Early Pioneers of Nebraska

The listings below are just a few of the listings found in Early Pioneers of Nebraska with Allied Lines as taken from Family Recognition Records Volume 1., from the Nebraska State Genealogical Society in Lincoln, Nebraska. The names in the book and the accompanying information found there were taken from the first five hundred completed Ancestor Information Sheets and Generation Charts submitted. This project was started in the spring of 1981. There was no date shown for the publication date of the book.

The page number at the end of each surname is for the page on which the information was found.

Pierce County

Müller, Edward Benjamin and Bertha (Bernstrauch). Settled in Nebraska: 1881, Pierce County and Wayne County. Edward born Sep. 17, 1851, Schurwig, West Prussia, Germany. Died Jan. 15, 1930, Winside, NE. Married Jul. 16, 1881, Wayne, NE. Bertha born Apr. 29, 1864, Brandenburg, Germany. Died Dec. 22, 1935, Winside, NE. Both buried in cemetery at Winside, NE. Parents: Christ and Minnie (Ratsloft) Muller, and August and Elizabeth (Shauff) Barenstraush. Children: Margaretta, Hugo Paul, Ella, Minnie, May, Emma, Arthur, and Art. Allied lines: Wright, Hitch, Peach, Brown, Sisson, Gray, Savage, Cooper, Linser, Hoffman, Kant. Submitted by: Ms. Sally Miller, 650 E. 12th, Apt. C205, York, NE 68467. Certificate # 499. Page 128.

Early Pioneers of Nebraska

The listings below are just a few of the listings found in Early Pioneers of Nebraska with Allied Lines as taken from Family Recognition Records Volume 1., from the Nebraska State Genealogical Society in Lincoln, Nebraska. The names in the book and the accompanying information found there were taken from the first five hundred completed Ancestor Information Sheets and Generation Charts submitted. This project was started in the spring of 1981. There was no date shown for the publication date of the book.

The page number at the end of each surname is for the page on which the information was found.

Boone County

Francisco, Aller G. and Ruby Irene (Grover). Settled in Nebraska: 1872, Albion, Boone County. Aller born Sept. 29, 1933, Allegahany Co., NY. Died Sept. 5, 1913, Albion, NE. Married Aug. 15, 1858, Sandusky Co., OH. Ruby born Aug. 6, 1836-8, Fremont, Sandusky Co., OH. Died Jan. 12, 1916, Albion, NE. Both buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Albion, NE. Parents: Stephen Grover. Childen: Addalaid, Arabelle, Frank James, Agnes Rosetta, and Jacob Ransom. Allied lines: Murphy, Driscoll, Graybill, Blankenship. Submitted by: Mrs. Eloyce Hope, 210 Hampshire St. Vallejo, CA. 94590. Certificate # 158. Page 62.

Smith, Abel and Maria Louisa (Cunningham). Settled in Nebraska: Spring 1872, Albion, Boone County. Abel born Feb. 5, 1832, Eltham, England. Died Jul. 23, 1910, Albion, NE. Married Feb. 14, 1878, Albion, Boone County. Maria born Aug. 3, 1845, Mifflintown, PA. Died Aug. 11, 1899, Albion, NE. Both buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Albion, NE. Parents: William Smith, and Richard C. and Catherine C. (McKennan) Cunningham. Children: Mark N. and Sarah Catherine. Allied lines: Petrie, Tubbs, Ball, Thumb, Wolf. Submitted by Mrs. Kathryn Deden, 1916 15th St. Columbus, Ne 68601. Certificate # 211. Page 108.

Voorhees, Alexander and Maria (Chamberlain). Settled in Nebraska: 1870.s, .Voorhees Valley,. Boone County. Alexander born May 11, 1823, Ovid, Seneca Co., NY. Died Apr. 16, 1909, Cook Co. IL. Married Mar. 7, 1843, Dix, NY. Maria born Jan. 13, 1812, Litchfield Co. CT. Died Aug. 20, 1883, St. Edward, NE. Alexander buried Elmwood Cemetery, Chicago, IL. Maria buried Rosehill Cemetery, St. Edward, NE. Parents: Tunis and Sarah (Rosengrant) Voorhees, and James B. and Mary .Polly. (Wardwell) Chamberlain. Children: Charles Clifford and John Collins. Allied lines: Dunshee, Emery, Austin, Munson, Swain, Hulen, Crow ?, Stull, Sampley, Drew. Submitted by: Mrs. Jeanne Shebley, 220 S. Lee, Oakdale, CA 95361. Certificate # 198. Page 116.

