Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties, Part 128

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 820


USA > Nebraska > Adams County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 128
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 128
USA > Nebraska > Hall County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 128
USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 128


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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For the year 1890 George .B. Williamson is chancellor commander, and Delevan Bates keeper of the records and seal. But one death has oc-


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HAMILTON COUNTY.


curred in the lodge since its institution, that of W. F. Kanffman in 1886. This society, in addi- tion to its fraternal features, gives sick and funeral benefits to its members. Young men with mili- tary aspirations can go from the lodge into the Uniform rank, and those wishing life insurance can join the Endowment rank, where the same can be obtained at cost.


Aurora Division No. 7, Uniform Rank K. of P. was instituted at Aurora, Neb., February 6, 1886, with twenty eight members, and the following officers: Delevan Bates, sir knight commander; L. W. Shuman, sir knight lieutenant-commander. M. T. Wildish, sir knight herald; H. M. Kellogg. sir knight recorder; J. B. Rogers, sir knight treasurer; G. W. Curry, sir knight guard; W. J. Stevenson, sir knight sentinel.


Aurora Lodge No. 6, A. O. U. W., was organ. ized November 1, 1882, with the following officers and charter members: M. Kohn, P. M. W .; J. H. Faris, M. W .; A. J. Rittenhouse, F .; J. W. Thiery, O .; W. S. Gunter, R .; W. F. Peck, Rec .; Fritz Hoefer, F .; Henry Sargent, G .; J. G. Bur- chell, I. W .; S. R. Lounsbury, O. W .; J. R. Van Boskirk, A. J. MeConaughy, A. V. Peck, trustees; F. J. Bricker, Jerome Potter, Frank Myers, J. B. Myers, W. S. Harlan, Andrew Beck and Louis Troutfetler. The order is in a prosperous condi- tion, the life insurance feature, by which each member's life is insured in the sum of $2,000 at a minimum cost, making it very popular.


The present officers are: F. M. Barnes, M. W .; O. W. Cass, F .; Robert Miller, O .; E. E. Buchlin, R .; W. J. Threadkill, F .; D. Bates, receiver; C. B. Abbott, guide; A. E. Siekman, I. W .; F. P. Graham, O. W.


Kaaba Temple, Grand Order of the Orient, was organized in 1882, with the following officers: A. J. Rittenhouse, Gr. P. S .; H. G. Cass, Gr. V .; Henry Sargent, Gr. H .; W. F. Peck, Gr. K. of S .; J. M. Laurie, Gr. M. P. The lodge is in a flour- ishing and highly prosperous condition, having nearly one hundred members. The present officers


are Dr. E. A. Steenburg, Gr. P. S .; Hon. W. L. Stark, Gr. V .; Dr. F. J. Bricker, Gr. P .; M. T. Wildish, Gr. P .; L. W. Shuman, Gr. H .; M. W. Walsh, Gr. K. S .; W. P. Hellings, Gr. M. P .; W. J. Threadkill, Gr. W .; T. G. Buchan, Gr. V .; Prof. John S. Musser, Gr. A. P.


The Women's Christian Temperance Union of Aurora was organized by Marion C. Baxter, of Michigan, December 3, 1883, with twenty mem- bers and the following officers: Mrs. Myra Wood, president; Mrs. A. L. Seward, recording secretary; Mrs. Mason, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Tib. betts, treasurer, and vice presidents from each of the churches. The objects of the society are to educate public sentiment up to the standard of total abstinence, to train the young, save the ine. briate, secure the legal prohibition and complete banishment of the liquor traffic. The following named ladies have occupied the president's chair; 1884, Mrs. Myra Wood; 1885, Mrs. J. P. David- son; 1886, Mrs. C. A. Bacon; 1887, Mrs. Ella Elarton; 1888, Mrs. Elarton, and in 1889 Mrs. C. D. Knapp, who occupies the position at the present time.


The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of Aurora was organized November 3, 1883, with the following officers and members: President. Frank E. Houseman; Miss Jeanie La- mont, secretary and treasurer; Jennie Waddle, H. R. Corbett, May Corbett, May Maxwell. The society has a present membership of twenty-five. Meetings are held each Sunday in the parlors of the Presbyterian Church.


