Liberty Township

Island Grove

The village of Liberty is located on the main line of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad between Chicago and Denver, by way of St. Joseph. The townsite comprises a part of the southeast quarter of section 35, a part of the southwest quarter of section 36, in Island Grove township, besides a part of the northwest quarter of section 1 and part of the northeast quarter of section 2 in Liberty township ; it lies within a mile of the east line of Gage county. It is the trade center of quite a scope of rich farming land in both Gage and Pawnee counties. The original townsite was owned by Nathaniel Cain, Frank Muchmore, and Allen B. Jimmerson. It was deeded by them to the Lincoln Land Company and the plat of the town was filed in the office of the register of deeds in Gage county on the 19th day of June, 1881. The railroad was built through the county in 1881 and trains began running in the fall of that year.

In the early '70s Cornelius S. Wymore had been appointed postmaster for this community and the office was called Liberty. It was on his farm, half a mile west of the present town. In 1879 he opened a drug store in connection with the postoffice. At that time the mails were carried twice a week between Pawnee City and Blue Springs. When the village was laid out, its founders adopted the name of Mr. Wymore's postoffice as a suitable cognomen for the prospective town.

The little village built up rapidly. The first merchant was E. W. Lane, who, as early as 1882, had a general merchandise store. Mr. Lane's venture was soon followed by others, and in a short time Liberty was a town of several hundred people, in which every class of business was represented, - general stores, restaurants, drug store, hardware stores, lumber yard, elevators, barber shops, meat markets and the like.

The first bank was organized in 1882 by Frank Stewart and E. E. Harden. With varying fortunes, as Harden & Stewart's Bank, Bank of Liberty, First National Bank of Liberty, it has had a continuous existence since its founding. It is now known as the State Bank of Liberty and is affiliated with the First National Bank of Beatrice. It is still the leading banking institution in the village. In the year 1917 the Farmers State Bank of Liberty was organized, and this bank also is in a flourishing condition.

The orders now in existence at Liberty are the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, with their auxiliaries, and the Royal Highlanders.

For many years the Missionary Baptists have maintained an organization in Liberty township. This church was one of the pioneer churches of the county and known among Baptists throughout the state of Nebraska. After Liberty was founded, the organization built a church building in the village, and it is still a live and active member of the Baptist denomination in Gage county. The Christian denomination also have maintained an organization in Liberty and own a substantial, well built church. At one time there were a Methodist and two Presbyterian churches in Liberty, but a few years ago these were consolidated into a Congregational church. The history of this consolidation is interestingly set forth in a statement by the Rev. N. L. Packard, which, on account of. its general interest in showing what may be done in such cases, is here given in full.

"One of the most interesting attempts at church union ever known in the state was that of Liberty, Gage county. Liberty, a village of four hundred people and a well settled country adjacent, had for years tried to support five Protestent American churches. There were five church buildings and sometimes five half-starved preachers. It seemed a poor use of home-missionary funds to keep these churches running.

"Three of these churches, Presbyterian, United Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal, felt that a union must in some way be effected. But as the three were of about equal strength, the problem which seemed impossible to solve was which one should survive and which two must be swallowed up. The matter ran on for several years, when a happy suggestion was made by a layman in the United Presbyterian church. That was for all three churches to disband and organize a Congregational church, as there was no church of this name in the place and its polity made it generally acceptable to people of all evangelical faiths.

"It was finally agreed that when eighty per cent, of the membership agreed to the plan the move should be made. When the paper was circulated, almost one hundred per cent, of each church signed, as well as some who were not meriibers of any of the three. Some hoped that all five churches might combine, but the Baptists and the Disciples decided to continue their organizations.

