Seward County, Nebraska - Chapter 25, 1916

Chapter 25

We find it difficult to obtain, at this late date, names of even a majority of those who made homes in the pioneer days in Seward county. But we have geathered a number from each precinct which we are glad to record on these pages. Many names which are not mentioned here may be found in the list of those who have passed to their final rest, published farther along in this work.

A Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement began in this precinct in 1864, John A. Scott and John Owens took homesteads in section 22 in that year. J. D. Maine on the same section in the spring of 1865 followed later in the same year by Asa Munn and Warren Brown who located homesteads on section 20. John D. Olney settled on section 22 in 1866. John Darnell, S. M. Darnell and W;illiam Clapp on the same section, W. R. Waddles on section 18 and R. H. Dart on section 30 in 1867. G. B. Hardenberg, E. W. Olney and H. Hawkins were settlers in the late sixties. H. M. Brooks and Milton Langdon settled near Oak Groves in 1872. The former, H. M. Brooks was a Union soldier during the war of the rebellion. His son, Wm. J. sharing his father's patriotism served in a Nebraska regiment during the U. S. war with Spain.

B Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct seems to have been made at a later period than in -A- precinct. J. D. Hickman settled on section 32, J. T. Poor on section 28, William Hickman and J. W. Hickman on the same section, and Joseph Hick- man on section 30, all in 1868. F. M. Timblin and W. W. Moore on section 32, John Poor on section 8, Amos Coleman on section 28, William Knight on section 20, and L.G. Johns on section 30 in 1869. John Quinlan, Thomas Quinlan, John Yarner, Peter Varner settled in the precinct in '68 being followed in 1869 by James Reid, E. H. Nixon, J. T. Davis, H. G. Dawley, Elias McClure, and others previously mentioned. Michael Dunigan settled on a homestead in 1871. Charles M. Gordon settled on railroad land in section 13 in 1875. Calvin S. Wright bought and settled on a farm near where the village of Bee is located in 1879. He conducted an extensive stock farm. Rev. Christian Bek settled on a farm in this precinct in 1877, but moved to Seward after a short residence where he organized an Evangelical church.

We are sorry that we cannot give a complete list of the homestead settlers who served in the Union army during the war of the rebellion. Soldiers who returned from the service at the close of the war had an ungratified love for the old land marks around the home of their boyhood and did not take the interest in making new homes in an unsettled country that they did a little later on, but we find a few mingled with the early pioneers. Michael Dunigan, was a Union soldier, served in an Illinoise regiment from 1862 to 1865. Charles M. Gordon, another -B- precinct early settler was a Union soldier in the war of the rebellion, as was also L. G. Johns.

C Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct began early. Frank Shields took a homestead in section 10 in 1863, being followed in 1864 and 1865 by William Reed, J. A. Durland, Judge John W. Shields, George Reed, Frank E. Pitt, Moses Mitchel, Sidney Pitt, John VV. Pitt, and Walter Hoops. William Hornberg.John W.Gladwish, John Schoepp, Ed. C. Archer,

John Gillbanks and Thomas Carr located in 1868. George Leggitt settled on section 28, and August Deahling on section 34 in 1869. Martin Castle settled on section 34, Wm. Reid on section 34, Geo. C. McKay on section 28, Homer M. McKay on section 30 in 1870. Luke Agur settled on railroad land in j 87 1 , errecting the Maryville flouring mill the same year. Martin V. Mitchell, Marian Graham, Geo. Streeter, Wm. Crosby and Robert Hitchcock were 1870 homesteaders. Those reported as Union soldiers in the war of the rebellion are John W. Gladwish, Edward C. Archer, Sidne}7 Pitt, and Thomas Carr.

D Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct did not begin so early as it did in some others. William Jackman and son, John Jackman settled on section 34 in the spring ot 1867, and in the fall of the same year Charles Dack, Oscar Ragan, Henry Harris and Jessie Horton took claims on section 28, and Frank Bivins on section 22, James B. Reynold, Timothy Johnson and William Johnson on section 32. A. D. Hornberg homesteaded in 1868 and A. D. Ritchie in '69. Hon. W. E. Ritchie, son of A. D. Ritchie, homesteaded in 1870. Served one term in the Nebraska state legislature and one term in the state senate. C. Allen and E. B. Hatch were 1872 homesteaders. Hoadley G. Hosford came in '69. He was a soldier in the Union army during the war of the rebellion.

E Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct began later than most any other precinct in Seward county which is evidence of the general desire among the early settlers to make homes upon bottom lands, and to shun the up-land precincts. There is no valley land in the precinct. Joseph Jones, Antius Keefer and Frank Johnson entered homestead claims on section 6 in 1869. L. E. Morgan settled on section 22, Elisha Babcock on section 20, Benjamin Colden on section 14, A. J. Oliver on section 10, Louis Larson on section 24, and Jarties Mikleson on section 10 in 1870. Howard M. Coleman settled on a quarter of section 28 in 1 871 , Rev. Calvin E. Phinney settling on the same section in '70. Loren Thygeson homesteaded on section 12, and James E. Hibbard on section 10 in '71. Hon. George A. Derby settled on section 30 and B. F. Perry on a quarter of section 8 in '72. Fredrick Suhr, M. C. Wright, Samuel Gleason, and Mr. Greenwood all located homesteads in i87o-'7i.

Of this number of settlers the following were soldiers in the war of the rebellion: Joseph Jones, served in the sixtysecond Iowa infantry. Benjamin F. Perry, thirty-first Iowa infantry. James E. Hibbard, service not known. Rev. Calvin E. Phinney, and Howard M. Coleman.

F Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct began as early as 1864 when Rev. E.W.Johnson built a log house on section 24, Thomas Skillman settling on section 13, Joseph Sampson on section 25 the same year. George and Russell Rogers and widowed mother each took homesteads on section 14 in 1866, and Charles Thurman and Joseph Thurman on the same section in '67. John W. Figard and Aaron Anderson settled on section 12, Henry Creighton, Charles Harvey, D. E. Lyon on section 34, Levi Hafer and Samue] Smith on section 26 in 1867. Samuel Pence, H. F. Mayland on section 10, and John Woods on section 18 in 1868. Marcus Reightmyer settled on section 2, George Slonecker on section 14, Samuel D. Dutton on section 10 and Samuel G. Mathews, section 22 in 1869, David H. Figard settling the same year. La- Fayette Weldon settled on section 30, Joseph W. Dupin and Isaac McFeely on section 8 in 1870. Ebenezer Jull settled on section 3, rail road land, in 1 87 1. Alonzo Slonecker was an 1869 homesteader. John Slonecker bought a farm and Henry Slonecker a homestead and settled in 1875, Louis T. Bouchard in 1874 and W. S. Wallick on school land in 1876. Henry Shultz was an 1870 homesteader.

Of these early settlers who served in the Union army during the war of the rebellion were John Woods, Marcus Reightmyer, Samuel D. Button, and David H, Figard.

G Precinct Pioneer Settlers

This precinct had a greater early settlement than any other town in the county. Robert T. Gale, said to have been the first homesteader in Seward count}^ and who was without doubt, among the earliest homesteaders in the United States took out homestead papers on a quarter section of Uncle Sam's domain just east of the present city of Seward upon the morning opening of the land office in Nebraska City the next morning after the homestead act became a law, January 2nd, 1863. Stites Wooley was another early homesteader, locating on section 15 near Seward's townsite in the fore part of 1864. This pioneer and wife were without doubt one of the oldest couples that settled upon wild land in Seward county at that time, he having been born in 1807 and she in 181 1. But still another couple of pioneer homesteaders who may be classed, not only among the olddest but as the oldest in the persons of David Imlay and wife who settled on section 10 in 1864, he having been born in 1792 and she shortly afterwards. They were married in 1 814 and settled on a homestead the year of their golden wedding anniversary. W. W. Cox was an 1864 homestead settler. Hon. William Imlay settled the same year; was a member ot the territorial legislature representing Seward and Lancaster counties one term and served three terms on Seward county's first board of commissioners. Rev. E. L.