The K. of P. Band was organized in 1887 with thirteen members, as follows: H. E. Metzger, instructor; Phil. Burt, J. H. Cudney, Vie Swan- son, Harry Dodd, Leslie Myers, L. W. Shuman, William Whitesides, Vic Spanogle, James Work, Diek McGovern, Lourie Myers, Sam Chapman.


Musser's Orchestra was organized in 1890, and is composed of Prof. John Musser, leader; Harry Dodd, Dick McGovern, Vic Swanson, Ralter Cham- bers, Phil. Burt and Harry E. Metzger.


48


762


HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.


CHAPTER XXXIII.


OTHER VILLAGES AND TOWNS IN HAMILTON COUNTY-BRIEF: HISTORICAL SKETCH-THEIR IMPORTANCE-CENTERS OF COMMERCIAL INFLUENCE-POPULATION-BUSINESS AFFAIRS-INDICATION OF ADVANCEMENT-RELIG- IOUS AND SCHOOL INTERESTS, ETC .- ORVILLE-HAMPTON-STOCKHAM-BROM- FIELD-MARQUETTE-PHILLIPS-COUNTRY CHURCHES.


Those green-robed senators of mighty woods, Tall oaks, branch-charmed by the earnest stars. Dream, and so dream all night without a stir .- Keats.


ESIDES Aurora, there are five good railroad towns in ¿ the county, four of which are incorporated as villages. Before proceeding with a description of these it will probably not be out of place to speak first of the first town started in the county, the old county seat, Orville City.


Orville City, the first county seat, was located by the county commission- ers in 1870, and surveyed, platted and recorded as a town by them. The site lies on a beautiful plateau over- looking both forks of the Blue River, on the south half of the northeast quar- ter of Section 22, Town 9, Range 6, west. It was declared the county seat of Hamilton County May 3, 1870, by a vote of the people at the first election held in the county, and remained such until January 1, 1876, at which date the county seat was removed to Au- rora by a majority vote in compliance with a gen- eral act of the Legislature of Nebraska approved February, 1875.


The site was pre-empted by the commissioners


and surveyed by John Harris. The first to locate there were T. H. and William Glover. T. H. Glover opened the first store, in the fall of 1872, with a stock of general merchandise. He was followed shortly after by William Glover, who inaugurated the second business interprise of the town, that of a hotel and boarding house. The court-house was erected in May, 1872, which was the first building put up, and in November of the same year, the first frame house was built by T. H. Glover. In 1873, it was a thriving town containing three gro- cery and general merchandise stores, one drug store, hotel, blacksmith shop, real-estate law of- fice and saloon. A school house was erected in 1873, in which Miss Nettie Hileman taught the first term of school in 1874. After the removal of the county seat to Aurora, the buildings_were removed to Aurora and elsewhere, and the site of the sometime city is now the county poor- farm, on which the county established"a poor-house in 1884 at a cost of about $2,500.


Hampton was surveyed and platted in October, 1879, about the time the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad was completed to that point.


Mr. Cox had purchased 440 acres of land here in the spring of 1879, and it was on this land the town was located. During the next year he pur-


763


6


HAMILTON COUNTY.


chased 600 acres more, making a solid body of about 1,000 acres. His brother, James M. Cox, also purchased 1,000 acres adjoining that of Joshua. Building began immediately after the platting of the town, Ernest Leyer erecting the first store building, in which he opened the first general stock of goods. C. R. Young soon after built the first dwelling house. These were soon followed by the grocery store of C. R. Young, the general store of A. T. Vich & Co., the grain store- house of F. Eberhardt, the hardware store of A. G. Evans, drug store of J. F. Morse and the lumber yard and office of D. C. Bell.


In 1880 G. P. Chessman put up a grain elevator, the first in the town. Among those who were prominently identified with the building up of the village were W. J. Williamson, Holden & Lane, H. H. Lohman, Frank Chambers, T. J. Fiegen- baum, A. G. Evans, G. P. Chessman, R. A. In- galls, Wellman & Son, and the Cox brothers, Joshua, James M. and Levi. In 1882 the first ho- tel was built by James M. Fodge, and the same year a bank was opened by Cox Bros.


