Buffalo County, Nebraska - Chapter 56, 1916

Chapter 56

On the 13th of February, 1874, there was organized the Erie Farmer's Chib, the place of meeting being the schoolhouse in District No. 8. The object of the club, "Mutual benefit and improvement," which also included the discussion of farm problems and the conducting of experiments in the growing of grain and vegetables.

Among the subjects discussed, and in which there was a wide difiference of opinion among the members of the club was, whether fall plowing had a tendency to produce more smut in small grain crops than where such crops were grown on land plowed in the spring.

This club continued in existence many years with profit to its members. Later a farmer's institute, attended by representatives of the college of agriculture, state university, took the place of the work of the club.

At the August 21st meeting the organization was perfected by the election of James Van Sickle as president, S. C. Bassett, secretary, and F. S. Trew, treasurer. The following were named as additional members of precinct committee: B. C. Bassett, Gibbon; Hamilton Grant and D. Harpst, Crowelton; H. A. Lee, Shelton; John Magee, Loup; W. F. McClure, Centre; George Miller, Western; Sam L. Savidge, Kearney; Captain Strothers, Cedar; Harvey Brown, Buffalo; Wm. Barrett, Schneider. This meeting adjourned to September 4 at which time C. S. Greenman was elected first vice president, and T. J. Mahoney second vice president. The executive committee was W. F. IMcClure, D. Harpst, C. A. Borders, B. C. Bassett and George Millburn.

The executive committee were authorized to offer premiums "for the leading agricultural products." Messrs. Hemiup and Calkins, who were engaged in the furniture business in Kearney, oft'ered the free use of rooms in their building in which to hold an exhibit of agricultural products, and such an exhibit was held September 18, 1875. First and second cash premiums were oft'ered for the following exhibits: (Note - As this was during the grasshopper raids when no corn was raised, it will be noted no premium was offered for corn.)

Wheat, oats, barley, rye, millet, flax, potatoes, beets, onions, cabbage, carrot, parsnip, beans (navy), turnip, squash, pumpkin, melon, broom corn, sorghum, cucumber, butter, best assortment of flowers, bread hop yeast, bread salt rising.

It was a great day in Ruft'alo County. September 18, 1875, when was held the first county fair; everybody in the county was there and all were surprised at the remarkable showing made of farm products. Officials of the Union Pacific land department from Omaha w^ere present and were so pleased and delighted at the exhibit of grain and vegetables raised in grasshoi)per times in the county that they bought outright the grain and vegetables awarded premiums and in charge of Col. John H. Roe and R. H. Eaton ; these exhibits were taken to Omaha and placed on exhibition in the rooms of the Union Pacific land department.

ITistory does not record to whom premiums were awarded but it is recalled that Mrs. John M. Bayley was awarded first premium on butter and P.. C. Bassett first premium on beets. The records disclose that the following named were members of the society, having paid $1 each membership fee: C. S. Greenman. Geo. D. Aspinwall. George Hall. J. E. Chidester, Daniel Harpst. Dan A. Crowcll. T. J. Mahoney, ^^'m. F. McClure. S. W. Thornton. James Van Sickle. F. S. Trew, H. C. Andrews, J. P. Johnson. C A. Borders, N. H. Hemiup. Sam L. Savidge, D. Allen Crowell, B. C. Bassett. Simon Murphy. S. C. Bassett. Robert Haines, L. Sturges, Geo. F. Millburn, Asa Fawcett. Geo. N. Smith, A. II. Connor, Geo. Miller, I. B. Wambaugh, Geo. E. Norris. Miles B. Hunt. \\'m. T. C.

The Buffalo County Agricultural Society was re-organized in 1881 ; the officers elected were H. A. Lee, president, E. M. Cunningham, secretary, and John H. Roe, treasurer. The names of the directors can not be recalled, but among the number were Patrick Walsh, W. A. Rodgers, George Meisner, T. J. Mahoney and D. L Brown. The annual fair was located at Shelton for a term of three years, the citizens of Shelton providing a convenient location, and contributing about seven hundred and fifty dollars in cash; a half mile race track w^as built, also an agricultural hall and stalls and pens for live stock. A very successful fair was held in 1881, the total receipts being in excess of thirteen hundred dollars, and a balance on hand at the annual meeting in February, 1882, of some two hundred dollars. It is recalled that W. A. Rodgers, of Gibbon, exhibited a fine herd of shorthorn cattle, and W. W. Pool, of Cedar Township, a choice herd of registered Devon cattle.