"A committee of nine, three from each of the consolidating churches, was chosen to manage affairs until the new organization could be effected. After the local people had decided to form a Congregational church, the committee asked State Superintendent S. I. Han ford to send them a minister who could shepherd the flock and help them to organize. Rev. N. L. Packard, of Lincoln, the state general missionary, was called to the important task. He found a very delightful people to work with, and by Decanber, 1911, property interests were arranged and a church organization effected under the name of the First Congregational Church of Liberty, Nebraska. "The old Presbyterian church building and parsonage were turned over to the new organization, on the simple condition of their meeting some small indebtedness. The United Presbyterian church building was bought at a small figure, and both were in use for a time. At length, however, the last named building

"The three Sunday schools were running with an average attendance of about thirty, but the new school started out with a membership of nearly two hundred, and an average attendance for the following six years of more than one hundred and thirty. The church membership was not over forty each before the union, but the new church was organized with one hundred and sixty members and has increased in numbers each succeeding year. Rev. N. L,. Packard became so interested in the field that he resigned his state work and accepted a unanimous call to become pastor. He filled out six very pleasant years, and the Rev. Calvin Holbrook is at the present writing leading the church in a very successful pastorate.

"No sectarian divisions have arisen during the years and a spirit of general harmony ha.s been maintained. Letters have come from many states in the Union, asking 'How was it done?' Just such a consolidation of church interests is demanded in many towns.

Liberty was organized as a village in 1883, under the statutes of the state of Nebraska, and it has maintained its village organization up to the present time. The present village board consists of W. D. Huntington (chairman), L. E. Baldwin, (clerk), William Harmon, Jacob Jimmerson, James Bloom, and H. H. Kirschner.

One of the first school districts organized in the county was the Plum Creek district, now Liberty district. In a reorganization in 1868, for the purpose of numbering the districts of the county, this district was given number 27, a number that it still retains. The Liberty public school, into which the old Plum Creek district has grown, is one of the highly rated schools of the county. The district owns a fine, two-story, brick school building, employs six teachers and has an enrollment of approximately one hundred and fifty pupils.

but phoenix-like, has risen from its ashes, and to-day, with a population of over four hundred, is one of the interesting and pretty villages of our county.

The Liberty Journal was established by a member of the well known Olmstead family, in 1882, shortly after the founding of the village. It had had a continuous unbroken existence from that day to this and is now owned and edited by J. Eranklin Spence.

Nathaniel P. Cain, deceased, a native of Tennessee, born in 1823, homesteaded in Liberty township in 1865. Stephen Evans, deceased, a native of Ohio, born in 1823, settled in Liberty township in 1866. Sylvester Fisher, a native of Ohio, bom in 1833, came to Nebraska in 1859, locating in Pawnee county, just over the line from Liberty, moved to Liberty township in 1868. James Gay, a native of England, born in 1844, immigrated to America in 1869. He located in Beatrice in 1879, and in 1880 in Liberty, where he is "The Village Blacksmith." A. P. McMains, a native of Indiana, bom in 1831, came to Nebraska in 1858 and to Liberty township in March, 1860. F. M. Muchmore, deceased, a native of Ohio, born in 1832, located on Turkey creek, in Johnson county, in 1866, and in Liberty township in 1868. Cornelius S. Wymore, a native of Indiana, bom in 1841, located in Pawnee county in 1861, served in Company D, Second Kansas Cavalry from 1861 to 1865, and he was first postmaster of Liberty. Peter Bollinger, native of Claiboume county, Tennessee, born in 1840, came to Liberty township in 1867. He became known as a Baptist minister, farmer, school-teacher, was a man of sterling character, able and useful, a:nd he now resides in Graham county, Kansas. Allen B. Jimmerson, native of Claibourne county, Tennessee, settled on the southeast quarter of section 35, township 2, range 8, Gage county, in 1874, a part of his old farm being included in village of Liberty. A man of fine character, generous, friendly, honest and able, he died in 1916, leaving many descendants. Jonathan Sharp, a native of Clai- bourne county, Tennessee, was born June 23, 1826. He came to Liberty township in 1864 and settled across Plum creek, just south of the village of Liberty. He died about twenty years ago, a man of fine character, honest, able, active in county and local affairs, and much esteemed by all who ever knew him, for kindness of heart and generous hospitality.