A school honse was built in 1881, in which the first term of school was taught (the same season) by J. H. Sauls, one of the oldest settlers in this vicinity and the representative of the county in the constitutional convention in 1875. An excellent school building, adapted to the needs of a graded school, was erected in 1885. Hampton was incor -. porated as a village January 10, 1883, with E. D. Foster, S. W. Holden, D. M. Zook, Levi Cox and M. E. Gerdes as trustees.


This has always been a good business point, as will be seen from the following statement of rail- road business:


In 1887 there were shipped from Hampton Sta- tion a total of 1,065 cars of grain, and in ISSS, 700 cars; in 1889 there were shipped 497 cars of corn, 93 of oats, 13 of barley, 40 of flax, 16 of ground feed, 1 of flour, 120 of cattle, 75 of hogs and 2 of sheep, a total of 857 cars, the freight re- ceipts of the office amounting to $16, 439.58.


Among the leading business houses of the vil- lage at the present time are Joshua and James M. Cox, live-stock feeders and shippers; Houghton &


Son, bankers; George E. Lane, general store; W. J. Williamson, general store; Lohman & Erlen- born, general store; B. F. Buckley, hardware; G. L Wagner, hardware; Bailey & Klumb, agrienlt- ural implements; T. J. Fiegenbaum, drugs; F. Chambers & Co., drugs; Eskeldsen & Kaufman. Inmber; G. P. Chessman, grain; F. G. Chessman, grain; Cannon & Morrissey, grain; Farmers' Alli- ance Business Association, grain; Hampton Roller Mills, and others.


The village has a present population of abont 600, the following being the officers and trustees: D. S. Woodard, chairman; J. M. Cox, Chris New- | man, T. J. Fiegenbaum, D. M. Zook; W. C. Bailey, clerk; George E. Lane, treasurer. The post-office was removed from Williamsport to this place in 1879. E. L. Ingalls is the present postmaster. The business of the office for 1889 was $1,039.85.


Two religious societies have honses of worship at this place. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1883 with the following members: R. A. Wellman, Dora Wellman, Eunice Young, Martha A. Maguire, Mary C. Maguire, John Dong- lass, Mariah Douglass. J. H. Sauls. Mary Tyler, and Rev. W. H. Babcock as pastor. The pastorate has been successively held by Rev. H. C. Wood in 1884, who succeeded Rev. Babcock, Rev. D. S. Davis (1885), Rev. G. A. Hobson (1886), Rev. J. H. Car- michael (1886), Rev. L. H. Archard (1887), D. T. Wilson (1888) and Rev. E. L. Wells, who was as signed to this charge at the beginning of the pres- ent conference year, October 20, 1889, and contin- ues to fill the duties at this time. The church has twenty members. A church building was erected in 1883 at a cost of $1,500. The Christian Church was organized here in 1885, and a church, 32x60 feet, built the same year, and dedicated June 15, 1885. The following were the original members: A. G. Evans, William Mapes, T. B. Johnson, James Moore, Adam Mokler, G. C. Boyce, David Patrick, Nelson Kutch, and Rev. A. W. Har- ney, pastor. Rev. Harney remained with thechurch until January 1, 1890, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. W. D. Curtis. The church is highly prosperous and has a membership of about forty. The elders are T. B. Johnson, William


G


764


HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.


Mapes and E. C. Roggy, and the deacons, S. E. Chambers, P. H. Wind and H. Bundegard. There is a flourishing Sunday school in connection with the church, of which E. C. Roggy is superintend- ent.


Star Lodge of the I. O. O. F. was organized here November 7, 1883, with the following officers and charter members: R. A. Wellman, N. G .; J. H. Sauls, V. G .; Daniel Westenhaver, treasurer; A. R. Allen, secretary; J. J. Klumb, W .; J. H. Lincoln, C .; G. T. Chapman, O. W .; G. W. Bonner, E. B. Hoyt, A. H. Chapman, A. Linsley, John Hinshaw. The lodge has a present member- ship of twenty, and the following are the officers: J. Hockenbary, N. G .; W. E. Widger, V. G .; D. S. Woodard, secretary.


