  the  first  trips 
made  by  JNIr.  Jacobs  took  him  past  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Han- 
sen, where  a  great  commotion  was  caused  among  the  horses  and  some 
very  hard  things  were  said  about  the  automobile  by  their  owners  who 
were  worshiping  in  the  church.  The  car  had  neitlier  Avindshield  nor 
horn  nor  scarcely  any  of  tlie  equipment  with  which  the  automobile 
of  today  is  identified.  It  could  travel  about  twelve  miles  per  hour 
and  it  consumed  about  a  gallon  of  gasoline  per  mile,  but  gasoline 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       331 

sold  at  8  cents  per  gallon.  Dr.  C.  V.  Artz  and  Rev.  William  INIc- 
Donald  were  the  first  in  Adams  Comity  to  ride  in  the  first  ear  with 
]Mr.  Jacobs.  The  growth  in  the  ownership  of  cars  is  indicated  as 
follows  in  the  ofHce  records  of  tlie  assessor:  1914,  (346;  191,),  876; 
1916.  1,172. 

TAKM    I'ROUrC'TS    OF    COUNTY 

Probably  the  first  farming  done  in  Adams  County  was  by  "Wild 
Bill  Kress"  and  his  partner,  Jerome  Fonts,  or  "California  Joe,"  in 
1870,  upon  their  homesteads  in  Little  Blue  Township.  That  year 
they  i^lanted  a  few  acres  of  sod  corn,  which  yielded  fairly  well  and 
indicated  something  of  the  future  of  the  county  agriculturally.  In 
1880  there  M'ere  cultivated  57,809  acres  of  wheat,  31,276  acres  of 
corn,  .5,793  acres  of  oats,  4,443  acres  of  barley,  571  acres  of  broom- 
corn.  295  acres  of  rye,  58  acres  of  potatoes,  and  there  were  353  acres 
of  tame  hay. 

How  the  county  where  JNI.  X.  Kress  planted  a  few  acres  of  sod 
corn  developed  as  a  farming  country  can  be  sensed  by  reflection 
upon  the  report  made  by  the  Nebraska  State  Department  of 
Labor  upon  the  ])roducts  of  Adams  County  in  an  average  year  like 
1914.  In  that  year  there  were  planted  60,089  acres  of  corn,  yielding 
1,448,145  bushels;  134.253  acres  of  winter  wheat,  yielding  3,060,968 
bushels:  42  acres  of  spring  wheat,  378  bushels;  13,714  acres  of  oats, 
479.990  bushels;  862|/o  acres  of  rye,  21,131  bushels;  570  acres  of  bar- 
ley. 15,  390  bushels;  13,940  acres  of  alfalfa,  30,668  tons;  1,465  acres 
of  sorghum;  54  acres  of  speltz;  191  acres  of  speltz  and  Hungarian; 
1,247  acres  of  Irish  potatoes,  121,030  bushels.  There  were  also  9,100 
acres  of  wild  hay,  yielding  14,560  tons:  946  acres  of  timber;  78,740 
jioultry. 

ADAMS    county's    SHIPMENTS 

The  surplus  shipments  of  farm  products  made  by  Adams  County 
in  1914  is  thus  summarized  by  the  state  board  of  agriculture: 

Products  Plead 

Cattle 2,994 

Hogs 13,533 

Horses  and  mules 1,776 

Sheep 5,235 


332       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Products  Bushels 

Ajjples 4.,220 

Barley 14 

Corn 23,524 

Oats .5,075 

Onions .342 

Popcorn 3,003 

Potatoes    14,.590 

Rye 2,589 

Wheat 4.817,344 

Products  Tons 

Alfalfa 100 

Cement  blocks   18 

Hay 557 

Ice   144,274 

Sand  and  gravel 1.100 

Stone  

Straw 231 

Sugar  beets 

Products  Number 

Brick 19.873,087 

Products  Gallons 

Cider   

Cream   40,592 

Ice  cream   7.935 

Products  Crates 

Blackberries    977 

Raspberries 1,084 

Strawberries 3,715 

Products  Cases 

Canned  goods 7 

Products  Pounds 

Alfalfa  seed 22.764 

Butter 693,975 

Broomcorn 350 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       333 

Products  Pounds 

Cane  seed 1,200 

Celery    5,700 

Cheese 2,980 

Clover  seed 

Dressed  meat 43,512 

Dressed  poultry 427,619 

Dried  fruit 7 

Flour 3,615,163 

Fresh  fruit 253,655 

Furs 815 

Garden  seeds 456 

Hides  and  pelts 295,571 

Honev 500 

Lard 4,392 

Live  poultry 2,845,175 

Melons  ... 16.000 

]Mill  feed 941,022 

:\Iillet  seed   14,564 

Niu'sery  stock 3:3 

Nuts  . ." 6,300 

Tallow 37.092 

Tar 

Timothy  seed 

Vegetables 60,635 

Wool 11,909 

Products  Baskets 

Grapes 13,700 

Peaches 4,300 

Plums 2,900 

Products  Dozens 

Brooms    194 

Eggs 536,562 

In  1914.  817  Adams  County  farms  were  occupied  by  the  owners  and 
690  bv  tenants:  in  191.5,  778  were  occupied  by  oAvners  and  947  by  ten- 
ants. In  1914,  the  first  year  that  income  tax  was  collected,  tax  was 
paid  by  fifty-one  Adams  County  individuals;  of  these  forty-four 
resided  in  Hastings  and  the  remainder  outside. 


334       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

ai)a:\is  county's  populatiox 

The  United  States  Governineiit  census  report  gives  the  following 
among  other  facts  concerning  the  pojjulation  of  Adams  County:  The 
population  in  1870  was  19;  1880,  10,23.5;  1890,  24,303;  1900,  18,840; 
1910,  20,900.  State  census  taken  in  the  earlier  years  show  that  the 
ingress  of  settlers  into  the  county  was  at  the  rate  of  about  one  thou- 
sand a  year.  The  poiHilation  given  for  1874  was  2,694;  1875,  3,093; 
1876,  3,940;  1878,  ,5,.j83;  1879,  8,162. 

The  decrease  between  1890  and  1900  was  .5,463,  or  22.5  per  cent; 
the  increase  from  1900  to  1910  was  2,060,  or  10.9  per  cent.  In  1910 
the  population  per  square  mile  was  37;  rural  population,  20. .5  per 
square  mile. 

The  population  of  Juniata  was  528  in  1890,  543  in  1900  and 
471  in  1910.  The  jjopulation  of  Juniata  Township,  including  the 
town,  was  1,231  in  1890,  1,233  in  1900  and  1,056  in  1910. 

The  Town  of  Kenesaw  liad  a  population  of  .5'04  in  1900  and  657 
in  1910.  Kenesaw  Township,  including  the  Town  of  Kenesaw,  had 
a  population  of  668  in  1890,  913  in  1900  and  1.082  in  1910. 

The  population  of  Highland  Township  was  603  in  1890.  600  in 
1900  and  520  in  1910. 

The  Village  of  Ayr  lies  partly  in  xVyr  Township  and  partly  in 
Zero.  The  total  population  of  Ayr  Village  in  1890  was  173,  141  in 
1900  and  142  in  1910.  The  part  of  the  village  in  Ayr  Township  had 
107  inhabitants  in  1890,  70  in  1900  and  87  in  1910.  The  part  of  Ayr 
Village  lying  in  Zero  Township  had  a  population  of  66  in  1890.  71  in 
1900  and  .'^o  in  1910.  Ayr  Township,  including  a  part  of  the  village, 
had  792  inhabitants  in  1890,  715  in  1900  and  702  in  1910.  Zero  Town- 
ship, including  a  part  of  the  Village  of  Ayr,  had  a  jjopulation  of  712 
in  1890,  709  in  1900  and  603  in  1910. 

Elaine  Township  had  a  population  of  622  in  1890.  554  in  1900 
and  560  in  1910.  Cottonwood  Township,  including  Holstein,  had  a 
population  of  548  in  1890,  552  in  1900  and  564  in  1910.  The  poini- 
lation  of  the  Village  of  Holstein  in  1910  was  323. 

The  population  of  Denver  Township  in  1890  was  756,  1,360  in 
1900  and  1,729  in  1910.  Hanover's  population  in  1890  was  655.  593 
in  1900  and  551  in  1910.  Little  Blue  Township's  population  was  517 
in  1890,  503  in  1900  and  546  in  1910.  Logan  Township  Avas  324  in 
1890,  501  in  1900  and  501  in  1910. 

Roseland  Townsliip,  including  the  Town  of  Roseland,  had  a  pop- 
ulation of  782  in  1890,  847  in  1900  and  857  in  1910.  The  Town  of 
Roseland  had  n  population  of  227  in  1900  and  249  in  1910.     Silver 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       335 

Lake  Township  had  a  population  of  518  in  1890,  550  in  1900  and  4.79 
in  1910.  Verona,  inchiding  Prosser,  had  a  population  of  789  in  1890, 
773  in  1900  and  714  in  1910.  Prosser  was  incor^jorated  in  1907  and 
in  1910  had  a  population  of  163. 

The  population  of  Wanda  Township  was  (502  in  1890,  621  in  1900 
and  .523  in  1910.  West  Blue  Townshijj's  population  was  600  in 
1890,  628  in  1900  and  575  in  1910. 

The  population  of  Hastings  for  1890  is  given  as  13,584;  1900, 
7,188;  1910,  9',338.  At  a  special  census  taken  in  1915  and  announced 
upon  December  18th,  that  year,  the  population  of  Hastings  was 
announced  as  10,843.  The  population  of  the  First  Ward  in  1910 
was  2,970;  Second  Ward,  2,404;  Third  Ward,  1,470;  Fourth  Ward, 
2.494.  The  population  as  given  for  Hastings  in  1890  is  an  indication 
of  the  padding  tlnoughout  Nebraska  that  year  and  should  not  be 
taken  as  a  measure  of  decrease,  as  the  census  figures  of  subsequent 
years  seem  to  indicate. 

The  population  of  Hansen  in  1910  was  72;  Pauline,  250;  Leroy, 
76:  Hayland,  33. 

The  1910  census  shows  that  those  of  foreign  birtli.  white,  resident 
in  Adams  County  when  the  census  was  taken  were  apportioned  among 
the  nations  as  follows:  From  Austria  124.  Canada  (French  21,  other 
110),  Denmark  150,  England  160,  France  12,  Germany,  1,227. 
Greece  8.  Holland  9,  Hungary  2,  Ireland  133,  Italy  13,  Norway  17, 
Russia  768,  Scotland  28,  Sweden  161,  Switzerland  15,  Wales  22,  other 
foreign  countries  28.  In  1890  there  were  327  negroes,  63  in  1900, 
97  in  1910.  Of  the  negro  population  of  1910,  83  were  black  and  14 
mulattoes. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
RAILROADS  AND  NEWSPAPERS 

Adams  County  now  lia.s  1.50.97  miles  of  railroad  lines  belonging  lo 
the  Union  Pacific,  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  jNIissouri  Pacific  and 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  systems  and  enjoys  the  advantages 
afforded  by  these  great  transcontinental  trade  and  j^assenger  routes. 
Not  all  these  roads  were  built  by  the  systems  now  owning  them,  some 
of  them  have  been  acquired  by  purchase  from  the  original  companies. 

The  Burlington  was  the  first  railroad  to  traverse  Adams  County. 
The  Burlington  &  JNIissouri  River  Railroad  in  Nebraska  was  organ- 
ized in  1869,  though  it  was  not  completed  through  Adams  Count v 
until  the  summer  of  1872.  It  was  a  part  of  the  main  line  of  the  Bvir- 
lington  system,  but  the  portion  built  at  this  jjarticular  period  extended 
from  Plattsmouth  by  way  of  Lincoln  to  Kearney  Junction.  In  a  com- 
numication  to  the  iniblisher  of  "The  Book  of  Hastings,"  under  date 
of  November  12,  1906,  PI  Bignell,  superintendent  of  the  Lincoln 
division  of  the  Burlington,  wrote:  "I  ran  an  engine,  hauling  con- 
struction material  for  the  line  west  of  Hastings,  before  there  was  a 
house  in  Hastings,  except  one  sod  house,  but  I  don't  remember  the 
date  of  the  first  train  being  put  on.  I  remember  my  first  trip  very  well 
I)ecause,  on  arrival  at  Juniata,  where  there  Avas  a  water  tank  and  a 
station  building,  I  asked  the  agent  if  it  was  Hastings.  He  replied  in 
the  negative,  saying  Hastings  was  seven  miles  east.  This  was  in  Jime, 
1872."  In  the  letter  of  jMrs.  A.  V.  Cole,  printed  in  the  chapter  on 
Juniata,  the  date  of  the  ai'rival  of  the  first  train  in  Juniata  is  given  as 
June  8th.  1872. 

In  JMay.  1882,  tlie  Burlington  was  completed  to  Denver,  building 
from  Kenesaw  by  way  of  Holdrege.  The  completion  of  this  line 
greatly  impi-oved  the  railway  facilities  afforded  by  the  Burlington  in 
Adams  County  and  had  a  general  stinudating  effect.  The  connection 
with  the  Burlington's  main  line  with  its  southern  system,  the  Red 
Cloud  branch,  was  built  towards  the  close  of  1878.  The  last  spike  in 
the  construction  of  the  Aurora  branch  of  the  Burlington  was  driven  at 
336 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       337 

7  o'clock  P.  M:,  September  7,  1886,  and  the  tirst  regular  train  departed 
for  Auroi-a  at  ll:Oo  A.  IM.,  September  13.  Jolly  "Pap"  Willis  was 
tlie  conductor  in  charge.  This  was  the  last  line  constructed  by  the 
Ihnlington  in  Adams  County. 

It  was  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City  Railroad,  now  with  the 
extension  to  Grand  Island  called  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island  Rail- 
road, that  brought  Hastings  into  existence.  As  has  been  written  pre- 
viously. Juniata  was  the  official  town  of  the  Burlington  and  Hastings 
was  an  incident  of  the  building  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City  to 
the  line  of  the  Burlington  at  the  point  where  Hastings  stands.  A 
fitting  monument  to  the  indebtedness  of  Hastings  to  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Denver  City  Railroad,  is  the  name  of  the  city.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Hastings  was  a  member  of  the  firm  that  had  the  grading  of  the  last 
section  of  the  road  into  the  city  and  the  name  was  given  to  the  town 
in  his  honor.  Train  service  did  not  begin  on  the  St.  Joseph  &  Western 
until  the  fall  of  1872. 

A  deficiency  of  funds  frustrated  the  plans  of  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Denver  City  Railroad  Company  to  extend  the  line  from  Hastings  to 
Denver  as  was  the  original  plan  although  the  road  was  once  graded 
ff)r  a  considerable  distance  toward  Kearney,  the  grade  passing  near 
the  present  location  of  the  Lepin  Hotel.  About  a  year  after  the  com- 
pleting of  the  road  to  Hastings  a  movement  was  inaugvn-ated  in  Hast- 
ings to  complete  the  road  to  Grand  Island.  The  prime  movers  were 
\y .  Ij.  Smith,  who  was  connected  with  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver,  and 
.T.  .T.  ^Vorswick,  an  Englishman,  who  was  to  finance  the  project.  Asso- 
ciated with  these  were  George  H.  Pratt,  T.  E.  Farrell,  C.  K.  Lawson 
and  some  others.  A  comj:)any  of  men  were  also  associated  in  Grand 
Island  for  the  same  purpose,  the  plan  being  for  the  Grand  Island  men 
to  look  after  the  building  of  the  road  in  Hall  County  and  the  Hastings 
men  in  Adams  County.  Grading  was  done  north  up  what  is  now  Bur- 
lington Avenue  and  northwards  almost  to  the  countj^  line,  while  from 
Grand  Island  a  grade  was  made  almost  to  the  Adams  County  line. 
When  the  project  had  proceeded  thus  far  INIr.  Worswick  departed  for 
England  and  did  not  return,  and  the  enterprise  was  abandoned.  If  no 
rails  were  laid  upon  the  grade  for  some  time  afterwards  it  was  used  as 
a  track  upon  which  to  give  trotting  horses  their  practice  bouts,  and 
thus  it  was  regarded  as  not  having  been  wholly  useless. 

Hastings  was  the  terminus  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City  until 
1 87n  when  a  connection  was  formed  between  the  Union  Pacific  Com- 
pany and  the  St.  Jose])h  &  Denver  Company.  The  twenty-five  miles 
of  road  were  constructed  that  year  and  soon  thereafter  the  two  com- 
panies were  consolidated  and  the  road  was  called  the  St.  Joseph  & 


338       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Grand  Island  Railroad.  Litigation  grew  out  of  the  joint  ownership 
of  this  line,  minority  stockholders  complaining  that  the  road  was  man- 
aged in  the  interest  of  the  Union  Pacific  regardless  of  the  rights  of 
minority  holders.  Through  a  decision  of  the  Supreme  Coin-t  in  1916 
the  control  of  the  road  jiassed  wholly  into  the  control  of  the  Union 
Pacific. 

The  ^Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  with  its  western  terminus  in  Prosser 
affords  connection  with  the  Bui'lington  at  Superior  and  the  ]Missouri 
Pacific's  connections  in  Kansas.  It  was  formerly  called  the  Pacific 
Railroad.  It  was  built  into  Hastings  in  the  winter  of  1887-8  and 
extended  to  Prosser  the  following  spring. 

Hastings  is  the  western  terminus  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
in  Adams  County.  The  original  purpose  was  to  build  the  line  through 
to  Denver  and  the  idea  is  still  rumored  from  time  to  time. 

The  Northwestern  aflFords  connection  with  Omaha  by  way  of  Fre- 
mont. For  many  years  it  was  called  the  Fremont,  Elkhorn  &  ^Missouri 
Valley  Railroad;  it  has  always  been,  however,  a  part  of  the 
Northwestern. 

The  branch  of  the  Burlington  in  the  southern  part  of  Adams 
County,  at  the  building  of  which  Holstein,  Roseland,  Pauline  and 
I^eroy  came  into  existence,  was  built  in  1887,  though  not  by  the  Bur- 
lington. It  was  the  result  of  the  acquiring  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver 
City  by  the  Union  Pacific  interests.  The  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island 
Railroad  lies  rather  across  the  stream  of  commerce  and  travel  than 
with  it.  It  was  to  act  as  feeder  for  the  St.  Josejjh  &  Grand  Island  that 
the  line  in  the  south  part  of  Adams  County  was  built  by  the  Union 
Pacific.  Its  original  name  Avas  the  Kansas  City  &  Omaha,  better 
remembered  as  the  K.  C.  &  O.  This  line  of  feeders  began  to  be  con- 
structed in  1885,  building  first  from  Fairfield  to  York  through  Sutton 
and  later  extending  from  York  to  Stromsburg.  The  line  through 
Adams  County  was  built  from  Fairfield  to  Alma. 

The  original  plan,  for  this  road  too  was  to  extend  to  Denver,  but 
a  total  of  190  miles  was  all  that  was  finished.  The  road  was  bonded 
to  the  amount  of  $1,000  per  mile  and  its  earnings  became  insufficient 
to  paj'  the  interest.  About  1890  its  condition  as  a  business  enterprise 
became  so  hopeless  that  it  was  sold  at  aviction  and  bought  by  the  Bur- 
lington, of  which,  since  that  time,  it  has  been  a  part. 

John  M.  Ragan  of  Hastings  was  at  this  period  general  attorney 
for  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island  and  had  charge  of  the  ac(]uiring 
of  right  of  way  for  the  feeders.  Pauline  was  named  in  honor  of 
Mr.  Ragan's  wife,  Pauline  S.  Ragan,  and  Leroy  in  honor  of  Leroy 
Stone,  son  of  C.  L.  Stone,  of  Hastings.     It  was  the  poor  crops  inci- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       339 

dent  to  a  period  of  shortage  of  rain  that  caused  the  downfall  of  the 
Kansas  City  &  Omaha. 

The  Hastings  &  Northwestern  is  the  newest  line  in  Adams  County. 
It  constitutes  the  "Gibbon  cutoff,"  and  extends  from  Hastings  to 
Gibbon.  The  Hastings  &  Northwestern  is  a  Union  Pacific  road. 
Regular  service  was  established  between  Hastings  and  Gibbon  during 
the  first  few  days  of  June.  This  cutoff  is  twenty-eight  miles  long  and 
was  constructed  with  gTeat  rapidity;  negotiations  for  right  of  way 
were  not  begun  until  the  fall  of  1912  and  the  rails  were  laid  by 
April  1,  1913. 

The  new  station  on  Third  Street  is  located  within  100  feet  of  the 
oi'iginal  location  of  the  station  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City.  The 
passenger  station  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island  which  was  located 
south  of  the  Burlington  tracks,  between  Denver  and  Hastings  ave- 
nues, was  removed  to  East  Twelfth  Street  after  the  present  station 
came  into  use  and  is  now  used  as  a  freight  and  yard  office.  The  Third 
.Street  station  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $60,000.  The  railroad  has 
bought  the  property  lying  between  JNIinnesota  Avenue  and  their  tracks 
from  Second  Street  to  Seventh  Street. 

The  East  Side  Boulevard  was  opened  on  property  jjurchased  by 
the  City  of  Hastings  in  1912.  In  granting  the  right  to  the  Hastings 
&  Northwestern  Railroad  the  city  council  closed  Third,  Fourth,  Sixth, 
Tenth  and  Eleventh  streets  at  their  jjoint  of  intersection  with  ^Vabash 
Avenue  and  the  P^ast  Side  Boulevard  was  opened  to  relieve  the  condi- 
tion thus  produced. 

Tiie  first  station  agent  of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  City  was  John 
.1.  Wemple.  A.  A.  Sweet  followed,  and  then  came  Sam  Heacox,  who 
was  the  jDredecessor  of  INIr.  Conoughy.  J.  J.  Conoughy  has  been  the 
agent  since  September  5,  1885. 

The  Burlington  station  in  Hastings  was  located  on  Bellevue  Ave- 
nue from  1873  to  1902.  At  the  time  that  the  first  station  was  located, 
in  1873,  there  was  a  lively  rivalry  among  the  residents.  The  Hastings 
Townsite  Company  exerted  all  its  efforts  to  have  the  station  located 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  original  town,  while  John  G.  INIoore, 
whose  holding  lay  immediately  Avest,  endeavored  to  influence  the  rail- 
road to  ]}lace  the  station  in  the  vicinity  of  his  land.  To  clinch  his 
argument  Mr.  ]Moore  donated  thirteen  acres  of  land  and  some  building- 
lots  to  the  railroad,  with  the  residt  that  the  station  was  built  in  the 
west  end.  The  first  station  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1879,  and  a  new 
one  built.  For  several  years  a  hmch  room  was  maintained  near  the 
station. 

The  present  Burlington  station  was  completed  in  1902  at  a  cost  of 


340       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

about  .$75,000.  ^Vhen  the  location  was  changed  from  Bellevue  Avenue 
to  St.  Joseph,  the  west  side  objected  as  strenuously  as  had  the  east 
side  in  1873.  Tliey  argued  that  the  location  had  been  determined  upon 
for  a  consideration  and  that  the  railroad  had  no  moral  right  to  change. 
Julius  C.  Swartz  lias  been  the  station  agent  at  the  Burlington  con- 
tinuously since  188J-,  returning  that  year  from  a  period  in  Denver. 
Before  going  to  the  latter  j^lace  he  was  in  Hastings  for  some  time. 

For  the  aid  of  the  construction  of  railroads  in  Adams  Count)' 
$211,000  in  bonds  were  voted.  Of  this  sum  $6,000  were  townshij) 
bonds  voted  by  Ayr  and  Little  Blue  for  tlie  aid  of  the  Kansas  City  & 
Omaha.  Upon  the  same  date,  JNIarch  20,  1887,  the  Kansas  City  & 
Omaha  bonds  were  defeated  in  Roseland  and  Cottonwood  townships. 
For  the  aid  of  the  Pacific  Railroad,  now  the  ]\Iissouri  Pacific,  Adams 
County  voted  $12rj,000  and  the  City  of  Hastings  $20,000.  For  the 
aid  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  Hastings  voted  $60,000.  All 
these  bonds  have  been  j)aid  and  the  county  has  no  bonded  indebtedness. 
The  assessed  valuation  of  railroads  and  car  companies  in  Adams 
County  in  1916  was  $1,277,960,  making  a  total  valuation  of  $6,389,800. 

Adams  County  towns  are  located  as  follows,  with  respect  to  rail- 
roads: On  the  main  line  of  the  Burlington — Hastings,  Juniata, 
Kenesaw.  On  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island — Hastings  and 
Hansen.  On  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern — Hastings.  On  the  INIis- 
souri  Pacific — Prosser,  Juniata,  Hastings,  Pauline.  On  Red  Cloud 
branch  of  the  Burlingtozi — Ayr.  On  the  Burlington's  south  county 
line — Holstein,  Roseland,  Leroy,  Pauline.  On  the  Hastings  &  North- 
western— Hastings,  Newmarch,  Hayland.  Charles  ^Nloritz,  of  Pros- 
ser, operates  the  elevators  at  Newmarch  and  Hayland. 

NEWSPAPERS 

The  first  newspaper  in  Adams  County  was  the  Adams  County 
Gazette,  established  at  Juniata  in  January.  1872,  by  C.  C.  Babcock 
and  R.  D.  Babcock.  The  Babcock  brothers  published  the  weekly  at 
Juniata  until  1876  and  then  moved  the  plant  to  Hastings.  In  1880 
it  was  purchased  by  J.  W.  Short  and  Charles  Kelley  and  that  year 
was  purchased  by  the  Wigton  brothers,  who  had  establisijed  and  weri' 
publishing  the  Hastings  Journal.  After  the  consolidation  the  Journal 
was  called  the  Gazette- Journal.  The  Wigton  brothers  interested  in 
the  business  were  A.  L.  Wigton,  J.  W.  Wigton  and  George  A.  Wig- 
ton. A.  L.  Wigton  resided  in  Omaha  for  the  last  several  years  of  his 
life  and  died  at  Omaha  in  December.  1914.     J.  W.  Wigton  now 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY   Ml 

resides  in  Denver,  and  George  A.  Wigton  lives  in  Hastings  and  is  an 
official  in  the  Loyal  Mystic  Legion. 

The  Hastings  Journal,  which  was  the  first  paper  to  be  established 
in  Hastings,  was  founded  by  A.  L.  Wigton  and  jNI.  K.  Lewis.  The 
hrst  office  was  oj^ened  on  Second  Street,  next  to  Hastings  Avenue. 
The  first  paper  was  issued  from  the  jjress,  i\Iay  24,  1873.  The  initial 
number  was  received  with  great  enthusiasm  and  it  was  decided  to  sell 
it  at  auction.  It  was  knocked  dowii  to  S.  S.  Dow,  who  had  ])id  five 
dollars.    JMr.  Dow  thought  the  paper  cheap  at  the  price. 

In  the  fall  of  1882  the  Gazette-Journal  Company  was  organized 
as  a  joint  stock  company  and  incorporated,  with  an  authorized  capital 
of  $100,000.  The  erection  of  a  fine  two-story  brick  office  at  the  south- 
M'est  corner  of  Lincoln  Avenue  and  Second  Street  was  commenced  at 
once  and  was  finished  and  occupied  in  the  s^Jring  of  1883.  The  jnib- 
lication  of  the  Gazette- Journal  as  a  daily  was  commenced  in  August. 
]H8;5. 

In  September.  188.5.  the  company  was  reorganized.  J.  O.  Fisher 
succeeded  J.  W.  AVigton  in  the  business  management,  while  A.  Lj. 
Wigton  was  succeeded  as  editor  in  chief  by  C.  F.  Royce.  Other 
clianges  were  made  in  the  executive  offices  of  the  company.  E.  C. 
AVebster  became  president,  J.  B.  Heartwell  vice  president.  J.  J. 
Wemple  treasurer,  J.  W.  Wigton  secretary,  J.  O.  Fisher  manager. 
These  constituted  the  board  of  directors.  In  the  spring  of  1886,  an 
addition  double  the  size  of  the  original  building  was  built  adjoining- 
it  on  the  west.  The  new  building  was  completed  in  September  of  that 
yeai-.  The  Gazette-Join-nal  conducted,  besides  the  newspaper  plant,  a 
large  job  and  lithographing  department  and  carried  the  largest  pay- 
roll of  am'  establishment  in  town.  The  paper  was  jJublished  imtil  the 
])lant  was  practically  destroyed  by  fire  July  29,  1889. 

February  8,  1878,  A.  D.  Williams,  who  had  established  a  weekly 
])aper  in  Kenesaw,  the  Kenesaw  Times,  removed  the  plant  to  Hast- 
ings and  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  the  Central  Nebraskan. 
In  1879  INIr.  I.  D.  Evans,  now  of  Kenesaw,  was  associated  with 
IMr.  Williams  in  the  publication  of  the  paper.  After  the  Central 
Nel)raskan  had  been  jiublished  about  two  years  the  name  Mas  changed 
to  the  Hastings  Central  Nebraskan.  At  about  the  same  time  that  the 
name  was  changed,  the  weekly  was  converted  into  a  daily.  Following 
Mr.  Williams  the  paper  was  owned  successively  by  Bratton  &  Renner. 
Professor  ^Vebster  and  3Ierritt  &  Creeth.  The  firm  of  Bratton  v«v: 
Renner  was  composed  of  the  present  city  clerk,  A.  T.  Bratton  and 
Fled  Renner.  The  firm  of  ]Merritt  &  Creeth  were  John  A.  Creeth 
and  E.  E.  ^fenitt.     ^Fr.  Creeth  died  in  Los  Angeles  in  191.).     The 


342       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

detailed  ownershii)  and  sale  of  the  Nebraskan  was  as  follows: 
Mr.  Williams  sold  to  ]\Ir.  Bratton,  INIr.  Bratton  to  Professor  Webster, 
Mr.  Webster  to  Dr.  H.  P.  Fitch  and  Doctor  Fitch  to  JNIerritt  & 
Creeth.  On  the  susi^ension  of  the  Nebraskan,  the  plant  w^as  absorbed 
by  the  Daily  Republican. 

In  November,  1889,  the  Daily  Press  was  established  by  J.  W. 
Ivinsella,  W.  B.  Palmer  and  Walt  JNIason.  The  three  were  news- 
papermen from  Omaha,  where  Kinsella  and  Palmer  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  Omaha  Republican.  The  financial  backing  and  adver- 
tising patronage  did  not  prove  sustaining  and  after  publishing  sixteen 
issues,  the  paper  suspended.  The  printing  of  the  Daily  Press  was 
done  by  Mr.  Rounds,  son  of  S.  P.  Rounds,  who  was  one  time  a  govern- 
ment printer.  Mr.  Rounds  had  purchased  what  was  left  of  the 
Gazette-Journal  plant  after  the  fire. 

About  this  same  period  a  paper  called  the  "Daily  Times"  was  pub- 
lished for  a  short  time  by  a  JNIr.  Thornton. 

]March  2-i,  1894.,  John  S.  Williams  began  publishing  a  daily  paper, 
the  Hastings  News.  It  was  published  for  about  a  year  as  a  daily  and 
then  was  changed  into  a  weekly.  After  publishing  it  two  years  as  a 
weekly  JNIr.  ^^''illiams  again  started  it  as  a  daily,  finally  changing  it 
back  into  a  weekly.  After  running  the  paper  for  nine  years  INIr.  Wil- 
liams sold  the  Hastings  News  to  William  JMadgett,  who  continued  it 
for  a  few  weeks  and  then  the  paper  suspended. 

During  the  boom  period  a  fine  daily  paper  was  established  in  Hast- 
ings by  a  so-called  Boston  syndicate.  This  was  an  eight-page  papei', 
carrying  telegraphic  news.  Failing  to  get  advertising  patronage,  the 
jjaper  suspended  publication  and  type  and  material  was  sold  to  the 
Omaha  Republican. 

The  Hastings  Daily  Republican  was  published  from  January  12, 
1889.  to  September  4,  191.5,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Adam  Breede, 
publisher  of  the  Hastings  Daily  Tribune.  The  Republican  was 
founded  by  Charles  L.  Watkins  and  Frank  A.  Watkins.  For  the  first 
two  years  the  Daily  Republican  was  published  as  a  morning  paper 
with  an  eight-page  Sunday  edition.  After  absorbing  the  Daily 
Nebraskan  the  Republican  was  changed  into  an  evening  paper  and  so 
continued  to  the  time  of  its  sale. 

F.  A.  AVatkins  bought  the  interest  of  his  brother,  Charles,  and 
associated  with  himself  his  younger  brother,  Ed.  Watkins,  who  for  a 
nuniber  of  years  before  had  been  engaged  in  the  job  printing  and 
bookbindery  business.  Several  years  later  Frank  Watkins  bought  the 
bookbindery  and  job  ])rinting  departments  and  assumed  the  sole  direc- 
ti(m  of  the  plant.    On  January  1,  1912.  Sidney  G.  Evans,  son  of  G.  J. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      343 

Evans,  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  entire  plant  and  was  associated 
with  ]Mr.  Watkins  until  a  few  days  before  the  newspaper  was  sold 
to  Adam  Breede.  Mr.  Watkins  retained  the  job  department  and 
bookbindery. 

The  first  linotype  machine  to  be  used  in  Hastings  was  installed  in 
the  office  of  the  Republican  by  Charles  H.  Palmer  in  ]May,  1904.  The 
machine  belonged  to  JNIr.  Palmer  and  his  association  with  the  Repub- 
lican was  bj'  contract. 

Other  papers  founded  by  ^Messrs.  Watkins  were  the  Ayr  Times, 
the  Blue  Hill  Times  and  the  Red  Willow  County  Times  at  Indianola. 

Sidney  G.  Evans  is  now  assistant  editor  of  The  Searchlight  on 
Congress,  published  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  Hastings  Evening  Record  was  established  in  Hastings  early 
in  1899  by  Harry  ]Mock  and  Ed.  JNIock,  who  came  from  Alma,  where 
they  had  sold  the  Alma  Record  to  E.  H.  Batty.  The  Record  was 
puldislied  for  about  two  years  by  the  Mock  brothers  and  then  sold  to 
J.  S.  Ramsey,  wlio  published  it  for  a  short  time  before  the  paper 
.suspended. 

Oui-  Own  Opinion  was  a  paper  established  by  George  Lynn 
during  the  time  of  populism.  About  the  same  time  George  E.  Brown 
establislied  tlie  Peojjles'  Joiu-nal.  also  a  i)opulist  weekly,  which  later 
absorbed  Our  Own  Opinion.  The  Peoples'  Journal  was  discontinued 
in  1907. 

The  Nebraska  A'olksfreund  was  a  German  weekly  newspaper 
Avhich  was  established  in  1883  in  Hastings  and  continued  j^ublication 
under  various  ownerships  imtil  1890,  when  it  suspended.  It  was  edited 
by  William  Breede  and  P.  N.  Carson. 

The  Adams  County  Democrat,  supporting  the  democratic  ])arty, 
was  founded  July  10,  1880,  by  Richard  (Dick)  Thompson  and  Durley 
Dent.  It  was  purchased  by  the  present  owners,  R.  B.  Walilquist  and 
C.  B.  Wahlquist.  ]March  1,  1888. 

'J'he  Hastings  Daily  Tribune  is  the  outgrowth  of  two  newspapers 
and  the  absorption  of  a  third.  The  Hastings  Indei^endent  was  estab- 
lished as  a  weekly  ncAvspaper,  July  3,  1886.  by  Frank  D.  Taggart. 
Mv.  Taggart  was  a  republican  and  establislied  the  paper  mainly  as  a 
political  organ.  Isaac  I^eDioyt  was  the  managing  editor  of  the  Inde- 
pendent. At  about  the  same  time  another  weekly  newspaper,  the 
Tribune,  was  established  by  A.  P.  Brown  and  Dick  Thompson. 

Tlie  Independent  was  purchased  by  A.  L.  Wigton  and  his  son, 
Will  Wigton.  A.  L.  Wigton  did  not  act  as  editor  very  long,  but 
turned  the  management  over  to  his  son.  A.  H.  Brown  ])urchased  the 
Inde]iendent  and  later  the  Tribune.     The  name  was  then  changed  to 


344       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Hastings  Independent-Tribune.  Adam  Breede  purchased  the 
Indej^endent-Tribune  from  A.  H.  Brown  in  1894-  and  changed  tlie 
name  to  the  Hastings  Tribune.  ]Mr.  Breede  published  the  Hastings 
Tribune  as  a  weekly  until  October  2,  190.5,  when  the  Hastings  Daily 
Tribune  was  established.    The  weekly  Tribune  has  been  continued. 

The  Hastings  Daily  Tribune  was  set  by  hand  composition  until 
1907,  since  which  time  linotypes  have  been  in  use.  A  perfecting  press 
was  installed  in  1910.  August  1.3,  1914,  the  Daily  Tribune  began 
using  full  United  Press  telegraphic  news  service  received  by  leased 
wire.  Henry  G.  Smith  has  been  associated  with  the  Tribune  since  the 
founding  of  the  daily.  The  subscription  list  of  the  Hastings  Daily 
Republican  was  purchased  by  Adam  Breede,  the  owner  and  editor  of 
the  Tribune.  September'  4,  1915.  When  the  Independent-Tribune 
was  purchased  by  ]Mr.  Breede  the  paper  had  no  printing  plant,  not 
even  a  proof  jiress.  For  many  years  the  paper  was  printed  by  the 
Adams  County  Democrat. 

The  first  paper  published  by  the  students  of  Hastings  College  was 
the  Vidette.  which  was  iirst  issued  in  188.5.  The  present  college  paper 
was  first  issued  in  189.5. 

The  AVholesaler  was  a  trade  journal  founded  and  published  by 
R.  D.  3IcFadden  in  1910.  It  suspended  pul)licatic)n  after  aliout  a 
year. 

The  Juniata  Herald  was  first  issued  October  2.5,  1870,  by  the  Citi- 
zens Comiiany;  A.  H.  Brown  was  the  editor.  September  1.5,  1877, 
it  was  piu'chased  bj'  G.  S.  Guild,  and  then  was  owned  successively  by 
William  Knickerbocker,  J.  W.  Liveringhouse  and  F.  W.  Francis. 
Upon  the  death  of  JNIr.  Francis  in  JMarch,  1884,  the  Herald  was  pur- 
chased by  the  present  editor  and  owner.  I.  H.  Rickel,  who  has  issued 
the  paper  continuously. 

Following  the  removal  of  the  Kenesaw  Times  from  Kenesaw  in 
1878  a  paper  has  been  issued  in  the  town  by  various  publishers.  The 
Kenesaw  Citizen  was  published  for  a  time.  Dr.  E.  J.  Latta  was  the 
editor  of  this  paper  for  a  period.  The  Kenesaw  Sunbeam  is  the  ])aper 
published  at  this  time;  it  was  ])urchased  by  W.  W.  ]Malman.  the  jn-es- 
ent  owner  and  editor,  November  1,  1913,  from  J.  A.  Gardner,  who  now 
publishes  the  Holstein  Herald.  jNIr.  Malman  installed  a  linotype  in 
the  office  of  the  Sunbeam  in  191.5. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
IXGLESIDE 

The  Ingleside  H()s])ital  for  the  Insane,  located  a  little  more  than 
a  mile  west  of  Hastings,  is  the  largest  institution  in  Adams  County, 
and  one  of  continuous  interest.  The  bill  locating  the  hospital  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature  of  Nebraska  in  1887,  and  $7.5,000  was 
aj)])ropriated  for  the  erection  of  buildings.  The  appropriation  was 
made  on  the  condition  that  KiO  acres  of  land  should  be  donated  at 
Hastings  for  the  use  of  the  hosj)ital.  Forty  acres  were  given  by 
Adams  County  and  120  acres  additional  by  A.  L.  Clarke,  Samuel 
Alexander,  James  B.  Heartwell  and  a  ninnber  of  other  citizens. 

The  first  bill  for  the  location  of  the  hospital  at  Hastings  was 
introduced  in  the  Legislature  of  1885  by  Fred  P.  Olmstead,  repre- 
sentative from  Adams  County.  JNIr.  jNIatthewson  of  Xorfolk  was 
the  speaker  of  the  Plouse  in  that  session,  and  favorable  to  Xorfolk; 
the  net  result  of  the  legislation  was  the  substituting  of  the  name  of 
Xoi-folk  into  ^Iv.  Olmstead's  bill  in  place  of  Hastings.  One  of  the 
weaknesses  in  the  proposition  for  Hastings  which  jNIr.  Olmstead  was 
authoi'ized  to  make  was  the  offer  of  forty  acres  of  land,  while  Xorfolk 
offered  S-iO. 

The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  original  building,  the  admin- 
istration building,  was  let  to  Ellis  Reynolds  &  Sprecher.  C.  C.  Rit- 
tenhouse  was  the  architect  and  S.  J.  Weigel  the  superintendent  of 
construction.  The  cornerstone  of  this  building  was  laid  Jidy  '25,  1888. 
By  subsequent  appropriations  the  land  area  of  the  institution  has 
been  increased  to  an  aggregate  of  0291/.  acres,  less  the  rights  of  way 
of  the  ]Missoin-i  Pacific  and  the  Burlington  railroads,  which  leaves  a 
net  of  approximately  620  acres.  The  lands  are  located  as  follows: 
120  acres  on  section  9,  40  on  section  10,  320  on  section  16  and  li.il^ 
on  section  1.").  all  in  Denver  Township. 

Tn  1891  the  north  and  south  wings  were  added  to  the  original 
building,  and  in  1897  the  South  Annex  was  built.  In  1902  the  North 
Annex  was  erected.  The  cornerstone  of  the  newest  building,  the 
345 


346       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Cowles  Euilding,  was  laid  April  26,  1910.  In  1904.  and  1905  Amuse- 
ment Hall,  where  the  patients'  dances  and  various  entertaimiients  are 
given,  Avas  built.  The  hall  is  60  by  100  feet.  During  the  same  two- 
year  period,  the  farm  cottage  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  16 
was  built,  and  two  new  greenliouses  were  constructed.  The  dairy  barn 
on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  16  was  built  in  191J<.  It  is  a 
modern,  sanitary  barn,  equipped  with  James  steel  stanchions,  and  will 
accommodate  sixty-six  cows.  A  large  herd  of  Holstein  cows  is  main- 
tained at  Ingleside.  About  seventy-five  are  milked  at  the  present 
time,  the  milk  and  cream  being  used  by  the  dwellers  at  the  hospital. 
The  cost  of  the  dairy  barn  was  $.5,500,  in  cash,  but  the  patients 
]3erformed  a  great  deal  of  the  labor  and  the  barn  is  valued  at  $10,000. 
The  hospital  has  its  own  electric  light  and  power  plant  and  water- 
works system. 

THE    SUPERIXTEXDEXTS 

Dr.  ]M.  W.  Stone  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the  institution. 
Doctor  Stone  came  from  Wahoo  and  was  appointed  ]May  1,  1889. 
J.  W.  Liveringhouse  of  Grand  Island  was  the  first  steward. 

Nebraska  jjolitics  was  convulsed  in  1891  by  the  struggle  of  John  JNI. 
Thayer  and  James  E.  Boyd  for  the  governorship,  and  the  struggle  is 
reflected  in  the  records  of  Ingleside.  Governor  Boyd  served  first  from 
January  15,  1891,  to  jNIay  5,  1891.  On  April  20th  Governor  Boyd  ap- 
pointed Dr.  G.  W.  Johnston  sui^erintendent.  On  jNIay  5th  Governor 
Thayer  resumed  his  seat  as  governor  and  on  the  same  date  removed 
Superintendent  .Johnston,  who  had  sei'ved  only  twenty-four  houi-s. 
Governor  Thayer  then,  3Iay  5th,  reappointed  Dr.  F.  G.  Test,  Avhom 
he  had  first  appointed  ]\Iay  31st  and  who  had  served  until  his  removal 
by  Governor  Boyd.  On  September  15,  1891,  Doctor  Test  was 
removed  and  Dr.  F.  J.  Bricker  appointed.  February  15,  1892,  Doc- 
tor Bricker  was  removed  and  Dr.  G.  W.  Johnston  reappointed. 
Doctor  Johnston  assumed  control  of  the  institution  February  15, 
1892,  and  served  until  Dr.  Robert  Damerell,  of  Red  Cloud,  appointed 
by  Governor  Holcomb,  ^Nlarch  28,  1895,  assumed  charge  April  10, 
1895.  Dr.  J.  T.  Steele,  of  Hastings,  was  appointed  assistant  by 
Doctor  Damerell.  succeeding  Dr.  W,  B.  Kern,  who  had  filled  the 
position  under  Doctor  Bricker.  Doctor  Kern  had  come  from  Wood 
River,  and  this  was  his  first  connection  with  the  hospital. 

Dr.  J.  T.  Steele  was  appointed  superintendent  by  Governor 
Poynter  and  assumed  control  ]May  16.  1899.  Dr.  W.  B.  Kern  was 
appointed  superintendent  by  Governor  Charles   H.  Dietrich,  Feb- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      3i7 

ruarv  1,  1901,  and  S.  Woodard,  of  Aurora,  was  assistant  physician. 
Doctor  ^Voodard  was  later  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Lincohi 
Hosjjital  by  Governor  Shallenberger.  Harry  C  Haverly,  of  Has- 
tings, became  steward  with  the  superintendency  of  Doctor  Kern,  and 
Alma  J.  Chapman  second  assistant.  Mr.  Haverly  continued  as 
steward  until  December  1,  1907,  when  he  resigned  to  become  landlord 
of  the  Bostwick  Hotel.  He  was  succeeded  as  steward  by  GeOrge 
James. 

Doctor  Kern  was  superintendent  continuously  from  February  1, 
1901,  to  February  1,  1909,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  M.  W. 
Baxter,  who  was  appointed  by  Governor  Shallenberger.  Doctor 
Baxter  served  until  February  1,  1911,  when  Doctor  Kern  again 
assumed  charge,  having  been  appointed  by  Governor  Aldrich. 
When  Governor  INIorehead  was  elected,  he  again  appointed  Doctor 
Baxter,  Avho  served  from  February  20,  1913,  until  his  resignation, 
which  took  effect  January  31,  1916.  Upon  that  date  the  present 
superintendent.  Dr.  W.  S.  Fast,  assumed  charge.  Doctor  Fast  was 
a])pointed  by  the  board  of  commissioners  of  state  institutions,  and 
M  as  formerly  superintendent  of  the  school  for  the  feeble-minded,  at 
Beatrice. 


