USA > Nebraska > Seward County > General history of Seward County, Nebraska > Part 21
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POULTRY AND EGGS IN SEWARD COUNTY.
This has become recognized during the past few years as one of the standard and most profitable adjuncts to the pro- ducts of the farm. Car loads of eggs and poultry are going out of the county every week and good prices are being re- turned for them to the farmers and poultry raisers. There was a time, which includes the period from the earliest set- tlements in the county to as late as 1890, when the profits from the feathered flocks on the farm were considered only from the place they filled on the farmer's table. As late as the spring of 1880 we hauled twenty dozen eggs twelve miles to the Seward market and sold the entire consignment for sixty cents and took pay for it in goods at one hundred per cent profit to the dealer-net thirty cents for the twenty dozen eggs. We didn't think it was a big deal only so far as the eggs were concerned in it, but we had more eggs than we could eat and our neighbors were supplied in about the same way. We packed those eggs in bran to prevent them from being broken, and when we looked at the proceeds from their sale on our return trip home we regretted that we didn't pack them in rocks. But times change and so does the price of eggs. The time when we sold eggs for three cents, or more properly, one cent and a half a dozen because we had more than we could use, has changed and we now think we are luckey if we can buy what we can use for one cent and a half each. And egg producers feel very much de- pressed if eggs drop occasionally to twelve cents per dozen. But they seldom get that low in price these days and hold so much value as to be worth packing in silk tissue.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
The Beaver Crossing Telephone Company and Its Change to Seward County Telephone Company and Final Sale to The Lincoln Tele- graph and Telephone Company. Additional Early Settlers.
The Beaver Crossing Telephone Company was incorpor- ated March 2nd, 1903 with a capital stock of five thousand dollars. It was to continue twenty years unless sooner dis- solved by vote of the share holders. And while the company seemed not to have been dissolved its name, for some rea- son, was changed to Seward County Telephone Company, while its original officers continued in its service. This change was made on August 3, 1903, five months after the company's organization.
The first annual meeting of the Seward County Tele- phone Company was held in Beaver Crossing, January 5th, 1904. The interest at this meeting was greatly manifested by the presence of many of the stock holders from various parts of the county. The meeting was called to order by the president, Dr. C. W. Doty, at 10 o'clock, a. m. The books of the Company were carefully examined and the Com- pany found to be in a flourishing condition. A dividend of ten per cent was declared and paid to the respective stock- holders. The election of officers was held in the afternoon of the same day, Jacob Geis being elected president, Henry Wellman vice-president, J. P. Mayhew treasurer, and J. H. Ritchie secretary. Henry Gake, John Stockley, E. H. Strayer, Chris Klem and Paul Bulgrin were elected directors.
The meeting adjourned with a rising vote of thanks to the officers who had so faithfully served the company during its short existance.
During this meeting the retiring president, Dr. C. W.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Doty delivered a speech, outlining the then prosperous con- dition of the Company and its bright prospects for the future, a part of which we quote as a historical resume of the early telephone work in Seward County:
"Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Seward County Telephone Company :- Ten months ago your company came into existance. Its increase in so short a period has been marvelous. With a paid up capital of nearly nine thousand dollars, a gain of close to four thousand dollars since its first organization regardless of its constructive expense, its pros- pects for future developements are very flattering. And we feel and judge the promise of greater strides for our system during the present year of 1904 from the success gained in the few months of its existance. The building of lines has kept pace with the increase in stock, reaching east, west, north and south until we now have about sixty miles of polles and five hundred miles of wire .. In addition to an excellent ex- change in this city we have reason to expect a fine one in Milford in a short time, and as rapidly as finances will admit we will reach other towns of the county and especially the county seat city. In the past rural lines have done exceed- ingly well which is very incouraging for the future.
"Our outside connections are excellent, reaching Saline, York and Filmore counties with their valuable towns and ru- ral districts. And the day is not very far distant when we can reach far beyond our neighboring places, thus increasing the earning capacity of our own system. The treasurer's re- port has shown what we have gained this season and in view of the fact that our earning capacity has been brief, its increase reaching one hundred and twenty-five phones placed and in working order, is very assuring of many more to follow soon.
"The toll business is showing a steady gain each month, the secretary's books showing an existing dividend equal to ten percent, Can you as stockholders have invested your
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
money better? I think not. With the dividend thus de- clared it ought to increase the coming season, as our plant has been bat partially in operation during a part of the past year.