Hampton Lodge No. 167, A. O. U. W., was organized February 17, 1890, with the following officers and members: E. C. Roggy, P. M. W .; W. C. Bailey, M. W .; H. R. Grear, F .; E. L. Ingalls, O .; G. E. Lane, recorder; D. S. Wood- ard, F .; A. Wilsey, R .; F. E. Boslow, G .; J. J. Klnmb, I. W .; James Johnson, O. W .; Joshua Cox, Chris. Newman and A. P. Jensen, trustees; M. P. Jensen, George F. Latham, J. M. Cox, E. F. Morrissey and S. E. Chambers. The lodge meets regularly on the first and third Thursdays of each month.


Stockham is a lively village on the line of the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, on Section 25, Township 9, Range 6. It was sur- veyed and platted in 1887 by the Pioneer Town Site Company. Among the first business enterprises were the Bank of Stockham, I. D. Evans, cashier; P. Moore & Son, druggists; A. D. Atwood, livery; J. W. Gray, livery; C. F. Tatro, restaurant; Joseph Stockham, hotel. The above-named par- ties erected buildings about the same time.


The town is located in the vicinity of the first settlement made in the county, and is in the re- markably fertile valley of the Blue River. The farmers being "well-to-do," and many of them even wealthy, the town has had an encouraging amount of business, and has grown rapidly. In September, 1888, it was incorporated as a village, with the following board of trustees: F. J. Sharp,


Joseph Stockham, W. C. Flickinger, Walter Scott, Henry Reiselt.


All branches of business are represented in the village, the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad affording facilities for the shipment of goods and products, and the Western Union Tel- egraph Company affording telegraphic commun- ication. The Stockham Reporter, a bright, newsy Republican paper, was established here in August, 1888, by F. P. Corrick. It is now edited by J. S. Lounsbury.


A handsome two-story frame school-house 24x60 feet was erected in 1888. The school is in a flourishing condition, and is presided over by E. C. Grubble, as principal, with Miss Minnie Rowe as assistant. The school will be graded the pres- ent year. Churches are represented by the Ger- man Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist Epis- copal. The first named erected the first church building in 1887, and Rev. G. Grobe is the pres- ent pastor. The Presbyterians built a church in 1889, and Rev. John Branch ministers to their spiritual welfare. Rev. G. E. Abern is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal society, but as yet they are not provided with a house of worship, a defi- ciency which will be removed by the erection of a commodions church during this year.


March 29, 1882, Griffin Post No. 87, G. A. R., was instituted here, its membership consisting of the veterans living in the vicinity of what was then merely the post office called Stockham, which was on the northeast quarter of Section 25. A. To- land is now P. C.


A post of the Sons of Veterans was organized in June, 1888, with the following officers and char- ter members: F. P. Corrick, captain; John C. Galford, first lieutenant; John W. Stokesbary, second lieutenant; Irvin Clark, L. G. Evans, N. W. Swearingen, D. G. Lewis, J. H. Stephens, William Stephens, J. A. Wentz. It has now twenty-four members, and the present officers are D. G. Lewis, captain; John C. Galford, first lien- tenant; Irvin C. Clark, second lieutenant.


Stockham Lodge No. 163, I. O. O. F., was organized October 6, 1888, with the following officers and charter members: A. J. McConaughey,


765


HAMILTON COUNTY.


N. G. ; J. W. Swearingen, V. G .; Henry Reiselt, recording secretary; Ed Van Wormer, treasurer; W. C. Flickinger, permanent secretary; L. P. Beaman, W .; W. H. Hart. J. T. White, E. E. Bird, T. J. Threadkill. The lodge has now eighteen members, and the following are the present offi- cers: E. E. Bird, N. G .; Henry Reiselt, V. G .; Gustave Buss, recording secretary; W. C. Flickin - ger, permanent secretary; Ed Van Wormer, treas- urer; A. J. McConaughey, Gustave Buss and William F. Waddell, trustees.


A camp of Modern Woodmen was instituted July 1, 1889, the officers and charter members being: W. E. Sharp, V. C .; W. M. Kirk, W. A .; George S. Lewis, E. B .; F. P. Corrick, clerk; W. T. Hathaway, P. Moore, W. C. Murray, John Ready, W. S. Martin. The camp has a member- ship of nineteen, and the following are the officers at the present time: W. E. Sharp, V. C .; W. M. Kirk, W. A .; John Ready, E. B .; F. P. Corrick, clerk.