Clark, Seward county's first resident preacher settled on a homestead two miles south of Seward in 1865. Lewis Moffit entered and settled upon a quarter, and a half of the adjoining quarter of section 21, which became the townsite of Seward, the square upon which the county court house now stands being a portion of that homestead, in 1865. Lewis Anderson settled on the North Blue river bottom just west of Seward in 1866. Charles L. Lyon homesteaded on section 12, Levi Hafer three miles west of Seward and Wm. O. Pierce east of the townsite in 1868. Richard Sampson was an 1865 homesteader. Bayard Wickersham homesteaded the south-west quarter of section 14 in 1869. John N. Roberts was an 1865 homesteader and John Roberts sr. , James Brown, J. F.Duncan, Roger Cooper, William Cooper and E. B. Shafer came in 1866. Orson Olmstead settled in 1870. The earliest entries of government land in -Gprecinct were a quarter of section 18 by E. L. Ellis in 1861, and a part of section 21 by George Hilton in 1862; but those gentlemen are not supposed to have been pioneer settlers.

Those named as pioneer settlers that served in the Union army during the war of the rebellion are Charles L. Lyon, Bayard Wickersham, and George W. Anderson.

H Precinct Pioneer Settlers

The early settlement in this precinct was largely German and began when Louis Librock settled on section 28, Conrad Grotz and Deidrich Grant on section 32 in 1866. Fritz Ropke and William Leppe settled on section 30, Jacob Indrana on section 20, Diedrich Wilkens on section 26, Conrad Rohrkasto on section 32 in 1868. Jacob Thomas and John C. Thomas settled on section 18, John Westerhof and C. C. Davis on section 8, and Charles Ruckstashel on section 20 in '69. Deitrich Brant, Andrew Shultz, William Luber, Gillman Garland, B.W.Walker settled in '68. John

Ohlwiler, Joseph Loose, J. D. Luft and Henry Petrie were 1869 homesteaders. John Q. Ohlwiler and Benjamin Walker settled on adjoining homesteads and adopted a novel plan for complying with the requirements of the homestead law by building a house on tho line, one half on one claim and half on the other, so they could live together and each sleep and reside on his own homestead. Hon. Henrich Beckman settled on section 12 in 1870. Served in the state legislature in 1889. Carl G. A. Koch settled on section 24 in 1870, and Charles Richenbaugh located on a homestead the same year. One of the last homesteads was taken in 1872 on section 24 by Ernest Seick. Herman Goecke bought a quarter of section 12, homesteaded land, and settled upon it, and Henry Seick bought and settled upon a quarter of section 11, rail road land, in 1872.

I Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct began in the sixties. It has no valley lands except the Middle creek valley which is narrow. Deidrich Dankers settled on section 26, Hon. George W. Fuller, James Her, Abram Courtright, Steven Brown and John A. Kaymer settled in 1869. Andrew Shultz took a homestead on section 14, and Syrenus Vanandel on section 12 in 1870. Thomas Best and Ezra J. Newton were 1872 homesteaders. John H. Merrill was an 1880 settler upon rail road land.

Hon. George W. Fuller was a Union soldier in the war of the rebellion. Some years after settling upon his homestead he moved to Seward where he engaged in the manufacture of brick and the brick laying trade. Served one term as mayor of the city, two terms in the state legislature and one term in the state senate.

J Precinct Pioneer Settlers

This precinct seems to have caught the greatest early settlement of any other precinct in the county, due largely to the fine bottom lands and timber along the North Blue river which flows entirely through the precinct. Daniel Morgan and three sons, William, Thomas and Lewis preempted government land in section 26 in 1858. Job Reynolds settled on section 10, Thomas L. Rogers on section 22, Samuel Long and C. J. Niehardt on section 15 in J 863. Samuel Brown settled on section 35, Josephus Brown on section 26, William Hageman on section ]o, G. V. Hageman, Berry Davis, and John Grabil on section 14, Peter Grabil on section 22, Henry Palmer on section 14 and G. W. Lazenby on section 26 in 1866. Matthew Hackworth on section 14, Henry Michaels on section 24, Joseph Michaels on section 12, John H. Atwood On section 32, Harold Chambers and Walter Chambers on section 2 in 1868. Willis G. Hazelwood settled on section 30, William Brockaw on section 14, and James Miller on section 20 in 1869. Frank Morton was an 1870 homesteader. Isaac D. Neihardt and William Alschweede homsteaded in j 87 j . Harper Miller settled in 1872, P. P. Hershberger in 1876 and B. W. Houdersheldt in 1868.

