Filley Township

Filley Township

The village of Filley is a station thirteen miles out from Beatrice on the Burlington line of railroad. It is situated in the midst of a fine section of the county and since its founding has been the center of a wealthy farming community. It is located on the northwest quarter of section 28, in Filley township. It was founded by Elijah Filley, the owner of this tract of ground, in the spring of 1882 at the time of the Tecumseh-Auburn branch of the Burlington Railroad was constructed. The plat of the village was filed for record by the incorporators, Elijah and Emma Filley, April 22, 1883.

The first mercantile establishment in Filley was the general merchandise store of Lewellen & Axtell. This was followed by a hardware store belonging to Charles G. Dorsey, of Beatrice, but managed by John W. Wright, who later acquired the stock by purchase from Dorsey. Both these pioneer merchants, Lewellen and Wright, remained in business in Filley for many years and both amassed sung fortunes. Lewellen is now a prominent citizen of Thedford, Thomas county, Nebraska, and Mr. Wright died a few years ago, deeply mourned by his entire community. Dr. I. N. Pickett, now of Odell, was the first physician to locate here, though Dr. L. D. Boggs, now of Oklahoma City, who had settled on a farm in that neighborhood in 1874, had practised his profession as a physician continuously from that date and for many, years thereafter, in Filley and its vicinity. His son. Dr. Charles S. Boggs, is the present resident physician.

W. A. Waddington was the first postmaster, and later, while a resident of Filley, was elected sheriff of Gage county. At present James F. Boggs is the postmaster. Filley has free rural delivery of the mails, which gives employment to two carriers.

Filley possesses two general stores, a grocery store, a restaurant, two elevators, three garages, a drug store, lumber yard, and other business enterprises usually to be found in a village of its population in this section of the country.

The fraternal and benevolent orders of Filley are the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modem Woodmen of America, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Royal Highlanders.

In 1885 the Methodist Episcopal church building was erected, and this denomination has maintained an organization at Filley ever since. Early in the history of the village the Baptist church also was organized and a church edifice erected. This building, about 1902, was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt, and the organization disbanded. In 1888 the Christian denomination erected a church in Filley and has since maintained its organization.

Filley school district was organized May 2, 1868, the first meeting of the voters being held at the home of Elijah Filley. The first school-teacher in the district was Matthew Weaverling, who taught several very successful schools here. He afterward taught in the city schools of Beatrice and was for six years county superintendent of schools in Gage county. The present school building in Filley is a substantial three-room, frame structure. The district employs three teachers and the school has an enrollment of sixty-five pupils. The course of study at present includes two years' high-school work. June 8, 1918, on proper notices, Filley school district No. 9, effected a consolidation with districts Nos. 43, 93 and 120. The consolidated district will hereafter be known as district No. 166. This consolidated district is about to vote on a proposition to issue its bonds in the sum of $50,- 000, to be used in the erection and equipment of a new school building. The school population of the district is approximately one hundred and seventy-five pupils. Under the new arrangement the district will give employment to seven or eight teachers and, with the usual grades, there will be a four years' high-school course.

In addition to its other interests, Filley boasts a substantial bank, the State Bank of Filley, of which Earl Norcross is cashier and the manager in charge.

To the present world war Filley has contributed eight of its young men, namely: Ray H. Noakes, now in the aviation service in France; C. W. Hazelton, William Thomas, C. J. Saum, Milo Laflin, Elmer Hansen, now at Camp Cody ; Claude Saum, at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station ; Delbert Edgerton, at Camp Logan.

Filley has had several disastrous fires, but, with great tenacity, has endeavored to overcome these calamities, and the village is now substantially built up with attractive brick business houses.

At the last census the village had a population of two hundred. It probably exceeds that number now. Filley was organized into a village under the laws of Nebraska many years ago and has maintained its organization until the present time. The village board at present consists of the following well known gentlemen : T. C. Hagerman, Hans Anderson, Christ Christianson, Charles Parker, and John V. Clark.

Among those who have contributed to the growth and prosperity of the village since its founding are Elijah and Emma Filley (now of Des Moines, Iowa), Charles S. and James F. Boggs, P. T. Lewellen, John W. Wright, Hans Anderson, Daniel F. Kees, W. A. Waddington, T. C. Hagerman, P. M. Anderson, A. C. Tilton, Christ Christiansen, H. M. Miller, Charles Parker, Dr. L. B. Boggs, John V. Clark, J. F. Burbank, Earl Norcross, Dr. I. N. Pickett, and Erastus W. Starlin.