USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 38
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
THE GRANGE
During January, 1911, a National Grange organizer was surveying Nebraska with a view of organizing Granges in the state. On being invited by J. D. Ream to come to Custer county, and assured that he would find an att- dience that would be interested in listening to a discussion of the Grange organization and its work, he came early in February and found a fair audience awaiting him. Although this community had been noted from its earliest settlement for the progressive tendencies of its people and for the organized efforts it had made along social and educational lines, yet there were present only seven who had faith enough in the community push and energy to feel sure they could maintain a successful grange.
A temporary organization was effected and arrangements made for the organizer to re- turn later. By the time the organizer returned, a sufficient interest had been aroused to make possible a permanent organization. A canvass was made of the surrounding territory, and Granges were organized in Tappan Valley, Lill- ian, East Table. Union, Dutchman, Fairview, New Helena, Highland, etc., and a State Grange was organizeed at Broken Bow No- vember 1st. The Central Nebraska Pomona Grange was organized at the same time and of the same C. P. Jeffords was elected master and secretary.
The organization spread steadily until over fifty subordinate and four Pomona Granges had been organized in the county and a won- derfully increased interest in rural community- life conditions had been created. The rural- school problem was one of the first things the Grange grappled with, in real earnest, because the little, inefficient schoolhouses were recog- nized by the Grange workers as being very detrimental to the good work and growth of the Grange, and also very detrimental to the development of ideal rural-life conditions in general. The work of the Granges in this line bids fair to bring splendid results in the near future to the state at large.
These Grange organizations have done much good by bringing the people of the rural com-
munity together, getting them acquainted and giving them a chance to clasp hands with eachi other in their social, educational, and co-oper- ative work, thus helping break the monotony and isolation of rural life and broadening their field of labor. Especially has this been true with the younger members.
In the co-operative line, scores of carloads of coal, lumber, fruits, salt, sugar, flour, and livestock have been handled, and two large, successful co-operative stores have been estab- lished in the county as a direct result of the work of the Grange. And there is no way of measuring the number of lives it has bright- ened and cheered or the number of those to whom it has brought a broader vision of the opportunities of life and their duties to those around them.
Among the many faithful workers in the good work of the Grange in Custer county may be mentioned J. A. Dietz and wife, S. A. Dean and wife. W. W. Bishop and wife, Ralph Johnson and wife, T. A. Ely and wife, L. O. Welch and wife, John Staab and wife, W. Miller and wife, Alvin Daily and wife, H. Jacobsen and wife. W. D. Holden and wife, George Pelkey and wife, and a great host of others who have done what they could to help make the rural communities of Custer county better places in which to live and to give to the younger members of the communities broader conceptions of the opportunities and responsi- bilities of life in general.
WOMAN'S CLUBS IN CUSTER COUNTY
The women of Custer county have always been the peers of their stronger consorts, not to say their lords and masters. . \ fitting trib- uite can never be paid those brave wives and mothers who endured the hardships incident to the time in which they lived. They did their work and laid the foundations of home culture and refined ideals in such a manner that the present womanhood of Custer county stands high in the estimation of all intelligent classes. To-day the women of the county have more time for self-culture and elevating pursuits than in the pioneer days of the past ; for that reason, the following list of improvement, so-
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
cial. and literary clubs, organized and main- tained by women, can be presented.
SHAKESPEARE CLUB
The Shakespeare Club, the oldest study club of Broken Bow, was organized January 11. 1895, with a membership of four, and was known as the Four Leaf Clover Club for sev- cral . years. For the past twenty-three years. the Shakespeare Club has held weekly meet- ings, and its programs have consisted of the study and discussion of the great dramatic writ- ings, research work in history. art, and litera- ture, and interpretations of the music of the Shakespeare plays. During the later years, the personnel of the club has been increased to a membership of twelve. In January, 1918, it decided to suspend meetings until after period of war, in order to devote more time to Red Cross work.
CALLAWAY SOROSIS CLUB
The Callaway Sorosis Club was organized April 2, 1909. It was the first club organized in Callaway. The organization was effected at the home of Mrs. A. L. Matthews. The first year's officers were: President, Mrs. J. D. Caupsey : vice-presidents, Mrs. T. C. Grimes and Mrs. F. M. McGrew : secretary. Mrs. J. D. Laughlin ; treasurer. Mrs. R. E. Brega. Other charter members were Mrs. John Fel- ken, Mrs. Riggle, Mrs. Ray Bennett, Mrs. Ira Shupp, Mrs. Roy Grimes, Mrs. Arthur Higlee. . Mrs. Walter Wright. Mrs. O. C. Murphy, and Mrs. Allen. The work has been along the literary line and has included Bay Vies work, with some miscellaneous programs. This club joined the state federation in 1910 and was the first Custer county club to join that ยท federation.