Isaac D. Neihardt was a Union soldier in the war of the rebellion. Was three times promoted, reaching the rank of major. Served two terms in the late seventies as Seward county's sheriff, was justice of the peace in Seward eight years and served several terms as police judge.

K Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement in this precinct began by the opening of a ranch on Walnut creek by William J. Thompson in 1864. Lemuel L. Allison settled on section 32, G. N. Perkins and Albert Norin on section 18 in 1869. James Hilleny, Wm.

Bivens, William Silence, Andrew Snider, Andrew Perkins, Ira Silence and Abram Winsor settled in the spring of 1869. A. C. Miller, C. C. Tunecliff, John Floren and K. B. A. Bonnam settled on section 20, William Wilson and widowed mother, George Pervis and James Roberson on section 18 Peter Johnson, Martin Madison and Ed. Jensen on section 32, Levi Graul, Charles Lyon, Al. Williams, and Allen Cross on section 8 in 1870. Clyne Rhodes, J. Ciscoe, William Livesley, and Jasen Williams were 1870 settlers. Wm. G. Keene purchased and settled on the Wm. J. Thompson ranch farm on Walnut creek in 1871, George Hoover settling on the same section the same year. James M. Smiley came in 1872, Henry S. Wise, and Nicholas Wullenweber in 1873. E. N. Wingfield purchased and settled on the widow Wilson homestead in 1873.

Those of the above who served in the Union army during the war of the rebellion were Levi Graul, K. B. A. Bonnam, Andrew Perkins and George Hoover.

L Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Settlement began in this precinct in 1862 when John Leonard made a home here on his return trip from the west where he had been with a load of freight. About eighteen months later, in the fall of 1863 John E. Fouse made the second settlement. Mr. Leonard and Mr. Fouse both built and managed a ranch, the former on the east side of Beaver creek and the latter on the west side and each one about the same distance from the ford of that stream, or Beaver Crossing. Roland Reed was the third settler in the precinct, coming in 1866 and purchasing the John Leonard ranch which he conducted until 1869 when he entered a homestead on the west half of the south-west quarter of section 34, John D. Salnave settling on the east half of the same quarter the same year. Thomas J. Foster settled upon the east half

Rumsey on the south-east quarter, John H. Waterman on the north-east quarter, Gilbert and Josiah White on the north-west quarter of section 34; Harvey Winchel on section 18, E. R. Johnson section 12, Paul Peterson section 20, Abner Ross and George F. Hurlbert section 8, Martin Hanson section 28, Henry Cross section 12, Jessie Small and James Hayward on section 28, John Todd and John Hesser on the north-east quarter, William Shuck and Thomas Starkey on the south-east quarter, John Burket on the south-west quarter and Charles Emerson on the north-west quarter of section 24, John Wheeler and William H. Walker on section 2, Mr. Stonecypher, Frank Horton, Minyard Foster and mother, Sarah Foster on the north half of section 26, Evans Reed the south-west quarter snd Elam Rumsey the south-east quarter of section 26, Lewis Bazinge, John Palmer and John Hodges on section 14, John Phelps, John Logan, Elijah W. Gleason, Thomas May and John Bray on section 30, Daniel Smith settled on school land in section 36, Paton Dillon on the north-east quarter, Gussie Dillon on the west half of the south-east quarter, Norman Casler the south-west quarter and Moses Eaton the north-west quarter of section 22. Those 1870 homesteaders whose section numbers we have failed to obtain are Willian W. Cross, Ray Cross, Lewis Castle, Henr}^ Jett and Oren D. Culver. D. P. Sherwood on section 32, and Dr. Rufus D. Harvey on section 8 in 1871. Ira McCollister homesteaded in 1872. Charles Lezott settled on rail road land on section 27 in 1873, William Bouton settled on the south-west quarler ot section 35 in 1873. This farm was purchased is 1876 by Richard Jones who still resides upon it. Eph. Ausmer purchased the John Rumsey homestead on the south-east quarter of section 34 in 1874. Other 1870 settlers in -L- precinct were: Robert Walker, John Ken net, Benjamin Jenkins, Ransom Walker, Patrick Galiger, Laurence Deidle, T.J.Clark, Daniel Brown, Hon. Adam Seed, W. P. Ostrand'er and Frank E. Pierce. Hugh Seed and Andrew J. Seed settled on section 29, rail road land, in j 872.