XAME    AND    PURPOSE 

T!ie  purpose  of  the  institution,  originally,  was  to  relieve  the  insti- 
tutions at  I.,incoln  and  Norfolk  of  those  cases  believed  to  be  incur- 
able, and  the  legal  name  was  "Hospital  for  the  Incurable  Insane." 
A'ery  emphatic  objections  were  made  by  suiierintendents,  in  their 
reports,  to  this  name.  Doctor  Johnston  argiied  that  it  was  unfair 
to  those  individuals  confined  and  who  were  able  to  comprehend  their 
situation,  to  force  upon  them  through  the  name  the  realization  that 
they  w^ere  in  an  institution  from  Avhich  they  would  not  be  released.  It 
was  also  urged  that  the  name  was  a  misnomer,  because  in  many 
instances  patients  recovered  their  mental  normality  of  their  own 
accord.  Doctor  Kern  also  urged  this  matter  upon  the  Legislature. 
After  1895  the  name  appearing  in  the  reports  of  the  superintendents 
is  "Asylum  for  the  Chronic  Insane."  It  was  the  Legislature  of  190.3 
that  changed  the  name  and  character  of  the  institution.  The  name 
was  changed  to  the  "Nebraska  State  Hospital,"  and  instead  of  being 
an  institution  for  the  chronic  insane  of  the  state,  it  was  made  the 
hospital  for  all  classes  of  insane  in  a  district  comprising  fifty-three 
counties.  The  Legislature  of  191;)  gave  the  institution  its  present 
designation,  "Ingleside  Hospital  for  the  Insane." 


348       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

POSTOFFICE    ESTABLISHED 

June  26,  1905,  the  United  States  Government  established  a  post- 
office  in  the  institution,  designating  it  as  Ingleside.  This  was  the 
origin  of  the  present  name,  Ingleside.  The  superintendents  were  the 
IJostinasters  until  JNIarch,  1913,  when  Ingleside,  together  with  all  other 
fourth-class  offices,  came  under  the  civil  service.  Percy  ^I.  Jones, 
tlie  bookkeeper  of  the  institution,  became  the  first  postmaster  under 
the  civil  service  and  served  until  his  resignation  in  the  spring  of 
1914.  At  that  time,  jNIrs.  Una  Norris,  wife  of  the  present  supervisor, 
assumed  charge  of  the  office.  JNIrs.  Xorris  died  in  JMarch,  1915,  and 
Miss  ]Mae  Baxter  was  acting  postmistress  until  the  present  post- 
mistress, ]\Irs.  Golda  V.  Crutcher,  qualified,  August  26,  1915. 

Until  the  Legislature  of  1913  established  the  "Board  of  Commis- 
sioners of  State  Institutions,"  which  organized  July  1st  of  that  year, 
Ingleside  was  in  the  care  of  a  board  of  control  composed  of  the  gov- 
ernor, secretary  of  state  and  the  commissioner  of  public  lands  and 
buildings.  The  institution,  having  its  management  strictly  a  matter 
of  political  patronage,  has  always  been  the  object  of  a  great  deal  of 
political  maneuvering,  and  at  intervals  the  newspapers  of  the  two 
political  parties  have  found  much  to  say,  sometimes  sensational  mat- 
ter, about  Ingleside. 

FIRST    DISTUliBAXCE 

The  first  disturbance  came  early  in  the  history  of  the  institution. 
T.  H.  Leavitt,  a  state  accountant,  having  been  assigned  to  investigate 
the  accounts  of  the  hospital,  rejjorted  August  5,  1891,  for  the  previous 
twenty-five  months.  The  report  was  made  to  the  president  of  the 
Board  of  Public  Lands  and  Buildings,  A.  R.  Humphrey.  The  report 
charged  lax  methods  generally  for  tlie  ])eriod,  and  declared  that  it 
was  impossible  to  trace  where  some  of  tlie  public  money  had  gone 
to.  It  could  be  seen,  for  instance,  that  on  jNIay  25,  1889,  J.  V.  Smith 
had  been  paid  $300  for  a  team  of  horses,  but  to  whom  had  been  j^aid 
$106.35  for  a  barn,  harness  and  wagon  could  not  be  ascertained  from 
the  record.  After  enumerating  some  of  the  obscurities,  the  report 
said:  "Tliere  are  probably  irregularities  in  the  accounts  in  sight,  cov- 
ering from  $12,000  to  $20,000,  which  neither  tlie  papers  in  my  hands 
nor  the  time  to  which  you  have  limited  me  have  made  it  possible  to 
examine  into."  "liills  have  been  paid  in  duplicate  or  in  excess  of 
what  was  due."  "It  is  noticeable  concerning  the  cliecks  given  to  par- 
ties named  in  the  payroll  that  some  of  them  are  far  less  tlian  the  sums 


mi 


B 

!«r 

11/ 

■~ri 

f^-'  1,1 1 .- 1 

-^i!»    f 

H- 

i  'iJlp^     ' 

r" 

s 

l»,_ 

^5 

F 

•M 

1  JBt^ 

o 

jyu^  ^ 

1 

m 

CO 

li 

CO 

w 

Q 

i 

til: 

r^ 

1 

* 


(n 

, 

^ 

i>' 

H 

1  ■ 

l^ 
^ 

1 

^^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       349 

named  in  the  vouchers  to  the  state  treasurer."  It  was  also  charged 
that  sj^urious  names  had  been  entered  ui^on  the  payroll  and  money 
drawn  to  pay  their  salaries.  Such  is  a  sketch  of  early  irregularities 
reported  at  Ingleside. 

NEW    KEGIME 

The  theory  underlying  the  legislative  enactment  of  1913,  which 
created  the  board  of  commissioners  of  public  institutions,  was  to 
improve  the  checking  and  accounting  systems  and  to  lessen  the  political 
patronage  feature.  Since  its  creation,  this  board  has  appointed  the 
superintendent.  Superintendent  Fast  being  the  first.  If  the  theory 
works  out,  superintendents  will  not  hereafter  be  necessarily  changed 
as  the  fortunes  of  political  parties  change.  The  board  is  appointed 
by  the  governor,  the  members  having  six-year  terms,  except  the  first 
board,  which  gave  Henry  Gerdes,  of  Falls  City,  six  years.  Judge 
Howard  Kennedy,  of  Omaha,  four  years,  and  Silas  A.  Holcomb,  of 
Broken  Bow,  two  years.  At  the  expiration  of  his  first  term,  jNIr. 
Holcomb  was  reappointed. 

GROWTH    IX    VALUE 

When  Superintendent  M.  W.  Stone  assumed  his  duties  in  1889 
the  ])roperty  put  in  his  charge  was  valued  at  $80,.598.G(j.  This  included 
land  and  all  other  jiroperty.  The  last  inventory  made  Avas  February 
20.  191.3,  when  the  value  of  the  Ingleside  property  was  listed  at 
$1,26.>.99.5.91.    The  estimated  value  at  present  is  $1,. 500.000. 

FIRST    PATIENTS 

Patients  Avere  first  received  at  the  hospital  August  1,  1889.  Forty- 
four  were  brought  from  Lincoln  on  that  date.  The  first  of  these  to 
be  taken,  becoming  Number  One,  was  IMelvin  JNIeals,  who  remained 
an  inmate  until  his  death,  October  7,  1895.  Of  the  party  that  came 
that  day,  Peter  Hedstrum  is  the  only  one  that  remains.  There  had 
been  received  up  to  December  18,  1916,  4,115  patients  in  all,  and  the 
inmates  ujion  that  day  numbered  4<05  women  and  7-17  men. 

XO'J'AHLE    PATIENTS 

Among  the  notable  patients  at  Ingleside  at  i^resent  is  Hans  Albert, 
a  violinist  of  distinction  and  who  still  plays  his  instrument  with  much 


350       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

skill  and  feeling.  Hans  Albert  relates  that  he  was  born  in  Austria 
and  was  brought  to  this  country  by  JNIrs.  Grover  Cleveland.  Another 
musician  of  much  ability  is  George  JMcPherson.  He  is  a  colored  man 
and  was  graduated  from  several  musical  conservatories.  He  is  a 
skilled  i^ianist  and  sj^ends  many  hours  at  the  piano,  and  has  played 
at  concerts.  Another  notable  inmate,  though  with  a  different  talent, 
is  Bertha  Liebbecke.  She  is  known  throughout  the  United  States  as 
"Fainting  Bertha."  She  gained  this  name  through  her  habit  of  fall- 
ing in  a  faint  into  the  arms  of  pedesti-ians  on  city  streets.  Generally, 
when  the  pedestrians  had  disengaged  themselves  and  provided  care 
for  the  fainting  woman,  they  found  afterwards  that  they  had  been 
relieved  by  Bertha  of  their  pocketbooks,  Matches,  jewelry  or  other 
valuables.  "Fainting  Bertha"  has  escaped  from  Ingleside  on  some 
occasions  and  afforded  opportunities  for  sensational  captures. 

THE   STAFF 

There  were  at  Ingleside  on  December  18,  1916,  1.55  employees, 
with  an  aggregate  payroll  of  $6,000  per  month.  The  staff  at  present 
is:  Superintendent,  Dr.  W.  S.  Fast;  assistant  physician.  Dr.  W.  H. 
Crutclier;  second  physician.  Dr.  C.  A.  Oaks;  third  physician.  Dr. 
W.  W.  Hedlund;  fourth,  physician.  Dr.  Clara  M.  Hayden;  patholo- 
gist, Dr.  J.  S.  Leisure.  Percy  INI.  Jones  has  been  bookkeeper  and 
JNTichael  0']\lera  steward  since  February  20,  1913.  INIrs.  Fibbie  Thors- 
den  is  the  matron. 

Ingleside  is  a  world  to  itself,  a  comminiity  full  of  human  interest. 
Cheerfulness  and  optimism  among  the  employees  is  brought  into 
strong  relief  because  of  its  nearness  to  the  great  tragedy  enacted  by 
the  unfortunates  who  find  their  home  here.  Among  the  employees 
there  exists  a  bright  social  life.  By  them  the  institution  is  often 
referred  to  as  the  "matrimonial  bureau."  Many  marriages  have 
resulted  from  acquaintances  made  at  Ingleside.  The  care  bestowed 
upon  the  buildings  and  grounds  makes  Ingleside,  in  spite  of  the  nature 
of  the  place,  an  object  of  pride  to  the  i^eople  of  Hastings  and  Adams 
County. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 
JUNIATA 

SETTLEMENT   AND   LOCATION 

Juniata,  with  a  population  according  to  the  census  of  1910  of  471, 
is  located  around  the  center  of  section  12,  township  7,  range  11.  'It 
lies  four  miles  west  of  the  western  extremity  of  Hastings  and  the 
Burlington  station  at  Juniata  is  seven  miles  west  of  the  Burlington 
station  in  Hastings. 

Juniata  is  the  oldest  town  in  Adams  County  and  was  the  county 
seat  imtil  September,  1878,  although  the  electors  had  voted  fo]-  the 
removal  of  the  county  seat  to  Hastings  the  year  before. 

The  first  settlers  around  Juniata  were  a  colony  from  IMichigan, 
at  the  head  of  whom  Mere  Adna  H.  Bowen,  now  residing  in  Idaho, 
and  Samuel  L.  Brass.  The  exact  location  was  determined  by  two 
representatives  of  the  Burlington  Railroad,  D.  X.  Smith  and  another 
man  who  some  of  the  early  settlers  recall  by  the  name  of  Wylsie.  The 
foiu-  quarters  of  section  12  were  preempted  by  Titus  Babcock, 
R.  D.  Babcock,  Isaac  Stark  and  John  Stark.  The  Babcocks  were 
brothers  and  Isaac  Stark  was  the  father  of  John  Stark.  These  four 
took  their  preemiJtions  in  Febi-uary,  1871. 

Under  each  of  the  four  inside  corners  of  the  quarters  of  section 
12  the  preempt ors  erected  houses  which  were  ready  for  occupancy 
about  the  middle  of  ]March,  1871,  and  these  formed  the  nucleus 
aroimd  which  Juniata  Avas  built.  The  houses  were  built  of  lumber 
hauled  from  Grand  Island,  and  each  was  14  by  16  feet  and  lV>  stories 
high.  These  first  settlers  came  to  Grand  Island  over  the  Union 
Pacific  and  then  came  overland  to  Juniata  bringing  their  supplies 
with  them.  The  greatest  drawback  upon  reaching  the  place  was  the 
lack  of  water,  and  it  was  about  a  month  after  their  arrival  before  the 
railroad  bored  a  well  for  their  use  at  about  the  present  location  of  tlie 
G.  A.  R.  Hall.  Until  the  well  Mas  bored,  drinking  water  Mas  hauled 
from  Martin's  Ranch  on  the  Platte,  a  distance  of  about  tMcnty-five 
.351 


''yo2       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

miles.  jNlrs.  A.  H.  Bowen  arrived  in  Juniata  February  22,  1871, 
following  her  mother,  JNIrs.  Titus  Babcock,  by  only  a  few  days. 

The  four  preemptors  of  section  12,  after  receiving  their  patents 
from  the  government,  disposed  of  their  holdings  to  the  Burlington 
Railroad  and  took  up  homesteads.  The  colonists,  as  stated,  were 
brought  from  JNlichigan  through  the  efforts  of  INIr.  Bowen  and  INIr. 
Brass,  and  when  the  preemptors  sold  to  the  railroad  every  other  lot 
within  the  town  site  became  the  property  of  JNIr.  Brass  and  Mr. 
Bowen;  that  is  one-half  of  the  lots  belonged  to  the  railroad,  one- 
fourth  to  j\Ir.  Bowen  and  one-fourth  to  Mr.  Brass. 

John  and  Isaac  Stark  lived  upon  their  homesteads  some  four  or 
five  years  and  then  returned  to  Michigan,  where  John  died.  Titus 
Babcock  who  was  Hhe  first  postmaster  of  Juniata  and  also  the  first 
judge  elected  for  Adams  County,  died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  A.  H.  Bowen,  in  Hastings,  Febmary,  1892,  and  was  buried 
in  tlie  Juniata  cemetery.  His  wife  had  died  in  Juniata,  INIay  16, 
1877.    R.  D.  Babcock  is  now  a  resident  of  San  Francisco. 

FKOil   :mRS.   cole's  SCRAT'BOOK 

In  a  letter  to  the  Adams  County  Old  Settlers'  Association  from 
Long  Beach,  Cal.,  ]March  6.  191.5,  contributed  from  "scraps  from  a 
scrapbook  and  reminiscences  of  early  days  in  Adams  County,"  that 
throws  light  interestinglv  upon  earlv  affairs  in  the  county,  writes 
I\Irs.  Cole: 

"I  never  shall  forget  tlie  black  prairie  as  I  saw  it  in  1872.  just 
after  a  prairie  fire  had  swept  over  it.  To  me,  coming  from  Southern 
Michigan  with  her  clover  fields,  large  houses  and  larger  barns,  trees, 
hills,  and  running  streams,  the  vast  stretches  of  black  jjrairie,  never 
ending — no  north,  south,  east,  or  west — dotted  over  with  tiny  un- 
painted  houses  and — no,  I  can't  say  barns — but  shacks  for  a  cow,  and 
perhaps  a  yoke  of  oxen — that  picture  struck  such  a  homesick  feeling 
in  my  soul  it  took  years  to  efface.  I  still  see  that  picture.  But  it  is 
only  in  my  mind,  for  time  has  changed  the  lilack  prairie  into  green 
fields  of  alfalfa  and  grain;  the  tiny  dots  of  houses  and  outside' sheds 
are  gone  like  the  jjrairie  fires,  and  in  their  stead  stand  large  com- 
fortable farm  houses,  and  real  barns,  where  not  only  the  spotted  cow, 
called  'Speck,'  lives  but,  in  more  stately  style  than  oxen  or  horse, 
stands  the  big  motor  car.  Who  would  have  believed  it,  Avhen  in 
December,  1871.  the  little  town  of  Juniata  was  located  as  the  County 
Seat  of  Adams  County! 

"In  November,  1871,  the  Adams  County  Gazette  was  first  pub- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 


353 


lished  by  R.  D.  Babcock  and  C.  C.  Babcock.  The  town  site  contained 
3(J0  acres.  The  first  birth  in  Juniata  was  John  Babcock,  1871.  The 
first  sermon  preached  was  in  November,  1871,  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Clark- 
son,  a  Congregational  minister,  in  S.  L.  Brass'  home,  in  April,  1872. 
The  first  Sunday  school  was  organized  with  S.  L.  Brass  as  its  super- 
intendent. The  first  school  teacher  in  Juniata  was  ]Miss  Lizzie  Scott. 
The  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1872,  by  E.  M.  Allen  and  Ira  G.  Dil- 
lon. Titus  Babcock  was  the  first  j^ostmaster,  holding  the  office  from 
1872  until  October,  1881.  He  was  succeeded  by  William  Knicker- 
bocker, who  held  it  one  month,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  li.  J.  Shir- 
ley. 

"The  first  railroad  train  i3ulled  into  Juniata  the  eighth  day  of 
June.  1872.  It  was  a  joyful  occasion,  and  celebrated  by  a  public 
dinner.  Before  this  the  mail  was  carried  by  a  carrier  from  Grand 
Island  and  Sutton. 

"The  very  first  stock  of  merchandise  brought  into  Juniata  Avas  by 
John  Jacobson,  who  kept  the  first  hotel;  also  the  first  livery  stable. 
In  1872  Frank  ^litchel,  C.  R.  Jones  and  W.  H.  Burr  put  in  large 
stocks  of  goods.  The  first  grain  buyers  were  D.  H.  Freeman  and 
R.  S.  Langley.  The  first  clerk  employed  was  Ed  Jones.  ]Mrs.  Forgy 
ke])t  the  first  millinery  store.  The  first  meat  market  was  kept  by  Wil- 
liam Twidale;  the  first  drug  store  by  Nathan  Platte.  The  first  physi- 
cian was  Dr.  INIorgan.  The  first  death  was  a  young  man  who  died 
from  being  badly  frozen  while  out  hunting. 

"In  187-5  we  held  our  first  donation  party  at  the  residence  of 
Thomas  Peatt,  Thursday,  October  21,  for  the  benefit  of  Elder  Charles 
Reilley.  the  JNIethodist  minister.  The  committee  on  invitations  was 
I).  H.  Freeman,  S.  L.  Brass  and  Mrs.  A.  V.  Cole.  I  find  an  account 
of  an  entertainment  given  by  Geary  G.  A.  R.  Post  in  1885.  and  the 
first  thing  on  the  program  was  a  peek-a-boo  song  by  little  Edna 
Bi-ass,  daughter  of  S.  L.  Brass.  A  pan  of  beans  was  voted  to  the  larg- 
est man  i)resent,  17.5  votes  cast  at  ten  cents  a  vote:  R.  S.  Eangley 
getting  ninety  votes  and  D.  R.  Ball  eighty-five.  The  item  says  three 
of  the  finest  looking  men  in  town  were  voted  a  cake  for  being  the 
homeliest,  and  that  ^Ir.  Lockwood  got  the  cake;  the  defeated  men 
being  John  T.  Hill  and  L.  F.  Pickerd. 

"But  the  greatest  excitement  of  the  evening  was  in  disposing  of 
a  large  doll  to  be  voted  to  the  prettiest  little  girl  present.  The  three- 
year-old  daughter,  Lottie,  of  Rev.  and  INIrs.  Borger,  and  a  three- 
year-old  daughter,  Bessie,  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  T.  Brown,  Avere 
the  contestants.  J.  INI.  Sewell  had  charge  of  the  Borger  tickets.  E. 
^I.  Allen  the  Brown  tickets.     Excitement  ran  high  until  2.9fi0  votes 


354       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

were  cast,  the  little  Borger  girl  getting  a  few  votes  the  more  and  hav- 
ing a  doll  costing  $296.  The  entertainment  netted  the  Post  $400. 
The  proceeds  went  toward  paying  for  the  new  G.  A.  R.  Hall. 

"I  have  said  a  great  deal  about  Juniata,  but  I  know  more  about 
her.  Those  were  our  days.  I  chronicle  no  more  of  Juniata,  for  Has- 
tings, the  Queen  City  of  the  plains,  sprang  into  existence  in  1872, 
when  the  St.  Joseph  &  Denver  Railroad  formed  a  junction  Mith  the 
Burlington.  Her  rapid  growth  soon  took  from  Juniata  the  county 
seat,  and  along  with  it  the  only  building  we  had  that  in  any  way  sug- 
gested that  we  were  the  honest,  legitimate  county  seat  of  Adams 
County.  It  was  tlie  Adams  County  jail.  Such  an  addition  to  our 
town!  About  as  large  as  a  good  sized  dry  goods  box,  bvit  our  hopes 
were  built  on  nothing  less  than  that  every  man,  woman  and  child  in 
Hastings  would  find  in  it  an  abiding  place.  So  with  wrath  in  our 
hearts,  and  tears  in  our  ej'es,  we  Avatched  it  disappear  toward  tlie  east, 
and  poor  Juniata  was  no  more  the  metrojiolis  of  Adams  County. 

"Today,  with  loyal  hearts,  we  point  with  pride  to  Hastings,  the 
Queen  City,  and  her  beautifid  little  suburb,  Juniata,  where  most  of 
us  have  spent  our  hard  days,  along  with  many  happy  ones." 

Tlie  jail  which  JNIrs.  Cole  writes  of  as  being  hauled  away  to  Has- 
tings still  stands  in  that  city,  though  not  as  a  jail.  It  is  located  at 
1028  Nortli  Saunders  Avenue  and  is  an  outbuilding  on  the  property 
of  Anthony  Holloran.  The  jail  is  built  of  2  by  6  timbers  and  is 
remarkably  well  spiked. 

In  1872  the  first  lumber  yard  was  establislied  by  Henry  Van 
Allstyn  and  the  first  livery  barn  by  Ira  G.  Dillon.  By  the  begimiing 
of  November,  1872,  Juniata  had  fifty  residents  and  about  fifteen 
houses.  A.  V.  Cole  arrived  in  Juniata  October  24,  1871.  Mr.  Cole 
walked  from  Sutton.  Early  in  1873  he  established  a  grocery  business 
and  in  August  of  that  jear  Ira  G.  Dillon  opened  a  general  merchan- 
dise store  and  in  November  S.  J.  Shirley  opened  a  restaurant.  In 
1878  Ira  G.  Dillon  erected  a  grain  elevator. 

.lUNIATA  AFTEK   1878 

Although  Juniata  had  definitely  lost  the  county  seat  the  year  lie- 
fore,  1879  was  a  year  of  great  business  and  building  activity.  AVil- 
liam  B.  Thorne  erected  a  business  block  at  a  cost  of  $15,000.  and 
among  those  erecting  residences  were  P.  B.  Ilungerford,  P.  W. 
Warner,  Ray  L.  Pomeroy,  R.  S.  Langley,  II.  Barth,  Samuel  Dodge, 
Rev.  J.  W.  bobbs,  Rev.H.  A.  Guild,  Ira  G.  Dillon,  William  Twi- 
dale.  D.  H.  Freeman,  Edward  Moore,  James  I^aird.  A.  V.  Cole  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       355 

others.  It  was  estimated  that  the  building  operations  aggregated 
$7.5,000. 

January  29,  1883,  is  the  date  of  the  great  fire  in  Juniata  when 
])roperty  with  an  estimated  vahie  of  $2.5,000  was  destroyed.  The 
fire  wiped  out  the  business  block  south  of  Tenth  Street  and  facing 
Juniata  Avenue.  Among  the  losers  by  that  fire  were  A.  V.  Cole,  H. 
E.  Wells,  W.  D.  Sewell,  John  T.  Hill,'Adams  &  Miles,  A.  T.  Showen, 
William  Twidale  &  Company  and  Company  F,  Militia.  There  was 
at  that  time  a  brickyard  in  Juniata  and  the  burned  area  was  rebuilt 
largely  from  brick  of  Juniata  manufacture.  Not  long  after  that  the 
brick  business  suspended.  At  present  there  are  nine  brick  business 
buildings  in  the  town. 

^Vlthough  the  oldest  town  in  the  county,  .Juniata  was  not  incorpor- 
ated until  June  15,  1880,  upon  the  petition  of  sixty-four  taxpayers. 
Ira  G.  Dillon,  S.  L.  Brass,  H.  E.  Wells,  E.  M.  Allen  and  L.  F. 
I'icard  were  the  first  trustees,  appointed  by  the  county  commissioners. 
The  present  tnistees  are  E.  P.  Hubbard,  J.  L.  Whitesell,  L.  F. 
]\[cFerren.  J.  W.  ^IcHarry  and  Theodore  Trauseh. 

GRASSHOPPERS 

In  common  with  all  of  Adams  County,  and  in  fact  all  western 
Nebraska,  the  settlers  around  Juniata  suffered  complete  loss  of  crojis 
by  the  grasshopjjers  in  187-i.  An  excellent  crojJ  was  pi'omising  M'hen 
the  grasshoi)pei\s  descended  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  July 
4th.  S.  P.  Ilowland,  who  at  that  time  was  located  on  his  homestead  on 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  4,  township  7.  range  11.  says  that 
he  observed  the  grasshoppers  eai-ly  in  the  forenoon  but  did  not 
lealize  what  they  were.  They  appeared  like  a  peculiar  cloud  drifting 
from  the  northwest  and  some  declared  that  it  Avas  smoke  from  trains 
on  the  Union  Pacific. 

The  grasshoppers  alighted  about  3  o'clock  and  by  sunset  the  corn- 
fields were  stripped  of  their  blades.  The  hoppers  tarried  for  three 
days  and  left  no  vestige  of  a  crop.  JNIr.  and  ]Mrs.  Rowland  made  a 
desperate  effort  to  save  an  eighth  of  an  acre  of  onions  that  thev  had 
])lanted  by  driving  away  the  hoppers,  but  off  the  entire  three-eighths 
of  an  acre  they  han-ested  only  six  bushels  of  onions.  "That  fall," 
nai-rates  Mr.  Howland,  "all  the  corn  that  we  gathered  from  twenty 
acres  was  not  more  than  enough  to  fatten  one  pig  and  in  addition 
there  would  be  fodder  enough  for  one  cow."  All  Adams  Countv 
suffered  that  year  in  like  degree  and  it  was  necessary  to  disti'ibute 


356       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

relief  among  the  settlers.     A.  H.  Bowen  and  S.  L.  Brass  were  the 
committee  in  charge  of  this  work  at  Juniata. 

EASTER  STOR,-\I 

3Iany  of  the  settlers  around  Juniata  suffered  hardships  during  the 
great  blizzard  of  1873.  In  this  vicinit_y  the  storm  came  driving  down 
from  the  north  about  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  13th  of  April. 
It  seemed  to  be  about  one  hundred  yards  high  and  obscured  the  land- 
scape so  that  it  was  practically  impossible  to  get  about.  On  the 
farms  men  could  not  see  the  outbuildings  from  the  house  and  had  the 
greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  their  direction  in  traveling  only  a  few 
rods.  Indeed,  they  could  not  always  do  so  as  the  instance  of  George 
Sanger  shows. 

jNIr.  Sanger  had  paid  $1.50  for  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  they  were  in 
his  barn  eight  miles  northeast  of  Juniata.  The  storm  which  had 
begun  Sunday  afternoon  had  not  abated  on  INIonday  morning,  and 
Mr.  Sanger  resolved  to  make  his  way  out  to  the  barn  to  feed  the 
oxen.  The  barn  was  about  twenty  rods  east  of  the  house.  When  he 
I'eached  the  barn  he  found  that  one  of  the  oxen  was  dead,  smothered 
by  the  snow.  When  he  had  cared  for  the  remaining  ox  JNIr.  Sanger 
started  to  return  to  the  house.  After  taking  a  dozen  steps,  he  could 
see  neither  house  nor  barn.  There  was  nothing  but  the  swirling, 
white  snow  and  the  unbroken  roar  of  the  wind.  In  a  short  time  he  Mas 
bewildered,  lost  all  conception  of  direction  and  wandered  helplessly 
in  the  srt:orm.  He  went  with  the  wind  and  by  chance  came  to  the 
school  yard  of  District  Fourteen.  He  did  not  know  where  he  was 
but  happened  to  stumble  against  an  outhouse  that  stood  in  the  school 
yard.  All  but  exhausted  and  with  nothing  to  eat  jMr.  Sanger  stumbled 
into  the  outbuilding.  Here  he  stood  up  until  Wednesday  evening 
M-hen  tlie  storm  abated  and  he  was  rescued,  more  dead  than  alive. 
This  is  but  one  of  many  cases  of  endurance  resulting  from  the  great 
storm. 

:\IILLIXG  IX  .TUNIATA 

From  the  earliest  days  of  Adams  County's  history  Juniata  has 
been  prominent  as  a  milling  toAMi.  The  first  mill  A\as  built  in  1874  by 
R.  S.  Langley  and  D.  H.  Freeman  &  Company.  Juniata  ])recinct 
voted  $0,000  in  bonds  almost  as  soon  as  the  county  was  organized  to 
oid  in  the  building  of  a  flour  mill.  The  bonds  were  not  paid,  however, 
and  tlie  matter  was  taken  to  the  district  court  where  it  was  held  that 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       ^57 

the  bonds  were  illegal  becavise  the  district  had  superseded  its  authority 
when  it  issued  bonds  in  aid  of  a  private  enteri^rise.  The  cost  of  the 
mill  was  about  $12,000. 

WHien  the  mill  was  completed  it  was  placed  under  a  mortgage  of 
$8,000  which  was  held  bj^  Xordyke,  Marmon  &  Company,  of  Indian- 
apolis. The  mortgage  Avas  foreclosed  and  the  projierty  sold  at 
sheriff's  sale  and  bought  by  S.  W.  Clarke.  Later,  in  the  settlement 
of  William  B.  Thorne,  the  mill,  as  a  part  of  the  Thorne  estate,  was 
turned  over  to  Adams  County  and  in  January,  1890,  it  was  jjurchased 
by  Oliver  E.  Palmer  for  $2,100.  In  1892  the  mill  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  It  was  rebuilt  by  George  Collins  but  afterwards  was  taken  over 
by  ^Ir.  Palmer  who  operated  the  nn'U  until  it  was  purchased  by  the 
present  owner,  W.  H.  DeSanno,  in  1901.  Mr.  DeSanno  Mas  an 
experienced  miller  before  coming  to  Juniata  from  Beemer,  Nebraska. 
'  In  1907  the  Juniata,  flour  mill  was  destroyed  by  lightning  and 
the  present  plant  was  at  once  erected.  When  the  mill  was  rebuilt 
during  1908,  ]Mr.  DeSanno's  son,  H.  C.  DeSanno,  installed  an  electric 
light  and  ])ower  plant  in  connection  with  the  mill.  The  electric  light 
plant  has  flourished  until  at  present  there  are  about  one  hundred  con- 
sumers, and  the  village  streets  are  well  lighted  with  about  twenty-five 
street  lights.  The  Juniata  roller  mills  have  a  grinding  capacity  of 
sixtj'  barrels  of  flour  per  day. 

A  H05IE  IXSTITUTIOX 

The  Juniata  Grain  &  Livestock  Association  is  an  important 
farmers'  cooperative  institution  that  operates  both  grain  elevators  and 
the  stockyards  at  Juniata.  It  was  originally  incorporated  January 
25,  1897,  with  the  following  incorporators:  J.  A.  Cates,  W.  J. 
Cotes,  O.  Rutler,  Ephraim  Weeks,  Albert  JNIecham,  W.  H.  Stephens. 
John  Parr,  George  W.  Hall  and  George  Pratt.  At  this  time  the 
capital  stock  authorized  was  not  less  than  $2.50  nor  more  than  $2,000. 
At  first  the  association  operated  only  one  elevator,  but  for  a  number 
of  years  it  has  handled  all  the  grain  and  livestock  shipped  from 
Juniata. 

Some  time  after  the  first  incorporation  the  association  was  reorgan- 
ized with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000.  This  time  the  incorporators  were 
R.  J.  Ashmore,  E.  J.  Hanchett,  A.  P.  Slack.  W.  H.  Waldron,  T.  G. 
Whiting,  Ephraim  Weeks  and  J.  L.  Blue.  E.  P.  Hubbard  is  the 
present  manager  of  the  association. 

Juniata  was  surveyed  by  Anselmo  B.  Smith  and  by  that  survey, 
made  in  November,  1871,  South  Street  forms  the  south  line  of  the 


358       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

town  with  the  streets  numbered  from  First  to  Tenth  running  parallel 
to  South  Street.  South  and  North  Depot  streets  run  on  their  respect- 
ive sides  of  the  Burlington  Railroad  track.  Eleventh,  Twelfth  and 
Thirteenth  streets  run  east  and  west  north  of  the  Burlington  track. 
The  avenues  running  north  and  south,  beginning  160  feet  east  of 
the  west  line  of  sm-vey,  are  named  Platte,  Blue,  Juniata,  Adams, 
Bowen  and  Brass. 

POSTMASTERS 

Titus  Babcock  was  the  first  postmaster  in  Juniata,  receiving  the 
appointment  in  April,  1872,  at  a  salary  of  one  dollar  per  month.  In 
1881  William  Knickerbocker  was  appointed,  but  only  occupied  the 
office  one  month  before  being  succeeded  by  S.  J.  Shirley.  Samuel  L. 
Brass  succeeded  IMr.  Shirley  and  in  December,  1889,  D.  V.  Stephens 
succeeded  JNIr.  Brass.  W.  E.  Shaver  received  the  next  appointment 
and  was  succeeded  by  I.  H.  Rickel  who  was  postmaster  for  nearly 
seventeen  years.  Mr.  Rickel  was  succeeded  by  the  present  post- 
master. Henry  L.  Sergeant,  who  received  his  commission  October 
1,  1914. 

JUNIATA  CEMETERY 

The  Juniata  cemetery,  located  on  section  11,  about  one  mile 
west  of  Juniata,  is  the  oldest  cemetery  in  Adams  County  and  a 
number  of  the  very  earliest  settlers  rest  in  this  ground.  The  first 
cemetery  association  was  organized  in  1873  and  was  comjjosed  of 
Titus  Babcock,  Daniel  V.  Stephens,  J.  H.  Freeman  and  B.  F.  Smith. 
William  B.  Thorne,  originally  donated  the  ground,  but  it  afterwards 
passed  out  of  JNIr.  Thome's  hands  and  the  association  was  comi^elled 
to  pay  forty  dollars  jjer  acre  for  the  cemetery  to  successors  of  Mr. 
Thorne,  getting  a  deed  for  the  property  in  1884.  The  cemetery  com- 
prises tAventy  acres  and  is  well  kept.  INIrs.  David  Bigelow  was  the 
first  to  be  buried  in  Juniata  cemetery;  this  was  early  in  1873. 

HAZEL  DELI.  .SCHOOL  DISTRICT 

In  the  early  days  because  the  schoolhouses  were  the  social  centers 
of  the  communities  it  was  common  to  name  them  and  they  were 
known  by  these  names  rather  than  by  the  district  numbers  as  at 
present.  District  16  was  Pleasant  Hill,  district  36,  Liberty,  and  dis- 
trict 49  was  Hazel  Dell.  ]Mrs.  S.  D.  Marsh  of  Juniata  has  written 
a  sketch  of  the  Hazel  Dell  District  which  reveals  much  of  the  circum- 
stances surrounding  the  formation  of  the  earlv  schools. 


PAST  AND  PKP:SEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 


359 


"The  Hazel  Uell  School  District,"  writes  oVIrs.  Marsh,  "was  organ- 
ized ill  1873.  It  was  a  part  of  what  was  at  that  time  the  'Watkins 
district.'  ]My  father,  F.  M.  Thompson,  was  elected  director;  Tole 
Morehouse,  moderator,  and  a  jNIr.  Bonebrake,  treasurer.  These 
otticei-s  were  elected  temporarily,  or  until  the  regular  annual  meeting 
was  held. 

"In  April,  1874,  a  special  meeting  was  called  to  vote  bonds  to  build 
the  schoolhouse  and  the  next  summer  agents  for  school  furniture 
were  numerous  all  over  the  state,  saying  'Build  good  schoolhouses. 
The  railroad  company  will  have  them  paid  for  before  the  home- 
steaders' land  becomes  taxable.' 

"But  my  father  opposed  extravagance.  Some  districts  built 
before  there  were  any  children  to  send  to  school  and  used  the  school 
houses  for  dance  halls.  IMr.  A.  A.  White  deeded  a  plot  of  land  to 
the  Hazel  Dell  School  District  on  section  31,  town  7,  range  11,  to  be 
theirs  as  long  as  it  would  be  used  for  school  purposes.  The  first  pro- 
posal for  bonds  was  for  $2,500,  and  the  bonds  failed  to  carry.  Next 
$2,000  were  voted  only  for  it  to  be  found  later  that  they  were  illegal, 
only  fifteen  days'  notice  having  been  given  while  the  law  called  for 
twenty. 

"The  matter  was  voted  upon  again  in  April.  1874,  and  $1,000  was 
voted  to  build  the  schoolhouse  and  pay  the  teacher  who  was  to  get  a 
salary  of  twenty  dollars  per  month.  I  believe  that  my  father  built  the 
schoolhouse,  and  I  remember  the  grasshoppers  came  and  ate  all  the 
corners  off  as  the  paint  was  green.  Don't  laugh,  for  this  is  true,  and 
thev  also  ate  great  holes  in  the  worknien's  shirts  as  they  worked  one 
day. 

"3Iiss  Pine,  of  Iowa,  was  hired  as  teacher  to  teach  the  first  three 
months,  beginning  September,  1874.  There  were  four  boys  and  one 
girl  em-olled,  myself  being  the  girl.  The  other  children  in  the  district 
were  without  shoes  to  attend. 

"The  first  regular  school  meeting  elected  F.  ]M.  Thompson 
director,  INIr.  Bonebrake  moderator  and  Jake  Gates  treasurer.  The 
schoolhouse  sensed  as  church  and  Sunday  school  building  and  social 
meeting  place  for  years,  and  with  a  little  added  on  stands  today  as  a 
schoolhouse  for  the  children  and  the  grandchildren  of  some  of  its 
earliest  pupils."    Hazel  Dell  is  now  district  41. 

I.IBEUTY  DISTRICT  TRAGEDY 

It  was  near  the  Liberty  schoolhouse,  district  3G,  that  a  tragedy 
took  place  in  the  winter  of  1884  when  Harrison  Young,    a    young 


360       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

man  of  the  district,  was  killed.  Irvin  Faribee,  another  young- 
man  of  the  district,  was  paying  court  to  Young's  sister.  Belle  Young, 
and  bad  feeling  was  aroused  between  the  two  young  men  at  a  charivari 
held  in  the  neighborhood  and  Young  forbade  Faribee  to  keep  company 
with  his  sister.  All  the  parties  concerned  were  high  spirited  Ken- 
tuckians  and  young  Faribee  paid  no  heed  to  Young's  warning.  One 
evening,  a  short  time  after,  Faribee  escorted  Belle  home  from  a  social 
meeting  held  in  the  Liberty  schoolhouse  and  upon  leaving  the  school- 
house  encountered  Harrison  Young. 

In  the  quarrel  that  followed  Young  made  a  movement  which 
Faribee  took  to  be  a  reaching  for  a  gun  or  knife,  and  quickly  clenching 
his  fist  struck  Young  upon  the  jaw.  Young  fell  and  did  not  arise. 
Others  with  Faribee  then  carried  him  to  the  nearby  homestead  of 
Benjamin  Armitage.  It  was  found  that  Young  was  dead.  Faribee 
gave  himself  up  and  in  the  ensuing  trial  was  acquitted.  Belle  Young 
now  lives  in  Kansas  and  Faribee  in  the  west. 


Juniata  Lodge,  No.  79,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized  by  charter  from 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state  February  11,  1880,  with  the  following 
charter  members:  George  T.  Brown,  S.  L.  Brass,  Horace  Golile, 
Benjamin  F.  Smith,  Josiah  Hodges,  Hugh  A.  JNIoreland,  William 
Spade,  John  E.  Adams,  James  F.  Kelley  and  N.  H.  JManzee.  B.  F. 
Smith  was  the  first  noble  gi-and  and  S.  L.  Brass  the  first  secretary. 
Officers-elect  are  E.  P.  Hubbard,  noble  grand:  George  W.  Long, 
vice  grand;  W.  H.  DeSanno,  treasurer,  and  Charles  L.  Ziegler,  sec- 
retary.   The  present  membership  is  fifty-five. 

Rebekah  Lodge,  No.  43,  which  was  chartered  January  1,  1880, 
gave  up  its  charter  in  1913. 

KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS 

Corinthian  Lodge  No.  71,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  transferred  by 
charter  from  Kenesaw  to  Juniata,  November  28,  1898,  and  reoigan- 
ized  with  the  following  as  charter  members  by  installation : 

E.  C.  Rickel,  J.  M.  Parrott,  W.  A.  Morse,  D.  E.  Flowers.  A.  H. 
Langjahr,  W.  J.  Coats,  C.  H.  Partridge,  E.  G.  Angell,  W.  C.  Frew, 
L.  A.  Spriggle,  George  T.  Brown,  Seth  D.  ]\Iarsh,  R.  A.  Wall,  R.  A. 
Cullen,  F.  C.  Lancaster,  Ed  Willett,  W.  M.  Beebe,  L.  D.  Swiss,  W. 
A.  Julian,  I.  H.  Rickel.    The  last  four  by  card.    George  W.  Bivens  is 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      361 

the  jn-esent  chancellor  coniniander  and  I.  H.  Rickel  keeiier  of  records 
and  seals. 

CHURCHES 

The  following  extract  from  a  manuscript  left  by  Rev.  O.  A. 
Buzzell  sketches  the  early  history  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Juniata: 

"On  July  2(),  1872,"  JMr.  Buzzell  wrote,  "in  the  office  of  the  Adams 
County  Gazette,  a  building  which  stood  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by 
J.  T.  Hill's  grocery — the  building  having  some  years  later  been 
removed'  to  Hastings,  several  persons  of  Juniata  with  seven  others 
living  southeasterly  from  Juniata,  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  form- 
ing a  Baptist  Church,  there  being  then  no  such  church  in  Adams 
County. 

"Dr.  J.  N.  Webb,  state  missionary  of  the  BajJtist  Home  ^Mission 
Society,  was  present  and  acted  as  moderator  of  the  meeting.  After 
due  consideration  an  organization  was  effected  and  officers  chosen  as 
follows:  Titus  Babcock,  moderator;  Dr.  Charles  M.  ^Morgan,  clerk. 
Articles  of  religion  and  church  covenant  were  adopted.  But  the 
brethren  from  the  southeast  had  not  brought  their  letters  ^ith  them. 
Their  membership,  therefore,  was  to  be  perfected  by  depositing  their 
letters  with  the  clerk,  which  they  failed  to  do,  or  even  to  come  any 
more  to  the  meeting  of  the  church.  Over  a  year  passed  without  any 
additions,  and  the  failure  of  those  from  the  southeast  left  the  church 
with  only  three  members.  Dr.  C.  M.  INIorgan,  and  JNIr.  and  INIrs.  Titus 
Babcock. 

"During  that  first  year  we  were  occasionally  favored  with  j^reach- 
ing  by  JNIr.  Weaver,  who  lived  at  the  Platte  river,  and  others.  On 
September  7,  1873,  Rev.  D.  H.  Babcock  and  wife  united  with  the 
church,  and  on  November  2d,  following,  Caroline  Clute  became  a 
member  by  letter  from  Dundee,  JNIichigan.  July  .5,  1874,  Eliza  T. 
Howland,  from  Hudson,  Michigan,  and  Addie  L.  Brown,  from 
Vinton,  low^a,  united  by  letter.  So  we  closed  the  second  year  with 
eight  members. 

"Rev.  D.  H.  Babcock  commenced  preaching  services  with  the 
church  at  this  time  each  alternate  week.  November  29,  1874,  D.  M. 
Griswold  and  wife,  and  Clarence,  Lettia  and  Permelia  Griswold,  were 
received  by  letter  from  the  church  in  Gardner,  Illinois.  January  24, 
187;3,  Jessie  A^liet  united  on  letter  from  St.  Louis  Church,  ^Michigan. 
J.  R.  Van  Houten  and  wife  united  on  letter  from  Crown  Point. 
Indiana.  The  third  year  closed  with  sixteen  members.  September  5, 
1875,  the  church  joined  the  Grand  Island  Association  at  their  session 
at  Hastings.    Number  of  members,  fifteen. 


:j62   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

"February  27,  1876,  A.  H.  Brown  was  received  into  the  church  by 
baptism.  In  the  fall  of  187.5,  Re\'.  D.  H.  Babcock  went  to  Iowa  and 
the  church  was  without  regular  preaching  until  ]May  1,  1876,  Avhen 
Rev.  A.  H.  Guild  came  under  appointment  of  the  Home  JNIission 
Society  for  one  year.  On  April  12,  1876,  Brother  Griswold  and 
family,  five  in  number,  were  dismissed  to  aid  in  forming  the  jNIay- 
flower  Church.  The  year  closed  with  fifteen  members.  September 
8,  1876,  the  church  was  represented  at  the  Grand  Island  Association 
at  Gibbon.    Number  of  members,  foiu'teen. 

"May  16.  1877,  Thankful  M.  Babcock  one  of  the  constituent 
members  of  the  chvn-ch,  departed  this  life.  June  10,  1877,  Isaac  W. 
Stark,  Laura  Stark  and  Mrs.  Simeon  Johnston  were  received  into 
the  church  by  baptism.  Rev.  O.  A.  Buzzell  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  church  to  commence  October  1,  1877,  to  preach  one-half  of  the 
time  in  Juniata.  February  11,  1878,  the  church  decided  to  build  a 
house  of  worship  with  the  dimensions  24  by  40  feet,  and  elected 
trustees  and  building  committee  to  carry  out  the  arrangement.  This 
church  was  dedicated  December  1.5,  1878.  October  8,  1878,  Rev.  O. 
A.  Buzzell  was  called  to  the  pastorate  for  another  year  and  November 
30,  1878,  James  C.  Van  Houten  was  elected  deacon.  During  Feb- 
ruary and  jNIarch,  1879,  Rev.  Buzzell,  assisted  by  Rev.  I.  Carson, 
conducted  a  revival  service. 

"Grand  Island  Association  met  with  the  Juniata  Church,  Septem- 
ber 12,  1879,  and  on  December  6th,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rockwcod  was 
employed  as  pastor  for  six  months,  to  serve  each  alternate  Sunday. 
September  .5,  1880,  the  church  selected  delegates  to  attend  the  associa- 
tion at  Edgar. 

"In  June,  1881,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bradt  of  jNIorgan  Park  Seminary 
was  engaged  as  supjjly  during  the  summer  vacation.     In  November. 

1881,  the  church  was  represented  in  a  convention  at  Glenville  in  which 
a  new  association,  the  South  Platte,  was  formed,  and  on  February  22, 

1882,  the  quarterly  meeting  of  the  South  Platte  Association  met  with 
the  Juniata  Church. 

"June  4,  1882,  Rev.  O.  A.  Buzzell  and  wife  on  their  request  were 
granted  a  letter  of  dismissal  for  the  pin-pose  of  organizing  the  Baptist 
Church  at  Bladen  and  Rev.  E.  Carson  of  Gibbon,  preached  for  the 
congregation  at  .Iimiata  during  the  summer." 

The  Rev.  IVIr.  Buzzell  sunuiiarized  the  growth  of  membership  in 
the  first  ten  years  of  the  history  of  the  church  as  follows :  First  year, 
three;  second,  eight;  third,  sixteen;  fourth,  fifteen;  fifth,  twenty-one; 
sixth,  twenty-eight;  seventh,  forty-tw^o;  eighth,  thirty -eight ;  ninth, 
thirtv-eiffht ;  tenth,  forty. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      368 

In  the  fall  of  1916  the  Baptists  of  Juniata  began  the  erection  of  a 
new  church  house  wliich  is  one  of  the  best  appointed  of  the  smaller 
churches  of  the  county.  In  the  basement  provision  is  made  for  cook- 
iny  and  attending  to  the  social  needs  in  other  respects.  ]Much  of  the 
work  was  done  by  the  congregation.  The  church  will  cost,  when 
completed,  about  $6,000. 