Early Pioneers of Nebraska

The listings below are just a few of the listings found in Early Pioneers of Nebraska with Allied Lines as taken from Family Recognition Records Volume 1., from the Nebraska State Genealogical Society in Lincoln, Nebraska. The names in the book and the accompanying information found there were taken from the first five hundred completed Ancestor Information Sheets and Generation Charts submitted. This project was started in the spring of 1981. There was no date shown for the publication date of the book.

The page number at the end of each surname is for the page on which the information was found.

Antelope County

Davis, John Isaac and Alice Alma (Hutchins). Settled in Nebraska: 1877, Antelope County. John born August 7, 1860, in Coloma, Waushara Co., WI. Died Dec. 1, 1913, Harrison, NE. Married: Oct. 20, 1885, North Loup, NE. Alice born Oct. 23, 1865 near Albert Lea, MN. Died Aug. 19, 1941, Harrison, NE. Both buried in Harrison Cemetery. Parents: Daniel Perkins and Sarah (Drake) Davis, and Alanzo Bradley and Rosetta (Week) Hutchins. Children: Archie C., Daniel P., Edna Fern, Rosetta, John A., and Wanda M. Allied lines: Blivens, Crandall, Rogers, Lovelis, Griswold, Barker, Rader, Whitlock, McQue, Jones, Bixler. Submitted by: Mrs. Virginia Cassells, Rt. 4, Box 1-E, Scottsbluff, NE 69361. Certificate #408. Page 58.

Hopkins, Amos Crandall and Thankful Otiskia (Ames). Settled in Nebraska: 1867-68,Antelope County. Amos born May 22, 1825, in Virgil, Cortland Co., NY. Died Nov. 5, 1904, Tilden, Antelope Co., NE. Married Nov. 2, 1845, Girard, PA. Thankful born May 25, 1827, in Girard, Erie Co. PA. Died Sept. 19, 1915, Tilden, NE. Both buried in Neligh Cemetery, Neligh, NE. Parents: Gardiner and Freelove (Parker) Hopkins, and Allen and Nancy (Claucy) Ames. Children: Emma Amelia, Amos Clyde, Andy Williams, John Henry, Ida Josephine, Hazel Estelle, Ernest Norman, Harry Simon, Edith Irene, Iva Gertrude, Myrtle, Sarah, Viola Lucille, Charles Harold, and Eva Louise. Allied lines: Andersen, Nelsen, Berry, Butt, Barrett, Fraklin, Cox, Farrington. Submitted by Edwin W. Barrett, Myron Stratton Home, Colorado Springs, CO. 80906. Certificate # 372. Page 75.

Rodgers, Edwin Blake and Elizabeth Bell (Brown). Settled in Nebraska: 1876. Orchard, Antelope County. Note: Edwin came to Nebraska with his first wife, Mary Cramer and their daughter, Alberta. No other information on Mary is given. Edwin born June 10, 1854, Butleigh, Somerset, England. Married Dec. 25, 1888, Nebraska City, NE. Elizabeth Bell (Brown) born Aug. 13, 1863, Denver, CO. Edwin died Jul. 28, 1925, Osmond, Pierce Co., NE. Elizabeth died Jul 31, 1900, Osmond, NE. Both buried in cemetery at Osmond, NE. Parents: James and Mary Ann (Blake) Rodgers, and George Augustus and Catherine Francis (Sadler) Brown. Children: with first wife, Alberta C.; with second wife, Viola Fern, Myrtle Ivian, Waldo James, Clarence Edwin, Ernest Blake, and Opal Ruby. Allied names: Murray, Mann, Duncan, Irwin, Howell, Gibson, Reeves. Submitted by: Mrs. Belvadine Lecher, 530 Beech St., Chadron, NE 69337. Certificate # 457. Page 104.

The Columbus Telegram has the following to say of the heroic work of Jos. Ray, son of “Dad” Ray of this city: Columbus has a candidate for one of the Carnegie hero medals. His name is Joe Ray, one of the switchmen in the local U. P. yards. Had it not been for the presence of mind and the prompt action of Mr. Ray last Wednesday morning no doubt there would have been another railroad tragedy to the credit of Columbus. The person rescued was John Speicher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Speicher. John is delivery boy at the Cassin meat market.