HISTORY OF BROWNING CLUB
In the fall of 1910 a group of ladies gath- ered at the home of Mrs. . A. R. Humphrey. of Broken Bow, and organized a club, the purpose of which was to study the works of Robert Browning. Mrs. H. T. Bruce was elected pres- ident, and the work began with enthusiasm under her efficient leadership. The Browning
Club has always been strictly a study club and has studied some of Browning's most difficult works. The first two years the club studied "The Ring and the Book" with shorter poems. In the spring of 1912 the club, with a number of other Broken Bow ladies, had the pleasure of listening to a lecture on "Rabbi Ben Ezra" by Professor O. H. Venner, of the literature department of the Wesleyan University.
In the spring of 1914, occurred the death of one of the charter members, Mrs. A. R. Humphrey, who had always been a very loyal worker and who has been greatly missed by the members of the club. In the fall of 1914 the club decided to take up the study of Brown- ing on a university basis, and accordingly be- gan the study of the dramatic poems. as outlined by Professor Frederick Ames Struff. of the University of Nebraska. The poems studied were "Count Gismond." "Rabbi Ben Ezra," "My Last Duchess." "Saul." "Andrea Del Sarto." ".\ Death in the Desert." "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came." "Cleon." and "An Epistle."
In the summer of 1916 the club was again bereaved, by the death of Mrs. H. M. Sullivan, who had endeared herself to all the members. In 1916 the club studied "Paracelsus" and "Pippa Passes." In 1917 the poems studied were "Strafford." "Parleying with Charles Ari- son," "Old Pictures in Florence," "Sordello." "Christmas Eve." and "Easter Day."
The members of the club patriotically de- cided that for the duration of the war they would devote their time to Red Cross work as well as study.
THE BOOKLOVERS ORGANIZATION
In the summer of 1911 a Chautauqua class of Broken Bow decided that they preferred to study the history and literature of the different countries. A meeting was held, officers elected. and plans rather indefinitely made for the 1911-12 year.
A book committee, Mrs. J. G. Leonard and R. G. Moore, outlined the work for the first year - the French year. The French history was taken as the basis for the study, with his- torical novels, by the greatest French authors.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in their chronological order, interspersing the history lessons.
The officers for this year were: Mrs. J. G. Leonard, president ; Mrs. Leo Dean, vice-pres- ident : Mrs. R. G. Moore, secretary-treasurer. The members for this year were Mrs. R. G. Moore, Mrs. Leo Dean, Mrs. Charles Luce, Mrs. Emery Bush, Mrs. Will Osborn, Mrs. James Leonard, Mrs. William Lovelace, Mrs. John Turner, Miss Martha Fodge, and Miss Eva Cadwell.
The course was successful and passed all expectations of the club members. Each year they have improved in their methods of study. They were pioneers in club circles of the city and introduced such features as the use of wall maps, Perry pictures, printed yearly programs, and study of the music and art of the countries under consideration.
The 1912-13 year was German year, with Bayard Taylor's German history, and German novels and pocms. The 1913-14 year was the English year, with Greene's English history, and, for the most part, the great English po- etical classics, such as Milton's "Paradise Lost," Spencer's "Faerie Queen," and others.
In 1914-15 they studied the home country, taking John Fiske's United States history, and various novels describing different parts of the country, such as Cooper's "Last of the Mohi- cans," telling of the Indians ; S. Weir Mitchell's "Hugh Wynne," depicting the Quakers; Irv- ing's "Knickerbocker History of New York." showing the life of the early Dutch in New York.
In 1915-16 they used the general history and the greatest literary work of some of the coun- trics, taking "The Divine Comedy" for Italy "Don Quixote" for Spain, the "Iliad" for Greece. In 1916-17 the work was the plays of Shakespeare. In 1917-18 they studied Old Tes- tament history, using for text-books four vol- umes of Professor Kent's "Historical Bible."
The officers for the year 1917-18 are: Mrs. A. A. Alden, president ; Mrs. Ralph Thomp- son, vice-president ; Mrs. Horace Kennedy. secretary-treasurer ; Mrs. James Leonardi, chairman ; and Miss Eva Cadwell and Mrs. Alden, book committee.
The present members are Mrs. A. A. Alden, Mrs. Ralph Thompson, Mrs. Horace Kennedy, Mrs. Emery Bush, Mrs. James Leonard, Mrs. Charles Luce, Mrs. Gaius Cadwell, and Miss Eva Cadwell. The club meets every Monday afternoon from the last Monday in September to the first Monday in June of each year.