There was a large percentage of Union soldiers in the list of pioneer settlers of -L- precinct, as follows: Thomas J. Foster, John Burket, Charles Emerson, John A. Knerr, Henry Cross, William H. Walker, Ben. Brown, Ransom Walker, George F. Hurlburt, Moses Eaton, Paton Dillon, Norman Casler, John Phelps, John H. Waterman, Elam Rumsey, John Rumsey, Ephram Osmer, Richard Jones, Walter P. Ostrander, Minnyard Foster, Henry Jett, Dr. Rufus D. Flarvey, Oren D. Culver, Elijah W. Gleason, Lewis Castle, Frank P. Perry, Benjamin Jenkins, Orlando I. Casler and Evans Reed.

M Precinct Pioneer Settlers

Daniel Millspaw was the first settler in this precinct, having opened a ranch on the east half of the north-west quarter of section 2 in 1864. Columbus D. Clark and father, G. Clark, and Phillip Michael settled on section 12 in 186S, Isaiah Michael and John Leonard on section 14 in 1868; Hanley Jackson homesteaded the north half of the north-east quarter of section 12, Ross Nichols the south-east quarter of section 2, and John W. McCaulley the north-east quarter of section 10 in 1869. The 1870 homesteaders were: William Rumsey on the east half and John Osborn on the west half of the north-east quarter of section 2, Lafayette Millspaw on the south half of the north-east quarter of section 12, Jack. C. McClellan on the west half of the north-west quarter of section 2, Joshua VanDervort settled on the east half of the north-west quarter, Horace P King on the west half of the south-west quarter of section 14; John Maurer on the east half, Mrs. Richardson and two sons on the west half of the north-west quarter, Andrew J. Seavey on the north half of the south-east quarter, J. L. S. Jackson on the south half of the south-east quarter and the south half of the south-west quarter, Norman Hill on the north half of the south-west quarter of section jo; Mitchel M. Campion, George Foltz, Benjamin Hunkins, Fredrick Brauer, and David Haney on section 8; W. W. Konkright, William Reed, and D. (). Whitmore on section 20; Rachel T. Littler on section 22; Philip Weinand on section 18; S. O. Curtis, W. T. Wiley, T. C. Deming, R. D. Lull and E. S. Duncan on section 30; Fred. Zastrow, and Fred Kramer on section 32; Edward Warner and Chas. Warner on section 34. Other 1870 settler of -M- precinct: Thomas Kleckner, Jacob Sable sr., Joseph Lanning and two sons, Noah and Edward, John P. Martin and W. S. Beebe who removed and settled in -J- precinct in 1871. Hiram Hunkins was an 1869 homesteader; Martin Campion bought a farm and settled in 1871. John Kraser and John Weible were 1878 settlers on rail road land.

Union soldiers in the war of the rebellion who became pioneer settlers in -M- precinct: W. W. Konkright, Mitchel Campion, Martin Campion, Charles Wrarner, Hiram Hunkins, William Rumsey, J. L. S. Jackson, A. J. Seavey, E. S. Dunkin, Philip Weinand, William Reed, D. O. Whitman. Thomas Kleckner. John W. McCaulley was a soldier in the Mexican war.

N Precinct Pioneer Settlers

This precinct had an early settlement. Jessie R. Johnson settled on section 35, and David Barton on section 26 in 1863. Samuel Englehaupt settled on section 22 in 1865.

Martin Wambold, David Croy and Edward Walklin on section 32 in j 868; Thomas A. Healey homesteaded on section 10, George Foster on section 6, W. W. Pierce on section 1 8, Joseph Blackburn and Peter Ogilvie on section 4 in 1869; Hon. Silas S. Atwood was an 1867 settler; Chris. Lezenby and H. A. Brisbin were 1 869 settlers. Later homesteaders, coming in 1870 and 1871: Hon. Robert C. Rhea, Hon. J. J. Endicott, William Lemmon, Stephen C. Tremper, on section 8, Jacob B. Courtnght settled in the eastern part of the precinct in 1874; Irvin Stall settled on Walnut creek, near the old freight route in 1873; Andrew Jackson homesteaded the west half of the south-west quarter of section 6 and John Geis in the same section in 1870.