The present village board is composed of F. J. Sharp, chairman; Gustave Buss, H. Hick, I. D. Evans and E. F. Elmore, trustees; W. E. Sharp, clerk; E. M. Van Wormer, treasurer.


Bromfield was surveyed and platted in the spring of 1886, by the Lincoln Land Company. It is located on Section 6, Town 9, Range 7, on the branch of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company running from Aurora to Hast- ings. The first building was erected by Joe Brown soon after the town was platted. This was fol- lowed the same season by the business buildings of W. H. Leniberger, L. P. Wheeler, G. H. Myers, Alfred Carriker, F. C. Mather, M. W. Trobee, C. N. Dietz, National Lumber Company, G. S. Cole & Co. and S. D. Chapman, and the residences of C. E. Brown, M. D., J. A. Foster and Frank Wright. The town has had a good steady growth, and now has a population of be- tween 300 and 400. It was incorporated as a vil- lage December 11, 1888, with the following board of trustees: C. E. Brown, L. P. Wheeler, W. H. Leniberger, John McCarthy and Charles Allen. The post-office was removed from Lerton to this place in 1887, A. V. B. Peck having held down the


postmaster's chair since the establishment of the office here. The business of the office last year amounted to $700. The town and vicinity has had a remarkable history in its chapter of crimes, acci dents and casualties. The first of these was in the fall of 1886, when a serious cutting affray oc- curred, by which one Fred Gossner very nearly lost his life. Two years later Mrs. John Schultheis was shot and instantly killed by S. D. Pierce, a neighbor. The shooting was entirely accidental, Pierce having been requested by Mrs. Schultheis, to shoot a skunk which had taken refuge under the corn-crib. Mr. Pierce fired under the crib intend ing to kill or dislodge the animal. Upon entering the house shortly after, he discovered Mrs. Schul- theis lying on the floor, dead, with a bullet hole in her forehead. Investigation revealed the fact that the ball had glanced, passing through the window, and striking the woman with the result above stated. The same season another sad accident occurred here by which Dr. T. L. Myers, a prominent citizen. and one of the leading physicians, of Aurora, lost his life. The Doctor had been spending the day in Bromfield, with his son, G. H. Myers, and was starting to return to Aurora by the freight train, which left at 6 P. M. As he stepped from the platform of the depot, to the step of the way-car -the train being in motion-he lost his balance and fell under the car, the wheels of which passed over his body, killing him almost instantly. This accident cast a gloom over the community, from which they had hardly recovered when they were again shocked by another fatal accident. This was the case of Dell Henry, who in company with another young man, was riding out from Bromfield in a road-cart. They had a shot-gun with them, which Henry was holding. While he was attempt- ing to light his pipe, he permitted the gun to slip from his grasp, and it dropped through the slats of which the bottom of the cart was made. The ham- mer striking on a slat exploded the cartridge. the charge entering the side of his head and face, mangling him terribly and killing him at once. The same year Mary O'Brien, a girl living in the family of Mrs. Bush, near Bromfield, committed suicide by hanging.


766


HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.


These events were yet fresh in the minds of the citizens when the murder of William Alonzo Bar- rett occurred a few miles east of this village. As a full account of this tragedy is given on a pre- vious page of the present volume it will be unnec- essary to repeat it here.


Hardly had the words been pronounced which sentenced Henry Thornhill to be hanged by the neck until dead, when the entire country was thrilled by the news of the double tragedy occurring in the village on Saturday, March 15, 1890. Shortly after 2 o'clock P. M. on that day Amos E. Staton, a farmer living a short distance south of the village, came into the town on foot and proceeded at once to the rear door of Charles Harrod's meat market. which he entered. W. W. Lewis, a highly respected citizen of the town, was the only occupant of the shop at the time, and was seated near the front win- dow reading a newspaper. A few seconds after Staton entered, a pistol shot was heard, and Mr. Lewis was seen running from the rear door of the building, screaming and pressing his hand to his breast, and closely pursued by Staton, who had a revolver in his hand. A few rods from the shop door Staton again fired, the ball striking the flying man in the region of the kidneys, killing him al- most instantly. It was afterward ascertained that the shot fired in the shop had taken effect in the center of the breast. Staton at once went to the street and started sonth, but was immediately ar- rested and placed in the village jail or "lockup."