Most of the men here mentioned were from the state of Tennessee. Nearly all have passed away, leaving behind them nothing but the most kindly remembrances. They would have graced any community in the world as honest, worthy, independent citizens. Such as these have given the village of Liberty high standing in Gage county.

This neat and compact Gage county village is an important station on the main line of the Burlington Railroad system between Chicago and Denver, via St. Joseph, Missouri, and is a junction point where originates the branch line to Concordia, Kansas, via Lanham, Nebraska, and Hanover, Washington and other Kansas towns. It was the first village founded on the old Otoe and Missouri Indian reserva-' tion. Prior to the founding of Odell, William B. LaGorgue had surveyed and platted a townsite on his farm, on the south side of Big Indian creek, a mile or so from Odell, and christened it Charleston. A start had been made toward establishing a town there when, in 1880, the railroad was surveyed north of the creek and the village of Odell was founded. All who had cast in' their lot with Charleston moved to Odell and were instrumental in giving that prospective village its first start on what has proved a prosperous and happy existence.

The village is located a little north of Big Indian creek, one of the prettiest and most important streams of southern Gage county. It is a living stream, and in the early days was well timbered; along its course near Odell a good quarry of limestone was found from which several of the buildings of the village were constructed. The village is planted in the midst of a thriving and wealthy farming community. Nowhere in the county are there better farm buildings, better tilled, better kept farms, better orchards, roads or school buildings than in the vicinage of Odell

Odell is partly in Glenwood and partly in Paddock township, and is located on land originally bought by Perry Walker, in 1879, from the United States government, as agent and guardian of the Indians. He, in 1880, sold it to J. D. Myers, of Chicago, and by the latter an undivided half-interest in the tract comprising the original townsite was sold to Charles E. Perkins, representing the Lincoln Land Company, an organization composed chiefly of the officials and employes of the Burlington Railroad system. Mr. Perkins himself was at that time, or afterward, president of the Burlington Railroad Company. The original townsite covered part of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 18, township 1 north, of range 6 east, and part of the east half of the southeast quarter of section 13, township 1 north, range 5 east. It was surveyed and platted by Anselmo B. Smith, September 21, 1880.. The plat was filed in the officeiof the register of deeds of Gage county November 11, 1884, with the Lincoln Land Company (by Charles E. Perkins, its president,) and James D. and Elizabeth A. Myers, as incorporators. It was named after LeGrand Odell, of Chicago, a friend of Myers who had induced him to come west from Chicago and locate at Odell, and who on account of his relations with the Burlington officials or some of them, was instrumental in giving his friend a start in this venture.

The first merchant of Odell was Mike Triskey, who moved his store from Charleston to the new village on the railway line. Things moved very rapidly then. The entire county and state were new and filling with new people. Immigrants flocked to the new towns along the railroad lines, and villages were bom over night. Odell soon had a supply;: of stores, shops and business houses of every kind, and by 1882 it was a prosperous, thriving village.

long time the most sightly and imposing structure in the village. Here he kept a general merchandise store and did a small banking business. But he was not a very good business man and soon others easily eclipsed him. He died some years ago, a poor man, having let slip the opportunity to make a snug forture. His chief competitors were F. R. Joy and his sons Edward and Howard. Edward Joy, for many years the leading merchant of Odell, amassed a fortune and retired and is now living at Havelock. The father and Howard did a flourishing banking business at Odell.

Several years ago the Hinds State Bank was organized as successor to the Joy Bank. It is owned by Edward B. and Charles H. Hinds and occupies the building formerly occupied by the Joys. This bank has had a successful career and does an annual business amounting in volume to many thousands of dollars. For some time its deposits have run to nearly a quarter of a million dollars. The banking business of the village and surrounding country is shared by the Odell State Bank, with deposit accounts aggregating a quarter of a million dollars. Its owners and officers are : Thomas W. Stanosheck, president ; Ernest Loemkler, vice-president; W. T. Stanosheck, cashier.