Those of the early settlers of -N- precinct who served in the Union army during the war of the rebellion: Thomas A. Healey, Silas S. Atwood, George Foster, W. W. Pierce, Joseph Blackburn, and Stephen C. Tremper. Hon. Robert C. Rhea served four years in the United States regular army after the war, from 1867 to 1870. -

O Precinct Pioneer Settlers

This precinct was favorably located for early settlement, being traversed by both the steam wagon road and the freight route. Thomas West and wife with five sons and one daughter were the first settlers in the precinct and perhaps the first in the county, coming in the spring of i860 with an emigrant train on its way across the plains to the mountains they were so well pleased with the West Blue valley that they abandoned the enterprise of crossing the plains any farther and settled down to make a new home on the then wild prairies of Nebraska. As this family undoubtedly experienced more of the real hardships and fearful dificulties of life remote from civilization among savage Indians than any others of Seward county's settlers, we quote the following from I. M. K. Johnson's letter published in Cox's history in regard to them: "They had many hardships to endure in 1861; their log cabin, together with about all their worldly goods except a few eattle were burned by the Indians, supposed to be Omahas disguised as Sioux. This was in the fall and the family suffered great hardships during the coming winter. The Indians were very troublesome and stole much of uncle Tommy's crops of that year. With the exception of the families of Oren Johnson and James West (later settlers) who lived near, there was no settlement nearer than Victor Vifquiain, near the forks of the Blue and Morgans on the North Blue. Their place of trade was Nebraska City, eighty-two miles distant." Settlement along the west Blue began in 1864 and homesteaders in -O- precinct were locating from that date till along in the early seventies. James West, a brother of Thomas W'est, and Oren Johnson were i860 settlers on section 32; J. L. Davison settled on a homestead where the city of Milford is now located in 1864 and S. R. Douglas on section 12 the same year; Daved Barton and Jessie K. Johnson were 1864 settlers; W7. J. Clark, Samuel J. Englehaupt, Rev. L. Oliver and Izrael M. K. Johnson settled in the vicinity of West Mills in 1865. The 1866 settlers were: Andrew Rouse, just south of Milford, William Reed, S. G. Merriam and son George, Merriam at Milford, Abram Courtright, Alexander Frisby, Chas. Smith, settled east of the Blue, Lewis D. Laun, Joseph Stockham, Henry Wortendyke, Henry Brown, and David Tift, came in the summer of 1866; William H. Smiley, Lee Smiley, Ira Gallup, S. S. Atwood and John Atwood settled just west of Milford in 1866 and were the founders of "Doby Town," previously mentioned in this work; S. S. Atwood relocated later in -N- precinct; Jacob A. Wilsey and Morris R. Wilsey were 1868 homesteaders; later homestead settlers during the sixties were, Alonzo Clark, George Campbell, Jacob Camp- bell and Louis Welch; Jacob H. Culver, Dr. J. H. Woodward, D. C. McKillip and Dr. Band were settlers in Milford in the late sixties; J. J. Ainsworth and two sons, William and John and J. D. Stump were 1870 homsteaders.

The early settled precincts show the smaller percentage of soldier homesteaders, due to the fact that settlement in a large degree was made during the war and settlement was started in -O- precinct before the war. Soldier settlers so far as we have been able to learn, in this precinct were: D. C. McKillip, J. H. Culver, Thomas Healey, Dr. J. H. Woodward.

P Precinct Fioneer Settlers

The i860 freight route passes through this precinct and the immense agricultaral advantages of the sections along its path invited early settlement. Victor Vifquain settled in 1862; at the old freight route bridge, the first bridge in the county, was an excellent opening for a ranch and A.J. Wallingford took advantage of the opportunity and started one there in 1862; a little later in the same year Mr. Bingman and James Johnson made settlement; Hon. Thomas Graham and Philip I. Hooker settled in 1866; John J. Briggs settled on section 28 in 1868; Thomas H. Bishop homesteaded on section 10 in 1873; Elisha Kinney bought A. J. Wallingford's homestead and settled upon it in 1872; Captain J. S. Dillenbeck was an 1878 settler; Philp J. Stolz settled in 1874.