In  addition  to  the  ministers  mentioned  in  the  account  of  the  Rev. 
]Mi'.  Buzzell  the  folloAving  have  served  the  church:  Revs.  Tinkham, 
Hands.  AV.  H.  Brodt,  Armstrong,  T.  Hill,  I.  D.  Newell,  Anios  Shat- 
tuck.  Laslette,  Hill,  O.  W.  Davis,  McCullough,  Snyder,  S.  ^Miller, 
J.  A.  Leonard,  Baker,  and  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  T.  O.  Mc^NIinn. 

JIETHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

The  ]Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Juniata  was  organized  April 
14.  1872,  by  the  Rev.  R.  H.  Crane  who  was  a  pioneer  of  INIethodism 
throughout  the  new  western  country.  The  first  services  were  held  in 
the  temporary  school  building  erected  by  Ira  G.  Dillon  and  E.  M. 
Allen.  A  movement  looking  toward  the  erection  of  a  church  building- 
was  inaugurated  in  the  latter  part  of  1873,  but  progress  was  not 
rapid  and  the  church  was  not  completed  until  187o.  July,  187.5,  the 
ciiurch  was  dedicated,  the  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by  Profes- 
sor E.  Thompson,  afterwards  the  ])rincipal  of  an  educational  institu- 
tion at  York. 

The  church,  which  has  been  remodeled  and  enlarged,  is  still  in 
use.  The  original  building  was  one  story  high  and  its  dimensions  were 
30  by  60  feet.  The  cost  was  $3,000.  The  auditorium  was  furnished 
with  comfortable  chairs  and  these  with  the  altar  and  well  designed 
platform  and  stained  glass  windows  made  a  very  encouraging  begin- 
ning for  ^Methodism  in  the  new  country.  An  addition  was  built  to 
the  church  in  1907.  and  the  church  is  being  remodeled  at  the  present 
time.  1916.  An  addition  was  built  to  the  parsonage  in  1913  and  it  has 
been  again  greatly  improved  since  the  conference  in  September,  1916. 

Among  the  charter  members  were  John  Grove.  M.  D.  Hammond. 
William  Ring,  Francis  Chapman,  George  ]M.  IMcIntyre,  Alice  Sluy- 
ter.  Ida  Garlick,  Orrin  Balcom,  Phoebe  Balcom,  A.  C.  Wright.  ^Nlaria 
Wright.  Owen  Adams,  Samuel  Saulsbury,  Ellen  Saulsbury,  Frank 
Hall,  with  John  Musser  as  exhorter. 

Mr.  C.  Balcom  was  ajjpointed  the  first  class  leader  in  July,  1873. 
At  the  time  of  organization  the  membership  was  about  fifty  and  has 
grown  until  it  now  numbers  148.  The  Ladies  Aid  Society  has  thirty- 
five  members.     The  Sunday  School  was  instituted  in  1877  with  fifty 


364       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

members.  T.  J.  Adams  was  the  first  superintendent.  Tlie  present 
trustees  of  the  church  projierty  are  George  Long,  Henry  Sergeant, 
C.  Newell,  H.  C.  Hoover,  C.  *G.  Craven  and  Fred  Lancaster.  The 
stewards  are  ]Mrs.  C.  G.  Craven,  jNIrs.  E.  Bolton,  INIrs.  Ida  Lancaster, 
George  Long,  Charles  Craven. 

Tlie  following  pastors  have  served  the  church:  R.  H.  Crane.  A. 
H.  Summers.  J.  W.  Dobbs,  W.  J.  Barger,  George  M.  Jones,  George 
S.  Burbank.  1894  to  189.5;  E.  J.  Bird,  189.5  to  1897:  E.  F.  Wolff, 
1897  to  1900;  A.  W.  CofFman,  1900  to  1901 ;  G.  M.  Andrews,  1901  to 
1903;  J.  E.  Rippetoe,  1903  to  1905;  T.  M.  C.  Birmingham,  1905  to 
1906;  B.  L.  Story,  1900  to  1907;  K.  P.  Kilbourn,  1907  to  1908:  O.  C. 
Carson,  1908  to  1909;  J.  E.  Gains,  1911;  J.  S.  Mercer,  1911  to  1912; 
John  T.  Rowen,  1912  to  1913;  M.  S.  Foutch,  1914  to  1916.  The 
present  pastor,  H.  A.  Laeger.  has  served  since  September.  1916. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN 

The  Church  Of  The  Brethren  of  Juniata  was  organized  under  the 
general  name  of  The  Gei-man  Baptist  Brethren.  But  the  name  Avas 
changed  to  the  present  designation  a  few  years  ago  at  one  of  the 
international  conferences.  A  church  house  of  the  denomination  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  $1,200  early  in  the  summer  of  1893  and  dedicated 
tliat  season. 

The  Juniata  church  was  organi/.ed  December  17.  1892,  with  David 
Bechtelheimer  as  first  elder,  and  William  A.  Gish,  J.  D.  Lemon  and 
Robert  Ashmore  as  trustees.  William  A.  Gish  was  the  first  treasurer 
and  Belle  Lemon  the  first  clerk. 

The  charter  members  were:  "Slv.  and  ^Nlrs.  David  Bechtelheimer, 
Polly  Bechtelheimer,  INIr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Kindig.  "Slary  Kindig, 
JVIichael  Liveringhouse,  Lydia  I^iveringhouse,  Susan  Smith,  JNIr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  D.  Lemon,  S.  Belle  Lemon,  Mr.  and  JNIrs.  Robert  Ashmore, 
Dora  Ashmore,  Sarah  McFerrin,  Emma  Liveringhouse,  Thomas 
Liveringhouse,  Cora  Liveringhouse,  Jacob  Dague,  Ella  Dague, 
William  A.  Gish,  Sarah  Gish,  Lillie  Panzer,  Ida  N.  Gish,  Francis 
Gisli,  Bertie  Gish,  John  Gish  and  Charles  Statler. 

Tlie  following  have  been  the  elders  in  charge  of  the  clun-ch :  David 
Bechtelheimer.  1892-93:  G.  W.  Stambaugh.  1893-97;  J.  J.  Kindig. 
1897-98;  Charles  Smith.  1898-1900;  J.  B.  JMoore.  1900-08;  George 
Mishler,  1908-09;  C.  Hargleroad,  1909-12;  P.  F.  Grabill.  1912-13:  C. 
Hargleroad,  1913-14;  J.  J.  Panzer,  1914-16. 

During  these  years  the  ministerial  work  has  fallen  to  others  as 
pastors  a  part  of  the  time,  even  while  some  of  the  foregoing  have  lieen 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       365 

elder  or  Ijishop  of  the  church.  The  ministers  who  have  been  pastors 
in  such  instances  have  been:  J.  D.  Lemon,  A.  J.  Nickey,  C.  E. 
Lemon,  Noah  Fisher,  C.  Fager.  H.  D.  INIichael  is  the  present 
pastor  and  has  served  the  church  since  June,  1915. 

The  present  trustees  are  Louie  McFerrin,  J.  D.  Lemon  and 
George  Blankenbiller;  Louie  JNIcFerrin,  treasurer;  Belle  Lemon, 
clerk.    The  jiresent  membership  is  thirty. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1916,  the  church  was  moved  to  a  more 
convenient  location,  and  was  repaired  and  remodeled  at  an  approxi- 
mate cost  of  $500. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
KENESAW 

LOCATION  AND  SETTLE5IENT 

Tlie  Kenesaw  site  was  located  June  9,  1871,  l)y  S.  P.  How- 
land,  now  living  in  Juniata,  Milton  F.  Brown,  Charles  Colt  and  J. 
D.  Butler,  Jr.  The  foiu-  original  settlers  preempted  the  fom*  quarters 
of  section  34,  town  8,  range  12.  ^Recalling  the  circumstances  ]Mr. 
Howland  said:  "I  sent  teams  to  Grand  Island  for  lumber  to  build 
the  shack  and  it  was  built  that  month,  June.  The  first  five  nights  I 
spent  upon  the  site  of  Kenesaw  it  rained  everj-  night  and  I  slept  imder 
an  inverted  wagon  box.  Our  drinking  water  at  first  had  to  be  hauled 
from  Lowell,  ten  miles  to  the  west,  b>it  a  ^^•eII  was  boi-ed  about  the 
third  day  after  we  arrived. 

"Antelopes  and  coyotes  used  to  come  close  to  our  cabins  and  we 
could  shoot  them  from  our  doors.  That  fall,  two  families  came  to 
live  near  our  houses.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  Hamp  Avas  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  the  jNIisses  Norton  and  Jim  Sweeting  was  on  a  quar- 
ter adjoining  town.  In  January,  1 872.  all  four  of  us  who  Avere  located 
on  the  town  site  sold  to  the  Burlington  Railroad." 

In  June,  187*2,  Kenesaw  was  surveyed  by  Anselmo  B.  Smith  for 
Charles  F.  ]\Iorse.  The  system  of  streets  and  avenues  was  designated 
as  follows :  The  southern  boundary  is  Spruce  Street  and  then  parallel- 
ing Spruce  in  order  are  Pine  and  Poplar  streets,  south  of  South 
Depot  Street;  north  of  North  Depot  Street  are  JNIaple,  Elm  and 
Ash  streets.  The  avenues  run  north  and  south.  On  the  west  is 
Bi'obks  Avenue  and  then  comes  Forbes,  Dennison,  Smith,  Perkins 
and  Doane  avenues.  The  avennes  bear  the  names  of  members  of  the 
South  Platte  Land  Company,  who  laid  out  many  towns  in  this  section 
of  the  West.     The  town  was  platted  by  J.  H.  Cummings. 

The  greater  part  of  the  plat  south  of  the  railroad  was  subse- 

(juently  vacated  and  the  extremes  of  the  north  side  also.     Following 

the  building  of  the  railroad  from   Kenesaw  to  Denver  along  the 

jjresent  route  Kenesaw  took  on  something  of  the  nature  of  a  boom 

:!6(5 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      367 

and  its  most  substantial  groA\i:h  has  been  made  since  that  time.  Ad- 
(iitions  to  the  town  have  been  made  from  time  to  time.  Cook's 
addition  was  surveyed  by  T.  E.  Farrell  in  JNIarch,  1885.  Parmenter's 
second  addition  was  surveyed  by  C.  A.  Heartwell,  October  4,  1909, 
fnr  L.  W.  Parmenter,  and  Powers'  subdivision  of  block  four  of 
Thompson's  addition  was  surveyed  by  Mr.  Heartwell  October  13, 
1909. 

It  is  fortunate  for  the  annals  of  Kenesaw  that  the  first  actual 
settler  in  that  vicinity,  Dr.  A.  D.  Williams,  was  a  man  who  wielded  a 
facile  pen  and  also  had  a  penchant  for  making  accurate  records.  "The 
i-ailroad  was  laid  out  across  this  section  and  finished,"  wrote  Doctor 
A^'^illiams,  "in  June,  1872,  through  to  Kearney.  The  Kenesaw  town- 
site  was  laid  out  a  little  before  but  the  depot  was  not  built  imtil  along 
in  the  fall — I  believe  the  latter  part  of  October  or  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber. 

"After  the  preemptors  left,  the  four  houses  were  not  occupied  and 
no  one  lived  on  the  townsite  until  about  the  first  of  December,  when 
Mrs.  INI.  S.  Norton  moved  into  one  of  them  and  acted  as  deputy  post- 
master, a  postoffice  having  in  the  meantime  been  established,  and  A. 
D.  Williams  appointed  postmaster.  For  a  brief  period  before  JMrs. 
Norton  moved  onto  the  townsite  ]Mr.  Williams'  house  on  the  south- 
east quarter  of  section  26,  8,  12,  was  designated  by  the  Gov- 
ernment as  the  location  of  the  postoffice."  Three  of  the  original 
houses  built  upon  the  townsite  were  blown  down  and  destroyed  in  the 
Easter  storm  of  1873. 

The  following  quotation  from  Doctor  AVilliams  gives  a  detailed 
account  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  Kenesaw:  "INIr.  Fred 
Einst  settled  on  the  Platte  River,  nearly  six  miles  north  of  Kenesaw. 
in  the  spring  of  1872,  and  he  and  his  sons  became  not  only  the  oldest 
but  among  the  most  substantial  citizens  of  that  section  of  the  country. 
The  first  permanent  settler  anywhere  near  Kenesaw  was  A.  D. 
"Williams  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  26,  8,  12,  August  16. 
1872.  He  came  thither  in  a  'prairie  schooner,'  and  he  with  Mrs. 
"Williams,  Katie  and  George  lived  three  weeks  in  the  covered  wagon 
box,  setting  up  the  cook  stove  outside  of  it.  in  a  kitchen  bounded  only 
by  tlie  liorizon. 

"Their  first  visitors  were  Pawnee  Indians  returning  from  a  hunt 
over  on  the  u])per  Republican.  Seeing  the  schooner  deployed  from 
I  lie  trail,  wliich  was  along  the  sand  hills  near  where  INIr.  JMoon  lives, 
they  came  and  plied  their  begging  art  so  successfully  tliat  a  trip  had 
to  be  made  next  day  to  Juniata  to  replenish  tlie  larder.    They,  as  well 


368       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

as  the  Omahas,  frequently  called  afterward,  but  were  never  again 
so  successful. 

"Soon  after,  a  ISlr.  Chenowith  appeared  and  entered  the  south- 
east quarter  of  section  28,  8,  12,  where  Bert  IMoore  later  lived,  and 
returned  to  Iowa  for  his  family.  Almost  at  the  same  time  Ed  ]Moore. 
Captain  Knapp  (not  JNIiles  Knapp),  William  ^Miller  and  another 
gentleman  arrived  and  located  on  section  20 — ]Moore  on  the  south- 
\vest,  Knapp  on  the  southeast,  JNIiller  on  the  northeast  and  the  other 
man  on  the  northwest  quarter.  INIoore,  Knapj)  and  ^Miller  afterward 
returned  and  settled.    The  other  never  did. 

"The  second  actual  settler  was  Reverend  Willis,  who  located  south- 
west of  where  JNlr.  Wolcott  later  lived.  He  was  accompanied  by  his 
wife  and  sister-in-law,  and  brought  with  him  carpenters  and  a  donkey 
fiom  Lincoln.  His  first  building,  and  for  a  time  his  home,  was  what 
he  afterwards  used  for  a  granary,  and  which  Bert  ]\Ioore  used  later 
for  a  stable.  On  or  about  November  25,  1872,  "SIjs.  INIary  S.  Norton 
and  her  four  children  arrived  from  JNIinnesota.  James  Cline  settled 
on  what  was  in  a  later  period  known  as  the  'Shattuck  farm.'  Several 
other  entries  were  made,  but  so  far  as  I  can  remember,  these  were  all 
of  the  actual  settlers  during  1872. 

"Early  in  1873  there  was  quite  an  influx  of  settlers.  Among 
them  were  E.  A.  Loomis,  Anson  Looniis,  L.  W.  Parmenter,  Edward 
Moore,  Captain  Knajjp.  Rockfeller,  F.  Phillips,  Robert  and  John 
Harter  and  two  Stonehockers  «ho  settled  on  the  south  half  of  sec- 
tion 2-i  and  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  26,  on  what  is  now 
^Ir.  Schlegel's  farm,  and  the  two  Shattuck  brothers.  '\V.  Z.  Par- 
menter had  arrived  from  Ohio  in  November,  1871.  and  located  on  a 
homestead  on  section  20,  7,  11." 

FIRST  THINGS  IX  KEXESAW 

INIrs.  M.  S.  Norton,  who  occupied  one  of  the  four  houses  first  built 
:i)  Kenesaw  and  who  was  the  deputy  postmaster  under  A.  D.  AVil- 
liams.  died  in  Kenesaw  July  9,  1894.  Doctor  Williams  died  in  Kene- 
saw December  31st,  of  the  same  year. 

Delmar  D.  Norton,  the  son  of  INIrs.  M.  S.  Norton,  was  the  first 
station  agent  in  Kenesaw.  He  remained  in  the  position  until  Kene- 
saw was  made  a  telegraph  station  when,  not  having  learned  teleg- 
raphy, he  resigned  and  afterward  became  a  prominent  business  man 
of  Kenesaw. 

The  first  general  merchandise  store  in  Kenesaw  was  built  liy 
.Josiah  Hodges,  who  had  his  ])lace  ojien  for  business  by  August,  1873. 


LltoKlXG  NORTH  ON  MAIN   STKKKT.  KKXFSAW 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       369 

In  the  winter  of  1873-74  IMr.  Hodges  sold  his  business  to  Edward 
]Moore,  Avho  was  the  next  settler  in  tlie  town.  The  next  business  to 
be  established  was  an  iiniilement  house.  This  was  managed  l)y  S.  S. 
I3ow,  who  conducted  tlie  business  for  E.  Steinau,  who  lived  in  Has- 
tings and  was  one  of  the  first  business  men  of  that  town.  J.  G.  Hayz- 
lett  opened  a  grocery  and  hardware  store  in  the  spring  of  1878  and 
the  following  year  G.  B.  Crandall  began  business  with  a  general 
stock  of  goods.  G.  W.  Baldwin  opened  the  first  blacksmith  shop  in 
1877.  In  1878  Edward  INIoore  sold  his  store  to  A.  S.  Thompson  and 
later  in  the  fall  J.  H.  Roberts  started  a  general  store. 

In  the  summer  of  1884  Kenesaw  was  incorporated  as  a  village. 
Tlie  year  before  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  incorporate  but  the 
county  commissioners  had  refused  on  the  ground  that  the  petition 
did  not  contain  the  names  of  a  majority  of  the  taxpayers. 

The  first  death  in  the  town  was  that  of  Jessie  Hodges,  a  child  of 
.Fosiah  Hodges,  in  the  winter  of  1873.  The  first  adult  to  die  was  JMrs. 
Maria  ]Moore,  the  wife  of  Edward  INIoore,  in  1875.  The  first  birth 
also  was  in  187-5,  when  a  child  was  born  to  JNIr.  and  Mrs.  S.  S.  Dow. 

An  inkling  of  the  satisfactory  growth  which  the  village  of  Kene- 
saw has  enjoyed  can  be  gained  when  the  value  of  the  original  four 
shacks  erected  in  1871  ujion  the  bare  town  site  is  compared  with  the 
valuation  of  the  village  as  it  stands  upon  the  record  of  the  county 
assessoi-  in  1910.  The  record  shows  that  there  are  in  the  village  383 
im])roved  lots  with  an  actual  value,  with  the  improvements,  of  $233,- 
440,  and  202  unimproved  lots  with  an  actual  value  of  $19,28.5.  The 
average  actual  value  of  the  improved  lots  is  given  as  $609.50  each, 
and  of  the  unimproved  lots,  $94.47.  The  value  of  the  improvements 
is  iilaced  at  $180,100. 

In  January.  1884,  among  the  business  men  of  Kenesaw  were  E. 
X.  Crane,  M.  F.  White  and  A.  Barton,  general  merchants;  J.  G. 
Hayzlett.  proprietor  of  a  then  new  hotel,  the  IMetropolitan ;  J.  A. 
Lindsey,  manager  of  Sewell  &  Co.'s  grain  business;  Cook  &  Cooley. 
lumber  dealers;  Barton  &  Collins,  grain  dealers;  A.  S.  Thompson, 
(hugs;  H.  W.  INIitchell  and  W.  F.  Manspeaker,  hardware  dealers; 
A.  S.  ]Martin,  agricultural  implements;  R.  B.  Grounds,  furniture; 
George  Bechtelheimer,  manager  of  Neimeyer  &  Co.'s  lumber  yard;  D. 
A.  Kennedy,  restaurant;  Smith  &  Schafer,  dealers  in  meat;  John 
Xickerson,  billiard  hall;  L.  C.  White,  barber;  J.  Williams,  physician; 
the  ]Misses  Osier,  milliners;  Cook  Bros.,  blacksmiths;  G.  W.  Hodges, 
laundry;  B.  F.  Armitage,  insurance  agent;  Horace  Armitage,  builder, 
and  George  T.  Williams,  publisher  of  the  Kenesaw  Times.  In  INIay, 
1884,  Kemp  &  Hope  moved  into  their  new  hardware  store  and  the 
Gillette  Bank  Building  was  opened. 


370       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Nick  Scunk's  restaurant  is  the  oldest  business  in  Kenesaw  in  con- 
tinuous operation. 

Among  the  very  earliest  2)ioneers  who  still  reside  in  the  vicinity  of 
Kenesaw,  are:  Charles,  Fred,  William  and  Henry  Ernst,  sons  of 
Fred  Ernst,  who  settled  in  the  Platte  Valley  in  1872;  Mrs.  I.  D. 
Evans  and  ]Mary  H.  Williams,  daughters  of  Mr.  and  jMrs.  A.  D. 
Williams;  JNIisses  ]Marilla  and  ]Melena  Norton,  daughters  of  ]Mr.  and 
Mrs.  ^I.  S.  Norton.  W.  Z.  Parmenter  is  probably  the  earliest  settler 
now  residing  in  the  township. 

KEXESAM'   Ol'  TODAY 

The  first  brick  building  was  erected  in  Kenesaw  in  1902  by  F.  S. 
Cary  at  the  corner  of  Smith  Avenue  and  North  Railroad  Street. 
This  building  was  one  story  in  height  and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
about  $16,000.  Since  that  time  there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  build- 
ing with  brick  and  at  present  Kenesaw  has  eleven  brick  buildings  and 
three  cement  stone  business  buildings. 

Among  the  business  men  of  Kenesaw  at  the  pi-esent  time  are 
J.  G.  Jones,  W.  A.  CaufFman  and  the  Stanley  ]Mercantile  Co.; 
C.  G.  Schlegel,  hardware;  ^Mikkelsen  Drug  Company,  and  Kenesa^v 
Drug  Company  (Cameron  &  Schunk),  drugs;  Rollo  Pade.  jewelry; 
Thomas  Ramsey  and  Stephen  Schultz,  harness  shops;  Fischer  Bros., 
Bert  Harpham  and  I.  E.  Hershey,  three  blacksmith  shops:  H.  Eins- 
pahr  and  R.  Beal.  pumps,  wells  and  plumbing:  Li])erty  ^I.  Rol)in- 
son,  manager  Lininger  Imiilement  Company;  Walter  Schultz,  man- 
ager Stephen  Schultz  Implement  Company;  L.  L.  Weaver,- man- 
ager Kenesaw  ]\Iill  &  Elevator  Company,  also  sell  farm  implements; 
E.  M.  Jenkins,  manager  Empire  Lumber  Company;  L.  L.  Weaver, 
manager  Kenesaw  INIill  &  Elevator  Comj^any,  also  sell  coal  and  lum- 
ber; D.  R.  INIikesell  and  H.  D.  Billesbach,  barber  shops;  Dr.  W.  E. 
Nowers  and  Dr.  F.  A.  Townley,  physicians;  C.  H.  Hartwig,  dentist; 
Mrs.  Jennie  Powers,  millinery;  G.  F.  Whitesell.  landlord  Cottage 
Hotel;  W.  G.  Hawes,  F.  C.  Armitage  and  Sipple  Bros.,  garage  pro- 
prietors, the  latter  firm  from  Hastings;  William  Hines  and  S.  AVertz, 
veterinarians;  W.  F.  Davis,  furniture  store;  F.  I.  Parker  &  Sons, 
meat  market.  In  addition  to  those  named  Kenesaw  has  two  restau- 
rants, one  shoe  repairing  business,  two  real  estate  offices,  two  pool 
halls,  three  dray  lines,  one  livery,  feed  and  sale  barn. 

The  Cottage  Hotel  Avas  erected  in  1887  by  T.  F.  Cain  and  oj^er- 
ated  by  him  until  it  was  purchased  in  1907  by  G.  F.  Whitesell.  The 
Kenesaw  Opera  House  was  erected  by  Dr.  E.  J.  Latta  in  1910  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      371 

destroj-ed  by  fire  in  1912.  It  was  not  rebuilt.  E.  E.  Ragsdale  was 
a  pioneer  druggist.  His  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1911  after 
be  had  quit  business. 

F.  S.  Carey  was  a  prominent  business  man  of  Kenesaw  about  six 
years.  He  now  resides  at  Long  Beach,  Cal.,  having  left  Kene- 
saw about  1904.  K.  J.  \Vhite,  who  left  Kenesaw  about  twenty  years 
ago,  after  conducting  a  general  store  for  ten  years,  is  now  located  in 
Lincoln. 

Kenesaw  has  two  banks.  The  Kenesaw  Exchange  Bank,  opened 
in  1883,  has  been  a  sound  and  reliable  institution  dvu'ing  the  thirty- 
three  years  of  its  existence.  The  present  officers  are:  A.  L.  Clark, 
president;  S.  A.  Westing,  vice  president;  and  H.  R.  Caplin,  cashier. 
It  has  a  paid-up  capital  of  $20,000. 

The  First  State  Bank  was  started  by  Herman  Redman  and  asso- 
ciates. It  has  had  a  very  successful  career  and  a  steady  growth.  It 
has  a  fine  brick  banking  house,  has  $15,000  capital  and  enjoys  the 
confidence  of  the  community.  B.  J.  Hilsabeck  is  president  and  the 
main  factor  in  its  management. 

ELECTRIC    IJGHT   AXD    WATER    PLANTS 

Kenesaw  has  had  a  municipally  owned  electric  light  plant  since 
1910  and  nmnicipally  owned  waterworks  since  1911.  July  1.5,  1910, 
bonds  for  an  electric  light  plant  Avere  voted  in  the  sum  of  $4,500,  the 
vote  being  89  for  the  bonds  and  58  against.  The  plant  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  about  $8,000.  Electric  street  ligliting  is  maintained  and 
tlie  plant  has  100  light  customers.  There  is  a  sliding  scale  for  rates, 
the  price  for  commercial  current  being  from  fifteen  cents  to  six  cents 
per  kilowatt  hour  and  for  residence  lighting  from  twenty  cents  to 
eight  cents  with  a  minimum  of  one  dollar  per  month. 

It  required  two  attempts  to  carry  the  bonds  for  waterworks.  The 
first  proposition  was  for  $20,000  and  the  vote  was  109  for  the  bonds 
and  4-2  against.  The  bonds  were  declared  by  the  canvassers  to  have 
carried,  but  later  upon  a  legal  techirfcality  they  were  declared  lost. 
The  next  vote  was  on  February  28,  1911,  when  123  votes  were  cast 
for  the  bonds  and  42  against.  The  amount  voted  was  $18,500  and 
tlie  plant  was  constructed  that  year.  The  water  plant  has  125  cus- 
tomers and  the  rate  is  15  cents  per  1,000  gallons,  witli  a  minimum  of 
$2  per  quarter. 

Kenesaw  has  two  flour  nu'lls.  The  Kenesaw  ]Mill  &  Elevator 
Company,  and  the  Whiteley  IMilling  Company's  plant.  Each  of  the 
mills  has  a  capacity  of  upwards  of  fifty  barrels  per  day.     The  Kene- 


372       PAST  AM)  PRESENT  OF  ADA^NIS  COUNTY 

saw  ^Nlill  &  Elevator  Company  was  incorporated  February  lo,  1916, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $20,000  divided  into  200  shares,  and  the  pur- 
pose of  the  corporation  is  stated  to  be  the  buying  of  grain  and  the 
manufacture  of  flour.  The  incorporators  were  J.  H.  Augustin, 
L.  L.  Weaver,  Peter  Augustin  and  Charles  ]Moritz. 

The  Whiteley  JNIilling  Company  was  incorporated  April  21,  1916. 
the  incorporators  being  Owen  Whiteley,  William  Coulter,  Liberty 
M.  Roljinson,  John  Shurigar,  John  Cain,  Vic  Trueman  and  Frank 
Harpham.  The  authorized  capital  stock  is  $6,000,  divided  into  100 
shares.  New  machinery  recently  bought  has  doubled  the  capacity  of 
the  mills. 

The  forming  of  the  Kenesaw  Telephone  Company  was  a  direct 
result  oi'  the  Farmers'  Institute  which  was  maintained  for  about 
fourteen  years.  One  of  the  lecturers  suggested  the  telephone  as  an 
utility  that  tlie  farmers  might  maintain  for  themselves.  W.  Z.  Par- 
menter  was  struck  with  the  idea  and  mentioned  it  to  Dr.  E.  J.  I^atta, 
who  conducted  a  paper  in  Kenesaw  at  that  time.  The  editor  dis- 
cussed the  subject  editorially  and  a  meeting  Mas  called.  In  INIarch, 
1904,  a  corporation  was  formed  with  eight  members,  each  subscrib- 
ing for  $2.50  worth  of  stock. 

Of  this  organization  F.  S.  Carey  was  the  president,  W.  Z.  Par- 
menter,  vice  president,  and  Dr.  E.  J.  Latta,  secretary.  These,  with 
the  following,  composed  the  board  of  directors:  S.  A.  Westing,  A.  S. 
Howard,  Stephen  Schultz.  George  Wolcott  and  D.  D.  Norton.  The 
first  year  about  twenty  miles  of  line  was  constructed  and  at  the  end 
of  the  first  year  a  dividend  of  10  per  cent  was  voted  through  the 
issuance  and  sale  of  stock.  The  following  year  the  lines  were  con- 
siderably extended.  S.  A.  Westing  was  the  president  the  second 
year.  A  dividend  of  8  per  cent  was  declared  to  again  be  paid 
by  the  issuance  of  stock.  Each  year  subsequently  a  dividend  of  8 
per  cent  has  been  paid  in  cash.  Free  service  is  maintained  with 
Prosser,  Juniata.  Heartwell  and  Holstein.  The  monthly  rate  for 
residence  phone  is  $1.2.5  per  month  and  $2  for  business  phones. 
The  company  has  about  five  hundred  subscribers. 

The  present  officers  of  the  telephone  company  are  A.  S.  Howard, 
president:  Herman  Coplin,  secretary,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
directors.  H.  E.  Rose,  S.  A.  Westing.  E.  Wicks,  E.  E.  Weaver.  W. 
Z.  Parmenter  and  Cal  Osier. 

KENESAM'   SCHOOL   DISTRICT 

The  narrative  of  the  establishing  of  the  Kenesaw  school  district 
is  of  interest  hot  only  because  the  institution  has  flourished  with  com- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       "3 

iiiendable  success  but  because  the  question  of  location  divided  the 
early  settlers  sharijly.  Dr.  A.  D.  ^Villianis  has  left  a  very  interest- 
ing account  of  the  struggle.  "Early  in  1873,"  wrote  Doctor  Williams, 
"it  was  found  that  there  were  twenty-seven  children  of  school  age  in 
the  district,  in  which  there  was  a  large  amount  of  taxable  railroad 
land  and  property,  while  the  settlers  were  nearly  all  homesteaders,  and 
paid  very  little  taxes.  So  A.  D.  Williams  proposed  that  $4,000  of 
lionds  be  issued,  running  for  only  five  years,  so  that  the  burden  would 
rest  largely  on  the  two  railroads — most  of  the  land  being  l^nion 
Pacific  land — before  the  settlers  would  pay  much  taxes. 

"Strange  to  relate  there  was  opposition  to  the  jiroposition,  most 
of  it  from  people  who  had  a  good  supply  of  children  and  next  to  no 
taxes.  But  the  bonds  were  issued,  the  house  built  in  187-1,  and  both 
tlie  railroads  and  some  of  the  homesteaders  kicked.  The  question  of 
location  proved  a  bone  of  contention.  The  settlers  north  and  south 
of  the  railroad  were  about  equal  in  numbers  and  generally  voted  ac- 
cording to  location.  At  the  first  meeting  the  vote  was  for  a  south 
side  location.  The  railroad  refused  to  deed  the  site  and  the  question 
!iad  to  be  reconsidered.  At  the  second  meeting  the  present  site,  on  the 
north  side,  was  selected,  some  of  those  south  of  the  road  voting  for  it. 
Eut  the  south  siders  opposed  to  the  north  side  site  commenced  a  war 
ujion  the  erection  of  the  building.  A  suit  was  commenced  and  an  in- 
junction secured.  Tlie  court,  however,  dissolved  the  injunction  and 
dismissed  the  suit  and  the  work  of  building  the  house  went  on.  The 
only  sharp  practice — if  such  it  be  called — which  I  as  agent  of  the 
town  site  company  practiced  during  the  whole  matter,  was  to  se- 
cure through  the  county  superintendent  such  a  readjustment  of  the 
lioundary  of  the  district,  by  strictly  legal  process,  as  left  Reverend 
'\^''illis  outside,  and  before  he  knew  it. 

"Then  came  a  struggle  to  prevent  paying  the  bonds  in  the  five 
years,  led  on  by  the  railroads,  and  favored  by  some  persons  having 
considerable  taxable  property.  The  object  of  the  railroads  was  ob- 
vious— to  prevent  paj'ment  until  they  had  disposed  of  their  lands  in 
\\hich  they  secured  manifest  advantage  to  the  equally  obvious  disad- 
vantage of  the  settlers.  But  as  most  of  the  parties  to  this  arrange- 
ment remained  in  the  district  until  the  bonds  Avere  paid,  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  see  where  the  benefit  to  them  came  in,  for  relieving  the  rail- 
roads and  throwing  the  amount  of  their  relief  upon  the  old  settlers 
who  had  proved  up  on  their  lands  in  the  meantime,  and  on  the  new 
settlers  that  liad  come  in."  Connected  with  the  early  years  of  the 
scliool  was  a  weekly  literary  society  which  held  the  interest  not  only  of 
tlie  pu])ils  but  of  tlie  whole  community,  and  freciuently  presented  fine 


374       PAST  AND  PllESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

public  programs.  "The  Literary"  met  the  social  as  well  as  the  intel- 
lectual needs  of  the  time. 

The  schoolhouse  erected  in  1874  was  a  two-story  frame  building 
which,  with  a  north  extension  and  other  improvements,  served  as  the 
schoolhouse  until  the  erection  of  the  present  brick  building  in  1912. 
Bonds  for  the  new  schoolhouse  in  the  sum  of  $25,800  were  voted 
November  11,  1911.  The  plans  and  specifications  were  made  by  W. 
F.  Germandt  of  Fairbury  and  the  general  contract  was  let  to  Philly 
&  JMcHale  of  Deshler  and  Fairbury  upon  their  bid  of  $19,035.  The 
contract  for  plumbing  and  the  installation  of  the  steam  heating  plant 
was  let  to  Peter  N.  Kjar  of  Holdrege  for  $5,255. 

The  Kenesaw  High  School  is  on  the  accredited  list  and  has  twelve 
grades.  The  class  of  191(3  numbered  twenty-three,  the  largest  in  the 
history  of  the  school.  Domestic  science,  normal  training,  commercial 
and  agricultural  dejDartments  are  maintained  as  well  as  playground 
apparatus.  About  $1,500  was  received  in  1915  in  tuition  from  out- 
of-the-district  pupils. 

The  board  serving  when  the  new  schoolhouse  was  built  were:  T. 
C.  Branson,  chairman;  F.  C.  Armitage,  B.  F.  Schlegel,  I.  D.  Evans, 
S.  A.  Westing  and  C.  H.  Combs.  The  present  board  are  B.  J.  Hil- 
sabeck,  F.  C.  Armitage,  B.  F.  Schlegel,  JMrs.  Lucy  K.  Partridge,  T. 
C.  Branson  and  Dr.  Walter  E.  Nowers.  B.  F.  Schlegel  has  served 
continuously  on  the  board  for  thirty-five  years.  The  superintend- 
ent of  the  Kenesaw  schools  at  present  is  Reuben  G.  Dunlap;  principal 
of  the  high  school,  Edna  C.  Baker;  other  teachers,  Marie  Hollister, 
Harriet  Oxer.  L.  M.  Lattin.  Alta  Bentz.  Katherine  Smith  and  Ruth 
JNIohler. 

CHURCHES 

Kenesaw  is  not  lacking  in  religious  and  worshii^ing  facilities. 
There  are  in  the  village  at  present  seven  church  organizations.  The 
INfethodist  Episcopal  was  the  first  organized  church  in  Kenesaw,  but 
after  the  downfall  of  the  Rev.  Royal  H.  Crane  and  the  moving  away 
of  some  of  its  members  there  was  no  Methodist  preaching  for  awhile. 

Largely  through  the  efforts  of  J.  G.  Hayzlett  and  the  Joneses, 
Presbyterian  preaching  and  eventually  a  Presbyterian  Church  was 
established.  Until  1883  all  denominations  worshiped  in  the  school- 
house,  dividing  the  time  between  them,  although  tliis  arrangement 
led  to  considerable  friction. 

METHODIST  CHURCH 

The  records  of  the  Kenesaw  Methodist  Church  indicate  that  fol- 
lowing the  collapse  of  the  first  organization  made  in  the  early  '70s 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      375 

by  Rev.  R.  A.  Crane  the  denomination  did  not  have  a  pastor  of 
their  own  until  1884..  The  Free  Will  Baptists  erected  a  house  of 
worship  in  June^of  that  year  and  the  Methodists  worshiped  in  this 
church.  After  the  erection  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  they  some- 
times met  in  that  church  alternating  with  the  use  of  the  Baptist  house. 
Sometimes,  service  was  held  in  Crane's  Hall. 

In  the  spring  of  1893  the  denomination  erected  their  own  church 
huihling.  In  the  early  fall  of  that  year  the  building  was  destroyed 
by  lightning.  Services  were  conducted  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  F.  A. 
Colony,  and  a  subscription  started  for  a  new  church.  The  present 
edifice  was  completed  that  fall  at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  A  parsonage  was 
subsequently  built  which  the  church  records  show  to  be  valued  at  $900 
in  1900,  $1,550  in  1910  and  $1,800  in  1916.  At  about  the  time  that 
the  church  was  built  in  Kenesaw  the  ^Nlount  Zion  Cliurch,  midway  be- 
tueen  Juniata  and  Kenesaw  was  erected,  but  in  1915  this  church  was 
moved  into  Kenesaw  where  it  is  now  used  as  a  hall  by  the  Epworth 
Ijeague  and  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society.  When  tlie  Kenesaw  church 
was  first  organized  it  was  on  the  Juniata  circuit  of  the  Beatrice  dis- 
trict of  which  Rev.  J.  B.  JNIaxfield  was  the  presiding  elder.  In  1880 
it  came  within  the  Hastings  district.  Among  the  early  members 
were  E.  B.  ^Nloore.  L.  B.  Partridge,  E.  N.  Crane,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
George  Kidd  and  H.  E.  Rose.  The  membership  of  the  church  at 
]iresent  is  135.  The  following  pastors  have  served  the  churcli: 
J.  G.  Walker,  1884;  T.  J.  Fink,  1885;  Isaac  New,  1886; 
K.M.  Hardman,  1887  to  1889,  inchisive;  M.  DeMott,  1890  to  1892. 
inclusive;  F.  A.  Colony,  1893  to  1897,  inclusive;  J.  P.  Badgeley. 
1898:  :\I.  A.  Wimberly,  1899;  E.  D.  Gideon,  1900,  served  year  and 
a  half:  S.  W.  Gamble,  three  months  in  1901;  Howard  P.  Young,  last 
tliree  months  of  1901  to  1904.  inclusive;  A.  V.  Grossman,  1905  and 
1906;  E.  M.  Reed,  1907  and  1908;  Paul  B.  Wright,  1909  to  191), 
inclusive;  R.  B.  E.  Hill,  1912  and  1913;  M.  S.  Foutch,  1914;  R.  B. 
Barr.  1915  to  September,  1916.  The  present  pastor,  T.  H.  Worley. 
has  served  since  September.  1916. 

FREE  AVIIJ,  BAPTIST  CHURCH 

This  chin-ch  was  organized  November  13.  1883.  The  cliarter  mem- 
bers were  Rev.  A.  D.  Williams,  D.  D.,  and  wife,  Sarah  Harn  Williams, 
James  R.  Currier,  Lewis  Currier,  Lydia  Currier,  Kate  Boley,  Sarah 
J.  Needham,  Perry  Hodges  and  Annie  Currier.  The  church  was 
dedicated  July  13,  1884,  by  Prof.  Ransom  Dunn.  Dr.  A.  D. 
^Villiams,  tlie  clerk  of  tlie  church,  superintended  the  building,  and 


376       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY 

raised  the  money  to  pay  for  the  church  with  the  exception  of  $200 
which  was  appropriated  for  the  purpose  of  assistance  by  the  general 
conference  at  iSIinneapohs.  This  jjhase  of  co-operation  in  the  Baptist 
denomination  Doctor  Williams  took  great  interest  in  promoting,  and 
he  wrote  a  history  of  the  movement  in  a  volume  entitled,  "Four  Years 
of  Co-oi^eration."    This  was  the  first  church  to  be  erected  in  Kenesaw. 

Doctor  Williams  was  the  first  pastor  and  the  following  named 
pastors  (not,  however,  in  exact  order)  have  served  the  church:  R.  N. 
Bonk,  J.  D.  Fry,  George  W.  KnapjJ,  Edward  Chace,  Howard  R. 
jMurphy,  now  a  missionary  to  India.  Rev.  Frank  Tilton,  Rev.  Lock- 
wood,  Harry  C.  Wolsot,  W.  F.  Davis,  ]Miss  Wilmette  JNIarks,  Rev. 
H.  M.  Burns,  who  served  only  a  month  or  two  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Louise  Dewey,  Rev.  N.  C.  Powers,  who  became  pastor  in  1900 
and  served  two  years,  Rev.  M.  F.  Sturdevant,  who  took  charge  in 
1911,  Mrs.  Lizzie  JNIcAdams,  who  was  chosen  in  1913,  and  Rev.  W.  F. 
Davis,  who  served  the  church  from  1904  to  1907,  and  has  been  serving 
a  second  term  since  1914.  Edward  Chace  was  succeeded  by  a  lady 
Avhose  name  has  been  forgotten.  Joseph  Westley,  W.  H.  Edger 
and  J.  C.  Dazey  did  successful  work  for  the  church  in  its  early  days 
as  evangelists. 

Dr.  Alvin  D.  AVillianis  and  his  wife,  Sarah  Harn  Williams,  filled 
a  very  large  place  in  the  religious  and  intellectual  life  of  the  com- 
munity. Mrs.  Williams  was  l)orn  in  ^Maryland  in  182.5  and  died  in 
Kenesaw  February  4,  1900.  Before  her  marriage  in  18.50  ]Mrs.  Wil- 
liams was  Sarah  Harn.  She  was  a  woman  of  wide  reading  and  at  a 
period  when  it  was  unusual  for  girls  to  acquire  more  than  the  rudiments 
of  an  education  jMiss  Harn  was  a  student  at  Cedar  Hill  Seminary 
in  Southern  Pennsylvania  and  afterwards  a  teacher. 

Doctor  Williams  was  a  graduate  of  Hamilton  College,  New  ^"ork, 
and  at  different  times  held  pastorates  with  the  Free  Baptist  Church 
at  Carolina  Mills,  R.  I.;  Pawtucket,  R.  I.;  Lawrence,  INIass. :  JMinne- 
apolis  and  Fairport,  JMinn.  He  served  as  the  head  of  several  schools 
among  others,  principal  of  the  Nebraska  State  Normal  at  Peru 
and  Oakland  City  College,  Oakland,  Ind.  Among  his  literary 
productions  are  "History  of  the  Free  Baptists  in  Rhode  Island." 
"History  of  the  Free  Communion  Baptists,"  "Four  Years  of  Co- 
operation in  Nebraska."  "Tlie  Church  and  Its  Institutions"  and  a 
biogra])hy  of  Rev.  Benoni  Stinson,  the  originator  of  tlie  General 
Baptist  denomination  in  the  United  States. 

I'IRST    rRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

The  Presbyterian  Church  at  Kenesaw  was  organized  January  7  6. 
1879.     The  following  were  the  charter  members:     Mr.  and  jNIrs.  J. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY       "7 

G.  Hayzlett,  J.  B.  Elwood,  Mrs.  L.  M.  Ellrod,  G.  C.  Giffin,  Mrs. 
P.  N.  Giffin,  JNIr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  L.  Frank,  Mrs.  Henrietta  INIoon 
and  jNIr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Jones.  The  first  ruling  elders  were  J.  G. 
Hayzlett  and  Joseph  L.  Frank.  The  first  new  members  received 
were  Mr.  and  JNIrs.  T.  Bolton  Burns,  who  united  with  the  Kenesaw 
Church  the  September  following  organization.  The  church  Mas 
organized  by  Rev.  George  L.  Little,  Synodical  missionary  for 
Nebraska. 

The  congregation  worshiped  in  the  Kenesaw  schoolhouse  until 
the  present  church  was  erected  in  the  summer  of  1883.  It  has  a  seat- 
ing cajjacity  of  about  one  hundred  fifty  and  the  present  membership 
is  eighty.  The  parsonage  was  built  about  190G  and  has  a  present 
valuation  of  about  $2,500.  The  present  ruling  elders  are  F.  M.  Den- 
man,  Charles  K.  Bm-ling,  W.  U.  Nichol  and  Orville  Caldwell.  The 
trustees  are  ]Mrs.  A.  Cauffman,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Templeton,  E.  S.  Jones, 
B.  J.  Hilsabeck,  William  Coulter  and  Albert  Nelson. 

The  following  have  been  the  pastors:  George  C.  GifFen.  Janu- 
ary. 1879,  to  November,  1883;  A.  Folson,  November,  1883,  to  Novem- 
ber, 1884;  J.  L.  Lawler,  November,  1884,  to  jNIay,  188.5;  J.  P.  Black. 
September,  1885,  to  August,  1887:  James  S.  Young,  JNIay  20.  1888. 
to  September  2,  1888:  ]M.  L.  JNIilford,  December  8,  1889.  to  November 
0.  1890;  W.  E.  Andrews,  February  25,  1891.  to  Jmie  1,  1893;  Sam- 
uel B.  JMoyer,  June  1,  1893.  to  December  3,  1894.;  Charles  H.  Brouil- 
lette,  JNIarch  1,  1895,  to  July.  1898;  T.  H.  Dry,  January,  1899,  to 
December,  1900;  W.  J.  Brooks,  March,  1901.  to  JMarch,  1903;  A. 
M.  Shepherd,  May,  1903,  to  December,  1904;  Joel  Warner,  Ain-il, 
1905,  to  September,  1907;  Oscar  Bostrom,  JSIarch,  1909,  to  Septem- 
ber, 1909;  H.  W.  Evart,  November,  1909,  to  JMarch,  1910;  R.  J. 
Bethower,  May,  1910;  John  J.  G.  Graham,  1911  and  1912.  The 
present  j^astor,  John  W.  Hill,  assumed  charge,  January  1,  1913. 

