History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time, Part 34

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120

USA > Nebraska > Gage County > History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time > Part 34

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A United States government postoffice was established in the village of Wymore, October 27, 1881, with George F. Walker as post- master. The citizens of Wymore are supplied with free mail delivery, employing two city carriers, while the rural population tributary to the city is reached by the free-delivery service of the postoffice department.

An interesting incident in the early history

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

of Wymore was the construction and opera- tion of a street-railway line from the Burling- ton station to the Union Pacific station at Blue Springs. It was a horse-car line and was built by E. P. Reynolds and his sons J. H. and Ben Reynolds, railroad contractors with headquarters at Wymore, who had com- pleted a number of contracts for the Burling- ton Railroad Company on the main line from the Missouri river to Denver. This car line was carried across the Burlington right-of- way by an overhead bridge, thirty feet in width, on Ashby avenue. It was operated from 1882 till about 1892, when it was aban- doned.

From the beginning Wymore grew rapidly in population and wealth. It was an ambi- tious and aggressive rival of Beatrice, the county seat. By 1883 it had acquired a popu- lation of approximately two thousand souls. The federal census of 1890 gave it 2420 in- habitants; that of 1900, 2626; and that of 1910, 2613. In the year 1893 those who guided its destinies conceived it possible to divide Gage county and erect a new county out of the south half, to be known as Blaine county, with Wymore as its county seat. Proper steps were taken by these enthusiasts to bring the matter to a vote at the November elecion. A very spirited and splendid canvass was made by the Wymoreans. Beatrice of course entered warmly into the contest, and during the latter part of the summer and early fall of 1883 a vigorous campaign was waged on the question of county division. At the election, 1332 votes were polled for divi- sion and 2801 against the project. It is to the lasting credit of Wymore that she grace- fully accepted this result and, without mur- mur or complaint, good-naturedly has contin- ued to play the part of the second most im- portant city in the splendid county of Gage.

On October 25, 1881, Horace A. Green- wood, who had formerly lived at Red Oak, Iowa, established the first bank in Wymore. The following year Benjamin Burch, his son John C. Burch and M. A. Southwick came to Wymore for the purpose of engaging in the banking business and were about to start

a new bank when Mr. Greenwood sold them his institution and retired for the time being from the banking business. The Bank of Wymore, under the management of its new proprietors, did a flourishing business for more than ten years, but during the great financial panic which began in 1893 and lasted for several years, the bank was forced out of business and passed into the hands of a re- ceiver. About the time the Bank of Wymore was purchased by the Burches and Southwick, a brick bank building was erected by Joseph R. Dodds on the corner south of the Touzalin Hotel, that being the first brick bank building in Wymore, and the Citizens Bank was estab- lished in it by Elisha P. Reynolds and sons, Some years afterward this became the proper- ty of Samuel Wymore and E. C. Wilcox, with E. C. Wilcox as cashier and as the one in principal charge of the bank's fortunes. About the time of the financial stringency above re- ferred to this bank liquidated its obligations and ceased to exist. Succeeding these two early ventures in banking, the First National Bank of Wymore was founded by Horace A. Greenwood and others, and, probably about the same time, the Farmers & Merchants Bank came into existence. These are both excep- tionally strong financial institutions for a town of the population of Wymore and each possesses a fine bank building. They are owned and conducted by men of character and standing in the community and meet the or- dinary demands for banking resources in a way that leaves nothing to be desired. J. A. Rueling is president of the First National; G. L. Stephenson, vice-president ; John S. Jones, cashier ; and D. K. Windle, assistant cashier. Sherman Taylor is president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank; W. A. Dawson, vice-president ; F. E. Lefferdink, cashier ; A. L. Baker and C. F. Stillwell, assistant cash- iers.

In addition to its banks Wymore is well supplied with elevators, lumber and coal yards, garages, hotels, implement houses, restaur- ants, general stores, grocery stores, hard- ware stores, drug stores, jewelry establish- ments, photograph galleries, and every kind

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

of business establishment to be found in cities of its population and class in the west.

The city obtains its water from the springs of its nearby neighbor, Blue Springs, and owns its own water system. It is well lighted by electrical current from the Holmesville Mill & Power Company.