Of those named as early settlers, Thomas H. Bishop and Captain J. S. Dillenbeck and Victor Vifquain were union soldiers in the war of the rebellion, the latter being a Nebraska volunteer and the only representative of Seward county in that grand throng of patriots that rallied to the defense of the nation and left the emblem of freedom untarnished by the foul air of deception floating above four million boundmen set free and over a united country. Col.

Vifquain had the distinct honor of having been the first man to mount the fortifications at Fort Blakely, one of the defence of Mobile, for which he received due recognition and promotion.

Following the homestead pioneers was a later class of pioneers, a majority of whom came to take advantage of the liberal offers the R. cv. M. rail road company was making of its raw, or wild prairie land to homeseekers. This land, comprising every odd numbered section or half of the soil in Seward county, was placed upon the market early in the seventies at a low rate. And sales were made under guarantee to the purchasers by the railroad company that in consideration of a certain amount of improvement in preparing the land for the production of crops a fair discount would be made upon its price. In addition to this, liberal terms of payments were given the purchasers, affording an opportunity to make the required improvements in advance of payments, this together with the reduction in price bringing the improvements into double account by the advantage to the purchaser of making his payments from a share of the crops.

It may seem strange that the B. & M. rail road company would practicially pay purchasers of its land for making improvements upon it, but there was an object of interest to the company in having the thousands of acres of wild land in its possession transformed into productive farms. It had extended its road into a wild area and obligated itself to opperate it, and while the company needed a portion of the value of the land it needed the business that only a more improved agricultural country could give. In fact, the opening of farms throughout Seward countv in those early times was more to the interest of the pioneer B. & M. rail road company than to any other class of individuals aside from

Consdering all of the several advantages together as a whole the purchas of rail road land was about as advantagious as the homestead priviliges. Added to the liberal conditions upon which settlers could purchase homes, the homesteaders had acted as advance guards and opened up and prepared the wav for them. Markets had been established and general foundations lain for future prosperity by the opening of farms and other industries. But fully two-thirds of the low priced, easy to purchas, rail road land was taken by the homestead settlers, many of whom purchased rail road land on sections adjoining their homesteads, in tracts of from eighty acres to a whole section and the rail road sections in Seward county were soon off of the market having been sold and transformed into cultivated farms. However there were many homes made exclusively upon rail road land, but had the rail road company withheld sales of its land from settlers who owned land and sold it only to those wishing to make homes upon it, Seward county would have at least a third more population than it has at this time.

We have not been able to obtain the names of but a limited number of the later settlers, a majority of whom were purchasers of rail road land. Among them we find the following named -B- precinct settlers: C. M. Gordon, settled in 1875, Rev. Christian Beck, in 1877, Calvin S. Wright, in 1879, Fredrick Rurup. in 1887, and Harvey Moler in 1888. Christian Schaal was an 1880 settler in -C- precinct, John M. Merrill in -1- precinct the same year, Osceola A. Shaw 1885; P. P. Hershberger settled in -J- prebinct in 1876, B. W. Houdersheldt in 1878, Albert Procknow in '81 and Jacob Webber in '84; E. N. Wmgfield settled in -K- precinct in 1874, later came Beech Downs, Jerome Aldrich, Jacob Geis, John Evans, and Irvin Stall; late settlers in -L- precinct: Charles Lezotte, Burt Arthur, Thomas Wilson, David Rol- and, Forest Roland, Tillis Roland, J. S. Stonecypher, John Boicourt, James Miller, Peter Johnson, Fred. Tepner, Carl Imig, R. B. Richmond, Richard Jones, Jas. M. Smiley, John W. Smith, E. L. Blanchard,John Cooper and Patrick Smith. In -M- precinct John Kraser settled on section 19 and John Weible on section 17 in 1878, Fred. Rodeman, Mike Rogowsky, and Jacob Sable sr. , were 1880 settlers, Daniel Blanchard bought and settled on the Ed. Warner homestead in 1885, W. A. Wilsey settled on section 11, rail road land in 1884 and Wm. H. Mygatt bought a larm of homesteaded land on section 2 the same year. In -O- precinct Willam W. Miller settled on section 9 in 1874, John Stanfer settled on section 5 in 1878, Valentine Springer in 1877, Fred. Petschek in the same year and Chas. H. Adams in 1883.