About eight o’clock Wednesday morning he started to drive across the railroad tracks on Olive street. At the same time the Union Pacific switch engine suddenly appeared from behind the lumber sheds in that vicinity. Speicher first thought he would stop, but his horse was spirited, and he then tried to whip up and cross ahead of the engine. He had tarried too long. The horse got across the track, but the engine backed square into the buggy. Joe Ray was riding on the foot board at the rear of the engine, and as young Speicher was hurled toward him he hooked one arm firmly around the hand rail and with the other pushed Speicher to one side, so that he fell beyond the rails. Had it not been for the interference of Ray it is the opinion of those who witnessed the accident that Speicher had surely been killed. As it was the young man was thrown about thirty feet. He was unconscious and bleeding at the nose when picked up, but his injuries proved to be quite trivial. Brakeman Ray was almost if not quite as seriously injured, and has laid off from work for the balance of the week. He was caught between the buggy and the engine and was quite seriously bruised.

Source: The Madison Star-Mail, January 18, 1907, page 5.

Ever watch a kid with his first pair of redtops? If you haven’t, you’ve missed half your life.  And it you haven’t seen Cooney Werner with his on, you have missed the whole momentous era.  They came, express prepaid, from Germany the other day, from an uncle who wished to present a token of remembrance to the nephew who bore the name of his brother. Cooney, or more properly speaking Conrad Junior, was the nephew, thereby the boots. Cooney’s pedal extremities would never accommodate themselves to Cinderella’s footgear, but the illustrious uncle wisely remembered the family characteristics—and the boots fit to a capital T.

Not only does the material show what the German can do with the American calf, but the workmanship of the German shoester would tend to make the quick-hurry American machines feel like a 10-cent peggin.-awl. What may have been the cost in the fatherland is a matter immaterial, but we notice a cheap imitation listed in a Chicago catalogue house at $14.99—the scent thrown off and the freight added. A dressmaker might describe the mouse-colored hue, the flap-doodle insertion and the bias trimmings—but you will never know what they are till you see ’em. After imparting all this information to the Enterprise reporter, Cooney left with the positive injunction that he would put the boots to the man who said anything detrimental to ‘us Yermans..

Source: Battle Creek Enterprise, Thursday, February 17, 1919, page 1.

Relic Of Days Gone By

Old Time Stage Coach Passes Through Norfolk From Pierce to Madison

The Coach Was at One Time Used on the Trail Between Omaha and Ogden—Herman Gerecke

Used to Ride Behind it as a Guard—Now on Display.

A relic of bygone days passed through Norfolk yesterday. It was an old government stage coach that at one time was on the route from Omaha to Ogden. The coach is the property of Wilson Hall of Pierce and is on its way to Madison, where it we be a feature in the county fair. The coach is in very dilapidated condition at present and shows the ravages of time. The driver’s high seat has rotted from exposure to the weather and there is no cushion left, only tatters. On the back is the baggage platform, with its leather cover, that is cut and worn till it is hardly recognizable. In the leather are a few bullet holes that tell a story of their own, perhaps a fight with Indians or some hold-up. Then there are numerous cuts, supposedly from knives in a fight or from arrows.

The paint has worn off on most all of the parts, but can be faintly seen in places, The coach was painted a light blue with white trimmings. At the top is the name of the firm that ran the vehicle, “Liftwich and Perry,” and on the side are the signs, “American Express, and , .U. S. Mail.”   The boxes that should hold these have rotted away and the bottoms have fallen out. The inside of the coach is in the most dilapidated condition of all. All the cushions have been worn and torn so that the bare boards are to be seen. There is one part that has been burnt. There are innumerable autographs of passengers, who have ridden in the coach.

The wheels only are in fairly good condition, although there are no washers on the axle, and the thing goes creaking along with a horrible noise. The big strap springs that hold the box are in very good condition but when a person gets inside and rocks the coach they creak with an unearthly sound. Evidently this rocking motion would make most anybody seasick. They have to be very careful and not drive too fast in taking the coach to Madison, as it is very liable to break in parts.

It is understood that the coach will be used in an Indian collection that will be on display at the county fair. One of the most interested of the spectators who saw the old coach here was Herman Gerecke. “It is highly probable,” said Mr. Gerecke, “that in the old days I rode behind that very coach as a guard. I used to ride in that capacity between Omaha and Ogden.”

Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Thur. August 30, 1906, page 3.