THE   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH 

An  effort  to  organize  this  denomination  in  the  early  '80s  did  not 
])rove  successful.  The  present  church  was  organized  Novemlier  22, 
1909,  by  Dr.  Charles  Reign  Scoville,  the  evangelist.  The  charter 
members  were  Mr.  and  JNIrs.  W.  Z.  Parmenter,  Mr.  and  JNIrs.  E.  J. 
Eatta,  JNIrs.  Dillon,  Ethel  Dillon,  O.  JNIikesell,  J.  T.  Aker,  Harley 
Parmenter,  JNIrs.  E.  E.  Alshouse,  JNIrs.  Thomas  Jones.  JNIrs.  O.  JNIike- 
sell, Bess  and  JNIildred  Latta.  The  congregation  worshiped  before 
the  erection  of  the  church  sometimes  in  the  First  State  Bank  and  in 
Eatta  Hall.     The  erection  of  the  church  was  begun  in  the  s])ring  of 


378   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

1912  and  on  November  10th  of  that  year  it  was  dedicated.  The  build- 
ing committee  was  W.  Z.  Parmenter,  Thomas  Ramsey,  E.  J.  Latta 
and  A.  S.  Howard.    The  present  membership  is  sixty-five. 

The  following  have  been  the  pastors:  Charles  Cobbey,  until  1911 ; 
R.  A.  Batie,  1911;  Chancellor  Oeschager,  a  short  time  in  1912;  J.  H. 
Bieknell  completed  1912;  E.  H.  ^Nlurry,  seven  months  in  1913;  Miss 
Lizzie  ]McAdams,  three  months  in  1914;  L.  A.  Bronbaugh,  seven  or 
eight  months  in  1915;  Frank  INIajors,  two  months  in  1916.  At  pres- 
ent the  church  is  without  a  pastor. 

THE  XAZAEEXE   CHURCH 

The  Pentecostal  Church  of  the  Nazarene  was  organized  INIay  23, 
1911,  by  Rev.  Q.  A.  Deck  with  thirty-one  charter  members.  The 
first  stewards  were  Nelson  Jaco,  Harry  Peck.  Frank  Bahlke. 

The  present  stewards  are  Nelson  Jaco,  jNIrs.  Olive  Peck,  Evert 
Peck.  JMrs.  JNIartha  Baugh,  ]Mrs.  Emma  JNIcFerren,  JNIrs.  Lore  Dick 
and  ]Mrs.  Frank  Bahlke;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Lily  Anderson;  secretary, 
Eldora  Baugh;  trustees.  Harry  Peck,  Frank  Bahlke  and  Will  Mc- 
Ferren.  The  house  of  worship  which  was  dedicated  November  12, 
1911.  has  a  seating  capacity  of  175.  There  are  at  present  thirty  mem- 
l)ers. 

Rev.  Q.  A.  Deck  ministered  to  the  congregation  for  a  time  and 
has  been  followed  by  INIiss  Louise  Dewey,  JNIay  1  to  July  1,  1912; 
Theodore  and  Minnie  E.  Ludwig,  October  1,  1912,  to  September  14. 
1913;  Rev.  N.  D.  Essley,  September  28,  1913,  to  September,  1914; 
A.  C.  Holland,  September  14,  1914.  to  September  1,  191.3:  H.  C. 
Williams,  September  1,  191.5,  to  July  16,  1916.  The  present  pastor 
Rev.  .Tames  J.  Brady,  has  been  in  charge  since  October  1,  1916. 

EVAXGELICAI.  CHURCH 

The  Evangelical  Cluu'ch  was  organized  in  1878  and  has  enjoyed 
a  satisfactory  growth,  being  now  one  of  the  strong  churches  of  Kene- 
saw.  Among  the  charter  members  were  Ernest  Budy,  Green  Cullop, 
Charles  Oliver,  J.  W.  Bobbitt,  Reuben  Budy.  IMrs.  JNIary  Jones. 
Charles  Schlehouf,  O.  A.  Bentz  and  B.  Young. 

KENESAW  LODGES 

Kenesaw  Lodge,  No.  144,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  organized  January 
28,  1885.  The  charter  members  were  Henry  E.  Norton,  John  G. 
Havzlett,  George  W.  Wolcott,  John  B.  Brown,  Robert  B.  Brown. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      379 

Luther  B.  Partridge,  Eli  N.  Crane,  Truman  P.  Booth,  John  W. 
Bobbitt  and  JNIilton  Young.  The  lodge  now  has  sixtj-  members. 
The  present  officers  are  Raj^  Fulmer,  master;  John  Ramsey,  senior 
warden;  Dr.  Walter  E.  Nowers,  junior  warden;  L,  M.  Robinson, 
secretary,  and  B.  F.  Schlegel,  treasurer. 

A.  o.  u.  w. 

Kenesaw  Lodge,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  No.  188,  was  organized  March 
•2(i,  1891.  The  first  officers  were  ^NIcKendrey  DeJNIott,  past  master 
workman;  Harry  ]M.  Russell,  master  workman;  Eugene  B.  Moore, 
foreman;  Clarence  Powell,  overseer;  Philander  E.  Hatch,  recorder; 
John  Patterson,  overseer;  Josephus  Williams,  receiver.  This  lodge 
now  has  a  membership  of  100.  The  present  officers  are  "W.  C.  Hines, 
master  workman;  D.  R.  jNIikesell,  foreman;  R.  A.  Fulmer,  overseer; 
O.  A.  Armitage,  financier;  C.  L.  Schunk,  secretary;  Dr.  W.  E. 
Nowers,  receiver;  Arthur  jMavis,  guide. 

DEGREE  OF  HOXOR 

Help  Lodge,  No.  86,  was  organized  June  8,  1898.  The  first 
ofKcers  were  ]\Iargret  Coulter,  past  chief;  Ella  Hofi^man,  lady  of 
honor:  Emma  Fonger,  chief  of  honor;  Lam'a  E.  Andrews,  chief  of 
ceremony;  L.  JNI.  Robinson,  recorder;  Lavina  Williamson,  receiver: 
Amy  Robinson,  financier;  Mary  JNIartin,  L.  of  LT.;  John  Clark,  in- 
side watch;  Charles  Ramsey,  outside  watch.  The  present  officers  are 
]Mrs.  Henry  Huffman,  chief  of  honor;  ]Mrs.  Alma  Groff,  lady  of 
honor;  Mrs.  Dan  Martin,  past  chief;  INIrs.  Charles  Pritchard,  chief 
of  ceiemony;  Myh.  Grant  Ruby,  recorder. 

ODD  FELLO^VS 

I.  O.  O.  F.  Lodge,  No.  231,  was  organized  August  18.  1898.  Tlie 
first  officers  were  E.  J.  Latta,  N.  G.;  Zenas  Smith,  V.  G.;  C.  L.  Ben- 
son, secretary;  John  Gearhart,  treasurer.  The  lodge  now  has  120 
members.  The  present  officers  are  Dr.  Walter  E.  Nowers,  N.  G.: 
Seth  Lippincott,  V.  G.;  Asa  Phillips,  secretary;  Reuben  Bowers, 
treasurer. 


Enterprise  Lodge,  No.  29,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized 
INIarch  7,  1912,  with  the  following  charter  members:  J.  L.  Temple- 
ton.  W.  E.  Latta,  Frank  Bernhard,  W.  H.  Long,  B.  F.  Schlegel. 


380       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Jerry  Liijpincott,  A.  S.  Howard,  B.  C.  Hutchinson,  Dr.  S.  J.  Stew- 
art, Dr.  E.  J.  Latta,  G.  F.  Whitesell,  S.  S.  Wertz,  Ed  Alshouse,  H. 
G.  Larsen  and  L.  M.  Robinson.  The  lodge  now  has  thirty-six  mem- 
bers with  the  following  officers:  Chancellor  commander.  Dr.  W.  E. 
Nowers;  vice  commander,  Ed  Dry;  master  of  work,  W.  C.  Hines; 
master  of  arms,  Bruce  Temjileton ;  keeper  of  records  and  seals,  Jesse 
Temiileton:  treasurer,  B.  F.  Schlegel;  prelate,  T.  F.  AVilson. 

HIGHLANDERS 

Ben  Aljjine  Castle,  No.  74,  Royal  Highlanders,  was  organized 
.Tanuarj'  1,  1898.  The  first  officers  were  A.  S.  Howard,  past  illus- 
trious protector;  Luther  B.  Partridge,  protector;  J.  L.  Landis,  chief 
counsellor;  Nelson  Jaco,  worthy  evangel;  Fred  P.  Piccard,  secretary; 
Fi'ed  S.  Gary,  treasurer. 


Ambrose  Camp,  No.  1818,  was  organized  October  31,  1802.  The 
charter  members  were  Robert  J.  Boyd,  "Winfield  S.  Evans,  William 
E.  Latta.  H.  L.  ]Martin,  Clarence  Hall,  S.  H.  Smith,  Jay  Williams 
and  Ricliard  J.  White. 

SUFFRAGE  ORGAN IZATION 

The  first  woman  suffrage  oi-ganization  in  Adams  County  was  at 
Kenesaw,  the  first  organization  being  made  June  2,  1882,  by  ]Mrs. 
M.  A.  Brass.  D.  D.  Norton  was  the  first  president  of  this  organi- 
zation, Mrs.  J.  G.  Haj-zlett,  vice  president;  ^Irs.  J.  H.  Cooley, 
secretary;  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Roberts,  treasurer. 

The  present  organization  was  formed  in  1903  by  Gail  Lauglilin 
of  Elaine.  Ellen  D.  Harn  has  been  the  president  since  the  begin- 
ning. The  other  officers  are  JNIrs.  F.  L.  Haller,  vice  president;  jNIrs. 
John  Osier,  recording  secretary;  Miss  JNIary  Williams,  correspond- 
ing secretary ;  Mrs.  Nels  INIikkelsen,  treasurer;  and  JNIrs.  L.  N.  Rowers, 
auditor.  The  organization  is  active  and  has  a  membership  of  twenty- 
one  at  present — at  times  the  membership  has  been  as  high  as  fifty. 
Monthly  meetings  are  held  and  in  former  years  public  meetings  Avith 
programs  were  frequently  given.  Lecturers  have  been  brought  to 
Kenesaw  by  the  organization  and  a  generous  amount  of  money  has 
been  raised  for  the  suffrage  cause  and  delegates  have  been  sent  regii- 
larlv  to  the  county  and  state  conventions. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      381 

CEMETERY   ASSOCIATIOX 

Tlie  Kenesaw  Cemetery  Association  was  formed  April  26,  1880. 
The  first  trustees  were  G.  W.  Baldwin,  ^V.  Z.  Parmenter  and  G.  C. 
Gitlin.  D.  D.  Norton  was  the  first  secretary  and  J.  G.  Hayzlett 
treasurer. 

POSTMASTERS 

A.  D.  Williams  was  the  first  postmaster  ajipointed  and  Mrs.  M.  S. 
Norton,  the  deputy,  was  the  acting  postmaster  with  D.  D.  Norton, 
her  son.  doing  the  actual  handling  of  the  greater  part  of  the  mail. 
The  succeeding  postmasters  have  been  A.  S.  Thompson,  S.  S.  Bechtel- 
heimer,  T.  A.  Templeton,  Herman  D.  Einspahr,  Luther  B.  Part- 
ridge, Lucy  K.  Partridge  and  the  present  postmaster,  John  Cain,  who 
was  appointed  in  1912.  Kenesaw  has  two  rural  routes  that  were 
established  at  about  the  time  the  Juniata  routes  were  begun. 

TOWX  OFFICERS 

At  present  W.  C.  Hines  is  chairman  of  the  board  of  town  trustees. 
The  other  members  are  B.  J.  Hilsabeck,  F.  C.  Armitage,  L.  M.  Rob- 
inson, Reuben  Bowers  and  E.  C.  Dry,  who  is  the  clerk.  The  officials 
are  elected  for  a  term  of  two  years. 

STATE    REPRESENTATIVES 

The  west  end  of  the  county  has  fin-nished  as  representatives  in  the 
I..egislature  Horace  G.  Armitage,  now  deceased,  Herman  Redman 
and  A.  S.  Howard,  long  prominent  in  business  in  Kenesaw.  I.  D. 
Evans  was  twice  a  member  of  the  Legislatvu'e  and  won  a  prominent 
place  in  the  House,  and  through  contributions  to  newspapers  has 
attained  a  state-wide  reputation. 

NEW^SPAPERS 

Kenesaw  has  seen  the  rise  and  fall  of  a  number  of  publications. 
First  on  the  list,  while  Kenesaw  was  a  mere  way  station,  George  and 
Mary  Williams  started  the  publication  of  the  Desert  Home  Times. 
The  office  of  publication  Avas  on  their  father's  farm,  just  outside  the 
prospective  town  site.  The  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  eleven 
years  old.     It  was  one  of  those  juvenile  iniblications  that  were  (piite 


382       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

a  fad  at  that  time.  The  number  for  September,  187J^,  had  this  item: 
"Peanuts,  sweet  jDotatoes,  limiipkins,  bumpkins  and  various  other 
vegetable  conmiodities  are  now  plenty  at  the  Desert  Home;  so  says 
Pa."  The  paper  was  two  columns  wide  and  about  eight  inches  long. 
The  first  numbers  were  written,  but  later  it  was  printed  on  their 
father's  army  press. 

In  187.5,  A.  D.  Williams  began  the  publication  of  the  Kenesaw 
Times,  at  his  home  joining  the  town  site.  Kenesaw  was  still  only  a 
few  scattered  houses  with  no  business  to  speak  of,  but  ]Mr.  ^Villiams 
continued  the  publication  of  the  Times  until  January,  1878,  when  he 
transferred  his  business  and  began  the  publication  of  the  Central 
Nebraskan  at  Hastings.  Thereafter  there  was  no  paper  at  Kenesaw 
until  the  boom  jjeriod  of  1883,  when  the  B.  &  M.  Railroad  began 
building  the  Denver  cut-off,  starting  from  Kenesaw.  From  that 
event  began  the  real  building  of  the  town  and  business  of  Kenesaw. 
It  was  in  that  year  George  T.  Williams,  the  pioneer  publisher  of 
Kenesaw  as  proprietor  of  the  Desert  Home  Times,  started  a  real 
newspaper,  the  Kenesaw  Times.  In  1888  he  sold  the  Times  and 
3'emoved  to  Denver,  where  he  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  news- 
paper work,  as  printer,  j)roof  reader,  reporter,  city  editor  and  editorial 
writer. 

For  a  time  there  were  two  papers  in  Kenesaw,  Horace  Ct.  Armi- 
tage  starting  the  Free  Press  about  188.5.  In  1889,  G.  Del.  Coleman 
and  H.  G.  Armitage  published  the  Kenesaw  Cyclone. 

The  successor  to  the  Times  had  many  editors,  the  name  being 
changed  several  times.  S.  H.  Smith,  lawyer,  editor  and  liveryman, 
edited  the  paper  for  many  years.  He  changed  the  name  to  Citizen. 
Mr.  Smith  was  prominent  in  the  village  for  many  years,  being  a 
member  of  the  school  board  for  more  than  twenty  years.  He  is  now 
a  resident  of  Basin,  Wyoming..  Dr.  E.  J.  Latta,  prominent  as 
physician  and  citizen,  edited  the  paper  for  a  time.  J.  A.  Gardner, 
now  of  the  Holstein  Herald,  ran  the  paper  about  three  years,  chang- 
ing the  name  to  Kaleidoscope.  In  1913,  he  sold  to  the  present  owner 
and  editor,  Mr.  W.  W.  ISIaltman,  who  calls  it  the  Kenesaw  Sunbeam. 
The  Sunbeam  has  an  equipment  that  would  do  credit  to  a  larger 
town;  a  linotype,  three  job  presses  and  everything  else  necessary  to 
turn  out  a  handsome  paper  and  to  do  good  job  work. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
HOLSTEIX 

Holstein,  situated  in  the  southeast  portion  of  Cottonwood  Town- 
ship, is  the  westernmost  town  of  Adams  County,  and  is  the  local  mar- 
ket accommodating  the  southwest  section  of  the  county.  The  progress 
of  the  community  siu'rounding  the  town  is  reflected  in  its  modern  store 
buildings  and  comfortable  residences.  The  census  of  1910  gave 
Holstein  a  pojndation  of  323.  The  town  was  named  in  honor  of 
Schleswig  Holstein,  the  northern  jjeninsula  of  the  German  Empire 
which  was  the  original  home  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  earliest 
settlers  in  this  section  of  Adams  County.  Many  of  the  early  settlers 
were  Danes  and  Germans. 

While  the  pioneers  of  the  neighborhool  among  whom  would  be 
Xicholas  oNIetzer,  August  Hohlfeld.  INIichael  Hargleroad.  Christian 
P.  Hargleroad,  Joseph  Huckfeldt  and  many  others  whose  names  are 
well  known  in  Adams  County,  had  filed  on  their  claims  at  dates  rang- 
ing from  1873  to  187o,  the  Town  of  Holstein  did  not  exist  until  the 
coming  of  the  Kansas  City  &  Omaha  Railroad,  now  the  Burlington, 
in  1887.  Joseph  Huckfeldt  was  the  owner  of  the  northeast  quarter 
of  section  27  and  John  Golgert  the  owner  of  the  northwest  corner  of 
section  26,  in  township  6  north,  range  12  west.  In  order  to  establish 
a  town  at  this  point  the  owners  of  these  quarter  sections  entered  into 
an  agreement  with  John  ]M.  Ragan  and  INIorris  Alexander  of  Hast- 
ings, and  Michael  A.  Hargleroad  by  which  they  jointly  were  to  ac- 
quire title  to  the  land  to  dispose  of  for  town  purposes.  The  Huckfeldt 
land  was  conveyed  to  John  jM.  Ragan  as  trustee  for  himself,  Julia 
Sweet  and  Joseph  Huckfeldt  and  the  Golgert  land  was  conveyed  to 
jNIorris  Alexander  as  trustee  for  himself,  ^Michael  A.  Hargleroad  and 
John  M.  Ragan.  In  June,  191.5,  a  decree  was  granted  by  the  Dis- 
trict Court  upon  the  petition  of  the  Village  of  Holstein,  ]\Iichael  A. 
Hargleroad,  Christ  Christensen  and  Joseph  Huckfeldt  quitting  all 
claims  that  might  arise  through  the  original  ownership  agreement 
save  the  claims  of  those  named  in  the  petition  as  indicated., 

July  22,  1887,  the  surveyor,  E.  G.  Groff,  acting  for  the  trustees, 
383 


384       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

John  ]M.  Ragaii  and  jMorris  Alexander,  platted  the  Town  of  Hol- 
stein.  The  survej^or's  description  of  the  area  platted  shows  it  to 
embrace  the  north  sixty  acres  of  the  north  half  of  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  section  27;  ivecisely,  60.1.5  acres  and  40.13  acres,  which  is  the 
northwest  quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  20.  Avenues 
\vere  jjlatted  north  and  south  and  streets  east  and  west.  The  avenues 
were  named  West,  Brown,  James,  Claud,  Depot,  Helen,  Clarence, 
Maine,  Garfield,  Cleveland  and  Lincoln;  the  streets  were  designated 
Adams,  Fillmore,  Monroe,  Jackson,  Franklin  and  Short.  Depot 
avenue  soon  came  to  be  and  so  continues  the  principal  business  thor- 
oughfare. The  greater  number  of  the  streets  were  platted  sixtj^  feet 
wide  but  one  or  more  are  seventy  feet. 

Acting  ujDon  the  jietition  of  citizens  Holstein  was  incor])orated 
June  6,  1889,  two  years  following  its  platting.  The  boundaries  of  the 
incorjwrated  area  were  defined  as  follows:  Commencing  at  the  north- 
east corner  of  section  24,  running  west  to  the  northwest  corner  of  sec- 
tion 19,  then  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of  section  31,  then  east  to 
the  southeast  corner  of  section  36,  then  north  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  section  24.  This  area  embraced  eighteen  sections,  one-half  of  Cot- 
tonwood Township,  a  tract  six  miles  long  and  three  miles  wide,  and 
containing  11, .520  acres.  Holstein  became  known  as  the  "Six  by  Three 
town."  Some  explain  that  the  village  contemi^lated  a  vigorous  growth 
that  would  demand  these  proportions  while  others  have  it  that  it  was 
necessary  to  include  this  great  area  in  order  to  secure  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  freeholders  to  meet  the  requirement  of  law  in  petitioning  for 
liquor  licenses.  The  population  was  sparse,  hence  the  necessity  of 
incorporating  a  large  area.  Tlie  movement  for  detaching  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  original  town  resulted  in  the  consent  of  the  village  board  to 
such  detachment  July  13,  1913,  and  on  June  14,  191.5,  the  District 
Coiu't,  acting  upon  the  petition  of  P.  C.  Larsen  and  others,  declared 
the  corporation  to  be  contained  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  27, 
the  northwest  quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  26,  the  south- 
west quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  23  and  the  south  one- 
half  of  the  south  one-half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  22.  At 
the  time  of  incorporation  in  1889  the  board  of  supervisors  granted 
the  petition  asking  for  the  appointment  of  ]M.  A.  Hargleroad,  W.  S. 
^NfcCauley,  William  Hope.  C.  A.  Sipple  and  George  A.  Reutley  as 
village  trustees. 

A  postofRce  was  established  in  Holstein  in  1887  with  A.  S. 
Thompson  as  postmaster.  Mr.  Thompson  came  to  the  new  town  from 
Kenesaw  and  established  the  first  drug  store,  in  which  the  postoffice 
was  located  at  the  corner  of  Depot  Avenue  and  Fillmore.     He  con- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      385 

tinned  to  be  jjostmaster  until  1889  when  he  was  succeeded  bj^  C.  P. 
Hargleroad  who  served  until  1891.  Dr.  W.  T.  Carson  followed  Mr. 
Hargleroad,  serving  until  1897  when  I^ouis  Schellenberger  assumed 
chai-ge  and  remained  postmaster  until  1900.  Since  then  George  W. 
JMaxwell,  John  H.  ^loehl,  Jolm  JNIaxwell  and  the  present  incumbent, 
Henry  jNI.  Carson,  brother  of  Doctor  Carson,  have  served  in  succession. 

Early  in  1888  a  grain  elevator  was  built  and  C.  J.  Purer  was  the 
first  dealer  in  grain.  In  tlie  same  year  J.  H.  Freeman,  of  Juniata, 
established  a  general  merchandise  store  and  Hope  Bros,  opened  a 
hardware  store.  William  and  Andy  Hope  were  the  proprietors  of 
this  store  and  continued  its  operation  until  1890  when  it  was  pur- 
chased by  the  present  owner,  M.  A.  Hargleroad.  From  time  to  time 
Mr.  Hargleroad  has  improved  and  enlarged  the  store.  Then  Hope 
Bros,  came  to  Holstein  from  Iowa  and  upon  leaving  the  town  returned 
to  that  state. 

In  1888  a  ]\Ir.  McPeak  came  from  Fairfield  and  established  a 
drug  store.  Scarcely,  however,  was  the  proprietor  located  when  the 
place  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  the  business  discontinued.  It  was  in 
189.5  that  the  general  merchandise  store  of  C.  F.  Keutzer,  who  had 
been  in  business  for  several  years,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Another 
file  in  190.5  destroyed  a  restaurant.  These  losses  embrace  the  fire 
damage  to  Holstehi  uj)  to  the  present  time. 

Tlie  fii'st  hotel  in  Holstein  was  conducted  by  Elijah  INIinnix.  This 
was  an  ordinary  dwelling  house  and  oiJened  for  business  in  about  1889. 
The  first  meat  market  was  conducted  by  Herman  Feis  who  opened 
his  shop  in  1903. 

Sliortly  after  the  establisliing  of  the  town  a  general  merchandise 
store  Mas  opened  by  Will  and  John  Young  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Depot  Avenue  and  Fillmore  Street.  The  firm  name  was  Young  Bros. 
John  Fisher  i)in"chased  this  store  in  1901,  and  the  firm  later  became 
Fisher  i^  Son.  This  business  was  conducted  in  a  frame  store  building 
until  1911  when  the  brick  establishment  in  wliich  Fisher  &  Son  are  now 
located  was  built. 

In  1893  Louis  Schellenberger  opened  a  general  merchandise  store. 
This  luisiness  was  later  sold  to  Gilbert  Maxwell  who  in  turn  sold  it  to 
Will)er  Colfman.  ]Mr.  CofFnian  after  operating  the  store  a  short 
time  removed  the  stock  to  Kenesaw  in  1900. 

Thomas  JNIullady  opened  a  general  store  in  abovit  1891,  a  new 
frame  store  building  being  erected  for  him.  This  business  was  pur- 
chased in  1899  by  William  Westering  and  George  H.  Van  Antwer]). 
Tlie  following  year  INIr.  Westering  built  a  store  building  opjjosite  the 
ijresent  location  of  the  Holstein  State  Bank.    This  was  the  first  brick 


386       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

building  to  be  erected  in  tlie  town  and  cost  about  $4,000.  The  fii'm 
moved  into  this  building  and  used  it  for  the  conduct  of  their  business. 
In  1904  Mr.  Westering  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner  who 
removed  to  California  where  he  still  resides.  Mr.  Westering  dis- 
posed of  the  store  in  1911  to  Hargleroad  &  Nelson  who  two  years 
later  sold  to  C.  K.  Giddings  &  Son.  Since  then  it  has  been  purchased 
by  Laird  &  ^NlcCauley  and  the  firm  name  is  the  Holstein  ]Mercantile 
Comjjan}'.  The  store  has  a  frontage  of  seventy-five  feet.  Mr.  ]Mul- 
lady  who  established  the  business  is  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Reed  &: 
]Mullady  that  conducts  a  general  merchandise  business  in  Trumbull  in 
Clay  County.    ]Mr.  ^Vestering  is  in  the  real  estate  business  at  Hastings. 

Two  flour  mills  ^veve  established  in  Holstein.  The  earlier  was 
operated  by  Schellenberger  &  Clark  and  the  later  by  Nicholas  JNIetzer. 
Mr.  Metzer's  mill  stood  about  200  yards  west  of  the  railway  station. 
It  was  a  steam  roller  mill  with  a  capacity  of  about  forty  barrels  of 
flour  i^er  day.  This  enterprise  was  abandoned  in  1892  and  the  plant 
was  removed  to  Alma. 

In  1900  Holstein  got  its  first  telephone  service  when  a  line  was 
built  connecting  the  town  with  Bladen.  Those  instrumental  in  secur- 
ing this  service  were  George  Broil,  Dr.  W.  T.  Carson,  W.  B.  Hargle- 
road, Dan  Essinger,  John  Fisher,  John  JNIoehl,  ]M.  A.  Hargleroad 
and  George  L.  Fisher.  A  line  already  existed  running  north  from 
Bladen  so  that  it  was  only  necessary  to  build  six  miles  more  to  connect 
with  Holstein.  Two-by-fom-  scantlings  were  spiked  to  fence  posts 
and  over  these  the  wire  was  strung.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  more 
than  a  dozen  of  these  "Two-by-four"  lines  came  into  use  in  the  locality. 

JNIayflower  was  the  name  given  a  postoffice  that  was  established  on 
the  farm  of  John  Burling,  six  miles  northwest  of  Holstein.  Henry 
Trier  carried  the  mail  to  and  from  Holstein,  making  the  trip  three 
times  each  week.  This  was  called  the  Star  route  and  was  abandoned 
when  the  rural  route  was  established  in  1900.  The  rural  route  is 
thirty-two  miles  in  length  and  Frank  I^ukow  is  the  present  carrier. 

W.  S.  INIcCaidey  established  the  second  newspaper  in  Holstein. 
This  was  the  Holstein  Record.  It  was  discontinued  in  1890,  a  year 
after  its  establishment.  In  1890  a  joint  stock  company  was  formed 
and  the  Holstein  Nonpareil  was  founded.  Doctor  Carson  was  presi- 
dent of  the  company  and  was  the  editor  during  the  paper's  career  of 
three  years.  Both  of  these  papers  were  four-page  weeklies.  The 
first  paper  was  established  in  1897  by  H.  G.  Woods,  who  removed  his 
I^lant  from  Ragan  and  established  the  Adams  County  Independent. 
After  publishing  the  paper  about  a  year,  the  editor  removed  to  Omaha. 
This  was  the  only  ])rinting  ])laiit  to  be  established  in  Holstein.     The 


PAST  AND  PRESP:NT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       387 

Xonpareil  was  printed  by  the  Watkiiis  Publishing  House  in  Hastings 
and  the  Record  was  printed  in  Minden. 

In  1893  a  hardware  store  was  established  by  P.  N.  Carson.  This 
business  ^vas  carried  on  for  about  three  years  and  was  then  discon- 
tinued. In  an  early  day  F.  C.  Van  Veghten  established  a  furniture 
and  inidertaking  store  which  is  still  carried  on  by  the  same  proprietor. 
For  a  time  Mr.  Van  Veghten  Mas  the  manager  of  the  lumber  yard 
which  he  operated  for  the  Cooley  Lumber  Company  of  Kenesaw. 

In  191.5  W.  B.  G.  Hargleroad  erected  on  Depot  Avenue  a  modern, 
two-stoiy  brick  business  building  at  a  cost  of  $1.5,000.  The  upper 
story  is  furnished  as  a  hall  and  here  the  lodges  have  their  headquarters 
and  public  assemblages  are  held.  The  lower  floor  is  occupied  by  a 
modern  drug  store  of  which  H.  ]M.  Carson  is  the  proprietor,  and  a 
moving  picture  theater.  This  building  is  thoroughly  modern  in  the 
matter  of  equipment.  Another  modern  brick  building  is  that  occupied 
by  the  First  State  Bank  of  Holstein.  This  was  completed  in  1914  and 
cost  $5,000. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  use  in  Holstein,  dated  back  to  about  the 
beginning  of  the  town,  was  a  small  frame  building  standing  in  the 
extreme  eastern  part  of  the  town.  Lincoln  Ambler  was  the  first 
teacher.  The  first  school  building  was  used  about  three  years  when  a 
two-story  building  was  erected  upon  a  location  about  two  blocks  west 
of  the  first  site.  In  1908  the  district  voted  $.5,000  for  school  purposes 
and  the  ])resent  brick  school  building  was  erected.  This  schoolhouse 
has  four  rooms  and  four  teachers  are  employed.  ^Vork  is  done  through 
the  tenth  grade,  and  playground  ajiparatus  was  installed  in  191.5.  A 
kindergarten  is  also  conducted.  The  old  schoolhouse  was  purchased  by 
AVilliam  Westering  and  Andy  Lorentzen  and  moved  south  of  the 
track  where  for  several  years  it  was  used  as  an  opera  house  on  Depot 
Avenue.  Finally  it  was  purchased  by  Will  Hargleroad  and  torn 
down. 

In  191.5  a  new  town  hall,  costing  $2,000  was  erected. 

At  this  time  there  are  in  Holstein  in  addition  to  the  business  estab- 
lishments mentioned  two  implement  houses,  one  operated  by  A.  E. 
iMellinger  for  Stephen  Schultz  of  Hastings  and  one  belonging  to 
L.  Vj.  Clark:  two  garages  operated  by  S.  S.  Hershep  and  Dan  Essin- 
ger;  a  ■5'and  10  cent  store  and  restaurant,  operated  by  I^.  E.  Clark  & 
Son;  a  hotel  moved  into  town  in  about  190.5  and  of  which  H.  H. 
Kennedy  is  the  landlord ;  meat  market  of  J.  M.  Xelson,  a  millinery 
store,  lumber  yard,  blacksmith  shop,  billiard  and  pool  hall  and  a 
saloon. 

There  are  about  fifty  residences  in  the  town  and  fully  half  of 


388       PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

tliese  are  modern  in  construction  and  equipment,  having  private  light- 
ing plants  and  water  under  pressure.  Sidewalks  in  the  business  sec- 
tion and  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  residence  district  are  of 
cement.  The  latter  improvement  has  been  made  within  the  last  five 
years. 

In  January,  1890,  the  Holstein  board  of  trade  was  organized  with 
Dr.  W.  T.  Carson,  president,  C.  A.  Sipple,  vice  president,  John  Har- 
gleroad,  secretary,  and  William  Shellheimer,  treasurer.  This  organi- 
zation continued  active  for  a  number  of  years  and  was  instrumental  in 
developing  the  business  interests.  At  about  the  same  time  a  lyceum 
was  organized  and  contributed  to  the  literary  and  debating  side  of  the 
social  life.  Among  the  active  members  were  A.  S.  Thompson,  A.  L. 
Boyd,  J.  S.  Fernow,  Jennie  Larsen,  Versa  Larsen,  the  JNIecham 
brothers,  the  Holstein  band,  ]Mrs,  F.  J.  Hurst,  Joe  McCowan,  Dr. 
W.  T.  Carson,  Ruby  and  Lottie  JNIecham,  Fred  Hurst,  Anna  Larsen, 
A.  E.  Troyer  and  Eva  jNIcPeak. 

In  the  early  '90s  a  dramatic  club  contributed  its  quota  to  the  amuse- 
ment and  education  of  the  town.  The  club  presented  a  number  of 
plays  the  casts  being  formed  from  the  local  histronic  talent.  Among 
these  plays  were  "A  Yankee  Detective"  and  "Three  Nights  in  a  Bar 
Room."  Dr.  W.  T.  Carson  was  manager  of  this  club  and  A.  L. 
Boyd  was  secretary.  Among  the  members  were  C.  A.  Sipple,  A.  E. 
Troyer,  T.  L.  Ambler.  J.  M.  Heckler.  E.  L.  Hannaford,  Jennie 
Larsen  and  Eva  JNIcPeak. 

The  Royal  Neighbors  Lodge  of  Holstein  was  organized  JNIarch  8, 
1908,  by  Laura  Holt,  of  Omaha,  Avith  a  charter  membership  of  twenty, 
as  follows:  Elizabeth  Trier,  Octavia  Fischer,  JNIaggie  Hargleroad, 
Hannah  Kennedy,  Anna  Richards,  JNIattie  Roeder,  Sine  Johnson, 
Jennie  E.  Carson,  Stella  Churchill,  Ethel  Kennedy,  JNIinnie  INIcCulla, 
Delia  Clark,  Lena  JNIoehl,  Lena  Young,  Hazel  Starkey,  Clara 
Cookus,  Anna  Wagner,  Susie  Broil,  George  Churchill  and  F.  C.  Van 
Veghten.  The  present  officers  are:  Oracle,  Octavia  Fischer;  Rec- 
order. Stella  Sanford;  Receiver,  Jennie  Carson. 

The  Holstein  Ladies  Aid  Society  of  the  Evangelical  Church  was 
organized  August  8,  1915,  with  the  following  officers:  President, 
INIrs.  Reverend  Hewitt;  vice  president.  INIrs.  INIorse  Nelson;  secretary, 
JNIrs.  W.  T.  Carson:  treasurer,  JNIrs.  Ed.  Peterson. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
ADAMS  COUNTY  TOWNS 


The  grain  elevator  operated  by  the  Farmers  Grain  &  Supph^  Com- 
]3any,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  southAvest  quarter  of  section  12 
in  Blaine  Township,  is  all  that  remains  of  the  first  attempt  to  build  a 
town  in  Adams  Coimty  along  the  line  of  the  Burlington.  The  town 
was  called  Inland  and  was  laid  out  by  the  South  Platte  Town  Com- 
])any  in  1871.  Previously,  George  Sluyter,  William  Janes,  Volney 
Janes  and  George  Knajip  settled  upon  the  townsite. 

A  number  of  stores  were  built  at  Inland,  that  of  Tom  Shea  among 
others.  A  tAvo  story  frame  schoolhouse  was  built  and  other  signs  of 
a  future  town  marked  the  spot.  The  development  of  Hastings  ]Hit 
an  end  to  the  career  of  Inland,  and  about  1878  the  railroad  station  was 
removed  three  miles  east  to  tlie  present  town  of  Inland  in  Clay  County. 
In  the  plan  of  the  Burlington,  Inland  followed  Harvard  in  alpha- 
betical order,  and  until  the  development  of  Hastings  Avas  assured,  the 
railroad  favored  Inland  Avhile  it  ignored  Hastings.  For  many  years 
the  elcA^ator  Avas  oi^erated  by  JNIichael  Halloran  on  Avhose  farm  it  Avas 
located,  and  the  place  Avas  referred  to  as  either  "Old  Inland"  or 
"Halloran." 

BRICKTON 

Brickton,  6I/2  miles  south  of  Hastings,  on  the  road  forming  the 
Avestern  boundary  of  the  city,  was  ne\'er  a  real  town,  although  at  one 
time  there  were  there  a  group  of  about  a  dozen  houses.  This  i)eriod 
Avas  between  1886  and  1890.  Hastings  capitalists  had  started 
a  brick  yard  in  Brickton  and  had  equipped  their  place  Avith  rather 
elaborate  steam-driven  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  brick. 
BetAveen  thirty  and  forty  men  were  employed  and  lived  in  the  group 
of  houses.    There  Avas  also  a  store.    Parts  of  the  machinery  remained 


390       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTV 

at  the  location  for  several  years  after  the  brick  plant  was  abandoned. 
The  finances  of  the  brick  jjlant  were  involved  in  the  aifairs  of  the  City 
National  Bank,  and  when  that  institution  failed,  the  brick  business 
failed  with  it.  One  of  the  stirring  events  recalled  in  the  early  days  of 
Erickton  is  a  prize  fight  between  "Lou"  Carroll  and  Billy  "Tweester." 
In  1906  W.  H.  Ferguson  began  operating  in  sand  at  Erickton. 
]Mr.  Ferguson  disposed  of  the  sand  business  to  the  E.  Stockhana  Grain 
Company,  who  still  carry  it  on.  About  a  carload  of  sand  ])er  dav  is 
removed  from  the  pits.  A.  H.  Farrens  also  operated  Erickton  sand 
l^its  for  a  time. 


Leroy  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  tlie  Blue  River  on  the  south- 
west (juarter  of  section  2,5  in  Hanover  Township.  It  is  3l/o  miles 
northeast  of  Ayr  and  nine  miles  south  of  Hastings.  Before  the  build- 
ing of  the  Kansas  City  &  Omaha  Railroad  the  point  was  known  as  INIil- 
lington,  because  it  Avas  here  that  Dyer's  INIill  was  located.  John  Dyer 
began  the  erection  of  the  mill  in  1872  and  by  1874^  it  was  completed 
and  in  operation.  Jolm  Dyer  associated  with  him  in  this  milling 
business  his  nejihews,  Elbridge  and  True  Dyer. 

The  mill  was  a  large  wooden  structure  operated  by  water  power 
and  having  three  runs  of  burrs.  For  many  years  it  was  kejjt  very  busy, 
farmers  from  miles  around  bringing  their  wheat  to  be  made  into  flour. 
A  store  was  operated  a  short  time,  but  in  1880  was  moved  to  Ayr  by 
Kieth  and  Kress. 

When  the  railroad  was  built  in  1887,  the  single  store  that  Leroy 
still  has  was  built  by  John  ^larsliall  and  Jolm  A.  Frank,  both  of  whom 
now  live  in  Ayr.  The  i)ostoffice  was  established  in  this  store  and  John 
Marshall  was  the  first  postmaster. 

INIr.  Frank  sold  his  interest  in  the  store  to  his  partner  in  about  six 
months.  Mr.  JNIarshall  conducted  the  store  until  about  1900  and  tlieu 
sold  it  to  his  son,  Robert.  It  came  back  into  the  possession  of  INIr.  JNIar- 
shall, who  finally  sold  it  to  Cal  Dreibilbis  of  Hastings.  INIr.  Dreibilbis 
sold  it  to  tlie  present  proprietor,  INIr.  Liesveldt. 

Because  of  its  location  near  the  river,  which  afforded  shade  trees, 
Leroy  has  been  quite  well  known  throughout  the  county  as  a  pleasure 
resort.  The  Dyers  kept  a  lialf  dozen  boats  on  the  river,  and  built  a 
dance  hall.  The  place  was  patronized  from  Hastings  and  all  sur- 
rounding- points  for  many  years,  ending  about  1903  or  1904.  In  tlie 
summer  of  1898  vaudeville  was  an  attraction  offered.  The  large  sta- 
tion which  was  first  built  by  the  Kansas  City  &  Omaha  was  removed 
to  Pauline  about  1902. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       391 

HANSEN 

Hansen  is  the  first  station  nortli  of  Hastings  on  the  St.  Joseph  & 
Grand  Island  Raih-oad,  and  had  its  origin  when  the  line  was  built 
from  Hastings  to  Grand  Island.  The  first  house  built  in  the  town 
was  the  railway  station  in  the  fall  of  1879.  That  fall,  J.  L.  Evans 
erected  a  store  building  and  put  in  a  stock  of  general  merchandise,  and 
B.  F.  P^ord  put  up  a  store  and  engaged  in  the  groceiy  and  hardware 
business.  S.  L.  Loucks  built  a  hotel  at  about  the  same  time,  which 
was  called  the  Hansen  House.  The  next  business  established  was  the 
lumber  yard  of  Paine  Brothers,  of  Wisconsin,  Avhich  was  under  the 
charge  of  James  IVIcGregor. 

From  the  earliest  days,  Hansen  has  been  a  good  grain  and  live- 
stock shipi^ing  station,  because  it  is  the  market  place  for  a  very  pro- 
ductive area  of  farming  land.  A  grain  station  was  erected  by  Hansen, 
Gregg  &  Company  in  August,  1879,  and  another  was  put  in  by  Oswald 
Oliver  at  about  the  same  time.  These  early  stations  were  not  elevators, 
but  were  known  as  "shovel  stations."  Inclined  approaches  attaining 
a  height  of  about  twenty-five  feet  Avere  built,  and  upon  these  farmers 
hauled  their  wagons  filled  with  grain  to  the  bins  at  the  top,  where  they 
were  unloaded  with  scoop  shovels. 

In  1880,  W.  L.  Baker  took  the  management  of  the  Oliver  grain 
business  and  some  time  later  became  manager  of  the  business  of 
Hansen,  Gregg  &  Comjjany.  jNIr.  Baker  conducted  a  coal  business 
of  his  own  and  erected  a  building  in  which  he  opened  a  hardware  store, 
carrying  on  the  grain  business  at  the  same  time.  The  shovel  house  of 
Hansen,  Gregg  &  Company  was  the  forebear  of  the  present  north  ele- 
vator, jMr.  Oliver's  of  the  south.  For  many  years  John  Wilson  was  the 
owner  and  operator  of  the  north  elevator.  About  188i5,  the  original 
lumber  yard  was  combined  with  the  Doniphan  yard  and  removed  to 
that  ])oint.  The  present  lumber  yard  was  started  by  the  Barr  Lumber 
Company  of  Plastings  in  1904  and  passed  to  the  Yost  Lumber  Com- 
pany when  the  latter  bought  out  the  Barr  Lumber  Company  in 
Hastings. 

In  1881.  the  store  erected  by  J.  L.  Evans  was  purchased  by  Jacob 
Smith.  It  subsequently  changed  hands  many  times.  Smith  was  fol- 
lowed by  ]Mr.  I^amb  who  in  turn  sold  to  Lucius  Ware,  who  eventually 
sold  to  Ed  Ileminover.  After  JMr.  Heminover  went  out  of  business 
the  store  building  was  vacant  for  a  considerable  time  and  then  was 
rented  by  the  Ancient  Order  United  Workmen,  who  used  it  as  a  hall 
until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  Easter  Sunday,  1901. 

In  1884,  a  store  building  was  erected  bv  a  ]\Iethodist  minister,  the 


-^^2       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Rev.  Mr.  Calvert,  who  operated  the  store  about  a  year  and  then  sold 
it  to  Elmer  Sims,  now  of  Hastings.  jNIr.  Sims  conducted  the  stoi'e 
about  two  years  and  then  sold.  The  store  was  then  purchased  suc- 
cessively by  Z.  Stone,  ]Margaret  Stone  and  John  Stratton.  ^Ir.  Strat- 
ton  was  the  proprietor  when  the  store  was  burned  on  Easter  Sunday, 
1901.  Following-  the  destruction  of  the  two  stores  the  Ancient  Order 
United  Workmen  at  once  erected  a  brick  building,  using  the  up])er 
story  for  their  hall  and  renting  the  store  below.  ]Mr.  Stratton 
reopened  in  the  new  store  room  but  eventually  sold  his  business  to 
Nellie  Vandling  and  her  father.  George  Hatch,  who  came  from  Har- 
vard, was  the  next  proprietor  until  he  sold  to  O.  A.  Cain.  In  1914 
a  corporation  composed  of  John  Kieth,  Tom  Wimi,  Homer  Loucks, 
George  Durkee,  Theo.  Stock,  Lem  Clark,  O.  B.  Shafer,  H.  C.  Red- 
man, W.  O.  Cain,  Moses  Price,  Charles  Dominy  and  George  SheafF 
built  a  store,  building  across  the  street  west  from  the  Ancient  Order 
TTnited  Workmen  Building,  and  IMr.  Cain  moved  his  store  into  the 
new  building.  The  store  is  of  brick  and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$7,000.  W.  V.  Gauvreau,  son  of  E.  L.  Gauvreau  of  Hastings,  piu'- 
chased  the  business  of  JMr.  Cain  in  1914  and  is  the  present  proprietor 
of  the  store. 

At  about  the  same  time  that  the  store  was  built  H.  C.  Redman,  of 
Doniphan,  erected  the  bank  building  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,300.  The 
hotel  built  by  S.  L.  Loucks  in  1879  Avas  moved  from  the  west  side  of 
the  street  to  the  east  side  in  about  1896  and  converted  into  a  store 
building,  now  the  location  of  the  mercantile  l)usiness  of  Kennedy  Bros., 
with  the  Independent  Order  Odd  Fellows  Hall  up  stairs.  S.  ]M. 
Fi-ink  conducted  the  first  store  in  this  building,  the  business  afterwards 
being  bought  by  Silas  Price  and  at  a  later  time  by  Charles  F.  ]\Iatheny, 
now  proprietor  of  a  store  in  Ayr.  After  ]Mr.  ]Matheny  left,  the  store 
was  vacant  and  was  used  as  a  store  room  by  W.  O.  Cain.  At  another 
time,  Henry  Keller's  meat  market  was  located  here. 

I.  A.  Carriker,  now  of  Hastings,  erected  an  eight-room  hotel  in 
Hansen  in  1885,  and  added  a  six-room  addition  in  1904.  ]Mr.  Car- 
riker conducted  the  hotel  until  1908,  and  then  rented  it.  It  was  not  run 
as  a  hotel  from  1913  to  1916,  when  ]Mr.  Carriker  sold  it  to  :Mr.  Zim- 
merman of  Grand  Island. 

Hansen  was  siu'veyed  in  1879  for  A.  B.  Ideson  and  J.  J.  Wemple 
on  the  entry  of  Charles  and  William  Haines.  The  postoffice  was 
established  in  1879  with  James  ^McGregor,  the  first  postmaster.  While 
some  matters  relative  to  the  mail  were  being  adjusted  between  the  i-ail- 
road  and  the  Government,  JMr.  iVIcGregor  transported  the  mail 
between   Hastings   and   Hansen   on   his   back.      J.    F.    Evans    was 


PAST  AND  PRP:SEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY      393 

ajipointed  in  1881  and  was  succeeded  in  1882  by  Jacob  Smith.  Other 
postmasters  have  been  Walter  Stone,  S.  ]M.  Frink,  F.  ]M.  Frink, 
Charles  F.  ^Nlatheny,  Charles  IMatheny  and  W.  O.  Cain. 