"We have taken in at some expense the Star Telphone line of Milford and feel that the act was fully justified and has been the means of harmonizing the Seward County Company and its rival on the east. With this consolidation we have been enabled to invade one of the richest fields for teiephone construction we have as yet cncountered.
"Except in certain localities, telephone construction is a difficult proposition, many failing to comprehend the utility . of it. But our contention is its many advantages for the up- building of society, as well as its many business facilities. It is an educator for the young, keeps the older members of the family more contented to stay at home, and prevents crime by placing the rural districts in close touch with peace offici- als. To the farmer it is a source of profft, placing him in close communication with his fellow workers and the markets of the world, in addition to which it advances the value of his farm lands."
The Seward County Telephone Company was among the most prosperous associations of the county, and its en- terprises the most successful. It had a carrer of about eight years of financial prosperity. However the line was sold to the Lincoln Telegraph and Telephone Company in 1912.
It has been a difficult matter with the patrons of the Sew- ard County Telephone, as it has with a part of the stockhold- ers in that enterprise to understand why it was closed out to the Lincoln Company. The business had been worked up to a point of permanent profit to the Seward county people, and was giving the highest grade satisfaction to its patrons. And while its service was as good as the best, no patron need be afraid of having his telephone disconected in the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
middle of the night, or secretly at any other hour, because he has failed to comply with new rules established in the middle of the night and kept a secret from him, of making monthly payment of phone rent six or seven days before it was due by previous established rule of payment. Arbitrary treatment of patrons was not resorted to in the management by the home company of telephone business and we are glad to mention the company's clean record.
ADDITIONAL PIONEER AND EARLY SETTLERS.
The following early settlers in Seward county were over- looked in our previous mention of settlements:
In -G- precinct, J. J. Hamlin settled in 1883; - K- precinct, Ethan Atwater, an early pioneer; Josiah Griffiin settled in 1879, George Heid in 1883. - L- precinct, Wm. J. Hannah, Roland Terrill and John Terrill in 1883, F. M. Foster in 1869, Pierce Dygert and Wm. Ward 1872, Oliver Dickey in 1879. - M- precinct, Henry Bridenball and two sons, Henry and Fred. and Danforth Brown were 1873 settlers, Chris Klem settled in 1880, Joseph Crone, Leonard Wehr, J. T. Davis, Wm. Flack and Chas. Flack all settled in 1883. -O- precinct, Edward Healy settled in 1869, Chas. Smith in 1870 and Riley Hornady in 1883.
Those of the above early settlers who were Union soldiers in the war of the rebellion: J. J. Hamlin, Ethan Atwater, and Edward Healey.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Additional List of Deaths of Early Settlers of Seward County. Fatal Acci- dents and Untimely Deaths. Suicides.
Daniel Millspaw, one of the 1864 ranchers, whose ranch was located on the east half of the north-west quarter of section two, iu -M- precinct, now in the west part of the village of Beaver Crossing, where he resided as a pioneer homesteader many years after the ranch period, died at Pagosa Springs, Colorado, April 14, 1893. His death was the result of a fall from a wagon on which he was riding two weeks previous to his death. He was on his way to Pagosa Springs intending to bathe for rheumatism, and in a rough place in the road one wheel of the wagon struck the root of a stump while the wheel on the opposite side of the wagon went into a chuck hole, throwing him off and breaking his collar bone in two places. He re- ceived all the care and attention possible, but on account of his advanced age he was unable to recover from the accident. His good wife preceded him to rest several years, an only daughter, Rosa McClellan surviving them
Philip Weinand an 1870 homesteader in -M- Precinct,died at his home in Beaver Crossing, March 1, 1910. A wife, one son and three daughters remained to mourn his departure.
John Atwood, an 1867 homestead settler four miles north of Milford, died in Dayton, Washington, March 11, 1902, aged fifty-eight years. He was one of four brothers, the others being H. C., Lee R. and Silas S. At- wood who all came to Seward county about the same date. He moved to the state of Washington in 1885.
Elmer E. True, an early settler in the south part of -M- precinct, and and for many years a resident of Beaver Crossing where he was engaged for some time as a clerk in Eager's store, and later conducting the hotel at that place, died at his home, March 1, 1896, aged thirty-five years. He left to mourn his loss a wife and two small children.