The first church organized in Odell was the Methodist Episcopal, and the organization held its meetings in a carpenter shop the first year. In 1886 J. D'. Myers donated a lot upon which a small frame church building was erected, at an original cost of fifteen hundred :dollars. Riev. Mr. Orr was the first pastor. The present minister in charge is Rev. H. S. Burd. The Catholics also have a flourishing organization in Odell. The first frame building erected by the church cost six hundred dollars. The present church was erected many years ago, at a cost of four thousand dollars, and the property includes a rectory or parsonage, built a dozen years ago. At first there were but eight or ten Catholic families; now there are forty-five. Several priests of great ability and learning have ministered to the parish; among them the first priest. Father

Mosler, who served the parish for ten years, and the present pastor, Father W. J. Mc- Kenna. The Christian church also is one of the well established religious organizations of Odell. Its church edifice was erected in 1888 and the organization has been active in the community ever since. It frequently is without a regular pastor and is then supplied by students from Cotner University, at Lincoln.

The fraternal organizations are the Grand Army of the Republic, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights & Ladies of Security, and some others. The Grand Army of the Republic, once a flourishing and numerous body of Civil war veterans, has by lapse of time become reduced to five living members, - Henry Rice, E. B. Hinds, A. F. Drake, Michael Keckley, and Hubert Glasgow. While these heroes of a day long past do not meet regularly any more, they loyally maintain their organization.

The village of Odell has two lumber corporations, two elevators, two hotels, three general-merchandise stores, a drug store, harness shop, two implement houses, a furniture store and undertaking establishment, three garages, one pump shop with accessories, local telephone exchange and many other business concerns. By the last census the population of the village was four hundred and twentyseven.

The Odell Weekly Wave newspaper was founded in the village in 1893, by G. W. Bede, and has had a continuous and a successful existence ever since. It is now owned and ably edited by J. P. Martin. It receives the loyal support of the community and is in a flourishing condition as a country newspaper.

The school district of the village was organized January 12, 1878, at the house of W. B. LaGorgue. The first school building was a small frame structure, to the erection of which LeGrand Odell contributed $100, the people, by subscription, $100, and the school district, in bonds, $400. The present school building is a frame, two-story, seven-room structure. The district employs seven teach-

Some of the men who have been prominent in the affairs of Odell are Perry Walker, William B. LaGorgue, E. B. Hinds, T. W. Stano^ sheck, James D. Myers, Dr. George L. Roe, Amos Quein, F. R. Joy and his sons Edward and Howard Joy, Thomas R. Callan (the veteran merchant of Odell, whose son, now serving in the army of the United States, is postmaster of Odell), John Millhalland, Frank Styles, Eli Worthington, John Wilson, Lund Nelson, Dr. Henry Allen, Henry Rice, Hubert Glasgow, Charles N. Hinds, William M. Munns, Henry Kasparek, James F. Raney, George Williamson, Frank Truax, M. E. Shalla, H. R., Rufus, and Sidney Tincher, and Dr. I. N. Pickett.

Mr. Watson and William Pickrell owned the land where Pickrell is located. There was some talk of having the town two miles north, but the sidetrack for the railroad was here. In the year 1884 the Pickrell brothers beSgan to lay ofif the lots ; some of the first lots sold for fifteen dollars and others for twenty-five dollars. Pickrell was built on the hillside, because the railroad ran on the level. The first settler was Mr. Bashaw. His home was built outside of Pickrell and afterwards moved in; the house is still standing, and Mr. William Plansel now occupies it. The first house built in Pickrell belonged to Ed. White. Mr. McKim built some of the first houses for the settlers to move into. Mrs. Edwards owned the first good building.

Pitkrell was organized as a village August 14, 1913, with G. L. Mumford as chairman of the board of trustees. Dr. Amesbury Lee, treasurer, J. R. Wilson, clerk ; the other members of the town board were B. E. Ridgley and J. J. Wardlaw.