The visitor to Wymore is always impressed by the extensive yards and shops of the Bur- lington Railroad Company, where hundreds of men are daily employed. The monthly dis- tribution of wages by the company to its employes at this divisional point has been a constant and never-failing source of prosperity to the business men of the city. At pres- ent the railroad company employes 135 men in its mechanical department, 371 in its operat- ing department, and 46 officers and clerks - a total of 552 employes of the Burlington Rail- road at Wymore.

No city of its population in the state ap- proaches Wymore in the number, acreage and beauty of its public parks. The public-park system for the city was first agitated several years ago, by Hon. A. D. McCandless, a lawyer of distinction in the Gage county bar. With intelligent persistence worthy of the cause, he has allowed no opportunity to pass for urging upon the citizens of the city and upon those in authority the desir- ability of adopting a system of public parks which should be more than commensurate with the immediate needs and resources of the city. Great success has crowned his unselfish and altruistic efforts. To his credit, and to the credit of those associated with him in his fine, patriotic labor, there are now eight pub- lic parks in the city of Wymore. They are as designated in the following paragraphs.

Arbor State Park consists of thirty-three acres of land in the northeast quarter of sec- tion 20, formerly known as the old Fair Ground. It was named Arbor State Park "in recognition of the loyalty of the Arbor State newspaper to the interests and upbuild- ing of the city of Wymore in the past quarter of a century, and of the editor of said paper for his years of faithful service as the high- est office in said city, and his zealous work for the park system of said city."

McCandless Park comprises blocks 25 and 26 of Ashby's Addition to the city of Wymore, with the street lying between the two blocks, which was vacated in order to become a part of the park. It was named in honor of A. D. McCandless and in recognition of his success- ful work in planning and securing an attrac- tive public parking system for the city.

Furnas Park consists of the south half of block 8 and the north half of block 9 in the original town of Wymore and the street lying between these two parcels of land, which was vacated by the city council for the purpose of being added to the park.

Rawlings Park is block 31 of the original town of Wymore and bears the name of Rawlings Park in recognition of one of its most prominent and enterprising citizens, M. L. Rawlings, who has served three terms as mayor of the city of Wymore and has been otherwise active and useful for many years in the affairs of the city.

Riverside Park lies on the east bank of the Big Blue river, between the wagon road on Bennett street and the Burlington Railroad bridge across the river.

Horseshoe Park lies south of Indian creek and west of what is known as the Marysville road, and is the property of the Lincoln Land Company.

High School Park is that portion of the high-school grounds which has been incor- porated into the parking system of Wymore.

Taylor Park comprises a considerable tract of ground lying north and west of the right- of-way of the Burlington Railroad Company, in the immediate neighborhood of the depot building.

In 1916 the public-spirited citizens of Wy- more began agitation for a free public library. Application was made to the great philan- thropist, Andrew Carnegie, for an appropria- tion out of his many millions for the erection of a library building. This magnanimous builder of libraries readily donated to the city the sum of $10,000 to be used exclusively for a building, on condition that a suitable site be furnished by the citizens of Wymore and that the city authorities should annually levy a public tax sufficient to sustain the library.

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

These conditions have been fully complied with. The library is located on the southeast corner of block 26 of Wymore's Addition, immediately west of Neuman's store, on the southeast corner of the block. The plans and specifications were furnished by Richard W. Grant, architect, of Beatrice, and at this writ- ing the building is complete except for the placing of a furnace.

The first Episcopal church service was held in Wymore by Rev. T. O'Connell, in what is known as the Honeymoon school-house, in the fall of 1881. In March, 1884, a service was held by the Rev. C. L. Fulforth, rector of the Episcopal church at Beatrice, at which

this being dedicated as a house of worship, by Bishop Worthington, April 15, 1889. The church has grown in strength and usefulness from the first day and is today one of the live, virile religious organizations of the city.

The parish of St. Mary's Catholic church was established in 1882, a pastoral residence being erected that year and later a frame church building. The priest first in charge was the Rev. A. C. Rausch, who continued his labors until 1889, when the Rev. J. C. Freeman took charge; he remained at the head of the parish until his death, in 1915. He was succeeded by Father D. J. Cronin, who is now in charge of the parish.

COPR. 1901 BYANURT Z.

ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.AND RECTORY WYMORE. NEOR

preliminary steps were taken for the organiza- tion of a parish in Wymore. A petition was prepared and was addressed to the bishop of the diocese, requesting such action. It was signed by eighteen persons, of whom eight were communicants of the church. This re- quest was granted, and on August 17, 1884, the parish was organized under the name of St. Luke's. On the following 13th day of September, with Bishop Worthington officiat- ing, the holy communion service of the church was celebrated for the first time in Wymore. A mission organization was adopted, with Richard Whitten as warden. On the 10th day of October, 1888, steps were taken to- ward the building of a church by the congre- gation. A lot for that purpose was donated by the Lincoln Land Company, the Bishop contributed $800 and a building was erected,

The Catholic organization owns fine church properties in Wymore, consisting of an entire block of ground adjoining the high-school block, upon which is situated the church build- ing and a new pastoral residence, of two stories.

The Christian church was organized in 1887, by Elder Bear, of Tecumseh, the services first being held in Brownwell Hall and other places. In 1896 the present church edifice was erected. Services are regularly maintained by the church and the organization is an active factor in the social and religious life of the city.

The first church organized in Wymore was the Missionary Baptist church. The organ- ization took place September 14, 1881. Ser- vices were maintained at various places in the city until 1886, when the congregation built a frame church building, under the pastorate

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of Rev. A. H. Law. This building was after- ward sold, and the Baptists acquired by pur- chase their present church, from the Congre- gationalists.

Since its organization a good Sunday school has been maintained and the regular services of the church have gone constantly forward. The membership of this church is quite strong and it is an influential factor in the life of the city.

About 1907 the Calvanistic Welsh church was organized in Wymore. A building was purchased and moved to its present location, where it was fitted up as a house of worship.

at her suggestion, a subscription list was start- ed for funds to be used in purchasing a suit- able site for a church building. The sum of one hundred dollars was immediately sub- scribed by her and her children and subscrip- tions continued to be taken until enough money was on hand to purchase a lot and a half in the most desirable residence portion in the city of Wymore on which to erect a church building, where the present splendid house of worship now stands. A movement was then started to secure enough money by subscrip- tion to erect a church edifice. Plans and specifications were supplied by the Methodist

"~ BAPTIST CHURCH WYMORE NER

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WYMORE

A Sunday school and church services have since been regularly maintained.

The Free Methodist church has had an ex- istence in Wymore since 1887, maintaining a pastor the most of the time and its organiza- tion all the time. It has a new frame church building, located in the northwest part of the city.

The Methodist Episcopal church was or- ganized in Wymore July 20, 1883, with the Rev. C. M. Hollopeter as pastor. The church services and Sunday school were first held in Livsey's Opera House, later in the Newbranch Hall and in what is now known as the Baptist church. The first effort to secure a church building came from Mrs. William Winter, in 1885. At a family gathering at which her seven sons and two daughters were present,

Church Extension Society and approved by the local board of trustees for a structure to cost approximately six thousand dollars. The building was begun in 1888 and in the follow- ing year it was completed, and dedicated, by Bishop Joyce, to the worship of God. In- cluding the grounds, the property cost about thirteen thousand dollars. A considerable in- debtedness rested upon the church, which ac- cumulated during the hard times following 1893, until it finally amounted to $4,700. He- roic efforts were made by the pastor in charge, the Rev. A. B. Whitmer, to secure through subscriptions a sum of money sufficient to liquidate this indebtedness. He was aided by Dr. Huntington, the presiding elder of the church, and at a meeting in 1900, in the pres- ence of a large and rejoicing congregation, it

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

fell to the lot of the Rev. John W. Swan to commit to the flames the mortgage which had hitherto rested upon the property.

Since that date the church has erected on lots adjoining the church property, which it purchased from R. W. Laflin, a fine parsonage, which cost $4,250. Thus through years of toil, patience, sacrifice and self-denial, the Methodists of Wymore have succeeded in se- curing a beautiful and permanent church building and a roomy, homelike parsonage. The congregation is large and in a flourishing condition. Since Dr. Hollopeter's time, the following named ministers have served the

McClelland was elected its director. He pro- ceeded at once to take an enumeration of the district and, incidentally, a census of the pop- ulation. On March 17, 1882, he reported the number of families then in Wymore to be 224; number of inhabitants, 1,280; and number of children of school age, 375.