Mrs. Mary Atwater died at the home of her son, Ethan Atwater, four miles north-east of Beaver Crossing, December 17, 1893, aged 81 years, 4 months and 3 days. She was born in New York state August 14, 1812.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Henry H. Buck, an 1873 settler in -N- precinct, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. A. Reams, near Beaver Crossing, November 8, 1894 aged 67 years. He left and aged wife and several sons and daughters.
On Saturday evening, about five o'clock, September 2nd, 1916, the citi- zens of Beaver Crossing were shocked by the report that Paul W. McNeil had been stricken down by heart failure. He was a promising young man, just past seventeen years old, son of Editor E. A. McNeil and wife, and his death was so sudden and untimely that it cast a shadow of sorrow over the entire community. Paul was a Nebraska boy, born at Orleans, May 10th, 1899, and came to Beaver Crossing with his parents in 1908. He left to mourn his early departure a father, mother and little sister, Genevieve, who have the heartfelt sympathy of the public in their great sorrow.
Following closely upon the shock over the sudden death of Paul W. McNeil came the report on Monday evening, September 4th, 1916, that Al. Caswell, mail carrler on rural route number three at Beaver Crossing, had died in his automobile while on his way home from the state fair. His death was thought to have been caused by ptomaine poisoning from food he had partaken of shortly before leaving the fair grounds. The day of his death was Labor Day, a national holliday and he was not required to make the trip over his mail route, therefore he attended the fair. Mr. Caswell had been carrying the mail about ten years. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, September 27, 1869, and was 46 years, 11 months and 8 days of age. A wife, one son, an aged father, mother, two brothers and one sister were left to mourn his untimely death.
Lewis Moffitt, a pioneer who settled upon a homestead, a part of which comprises the location of the city of Seward, in 1865, and gave a large and valuable farm to aid the county in building its fine court house, died at his home in Seward, June 14, 1900, leaving a wife who followed him to rest in 1905. Mr. Moffitt had the first part of Seward laid out in 1867, and was the first postmaster for the new town, the postoffice occupying a part of his pioneer residence.
James P. Dunham, many years a resident of Seward, was twice elected councilman and twice mayor of the city, died at his home there, October 30, 1902. Mr. Dunham was born at Crawford, New Jersey, February 8, 1853. A wife and two children survived him.
Mrs. Jacob Shaffer who had been a resident of Milford since 1879, died at her home in that place, July 23, 1906, a husband and adopted daughter surviving to mourn her loss
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Joseph D. Woods, an early settler at Seward where he conducted a ho- tel in pioneer times, later moving to Stromsburg, Nebraska, died at his home in that city, March 9, 1902, aged ninety-three years. He was the father of William Woods of Seward.
Mary Jane Linch was born in Riley, Indiana, October 16, 1838, and was married to George Foster September 26, 1859. In October 1869 she, with her husband, settled on a homestead in -N- precinct, Seward county, where she resided until the time of her death, November 12, 1901. She left to mourn her departure a husband and two daughters.
Lewis G. Castle, an 1870 homesteader near Tamora, in -F- precinct, died at his home in Seward, June 9, 1910, leaving a wife and one son. His wife, Emugene M. Castle followed him across the dark river, August 16, 1916, one son, Lewis Castle of Lincoln, surviving her.
William P. Clapp settled on a homestead in -F- precinct in 1867 where he died April 10, 1875. He left a wife who passed to her rest at her home near Tamory, June 13, 1916, aged seventy-four years, six months and thir- teen days. One son and three daughters survived her.
Mrs. Ashford Holloway, ne Amanda Anderson, daughter of James and Jane Anderson who settled on a homestead two miles west of Seward in 1867, died at her home in Seward, April 5, 1915, aged fifty-two years, eleven ' months and thirteen days. Mrs. Holloway spent all of her life except five years in Seward county. She left a husband, one son and one daughter.
Mrs. George Gannon, who with her husband settled on a homestead near Staplehurst in 1872 and with him retired from the farm and moved to Seward in 1913, died at her home in that city, March 16, 1915, aged fifty- one years, nine months and twenty-three days. A husband, one son and two daughters survived her.
Hon. Thomas A. Healey, an 1868 pioneer settler at Milford, died in a hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, January 14, 1910, aged sixty-seven years,six months and seven days. He was elected to the state legislature in 1876, and served many years as Milford's postmaster, being in that service up till nearly the date of his death. A wife remained to mourn the departure of a kind and loving husband.