1, 1884. Mr. David Royer, the second postmaster, was appointed July 1, 1884. The first postoffice building burned in 1890. The first mail carrier was Roy Armstrong.

The first church was the Congregational, built in 1885, and the first minister was Mr. Bates. In 1888 the United Brethren church was built and Mr. Surface was the minister. In 1910 both the Congregational and United Brethren churches were torn down and the present United Brethren church was built.

A list of old settlers is as follows : David Royer, who now resides at McPherson, Kansas; Mr. Houdgs, deceased, place of burial southeast of Pickerell; Mr. Bergett, deceased, place of burial, Hutchinson, Kansas ; Roxie Irvin, deceased; J. D. White, who resides at Gage, Oklahoma ; D. Nicewonger, G. Balderson and F. J. Emal, who reside in Pickrell ; S. King, John Young, Mr. Bashaw, Mr. McKin, Mr. Lockwood, Thomas Noonan, Thomas Langely, B. Bathrick, Dr. D. W. Tucker, Mr. Wilber, Mr. . Chandler, Henry Latimer, and Mr. Waters.

Pickrell was started with one family; later more settlers came. There was a store, an elevator, postoffice, drug store and a few other business houses. Now we have two general stores, two elevators, three garages, a bank, an implement shop, a drug store, a hardware store, cream station, hotel, blacksmith shop, barber shop and lumber yard. The population is now between one hundred and seventyfive and two hundred. A list of the leading business houses when the. town was first started is as follows : A general store, managers Mr. Royer and Mr. Bergett; a blacksmith shop, William Hunter, manager; a lumber yard, Mr. McKim and Mr. Newcomb, managers ; a livery bam, Mr. D. Tucker, proprietor ; a hardware store, Mr. Newcomb, proprietor. The depot agent was Roxie Irvin. The first section boss was Thomas Noonan. Mr. Davis and Mr. Chandler bought hogs.

A list of leading business houses and managers to-day is as follows: Bergstraesser store; managers, Bergstraesser Brothers. Rife's store; manager, Henry Dirk. Implement store; proprietor, F. C. Pape. Drug store; druggist, R. Dunkle. Lumber yard; manager, C. P. Horn. Blacksmith shop ; proprietor, F. J. Emal. Cream station ; manager, B. Mumford.

The first school house was built in 1885, where the present school building stands. The school district is No. 144. Some of the first teachers were Miss Proctor, Mr. Lamberti, Miss Kennedy, and Miss Pladley.

In 1912 school districts Nos. 65 and 144 were consolidated and a new brick school building built. It is now a ten-grade school. In December, 1917, the pupils of the high school surveyed the land in Pickrell that could be utilized for gardens; they found about eight acres, which is going to be used. Later the school became a hundred-per-cent school as a Red Cross society. The food-pledge cards were distributed to the parents by the school children ; they were signed by the parents and returned, to be sent to the food administrator. In January, 1918, the pupils of the primary and grammar rooms went to the homes of all the people in the town and tagged their shovels. The school was very successful in the sale of thrift and war-savings stamps. There are sixty-seven on the roll. During the month of January, 1918, the school bought $1,300 worth of war-savings stamps and was awarded a banner by the county superintendent of Gage county, T. J. Trauernicht.

The first bank was organized in 1904. F. R. Pothast is cashier and Mr. Reil, bookkeeper. The first bank building was on the north side of Main street and is still standing; in 1911 a brick bank building was erected across the street.

The postoffice is in the hardware store ; William Vanderhook is postmaster. Bud Weiser is the mail carrier for route No. 2, and Earl Emal is substitute for route No. 1.

Mr. Cotner, manager. The next elevator was the Nebraska, with Mr. J. D. White as manager. Before the elevators were built Mr. White bought the grain and shipped it. Then the farmers bought the elevator, and Mr. White, Mr. Wardlaw, Mr. Williams and Mr. J. R. Wilson were managers. It was organized in 1905. In 1913 a new elevator was built by the farmers, and Mr. J. R. Wilson has been manager from then to the present time. There are 175 members of the Farmers Elevator Company and the capital stock is $25,000. The capacity of the elevator is 25,000 bushels.