BROKEN BOW ART CLUB
January 5, 1915, Mrs. H. T. Bruce and the active members of her china-painting class or- ganized the Broken Bow Art Club. The pur- pose of this club was to engage in a syste- matic study of pictorial art in all its forms ; to attain some knowledge of the use of oils and water colors, while specializing in mineral paints ; to become acquainted with the best paintings ; and to learn to judge values in all pictures.
The club has been very successful in the pursuit of these objects and met regularly at fortnightly intervals until the early spring of 1918, when it disbanded temporarily, to take up war work.
In addition to the activities described above, the Art Club has placed framed copies of good pictures in the public library of Broken Bow, and in both ward-school buildings.
ARNOLD WOMEN'S IMPROVEMENT CLUB
It would be hard to find a more wide-awake, energetic club than the Women's Improvement Club of Arnold. They were organized in 1913 and in the same year federated with the state federation. Mrs. Charles Beardsley and Mrs. Will Jennings were the prime movers in the matters of organization.
The first officers were as follows: Presi- dent, Mrs. Fred Britten ; vice-president, Mrs. William Jennings: treasurer, Mrs. Tom Backes ; secretary, Mrs. E. L. Cleveland ; and corresponding secretary, Mrs. Charles Beards- ley.
The federated clubs' bulletin published in June, 1918, an extended article on the activi- ties of this club. under the caption of "A Live Club." The club gave in 1917, "The Nebras- ka Institution Entertainment," for the benefit of the public; they also held a schoolhouse
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
meeting and did much work to secure the co- operation of parents in school work. By the request of the school authorities the Shake- spearean department gave the court scene from "The Merchant of Venice" at the school- house, for the benefit and instruction of the pupils and school patrons generally.
Arnold has the distinction of giving more money to the Young Women's Christian As- sociation than any other town in the county. This was made possible by the leadership of this club.
The ladies of the club have been instru- mental in establishing a public library and a public drinking fountain, and have purchased two centrally located lots for the erection of a club building. This fine record has been made while all kinds of war work have been car- ried on. At the present time the club has forty-seven members, and the officers are: President. Essie Haskell ; vice-president, Lil- lian Anson ; recording secretary, May Conrad ; corresponding secretary. Jessie Brunt ; treas- urer. Jennie Backes; and reporter, Maude Meads.
WOMAN'S PUBLIC SERVICE CLUB
The Woman's Public Service Club of Bro- ken Bow was organized in 1914. for the pur- pose of co-operating with the Public Service Club and doing what they could along civic lines. The officers for the first year were : Mrs. A. Morgan, president : Mrs. E. P. Walter, vice-president : Mrs. C. W. Bowman, treasur- er : Mrs. A. E. Anderson, secretary. During this year, prizes were given for children's gar- dens : the club assisted also in putting on the Chautauqua and keeping up the social life of both clubs.
In 1915. at the County Fair, prizes were awarded for bird-houses, needlework. and cookery. At Christmas time a donation was given to the Associated Charities of Broken Bow, fruit sent to both county and city jails, and flowers to the hospital. In 1916 they again assisted in Chautauqua work, made arrange- ments for short courses in domestic science, and donated ten dollars to the state peniten-
tiary, to be used to purchase music for the prison orchestra.
In October. 1916. they joined the State Federation and drafted the Nebraska nurse bill that same month. At Thanksgiving time they gave a donation to the Associated Char- ities and sent magazines and books to state penitentiary. In April the Nebraska nurse bill was passed, the federated clubs of the state having endorsed and supported this bill. In March the first year's course in domestic science was conducted by the State Extension Bureau, with an enrollment of sixty-five. The club gave garden prizes and held a two days' canning school. In August it co-operated with the Chautauqua. It bought a fifty-dollar Liberty Bond in October and started to work for the Woman County Agent. The club held an art exhibit in November. and presented a picture to the high school and each ward school. The officers for 1918 are: Mrs. M1. S. Eddy, president : Mrs. L. W. Wilson, vice- president : Mrs. A. E. Anderson, treasurer ; and Mrs. Will Darnell, secretary.
THE BROKEN BOW WOMAN'S CLUB
A few ladies met in the month of June, 1915, for the purpose of organizing a Moth- ers' Club in connection with the Maccabee lodge. At this meeting Mrs. George Mair was elected president. and Mrs. L. D. George, vice-president. The ladies forming the or- ganization were Mrs. George Mair. Mrs. I .. D. George. Mrs. Edwin Myers, Mrs. Dr. Hurst, Mrs. Lillie King. and Mrs. Della M. Hall.