Edward Healy, brother of Thomas A. Healey, also an early pioneer settler at Milford, died in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 8, 1906. He was born at Montreal, Canada, in 1840, and was about sixty-six years of age at the time of his death. Was elected county superintendent of public instuction in 1896 and served two terms.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Mrs. Silance, wife of Ira Silance, an 1870 settler in -K- precinct, died at her home in -L- precinct, April 4, 1896. A husband and three small children remained to mourn the departure of a loving wife and mother.
Mrs. Jerry Coffey, a pioneer settler north-east of Staplehurst,died at her home, Saturday, May 6, 1905, of pneumonia, aged 52 years. A _husband, three sons and three daughters remained to mourn her departure.
Dr. Alma M. Rowe, a well known resident of Beaver Crossing in the nineties, where with her husband, Dr. E. J. Rowe, she was a successful practicing physician, died at her home in Mississippi, in June, 1906, aged 38 years. The Drs. Rowe moved to Mississippi in 1900. A husband and twin daughters, born at Beaver Crossing, survived her.
Joshua VanDervort, an 1870 stteler on a homestead one mile south of Beaver Crossing, died at his home in Friend, Nebraska, Sunday, April 28, 1905. Mr. Van Dervort purchased a farm on section 15, -M- precinct, and moved on to it shortly after proving up on his homestead, where he resided until about 1894 when he retired from the farm and moved to Friend. A wife and daughter, Mrs. Avona Wehr, preceded him only a short time, to rest, the latter leaving a husband and two small daughters, one daughter, Mrs. Ora Crone of Friend, surviving to mourn the departure of a kind and loving father, mother and sister.
Edmond L. Blanchard was born in Florida, Mass., June 15, 1856, and died at York, Nebraska, Friday, May 5, 1893. Mr. Blanchard was a pio- neer settler in York county, but moved in an ealy day to Seward county and settled on a farm in -L- precinct where he resided many years, returning to York in 1892 he spent the short remainder of his life in that city. His remains were brought to Beaver Crossing where funeral services were held after which they were laid to rest in the Beaver Crossing cemetery.
B. F. Perry was born in Kentucky, March 4, 1841, and came to Ne- braska and settled on section 7, rail road land in -E- precinct in 1873. He retired from the farm and moved to Tamora where he resided till the end of life, November 11, 1898. He left a wife, one son and four daughters.
Samuel Manning, one of the early pioneers of Seward county, died at the home of his son in Seward, Thursday, April 27, 1905, aged 82 years. He left a wife, one son and two daughters.
Weldon Ragan, a pioneer settler in Seward county and for many years a business man in the village of Utica, died at his home April 4th, 1905.
Mrs. David Stutzman, a pioneer resident of Milford, died Sunday, April
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
1, 1905. Her husband, David Stutzman preceded her to rest about seven years. Seven sons and seven daughters survived them.
Patrick Smith died at his home in -L- precinct, four miles north-west of Beaver Crossing, Wednesday, August 29, 1906. Mr. Smith came to Sew- ard county in 1884 and settled on the farm where he spent the remainder of his life. He left a wife, three sons and four daughters, his wife follow- ing him to rest, January 3, 1915, aged sixty-nine years, eleveen months and ten days.
Julia Saxon Hamlin, wife of J. J. Hamlin, a pioneer settler who retired from the farm and moved to Seward in 1904, died at her home there Thurs- day, March 11, 1915, aged 75 years, 4 months and 1 day. She left a hus- band and two daughters, Mrs. Wm. Mooney of Montana, and Mrs. L. S. Konkright of Seward.
Louisa Jacobine Goeting, an early settler with her husband in -1- precinct died at her home in Germantown, May 17, 1915, aged sixty-six years, nine months and sixteen days. They retired from the farm just a short time be- fore her death and made their home in Germantown. She left a husband and seven sons and daughters.
Warren Brown, an 1866 homesteader in -H- pracinct, retired from the farm and moved to Germantown in 1892 where he passed to rest May 24, 1904.
Robert Walker, a pioneer settler in -L- precinct, died at the home os his son James in that precinct, August 12, 1880, aged 77 years.