Mr. D. Nicewonger has lived in Pickrell the longest; he came from Oregon, Illinois, when he was seven years old. Some of the leading citizens are: J. R. Wilson, C. P. Horn, F. L. Pothast, Rev. Beasley, William Vanderhook, R. W. Dunkle, D. Nicewonger, G. Balderson, Bergstraesser Brothers and F. C. Pape. We have four boys in the world war. They are David Emal, Robert Mumford, Ben Weiser, and Marion Sigler.

Pickrell has had three fires. In 1890 five buildings on the north side of Main street burned. In 1893 two livery bams burned; they were never rebuilt. The last fire was in 1910, when some of the buildings on the south side of Main street burned. There have been two floods that came to the railroad tracks but did not do any damage.

The officers of Pickrell now are: J. R. Wilson, chairman; C. P. Horn, clerk; F. LPothast, treasurer; and the other meinbers of the village board are Mr. Reil, B. E. Ridgley, and D. Nicewonger.

Virginia

This attractive Gage county village comprises the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 11, township 2 north, range 6 east. It is a station of both the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific line of railway from Chicago to Denver and a branch of the Missouri, Pacific Railway from Kansas City, Missouri, which terminates at Virginia. It has several good stores, lumber yard, implement house, garage, blacksmith shop, grain elevators and other business accessories to a thriving village. The townsite was surveyed and platted by Ford Lewis, the owner of the land, about the time of the completion of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway through that section of country. The plat was filed for record in the office of the register of deeds May 23, 1887.

The first general store was that of M. V. Drew, and this was followed almost immediately by the store of Warren Barber, who was Virginia's first postmaster. The first blacksmith was A. L. Boyer, and the first children born in Virginia were his twin daughters, Gertie and Mertie. Mr. Boyer is still the village blacksmith.

The first church organized in Virginia was the Methodist Episcopal church and its pastor, Rev. J. F. Holgate, preached the first sermon. The Christian church was erected in 1902, on a lot donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Dalbey.

In the early history of Vii'ginia, Captain I-,ogan Enyart, of Nebraska City, opened a state bank in the village. It soon passed into the hands of George H. Gale, and later became the property of O- O. Thomas. Still later, A. W. Nickell, of Beatrice, purchased a majority of the stock and he operated this bank until his death. The present Citizens' State Bank of Virginia is an outgrowth of this early banking venture. Amos L. Wright, a pioneer of Gage county, is the principal stockholder and president of the bank and his son, Frederick A. Wright is the present cashier.

greatly to its attractiveness. There is no more "homey" public house in Gage county than this little hotel. Visitors are drawn to it from far and near and it is liberally patronized by the traveling public.

Virginia started with a single-room school house in 1887, but- in 1902 the school district erected a frame, two-story school building. There are about ninety pupils in the district and three teachers are employed. On the 3d day of June, 1918, Virginia school district. No. 1 10, was consolidated, under the school laws of Nebraska, with districts Nos. 149, 151 and 157, into a county high-school district. The consolidated school district is preparing to erect a modem high-school building which is to cost not to exceed $50,000. The grounds for this building, not to exceed fifteen acres, will be donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dalbey. The consolidated school district will have a school population of approximately one hundred and sixty, will have a full four years' high school course, and employ from seven to ten teachers.

Virginia was incorporated as a village, under the laws of the state, about 1905, and has ever since maintained a corporate existence. As at present constituted, the village board consists of A. M. Darwin, president; W. S. McGaffey, clerk; F. A. Wright, treasurer; and N. C. Mittan and John Henzel.

Virginia is beautifully located on the high, rolling prairie of Sherman township, in the midst of a wealthy farming community, which it serves as a business and social center. By the census of 1910 it contained a population of 154. Its steady growth since then has increased this to probably two hundred inhabitants.