The schools of Wymore have flourished from the beginning and the liberal-minded citizens of the city have seen to it that ample school facilities were available. The city now possesses two brick ward-school buildings of two rooms each, and a handsome, two-story, brick high-school building, containing ten

FIRST"M T CHURCH WYMORE NEBN.

church: O. P. Light, C. W. Abbott, A. B. Whitmer, E. F. Gates, and O. T. Winslow.

In the neighborhood of section 16, Wymore township, are found two attractive country churches, as shown on page 269.

In the fall of 1881, a subscription school was started in Wymore, with Miss Ormsby and Miss Mitchell as teachers. The school was held in Johnson's Hall, but as this proved too small to accommodate the attendance, an- other room was secured, and S. B. Bowdish was employed as principal.

Early in 1882 steps were taken to detach Wymore and its additions from the Blue Springs school district, and in March of that year the city of Wymore was erected into a separate school district and numbered 114. On the organization of the district, W. H.

rooms. The district employs seventeen teach- ers and the high school offers a four years' course of study, with normal training. The pupils enrolled in the schools of Wymore num- ber 683.

The social and benevolent orders of Wy- more include: Coleman Post, No. 115, De- partment of Nebraska Grand Army of the Re- public, organized at Wymore October 7, 1882, and ever since remaining in good standing ; Coleman's Women's Relief Corps, No. 65, De- partment of Nebraska, organized at Wymore June 12, 1888, and ever since maintaining its good standing; Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, organized April 19, 1883; Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 105, installed February 8, 1883; Rebekah Lodge, No. 69, organized September 23, 1891; Abergeldie

HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

269

Castle, No. 34, Royal Highlanders ; and the usual number of fraternal and benevolent or- ders in cities of the population of Wymore.

So rapid has been the growth of Wymore from the beginning that at a very early period of its history the necessity for some form of municipal government had become very ob- vious. With characteristic energy and fore-

ation of Wymore as a village under this stat- ute and suggesting as suitable persons for vil- lage officials E. Hutchins to be mayor ; W. H. Ashby, clerk ; E. C. Wilcox, treasurer ; George W. Mechling, police judge ; Ben Reynolds, en- gineer ; C. F. Washburn and E. C. Pusey, councilmen for the first ward, and S. S. Dar- ling and A. J. Davis, councilmen for the sec-

CM CHURCH

Two RURAL CHURCHES NEAR WYMORE

sight, a movement was inaugurated early in 1882, almost within a year after the founding of the city, to effect village organization under the statute which then provided that all unin- corporated towns and villages in Nebraska having over two hundred and less than fifteen hundred inhabitants might be incorporated as villages. On the 22d day of June, 1882, a peti- tion was filed before the board of commission- ers of Gage county, praying for the incorpor-

ond ward. The prayer of this petition was readily granted by the county commissioners and these recommendations approved. The organization of Wymore as a village, under the law, immediately followed.

Village government was continued in Wy- more until 1884, when it was incorporated as a city of the second class, having more than fifteen hundred and less than twenty-five thou- sand population, as provided by law. The

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

first city officials were: Daniel McGuire, mayor; Thomas D. Cobbey, clerk; E. C. Wil- cox, treasurer; A. D. McCandless, city attor- ney ; W. H. Carmichael, marshal; James Pas- co, engineer ; J. M. Tout and O. P. New- branch, councilmen for first ward, and, after the resignation of Newbranch, S. H. Craig; for the second ward, E. Snuffin and D. H. Schmitz.

Wymore appears to have always been an in- viting field for newspaper men. In May, 1879,

Hotel, where later the Citizens bank was es- tablished. On the 12th day of May, 1882, from the basement of this old building, Mr. Dodds sent forth the first issue of the Wymore Eagle. In the fall of that year he purchased from Ashby & Scott the Gage County Leader, a newspaper which had been founded shortly after Murdock had brought the Reporter to Wymore, and this he consolidated with the Eagle. A little later he merged both names into the Democrat, bearing the following leg-