Great excitement prevailed, and within a few minntes a large crowd had assembled on the street. Less than an hour after the shooting a party of masked men were seen to emerge from an imple- ment warehouse and march toward the jail, while a piece of new half-inch rope dangled ominously from their hands. Proceeding to the "lockup," the door was forced open, the rope properly knot- ted around Staton's neck, and he was led to an ad- jacent livery barn, where the rope was passed across a beam and the murderer of W. W. Lewis was quickly sent to his account. The masked men remained but a few minutes after accomplishing their work, then proceeded to the place from where they had come and disappeared. Meantime- 1


the news of the shooting having been promptly tel- egraphed to the sheriff -Deputy Sheriff Whitesides, County Attorney Whitmore, City Marshal George Barschlin, Coroner Elarton, and others, had boarded the train for Bromfield. The train from the east was twenty minutes late, hence the train for Bromfield did not leave Aurora until about 3:30 P. M., reaching Bromfield at 4 o'clock. As soon as informed of the circumstances detailed above, the officers proceeded to the livery barn, where they found Staton hanging by the neck. He was im- mediately taken down and efforts made to resusci- tate him, but they were ineffectual. The coroner at once began his investigations and an inquest was first held upon the body of Mr. Lewis. The jury rendered a verdict that he had come to his death at the hands of Amos E. Staton, in accordance with the foregoing facts.


On Sunday, March 16, a jury was empaneled to hold an inquest upon the body of Staton. After an investigation, lasting the greater part of three days, the jury rendered a verdict of death by hang- ing at the hands of parties unknown.


A two-story frame school building was erected in 1887 at Bromfield, in which from six to nine months school is held each year.


The Methodist Episcopal congregation built a church here in 1889, Rev. Francis Deal, pastor.


The Grand Army of the Republic and the Women Relief Corps have organizations at this place, and the Masonic order recently organized a lodge, under dispensation, with the following officers and members: J. R. Kerr, W. M .; Charles Allen, S. W .; J. W. Farrand, J. W .; W. H. Leni- berger, secretary; John Detamore, treasurer; George Hunnicutt, S. D .; Jonathan Foster, J. D .; C. E. Brown, J. M. Brown, A. V. B. Peck, John M. Brock, Jonathan Foster, W. K. Ream, Samuel Fry, Henry Jarvis, John Marks, George Washburn.


Following are the officers at present of the G. A. R .: W. S. Mattern, C .; Jerome Pratt, S. V. C .; William Bagear, J. V. C .; Earl Tuttle, Q .; J. Fos- ter, chaplain; L. A. Franklin, O. D .; - Garber, O. G .; E. E. Smith, A.


The Corps officials are: Mrs. Emma Robbins, president; Mrs. Della L. Smith, S. V. P .; Mrs.


767


HAMILTON COUNTY.


Pratt, J. V. P. ; J. Snider, S. ; Lena Ehlenbrangh, T .; Mrs. Sophia Evans, C .; Miss Effie Smith, G .; Mrs. Ida Graham, A. G. The Corps numbers over thirty members.


In the spring of 1880 the Burlington & Mis- souri River Railroad extended its line of road from Aurora to Central City. At the time of the com- pletion of the road to the latter place there was a post-office located on the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 21, Town 12, Range 6, on the section line between Sections 16 and 21, a few rods west of the line of the railroad, and known as "Avon." kept by Mrs. Nancy Carnahan. The company being desirous of locating a station as near the post office as possible, but being unable to secure any lands for that purpose for the first six months after the completion of the road, trains were stopped merely to throw off and receive mail. A "station " was then opened, which for a year consisted of a hand car house, located on the sec- tion line between Sections 16 and 21, with O. H. Wirsig as agent. He was soon after appointed postmaster. Early in 1882 the Lincoln Land Company secured from J. W. Marquis 100 acres of land on the southwest quarter of Section 16, Town 12, Range 6, and surveyed and platted the town of Marquette. The railroad company moved an old depot building from Dorchester to this place, which still remains as an early landmark of the village.




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