The  first  movements  that  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  at  Hansen  were  made  in  the  early  '70s  by  John 
Powers  and  his  brother,  Aaron  Powers.  The  Powers  brothers  organ- 
ized Sunday  schools  in  their  respective  districts.  These  two  Sunday 
schools  were  combined  in  what  is  known  as  the  IMunroe  schoolhouse, 
which  is  centrally  located  between  the  two  former  districts. 

At  this  place  the  Presbyterian  Society  was  organized,  September 
7,  1879,  the  Rev.  G.  L.  Little  acting  as  moderator  and  Rev.  D.  S. 
SchafF  as  clei'k  of  the  meeting  for  organizing.  After  the  coming  of 
the  railroad  and  the  establishing  of  the  Town  of  Hansen,  plans  were 
made  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  in  the  village.  The  church  was 
erected  in  1884  under  the  direction  of  a  building  committee  composed 
of  L.  A.  Dominy,  John  Powers  and  A.  A.  Stone.  The  church,  which 
is  still  in  use,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $2,000. 

The  charter  members  were  INIr.  Alanson  Baker  and  wife,  J.  I^. 
Rrockover  and  wife,  Ryneas  Covert  and  wife,  Lafayette  Dominy  and 
wife,  Jonathan  Oldfield  and  wife,  the  families  of  John,  Charles  A. 
and  Aaron  F.  Powers,  William  Palmerton  and  wife,  William  H. 
Reese  and  wife,  James  W.  Smith  and  family,  Augustus  A.  Stone  and 
famil}',  Letas  W.  Stone  and  wife,  Henry  E.  Ware  and  wife,  JNIrs. 
Isabella  Carpenter,  jMrs.  Elizabeth  Gregg,  Philopena  Huf,  JNIrs. 
Xaney  JMowei's,  Laura  INIowers,  and  Ella  ^Mowers.  The  first  elders 
M'ere  Aaron  F.  Powers,  John  H.  Powers,  and  William  Palmerton. 
The  Hastings  and  Hansen  Presbyterian  Church  were  combined  in  a 
double  charge  for  many  years,  the  pastors  of  the  Hastings  church 
lieing  in  charge  of  the  service  in  the  country.  Among  the  early  pas- 
tors of  the  Hastings  church  were  the  Revs.  Mr.  GrifRs,  D.  S.  Schaff , 
Peter  Wessels,  E.  A.  JNIcCullum,  H.  K.  Bushnell  and  F.  M.  Hickok 
and  Reverend  Howie.  Rev.  W.  H.  Steele  served  from  1893  to  1898; 
A.  M.  Hendee,  1898  to  1900;  W.  E.  Reed,  1901;  Reverend  Howie, 
1902  to  1904;  D.  S.  Brown,  1904  to  1906;  W.  H.  ScofReld,  1906  to 
1909;  A.  B.  Byrani,  1909  to  1913;  James  B.  Kelso,  1913  to  191.5. 
Rev.  Samuel  Linn  has  been  the  pastor  since  191.5.  The  church  now 
has  72  active  members  and  the  Sundaj'  school  a  membership  of  about 
120.  The  present  officers  are:  Elders,  S.  O.  Cooper,  George  JSIunroe, 
Orville  Smith.  R.  L.  Boehne.  Trustees,  S.  O.  Cooper,  C.  G.  Briggs, 
AV.  C.  Harrell,  A.  H.  Bauman,  J.  J.  ]\Iohlman. 

The  United  Evangelical  Church  at  Hansen  was  organized  early 
in  1901  by  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Miller,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Hastings. 


39i       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

The  same  year  the  church  was  built,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  200. 
Tlie  church  was  jjaid  for  partly  by  subscrii^tion  and  partly  by  appro- 
priation from  the  general  conference.  The  complete  list  of  the  char- 
ter members  has  been  lost,  but  among  them  were  Eugene,  Lloyd, 
Clifford  and  Cora  jMcWhirter,  Cora,  Crissie  and  Nora  ]Montague, 
JMrs.  Nellie  Price,  Jane  Trembly  and  Frank  White.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Beebe,  ]Mr.  ^liller's  successor  at  Hastings,  had  charge  of  the  pastorate 
until  ]March,  1904.  At  that  time  Rev.  W.  J.  Ely  took  this  charge  in 
connection  with  the  Columbia  cliurch,  seven  miles  northwest  of  Hast- 
ings, and  the  Zion  church,  thirteen  miles  northwest  of  Hastings,  in 
Hall  County.  The  latter  church  is  now  called  the  Rosedale  churcli. 
The  pastors  serving  the  church  following  Reverend  Ely  have  been  the 
following:  Arthur  P.  Layton,  1905  to  1908;  C.  F,  Hein,  1908  to 
1910;  W.  W.  Urdenkoffler,  1910  to  1912;  H.  C.  Farley,  1912  to  1913; 
W.  W.  Phantz,  1913  to  1914;  J.  L.  Lobaugh,  1914  to  1916;  F.  M.  P. 
Bayles  has  been  the  pastor  since  the  beginning  of  1916.  The  Colum- 
bia church  has  disbanded. 

Congress  Lodge  No.  173,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  at  Hansen 
December  6,  1889.  The  charter  members  were  D.  M.  JMorris,  S.  jNI. 
Frink,  John  ^Vilson,  B.  F.  Barr,  J.  H.  Allen,  Winthi-op  Jones. 
Howard  Stire,  W.  B.  Brown,  F.  J.  Taylor,  H.  E.  Ashley,  and  Fred 
Albright.  The  first  officers  were:  S.  M.  Frink,  N.  G.:  J.  H.  Allen, 
V.  G.;  D.  ISl.  Warden,  W.;  B.  F.  Barr,  Con.;  Howard  Stire,  R.  S.; 
Winthrop  Jones,  P.  S.;  John  Wilson,  treasurer;  W.  B.  Brown,  R.  S. 
N.  G.;  H.  E.  Ashley,  L.  S.  V.  G.;  F.  J.  Taylor,  I.  G.  The  lodge 
was  instituted  by  W.  H.  Barger,  state  grand  master. 

Congress  Lodge  now  has  forty-nine  members,  who  meet  in  their 
well-appointed  lodge  rooms  ujjstairs  in  the  brick  building  occupied  by 
the  Kennedy  Bros,  mercantile  establishment.  The  present  officers  are 
H.  A.  Hubbard,  N.  G.;  F.  C.  Grimm,  Y.  G.;  F.  A.  Stock,  secretary, 
and  Walter  Rhodes,  treasurer. 

Hansen  Rebekah  Lodge,  No.  120,  was  organized  June  21,  191.5, 
and  has  a  membership  of  thirty-eight.  The  first  officers  were  IMrs. 
]Minnie  Frink,  N.  G. ;  ]\Irs.  Christina  Darling,  V.  G. ;  JNIaude  Briggs, 
secretary;  Ruth  MeWhirter,  treasurer.  Tlie  officers  at  present  are 
Mrs.  Lulu  Rhodes,  N.  G. ;  INIaude  Briggs,  Y.  G. :  Ruth  JMcWhirter, 
secretary;  JNliss  Marjorie  MeWhirter,  treasurer. 

Hansen  A.  O.  U.  W.  Lodge,  No.  190,  has  a  membership  of  thirty- 
six.  It  was  organized  in  1894,  and  in  1901  erected  a  building  at  a 
cost  of  about  $1,850.  The  present  officers  are  JNIartin  Crosson,  mas- 
ter workman;  overseer,  L.  Dominy;  foreman,  Frank  Lanfear:  finan- 
cier, C.  G.  Briggs;  recorder,  A.  A.  Stone. 


1^ 

PV'il^''' '^  ^^^^^n 

-'flH 

IHIi^^^^^^^^K^i'V    ■■'-'.  <  j-^.'^il 

^.■pU^ 

^, '  ■    Jfl».t.i.  JHHk  ■  ~jM 

VIEW  OF  :\IA1X  STREET,  HAX8E>r 


I 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      395 

Hansen  Camp,  Xo.  7620,  INI.  W.  A.,  was  organized  February  .5, 
1900,  by  Deputy  Head  Consul  G.  H.  Shelley.  The  officers  elected 
were  Charles  ]M.  Doniiny,  consul;  David  J.  Binfield,  worthy  adviser; 
Augustus  Albright,  banker;  Alvin  JVl.  Hendee,  clerk;  managers, 
Lorenzo  Lewis,  Cliarles  J.  Silver  and  G.  S.  Robertson. 

The  charter  members  were  Charles  M.  Dominy,  D.  J.  Binfield, 
Lorenzo  Lewis,  Charles  J.  Silver,  G.  S.  Robertson,  Harry  Tompkins, 
.Tames  Trembly  and  F.  JNI.  Frink.  Deaths  have  been  as  follows: 
JNfercey  E.  Williams,  March  16,  1913;  Peter  Lorenson,  September 
1,  1914;  Arthur  C.  Hart,  November  3,  1916. 

The  i^resent  officers  are:  Benjanain  F.  IMcWhirter,  consul;  D.  J. 
Binfield,  worthy  adviser;  Thomas  Wynn,  banker;  Fenton  M.  Frink, 
clerk;  managers,  George  A.  IMunroe,  George  E.  Devereaux  and 
Albert  H.  Bauman. 

Tlie  lodge  now  has  thirty-seven  members. 

MUXROE    DRUM    CORPS 

On  September  23,  1872.  a  little  caravan  of  se\'en  covered  wagons 
started  from  Allen's  Grove,  Wis.,  to  seek  their  home  in  Nebraska. 
One  month  later,  October  22d,  the  seven  families  of  William  IMunroe, 
Del  Snyder,  Andrew  ^Vheeler,  Jehial  Farr,  C.  B.  Sperry.  Ed 
Guernesy  and  Levi  Eddy  arrived  at  the  home  of  Simon  Dow,  just 
south  of  where  Hastings  College  now  stands. 

Just  as  they  neared  Hastings,  which  was  only  a  few  straggling- 
houses.  Mr.  Sperry  called  to  Mr.  JNIunroe  to  play  the  drum  in  welcome 
to  their  new  home.  It  was  the  first  time  that  the  Munroe  drums  were 
heard  in  Adams  County.  Hastings  took  to  Mr.  Munroe's  drum  from 
the  fiist.  and  on  July  4,  1873,  the  drum  corps  played  at  the  celebra- 
tion. This  Avas  the  first  time  that  the  fife  and  drum  were  heard  in 
Hastings. 

Among  the  early  players  were  Jacob  Smith,  record  of  whose  death, 
will  be  found  in  the  G.  A.  R.  chapter;  Ezra  Dominy,  now  living  in 
Canada;  A'.  J.  Kindig,  of  Doniphan;  S.  O.  Cooper,  of  Hansen,  and 
Mr.  Poole,  of  Hastings.  Charles  Bigelow  played  with  the  corps 
from  the  beginning.  Among  the  later  members  have  been  Roy  Van 
Fleet,  Frank  Swigart  and  Arthur  Dominy. 

The  drum  corps  is  almost  as  old  as  Adams  County,  and  many  a 
political  meeting  and  celebration  has  been  enlivened  by  its  stirring- 
strains. 

Of  the  seven  families  that  arrived  in  the  county  with  INIr.  IMunroe 
and  settled  on  homesteads  near  Hastings,  IMr.  IMunroe  alone  still 


396       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY 

liolds  the  original  entry.    Del  Snyder  lives  in  the  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Burkett.    All  the  others  are  dead. 

EOSELAXD 

The  snrvey  of  the  Village  of  Roseland  was  completed  by  E.  G. 
GrofF  AjH-il  20,  1887.  It  was  located  by  the  surveyor  on  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  21,  town  6,  range  11,  the  townsite  containing 
89.25  acres,  less  twelve  acres  wliich  were  the  right  of  way  of  the  K. 
C.  &  O.  Railroad.  ]May  27,  1889,  the  town  was  incorporated,  the 
boundary  lines  being  fixed  as  follows :  Commencing  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  section  22  in  Roseland  Township,  thence  west  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  section  20,  thence  west  to  the  half-section  stake  in 
section  20,  thence  south  one  mile  to  the  center  of  section  29,  thence 
east  to  tlie  northwest  corner  of  section  28,  thence  south  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  section  28,  thence  east  to  the  southeast  corner  of  section 
27,  thence  north  to  the  southeast  corner  of  section  22,  thence  north 
to  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  first  trustees  of  the  village  were  ^V.  C.  Davis.  J.  S.  Richards, 
C.  W.  Gentsch  and  J.  H.  Pope. 

In  an  action  brought  by  W.  P.  Davis  shortly  after  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  town,  the  court  decreed  that  sections  22,  27,  28.  the  east 
half  of  section  20,  the  north  half  of  section  21  and  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  21  be  disconnected.  The  large  area  included  in 
the  original  corj^oration  was  included  in  order  to  have  within  the  limits 
of  the  village  the  requisite  number  of  signers  for  the  granting  of 
saloon  license. 

B.  F.  Evans,  who  arrived  in  Adams  County  ]March  26,  187'3.  and 
who  now  resides  at  409  Saunders  Avenue,  Hastings,  selected  the  name 
of  Roseland.  which  is  the  name  of  both  township  and  town.  A  post- 
office  was  established  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Evans  on  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  22  a  few  years  before  there  was  a  town  at  Roseland. 
Mr.  Evans  was  appointed  postmaster  August  19,  1875,  and  was  given 
the  privilege  of  naming  the  postoffice.  A  great  many  wild  roses  grew 
in  the  vicinity  at  that  time  and  ]\Ir.  Evans  thought  that  it  would  be 
fitting  that  the  word  "rose"  should  form  a  part  of  the  name  of  the 
postoffice.  He  consulted  the  United  States  Directory  of  Postoffices 
and  found  that  there  were  a  number  of  offices  in  which  the  name 
"rose"  appeared.  There  were  only  three  Roselands,  however,  and 
this  led  to  his  selecting  the  name.  So  the  Roseland  postoffice  was  the 
fourth  postoffice  in  the  United  States  to  bear  thai  name.  INIr.  Evans 
retained  his  homestead  until  1914,  when  he  disposed  of  it  for  $15,000. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP"  ADAMS  COUNTY       397 

The  first  child  to  be  born  in  the  vicinity  of  Roseland  was  Frances 
Boyd,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  INlrs.  R.  JNI.  Boyd,  February  18,  187.3. 
The  first  death  was  that  of  William  Dieter,  July  4,  1873. 

It  is  the  recollection  of  Mr.  B.  F.  Evans  that  a  child  born  to 
JNIr.  and  JMrs.  Peter  Shade  was  the  first  child  to  be  born  in  Hastings. 
The  Shades  were -of  a  party  of  Illinois  folks  who  arrived  in  Hast- 
ings in  1873,  early  in  the  spring,  and  went  to  Roseland  Townshij) 
to  settle  upon  their  homesteads.  The  child  was  born  in  the  section 
house  of  the  St.  Joseph  k  Denver  City  Railroad,  JNIarch  29,  1873. 

J.  S.  Richards  opened  the  first  general  store  in  Roseland,  in  1887- 
31  r.  Richards  moved  the  store  building  from  Aja*.  J.  H.  Schmitz, 
now  of  Clay  Centei',  .but  who  is  well  known  in  Hastings  as  a  car- 
penter, established  the  second  business  house  in  the  town.  ]Mr. 
Schmitz  built  a  new  store  building,  shortly  after  ]Mr.  Richards  had 
estalilished  his  business,  and  stocked  it  with  hardware.  Dui'ing  1 887, 
also,  W.  F.  Duncan  and  J.  P.  Dvuican  put  up  an  elevator. 

In  1888  an  elevator  was  put  up  by  Schwab  &  Pope.  This  firm 
was  afterward  Pope  &  Kapser,  and  later  J.  H.  Pope  conducted  tlie 
business  alone.  jNIr.  Pope  sold  the  elevator  in  1902  to  the  corporation 
of  i'armers  that  still  operates  the  elevator.  This  corporation  is 
another  farmers'  organization  which  has  achieved  notable  success  in 
Adams  County.  The  original  organizers  were  Erick  Johnson,  Erick 
I^arsen,  B.  F.  Evans,  Charles  Johnson,  Gottlieb  Fischer,  A.  W. 
Evans,  and  others.  JNI.  J.  Stotzel  has  been  the  manager  of  this  busi- 
ness for  many  years.  Some  years  this  organization  has  paid  a  dividend 
of  10  per  cent  on  the  stock.  '  In  addition  to  grain,  hogs  are  bouglit. 
Among*  the  earliest  raisers  of  winter  Avheat  in  the  vicinity  of  Rose- 
land were  A.  W.  Evans,  J.  S.  Kendall  and  P.  W.  Warner.  The 
first  wheat  of  this  variety  was  sown  about  1889. 

J.  S.  Richards,  M^ho  opened  the  first  store,  sold  his  general  mer- 
chandise stock  to  E.  F.  Miller  and  F.  A.  JNIiller  about  1893.  The 
liusiness  alone  was  sold  and  the  JNIiller  Bros,  operated  the  store  in 
the  Richards  Building.  F.  A.  JNIiller  later  disposed  of  his  interest 
to  Harve  Walters.  In  after  years  JNIr.  Walters  was  a  barber  in 
Hastings,  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago.  Harve  Walters  sold  his 
interest  in  the  business  to  Louis  Eversman,  who  eventually  sold  it  to 
Ti'vin  JNIartin,  the  present  jiartner  in  the  firm  of  JNIiller  &  JNIartin. 

.1.  .S.  Richards,  who  had  removed  from  Roseland  uj^on  selling  his 
business  to  the  JNIiller  Bros.,  returned  and  reengaged  in  business  in 
his  building.  After  conducting  the  business  about  a  year,  JNIr.  Rich- 
ards sold  it  to  his  son-in-law,  Ed  Joynt,  selling  the  real  estate  with 
the  business.    JNIr.  Joynt  then  moved  his  own  store  building,  in  which 


398       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

he  had  carried  on  business  for  some  time,  to  the  location  he  had 
acquired  upon  buying  the  Richards  property.  The  Richards  store 
was  then  moved  back,  INIr.  Joynt's  original  store  becoming  the  front. 
It  was  about  1907  that  Mr.  Joynt  sold  the  business  to  Frank  Hogg. 
Recently  Ernest  ]McCue  has  become  tlie  business  partner  of  ]Mr. 
Hogg. 

Frank  ^Vaugli  erected  a  building  and  engaged  in  the  confectionery 
business  about  189.3,  and  after  conducting  the  business  a  year  or  more, 
sold  to  Eugene  Duncan,  who  operated  the  little  store  imtil  his  death 
early  in  1894.  In  February,  1905,  Solomon  Favinger  purchased 
the  confectionery  and  restaurant  business  originated  by  Waugh,  and 
shortly  afterward  W.  F.  Duncan  erected  a  store  building  on  the 
second  lot  south  of  Mr.  Favinger's  location.  ]\Ir.  Favinger  moved 
into  the  new  building  and  opened  a  general  merchandise  business, 
which  he  conducted  for  nine  years,  Avhen  he  sold  the  business  to 
Miller  &  Walters.  Before  the  return  of  Mr.  Richards  to  Roseland 
the  firm  of  JNIiller  &  Walters  had  moved  their  stock  of  goods  into 
the  building  erected  by  U.  Engleman  in  1888  for  a  saloon  building. 

The  first  hotel  in  Roseland  was  erected  by  Thomas  Carter,  wlio 
conducted  it  for  many  years.  This  building,  wliich  was  built  shoi-tly 
after  the  town  was  started,  still  stands. 

H.  H.  Cheny  conducted  a  general  store  in  Roseland  for  a  time, 
and  Avas  burned  out  in  the  eaily  '90s. 

The  first  postmaster,  B.  F.  Evans,  was  succeeded  by  Alexander 
Rogers.  JNIr.  Rogers  was  followed  by  U.  Engleman,  who  erected  a 
small  building  in  which  he  conducted  a  hardware  store  in  connection 
with  the  postolfice.  Thomas  Carter  was  the  next  postmaster,  and 
was  followed  by  Rufus  W.  Lull.  Mr.  Lidl  put  in  a  small  stock  of 
groceries  and  ran  the  store  as  well  as  the  postoffice.  The  grocery 
developed  eventually  into  a  general  merchandise  store  which  JNIr.  liull 
conducted  until  his  death  in  December,  1894.  Mrs.  Delila  Lull 
became  postmistress  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Alfred  W.  Evans,  the  son  of  B.  F.  Evans.  Mr.  Evans 
died  in  December,  1905,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  postoffice  by  liis 
wife.  The  next  postmasters  were  O.  D.  Barras,  followed  by  Charles 
M.  Caton,  who  served  until  the  appointment  of  the  present  post- 
master, Robert  G.  Lynch. 

A.  H.  Brooke,  now  of  Hastings,  conducted  the  first  drug  store 
in  Roseland.  opening  in  1891.  JMr.  Brooke  was  in  the  business 
througli  1891  and  1892  and  tlien  disposed  of  the  business  to  D.  S. 
Phelps,  now  of  Bladen. 

School  was  opened  for  tlie  first  time  in  the  A'illage  of  Roseland 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      399 

December  24,  1888.  The  completion  of  the  school  building  had 
delayed  the  opening  so  late  in  the  year  that  it  opened  at  the  first 
opportunity,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  the  next  day  would  he  Christ- 
mas. The  present  county  judge,  John  Snider,  was  principal  of  the 
school,  and  INIrs.  A.  H.  Brooke,  of  Hastings  now,  then  Alice  Baugh, 
was  the  ]jrimary  teacher. 

The  JNIethodists  and  the  United  Brethren  of  the  vicinity  of  Rose- 
land  united  to  build  a  church  about  1883  on  Solomon  Favinger's 
farm,  li^.  miles  southwest  of  Roseland.  Not  very  long  after  the 
town  was  established  they  moved  the  church  house  into  the  village. 
In  about  ten  years  the  Methodists  secured  a  building  from  a  disbanded 
Methodist  congregation  in  the  country  and  moved  the  building  to 
Roseland.  This  building  is  the  present  church  home  of  the  denomi- 
nation. The  United  Brethren  disbanded  and  the  church  which  they 
had  pre^'iously  owned  jointly  with  the  INIethodists  was  bought  by 
J.  y.  Beardsley  and  wrecked  in  /191.5. 

Will  ]Maupin  conducted  a  newspaper  for  about  six  months  in 
the  early  days  of  Roseland.  For  several  years  jirior  to  his  death  the 
Roseland  Gazette  was  conducted  by  Alfred  W.  Evans. 

August  2.5,  1913,  the  stores  of  Miller  &  ]Martin,  Roth  Bros.,  and 
Frank  ^Miller  were  destroyed  by  fire.  In  that  year  brick  buildings 
were  erected  to  replace  the  loss  by  Roth  Bros.,  who  conduct  a  hard- 
ware, furniture  and  undertaking  Inisiness,  INIiller  &  iNIartin,  and 
Dr.  J.  L.  JNIace. 

The  town  hall,  a  brick  structure,  was  completed  in  December, 
1912.     It  was  built  by  the  corporation  of  Roseland. 

Roseland  has  electric  lights,  a  privately  owned  plant.  The  Rose- 
land Electric  Light  Company  was  incorporated  December  1.5,  1913, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000,  the  corporation  to  terminate  Decem- 
l^er  1.5,  1938.  The  incorporators  were  Gus  Bourg,  William  F.  Dun- 
can, John  B.  Roth  and  Irvin  INIartin. 

A.  S.  Richards,  who  started  the  first  mercantile  business  in  Rose- 
land. died  at  Avr,  Februarv  20,  190,5. 


Pauline  is  located  on  the  IMissouri  Pacific  and  the  Burlington  rail- 
roads, in  Little  Blue  Township.  It  came  into  being  with  the  K.  C. 
&  O.  Railroad  in  1887.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Pauline  S.  Ragan, 
of  Hastings,  wife  of  John  jNI.  Ragan,  who  was  general  attorney  for 
the  railroad.    The  town  was  built  on  the  farm  of  James  B.  IMcCleerv 


400       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

on  the  east  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  9.  Pauhne  has  not 
been  incorporated. 

The  store  now  occupied  by  M.  "SI.  Abbott  was  the  first  to  be  built 
in  the  town  and  was  erected  in  1887.  It  was  built  by  Duncan  & 
Jeffries,  who  conducted  a  general  store  for  about  three  years  and 
then  sold  to  Phineas  Townsend.  ]Mr.  Townsend  ran  the  store  about 
four  yeai's  and  then  removed  his  stock  to  Iowa.  John  JNIoran,  who 
li^■ed  on  a  farm  south  of  Pauline,  was  the  next  man  to  operate  this 
store.  About  this  time  the  building  Avas  moved  east  to  its  present 
location.  John  McCleerj^  and  Cash  Fairman  followed  JMr.  jNIoraii 
in  the  business,  and  they  were  followed  successively  by  Bert  Port 
and  S.  True.  After  JNIr.  True  went  out  of  business  the  store  was 
\aeant  for  about  six  months,  and  then  Harvey  Abbott  opened  a  store 
which  was  bought  by  the  present  proprietor,  M.  M.  Abbott,  who  con- 
ducted a  grocery  in  Hastings  for  several  years. 

The  second  store  to  be  erected  in  Pauline  was  built  in  1887  by 
S.  I^.  Heaps,  who  lived  on  a  farm  about  three  miles  south  of  the 
town.  Pat  Cronin  operated  a  general  store  in  this  building  for  many 
years,  until  he  built  his  own  building  about  1891.  During  the  next 
year  the  building  erected  by  INIr.  Heaps  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

Pat  Cronin  disposed  of  his  stock  to  C.  H.  ]McCulloc]i  about  1895. 
and  in  about  two  years  iSlv.  ]\IcCulloch  sold  to  R.  O.  Slater,  noM 
of  Sutherlin,  Ore.  At  about  the  time  that  JMr.  Slater  purchased  the 
business  from  JMr.  JMcCuUoch,  T.  T.  Jones  purchased  the  store  build- 
ing from  Pat  Cronin  for  his  daughter,  JNIrs.  R.  O.  Slater,  who  stiil 
owns  the  building.  Mr.  Slater  eventually  sold  his  business  and  stock 
to  R.  Abel  and  later  JMr.  Abel  moved  the  stock  to  another  town.  It 
was  in  Mrs.  Slater's  building  that  Carl  JNIcCleery  opened  the  first 
drug  store  in  Pauline,  about  1907.  Mr.  JNIcCleery  soon  sold  the  drug 
business  to  Ernest  Harrett,  who  sold  it  to  the  present  proprietor. 
Clarence  Taylor,  of  Guide  Rock. 

In  the  fall  of  1891  JMiss  Nellie  Jones,  now  JNIrs.  Isaac  Franklin, 
built  the  brick  store  building  in  which  the  general  store  of  Carl 
JNIcCleery  is  now  located.  JNIiss  Jones  conducted  the  store  about  five 
years  before  JNIr.  JNIcCleery  ])urchased  the  business.  The  stoi-e  in 
wliich  JNIay  &  JNIay  are  located  was  erected  by  JNIr.  Purdy  about  six 
years  ago.  Some  three  years  ago  JNIr.  Piu'dy  sold  to  Ernest  JNIay. 
wliose  son,  Arthur,  is  associated  with  him  in  the  business. 

The  first  hardware  store  in  Pauline  was  opened  by  B.  K.  ^Vest 
in  1888.  This  store  was  destroyed  by  fire  at  the  same  time  that  the 
store  erected  by  Mr.  Heaps  was  burned.  The  JNIarquis  Brothers,  of 
Hastings,  conducted  a  hardware  store  for  a  time  in  Pauline  in  a 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       ^01 

building  that  had  been  erected  for  a  butcher  shop  by  S.  L.  Heaps  at 
the  time  that  he  built  his  store. 

It  was  in  the  early  days  of  Pauline  that  F.  C.  Glazier  came  from 
Edgar  and  engaged  in  the  implement  business  in  Pauline.  In  about 
1901  ]Mr.  Glazier  built  the  hardware  store  he  now  occupies.  ]\Ir. 
Glazier  has  associated  with  him  his  son,  C.  F.  Glazier,  and  besides 
tlie  hardware  business,  carries  implements,  windmills  and  pumps,  auto- 
mobiles, and  o^ierates  a  large  general  business. 

The  first  livery  barn  in  Pauline  was  built  by  ]M.  JNI.  Parkins  in 
1888.  It  was  afterwards  run  by  John  Petit  and  Bert  Foy.  It  was 
eventually  destroyed  by  fire.  A  year  or  so  after  the  burning  of  the 
first  barn  the  present  livery  stable,  owned  by  John  Crandall,  was  built 
by  Ileiny  Johnson. 

The  Farmers  Grain  &  Sujjply  Company's  elevator  started  in  1888, 
when  Clyde  Gaunt  erected  a  shovel  house  on  the  JNIissouri  Pacific. 
Dow  Black  purchased  the  business  from  Gaunt  and  ran  it  until  he 
sold  to  T.  T.  Jones  and  Ben  Sherman,  who  in  turn  sold  to  the  Farm- 
ers Grain  &:  Supply  Company.    Elmer  Jones  is  the  i^resent  manager. 

The  elevator  now  owned  and  operated  by  John  ^IcCleery  was  the 
first  elevator  to  be  built  in  Pauline.  It  was  erected  by  Charles  Furrer. 
It  was  owned  successively  by  William  Townsend  and  W.  H.  Fergii- 
son  and  the  Updike  Bros.  John  jMeCleery  managed  the  business 
under  the  Updikes  and  bought  it  in  1908. 

The  postmasters  who  have  served  in  Pauline  are  ^Vill  Jeffries, 
the  first  postmaster,  followed  by  Samuel  Bechtelheimer,  Pat  Cronin. 
Charles  ]McCulloch.  R.  O.  Slater,  Dan  iMcCleery.  Nellie  Jones  and 
the  j)resent  postmaster,  Carl  ]McCleery. 

DiH'ing  the  drought  years,  from  1893  to  1897,  both  the  railway 
stations  at  Pauline  were  closed  because  of  the  almost  total  falling  off 
of  business.  The  K.  C.  &  O.  depot  at  this  time  was  moved  from 
Pauline  to  the  K.  C.  &  O.  junction  with  the  Red  Cloud  line  of  the 
Burlington,  where  it  later  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  present  Bur- 
lington station  at  Pauline  was  moved  from  Leroy  to  its  present 
location. 

The  first  blacksmith  shop  in  Pauline  was  built  by  James  B.  JNIc- 
Cleery  and  rented  to  Jerry  xVllen. 

James  B.  IMcCleery  died  in  1889. 

There  is  only  one  church  in  Pauline,  the  Methodist  Episcopal, 
wliich  was  organized  in  1884.  Among  the  first  members  were  JNIr.  and 
INIrs.  Sherman,  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Bander.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carter,  Mr. 
and  ]Mrs.  T.  T.  Jones.  The  first  church  house  was  erected  the  same 
yeai-  that  the  class  was  organized.    The  new  church,  Avithin  the  village. 


402       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

was  built  in  1907,  at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  A  partial  list  of  the  pastors 
who  have  served  the  church  is  as  follows:  R.  jNI.  Hardnian,  ISS-i  to 
1887;  Almon  Gore,  E.  L.  Wolff,  J.  M.  Correll,  each  one  year  suc- 
cessively after  Mr.  Hardnian;  T.  W.  Bean,  1890;  W.  C.  S^vartz,  from 
1897  to  1900;  A.  G.  Blackwell,  1900  to  1902;  L.  F.  Harman.  1902 
to  1904;  W.  M.  Brooks,  1901.  to  190.5;  E.  N.  Tompkins,  190.5  to  1908; 
W.  H.  Shoaf,  1908  to  1911;  T.  C.  Priestly,  1911  to  1912;  J.  W.  Bair, 
1912  to  1913;  R.  B.  E.  Hill,  1913  to  1915;  Alfred  Chamberlain,  191.5 
to  1916.  The  present  i)astor,  the  Rev.  JNIr.  Thomas,  has  been  the 
pastor  in  1916. 


The  Village  of  Ayr,  situated  about  twelve  miles  south  of  Hastings, 
in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Blue  River,  was  established  in  September. 
1878.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Doctor  Ayr,  of  Iowa,  who  was  then 
one  of  the  directors  of  the  Burlington  &  JNIissouri  River  Railroad. 

The  land  at  that  time  was  the  property  of  private  parties,  and 
portions  of  it  had  previously  been  obtained  from  the  railroad  com- 
pany, having  been  included  in  the  land  grant.  Those  owning  the 
land  were  John  Ratcliffe,  who  owned  section  33  of  the  railroad  land: 
east  of  this  a  quarter  section,  j^roperty  of  A.  C.  Moore;  one  quartei- 
section  on  the  east  belonging  to  Ayers  Goble ;  while  south  of  Goble's 
land  and  west  of  INIoore's  joines  the  quarters  owned  by  Professoi- 
Meyers. 

The  town  started  after  the  building  of  the  railroad  in  1878.  in 
consideration  that  the  parties  owning  the  land  were  to  donate  every 
other  lot,  or  half  of  the  townsite.  to  the  company,  providing  they  locate 
a  station  at  that  j^oint. 

O.  D.  Barras  built  the  first  house  on  the  village  site,  a  small 
frame  dwelling,  in  October,  1878.  The  next  improvement  Avas  the 
erection  in  November  of  the  same  year  of  a  two-story  frame  hotel, 
by  R.  C.  Fleming.  The  same  fall,  T.  C.  Fleming  and  A.  L.  'West 
built  a  storeroom  and  opened  a  business  house  with  a  general  stock 
of  merchandise.  Immediately  following,  R.  C.  Gregg  also  built  a 
storehouse  and  opened  the  first  dnig  store,  which  he  afterward  sold 
to  Koehler  &  Pahr.  Pahr  later  bought  the  interest  of  his  partner 
and  had  control  of  the  business.  Late  in  the  fall  of  1878,  John  S. 
Richards  opened  a  grocery  store,  IMclMillan  &  Hull  a  general  store, 
and  M.  S.  &  T.  J.  Edgington  started  a  business,  dealing  in  hardware. 
In  the  summer  of  1879,  Henry  Gund  &  Company  built  a  large  grain 
elevator,  and  John  Robinson  opened  a  livery  barn. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY      ^03 

In  1878,  A.  Peck  and  Henry  Howe  put  up  a  building,  which  was 
used  for  a  saloon  for  a  time,  but,  as  the  business  did  not  flourish,  the 
saloon  was  closed  and  the  building  later  used  as  a  schoolhouse.  In 
the  fall  of  1879,  Isaac  Vanderwart  built  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  the 
same  fall  the  Commercial  Hotel  was  built  by  A.  J.  Pate  and  Rev.  J. 
Fleming  erected  a  building  known  as  Church  Hall,  to  be  utilized  for 
religious  ijurjioses,  in  the  building  of  which  he  used  his  own  capital. 

The  educational  facilities  of  Ayr  were  about  equal  to  those  of 
tlie  average  country  district,  and  the  school  was  kept  in  a  building 
situated  about  half  a  mile  north  of  town.  The  first  school  was  taught 
in  tlie  winter  of  1878-79,  by  John  Gainor,  a  true  son  of  the  Emerald 
Isle.  Gainor  was  generally  considered  an  excellent  teacher,  having 
had  a  splendid  education,  and,  with  that  amusing  manner  so  charac- 
teristic of  his  race,  he  won  the  good  will  and  admiration  of  all  his 
]MH3ils,  his  onlj^  crime  being  an  excessive  love  for  the  intoxicating 
bowl.  He  was  employed  by  the  school  board  to  teach  a  second  term, 
but  at  the  close  of  school,  in  the  spring  of  1879,  he  "went  on  a  big 
spree,"  which  lasted  several  days.  Chagrined  and  mortified  by  his 
conduct,  he  secretly  left  the  place  and  did  not  return. 

A  postofRce  was  established  at  Ayr  in  1879.  Previous  to  this 
date  it  was  kept  at  a  place  called  Gilson,  about  two  miles  north  of 
the  townsite.  E.  H.  Scott  was  postmaster,  and  it  Avas  through  his 
efforts  and  influence  that  the  office  was  moved  from  Gilson  to  Ayr. 
Scott  held  the  position  of  postmaster  up  to  the  spring  of  1881,  and 
was  succeeded  in  office  by  James  Bovard. 

The  first  religious  services  Avere  held  by  the  Rev.  J.  Fleming,  a 
Presbyterian  missionary  laboring  under  the  auspices  of  that  denomi- 
nation. The  church  was  organized  in  the  winter  of  1878-79.  with  a 
membership  of  thirty.  The  services  were  held  in  Church  Hall,  a 
building  erected  by  Mr.  Fleming. 

In  the  spring  of  1879  a  JMethodist  congregation  was  organized 
under  tlie  direction  of  Elder  Lemons,  then  presiding  elder  of  the 
district.  The  Rev.  John  Holland  was  their  first  regular  pastor, 
]-emaining  with  the  congregation  one  year. 

Dr.  S.  A.  Bookwalter  was  the  first  practicing  physician  to  locate 
in  the  village,  having  made  his  advent  in  the  summer  of  1879. 

A  lumber  and  coal  yard  was  started  in  1879  by  William  Laugh- 
lin  and  Cyrus  jMcjNIillan.  In  1880  IMortimer  Kress  and  W.  S.  Moot 
moved  a  large  two-story  building  from  ^Nlillington  to  Ayr,  using  the 
first  story  for  a  storeroom  and  fitting  the  upper  floor  for  a  town  hall. 

The  first  deaths  were  those  of  Henrv  Harm's  twin  infants,  in 


^04       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

October,  1881.  The  first  child  born  was  Harvey  Fleming,  son  of 
T.  C.  and  Esther  J.  Fleming. 

Notwithstanding  the  excellent  location  of  the  village,  its  growth, 
although  promising  at  first,  declined  rapidly. 

Only  one  attempt  was  made  at  journalism  at  Ayr.  A  pajier 
called  the  Ayr  Times  was  established  in  January,  1882,  the  first  issue 
of  which  was  made  on  the  14th  of  that  month.  In  size,  the  sheet 
was  a  six-column  quarto,  was  republican  in  politics,  and  had  a  regular 
issue  of  360  co^Dies.  The  jjaper  was  edited  and  published  by  Watkins 
Brothers,  the  firm  being  composed  of  three  brothers — C.  L..  G.  IM. 
and  F.  A.  Watkins.  The  journal  was  of  patent  inside.  Besides  the 
editorial  work,  the  firm  did  consideralile  job  work. 

Ayr  was  incorporated  3Iay  1,  1883,  the  corporation  embracing  the 
following  territory:  The  southeast  quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  33,  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 34,  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  3. 
and  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  4.  The  portions 
in  sections  33  and  34  are  in  Aj'r  Township  and  the  remainder  in  Zero. 

The  first  trustees  were  H.  P.  Rowe,  A.  C.  Moore,  W.  W.  Phar. 
S.  E.  I\Ic3Iurry  and  J.  S.  Richards. 

The  grain  elevator  which  Henry  Gund  &  Co.  built  in  1879  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1902.  The  building  moved  by  ]\Iortimer  N. 
Kress  and  W.  S.  ]Moot  still  stands  in  the  town  and  is  the  property  of 
the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  who  have  their  hall  in  the  upper  story. 

The  I.  O.  O.  F.  have  a  well-appointed  hall  in  the  upper  room  of 
the  brick  building  in  which  the  general  store  of  C.  F.  Matheny  is 
located. 

Previously  ]\Ir.  E.  H.  Scott  and  James  Bovard  have  been  men- 
tioned as  being  the  postmasters.  Subsequently  ^Mortimer  N.  Kress 
was  postmaster  from  1889  to  1883,  Henry  Howe  from  1893  to  1897, 
Robert  RatclifFe  from  1897  to  1913.  The  present  postmistress,  IVIrs. 
Roliert  Zachary,  has  served  since  1913. 

Ayr  now  has  two  general  stores,  one  conducted  by  Henry  Howe, 
who  has  been  in  business  in  the  village  since  its  founding,  and  the 
other  by  C.  F.  INIatheny,  who  was  in  business  in  Hansen  at  one  time. 
INIr.  3Iatheny  purchased  the  business  from  George  Overstreet  in  the 
summer  of  1916.  IMathew  Ureling  conducts  a  hardware  store  and 
Harley  JefFers  has  a  restaurant  and  confectionery  store.  Frank 
Fehringer  has  a  barber  shop  and  IMr.  Ratcliffe  a  blacksmith  shop. 
John  Helmann  manages  the  lumber  yard  for  the  Coon  Lumber 
Company,  and  Eon  Davis  has  a  livery  barn.  The  implement  business 
is  conducted  bv  H.  Roeder,  with  whom  is  associated  his  son,  Arthur 


PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      405 

Roeder.  The  elevator  is  owned  by  the  Fanners  Grain  &  Snpjily 
Company  and  is  managed  by  Guy  Bonham. 

The  Methodist  Eijiscopal  Church  erected  a  house  of  worsliip  in 
1893  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,200.  George  Moore  was  the  contractor. 
The  present  church,  which  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $2,200,  was 
conii)leted  in  June,  1910,  Jay  Gobel  being  the  contractor.  Among 
the  earliest  members  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  Ayr  were  Adam 
Reader,  George  Eastwood,  George  Parks,  W.  W.  Pliilleo,  JNIrs.  Josie 
Scott,  ]Mrs.  Laura  Easter,  John  Giddings  and  A.  ]M.  JefFers.  Rev. 
Rex  Ban-  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  brick  store  building  in  which  the  general  store  of  C.  F. 
Matheny  is  located  was  built  in  1910  by  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  but  came  into 
the  jjossession  of  Sherman  Woodworth  about  two  years  ago,  the  lodge 
retaining  a  99-year  lease  upon  the  lodge  room  on  the  upper  floor. 


That  Prosser,  located  eight  miles  west  and  six  miles  north  of 
Hastings,  turned  out  to  be  a  town  and  not  a  sheep  ranch  was  a  sur- 
prise. At  least  it  was  a  surprise  to  George  S.  Parks,  who  was  among 
tlie  first  to  be  interviewed  by  agents  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  looking- 
for  a  townsite.  The  railroad  was  built  into  Hastings  in  1^87,  but 
was  not  puslied  tln-ougli  to  Prosser  until  the  following  spring.  Before 
the  grading  of  tlie  road  liad  reached  Adams  County,  even  before  the 
$12.1,000  bonds  had  been  voted,  Cameron  Yeazel  was  looking  for  a 
townsite  in  the  vicinity  of  Prosser. 

INIr.  Yeazel  left  jNIr.  Parks  under  the  impression  that  he  was  rep- 
resenting some  eastern  capitalists  who  desired  to  start  a  sheep  ranch 
in  that  part  of  the  country  if  they  could  find  some  cheap  land.  It 
was  after  a  survey  had  been  made  that  ^Ir.  Parks  learned  that  at  a 
point  where  a  white  post  had  been  set  on  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  .5,  Verona  Township,  a  town  was  to  be  established,  Juniata 
was  considerably  disturbed  about  the  location  of  Prosser,  and  Juniata 
Iiad  to  be  satisfied  that  the  new  town  would  be  located  at  a  safe  dis- 
t;mce  from  their  town  before  they  would  support  tlie  bonds  in  aid  of 
the  Pacific  Railroad. 

In  the  spring  of  1888,  L.  J.  Ware  built  the  first  general  store 
in  tlie  new  town.  At  about  the  same  time  B.  F.  Barr  opened  a  lum- 
ber yard  and  E.  G.  Collins  built  an  elevator.  The  second  grocerv 
store  was  built  by  E.  L.  Price.  The  hotel  which  was  built  early  in 
tlie  history  of  the  town  by  a  ^Nlr.  Dietricli  and  whidi  was  called  for 
manv  vears  the  Pacific  Hotel,  still  stands  near  the  station. 


406       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

A  second  hotel,  a  very  creditable  hostelry,  was  built  by  Fred 
Stoelting  a  few  years  before  a  fire  destroyed  the  hotel.  J.  G.  Heart- 
well's  drug  store  and  the  store  which  had  been  erected  by  E.  L.  Price, 
but  which  at  the  time  of  the  fire  was  occupied  by  JNIorledge  &  Blake, 
and  the  first  blacksmith  shop,  which  had  been  erected  bj-  Joseph 
Philbrick,  were  destroyed  in  the  same  fire  about  1902. 

Shortly  after  the  fii'c  a  general  merchandise  store  was  built  by  the 
brothers,  J.  G.  and  M.  R.  Jones.  The  Jones  Bros,  sold  to  F.  R. 
Daggett  and  Charles  W.  ]Manahan.  ]Mr.  Daggett  bought  the  interest 
of  his  partner  and  now  operates  the  store  alone.  Mr.  Manahan  resides 
in  Hastings. 

The  general  merchandise  business  which  G.  W.  Pratt  now  con- 
ducts had  its  origin  when  S.  W.  Smith  purchased  the  first  school- 
house  built  in  Prosser  and  converted  it  into  a  store.  INIr.  Smith  sold 
to  Charles  A.  Porter,  of  Heartwell,  and  Mr.  Porter  disposed  of  the 
business  to.  Mr.  Pratt.  The  first  store  was  started  by  Mr.  Ware,  and 
James  Bacon  later  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Ware,  who  went  to 
Illinois.  The  business  was  successively  ojierated  by  Charles  IMcCul- 
loch  and  John  Stoner.  ]Mr.  Stoner  managed  the  business  for  Trimble, 
Blackman  &  Alexander,  of  Hastings,  until  the  grocery  was  discon- 
tinued, when  B.  J.  Symonds  moved  into  the  store  and  there  conducted 
his  drug  business. 

For  several  years  before  he  became  superintendent  of  the  Ingle- 
side  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  Dr.  M.  W.  Baxter  was  located  at 
Prosser,  succeeding  Dr.  C.  J.  Yates. 

Prosser  was  not  incorporated  until  August  1*3,  1907.  Those  peti- 
tioning for  incorjioration  were  F.  R.  Daggett,  P.  J.  Robinson,  T.  E. 
Bowlin,  F.  H.  Schafer,  Charles  :Moritz,  L.  Katzberg,  \V.  H.  Schu- 
mann, L.  P.  Burnham,  T.  J.  Killion,  H.  F.  Moore,  August  Katzberg. 
J.  W.  Benge,  J.  C.  Pratt,  G.  W.  Pratt,  D.  L.  Hare,  William  Flower- 
dew,  George  F.  Miller,  A.  L.  Gilmore,  J.  G.  Kent,  S.  W.  Smith, 
D.  C.  Hinds,  C.  C.  Robinson,  S.  G.  Moore,  D.  W.  Miles,  R.  O. 
Wirfel,  C.  H.  Hudson,  Charles  Stanley,  Frank  A.  Kuehn,  J.  B. 
Symonds,  D.  M.  JNIcMakin,  INI.  W.  Baxter,  M.  P.  Creager.  The 
first  trustees  were  M.  W.  Baxter,  Charles  INIoritz,  F.  R.  Daggett, 
F.  H.  JNIoore  and  T.  J.  Killion.  The  incorporated  area  embraced  210 
acres  on  parts  of  sections  5,  8  and  9. 