"Last Tuesday was the date set for the annual meeting of the Buffalo County Agricultural Society. The people of Shelton and vicinity are greatly interested in the management of the society. Last season the board of directors decided to accept the offer of Shelton and hold the fair here for three years. This move did not meet with universal approval. At a late meeting of the board of directors the matter was again brought up and by a vote of seven to six it was decided to carry out the agreement. Mr. P. Walsh is one of the directors and he has always been on hand at the meetings and kept his eye peeled for breakers ahead, and up to the present time the opposition have been unable to steal a march on him, and they probably never will as Paddy is never asleep w'hen it comes to a fight.

"The Union Pacific put on an extra car to accommodate the parties who wished to attend the meeting. Near one hundred tickets were sold at this place. No. 7 was on time and loaded with a jolly crowd of men, principally farmers. Jake Rice sent a box of cigars just before the train pulled out, and at Gibbon Hank Colby passed another box. At Gibbon about forty more members of the society got aboard, making in all about one hundred and fifty persons attending the meeting from the east end of the county. Just after the train left Gibbon some of the boys discovered an Italian fiddler in one of the coaches and he was immediately brought into the coach occupied by the grangers. He played jigs, clogs and such tunes and the boys danced. First one and another was brought out and was either compelled to dance or give the Italian a quarter. This was kept up until the county seat was reached. During the stay in Kearney the boys behaved well and showed their neighbors what it was to have a grood time. The day was pleasantly spent and a majority of the croivd came home in the evening. About a dozen remained and took in the masquerade ball given by the Kearney cornet band. It was probably the grandest ball ever given in Kearney, and the K. K. B. are deserving of praise for the hospitable treatment of visitors."

"Pursuant to call issued by the chairman, H. A. Lee, the Buffalo County Agricultural Society met at the courthouse in Kearney last Tuesday at half past I o'clock. About one hundred and fifty members were in attendance, the majority coming from Shelton and Gibbon. Considerable interest was manifested concerning who should be elected officers for the ensuing year, and the election of three directors to serve three years. H. A. Lee as president, called the meeting to order. Secretary E. M. Cunningham and Treasurer John II. Roe made their report to the association and by unanimous vote the reports were received. A committee of two, S. C. Ayer and J. J. Saville, was appointed by the chairman to canvass the house for new members which they did with success.

"On motion a committee of three, H. L. Strong, AI. L. Phelps and L. D. Forehand, was appointed to examine the report of the treasurer. Xo material mistakes were encountered and the report was received. The following officers were elected: President, H. A. Lee, of Shelton Precinct; secretaj-y, C. Putnam, of Gibbon Precinct (Air. Putnam declined to serve and S. C. Bassett was appointed); treasurer, E. AI. Cunningham, of Kearney; directors. R. W. Farr, of Gardner Precinct; George Aleisner of Shelton; D. I. Brown of Western." * * * "The headquarters of the association was moved from Kearney to Gibbon ; this was done in order to accommodate a majority of the members who live in the east end of the county. The meeting was harmonious throughout and the officers elected went in without opposition. The Kearney peo])le did not attend in great numbers, and the feeling of the meeting appeared to be in support of carrying out the contract with Shelton and holding a fair here for three years."

Three annual fairs were held in Shelton. all premiums and other expenses paid in full, and H. A. Lee, who served as president the first three years (writing in 1915) states that the society had a cash balance of about seven hundred dollars at the annual meeting held in Februar^^ 1884.

The rules of the society provided that any person might become a member by paying a fee of $1. The annual meeting in February, 1884, was held at Gibbon, and a large delegation of Kearney business men attended, paid $1 each. controlled the annual meeting and moved the location of the fair to Keamey; thirty acres of land for fair ground purposes was purchased northeast of the city, the buildings at Shelton moved to the new location, a one-half mile track provided and several very successful fairs held. It is recalled that R. R. Greer succeeded H. A. Lee as president; S. C. Bassett served as secretary from 1882 to 1885 and was succeeded by H. G. Cutting. The site occupied by the fair grounds having greatly increased in value the officers were induced to exchange for another location, as recalled, eighty acres on section 5. 9, 15. a location not at all suited for fair ground purposes. Here buildings were provided and a one mile race track - a one mile race track being of itself enough to insure the financial ruin of a county agricultural society. On this new location efiforts were made to hold a county fair, but with disastrous results financially, and the Bufifalo County Agricultural Society, organized in 1881, became a matter of history - not pleasant to relate.

A New Organization In I913

The fair grounds comprise forty-seven acres, embracing in part the grounds purchased when the fair was moved from Shelton to Kearney. The first fair was held in September, 1913, and was most successful in its results. The amount of premiums totaled four thousand dollars.