Norfolkan Late Once in 27 Years

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Julius Fisher Has Nice Bit Laid Up for Rainy Day Out of Wages Earned—Went on Retired List

Last Week—Will He Go Back?

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Julius Fisher, right hand man for the Eichelberger Lumber company, is on a vacation. In fact, he has retired from active work and this after some twenty-seven years employment in the one lumber yard and with scarcely a day.s absence.

A year ago Mr. Fisher, who is well along in years, decided he had worked long enough without a vacation and decided to rest up. He told Mr. Eichelberger he wanted a month off during the winter so as to escape the rigors of zero weather. His employer agreed he might absent himself during the month of February. “But February is the shortest month in the year”, demurred Fisher, “why shorten my vacation?” February arrived in due season. Mr. Fisher did not report for work. He did not show up on the second or the third, but the morning of the fourth he was on hand and announced: “If you don’t mind, I’ll go back to work. I find vacationing tiresome and besides my wife finds too many things for me to do.”

Now he’s retired. He resigned his position last Saturday and the boys are betting he will be back on the job by Monday if he manages to stick it out until then. Every morning, the year through, he opens the gate at the yard at quarter to seven. He has been known to be late only one morning in all these years. Mr. Eichelberger says he has every stick of timber in the yard named. He knows every shingle, every lath. He is as much a part of the yard as the lumber itself. Folks passing by have come to look for him to be locking up the gates at night, opening them in the morning, keeping things in apple pie order in the yard during the day. He is as much a habit to those in the neighborhood as the yard is to him. And out of the wages he has earned during the years he has saved a goodly portion, demonstrating that fancy salaries are not necessary if you really want to save. He owns a farm and could afford to go to winter resort and live happily away from work and worry; but, no, that is what he can’t do. He has worked so long he doesn’t know how to live without working and the boys are betting he’ll be back opening the gate on time next Monday morning.

Source: The Norfolk Press, Thursday, January 27, 1927, page 1 and 4.

Madison Farmer is Granted Patent on Second Invention

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Barn Door Track Second Successful Idea in Past Few Years.

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Otto Linstadt, well known Green Garden farmer, recently secured patent rights on a door track and hangar, an invention on which he has labored for several years. The patent will be issued by the U. S. Commissioner of Patents on April 26, Mr. Linstadt has been advised. This is the second invention patented by Linstadt in the past few years. A float valve on which he secured a patent several years ago has been manufactured in large quantities and is in use throughout the country.  The door track will be manufactured by the Eaton Metal Products Company of Omaha and distributed by Paxton & Gallagher Company.

Source: Madison Star-Mail, Thursday, April 6, 1931, page 4.

Carves Cane With Wild West Theme

George Simmons, Battle Creek, Spent 3 Months Finishing Work

Battle Creek, Neb., May 15—Special to The News: George O. Simmons, Battle Creek whose hobby is carving canes, has completed one on which are some of the notorious and noted frontier day characters.

The cane was carved from a young diamond willow tree found on the Sam Kent farm near the Elkhorn river east of town. The head of the cane is that of Wild Bill Hickok and immediately below is the inscription, Wild Bill Hickok, Born in Troy Grove, Ill., 1837. Murdered in Deadwood Gulch, S. D., Aug. 2, 1876, during the Gold Rush. The winner of 32 Pistol Duels. Below that are five cards known as “Dead Man’s Hand” and represents the hand held by Hickok at the time of his murder. Next is the head of Calamity Jane Canary Burke, frontier character and a personal friend of Hickok.

Following in order are Sitting Bull’s head, a buffalo head and the Golden Spike with the inscription, .U. P. R. R. completed May 10, 1869.. There are also carvings of two rifles and a pistol of the type used in those days and a tomahawk and Indian club.

Mr. Simmons worked for three months, carving the cane which is finished in natural wood color. The characters and other designs are hand colored, the work being done by Miss Emma Taylor of Battle Creek.

Mr. Simmons is the son of the late Ralph E. and Mary Simmons, pioneer settlers in Madison county. He was born and reared at Battle Creek where he has spent practically all his life except for a few years spent on the Simmons ranch in Holt county, and in 1917 he took up a homestead in Cherry county where he lived for a time.

He has always had a yen for wild west shows and trooped with Gollmar Brothers Circus and Rodeos as a trick roper. He is returning to the show business, having organized the Simmons clown troupe whose musical comedy act he will book for celebrations and fairs.

Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Wednesday May 15, 1940, page 8.