The  administration  of  the  second  board  of  trustees  is  notable  for 
initiating  the  building  of  cement  sidewalks  in  Prosser  against  a  spir- 
ited opposition.  But  though  received  at  first  with  much  disfavor,  this 
improvement  has  been  extended  until  Prosser  has  as  good  sidewalks 
as  any  town  of  its  size.    The  trustees  when  this  movement  was  begun 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      407 

Mere  G.  W.  Pratt,  Charles  IMoritz,  C.  H.  Hudson,  M.  W.  Baxter 
and  H.  F.  ]Moore.    E.  H.  Grounds  was  the  village  clerk. 

S.  W.  Smith  was  the  first  postmaster  at  Prosser.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  George  S.  JNIoore,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  James 
Crow,  who  also  conducted  the  first  hardware  store.  After  Mr.  Crow, 
Henry  ]Moore  became  jjostziiaster,  holding  the  office  until  his  death. 
JMrs.  ]Moore  was  then  jjostmistress  until  succeeded  by  the  present 
postmaster,  R.  L.  Woods. 

The  hall  which  is  used  for  a  lodge  room  and  general  social  center 
was  erected  by  the  A.  O.  U.  W. 

The  elevator  now  operated  by  the  Verona  Grain  &  Lumber  Com- 
pany was  originally  ojierated  by  W.  H.  I'erguson,  Avho  sold  it  to  the 
Farmers  Grain  &  Stock  Companj'.  Charles  Moritz  was  the  man- 
agei-  under  this  company.  The  Farmers  Grain  &  Stock  Company 
sold  the  business  to  the  present  owners,  the  Verona  Grain  &  Lumber 
Company.  Earl  Grounds  is  the  manager.  This  company  was  incor- 
porated 3Iarch  28,  1911,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000.  The 
incorporators  Avere  E.  E.  Binfield,  G.  H.  Geddes,  Bert  IMott,  William 
Conroy  and  G.  C.  Gilmore.  In  the  early  days  of  the  grain  business 
in  Prosser,  Simon  Bechtelheimer  bought  grain  on  the  track. 

Prosser  was  named  in  honor  of  T.  J.  Prosser,  of  Concordia,  Kan., 
who  was  superintendent  of  the  construction  force  that  built  the  Pacific 
road  into  the  town. 

There  is  only  one  church  in  Prosser,  the  ISIethodist  Episcopal. 
The  first  Sunday  school  was  conducted  in  the  Pacific  Station,  with 
L.  J.  Ware  acting  as  suiJerintendent.  Within  a  year  the  church  had 
organized  and  erected  a  church  house  at  a  cost  of  about  five  hundred 
dollars.  That  church,  with  additions  and  improvements,  is  still  in 
use.  Among  the  first  members  were  J.  JMorgan,  L.  J.  Ware,  George 
S.  Parks,  Dow  Steadman  and  JNIiles  W.  Knapp. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
GREAT  STORMS 

THE  EASTER  STORM 

There  are  many  stories  current  about  the  "Easter  Bhzzard."  the 
great  storm  of  1873  that  caused  great  loss  of  jjroperty  and  of  lives 
particularly  in  rather  more  than  half  of  Nebraska.  The  narratives 
of  the  storm  selected  are  by  Dr.  A.  I).  Williams  of  Kenesaw  and 
George  Huling  of  Bromlield,  now  (iiltner.  in  Clay  County.  Doctor 
Williams  was  a  national  figure  in  religious  affairs  and  was  also  an 
author  and  publisher.  Both  narratives  were  written  while  the  inci- 
dents were  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  writers  and  may  be  relied  u])on 
as  portraying  with  accm-acy  the  details  of  the  great  storm. 

"The  winter  1872-3,"  writes  Doctor  Williams,  "was  very  open  and 
mild.  Plowing  Avas  done  in  this  vicinity  (Kenesaw)  in  each  of  its 
months.  There  Avas  not  only  no  rain  during  the  winter,  but  none  of 
any  account  from  October  to  April.  The  ground  was  very  dry  and 
hard,  and  settlers  began  to  ask  each  other  if  it  ever  would  rain  again. 
Sowing,  Avhat  little  there  Avas,  began  in  February,  and  was  mostly 
OA'er  before  April.  But  it  did  not  come  up,  except  as  birds — mostly 
snowbirds — picked  it  up. 

"Sunday,  April  13,  Easter  day.  was  a  very  bright,  beautiful  day 
until  a  little  after  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Then,  all  at  once,  every- 
one began  listening  to  the  stillness.  Xot  a  breath  moved.  Xot  a  soimd 
was  heard,  but  the  stillness  was  both  audible  and  impressive.  In- 
stinctively everyone  felt,  he  knew  not  why,  that  something  was  the 
mattei'.  But  Avhat?  Avhence?  Presently,  rapidly  rolling  clouds  ap- 
peared low  in  the  northeast,  but  hurried  up  and  on,  like  billows  on  a 
stoi-my  sea.  Then  an  appai-ently  onmoving  darkness  appeared  in 
the  southwest,  like  an  inky  curtain,  that  at  length  was  discoA  ered  to 
be  ra])idly  coming  on  Avithout  internal  movement. 

"Still  more  impressive  became  the  silence — until,  suddenly,  a 
roar  filled  the  Avhole  heavens.  Almost  simultaneously,  the  tAvo  storms- 
408 


PAST  AND  PRJiLSEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      409 

approaching  from  opposite  directions,  came  togetlier,  apparently  just 
over  head,  and  then  the  tempest  struck  us  with  terrific  force  from 
the  northwest.  Everything  movable  hurried  away  most  unceremo- 
niously. The  air  became  immediately  filled  with  dust,  so  thick  and 
whirling  and  blinding,  that  sight  could  not  penetrate  half  a  rod  away, 
and  persons  in  the  house  could  not  see  each  other  even  before  the 
windows,  while  the  roar  of  the  elements  was  well  nigh  deafening. 

"People  felt  their  way  to  their  north  windows  to  keep  them  from 
lijowing  in,  the  family  sometimes  keeping  them  in  place  by  their 
hands  and  bodies,  and  in  some  instances  they  were  not  kept  in,  and 
the  house  filled  with  wind.  The  roof,  and  sometimes  the  whole  struc- 
ture, went  before  the  storm  like  so  many  feathers.  In  a  short  time 
Ed  ]Moore's  house  was  moved  from  its  foundation,  turned  partly 
around  and  unroofed,  and  was  probably  kept  from  all  going  before 
the  gale  by  reason  of  a  lot  of  hardware  and  grain  being  stored  in  it. 
The  roof  of  JNIrs.  Norton's  house,  just  finished,  went  kiting  towards 
Florida,  and  not  much  except  sjilinters  was  afterwards  found  of  it. 

"^Vhen  the  storm  began  Cajitain  and  INIrs.  Knapp,  living  where 
3Ir.  Long  now  lives,  were  sitting  by  the  stove,  on  the  tool  chest.  The 
next  they  remembered  they  were  sitting  imharmed  on  the  reversed 
un.ler  side  of  a  piece  of  their  roof — stove,  tool  chest,  and  house  alto- 
getlier  having  deserted  them.  Chairs,  bedstead,  clothing,  everything 
suddenly  started  on  a  journey,  much  of  which  was  never  found,  and 
most  of  what  was  found,  was  in  rags  and  splinters.  One  bed-quilt 
s'rack  the  west  side  of  our  house,  and  George  Williams  slipped  around 
the  south  side  and  arrested  it  at  the  southwest  corner.  A  pair  of  ])ants 
\\as  afterward  found  in  our  woodpile,  and  a  feather  bed  in  the  ditch 
on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the  resi- 
dence of  L.  W.  Parmenter.  A  large  quantity  of  splinters  of  shingles 
and  boards  from  the  wreck  struck  our  house  and  one  piece  of  2x4 
scantling  struck  our  north  Avindow  amidship,  but  fortunately  sidewise. 
or  our  house  would  have  been  added  to  the  ruins. 

"D.  R.  Rockfeller's  house,  near  Mrs.  Osier's  homestead,  was 
blown  to  smithereens.  He  was  at  our  house  when  the  storm  began 
and  during  the  subsequent  lull,  tried  to  reach  his  own.  But  he  had 
not  proceeded  far  before  the  returning  violence  of  the  storm,  ac- 
com]janied  by  the  last  'sand  storm'  of  the  vicinity,  stinging  and  cut- 
ting every  exposed  portion  of  his  skin,  until  he  Avas  compelled  to  lie 
down  flat  on  the  ground,  with  his  face  to  it,  and  hold  on  to  the  tufts 
of  sod  and  grass  with  his  hands  and  fingers. 

"Mrs.  Norton  was  still  living  in  one  of  the  conipany's  houses  at 
the  station,  but  was  out  of  fuel,  and  the  family  kept  warm  by  going 


^10   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

to  bed,  and  stajang  there.  The  three  other  houses  (the  four  were  the 
first  houses  to  be  built  in  Kenesaw),  only  a  few  rods  distant,  blew 
down  and  into  kindling  wood,  but  Mrs,  Norton  knew  nothing  of  it 
until  the  next  Wednesday.  She  was  the  deputy  postmistress,  but 
there  wasn't  much  postoffice  business  done  on  those  days.  Her  house 
was  probably  saved  by  being  sodded  up  on  the  north  and  west  sides. 

"In  a  little  less  than  an  hour  the  storm  abated  a  little  and  our 
pony,  'Puss,'  carried  us  pretty  lively  to  Captain  Knapp's.  Finding 
nothing  there,  we  went  to  Mr.  Moore's,  where  jNIr.  Coplin  afterward 
lived.  No  one  was  there.  On  we  went  to  Mr.  Chenowith's  (Bert 
]Moore's)  and  found  that  the  Knapps  and  ]\Ir.  jNIiller  must  have  been 
;n  the  sod  hen  house.  jNIr.  and  jNIrs.  JNIoore  were  at  Mr.  Chenowith's. 
But  by  this  time  the  heavens  had  gathered  blackness  again,  and  Puss' 
best  paces  availed  to  land  her  rider  at  home  before  the  storm  was  upon 
us  again,  with  apparently  increaesd  fury.  This  time,  it  began  to  snow 
fiu'iously,  and  it  was  as  blinding  and  bewildering  as  the  dust  had 
Iieen,  rendering  it  impossible  to  follow  any  direction  unless  it  had 
been  blindly  before  the  storm. 

"At  the  beginning  of  the  storm,  two  Stonehocker  families,  seven- 
teen in  number,  were  camped  beside  our  house.  At  the  first  approach 
of  the  storm,  they  fortunately  staked  down  their  'prairie  schooner' 
'vith  log  chains,  and  hurried  into  the  house.  And  there  they  all  stayed 
the  storm  out.  Early  in  the  storm  INIr.  Rockfeller  had  returned, 
filling  up  a  complement  of  twenty-three  persons  in  the  three  small 
rooms  of  the  house. 

"In  order  to  reach  the  stable,  less  than  a  hundred  feet  distant,  the 
svell  rope  Avas  draAvn,  and  with  it  in  hand  the  stable  could  be  found — 
we  could  not  see  the  stable  at  one-quarter  of  the  distance.  W.  Z.  Par- 
menter  and  A.  C.  Parmenter  came  in  from  Thirty-two  INIile  Creek  on 
AVednesday  near  night  to  see  Avhat  had  become  of  vis. 

"It  was  Wednesday  that  the  storm  abated.  Immediately  after 
noon,  traveling  when  I  could  see  and  remaining  still  when  I  could 
not,  and  following  a  well  defined  track  from  my  house  to  the  dejiot. 
it  was  found  that  INIrs.  Norton  and  her  children  were  safe.  Return- 
ing, a  relief  party  was  formed  to  see  what  had  become  of  the  Knapps. 
]Mr.  Rockefeller  and  one  of  the  Stonehockers  accompanied  me,  taking 
along  a  shovel  and  some  food  and  coffee.  We  at  length  reached  the 
place  and  found  Captain  and  INIrs.  Knapp  and  ]Mr.  JNIiller  banked  u]) 
in  the  sod  hen  house  Avith  the  hens.  They  had  come  here  when  the  liouse 
blew  down.  So  cramped  were  the  quarters  that  they  could  neither 
stand  erect  nor  recline  at  length.    During  their  stav  there,  from  Sun- 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      411 

day  afternoon  to  Wednesday  afternoon,  they  had  had  a  two-pound 
can  of  peaches,  a  raw  potato  and  what  eggs  the  hens  laid. 

"When  dug  out,  neither  of  the  party  could  stand  alone.  But  two 
of  the  rescuers  formed  a  seat  with  their  clasped  hands  for  Mrs.  Knapp 
on  which  she  jjartly  rode  and  partly  walked,  while  after  a  little.  Cap- 
tain Knapp  and  Mr.  Miller  walked  by  leaning  on  each  shoulder  of 
the  other  man.  One  of  the  Stonehockers'  teams  was  cut  loose  and 
drifted  before  the  storm  towards  Red  Cloud,  but  fortunately  was 
found  alive  on  Thursday. 

"The  train  passed  the  Kenesaw  station  without  the  trainmen  ob- 
serving it.  It  had  gone  to  Kearney  on  Saturday  the  12th  and  stayed 
in  Kearney  until  the  next  Saturday,  when  it  dug  its  way  with  difficulty 
through  the  hardened  drifts  in  the  cuts.  As  the  train  passed  the  sta- 
tion witliout  observing  it.  Puss  was  again  brought  to  the  rescue  and 
overhauled  the  train  in  a  cut  below,  and  the  mail  was  delivered,  the 
conductor  remarking  that  it  was  the  first  time  he  ever  knew  of  an 
express  being  overhauled  by  an  Indian  pony. 

"At  no  time  did  the  thermometer  fall  more  than  two  degrees  be- 
low freezing,  and  most  of  the  time  it  was  above.  Yet  so  rapidly  did 
the  wind  absorb  the  heat  of  the  body  that  only  a  fcAv  hours'  exposure 
would  i^roduce  death,  and  quite  a  number  did  perish  at  different 
places,  though  none  in  the  inmiediate  vicinity  of  Kenesaw.  The  snow 
completely  filled  tlie  air  through  constant  blowing,  though  the  fall 
itself  was  probably  considerably  less  than  a  foot.  There  has  been  no 
storm  lilvc  it  since  those  who  experienced  the  'Easter  Storm,'  did 
not  hanker  after  any  more  of  the  same  sort." 

George  W.  Huling's  version : 

"We  left  our  Missouri  home  some  time  in  March,  1873,  and  ar- 
rived at  oin*  new  home  six  miles  northwest  of  Harvard,  on  the  West 
Blue  in  Clay  County,  on  the  10th  of  April.  At  our  destination  we 
found  everything  as  the  Creator  had  made  it,  save  the  timber  along 
the  stream,  which  had  been  culled  off  by  settlers  who  had  come  the 
year  before. 

"We  lived  in  our  wagon  a  day  or  two  till  we  put  up  a  light  frame 
structure  12x16  feet,  for  a  temporary  shelter;  we  moved  into  it  Sat- 
urday, April  12.  It  had  no  floor  and  the  frame  was  two  by  four 
scantling,  running  horizontally.  Boards  were  nailed  on  perpendicu- 
larly and  battened  by  one-inch  stuff.  The  roof  was  made  in  the  same 
way,  only  it  was  two-sided  or  a  peaked  roof,  not  a  shanty.  The  next 
day  Mas  Easter  Sunday. 

"About  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Ave  noticed  a  very  dark  cloud 
coming  up  rapidly  from  the  northwest.     We  saw  plainly  that  a  ter- 


^12       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

rible  storm  was  coming  and  we  got  our  wagon  behind  a  steep  bank 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  that  gave  good  jirotection  from  a  north- 
west wind.  We  tied  our  four  horses  to  the  wagon,  two  on  a  side,  and 
awaited  the  storm. 

"It  came  about  5  o'clock.  We  greatly  feared  when  it  first  struck 
us  that  our  frail  shelter  would  not  withstand  the  hurricane  that  ac- 
companied the  rain,  but  it  withstood  the  first  onset  better  than  Ave 
hojied  and  we  Avent  to  bed  and  slept  .the  first  night  undisturbed.  When 
we  awoke  the  next  morning  it  was  snowing  at  a  fearful  rate,  and  so 
blinding  that  it  Avas  impossible  to  face  it  and  breathe.  We  made  two 
attemjits  before  Ave  succeeded  in  getting  to  our  horses.  We  found 
them  in  a  fearful  condition  Avith  the  snoAv  poring  upon  them  in  blind- 
ing sheets,  driven  Avith  the  Avind  over  a  burnt-ofF  prairie  for  over  a 
mile  Avith  no  draAv  or  obstruction  intervening. 

"To  leave  them  there  Avas  certain  death  in  a  feAv  more  hours,  and 
Avhat  to  do  in  the  circumstances  Avas  the  question.  We  had  besides 
oiu"  family  tAvo  men  Avho  had  been  our  companions  a  portion  of  the 
Avay.  Our  bed  Avas  in  one  corner  and  there  Avere  seven  of  us  in  the 
house.  But  Ave  decided  that  room  must  be  made  for  the  horses,  so 
AA'e  tied  our  bedstead  up  to  the  collar  beams — it  Avas  a  Ioav  one — and 
Ave  got  it  out  of  the  Avay.  We  then  brought  up  the  horses,  and  as  soon 
as  the  door  Avas  ojDened  thej^  Avent  in  Avith  a  rush,  one  at  a  time.  AVe 
got  three  horses  in  line  Avith  the  bed,  the  fourth  horse  standing  behind 
them,  giving  barely  room  for  passage  betAveen  him  and  the  stove. 

"I  never  saAv  such  suffering  as  the  poor  horses  exhibited  Avhen  Ave 
first  got  them  in.  Their  tails  Avere  a  foot  in  diameter,  filled  Avith  snoAv 
so  firmly  jjacked  that  it  Avas  a  difficult  task  to  remove  it.  Every  muscle 
in  their  bodies  quivered  like  a  man  shaking  Avith  the  ague.  They  Avere 
so  hungry  that  they  soon  began  gnaAving  at  the  tAvo  by  four  scantling 
in  front  of  them.  To  prevent  this  we  had  to  fill  the  scantlings  Avith 
shingle  nails.  'We  had  nothing  but  flour  to  feed  the  animals,  but  this 
seemed  to  satisfy  their  appetite  in  a  measure,  till  my  son  and  one  of 
the  men  stopping  Avith  us  (Phillips  by  name)  took  one  of  the  horses 
and  made  a  triji  to  our  nearest  neighbor,  a  little  over  a  (juarter  of  a 
mile  doAvn  the  stream. 

"This  Avould  have  been  impossible  had  it  not  been  for  the  lay  of 
the  land  and  the  trees  and  bushes  skirting  the  stream.  The  direction 
of  the  storm  gave  them  a  side  Avind,  both  going  and  coming,  thus  en- 
abling them  to  keep  their  bearings.  They  got  a  sack  of  stove  Avood 
and  a  sack  of  corn.  This  Avas  on  ]Monday.  On  Tuesday  they  made 
another  trip,  getting  the  same  as  before,  but  the  last  trip  Avas  more 


PAST  AND  PKESP:XT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      413 

difficult,  as  the  storm  had  increased  in  its  fury  and  it  was  at  the  peril 
of  tlieir  lives  that  they  came  back. 

"One  of  the  worst  features  of  the  storm  was  its  long  duration.  It 
reached  its  height  on  Tuesday  night.  We  slept  none  that  night  and 
were  in  constant  fear  that  our  frail  structure  would  collapse,  and  that 
would  have  meant  death  to  all  of  us.  We  had  a  few  pieces  of  scant- 
ling left,  so  I  made  stakes  and  notched  them  in  such  a  manner  that 
when  driven  in  the  ground  they  would  prevent  the  building  from 
sliding  or  lifting  up.  1  also  l)raced  the  shack  with  two  long  scant- 
lings at  the  north  end,  which  made  it  much  stronger.  The  structure 
would  spring,  the  sides  of  it,  like  a  basket  and  threatened  every  minute 
to  give  way.    But  the  sliack  held  out  and  we  were  saved. 

"On  Wednesday  night  the  storm  abated  some  and  Thursday 
afternoon  it  cleared  off.  JNIany  poor  homesteaders  lost  their  teams 
and  cows  and  some  lost  their  lives.  I  had  two  cows  loose.  I  found 
them  ten  miles  from  home.  They  had  drifted  with  the  wind  and  had 
got  behind  a  sod  house  and  were  saved.  We  had  a  coop  of  about  a 
dozen  white  Brama  chickens.  The  coop  was  drifted  over  and  all 
Mere  saved  but  one.     This  was  our  only  loss. 

"There  was  no  snow  on  the  ground  after  the  storm,  only  in  draws, 
and  it  was  packed  so  solid  that  a  team  could  be  driven  over  it  anywhere 
without  denting  it  any  more  than  the  solid  road.  The  snow  covered 
the  buffalo  grass  in  the  draws  upon  which  many  of  the  settlers  de- 
pended for  food  for  their  cattle  so  that  for  a  time  they  were  deprived 
of  this  food  supply,  and  this  after  effect  was  a  hardship  that  con- 
tinued after  the  storm  had  cleared." 

STORM  OF  1888 

The  great  storm  of  January  12,  1888,  was  felt  in  full  force  in 
Adams  County,  but  because  of  the  advanced  development  of  the 
community  the  hardship  imposed  was  not  so  great  as  in  1873.  Until 
aliout  4  o'clock  the  air  was  soft  and  hazy  as  in  Indian  summer,  but 
at  about  that  hour  the  wind  changed  suddenly  to  the  north  and  grew 
ra])idly  to  hurricane  velocity.  The  snow  began  first  to  fall  in  large 
flakes  and  then  changed  to  small,  hard  pellets,  like  shot.  The  air  was 
so  filled  that  drivers  could  not  see  the  horses'  heads.  INIore  than  one 
hundred  persons  lost  their  lives  in  Nebraska  in  that  storm  and  more 
than  a  thousand  were  reported  to  have  perished  in  South  l^akota. 
It  is  kncnm  as  the  school  children's  storm,  because  of  the  great  loss 
of  life  among  the  schools.     No  loss  of  life  was  reported  in  Adams 


^1^       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

County.     In  Nebraska  generally  in  that  storm  the  wind  reached  a 
velocity  of  .)6  miles  an  hoiu*  with  the  mercury  at  34  degrees  below  zero. 

PAULIXE  TOKXADO 

Sunday,  May  24,  1903,  a  destructive  tornado  destroyed  the  six- 
room  residence  of  John  JNIumma  near  Pauline.  The  storm  started 
about  four  miles  southwest  of  the  JNIumma  home,  where  it  destroyed 
the  liouse  of  Charles  Daum.  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Daum  escaped  from 
injury  by  taking  refuge  in  the  cellar.  The  tornado  missed  the  home 
of  William  Overy  by  about  seventy-five  yards. 

At  the  JNIumma  home  six  Avere  killed:  John  JNIumma,  aged  31; 
JNIrs.  Mumma,  47;  Gertrude  JNIumma,  18;  Florence  Palmer,  19;  John 
Palmer,  16;  Ray  Quigg,  21.  Those  killed  in  addition  to  the  JNIumma 
family  were  young  people  of  the  neighborliood  who  were  Sunday 
guests  of  the  JNIummas.  The  party  wei'e  at  dinner  Avhen  the  liouse 
was  struck,  about  3  o'clock.  The  farm  was  tlie  property  of  'NV.  B. 
Sheldon  of  Hastings. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
OREGON  TRAIL  AND  LONE  GRAVE 

The  Oregon  Trail,  one  of  the  historic  trails  of  tlie  world,  enters 
Adams  Connty  a  little  south  of  the  center  of  section  1  in  Little  Bkie 
Township  and  leaves  the  comity  on  the  west  side  of  section  18  in 
Kenesaw  Townshij).  The  trail  leaves  Little  Blue  Township  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  section  2.  In  Hanover  Township  it  traverses 
sections  34,  33,  29,  southeast  corner  of  30,  and  19;  in  Ayr  Township 
it  crosses  sections  24,  14,  15,  9,  southwest  corner  of  4,  south  half  of  5, 
northeast  corner  of  6.  Crossing  the  southwest  corner  of  section  31  in 
Denver  it  enters  Juniata  a  little  south  of  the  center  of  section  36  and 
then  crosses  the  southwest  quarter  of  25,  the  northeast  quarter  of  26, 
southwest  quarter  of  23  and  then  traverses  northeast  quarter  of  21, 
22,  16,  17  and  leaves  Juniata  Township  on  the  west  side  of  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  7.  The  trail  enters  Wanda  a  little  south  of 
the  center  of  section  12  on  the  east  side  of  the  section,  it  then  crosses 
11,  the  northeast  quarter  of  10,  the  southwest  quarter  of  3  and  the 
northeast  quarter  of  4.  It  enters  Kenesaw  Township  on  the  south 
side  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  33  and  then  crosses  the  south- 
west quarter  of  that  section  to  the  southeast  quarter  of  32  and  then 
runs  almost  north  through  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  section.  It 
crosses  section  29  almost  diagonally,  traversing  the  southeast  and  the 
northwest  quarters.  The  course  continues  northwest,  touching  sec- 
tion 20  on  the  southwest  quarter  and  running  through  19  to  the  south 
side  of  18.  leaving  the  county  on  the  west  side  of  18.  After  leaving 
section  1  in  Little  Blue  Township  the  trail  was  a  sharp  trend  north- 
westwards. 

As  the  basis  of  striking  tradition,  the  Oregon  Trail  is  undoubtedly 
Adam's  County's  richest  asset.  It  is  interesting  to  remember  that  the 
stream  of  early  migration  westward,  in  the  days  before  the  railroads, 
flowed  through  Adams  County  along  the  trail  outlined  in  the  forego- 
ing. Writing  of  the  beginning  of  the  Oregon  Trail,  Addison  Erwin 
Sheldon,  lecturer  on  Nebraska  history  and  institutions  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Nebraska,  places  the  beginning  of  the  trail  at  1813.  when 
415 


il6       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

the  Astorians  returning  from  establishing  a  fur  trading  post,  Astoria, 
in  Oregon,  went  over  the  trail.  These  men  were  seven  in  number  and 
led  one  horse.  According  to  Mv.  Sheldon,  the  first  wagon  wheels  to 
go  over  the  trail  were  those  of  JMilton  Sublette  in  1830.  Sublette  with 
ten  wagons  went  from  St.  Louis  to  the  Wind  River  ]Mountains  with 
one  cow  that  furnished  milk  all  the  way.  "The  track  they  made,"  says 
]Mr.  Sheldon,  "from  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas  River  up  the  valley  of 
the  Little  Blue  and  up  the  south  side  of  the  Platte  and  the  North 
Platte,  was  followed  by  others,  and  thus  became  the  historic  trail." 

In  1832,  Cajjtain  Bonneville  went  over  this  trail  from  the  INIissouri 
River  to  the  mountains  and  the  same  year  Nathaniel  J.  Wyeth  opened 
the  road  from  the  jNIissouri  River  to  the  Pacific  Coast  in  Oregon.  In 
18.50,  monthly  mail  coaches  began  running  over  the  Oregon  Trail  from 
the  ^Missouri  River  to  California.  The  mail  at  first  started  from 
St.  .loseph  and  a  short  time  later  from  Atchison.  From  1861  to  1866 
daily  coaches  ran  both  ways  over  the  route.  The  pony  express  ran 
over  the  Oregon  Ti-ail  for  a  year  and  a  half  begiiuiing  with  April  3, 
1860. 

The  pony  express  was  a  man  on  horseback  that  carried  mail  only. 
Stations  were  made  at  distances  of  ten  or  twelve  miles  apart,  or  at 
such  distances  as  horses  could  run  at  full  speed.  When  pony  and 
express  rider  arrived  at  a  station,  another  rider  was  ready  mounted 
and,  taking  the  mail  bag,  dashed  oiF  for  the  next  station  at  full  speed. 
The  quickest  time  recorded  for  the  pony  express  was  in  ]March,  1861. 
President  Lincoln's  inaugural  address  was  carried  from  St.  Joseph  to 
Sacramento  in  seven  days  and  seventeen  hours,  the  distance  being 
1.980  miles. 

It  was  during  the  rush  for  gold  in  California  in  1849.  that  the 
Oregon  Trail  became  the  greatest  highway  of  its  kind  that  the  world 
ever  saw.  At  that  time  it  was  wider  than  a  city  street.  Thousands  of 
people  went  West  by  the  route.  Great  caravans  with  their  horses  and 
cattle  and  vast  stores  of  su])plies  made  it  virtually  the  street  of  a  city, 
Init  a  street  extending  from  the  ^Missouri  River  to  California. 

There  are  places  in  Adams  County  Avhere  traces  of  the  trail  are 
still  visible,  but  they  are  being  rapidly  effaced.  The  trail  can  some- 
times be  seen  where  it  crosses  the  section  lines  where  the  original  sod 
of  the  I'oad  has  not  been  broken.  The  trail  can  be  seen  quite  ])lainly 
in  the  vicinity  of  Lone  Grave  on  section  18  in  Kenesaw  Township. 

EARLY    RANCHES 

Some  of  the  ranches  which  were  established  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  coaches  during  the  coach  stage,  were  located  in  Adams 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      417 

County,  though  not  much  evidence  of  them  remains.  The  field  notes 
of  tlie  surveyors,  which  are  preserved  in  the  office  of  the  county  sur- 
veyor, refei-»to  "Clark's  Ranch"  as  existing  between  18.58  and  1860. 
This  ranch  is  located  by  these  notes  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  6,  town  6,  range  10.  Traces  of  an  old 
stockade  and  well  remain.  Such  evidences  also  are  found  on  the 
nortlieast  quarter  of  section  15,  town  6,  range  10.  Another  ranch 
was  located  2i^  miles  southeast  of  the  present  Village  of  Kenesaw, 
on  the  Frank  Ealhke  farm.  In  one  of  the  raids  made  by  the  Indians 
the  keeper  of  this  ranch  is  supposed  to  have  been  killed.  The  ranch 
was  afterwards  known  as  "Dead  JNIan's  Ranch."  On  the  ranch  near 
Brickton,  that  is  the  one  located  on  section  15,  town  6,  range  10,  old 
JMinie  bullets  have  been  found  from  time  to  time  by  Adams  County 
peojjie.  Deweese,  in  Clay  County,  was  a  well  known  ranch  in  coach 
days  and  was  called  "I^iberty  Farm."  The  period  of  decline  of  the 
Oregon  Trail  was  from  1860  to  1869.  At  the  latter  time  the  coaches 
wt've  discontinued  entirely.  In  the  declining  days  of  freighting  over 
the  Oregon  Trail  "Bill  Kress"  drove  a  team  over  the  trail  as  a 
freighter.  Varying  numbers  of  horses  and  oxen  were  used  to  pull  the 
freight  wagons.     Six  yoke  of  oxen  to  a  wagon  were  not  uncommon. 

Regulation  markers  have  been  placed  upon  the  Oregon  Trail  in 
Adams  County  by  the  Oregon  Trail  ^Memorial  Commission  as  fol- 
lows: One  near  the  Adams-Clay  County  line  at  the  jjoint  where  the 
Oregon  Trail  crossed.  It  is  140  rods  north  of  the  southwest  quarter 
of  section  6,  township  6,  range  7.  Another  stands  on  the  school 
grounds  of  District  Number  12,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  south- 
west quarter  section  23,  range  11,  township  7,  and  a  third  was  placed 
at  the  northwest  corner  of  section  17,  township  7,  range  11.  Near 
Leroy,  Niobrara  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  of 
Hastings,  erected  a  marker  on  the  main  road  south  from  Hastings  to 
I^eroy.    This  is  forty  feet  north  of  the  southwest  corner  of  section  14. 

In  a  letter  to  the  compiler  of  this  history  the  late  Clarence  S. 
Paine,  of  Lincoln,  wrote:  "There  ought  to  be  two  or  three  more 
monuments  erected  on  the  Oregon  Trail  in  Adams  County,  but  we 
have  never  been  able  to  get  anyone  to  assmne  the  responsibility  of 
ha\  ing  them  properly  set,  and  while  we  have  the  monuments  we  have 
not  Jiad  the  means  to  erect  them."  ]Mr.  Paine  was  the  secretary  of  the 
Oregon  Trail  ^Memorial  Commission.  Apropos  to  the  subject, 
]Mr.  Paine  continued:  "I  believe  that  Dr.  Frank  Schaufelberger  of 
Plastings  knows  more  about  the  Oregon  Trail  in  Adams  County  than 
anvone  else  living.    I  am  sure  that  he  knows  more  about  it  than  I  do." 


418       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

LONE   GRAVE 

The  relic  of  the  Oregon  Trail  in  Adams  County  to  which  the  most 
human  interest  attaches  is  "Lone  Grave,"  located  near  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  18  in  Kenesaw  Township, 
just  a  few  steps  to  the  north  of  where  the  trail  passes.  JNIany  ver- 
sions have  been  told  of  the  occupant  of  Lone  Grave,  JNIrs.  Susan  O. 
Hail,  of  La  Fayette  County,  JNIissouri.  The  most  widely  credited  ver- 
sion is  that  of  JNIrs.  Peterson,  of  Holstein,  who  gives  as  her  authority  a 
]\Ir.  JMcFarland,  father  of  William  Yoho.  JNIr.  jMcFarland,  who 
drove  an  ox  team  from  Illinois  to  California,  died  in  Kenesaw  some 
years  ago  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  Mr.  JMcFarland  claimed  to  have 
known  JNlr.  and  JMrs.  Hail  and  the  circumstances  of  the  death  of 
INIrs.  Hail.  According  to  this  narration  j\Irs.  Hail  died  after  having 
drunk  water  jjoisoned  by  the  Indians  at  Dead  jNIan's  Ranch,  six  miles 
southeast  of  the  grave.  After  burying  his  wife,  in  a  coffin  fashioned 
from  the  lumber  of  his  wagon  box,  JNIr.  Hail  went  on  with  the  train 
to  the  Pacific  Coast.  Later,  he  returned,  and  after  procuring  a  slab 
in  Omaha  brought  it  back  along  the  trail  and  erected  it  upon  the 
grave. 

It  is  also  narrated  that  it  took  about  all  the  money  that  JNIr.  Hail 
had  to  procure  the  slab,  and  that  he  was  forced  to  wheel  the  monument 
from  Omaha  to  Kenesaw  in  a  wheelbarro\\-.  Nothing  definite,  how- 
ever, seems  to  be  known  of  these  details. 

The  township  survey  of  Kenesaw  Township  was  made  by  James 
Cozzad  between  Juh'  25  and  August  4,  1859.  The  surveyor  used 
the  grave  as  a  witness  to  a  corner  established,  and  in  his  notes  refers 
to  the  grave.  The  inscription  upon  the  slab  as  quoted  in  his  notes  by 
Mr.  Cozzad  read  as  follows:  "jNIemory  of  ]Mrs.  Susan  O.  Hail,  of 
La  Fayette  County,  JNIissouri,  who  died  June  2nd,  1852,  age  34  years. 
5  months  and  12  days."  That  this  is  the  true  record  as  to  the  time  of 
death  and  age  and  name  of  Mrs.  Hail  is  probable,  in  that  only  seven 
years  would  have  elapsed  between  the  date  given  for  her  death  and  tlie 
reading  of  the  inscription  by  the  surveyor  the  inscription  would  ])r()b- 
ably  be  clear. 

In  after  years,  the  slab  was  entirely  carried  away,  piece  by  piece, 
by  relic  hunters.  The  present  monument  was  afterward  placed  upon 
the  grave  by  the  children  of  the  Waterhouse  Sunday  School  and  much 
of  the  second  monument  has  been  carried  aAvay  by  relic  seekers.  The 
iron  fence  around  the  grave  was  also  placed  by  tlie  Sunday  School. 

While  the  Oregon  Trail  came  into  use  by  the  white  man  in  the 
periods  as  narrated,  the  investigators  of  Indian  history  generally  agree 


FAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      419 

that  it  was  used  piecemeal  by  the  red  man  from  time  immemorial.  By 
1843,  it  was  a  well  defined  route  for  trade  and  traffic  between  St.  Louis 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River.  The  real  trail  began  at  Frank- 
lin, INlissouri,  "20.5  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  JMissouri  River. 
Franklin  continued  to  be  the  fountain  of  trade  over  the  trail  for  about 
ten  years  and  then  was  superseded  by  Independence.  The  length  of 
the  trail  up  the  Little  Blue  Valley  was  about  seventy  miles.  It  left 
the  Blue  at  a  point  near  Leroy  and  proceeded  to  the  Platte,  which  it 
reached  at  a  point  about  twenty  miles  below  the  western  end  of  Grand 
Island.  The  extreme  length  of  the  trail  from  Independence  to  Van- 
couver Avas  2,020  miles. 

IXniANS    Ol'    THE    SF.CTIOXS 

Students  of  Indian  history  consider  that  the  first  authentic  record 
of  the  Indian  occupancy  of  Nebraska  is  that  of  Coranado's  relations 
with  them  in  1.541,  although  the  Pawnee  are  believed  to  have  emi- 
grated to  Nebraska  some  time  prior  to  1500,  coming,  probably,  from 
the  Red  River  of  the  South.  The  present  Adams  County  was  within 
the  territory  claimed  by  the  Pawnee,  and  was  ceded  by  the  four  bands 
to  the  United  States  in  1833,  who  ceded  the  North  Platte  counti'v  in 
]8.i7,  with  the  exception  of  tlieir  reserve  in  Nance  County.  The  latter 
I'eserve  was  ceded  in  1870  and  the  Pawnee  were  transferred  to  Indian 
Territory,  now  Oklahoma.  The  number  of  Pawnee  in  Nebraska  was 
estimated  in  1801  at  4,000.  The  Indians  in  the  territory  of  which 
Adams  County  is  a  part  usually  made  two  great  himts  each  year.  Old 
and  yovmg  participated.  From  the  sunniier  hunt  they  made  jerked 
meat  and  lodge  skins  and  from  the  fall  hunt  robes,  fiu's,  tanned  skins 
and  dried  meat. 

LOUISIANA    TERRITORY 

Inasmuch  as  Adams  County  was  a  part  of  the  Louisiana  Terri- 
tory, it  is  germane  to  recall  some  of  the  facts  which  have  been  compiled 
aliout  the  territory.  It  contained  890,921  square  miles,  land  and 
Avater.  Of  this  area  878,641  square  miles  were  land,  containing  .562.- 
330,240  acres.  The  price  ])aid  for  it  was  2  3/;5  cents  per  acre.  Out  of 
the  territory  states  Avere  formed  as  follows:  Louisiana,  1812:  Mis- 
souri. 1821;  Arkansas.  1836:  loAva,  1846:  Minnesota,  18.58;  Kansas. 
1861:  Nebraska,  1867;  Colorado,  1886;  IMontana.  1889;  South 
Dakota.  1889;  North  Dakota,  1889:  Wyoming,  1890;  Oklahoma, 
1907;  Idaho,  1890:  Washington,  1889;  and  Oregon,  18;59.    Of  Colo- 


i20       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

rado,  however,  about  one-third  of  the  state  was  formed  from  the 
Louisiana  Territory;  and  of  about  three-fom-ths  Wyoming. 

HUNTING  AND  FISHING 

Looking  out  over  the  magnificent  fields  of  waving  grain,  dotted 
here  and  there  and  everywhere  M'ith  fine  large  farm  homes,  schools 
and  churches,  towns  and  eit}^  one  can  hardly  comprehend  that  what 
is  now  Adams  County  was  a  hunter's  paradise  less  than  a  half  century 
ago.  But  such  is  the  truth,  and  be  it  said  to  their  credit  that  it  was 
the  early  hunters  who  made  it  possible  for  this  country  to  settle  up 
so  rapidly. 

In  the  early  days  this  was  a  great  hunting  ground  for  the  white 
man  as  well  as  the  Indian.  Thousands  and  thousands  of  buffaloes 
roamed  the  vast  j^rairies  in  great  herds,  while  deer  and  antelo])e  were 
in  bands  of  from  two  to  fifty.  Beaver,  mink,  polecats,  coyotes  and 
prairie  wolves  were  plentiful,  as  the  trappers  found  to  their  delight: 
while  the  country  seemed  to  be  overrun  with  wild  turkeys,  prairie 
chickens,  ducks,  geese,  grouse,  quail,  curlew,  plover,  snipes  and  Avild 
pigeons.  But  today  the  sportsman  who  would  hunt  here  must  con- 
fine his  shooting  to  snipes,  plovers,  prairie  chickens,  doves,  ducks, 
geese  and  the  ever  present  cottontail  and  long-eared  jack  rabbit. 

Here  the  hunters  used  to  pitch  their  tents  and  call  it  home.  They 
made  their  money  by  trapjjing  and  hunting — it  was  a  business,  not 
an  outing,  for  them.  Hides  were  carefully  gathered,  and  cured,  and 
then  hauled  to  the  nearest  shipijing  point  where  they  were  sold  to 
liide  buyers.  And  it  was  because  of  the  value  of  hides  that  the 
Indians  and  white  men  fought  to  the  death  here  on  many  an  occasion. 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  '60s  that  Stephen  Nash,  "Buck- 
skin Charlie,"  and  a  young  boy  named  I^ittlefield  started  from  here 
on  a  buffalo  Inmt  along  the  Platte.  The  young  boy  had  really  forced 
liimself  into  the  party,  as  he  was  looked  upon  as  being  too  young  tt» 
undergo  the  hardships,  but  his  mother  consented  so  the  young  man 
shouldered  his  rifle,  strapped  on  his  hunting  knife,  and  joined  tlie 
hunters.  The  party  was  successful  and  soon  had  gathered  hides  tliat 
Avere  valued  at  $1,.'500,  which  they  carefully  placed  in  a  cache.  A 
few  days  later  when  they  returned  to  the  jjlace  where  they  had 
hidden  the  hides  they  found  that  Indians  had  been  there  and  stolen 
their  pelts.  They  immediately  took  to  the  trail  of  the  thieves  and 
followed  them  up  into  Valley  County  where  the  Indians  were  located 
at  camp  in  a  small  pocket  in  a  coulee.  In  the  battle  that  followed 
most  of  tlie  Indians  were  killed.     Young  Littlefield  became  so  em- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      ^21 

boldened  over  the  success  of  the  fight  that  he  arose  from  his  liiding 
place  just  in  time  to  become  a  target  for  the  Indian's  last  shot.  A 
bullet  struck  him  in  the  head  and  he  died  a  few  hours  later.  With  such 
a  sad  ending  to  the  hunt  Nash  and  "Buckskin  Charlie"  saddled  their 
horses  and  took  the  remains  to  the  Littlefield  home  in  Sutton. 

]\Iortimer  N.  Kress,  who  was  at  that  time  better  known  as  "Wild 
Bill,"  and  who  was  the  first  settler  on  the  Little  Blue,  has  killed 
buffalo,  deer  and  antelope  on  almost  every  important  place  in  Adams 
Count}'.  Being  a  notable  plainsman  and  fearless  Indian  fighter,  he 
made  a  success  of  his  hunting  and  trapping  here. 

In  the  spring  and  the  fall  the  PaA»iiee  Indians  would  come  in  large 
bands  from  their  main  camping  grounds  on  Cedar  River  in  Greeley 
County  do^vii  through  Adams  County  and  establish  a  hunting  camp 
on  the  Little  Blue  River.  On  all  these  occasions  they  made  it  a 
point  to  camp  for  at  least  one  night  on  Pawnee  Creek,  one  mile  south 
of  Hastings — and  late  in  the  '70s  they  were  still  making  these  hunt- 
ing trips. 

The  last  buffalo  shot  in  what  is  now  the  corporate  limits  of 
Hastings  was  killed  in  the  fall  of  1872  by  JMorris  Alexander,  who 
ran  the  animal  up  Hastings  avenue  and  shot  it  where  the  water  works 
plant  stands  today. 

It  Avas  two  years  later  that  the  last  buffalo  was  killed  in  Adams 
County.  In  the  fall  of  '74  a  lone  buffalo  was  seen  on  the  C.  F. 
Francis  homestead,  three  miles  south  of  Juniata.  The  neAvs  quickly 
spread  to  the  little  Town  of  Juniata  and  a  party  headed  by  .>ames 
Laird,  George  Brown  and  Ed  Allen  took  up  the  chase.  The  hunt 
lasted  for  several  hours  but  the  buffalo  was  killed  on  the  Francis 
place,  and  judging  from  the  number  of  bullet  holes  in  its  hide  every 
man  in  the  chase  had  a  hand  in  the  killing.  And  so  the  passing  of 
the  bison  from  Adams  Coimty. 

Prairie  chickens  and  quail,  and  occasionally  a  few  teal  ducks, 
breed  here — all  the  rest  of  the  game  birds  found  in  Adams  County 
are  migratory.  The  flight  of  ducks  and  geese  starts  early  in  the 
spring  and  continues  for  about  five  weeks,  during  which  time  the 
birds  stop  to  feed  and  water  while  en  route  south.  About  the  first 
of  September  they  start  making  this  their  feeding  ground  while 
making  their  northern  flight.  So  there  is  still  good  shooting  here 
during  the  fall  months,  as  that  is  the  only  open  season. 

There  are  Wilson's  snipe,  jacksnipe,  sandpijjers  and  tattlers  that 
are  quite  plentiful  here,  all  of  which  may  be  found  at  any  lagoon  early 
in  the  fall,  as  well  as  the  green-head  and  red-head  mallards,  lilue 
and  green-winged  teals,  pintails,  spoon-bills  and  butter  ducks.     The 


422       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

brant,  which  is  the  smallest  species  of  the  goose,  is  much  more  plen- 
tiful than  the  Canadian  goose,  but  sportsmen  seem  to  find  plenty  of 
both  here  in  season. 

Adams  County  never  has  been  overburdened  with  a  supply  of 
fish,  for  the  reason  that  there  is  but  one  stream  in  the  county  that  is 
habited  by  any  fish  to  speak  of,  and  that  stream  is  the  Blue  River. 
In  its  blue-tinted  waters  are  found  channel  cat,  bullheads,  whitefish, 
sun  fish  and  carp.  Many  large  channel  cat  fish  have  been  hauled 
from  the  Blue,  but  the  chief  catch  is  bullheads. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  ENTRYMEN 

The  following  is  a  list  of  tlie  entrvmen,  as  shown  by  the  Tract 
Books  in  the  United  States  Land  Office  at  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  who 
made  entrj^  on  lands  in  Adams  County,  Nebraska,  to-wit: 

LITTLE    BLUE    TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2 

Section 

2, 

Section 

3. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

.5. 

Section 

5. 

Section 

.5. 

Section 

6. 