No special work was taken up until Septem- ber of the same year, when Mrs. Edwin Myers was made chairman of the programme com- mittee. At this time the membership had grown from six to nineteen. A constitution was drawn up and adopted. From this time on the club studied, in full. the program mapped out in the Woman's Home Companion for that year, on "Child Training" and "The Home."
"The club was admitted to membership in the Nebraska Federation of Woman's Chibs
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in September. 1916, changing its name at that time from the Mothers' Club to The Broken Bow Woman's Club.
Since its affiliation with the state federa- tion, the Woman's Club has been very active in various lines of philanthropic work. The field of its endeavor is broad and comprehen- sive. It is a means of personal instruction and intellectual development, as well as a dili- gent. energetic, and efficient agent of civic im- provement.
The work for the club year of 1918-19 is de- partmental. The work of each department in the state federation will be correspondingly represented by a department chairman. One program will be given by each department during the year.
The officers of the club for the ensuing year are: Mrs. J. H. Melville, president ; Mrs. J. F. Bahr, vice-president : Mrs. Jules Haumont, secretary ; and Mrs. T. C. Grimes, treasurer.
SARGENT WOMAN'S CLUB
This club was organized in January, 1915, under the name of Sargent Emanon Club, and the name was changed to Sargent Woman's Club in July, 1918. It was organized by Mrs. Leota Hartley. The first officers were: Pres- ident, Mrs. Leota Hartley : vice-president. Mrs. Lizzie Morris.
The object has been to secure a wider in-
formation, with a view to improving intellec- trial and social conditions, and work is thor- oughly planned for the present club year. Oi- ficers at the present time are: Mrs. Etta Reier, president : Mrs. Nellie Phillips, vice- president : Mrs. Flora Cropper, recording sec- retary: Mrs. Lizzie Morris, corresponding secretary ; and Mrs. Lulu Hicks, treasurer.
WOMAN'S CLUB OF ANSLEY
The Woman's Club of Ansley was organized in 1916 and has been actively engaged in pub- lic improvements. The members established a public rest-room and have maintained it since the first year of their organization. In this room they have the nucleus of a public library, in which are some 400 volumes. They are now working to secure a Carnegie library building. The course of study for the regular club meet- ings includes a course in parliamentary law, conducted by Mrs. J. H. Ford. The club was federated in 1917. Mrs. S. W. Thompson is president, and Mrs. L. H. Fowler is librarian.
The club was first organized under the name of The Woman's Improvement Club, but this name was changed to the Woman's Club at the time of its becoming identified with the Ne- braska Federation of Woman's Clubs. Mrs. C. H. England, of Broken Bow, assisted in its organization. The first president was Mrs. Earl Cooper. and the first secretary was Mrs. C. Steinmier.
CHAPTER XIII
POLITICAL AND PARTISAN ACTIVITIES
THE FIRST ELECTION - HAD SOME "PEP." HOWEVER - IN SCRAPPY DAYS - A JOINT DEBATE - THE POPULIST VERSION - THROUGHI REPUBLICAN GOGGLES - THE "POPULIST" MOVEMENT IN CUSTER COUNTY - FIRST COUNTY TICKET - THE CAT CREEK CLUB - LIKE A LAMB TO THE SWALLOWING - THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ORGANIZES - THE REPUB- LICANS SPLIT - THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY - VERY PROMINENT POLITICALLY - THE PRIMARIES OF 1918 - THE ELECTION OF 1918
The political solidarity of Custer county has always been a source of comment on the part of careful observers. Political lines have nev- er been closely drawn. In the early days. local politics had small place. In his candidacy for any office the man. if he were competent and popular, was not handicapped by a political creed. Nor was there any political creed to which he must subscribe in order to be elected. Personal characteristics and qualities were the only things that counted. In the early Re- publican conventions, many who are now wheel-horses of the Democratic party affil- iated heartily and served on many important committees. This indicates the lack of acid tests, and shows that the early conventions were a free-for-all, in which a man was pitted against a man and not a partisan against a partisan.
THE FIRST ELECTION
The first election ever held in the territory which now comprises Custer county was held at Douglas Grove, before the county was or- ganized. A few years ago, among the papers of the late Captain W. H. Comstock, was found the poll-book of this election, which was held in November. 1876.
At that time the territory west of Valley county was attached to Valley for judicial purposes, and a corner. twenty-four miles square. was cut off and known as Garber
county. Later this territory became a part of Custer county.