Roland Terrill, another noblemen passed through the valley and shad- ow to that eternal home where God is the ruler, February 14, 1916, aged seventy-nine years. He came to Seward county in 1884 and settled in -K- precinct, near Goehner and in 1890 located on a farm in · L- precinct where he resided until the date of his death. His wife, Hanna A. Dunn Terrill, preceded him to rest nearly six years, having passed away April 7, 1909. One son, Henry Terrill, dieing about a year previous to his father, three sons survived him.
John T. Davis settled in the south part of Seward county in 1879, and engaged in farming for several years. In 1892 he moved to Beaver Cross- ing where he followed the trade of mason and plasterer. He died Febru- ary 14, 1916 after about four years of continued sickness. He left a wife and several sons and daughters. John T. Davis was one of Seward county's grand pioneers, respected by all and disrespected by none who knew him, a kind, innofensive citizen and neighbor.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Joseph Lanning, an 1870 settler at Beaver Crossing, died at the home * of his son Edward, in Lexington, Nebraska, December 12, 1900. Mr. . Lanning was about ninety years of age. Two sons and one daughter sur- vived him.
J. B. Seavey, an 1870 homestead settler on the south half of the south . east quarter of section ten, -M- precinct, died at his home, Monday, Febr- uary 27, 1888. Mr. Seavey left a wife, daughter and one sor.
A. J. Palmer, a pioneer homestead settler in -L- precinct, died at his home, Tuesday, May 10, 1887, aged sixty-nine years. Mr. Palmer planted corn until noon the day of his death, and shortly after going to the house, · sank down and. expired immediatly.
Charles H. Smith, an 1870 homesteader in -M- precinct, died in Cali- fornia, June 18, 1916, aged seventy-nine years. He was a shoemaker by trade and worked at that business in Beaver Crossing in an early day.
Jacob Geis, who settled on rail road land in -K- precinct in the pioneer days, where he improved one of the fine farms of Seward county, died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, in Lincoln, Nebraska, August 17, 1916, aged seventy-two years, three months and nine days. He was married January 31, 1871 to Mary Karl. She preceded him to the great beyond, at their home January 5th, 1901. Five sons and two daughters survived them.
FATAL ACCIDENTS AND UNTIMELY DIATHS.
The first untimely deaths in Seward county, were those of the two young sons of Conrad Grots, sr., Henry and Conrad, who resided in -H- precinct, both being killed by one bolt of lightening, July 14, 1869.
SHOOTING OF AMOS RUMSEY AT UTICA.
At a celebration in Utica, July 4, 1879, Amos Rumsey, a young son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rumsey, was standing behind a young man who was shooting at a target with a revolver. The marksman getting a little artistic in the handling of his weapon, extended his hand with the gun over his head with a fancy florish as he was about to shoot, and accidently pulled the trigger, discharging the gun, the ball striking young Rumsey in the side of the neck and passing downwards lodged in the spine from which the low- er part of his body and his lower limbs were paralized. In addition to the entire medical profession of Utica, Dr. Woodward of Seward was called, but there was no relief for the unfortunate young man. He was taken to his home at Beaver Crossing, where he lingered a helpless cripple for four years when death relieved him of his suffering.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY. NEBRASKA.
ORSON C. FISH ACCIDENT.
Orson C. Fish, who settled on a homestead in -L- precinct in 1869,and was a resident for many years, moved to Collins, lowa in 1894, died Sat- urday, November 9, 1895 from injuries received by being run over by a thrashing engine. He had went under the engine to couple the machine to it and was laying down in front of one of the drive wheels, and another person started the engine, the wheel passing over his body. It seems like a miracle that he was not killed instantly, but he was favored by being in an old deadfurrow or low place in the gorund. He lingered a few days, dur- ing which time he underwent a surgical operation. He left a wife, three sons and four daughters.
JOHN HUFFMAN.
John Huffman, a sixteen year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Huffman, pioneer settlers in the vicinity of Beaver Crossing, with other boys had been out hunting and on their way home were overtaken by two neigh- bors in a wagon who invited them to ride. Young Huffman going behind the wagon laid his gun in with the muzzle toward him and the hammer coming in contact with the wagon box dischared the gun, the contents strik- ing him in the face and side of the head. He was hurridly taken to town and the entire medical profession of Beaver Crossing called to his assistance but he gradully sank until between one and two o'clock the next morning, Tuesday, February 20, 1906, his spirit took its flight to the one who gave it. He was born and always lived at Beaver Crossing. He left to mourn his untimely death, a father, mother and five brothers.
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