St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Zara  T.  Osgood 1871 

John   Shierman    1873 

]Michael  Britt   187.> 

George  Donaldson    187.5 

John  Donaldson    187.3 

:Michael  Britt   1879 

Jasper  U.  Gardner 1871 

St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Calvin  Howard    1872 

James  H.  Rogers 1872 

Augustus  A.   Belden 1873 

Stephen   Gardner    1873 

James  M.  Dean 1 876 

Joseph   Lloyd    1870 

Alfred  L.  Gates 1872 

John  Croasman    1871 

Daniel  C.  Olmstead 1879 

August  C.  Yesner 1870 

Jonas   Goding    1874 

Nathaniel  Carter 1876 

Daniel  C.  Olmstead 1875 

Joseph  Lloyd  (involves  E  lA  NE  l/t) 1870 

Idella  R.  Williams  (involves  E  l/o  NE  1/i) 1876 

Balance  Section  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Jesse  M.  Bird 1876 

42.3 


^24       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section     6. .  George  J.  Selleck 1876 

Section     6.  Washington  Klingnian 1879 

Section     6.  Jesse  M.  Bird 1881 

Section     7.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section     8.  William  S.  Moote 1870 

Section     8.  Simon  Sinclair 1873 

Section     8.  James  P.  Crone 1870 

Section     8.  Gilbert  D.  Hover 1870 

Section     8.  Moses  Livingston 1870 

Section     8.  James  M.    Sinclair 1871 

Section     9.  Harry  T.  ]Maynard   (involves  N  14) 1870 

Section     9.  James  B.  ]McCleery  (involves  N  l/o) 1873 

Section     9.  Eben  T.  Wright  (involves  N  i/o) 1870 

Section     9.  Balance  Section  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  10.  Jonathan  R.  Carter 1870 

Section  10.  John   L.   Johnson 1873 

Section  10.  Nathaniel  Carter   1870 

Section  10.  Stephen  Gardner 1872 

Section  10.  P.  Jones   1870 

Section  10.  Andrew  Cochran   1871 

Section  10.  Edward  Akers 1871 

Section  10.  Lewis  Herman 1871 

Section  11.  John  B.  Cecil  (involves  S  i/o)   187-t 

Section  11.  Greg  W.  Wisnell  (involves  S  l/o) 1876 

Section  11.  Marion  J.  Fonts  (involves  S  l/>) 1870 

Section  11.  John  Smith   (involves  S  l/o) 1870 

Section  11.  Maggie  Bnrchman    (involves  S  l^o) 1873 

Section  11.  Balance  of  Section  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  12.  James  Conley 1873 

Section  12.  Levi   Sherman    1882 

Section  12.  Francis  E.  Garner 1871 

Section  12.  Charles  JNInndt 1870 

Section  12.  Francis  iNI.  Luey 1870 

Section  13.  ISIortemer  H.  Kress  (involves  N  l/o) 1870 

Section  13.  James  Donaldson   (involves  N  1/^) 1870 

Section  13.  John  Overy   (involves  N  %) 1870 

Section  13.  Balance  Section  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  14.  James  Edwards 1872 

Section  14.  INIaggie  Bauchman    1873 

Section  14.  John  W.  Warwick 1873 

Section  14.  John  B.   Cecil 1874 

Section  14.  Edward  Overv 1874 


I 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^25 

Section  li.     William  D.  Willoughby 187o 

Section  IJ^.     Greg  Wiswell    1876 

Section  14.     Peter  P.  Groom 1877 

Section  14.     Louis  F.  Groom 1878 

Section  14.     John  W.  Warwick 1879 

Section  14.     Greg  W.  Wiswell 1879 

Section  1.5.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  18.     John  Gray    187'2 

Section  18.     Charles   E.   Foy 1879 

Section  18.     Henry  W.  Olnistead 1873 

Section  19.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  20.     John  Arnold    1872 

Section  20.     Joel  Carter 1873 

Section  20.     Samuel  L.  Heaps 1873 

Section  20.     Samuel  Arnold    1872 

Section  21.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  22.     William  H.    Youlton 1877 

Section  22.     James  Hood '  1873 

Section  22.     :Mary  J.  Heaps 1873 

Section  22.     Joseph  H.  Bauchman 1873 

Section  22.     Marion  J.  Fonts 187.5 

Section  22.     William  P.  Snodgrass 1878 

Section  22.     Napoleon  B.  Vineyard 1879 

Section  22.     Columbus  D.  Dillin 1882 

Section  22.     Silas   Ling    ' 1885 

Section  23.  All  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  24.     James  H.  Philips 1871 

Section  24.     Edward  Avery 1873 

Section  24.     Thomas  F.  Robinson 1874 

Section  24.     Lewis  C.  Whitcomb 1870 

Section  24.     James   Cole    1870 

Section  24.     Thomas  Akman 1877 

Section  24.     Eliston  A.  Sherley 1878 

Section  24.     Charles  R.  White 1879 

Section  24.     Florence  L.  Sherley 1880 

Section  24.     Collon  James   1881 

Section  24.     Jennie  E.   James 1882 

Section  24.     Charles  W.  ]Macy 187-5 

Section  24.     George  W.  McLoughan 1871 

Section  24.     William   Stetheur    188.5 


^26       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  25.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  26.     John  W.  Ruby 1873 

Section  26.     John  Peil    1874 

Section  26.     John   Harvanek    1875 

Section  26.     Alexander  Baker 1872 

Section  26.     Samuel  J.   Hutcheson 1877 

Section  27.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  28.     Jasper  N.  Abney 1872 

Section  28.     Lewis  W.  Abney 1872 

Section  28.     William  C.  Baker 1874 

Section  28.     Victor  Thayer    1871 

Section  28.     Ole  Albertson 1876 

Section  28.     Angus  Horkey 1879 

Section  28.     James  S.  Robins 1880 

Section  28.     Casius  M.  C.  Spaulding 1880 

Section  28.     Joel   Spaulding    1883 

Section  29.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  30.     Thomas  T.  Jones 1873 

Section  30.     Daniel   H.   Mitchell 1876 

Section  31.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  32.     William  Deveny    1874 

Section  32.     James  B.   McLeary 1875 

Section  32.     William  Reed 1878 

Section  32.     Lewis  W.  Abney 1872 

Section  32.     Paul  Annae   1871 

Section  32.     JasjJcr  N.  Abney 1872 

Section  33.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  34.     Mathew  INIcFarnn 1871 

Section  34.     William  J.   Edwards 1874 

Section  34.     3Irs.   Rosena  B.  Wood 1876 

Section  34.     Robert  Roberts    1876 

Section  34.     Richard  M.  Jones 1871 

Section  35.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  Railroad  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

HAXOVER  TOWNSHIP 


Section  1.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  2.  Claus  Jess    1872 

Section  2.  George  Zimmerman    1872 

Section  2.  John  Bull   1872 

Section  2.  Ole  Andreas  Atlegson  Hanmier 1873 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      427 

Section  2.     William   F.    Campbell 1874 

Section  2.     James   Carnichael    1873 

Section  2.     Fred   Kehl    1872 

Section  2.     Herman  Hibbler 1882 

Section  2.     Ricliard  G.  L.  Harms 1874. 

Section  2.     Benjamin  F.  Frembly 1876 

Section  2.     John  Zimmerman    1872 

Section  3.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  i.     John  Dyer   1873 

Section  4.     John  M.  Abbott 187.5 

Section  4.     James  Augherty 1876 

Section  4.     Aderson  F.  Dyer 1876 

Section  4.     John  W.  Dyer 1876 

Section  4.     Dennis  W.  Lamphear 1877 

Section  4.     Frederick  H.  Blake 1877 

Section  4.     John   F.   iMontgomery 1875 

Section  .5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  6.     Daniel   Bower    1873 

Section  6.     Thomas  M.  Abbott 1874 

Section  6.     Cooper  D.  Stront 1874 

Section  6.     J.  P.  Farr 1875 

Section  6.     Clarence  L.  CrafF 1876 

Section  7.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  8.     Francis  A.  Lewin 1872 

Section  8.     Columbus  Henness   1 872 

Section  8.     Newton   Titus    1873 

Section  8.     Elias  Tatman 1873 

Section  8.     Antonius  Olson    1873 

Section  8.     Benjamin   F.   Brown 1874 

Section  8.     Henrich  Stromer 1875 

Section  8.     Edward  Olson    1876 

Section  8.     John  Bremer    1876 

Section  8.     Benjamin   M.  Vastine 1881 

Section  8.     Edwain  Olson    1881 

Section  8.     John  Bremer 1878 

Section  8.     Benjamin  M.  Vastine 1878 

Section  9.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     Lawson  Jung    1872 

Section  10.     George  Colling    1873 

Section  10.     Jorgen  Markhansen    1873 

Section  10.     Louis  Yung   1874 

Section  10.     Knut  Person    1873 


428       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  10.     Marcus  Andreason    1872 

Section  10.     Knut  Person    1880 

Section  10.     John   Young    1 872 

Section  11.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     Alfred  Berg 1872 

Section  12.     Siebold  Diekin 1877 

Section  12.     Wilke  Diekin  1877 

Section  12.     Denison  Ellis   ' 1877 

Section  12.     Christian  B.  Nelson 1873 

Section  12.     I>eibold  Goldensteni    1876 

Section  13.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     Charles  A.  Anderson 1872 

Section  14.     Gunsten  Jorgensen   1877 

Section  14.     Alfred  Johnson   1877 

Section  14.     Peter  Dieken    1873 

Section  14.     James  W.  Roberts 1873 

Section  14.     William  F.  Crondale 1873 

Section  14.     Emiline  Ellis   1873 

Section  14.     Henry  L.   Edwards 1875 

Section  14.     Rohlf  F.  Schmidt 1886 

Section  14.     Lindley  H.   Cox 1876 

Section  1.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Charles  Kohl    1873 

Section  18.     Frank  Mick    1874 

Section  19.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     Edmund  D.  Jones 1872 

Section  20.     Moses  Livingston 1872 

Section  20.     INIoses  K.  Clark 1873 

Section  20.     Joseph  P.  Crowley 1877 

Section  20.     James  Ritcheson    1874 

Section  20.     James  Steffin    1877 

Section  21.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Christian  Nissen    1872 

Section  22.     John  Gordon    1873 

Section  22.     Adolph  O.  Binderup 1873 

Section  22.     Gus  Davis 1873 

Section  22.     E.  C.  Binderup 1873 

Section  22.     Jorgen  Madsen    1873 

Section  22.     Remt  Harrenstein 1873 

Section  22.     Ola  Nilson    1873 

Section  22.     John  Gordon   1874 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^29 

Section  22.  Swan  P.  Swanson 1880 

Section  22.  John  Gordon   1880 

Section  23.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  Israel  G.  Heaps 1872 

Section  24.  William  Stunkle   *  1873 

Section  24.  Henry  Wegner    187j 

Section  24.  Parker  Bnchanan    1873 

Section  24.  Lawrence  Keating 1873 

Section  24.  Anton  Eichel 187-5 

Section  24.  Wilhelin  Stunkle 1877 

Section  24.  Henry  C.  Kissinger 1882 

Section  2.3.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.  Ole  Gnnderson 1872 

Section  20.  Andrin  Gunderson    1872 

Section  20.  Chris  Peterson 1872 

Section  20.  Nels   Peterson    1872 

Section  20.  William  H.   Coltrin 1873 

Section  20.  Alinson  Coltrin   1873 

Section  20.  James  Gordon   187.5 

Section  20.  James   T.   Asmus 1877 

Section  20.  Niels  Pederson 1882 

Section  27.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.  (Entry  for  S  l/o  SE  Vj,  made 
by  ]Mathew  C.  Given,  in  1871,  but  tliis  not 
shown  on  Plat  Book) .  It  seems,  however,  that 
the  whole  section  was  railroad  land  according 
to  Plat  Book. 

Section  28.  Benjamin   F.    Noll 1872 

Section  28.  John  ^Vhite    1873 

Section  28.  John  White    1873 

Section  28.  Wesley   M.   White 1872 

Section  28.  William  31.  Snodgrass 1877 

Section  28.  James  A.  Snodgrass 1877 

Section  20.  B.  &  ]M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Charles  G.  Wilson 1872 

Section  30.  Loren  G.  King 1871 

Section  31.  James   Steward    1870 

Section  31.  Balance  B.  &  ]M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  Thomas  E.  Davis 1871 

Section  32.  Jesse  M.  Baird 1878 

Section  32.  Charles  Bird 1878 

Section  32.  Gordon  II.  Edgerton 1871 

Section  32.  Irvin  Worster    1870 


430       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  32.     Joseph   Crawford    1871 

Section  32.     Ai-tliur  Edgerton    1871 

Section  32.     Dan  Sherman 1877 

Section  32.     Job  Phelps   1871 

Section  32,     Charles   Bird    1880 

Section  33.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Mathew   C.    Green 1871 

Section  34.     Anthony  N.  Gardner 1875 

Section  34.     David  Sinclair   1879 

Section  34.     Wallace  W.   ^Murray 1871 

Section  34.     David  Sinclair   1875 

Section  34.     John   H.    Gardner 1871 

Section  34.     Alonzo  W.   Waldeck 1875 

Section  34.     George  W.   Gragoo 1871 

Section  34.     Charles  A.  Charter .    1876 

Section  34.     Werner  Binderup    1876 

Section  35.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

BLAINE  TOWNSHIP 

Section     1.  B.  &  jM.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     2.     Charles  ]M.   Crossen 1871 

Section     2.     Isaiah  Sluycer    1871 

Section     2.     Lewis  Peckhani    1871 

Section     2.     Daniel  W.   Hammond 1872 

Section     2.     George   E.   Knapp 1872 

Section     2.     Thomas  W.  Hammond 1872 

Section     3.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  N  V- 

Section     3.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.  S  l/o 

Section     4.     Allan  J.   Millett 1872 

Section     4.     Davis  Douglass  N  l/o 1872 

Section     4.     Elias  T.  Winter 1872 

Section     4.  It  seems  that  the  S  l/o  was  taken  by  R.  R.  Co.,  but 

what  R.  R.  our  records  do  not  show. 

Section     5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.  R.  R.  land,  but  what  R.  R.  Co.  our  records  do  not 

indicate. 

Section     7.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.     John  W.  Holt  N  i/o  SE  1/^ 1872 

Section     8.     Charles  L.  Garnsey  N  Vo  NW  l/t 1872 

Section     8.  All  balance  of  Section  R.  R.  land,  but  Avhat  R.  R. 

Co.  our  records  do  not  appear  to  show. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       i^^i 

Section     <).  All  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     John   Yager    1871 

Section  10.     Alplius   F.    Shepard 1871 

Section  10.     A.   F.    Shepard 1871 

Section  10.     William  Bahl   1871 

Section  10.     William    Steinhouse    1871 

Section  10.     Sherman   S.   Dickinson 187^ 

Section  11.  All  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     \Villiam  J.  Janes 1871 

Section  12.     Yolney  Janes   1871 

Section  12.     Yolney  S.  Janes 1871 

Section  12.     E.  S.  Knapp 1871 

Section  12.     Edwin   S.   Knapp 1871 

Section  12.     Isaiah   Slayter    1871 

Section  13.  All  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     John  S.  Hammond 1871 

Section  14.     Yolney  S.  Janes 1871 

Section  14.     William  J.  Janes 1871 

Section   14.     Andrew  J.  DeWolf 1871 

Section  1.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section   18.     Delaven   S.  Cole 1872 

Section  18.     Simon  S.  Dow 1872 

Section  19.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Records  missing  in  this  office. 

Section  21.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  ^Nlark  Thomas.  No  date  given.  Record  incom- 
plete.    Plat  Book  indicates  that  it  is  R.  R.  land. 

Section  23.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Elias  O.  Wise  SW  l^   1872 

Section  24.     Larzlier  C.  Blont  NE  14 1872 

Section  24.  Balance  R.  R.  land,  bnt  what  road  records  do  not 

accurately  indicate,  but  we  think  B.  &  M. 

Section  2.5.  All  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     Charles  Brashford  NE  l^   1874 

Section  26.     Griffin  Yeatman  SE  14 1872 

Section  26.     Luther  M.  Yeatman  E  I/2  SW  14 1872 

Section  26.  It  seems,  however,  that  the  whole  section  was 
acquired  by  R.  R.  Co..  though  Scrip  and  other- 
wise. 

Section  27.  All  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 


432       PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  28.     Robert  B.  Williams 1872 

Section  28.     Catherine  iMcKaj-   1872 

Section  28.     George  A.  JMcKaj- 1872 

Section  28.     James  Purdy   1872 

Section  28.  R.  R.  Co.  at  least  one-quarter  of  this  section. 

Section  29.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Jehial   P.    Farr 1872 

Section  30.     John  JMarshall   1872 

Section  30.     William  JNIarks 1873 

Section  30.     Thomas  B.  Wisdom 1876 

Section  31.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     A.  True  Dyer 1872 

Section  32.     L.    Bridge  Dyer 1872 

Section  32.     Albert  S.  Barnham 1872 

Section  32.     Myron  Farmer 1873 

Section  32.     Wilber  Allen    1873 

Section  32.     Charles  L.  Garnsey 1874 

Section  32.     Hooper  B.  Strout   1875 

Section  32.     James  Velangee 1876 

Section  32.     William  Stewart    1879 

Section  33.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     William  Mullin    1872 

Section  34.     Casper  Drescher    1872 

Section  34.     JMichael  Hess   1872 

Section  34.     G.  J.  ^Millard 1872 

Section  34.     Emanuel    Steinan    1873 

Section  3.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

WEST    BLUE    TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

•J, 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

U.  p.  R.  R.  Co. 

Kingon  W.  Lewis 1873 

Henry  P.  Atwood 1873 

]Murry  C.  Patton 1874 

John  Ragan    1874 

Hiram  Hersey 1874 

Julia  Hersey    1874 

Ellen  A.  Hersey 1874 

Louis  A.  Bliss   1874 

Edward  J.  Hunt 1881 

Harrison  Talbert 1881 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  433 

Section     3.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     4.  Augustus  A.  Stone 1873 

Section     4.  David  M.  Barlass   1873 

Section     4..  A.  Frederick  Ben j  amine   1873 

Section     4.  U.  Aranson    1873 

Section     4.  Frederick  AJilbright .  1873 

Section     .5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.  Joseph  ^V.  Graham 1873 

Section     6.  George  H.  Pratt 1873 

Section     6.  Flora  B.  Graham 1873 

Section     6.  Jarvis  JM.  Kine   .  .  .' 1877 

Section     7.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.  Wilham  Monroe    1872 

Section     8.  Edward  Guernsey 187'2 

Section     8.  John   Gould    1872 

Section     8.  Thomas  G.  Williams    1873 

Section     8.  Morris  L.  Alexander   1873 

Section     8.  Elisabeth  Dalrimple    1874 

Section     8.  Ezra  N.  Doming   1876 

Section     8.  Jacob  Huff    1878 

Section     8.  Ralph  Lafayette  Doming 1878 

Section     9.  U.  P.  R.  R.'  Co. 

Section  10.  George   Chritchton    1873 

Section  10.  Hugh  Armson   1873 

Section  10.  Thomas  :M.  Lander    1873 

Section  10.  Theodore  F.  Stock ■. 1873 

Section  10.  Aaron  F.  Powers 187.3 

Section  10.  George  Chisney 1878 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.  Sewel  F.  Glenman   1873 

Section  12.  George  H.   Glenman 1873 

Section  12.  Upton   C.   Holderman 1873 

Section  12.  Lafayette  K.  Tipton    1873 

Section  12.  William  V.  Kline 1873 

Section  12.  William  P.  W.  Campbell 1876 

Section  13.  LT.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.  John   C.   Clifton 1874 

Section  14.  N.  Parks 1873 

Section  14.  Lettie  C.  Dudley 1873 

Section  14.  Miles  K.  Lewis 1873 

Section  14.  Zephanah   Parks    1874 

Section  14.  Joshua  Mitcliell   1874 

Vol,  I— 2S 


43i       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  14.  Edgar  L.  Lewis 1884. 

Section  15.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.  Thomas   A.   Monaghan 1873 

Section  18.  James  W.  Ripley 1873 

Section  18.  George   W.   Lazenby 1875 

Section  18.  William  H.   Bishop 1876 

Section  18.  Frank  M.  Frink 1880 

Section  18.  Henry  E.  Ware 1881 

Section  18.  Sewel  M.   Frink 1884 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Levi  Eddy    1873 

Section  20.  James  H.  Snyder 1873 

Section  20.  Charles  D.   Sperry 1873 

•Section  20.  Levi  W.  Miller 1873 

Section  21.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  Augustus   A.    Stummel 1872 

Section  22.  Hiram  M.   Palmer 1873 

Section  22.  Jacob  Dervester    1873 

Section  22.  Stephen  Bayles    1873 

Section  22.  Kenyon  W.  Lewis 1878 

Section  22.  Isaac   Taylor    1878 

Section  23.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  William  Garvin   1873 

Section  24.  William  F.  F.  J.  Conley 1873 

Section  24.  Silas  Crooker   " 1873 

Section  24.  Andrus  J.    Garvin 1873 

Section  24.  George  W.  Hagnewood 1873 

Section  24.  Jennie  Spooner   1874 

Section  24.  Robert  W.  Kirkpatrick 1874 

Section  24.  David  Dalton 1874 

Section  24.  Myron  E.  Palmer 1877 

Section  24.  Charles  Wilson    1878 

Section  24.  Henry  J.   Knalson 1 880 

Section  24.  Joseph  P.  Hoyt 1880 

Section  24.  Albert  L.  Fenner 1883 

Section  24.  William   E.   Walsteed 1883 

Section  24.  William  Gilmer 1884 

Section  24.  Matheus  Gronewald   1883 

Section  24.  Lyman   B.    Gilmer 1887 

Section  25.  u".  P.  R.  R.  Co. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^35 

Section  26.     William  A.  Smith 1873 

Section  26.     Lucius  B.  Palmer 1873 

Section  26.     Allies  K.  Lewis 1873 

Section  26.     Jennie  Spooner    1873 

Section  26.     JNIarion    S.   Palmer 1873 

Section  26.     John  W.  Smith 187-t 

Section  26.     Clinton  L.  Compton 1874 

Section  26.     David  T.  Ulmer 1883 

Section  26.     Walter  Snook    1887 

Section  26.     JNIyron   W.   Bergess 1889 

Section  27.  V.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Alexander  H.  Cramer 1873 

Section  28.     Peter  Zobel 1873 

Section  28.     John  Cole   1873 

Section  28.     jNLirtin  E.  Andrew 1873 

Section  28.     Andrew  P.  Sperr}' 1873 

Section  28.     Iring  W.  Cramer 1877 

Section  28.     James  A.  Busby 1880 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co". 

Section  30.     Andrew  Wheeler 1873 

Section  30.     Benjamin  Boyer    1873 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     William  II.  Brown 1873 

Section  32.     William  H.  Rowland 1873 

Section  32.     Mary  J.   ]Morelance 1873 

Section  32.     Benjamin  H.  Brown 187-) 

Section  32.     George  E.  Brown 187.5 

Section  32.     Daniel  R.  Pilton 187.) 

Section  32.     William  Pampel    187.5 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     James  P.   Green 1873 

Section  34.     Francis  S.  Wells 1873 

Section  34.     Reuben  W.   Norton 1873 

Section  34.     Edwin  F.  Garnsey 1876 

Section  3.5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

ZERO    TOWNSHIP 


Section     1.     St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     2.     John   H.   Waldeck 1873 

Section     2.     George  F.  Newbrey 1873 


436       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section     2.     Charles  S.  Young 1871 

Section     2.     Isaac  W.  Johnson 1873 

Section     2.     Isaac  C.  Draper 1872 

Section     2.     Barnabas  Cantwell    1874 

Section     2.     Alexander  Havens 1873 

Section     2.     Christopher  Allender    1879 

Section     2.     James   W.   JNIcVey 1871 

Section     3.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     4.     Albert  C.  JNIoore 1871 

Section     4.     William  W.  Philleo 1871 

Section     4.     Gorden  D.  Tapper 1870 

Section     4.     Edgar  A.  Philleo 1872 

Section     .5.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.     James  E.  Bovard 1871 

Section     6.     George  W.  Gailick 1873 

Section     6.     Thomas  Bourne 187o 

Section     0.     Jessie  Delong 1871 

Section     6.     Willard  A.  Parr 1880 

Section     6.     Solomon   JNIartin    1874 

Section     6.     Willard  A.  Parr 1881 

Section     (J.     AndrcAv  Fry 1883 

Section     7.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.     Joseph  Blake 1871 

Section     8.     Jacob  C.  Wilson 1871 

Section     8.     William  McFerguson   1871 

Section     8.     Rufus   K.   Dailey 1871 

Section     8.     Eli   B.   Dailey .  .' 1873 

Section     9.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     John  T.  Gault 1871 

Section  10.     William  M.  Kelley 1876 

Section  10.     Alfred  M.  Sackett 1871 

Section  10.     Adam  ]Melville 1871 

Section  11.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     Washington  F.  Selleek 1874 

Section  12.     Wellington  W.   Selleek 1874 

Section  12.     Joseph  Livingston   1876 

Section  12.     Peter  Reames    1870 

Section  12.     Robert  Brewster 1876 

Section  12.     Levi  D.  Reames 1870 

Section  13.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     William  L.  Williamson 1872 

Section   14.     ITairv  Carter '. 1872 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^^'! 

Section  14.     Adam   ^lelville    187.> 

Section  14.     Miirdock  JNIcKeugie    1871 

Section  14.     James  E.   Connely 1879 

Section  14.     Alexander  Matheson    1872 

Section  15.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Henry  Woods 1870 

Section  18.     Richard   ]Miles    1871 

Section  18.     Charles  F.  Felthan 1870 

Section  18.     Ferdinand  Wilson   1872 

Section  18.     Charles   W.   AVilson 1871 

Section  18.     Martin   V.    Hatfield 1872 

Section  19.  St.  Joe  c^  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     Orin  Smith   1873 

Section  20.     Hans  C.  Ehimenthal 1873 

Section  20.     Alhert  Ehimenthal    1877 

Section  20.     Henry  ^Nlick   1873 

Section  21.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Charles  Jesse   1873 

Section  22.     Joachim   Schultz    1872 

Section  22.     Conrad   Kramer    1872 

Section  22.     xVngust  Jorlof    1872 

Section  23.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Kenneth  W.  ^NIcKenzie 1872 

Section  24.     Samnel  F.  Reed 187G 

Section  24.     John  Huston    1871 

Section  24.     John  W.  Ashley 1872 

Section  24.     Samuel   Ellis    1872 

Section  2.5.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     William  D.   Willoughby 1872 

Section  26.     Albert  D.  Williams 1873 

Section  26.     John  Tiel    1874 

Section  26.     Thomas  Jenkins 1872 

Section  26.     Joshua   T.   James 1872 

Section  26.     Samuel  F.  Reed 187.3 

Section  26.     James  Rilley    187.) 

Section  26.     George   Strafford    1876 

Section  26.     Adolph  Howard    1879 

Section  26.     Frederick  Piel   1879 

Section  27.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Christian  Kort   1872 


438       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  28.     August   Kort    1872 

Section  28.     Lewis   Kort    1872 

Section  28.     William  Kort 1872 

Section  29.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Julius  Meyer    1873 

Section  30.     Frederick   Meier    1873 

Section  30.     Erastus   JM.   Beach 1872 

Section  i30.     Robert  Wilson 1872 

Section  31.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     William  Blumenthal   1872 

Section  32.     Edwin   N^.   Noyes 1872 

Section  32.     Charles  N.  Noyes 1872 

Section  32.     William  JNIuchow 1873 

Section  32.     August  Buschaw   1877 

Section  33.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     William  J.   Harrison 1873 

Section  34.     Jacob   S.   Noll 1873 

Section  34.     Edward  D.  Jones 1875 

Section  34.     Herman  Erfman 1878 

Section  34.     Murdock  McEenan 1872 

Section  34.     Alfred  M.  Sackett 1873 

Section  34.     John  D.  Gray 1877 

Section  34.     Charles  D.  Wilson 1878 

Section  34.     John   W.   Yarger 1879 

Section  35.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co, 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

AVK    TO^VNSHIP 


Section 

1 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

3 

Section 

4 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Lawrence   Coplen    '. 1872 

Jacob  S.  Way 1872 

John  W.  Klepper 1873 

Cameron  Belid   1873 

Charles   Wade    1875 

Milton  Cox 1875 

James  Carlton   1875 

Hooper   B.    Strout 1876 

Frank   Beliel    1876 

Moses  J.   Sadler 1880 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Orim  Bolcium    1872 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      439 

Section     4.  Robert  Wright    1872 

Section     4.  Hugh  Gihia   1873 

Section     4.  Andrew  McKean 1873 

Section     4.  George  H.  Rummins 1875 

Section     4.  George  Wohrnian   1875 

Section     4.  Archibald  H.  Vananken 1875 

Section     4.  James  H.  ^Nlyers 1877 

Section     4.  Thomas  Kerman    1877 

Section     4.  ^Michael  Fiedler   1879 

Section     4.  Andreas  Fieldler 1879 

Section     4.  Jacob  Mohr 1880 

Section     5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.  Abraham   C.   Wright 1872 

Section     6.  Jacob  J.   Vanderwood 1877 

Section     (5.  Levi   Chambers    1877 

Section     6.  George  Robins 1871 

Section     6.  Samuel  E.  Chambers 1872 

Section     6.  Lewis  C.  Burton 1879 

Section     0.  John   T.   Howard 1879 

Section     7.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.  Elizabeth   jNIcKinney    1873 

Section     8.  Rose  A.  Kelley 1874 

Section     8.  George  F.  Kelley 1874 

Section     8.  Peter  Rose   1874 

Section     8.  James  F.  Kelley 1878 

Section     8.  Emeline   C.   Cook 1882 

Section     9.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.  Patrick   Gibbons    1872 

Section  10.  Thomas  Neylon   1873 

Section  10.  John   ]\Lilone    1874 

Section  10.  Patrick  Scott   1874 

Section  10.  Ira   P.    Higby 1874 

Section  10.  Joseph  Horgan    1875 

Section  10.  Joseph  Callin   1881 

Section  10.  Joseph  Hargan    188o 

Section  10.  James   Hanahan    1880 

Section  10.  Michael  Mullen    1872 

Section  10.  John   F.   Way 1880 

Section  10.  Pierre  Pellet    1879 

Section  11.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.  Henry  Sturtzman    1873 

Section   12.  Robert  Moor 1873 


440       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  12.  George  JNIiller    1873 

Section  12.  Thomas  J.  Kemp 1878 

Section  12.  Charles  Clutz   1879 

Section  12.  Alonzo  K.  Williams 1880 

Section  12.  John  D.  Freeman 1881 

Section  12.  John  J.   Wemple 1881 

Section  12.  William  S.  Coplen 1883 

Section  12.  Louis  Pade 1886 

Section  12.  Benj.  Sherman 1887 

Section  12.  Phillip  H.  :Miller 1872 

Section  13.  B.  k  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.  James  Corbin 1873 

Section  14.  Loren  H.  Wilder 1873 

Section  14.  Isaac  Yocum    1877 

Section  14.  James  R.  Beasley 1872 

Section  14.  Samuel  Sadler   1874 

Section  14.  George  W.  Howe ; 1877 

Section  1.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.  Frank  D.   Williams 1872 

Section  18.  Mary  M.  Wilson 1873 

Section  18.  Riley  D.  Burton 1873 

Section  18.  Henry  E.  Drake 1873 

Section  18.  Jacob  Carpenter    1874 

Section  18.  Eli  Burton    1876 

Section  1!).  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Albert  N.  Hall 1873 

Section  20.  Franklin  B.  Radley 1873 

Section  20.  John  Patterson    1874 

Section  20.  Melville  B.  Foote 1872 

Section  21.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  John   JMarsliall    1873 

Section  22.  Nathaniel  Corbin 1879 

Section  22.  William  Scott 1871 

Section  22.  Henry  Smith    1882 

Section  22.  Walter  M.  West 1873 

Section  22.  Henry  E.  Shean .  1882 

Section  22.  John  H.  Smith 1877 

Section  23.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  Frederick  D.  Carrier 1872 

Section  24.  Alexander  L.  West 1874 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  i^l 

Section  24.  Amburton  M.   Tracy 1878 

Section  24.  Samuel  M.  West 1872 

Section  2-i.  William  Saunders   1875 

Section  24.  William  JNI.  Vastine 1877 

Section  25.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.  Alexander  L.  West 1874 

Section  26.  John  Beauchamp 1871 

Section  26.  Albert  Holladaj-   1870 

Section  26.  Charles   Parkin    1873 

Section  26.  John  H.  Holladay 1870 

Section  26.  Walter  M.  West 1870 

Section  26.  Jacob  Calhoon    1872 

Section  2().  Frederick  Stagner 1870 

Section  26.  James  P.  Corbin 1873 

Section  26.  John  R.  West 1877 

Section  26.  Alexander  F.  West 1882 

Section  26.  Henry  T.  Dietrick      1870 

Section  26.  James   Flannery    1870 

Section  27.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.  Thomas  C.  Fleming 1871 

Section  28.  Oliver   C.    Rogers 1871 

Section  28.  Peter  D.  Evaney 1870 

Section  28.  Bigger  C.  Scott 1871 

Section  28.  Henry  M.   Fleming 1871 

Section  28.  John  Wade 1875 

Section  28.  ^Milton  Scott 1871 

Section  29.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Hugh  Knepper   1873 

Section  30.  John  H.  Runyen 1873 

Section  30.  Joseph   H.   Haines 1874 

Section  30.  James  R.  Chapman 1874 

Section  30.  Albert  N.  Hall 1874 

Section  30.  Peter  Tridle   1 870 

Section  30.  George  Carper 1880 

Section  31.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  William  H.  Chapman 1872 

Section  32.  William  W.  INIcDonald 1 873 

Section  32.  Silas  V.   Scott 1875 

Section  32.  John   JMurphy    1876 

Section  32.  Edgar  A.  Philleo 1881 

Section  32.  John  Hammer   v 1884 


ii2       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  33.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Thomas  Carroll   1873 

Section  34.     Presby  Allender    1873 

Section  34.     Albert  H.  Eaton 1871 

Section  34.     Ayres  Goble 1872 

Section  34.     Jasper  C.  WoodnifF 1876 

Section  35.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

DENVER    TOAVNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

3. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

.5. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

7. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

9. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

U.  p.  R.  R.  Co. 

James  Franklin  Schryer 1871 

Edward   Kennard    1871 

Orando   Hudson    1872 

Fernando  Hudson 1872 

William  Hudson    1872 

Richard   Rainforth    1872 

Charles  E.  Achenbach 1872 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

John   Plank    1871 

Peter  H.   Babcock 1872 

Thomas  J.   Adams ' 1874 

Edward  A.  ""iValdron 1876 

Samuel   P.   Howland 1877 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

John  iM.  JMyer 1871 

Adam  H.  Bowen 1871 

Amos  Weatherby    1871 

John  S.  Chandler 1873 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Harmon   H.   Ballon 1871 

Alvin  E.  Wells 1871 

Jasper  M.   Plank 1872 

Augustus  Beliel   1873 

Cameron  Beliel    1873 

Frank  Beliel 1873 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

James  Steel    1871 

John  F.  Clarkson 1871 

Thomas  James   Kemp 1871 

Stephen  B.  Binniefield 1871 


i 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^^3 

Section  10.  James  L.   Babcock 1872 

Section  10.  Clark   S.   :Morrison 1874 

Section  10.  ^Milton  T.  Macy 1876 

Section  10.  George   Crane 1879 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section   12.  Thomas  Ebenezer  Watts 1871 

Section  12.  John   Gilespy  IMoore 1871 

Section  12.  Walter  JNIason  jMicklen 1871 

Section  12.  Thomas  Johnson   1872 

Section  12.  James  Haire 1872 

Section  12.  William  Grosse 1872 

Section  12.  Samuel   Alexander    1872 

Section  13.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.  William  Wallace 1871 

Section  14.  William  Wallace,  Jr 1871 

Section  14.  George  Wilkes 1871 

Section  14.  Thomas  B.  Wilkes 1871 

Section  14.  Gallandet  O.  Bailey 1872 

Section  14.  Joseph   Hopkins    1872 

Section  14.  John  Humphrey    1873 

Section  14.  Joseph  H.  Hanson 1873 

Section   14.  Edward  Thompson   1877 

Section  1.5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section   10.  State  School  Land. 

Section   17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section   18.  Samuel   L.   Brass 1871 

Section   18.  Simeon  Johnson 1871 

Sectitm  18.  Nathan  L.  Brass 187  i 

Section  18.  William  B.  Cashing 1872 

Section   18.  Ira  G.  Dillon 1872 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Francis  H.  Hall 1871 

Section  20.  William  White 1871 

Section  20.  Charles  H.  Barns 1871 

Section  20.  J.   N.  McClary 1871 

Section  20.  John  Thurston 1872 

Section  20.  Jesse  H.  Darnell 1874 

Section  20.  Fayette  W.  Day 18"7 

Section  20.  Henry  E.  Shean 1879 

Section  20.  Cvrus  W.  Niles 1879 

Section  21.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.,  N  %  of  Sec. 

Section  21.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co.,  S  V^  of  Sec. 


^^^   PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  22.     Nathan  A.  Nash 1872 

Section  22.     Stephen  A.   Nash 1872 

Section  22.     Francis  M.  Nash 1872 

Section  22.     Nelson   B.   Nash 1872 

Section  22.     Frankhn  V.  Nash 1872 

Section  22.     Franklin  V.  Nash 1890 

Section  23.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Thomas  Highfield 1872 

Section  24.     James  oMarshall   187S 

Section  24.     Francis  D.  Garnsey 1872 

Section  24.     James  B.  Hohiies 1872 

Section  24.     Charles  F.   Cumniings 1873 

Section  24.     George  W.  Dade 1873 

Section  24.     Heirs  of  James  INIarshall,  deceased 1873 

Section  25.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     George  Carr 1872 

Section  26.     George  Smith 1872 

Section  26.     John  Oliver    1872 

Section  26.     Clement   Staiford    187i 

Section  26.     Samnel   M.   Bower 1872 

Section  26.     John  Borley   1874 

Section  26.     James  H.  Ishell 1874 

Section  26.     James   Nipher    1874 

Section  26.     Alfred  F.  Dnnn 1874 

Section  26.     Edward  D.   Gurnsey 1874 

Section  26.     Jacob  Barnett 187i 

Section  26.     INIartin  F.  Wallace 1876 

Section  26.     Julia  R.  Lloyd 1876 

Section  26.     Julia  R.  Lloyd 1873 

Section  27.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Ada  S.  Skinner 1871 

Section  28.     Elizabeth   S.   Skinner 1871 

Section  28.     Charles  INIill   1874 

Section  28.     Christnjiher  Hurd    1874 

Section  28.     Joseph  H.   Howard 1874 

Section  28.     George  H.  Pratt 1 874 

Section  28.     William  A.  Skinner 1876 

Section  28.     Andrew  J.  Henderson 1877 

Section  28.     Ira  D.  Wadsworth 1879 

Section  28.     William    ]\Iiller    1881 

Section  29.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Leander  E.  Balcon 1871 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  445 

Section  30.     Joseph  H.   Crane 1871 

Section  30.     D.  W.  Fancher 1871 

Section  30.     B.  E.  Swift 1871 

Section  30.     Joseph  A.  Robertson 1875 

Section  30.     Warren  H.  Waldron 1877 

Section  31.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     Edward  F.  Wyatt 1872 

Section  32.     Henry  R.  Savery 1872 

Section  32.     Henry  W.  Skinner 1873 

Section  32.     Ludlow  D.  Owen 1874 

Section  32.     William  Loudon    1874 

Section  32.     ]Martin  ]McDonough    1874 

Section  32.     Peter  Fowlie    1874 

Section  32.     Robert   Wright    1878 

Section  33.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     George  Henderson    1871 

Section  34.     Ralph.  Wood    1873 

Section  34.     James  Carr 1874 

Section  34.     William    S.   Crow 1876 

Section  34.     James  Xorrish   1878 

Section  34.     Benjamin   Howat    1 881 

Section  3.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

HIGHLAND    TOWXSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

3. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

U.  p.  R.  R.  Co. 

James  Innis   1872 

Asa  C.   Gardner 1873 

Charles  J.   Rhodes 1873 

Robert   V.    Shockey . 1874 

John  W.  Keatley 1874 

Solon    Strawn    1876 

M.  W.  Peters 1878 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Archibald  INIcLeod   1872 

Morris  J.  Reuben 1872 

James  Jackson 1872 

James  P.  Paterson 1872 

John  Jackson 1872 

John   W.   Reed 1872 

David   H.   Holmes 1873 


446       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  4.     Oliver  Whitson    1874. 

Section  4.     George   F.   Wilkin 1876 

Section  4.     James  Clark 1873 

Section  4.     Phillip  Passey   1877 

Section  4.     Moses  Stern   1880 

Section  4.     John  Jackson 1879 

Section  4.     jNIiles  W.  Knapjj 1881 

Section  4.     John   S.   Kent 1881 

Section  .5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  6.     William  Twidale   1872 

Section  6.     Robert  Cunningham   1874 

Section  6.     Ferdinand  ^Valter 1875 

Section  6.     Elijah  H.  Estes 1876 

Section  6.     Charles   H.    Fuller 1878 

Section  G.     Josej)h  Fuller 1878 

Section  6.     John  E.  Bolin 1883 

Section  6.     William  A.  ]\liller 1883 

Section  6.     Reese   Gant    1883 

Section  6.     Charles  Richardson   1883 

Section  6.     Norris  liCe   188.5 

Section  6.     Pliny  H.  Thrasher 1889 

Section  7.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  8.     Avery  W.  Chase 1872 

Section  8.     Simeon   Sanger    \ 1872 

Section  8.     George  A.    Sanger 1872 

Section  8.     Conrad  House   1872 

Section  8.     Ransom  E.   House *. 1872 

Section  8.     David  L.   Eagle 1873 

Section  9.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     Thomas   R.  Boice 1872 

Section  10.     Lewis  P.  Halley 1873 

Section  10.     Hiram  E.  Houghtaling 1873 

Section  10.     Levi   Corkins    1873 

Section  10.     Joseph  Anderson 1877 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     David  M.  JMcKnight 1873 

Section  12.     William   H.    Stock 1873 

Section  12.     Theodore  F.  Stock 1873 

Section  12.     James  M.  Thompson 1873 

Section  13.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     Levi   Carkins    1873 

Section  14.     Thomas  R.  Boice 1873 


PAST  AND  PKESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^i- 

Section  14.  Leonidas  11.  Kinman 1873 

Section  14.  Isaac  Yocuni    1874 

Section  14.  Samuel  P.  Hawland 1877 

Section  14.  David  H.  Holmes 1879 

Section  14.  Leonidas  W.  Short 1881 

Section  15.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.  Henry  Shedd   187-' 

Section  18.  William  F.  Keller 1872 

Section   18.  William  Callar 1874 

Section   18.  Joseph  James 1876 

Section  18.  William   T.  Drake 1878 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  George  Crane 1872 

Section  20.  Orin   Nickloy 1871 

Section  20.  Robert  N.  Cole 1871 

Section  20.  Benjamin  F.  Smith 1872 

Section  20.  Adelia  H.  Babcock 1872 

Section  20.  Daniel  H.  Babcock ;  1873 

Section  21.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  Dana  J.  Switzer 1872 

Section  22.  Henry  von  Vlett 1872 

Section  22.  JNIyron  von  Vlett 1872 

Section  22.  Peter  JMelvin    1872 

Section  22.  William  W.   Hopper 1873 

Section  22.  JMartin  Perkins    1873 

Section  22.  James   Ross    1876 

Section  22.  Albert  D.  Briggs 1880 

Section  22.  Lucian  Shepard 1883 

Section  23.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  George  Brannen    1873 

Section  24.  Fred  J.   Benedict 1873 

Section  24.  George  E.  Slade 1873 

Section  24."  William  H.  Beach 1873 

Section  24.  Anton  Laf'aiver   1873 

Section  24.  Benjamin  F.  Jenkins 1874 

Section  25.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.  George  Gardner    1 872 

Section  26  George   Carter    1872 

Section  26.  William  Bailey    1872 

Section  26.  John  Bobbins 187'- 


448       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  26.     Edward  A.  Church 1872 

Section  26.     Sheppard   D.    Stoddard 1873 

Section  26.     Frederick  Benton    1878 

Section  26.     Adam  Sacks   1878 

Section  27.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Orlando  Sterer 1871 

Section  28.     Samuel  E.   Webb 1871 ' 

Section  28.     Benoni  G.  Webb 1871 

Section  28.     WilHam  Hazelton   1873 

Section  28.     Eugene  A.  Hazelton 1873 

Section  28.     Eugene  H.  Libby 1873 

Section  28.     Delavan  H.  Cole 1873 

Section  28.     Josepli  Sherrick 1875 

Section  28.     John  Patterson    1877 

Section  28.     Frank  E.  Wilson 1878 

Section  28.     Frank  H.  Darling 1879 

Section  28.     Thomas  Iverson 1878 

Section  28.     Clarence  H.  Worrell 1880 

Section  28.     John  Hoover    1880 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Charles  H.  Chapman 1871 

Section  30.     William   S.   Derrick 1871 

Section  30.     William  H.  Gardner 1871 

Section  30.     Daniel  J.    Smith 1872 

Section  30.     Charles  Trefry 1872 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     Albert  Fishbeck 1871 

Section  32.     John  W.  Bradner 1871 

Section  32.     Nathaniel  G.  Piatt. 1871 

Section  32.     Andrew  Clate 1871 

Section  32.     Peder  Larson   1871 

Section  32.     Albert  Colwell   1871 

Section  32.     John   i\r.  Jacobson 1873 

Section  32.     Andrew  Chite    1875 

Section  32.     Christopher  B.   Miller 1876 

Section  32.     Thomas  G.  Adams 1877 

Section  32.     William  Kelsey   1881 

Section  32.     John  Eherhart   1881 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Menzo  Snyder   1872 

Section  34.     George  W.  Barnes 1872 

Section  34.     James  Slote    1872 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^^9 

Section  34.     Peter  C.  Burch 1872 

Section  34.     Asa  W.  McDavit 1873 

Section  34.     John  F.  Clarkson 1873 

Section  34.     Kichard   Rainforth    187.> 

Section  34.     Shepard  Stoddard 1875 

Section  34.     Francis  M.  Adams 1878 

Section  34.     George  W.   Hagnewood 1870 

Section  3.5.     U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 
Section  3(3.     State  School  Land. 

SILVER   LAKE   TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

•2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

Section 

3. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

.5. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

t). 

Section 

6. 

Section 

7. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

.Section 

8. 