The election was held on the seventh day of November. 1876, at which time Edward Nei !- son. J. L. Banker, and D. J. Caswell were judges and W. H. Comstock and James Wag- oner were clerks of election.
In all, fourteen votes were cost as follows: Isaac Merchant. New Helena : Edward Neii- son. New Helena : Lewis Dowse, Douglas Grove: J. P. Dowse, Douglas Grove : James Lee. Lee Park : J. L. Banker. Douglas Grove : W. H. Comstock, Douglas Grove : D. J. Cas- well. Douglas Grove : Frank Ingram, Douglas Grove : Frank Ohme. Lee Park : Samnel Wag- oner. Douglas Grove : James Wagoner. Doug- las Grove : James Oxford, Douglas Grove : . 1. A. Higgins, Douglas Grove.
At that time the precinct was overwhelm - ingly Republican, as out of the fourteen votes cast, only one saw fit to vote the Democratic ticket. Thomas J. Majors, who was then run - ning for congress, received twelve votes. Si- las Garber was running for governor, Othman 1. Abbott for lieutenant governor, and each received twelve votes. At this election Will- iam H. Comstock and Isaac Merchant were elected justices of the peace, each receiving fourteen votes. Lewis Dowse received one vote for constable. I. T. Merchant fourteen. and James Wagoner twelve. W. H. Com-
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
stock received one vote for road overseer, and D. J. Caswell fourteen.
In those days Nebraska had only six elec- toral votes, and this part of the world was known as the forty-fifth representative dis- trict, instead of the fifty-sixth, as now. It was entitled to only one representative, in- stead of two; Daniel D. Grow was running for that office and received the magnificent total of thirteen votes.
HAD SOME "PEP" HOWEVER
With the passing of the first years, the set- tling up of the country, the coming of leaders from the more politic counties of the east, political lines were more sharply drawn. Three prominent parties have for part of the time held the lime light. These are the Republican, Democratic, and Populist parties.
In the days of the '90s, when the Populists formed a merger with the Democrats and made the Republicans their common foe, there were lively times, and spirited contests were staged for several years. The newspapers during this time were exceedingly partisan and injected a good deal of life into the political can- paigns.
IN SCRAPPY DAYS
As an indication of how the papers lam- basted each other and lambasted their politi- cal enemies, we quote the following from an editorial which appeared in the Custer County Chief, issue of October 14, 1898:
"We are at a loss to know just what is the political faith of our much esteemed contem- porary. the Callaway Independent. In the last few issues, C. W. Beal has been roasted to a turn, L. E. Kirkpatrick has been scored reg- ularly, Eastman and Taylor have received side swipes, Holcomb has been touched up, Jim Amsberry has got a clip under the chin and a dip over the ear, the Chief has been given its choice between a political grave or bolt. Hughes Brown has received a few punches, and Judge Shinn, after a breathing spell, has again been poked in the short ribs. It is there- fore eminently proper that the Ansley Chroni- cle and the Broken Bow Republican should
compliment the Independent's bold stand and pass bouquets back and forth. Brother Webb is a scrapper from Scrapville and if his pluck holds out he will no doubt be able to scrap the whole state ticket before the campaign closes."
A JOINT DEBATE
In the fall campaign of 1898 Norris Brown was the Republican candidate for congress, while W. L. Greene was the independent or "Populist" candidate. Great interest centered in a joint debate between the candidates. They met in the arena at Broken Bow, and we give below the accounts of the meeting as they appeared in the Chief and the Republican at that time.
The Chief, which championed the Populists, gave the following account :
TIIE POPULIST VERSION
"It is not only customary, but natural, in discussing the merits and demerits of a joint political debate that each party should stand up for its candidate, and in this connection we have already heard many times about the terrible drubbing Brown gave Greene, and also how Greene mopped the earth with Brown at the joint debate held in this city yesterday between the two candidates for congress in the sixth district. We have no desire to be un- fair in mention of this debate and will give the facts as we saw them, and as we believe they were. The meeting was called to order at about 2:30 o'clock and the audience, which was abont equally divided between Republi- cans and Populists, was decidedly small for an event of this kind. However, the people kept dropping in until the crowd reached about 250 to 300 people. James Stockham presided as chairman and Simon Cameron and E. R. Purcell acted as time-keepers. Mr. Brown opened the debate with one hour, Mr. Greene then followed with one hour, Mr. Brown then followed with twenty minutes and Mr. Greene with thirty minutes, and Mr. Brown closed with ten minutes, making the time one hour and a half each. Brown, in his opening, made a very good address and established himself as a good speaker. Ile attacked Greene's
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