R.  R.  Land  (books  do  not  show  what  road). 

Nancy  C  Deiter 1873 

William  R.  Hoyleman 1878 

John  J.  Hoyleman 1878 

Herbert  W.  Shaw 1878 

Anderson  ]McCoy    1879 

Abraham   L.    Stantfer 1879 

William  F.  Wilson 1881 

R.  R.  Land  (books  do  not  show  what  road) . 

Peter  Morgan    1873 

Robert  M.  RatclifF 1873 

Clarkson  F.  Orris 1876 

Hngh   E.  Dailey 1878 

John  Evans    1879 

John  A.  Nichols 1880 

Isaac  M.   Scarrey 1881 

Thomas   F.   Evans 1888 

R.  R.  Land  (books  do  not  show  what  road). 

^Marquis  U.  Whelan 1877 

Harold  K.  Brown 1879 

James  B.   ^Martin 1881 

Harrison  Clemens   1882 

William  L.  Tracy 1888 

R.  R.  Land  (books  do  not  show  what  road) . 

Thomas  W.  Carter 1876 

George    Sly    1878 

John  R.  ]\iaxon 1878 

Charles  W.  Carter 1878 

John  T.  Davis 1880 

Harold  K.  Bi-own 1880 


450       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  8.     Frank  McDaniels    1881 

Section  8.     Frank  McDonald    1881 

Section  8.     Jacob  R.  JNIorgan 1882 

Section  8.     Robert  A.    Simpson 1882 

Section  8.     Thomas  M.  Favinger 1883 

Section  8.     Marcus  Davis    1884 

Section  8.     Adie  V.  Verry 1884. 

Section  8.     Marj^  A.  Munson 1888 

Section  8.     Squire  W.  Donkle 1882 

Section  8.     Ozro  Wheelan    1884 

Section  8.     Charles  F.  McDonald 1881 

Section  9.  R.  R.  Land  (books  do  not  show  what  road). 

Section  10.     Weidler  Grabill 1874 

Section  10.     Florence   E.   Dailey 1874 

Section  10.  Flora  M.  Ferguson 1875 

Section  10.     Robert  M.  RadclifF 1875 

Section  10.     John  Duncan   1870 

Section  10.     John  Noonan   1870 

Section  10.     Henry  E.  ]Muson 1870 

Section  11.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     Hannah  D.   ^Vilson 1876 

Section  12.     Licurgus  M.  Hoylenian 1878 

Section  12.     Robert  B.  IMcGee 1870 

Section  12.     John  R.  Roscoe 1876 

Section  12.     Joseph  ^Nlachin 1870 

Section  13.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     John  Woods 1870 

Section  14.     Granville  Woods   1870 

Section  14.     George   Gardner    1870 

Section  14.     Patrick  Duncan   1871 

Section  1.5.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.  State  School  I^and. 

Section  17.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Thomas  Cleveland 1873 

Section  18.       Christian  Knudson 1878 

Section  18.     William  H.   JMartin 1877 

Section  18.     John  JNIunson   1878 

Section  18.     Isaac  M.  Workman 1880 

Section  18.     Frederick  H.  Bartlett 1882 

Section  18.     Howell  Bonfy   1882 

Section  18.     Lorenzo  Bonfy 1887 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^51 

Section  19.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Thomas  Gittins    1870 

Section  20.  Lewis  Keith   1872 

Section  20.  Benjamin  F.  jVIuson 1871 

Section  20.  Thomas  W.  Carter   1883 

Section  20.  Henry  Bevan 1870 

Section  20.  W.  E.  Munson 1877 

Section  20.  Edward  Evans 1870 

Section  21.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  Julia  Duncan   1872 

Section  22.  William  F.  Duncan 1872 

Section  22.  Albert  ]M.  Sewerson 1877 

Section  22.  Campbell  Jones   1871 

Section  23.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  James  INI.  Davis 1873 

Section  24.  Fred  Babcock 1874 

Section  24.  John  AVade 187.5 

Section  24.  William  Saxour 1876 

Section  24.  Harlow  H.  Wilson 1878 

Section  23.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.  Edgar  O.   Burgess 1872 

Section  26.  David   T.    Ulman .  1874 

Section  26.  James  H.  Milner 1874 

Section  26.  Ephraim  P.  Jones 1872 

Section  26.  Alexander  Brown    1878 

Section  26.  Hawley   Humphrey    1872 

Section  27.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.  John  Benshoof 1872 

Section  28.  William  B.  Thorne 1872 

Section  28.  Francis   Spicknell    1873 

Section  28.  John  Adams 1879 

Section  28.  John  Adams 1882 

Section  29.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Peter  McVay 1870 

Section  30.  Richard   S.   Spicknell 1873 

Section  30.  William  H.   INIartin 1873 

Section  30.  George  W.  Spicknell 1870 

Section  30.  Gilbert  Keith   1874 

Section  30.  Lewis  C.  Keith 1 882 

Section  31.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  Peter  H.  Sailor 1872 

Section  32.  Sherman   F.   Bartlett 1872 


452       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  32.     Lewis  Keith   1872 

Section  32.     Wallace  J.   Keith 1877 

Section  33.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  3i.     Charles  Churchill 1872 

Section  34.     Oakley  Humphrey    1872 

Section  3i.     William  W.  Philleo 1872 

Section  34.     William  T.  Wright 1874 

Section  34.     Susan  A.   Person 1876 

Section  34.     Charles  A.    Stilson '.  ..  .  1878 

Section  34.     Robert  N.  Kinsey 1883 

Section  34.     JMcDonough  ^Martin    1886 

Section  34.     Christian  Shetler   1888 

Section  34.     George  Shetler 1889 

Section  34.     William  M.  Foutch 1889 

Section  34.     Augustus   France    1889 

Section  34.     Susan  A.  Presson 1876 

Section  35.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  I^and. 

1{()sp:i,axi)  township 


Section 

1 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

3 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

Section 

4 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Charles  Greve    1872 

Zachary  T.  Findley 1872 

John  W.  Findley*. 1872 

Joseph  B.  Witter 1872 

Oscar  E.  Woods 1874 

Peter  Griffith   1874 

George  F.  Kelly 1875 

John  M.   Cole 1872 

Mathias  Klein 1878 

Charles  Ginger 1879 

Charles  Genzmer 1882 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Jerome  L.  Brewer 1872 

Charles  E.  White 1872 

Calvin  Ball   1873 

William  E.  Robinson 1873 

Edward  Creager    1873 

George  T.  Hutchinson 1873 

Samuel  INIarts 1877 

Daniel   R.   Ball 1880 


PAST  A^U  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       ^53 

Section     5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.     Peter   SchifFerns    1873 

Section     6.     INIichael  Weitert 1873 

Section     6.     Joseph  Suttler   1873 

Section     6.     Jens   Nielson    1873 

Section     6.     John  Olson 1873 

Section     6.     Henry   Otto  Vehiker 1873 

Section     6.     Joseph   Marks 1876 

Section     6.     Gotthart  Fischer 1876 

Section     6.     Victor  Gangwish   1878 

Section     6.     Alonzo  S.  Clark 1881 

Section     6.     Johan  Baesch 1882 

Section     6.     Joseph  Pitts 1887 

Section     7.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.     John   Balsch  .  .- 1873 

Section     8.     Frederick  Brenner 1873 

Section     7.     Fritz   Freling 1873 

Section     7.     Frank    Seibold 1873 

Section     7.     Lawrence  Pankersley 1873 

Section     7.     Henry  Veenker   1874^ 

Section     7.     John  Gerten 187-4 

Section     7.     John  C.  Boyd 187.5 

Section     7.     John   Winter 1878 

Section     7.     John   Gurlen 1879 

Section     9.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     Oscar  E.  Woods 1873 

Section  10.     Robert  N.  Boyd 1873 

Section  10.     Walter  P.  Davis 1874 

Section  10.     Silas  Callon    187.5 

Section  11.  B.  &M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     James   Beach    1872 

Section  12.     Peter  Levi   Boyd 1873 

Section  12.     Urias   Keelor    1873 

Section  12.     William  Beach 1873 

Section  12.     Jacob  Carpenter    1874 

Section  13.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     Nelson  D.  Blakely 1872 

Section  14.     Edward   Vernon    1872 

Section  14.     Frank  E.  Crosier 1874 

Section  14.     Jacob  Silver   1874 

Section  14.     Isaac  Vandervort 1876 

Section  14.     Israel  M.  Tappen 1878 


454       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  14.     Franklin  Shaniblin    1879 

Section  14.     John  Hurtle 1879 

Section  14.     A.  Chajinian 1884 

Section  15.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Samuel  L.   JNIartin 1873 

Section  18.     Lewis  Martin 1873 

Section  18.     William  S.  Martin 1873 

Section  18.     Joseph  S.  Basye 1873 

Section  18.     Charles  Holfeld   1874 

Section  18.     John  Young 1877 

Section  19.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     John  D.  VanHouton 1873 

Section  20.     Nancy  P.  Bieter 1873 

Section  20.     Peter  P.  Shade 1873 

Section  20.     Solomon  Dreibelbis   1873 

Section  20.     William  Schumann   1873 

Section  20.     Jolm  C.  Hargleroad 1877 

Section  20.     Augustus  Henry   1877 

Section  20.     William  H.  Liston 1880 

Section  21.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Thomas  W.  Carter 1873 

Section  22.     William   G.   Martin 1873 

Section  22.     W.  P.  Davis 1874 

Section  22.     Benjamin  F.  Evans 1877 

Section  22.     John  Lorang   1878 

Section  23.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Chancy  F.  Owen 1873 

Section  24.     Simon  S.  Dow 1874 

Section  24.     Israel  M.  Tappen 1874 

Section  24.     Robert  S.  Nichols 1875 

Section  24.     John  Fleming    1875 

Section  24.     Thomas   M.   Abbott 1875 

Section  24.     John  A.  Fleming 1879 

Section  25.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     Minerva  Backus 1873 

Section  26.     Charles  C.  Wright 1873 

Section  26.     Jacob  L.  Means 1873 

Section  26.     Henry  W.  Martin 1873 

Section  26.     James  K.  Samjile 1873 

Section  26.     John  Martin 1876 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  455 

Section  26.     Henry  Favinger    1877 

Section  26.     Henry  H.  Rutt 1884 

Section  26.     Henry   S.   Munger 1881 

Section  27.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Silas  Caton ' 1873 

Section  28.     John  F.  Merral 1873 

Section  28.     Benjamin  Morgan 1874 

Section  28.     Alexander  Rogers   1877 

Section  29.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Benjamin  Davis 1873 

Section  30.     Jacob  Silver 1873 

Section  30.     Daniel  Ritchey 1873 

Section  30.     John  Rawson   (Heirs  of) 1873 

Section  30.     Joseph  S.  Basye 187-^ 

Section  30.     John  Cooke 1881 

Section  30.     Alexander  Brown    1886 

Section  3C.     ]Mathew  Brown    1890 

Section  30.     Ira  D.  AValhurn 1893 

Section  30.     ^Nlathew  Brown 1893 

Section  31.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     ^Villiam  Fynch 1873 

Section  32.     David  Morgan   1873 

Section  32.     John  F.  IMerril 1874 

Section  32.     :Melville  B.  Griffith 1874 

Section  32.     Ransom  E.  Williams 1879 

Section  32.     ]Merrett   Tappen    1881 

Section  32.     Charles  Favinger 1882 

Section  32.     ]Mary  E.  Hovey 1886 

Section  33.  B.  &:"  M.  R.  R.'Co. 

Section  34.     George  McKelvey 1873 

Section  34.     Thaddeus  S.  :McKelvey 1873 

Section  34.     James  K.  Sample 1874 

Section  34.     John  W.  Striker .  .  1874 

Section  34.     John  D.  Evans 1877 

Section  3.5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

JUNIATA   TOWNSHIP 


Section     1.     U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     2.     Ezra  Shaw    1872 

Section     2.     Jndson  Barwell    1871 


^56       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  2.     Charles  Kilburn 1871 

Section  2.     Daniel  Winter   1872 

Section  2.     William  L.  VanAlst3'ne 1873 

Section  2.     Jacob  A.  Swift 1875 

Section  3.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  4.     Isaac  H.  Hannell 1871 

Section  4.     John  L.  Leapson 1871 

Section  4.     David  E.  Salsbury 1871 

Section  4.     Charles  T.  Peck. 1873 

Section  4.     Emma  Watkins 1873 

Section  4.     Giles  Foote 1874 

Section  4.     Francis  D.  Foote 187.J 

Section  4.     Ichabod  P.  JNIiles 1878 

Section  4.     Deloss  C.  INIiller 1878 

Section  4.     Eli  Baugh 1882 

Section  5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  6.     Hiram  C.  Hornbert 1873 

Section  6.     Felix  R.  Watts 1873 

Section  6.     Alfred  Sansted 1873 

Section  6.     Frank  A.  Lindley 1873 

Section  6.     Elias  H.  JNIacklin 1873 

Section  6.     Thomas   M.   Furabee 187o 

Section  7.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  8.     Darhis  jNIonroe,  Jr 1871 

Section  8.     James  INIcKelvey 1872 

Section  8.     George  Walker    1872 

Section  8.     Samuel  K.   Humbert.- 1874 

Section  8.     Lucy  A.  McFadden 1873 

Section  9.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     John  W.  Exelby 1871 

Section  10.     Henry   C.   Goodrich 1871 

Section  10.     Russell  D.   Eabcock 1871 

Section  10.     Titus  Babcock    • 1871 

Section  10.     Carlos  C.  Babcock 1871 

Section  10.     Samuel  L.  Salsbury 1874 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     John  Stark   1871 

Section  12.     Titus  Babcock    1871 

Section  12.     Isaac  W.  Stark 1871 

Section  12.     Russell  D.   Babcock 1871 

Section  13.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     Hillerv  Dean   1871 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AUAMS  COUNTY  ^57 

Section  14.  William  Horlocker 1871 

Section  14.  Russell  S.  Langley 1872 

Section  14.  George  Kader    1871 

Section  14.  Charles  R.  Jones 1872 

Section  14.  Abram  Park 187.3 

Section  14.  William  A.  Stewart 187o 

Section  14.  Luther  P.  Totten 1878 

Section  14.  Benjamin  F.   Smith 1878 

Section  14.  Byron  N.  Button 1879 

Section  15.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.  C.  C.  Chamberlin 1872 

Section  18.  Thomas   G.   Whiting 1873 

Section  18.  Delos  C.  Miller 1873 

Section  18.  Lemuel  J.  Ward 1873 

Section  18.  John  Gates 1873 

Section  18.  Henry  Amick    1874 

Section  18.  Duncan  M.   Miller 1876 

Section  18.  Henry  Knutson 1878 

Section  18.  Fred  "Uickman   1878 

Section  18.  Alfred  C.  Parmenter 1882 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Jacob   H.   Gates 1871 

Section  20.  Alfred  C.  Parmenter 1871 

Section  20.  William  J.  Parmenter 1871 

Section  20.  Charles  O.  Parmenter 1871 

Section  20.  Thomas  Walton 1871 

Section  20.  Samuel  L.  Salsbury 1873 

Section  20.  Levant  Fish   1873 

Section  20.  Xorris  H.  JMaxon 1877 

Section  20.  Bolivar  W.  Crone 1883 

Section  21.  LT.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.  Henry  JNIcKelvey    1871 

Section  22.  William  L.   Kent 1871 

Section  22.  Joseph   S.  Hubbard 1871 

Section  22.  Granville  S.  Dwight 1871 

Section  22.  Anthony  Adams    1875 

Section  23.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.  Isaac  W.  Stark 1872 

Section  24.  John  Stark 1872 

Section  24.  Than  Allen 1874 


458       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  24.  Edwin  M.  Allen 1874 

Section  24.  Maiy  A.  E.  C.  Brosins 1874 

Section  24.  John  M.  Kronkright 1878 

Section  25.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  N  i/,  of  Section. 

Section  25.  B.  &.  M.  R.  R.  Co.  S  i/o  of  Section. 

Section  26.  Alfred  H.  Brown 1872 

Section  26.  Charlemagne  Francis    1874 

Section  26.  George  T.  Brown 1874 

Section  26.  Thomas  G.  Adams 1874 

Section  26.  Samuel   Fansher    1874 

Section  26.  Emily  A.  Dawson 1875 

Section  26.  Gottlieb  Holzworth 1880 

Section  27.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.  Anson  Benrenrti    1871 

Section  28.  Lorenzo  Lewisi    1871 

Section  28.  James  ^McDonald    1871 

Section  28.  Winfield   Scott   Bondrake • 1872 

Section  28.  John  Dickey    1874 

Section  28.  Byron  A.  Shaffer 1874 

Section  28.  Orange  D.  Norris 1875 

Section  28.  James  W.  Harris 1879 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Olaf  Schultz 1873 

Section  30.  Jens  Kruberg 1875 

Section  30.  Robert  Ash 1873 

Section  30.  John  F.  Banta 1874 

Section  30.  Henry  F.  Banta 1874 

Section  30.  John  R.  Van  Houten 1875 

Section  30.  INIaria  H.  Graff 1877 

Section  30.  Duncan  M.  ]MilIer 1879 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  Francis  ]M.  Thompson 1873 

Section  32.  Cornelius  B.  Morehouse 1873 

Section  32.  Adam  Land   1873 

Section  32.  Alice  A.  White 1873 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.  Hulda  A.   ]\Iorse 1872 

Section  34.  George  W.  Lindsey 1873 

Section  34.  Alfred  H.  Brown 1874 

Section  34.  William  D.  INIorgan 1880 

Section  34.  Emily  A.   Dawson 1880 

Section  34.  Jacob  Cansbruck   1882 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  35.     U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  N  1/2  NE  1/4  and  N  l/o  NW  14. 
Section  35.     B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.  S  %  of  Section. 
Section  36.     State  School  Land. 

VEROXA   TOWNSHIP 


Section  1 

Section  2 

Section  '2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  2 

Section  8 


Section 
Section 
Section 
Section 
Section 
Section 

Section  5. 

Section  6, 

Section  6. 

Section  6. 

Section  6. 

Section  6. 

Section  6. 

Section  7. 

Section  8. 

Section  8. 

Section  8. 

Section  8. 

Section  8. 

Section  8. 

Section  9. 

Section  10. 

Section  10. 


U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Paul  Klotzlnicher 1873 

Frank  AVolf    1873 

Phillip  Cook 1873 

Edward  Warner 1873 

John  JNIiller 1874 

John  Egginian 1871 

James  Murtough 1874 

Cynthia  Cramer 1875 

Alexander  Reese   1877 

William  Weaver    1877 

Loren  Fairbanks   1880 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Frank  Sutria    1873 

Benjamin  D.   Goldy 1873 

George  S.  Parks 1873 

Henry  D.  Larkins '1873 

Frank  Seetra   1879 

Frank  Seetra,  Sr 1884 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

William  Dougherty 1873 

James  W.  Stinchcomb   1874 

Peter  J.  Johnson 1875 

JMathew  Clayton    1875 

Joseph  Dailey    1878 

Jacob  S.  Hornback 1886 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Charles  Kroll   1873 

Randolph  ]\Ieyer   1873 

John  Cowan   1873 

Sidney  Flarris    1873 

Peter  Wash    1873 

James  Clark 1876 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

William  Norton 1873 

Job   Tanner    1873 


460       PAST  AND  PRESi:XT  OF  ADAMS  COUXTY 

Section  10.  John  Middleton   1873 

Section  10.  Ashley  T.  Shattuck 1873 

Section  10.  John  Stephens   1874 

Section  10.  Orson  Pease 1875 

Section  10.  Ehnor  M.  VanVliet   1881 

Section  10.  Ashley  T.  Shattuck 1881 

Section  11.  U.  P.R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.  August  Lane   1872 

Section  12.  Harniin  Nichols 1873 

Section  12.  Samuel   G.  Johnson 1875 

Section  12.  Charles  Wolsey   1875 

Section  12.  Sam  Cox 1875 

Section  13.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.  Daniel  Redman    1872 

Section  14.  Terrence  Riley 1872 

Section  14.  John  Glazik 1872 

Section  14.  James  William   Kinason 1872 

Section  14.  Michael  Moran 1872 

Section  14.  jNIaria  Adams 1873 

Section  14.  Owen  Adams   1873 

Section  14.  :Miss  Hester  A.  Adams 1874 

Section  14.  Wilson  S.  Richards 1874 

Section  14.  Jacob  Schmidt   1875 

Section  14.  James  T.  Davis 1875 

Section  14.  William  T.  Drake .♦ 1876 

Section  14.  Calvin  S.  Stilwell 1883 

Section  15.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.  Clu-istopher  Bricknell   1873 

Setcion  18.  Josiah  Hodges 1873 

Section  18.  James  Goostrey 1873 

Section  18.  Miles  W.   Knapp 1873 

Section  18.  John   A.   INIcGowan 1877 

Section  18.  Richard  Dailey 1877 

Section  18.  James  M.  Kent 1878 

Section  18.  Darian  Saule   1878 

Section  18.  Lewis   Currier    1882 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.  Joseph  B.  Carr 1872 

Section  20.  Felix   Henry    1873 

Section  20.  George  F.  Dougherty 1873 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^61 

Section  20.     Jonas  P.   Conger 1876 

Section  20.     George  W.  Deitrick 1878 

Section  20.     Julius  Kroll 1878 

Section  20.     Dajnian  Conger   1878 

Section  20.     Josiah  Hodges 1880 

Section  20.     George  W.  Pratt 1882 

Section  21.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Charles  H.  Best 1872 

Section  22.     James  S.  Carson 1872 

Section  22.     Rej-nolds  Bigelow   1874 

Section  22.     David   R.   Bigelow 187-t 

Section  22.     William  H.  H.  Burlingame 1875 

Section  22.     Ray  S.  Pomroy 1875 

Section  22.     Charles   B.   Bigelow 1877 

Section  22.     William   Stilwell    1878 

Section  28.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.      Titus  Z.  Andrews 1871 

Section  24.     Amos  Hanchett   1871 

Section  24.     Anton  Keder    1872 

Section  24.     Josejih  Keder 1872 

Section  24.     Frederick  Fashnit   1872 

Section  24.     James  Laird 1873 

Section  25.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     George  Sheller 1872 

Section  26.     Peter  Clauson    1872 

Section  26.     Frank   ^Mitchell    1872 

Section  26.     Austin  Iv.  Banker 1871 

Section  26.     Jay  E.  Pulver 1871 

Section  26.     Hiram  X.  Dancer 1871 

Section  26.     Christopher  Xickerson    1871 

Section  26.     IMary  A.  E.  C.  Brosins 1873 

(^lary  A.  E.  C.  B.  Snidsay.     Seems  to  have 
been  married.    Patent  run  to  this  name.) 

Section  26.     John  E.   Adams 1874 

Section  26.     John  H.   Spencer 1874 

Section  27.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Charles  A.   Morgan 1872 

Section  28.     Samuel  J.  Shirley 1872 

Section  28.     Joseph  Nelson   1873 

Section  28.     Enos  Pray 1873 

Section  28.     Peter  Halverson    1873 

Section  28.     Francis  M.  Thurmand 1876 


462       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  28.     George   Treniel    1876 

Section  28.     Alexander  ]M.   Rees 1877 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     Nathan  M.  Clough 1872 

Section  30.     Eben  L.  Dutton 1872 

Section  30.     John  L.  Kent 1873 

Section  30.     Oscar  Kent 1875 

Section  30.     Thomas  C.  Hill 1881 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     William  ^Mcintosh 1873 

Section  32.     Elisha  Mcintosh    1873 

Section  32.     Peter  Anderson   1873 

Section  32.     George  F.  Moore 1873 

Section  32.     Amasa  Childs 1873 

Section  32.     Edward  Sandstad    1873 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Franklin  P.  Salsbmy 1872 

Section  34.     Alfred  C.  Salsbnry 1871 

Section  34.     William  W.  Camp 1872 

Section  34.     Robert   Ash    1872 

Section  34.     Walter  H.  Bm-r 1873 

Section  3.5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

I.OGAN    TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2, 

Section 

3. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

.5. 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.   , 

Winfield  Ackley    1878 

Henry  C.  Kane 1878 

Seymore  Jones 1883 

Frank  A.  Nugent 1884 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Emily  .Alorse    1874 

Eleazer  C.  Shellhamer 1877 

Znbulow  Jenkins   1878 

Vyra  Morse    1878 

Charles  C.  Rittenhouse 1881 

Silas  Jackson 1881 

Samuel  E.  Robertson 1881 

John   M.    Segraves 1883 

Samuel  S.  Wilkinson 1883 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  463 

G.     Ezra  Winslow    187G 

6.     Maria  Richardson  Guard 1878 

6.     George  S.  JMatteson 1879 

6.     William  Wertz    1881 

6.     James  JNIoore   1882 

6.     George  Bunton    1883 

6.     Jacob  S.   Spencer 1887 

6.     Lorence  Nichols 1887 

6.  William  E.  Burkhokler 1892 

7.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

8.  Samuel   Nicholas    1874 

8.     Samuel  Osborn    1 874 

.  8.     Uavid  B.  :\Iaxwell 1874 

8.  Joshua  Pritchet   1880 

9.  B.  &.  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

10.     George  Butler   1874 

George  W.  Parks 1875 

Daniel  Holycross •  •  1877 

10.     James  Burden    1881 

10.     Jacob  Knights    1888 

10.  Francis   P.   ]McGowan 1883 

11.  B.  &M.  R.  R.  Co. 

12.  Arian  T.  Thomas 1876 

12.     Arian  G.  Thomas 1877 

Winfield  Ackley   1878 

I^Iary  J.   Gaddis ^1879 

12.     Harrison  Boswick   1881 

12.     Frank  L.  Pearl 1881 

12.     David  P.  Adams 1882 

12.     Jacob  Mull   1882 

]Martha  L.  Holloway 1884 

INIathias  Kistler   1884 

Orvile  D.  Rallstin 1887 

James   S.    Turner 1890 

B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

William   II.   McClelland 1873 

John  Q.  Minnix 1876 

I.amden  Eady 1878 

Charles  Wheat 1878 

Silas  B.  ]McDonald 1879 

George  T.  Wheat 1879 

Eleazer  C.  Shellhamer 1879 


^64       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  14.     John  Fernow   1880 

Section  14.     Elijah  S.  Minnix 1881 

Section  14.     Elijah  S.  JNlinnix 1881 

Section  14.     William  E.   Coday 1883 

Section  1,5.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Lemuel  J.  Shultz 1874 

Section  18.     George  W.  Parks 1875 

Section  18.     John   P.   Hartgrave 1875 

Section  18.     Willliam  H.  Wertz 1875 

Section  18.     Ezra  Winslow    1876 

Section  18.     James  McFarland 1877 

Section  18.     Lorenzo  Swarthout 1884 

Section  18.     JNIike  McCulla    1886 

Section  19.  B.  &  :M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     Charles  N.  Morse 1874 

Section  20.     Emily  INIorse    1875 

Section  20.     Lester  H.  Peck 1876 

Section  20.     R.  E.  Dent.  Jr 1880 

Section  20.     JNIelvin  F.   Scott 1880 

Section  20.     Lyman  H.  Tower 1881 

Section  20.     Lewis  D.  Dent 1 882 

Section  20.     Chris   Larsen    1 885 

Section  21.  St.  Joe  k  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Henry  Kaiser 1873 

Section  22.     Robert  M.  Aikins 1873 

Section  22.     Zephamiah  Parks 1874 

Section  22.     John  Q.   ^liiinix 1875 

Section  22.     Perry  Parks   1875 

Section  22.     Decatvn-  31.  Parks 1878 

Section  22.     William  H.  Remer 1878 

Section  23.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     John  Theilen    1874 

Section  24.     Laura  INIartin 1876 

Section  24.     John  D.  Shellhamer 1876 

Section  24.     Thomas  McDonough  Martin 1874 

Section  24.     Joseph  L.  GrandstafF 1881 

Section  25.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     John  M.  Emerson 1873 

Section  26.     Laurie  Emerson 1873 

Section  20.     Sallie  Emerson 1873 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  ^65 

Section  26.     Josejih  GrandstafF    1874 

Section  26.     John  W.  Moor 1876 

Section  26.     John  S.  Shellhanmier 1877 

Section  26.     Mathew  S.  JNIahan 1879 

Section  26.     William  H.   Shellhanmier 1880 

Section  26.     Thomas  Burden 1880 

Section  27.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Lewis  E.  Jenkins 1873 

Section  28.     Isador  W.  Jenkins 1874 

Section  28.     Frederick  Sevelling 1878 

Section  28.     Adelbert  B.  Jenkins 1880 

Section  29.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     James  Murtha    1874 

Section  30.     Lafayette  Parks    1874 

Section  30.     ]Marion   G.   Parks 1874 

Section  30.     Lewis  Parks   1878 

Section  31.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     Royal  R.  Wicks 1874 

Section  32.      Peter  A.  Vote    1874 

Section  32.     Ellery   C.   Thornton 1874 

Section  33.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Lenmel  J.  Shultz 1874 

Section  34.     William  F.  Coyle - 1874 

Section  34.     Warren  A.  ^Minnix 1877 

Section  34.     ]Mathew  Baldwin   1877 

Section  34.     Charles  H.  Shufflebarger 1880 

Section  34.     Isaac  D.  Wickham 1880 

Section  34.     William  B.  Wyatt 1882 

Section  34.     Abner  JNIouser   1883 

Section  35.  St.  Joe  &  Denver  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

COTTOXW'OOD   TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

1. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

U.  p.  R.  R.  Co.    N  34  of  Section. 
B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.    S  14  of  Section. 

George  J.  Hollman .  : 1876 

Janke  Cockley   1876 

Lorin  Swineford   1876 

Henry  W.   Crone 1876 

Solomon  Holman 1878 

George  J.  Holman 1880 


466       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  . 

Section     3.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  '  4.     Martin  IMusser 1874 

Section     4.     David  ]M.  Griswold 1874 

Section     4.     Orin  Johnson  (Mary  Etta  Buss,  guardian) 1875 

Section     4.     William  F.   Wright 1880 

Section     4.     Austin  H.  Wright 1880 

Section     4.     Joseph  Huckfeldt   1885 

Section     5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     6.     Leonard  T.  Benu 1874 

Section     6.     Thomas  Burns   1876 

Section     6.     Chester  B.  Powers 1876 

Section     6.     Joel  Kring 1877 

Section     6.     Frederick  G.   Thomjjson 1878 

Section     6.     Charles  Kidd    1878 

Section     6.     William  H.  Thompson 1881 

Section     6.     Samuel  B.  Harpham 1883 

Section     7.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section     8.     David  M.   Griswold 1874 

Section     8.     James  M.  Sanford 1874 

Section     8.     Harvey  JMcElhiney 1874 

Section     8.     William  W.  JMcCarthy 1876 

Section     8.     Rebecca  Deaver 1879 

Section     8.     Clarence  G.  Griswold 1885 

Section     8.     David  JM.   Griswold 1 887 

Section     9.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  10.     Simon  Roeder    1874 

Section  10.     John  :\I.  Musser 1874 

Section  10.     Martin  ]Musser 1874 

Section  10.     Etta  M.  Musser 1874 

Section  10.     Katie  M.  Musser 1874 

Section  10.     Darius  Brown    1877 

Section  10.     Isaac  W.  Martin 1877 

Section  10.     Madison  Hunt 1881 

Section  10.     George  Vonderheide   1885 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.    N  Vo  Section. 

Section  11.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.     s'l/o  Section. 

Section  12.     Charles  G.  Hohlfeld 1873 

Section  12.     Aniil  HohlffJd 1873 

Section  12.     Frederick  Wagoner    1873 

Section  12.     Carl  Hohlfeld    1873 

Section  12.     Chester  C.  Clewett 1874 

Section  12.     Conrad  Weigant   1877 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  467 

Section  13.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14-.     Henry  Winkler   1874 

Section  14.     Elizabeth  Stehl 1874 

Section  13.     Simon  Roeder 1876 

Section  14.     Hans  Sorensen 1883 

Section  14.     William  T.  Hatten 1884 

Section  15.  E.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.    N  i/o  of  Section. 

Section  17.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co.     SI/2  of  Section. 

Section  18.     Alexander  Rodgers 1879 

Section  18.     Charlton  O.  Sutherland 1882 

Section  18.     John  W.  Lechliter 1884 

Section  18.     Henry  Hansen 1884 

Section  18.     Thomas  Gibson    1884 

Section  18.     David  J.  Duckworth 1887 

Section  18.     Albert  J.  Bentz 1889 

Section  19.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     T.  Tabalam  Jenkins 1878 

Section  20.     Daniel   Herbaldsheimer    1879 

Section  20.     Colman  W.  Nee 1880 

Section  20.     Carl   "SL  W.   Petersen 1882 

Section  20.     Cornelius  W.  Nee ' 1884 

Section  20.     Edgar  A.  Frye 1887 

Section  21.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Joachum  T.  Huckfeldt 1873 

Section  22.     Henry  Hagerman   1873 

Section  22.     Henry  Dehle    1873 

Section  22.     Joseph  Huckfeldt   1873 

Section  22.     Fred  Babzien   1879 

Section  22.     Charles  H.  Huckfeldt 1879 

Section  22.     Joseph  F.  Huckfeldt 1879 

Section  23.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Charles  Clevvett   1874 

Section  24.     William  A.  Chambers 1874 

Section  24.     William  J.  Sherwood 1878 

Section  24.     Nicholas  ]Nretzer 1880 

Section  24.     James  M.  ^Miller ,..., 1880 

Section  24.     William  Timm .' 1881 

Section  24.     John   Fleming    1883 

Section  2,).  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     Nicholas  ]Metzer 1873 


468       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  26.  August  Hoklfeld 1873 

Section  26.  Michael  Horgleroad   1874 

Section  26.  Christian  P.  Horgleroad 1875 

Section  26.  Michael  A.  Horgleroad 1875 

Section  27.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.  Lewis  Parks 1878 

Section  28.  Hans  M.  Jorgensen 1879 

Section  28.  James  S.  Tusdale 1881 

Section  28.  Albert  W.  Kay 1884 

Section  28.  John  J.  Junker 1884 

Section  28.  George  A.  Slay 1888 

Section  28.  Lusion   Shaw    1889 

Section  29.  B.  &  ]M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Mary  A.  Hart 1880 

Section  30.  John  W.  King 1882 

Section  30.  Lorenzo  B.  Canfield '.  .  1882 

Section  30.  John  N.  Lyman 1883 

Section  30.  Thomas  Favinger    1887 

Section  30.  John  M.  Erase 1886 

Section  30.  Noah  Burkholder   1889 

Section  31.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  Lafayette  Lewis  Parks 1878 

Section  32.  Anton  Jepsen 1882 

Section  32.  Garret  Parks   1882 

Section  32.  Martin  Schellack 1884 

Section  32.  Samuel  Burkholder 1885 

Section  32.  Francis  Lyman    1886 

Section  32.  James  Robinson 1886 

Section  32.  Sarah  J.  Rodehaver 1888 

Section  32.  Calvin  Morse   1888 

Section  33.  B.  &  ^M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.  Samuel  E.  Robertson 1878 

Section  34.  Leander  PI  I^awrence 1878 

Section  34.  Andy  I^ivingston   1878 

Section  34.  Christian  W.  Pease 1881 

Section  34.  Sven  Nelson   1881 

Section  34.  Lyman  L.  Mills 1882 

Section  34.  Lewis  A.  Kirk 1883 

Section  34.  Dan  A.  Deale 1885 

Section  35.  B.  &  M.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 


PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY       ^69 

WAXDA    TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1. 

Section 

•} 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2_ 

Section 

2. 

Section 

•2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

•2. 

Section 

3. 

Section 

-I. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

i. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4.. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

.J. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

7. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

9. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

U.  p.  R.  R.  Co. 

Francis  Phillijjs 1873 

Charles  U.  Chnrch 1873 

Caleb  J.   Machlin 1874 

I^ancaster  W.  Paimenter 1874 

^VilIianl  Z.  Parnienter 1875 

Allen  Q.  Hanna 1875 

John  V.  Horton 1875 

George  W.  Baldwin 1877 

:MiIuni  Young 1883 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Reuben  Graver    1872 

Frederick  Kruenian    1873 

John  Kruenian 1873 

Joseph  B.  Elrod 1874 

L.  B.  McKinney 1879 

James   U.   Reaugh 1879 

George  W.  Woolcott 1878 

Alonzo  P.  Higgins 1879 

Dennis  Nichols 1883 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

James  ]M.  Young 1874 

Thomas  :McQuillan   187() 

Peter  Ratigan    1881 

^Michael  ^Nlurry 1881 

^Michael  McQuillan   1876 

James  C.  McCorrick  (Mary  E.  Jones,  guardian)  1877 

James  Duffy   * 1878 

Thomas  IMcQuillan   1880 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

James  M.  Strahl 1874 

^Michael  McQuillan   1876 

Jacob  H.  Miller 1878 

iSIelvin  Higgins   1879 

Silas  W.  ^Miller   1881 

Francis  R.  Harpham 1883 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Nelson  D.  Cline 1873 

James  S.  Cline 1873 

Amos  Shattuck    1874 


470       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  10.     Bebbie  L.  Yates 1874 

Section  11.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  12.     Robert  Harter 1872 

Section  12.     Jobn  Harter 1872 

Section  12.     Barton  J.  Vanderbilt 1873 

Section  12.     Leanzer  Darling 1873 

Section  12.     Heniy  JNI.  Vanderbilt 187G 

Section  13.  U.  P.'  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     Warren  Sbeffield 1873 

Section  14.     Nathaniel  Besing 1873 

Section  14.     John  W.  JNIcCoy 1873 

Section  14.     George  C.  McKlin 1874 

Section  14.     Ferdinand  Gandil   1877 

Section  14.     Henry  Bohlke    1882 

Section  15.  U.  P."  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  Land. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     Lemuel  W.  Blevins 1876 

Section  18.     William  J.  White 1876 

Section  18.     George  H.  Jackson 1877 

Section  18.     Charles  Haines 1879 

Section  18.     Sven  Nelson   1880 

Section  18.     Lemuel  W.  Blevins 1876 

Section  18.     INIary  E.  Jones 1881 

Section  18.     James  A.  Robinson 1881 

Section  19.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     August  Ludwig  Koopman 1874 

Section  20.     George  Daniels    1874 

Section  20.     Alonzo  P.  Higgins 1876 

Section  20.     James  M.  IMiller 1876 

Section  20.     Delavan  ]Mauzer 1878 

Section  20.     Henry  Smith    1878 

Section  20.     John  F.  Hines 1881 

Section  20.     John  W.  Ellis : 1881 

Section  20.     Luke  A.  INIiller 1881 

Section  20.     Henry  ]Mayer 1882 

Section  21.  U.  P."  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     Festus  B.  Spellman 1873 

Section  22.     Julius  Koojjman 1873 

Section  22.     Noah  Martin 1874 

Section  22.     Patrick  J.  Hall 1874 

Section  22.     Herman  D.  Eins])har 1879 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  471 

Section  23.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Richard  H.  Smith 1873 

Section  24.     Gottlieb  Lahr 1873 

Section  24.     Andrew  Biel ! 1873 

Section  24.     George  L.  Stine 1873 

Section  24.     Moses  VanBuskirk    1875 

Section  24.     Peter  C.  Einshaler 1876 

Section  25.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.     Christian  Grelck 1873 

Section  26.     William  O.  Spellman 1873 

Section  26.     Etta  M.  ]Musser 1873 

Section  26.     Dewey  J.   Roberts 1874 

Section  26.     ]Martin  W.  Bennett 1874 

Section  26.     Leveritt  K.  Sorm 1874 

Section  26.     John  "SI.  Bruner 1877 

Section  27.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  28.     Jacob  Spindler 1873 

Section  28.     Levi  Z.  Spindler 1873 

Section  28.     Peter  Spindler 1873 

Section  28.     Eliza   M.   Manzer 1882 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.     David  Shattuck   1874 

Section  30.     James  Cline   1878 

Section  30.     Horace  S.  Higgins 1879 

Section  30.     Samuel  T.  Higgins 1879 

Section  30.     John  W.  Ellis 1879 

Section  30.     James  T.  Kellie 1882 

Section  30.     William  Young   1881 

Section  30.     Smith  M.  Davis 1882 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.     James  M.  Strahl 1874 

Section  32.     Rachel  Strahl 1874 

Section  32.     Debbie  L.  Yates 1874 

Section  32.     David  B.  Ellis 1878 

Section  32.     Herman  INIanger 1878 

Section  32.     Chancy  R.  Buss 1879 

Section  32.     Henry  Hoober 1880 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.     Joseph  T.  Raylard 1873 

Section  34.     Israel  Spindler 1873 

Section  34.     Orlander  H.  Wright 1873 


^72       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  Si.     George  SiJindler    1873 

Section  35.     U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 
Section  36.     State  School  Land. 

KEXESAAV    TOWNSHIP 


Section 

1 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2. 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2 

Section 

2. 

Section 

3 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

4. 

Section 

o 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

6. 

Section 

7 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

8. 

Section 

9 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10. 

Section 

10 

Section 

10 

Section 

10. 

Section 

11 

Union  Pacific  R.  R.  Co. 

John  Van  Xewkirk 1873 

Isaac  Belknap    1878 

Silas  L.  Stichter   1880 

Frank  J.  Hall 1880 

Charles  Watson   1881 

Silas  L.  Stichter 1883 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Fritz  Ernest   1871 

Isaac  H.  Baldwin 1871 

George  W.  ^Nlasterson 1871 

Margaret  Ernst 1873 

Edgar  X.  Adams 1874 

Robert  Ernst   1879 

Caroline  Ernst 1879 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Origen  Frast    187o 

William  Schnltz 1879 

Marie  Ernst   1879 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Wilham  Schnltz 1873 

Joseph  H.  Boyer 1881 

William  Roberts    1882 

Frederick  Reiger 1884 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Fred  Ernst 1874 

Samnel  Kriebel    1880 

John  B.  Osier 1880 

Alvin  T.  ^Nlecham 1880 

Henry  Hally    1882 

Perry  Hodges    1882 

John  Shook 1884 

James  C.  McCormic 188,5 

Samnel  Eatherton   188.5 

Edwin  D.  Wenner 1887 

U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY  473 

Section  12.     Frederick  R.  Staples 1873 

Section  12.     James  M.  Rockafeller 1873 

Section  12.     Peter  Fox 1874 

Section  12.     Sanford  R.  Razey ; 1874 

Section  12.     Catharine  M.  Barton - .  .  .  187? 

Section  12.     Clarence  A.   Powell 1880 

Section  13.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  14.     James  M.  Rockafeller 1873 

Section  14.     Jacob  Mushrush 1873 

Section  14.     Jason  Wilcox 1873 

Section  14.     Charles  E.  JNIitchell 1873 

Section  14.     Levi  Powell    1873 

Section  14.     Henry  C.  Homan 1874 

Section  14.     Abel  S.  Thom^Json 1879 

Section  14.     George  W.  Peter 1871) 

Section   14.     Eunice  L.   Osier 1883 

Section  1.5.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  16.  State  School  I^and. 

Section  17.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  18.     William  H.  Welch 1 873 

Section  18.     Francis  H.  Hall 1878 

Section  18.     Prescott   Powers    1880 

Section  18.     George  W.  Plummer 1882 

Section  18.     John  W.   Coleman 188() 

Section  18.     Henry  E.  Norton 1  «8<.) 

Section  19.  U.  P.*  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  20.     George  W.  Mayhugh 1874 

Section  20.     INIorris  Weaver 1874 

Section  20.     Lizzie  L.  Stinchcomb 187(5 

Section  20.     Sidney  A.  Sayer 1870 

Section  20.     Eugene  B.  INIoore 1878 

Section  20.     Marcus  S.  Eastwood 1883 

Section  21.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  22.     William  V.  Miller 1872 

Section  22.     Edward  JMoore 1873 

Section  22.     Everett  G.  Knapp 1873 

Section  22.     James  G.  Watson 1873 

Section  22.     John  A.  Dampster 187.) 

Section  22.     Samuel  Kriebel    1881 

Section  23.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  24.     Charles  Crapser 1873 

Section  24.     Moses  Terening 1873 

Vol.  1—31 


■^74       PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY 

Section  24.  Aaron  Stonehocker   1873 

Section  24.  Hiram  Stonehocker 1873 

Section  24.  Samuel  B.  Cullison 1873 

Section  24.  Adam  W.  Powell 1873 

Section  24.  Nathan  M.  Clough .  . 1874 

Section  24.  AVilliam  Worline 1874 

Section  24.  Lutlier  A.  Boley 1878 

Section  24.  Samuel  Jones 1879 

Section  24.  Aage  EUingson   1882 

Section  25.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  26.  Henry  Holman    1872 

Section  26.  IMary  S.  Norton 1873 

Section  26.  Joseph  Worseley 1873 

Section  26.  Samuel  W.  Landon 1874 

Section  26.  Adam  Hooker   1874 

Section  26.  Albert  V.  Cole 1874 

Section  27.  U.  P.  R.  R,  Co. 

Section  28.  Joseph  Chenoweth 1872 

Section  28.  Albert  P.  JNIoore 1873 

Section  28.  Samuel  Maire 1873 

Section  28.  Anson  Loomis    1873 

Section  28.  Alvin  D.  Williams 1873 

Section  28.  Robert  Tonger 1873 

Section  28.  George  W.  Deitrick 1875 

Section  28.  Richard  Forgey 1878 

Section  28.  John  B.  Cook 1877 

Section  28.  Richard  Forgey 1878 

Section  28.  James  Cook 1 882 

Section  29.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  30.  Charles  D.  Bennett 1873 

Section  30.  Joseph  A.  Cowan 1874 

Section  30.  Edward  E.  INIoon 1874 

Section  30.  James  W.  Stinclicnml) 1874 

Section  30.  Herman   ]Mott 1880 

Section  31.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  32.  George  W.  Wolcott 1873 

Section  32.  Edward  INfoore    1873 

Section  32.  Charles  D.   Bennett 1874 

Section  32.  Thomas  Cain    1876 

Section  32.  Patrick  Cain 1876 

Section  32.  INIiles  Roland   1877 

Section  32.  William  O.  S])ellman 1878 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  ADAMS  COUNTY      475 

Section  .32.  Ely  N.  Crane 1878 

Section  32.  John  Walsh 18T9 

Section  33.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  34.  S.  P.  Rowland 1872 

Section  34.  Charles  W.  Colt 1872 

Section  34.  Milton  F.  Brown 1872 

Section  34.  J.  D.  Butler 1872 

Section  35.  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co. 

Section  36.  State  School  Land. 

DEPARTiAIEXT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

United  States  Land  Office 

IvIXCOLN,    NerRASKA 

Certificate  : 

We,  Henry  A.  JNIeier,  register  of  tlie  LTnited  States  Land  Otfice 
at  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  and  George  G.  Beams,  receiver  of  the  United 
States  Land  Office  at  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  do  hereby  certify  that  the 
information  shown  in  the  list  of  names  of  the  entrymen,  persons  who 
filed  on  land  in  Adams  County,  Nebraska,  is  as  accurate  and  com- 
plete as  we  have  been  able  to  make  same  in  taking  a  copy  of  the  list 
from  the  tract  books  now  in  our  charge  as  part  of  the  records  belong- 
ing to  this  office,  and  that  said  list  is  a  true,  complete  and  accurate  copy 
as  we  verily  believe. 

In  Testimony  Whereof,  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  and 
caused  the  seal  of  the  U^nited  States  Land  Office  at  Lincoln,  Nebras- 
ka, to  be  affixed,  at  I^incoln,  Nebraska,  on  this  27th  day  of  Jidy, 
A.  D.  1915. 

Henry  A.  jNIeier, 

[Seal]  Register. 

George  G.  Beajis, 

Receiver.