HIGH SCHOOL WYMORE NEBR

Charles M: Murdock had established at Blue Springs a newspaper called the Reporter, largely as an advertising medium for the sale of real estate, but on the 22d day of June, 1881, he removed his printing establishment to Wymore, and thereafter for many years the Wymore Reporter was an important factor in the settlement and development of the city. This was the first newspaper in Wymore. In May, 1881, Joseph R. Dodds, a veteran of the Civil war, came from Burlington, Iowa, to Wy- more and became immediately active in its affairs. He erected the two-story, brick build- ing on the corner of Nebraska street and Blue River avenue, directly. south of the Touzalin

end: "Wymore and Blue Springs." Before his death, he ceased publishing the Democrat and began the publication of the Arbor State. This bright, newsy paper is now both a daily and a weekly, and is owned and ably edited by J. W. Ellingham. In 1882, with Benjamin Burch, his son John C. Burch, and W. H Southwick, John A. Weaver, a practical news- paper man, came to Wymore from Red Oak, Iowa. In conjunction with the younger Burch he established, the Wymorean, a week- ly newspaper which has had a continuous ex- istence from the date of its founding and which is well established, with a circulation exceeding two thousand copies. For thirty

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

years it has been very ably conducted by its present owner and publisher, J. M. Burn- ham.

Wymore is a city of many beautiful homes. The residence district lies west of Niagara avenue and is reached from the business dis- trict by ascending a gentle slope. It over- looks the beautiful valley of the Big Blue river on the north, east and south, and the

valleys of Bills creek and Big Indian creek toward the west, and from almost every point presents a pleasing landscape. At an early day Elisha P. Reynolds and his sons, J. H. and Benjamin erected fine residences in this part of the city, and many others have since been erected. Here also are located the beau- tiful high-school grounds and a number of the churches.

CHAPTER XXV

INCORPORATED VILLAGES

ADAMS - BARNESTON - CLATONIA - CORTLAND - FILLEY - LIBERTY - ODELL PICKRELL -- VIRGINIA

ADAMS

As early as 1867 a postoffice was estab- lished in Adams township, called Laona. John Lyons was the first postmaster, the post- office being at his home, a mile and one-half west of the present town of Adams. In 1873 the Atchison & Nebraska Railroad Company built its line of railway through Adams town- ship from Atchison to Lincoln, and in May of that year John O. Adams, in conjunction with the railroad company, laid off the south half of the northeast quarter of section 27, into a townsite and it was named Adams. Village organization was deferred until March 10, 1892. The first board of village trustees comprised the following well known residents of that place, namely: Frank E. Whyman, Henry H. Norcross, W. C. Garrison, Na- thaniel C. Shaw, and William C. Gray. They were duly qualified for office by James B. Shaw, justice of the peace. F. E. Whyman was elected first chairman of the village board, W. C. Gray the first secretary, and H. L. Wat- son was appointed the first marshal of Adams. One of the first ordinances passed prohibited "the sale, giving away, delivering or furnish- ing in any manner any spirituous, malt, vin- ous or intoxicating liquors within the village,". an ordinance which has stood intact from the beginning. The open saloon never found a place to conduct business in Adams.

The town of Adams has flourished from the beginning. It was supported by an unusually intelligent, progressive and loyal class of citi- zens. Amongst them the Whyman family, who came overland from western Pennsylvania,

consisting of the parents and twelve children ; the Adams family and the Shaw family, of whom mention has already been made in this work in the chapter on the early settlers in this county; the Silas Bryson family, who came from Ohio by boat down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi and Missouri, consist- ing of the parents and fourteen robust sons and daughters, who have contributed ably to the making of the state of Nebraska; Wil- liam Curtis, who was the fourteenth man to make homestead entry at the Brownville land office, and his family; H. J. Merrick, who is a veteran of the Civil war and who has proved a force in the upbuilding of the village ; Byron P. Zuver, Stephen Disher, John Lyons, George and Alfred Gage, L. R. Horrum and his son, Dr. J. W. McKibbin, and many other resi- dents of the town of Adams and vicinity.

In 1874 John O. Adams, the founder of the village, and William Curtis, built the first grain elevator, and Curtis the first store build- ing erected in Adams. In 1874 a postoffice was established at Adams, Mrs. Hannah Noxon, who had been postmistress at Laona, was appointed postmistress and for many years she occupied that position, in a manner highly satisfactory to all patrons of the office, maintaining at the same time a general store in connection with the office. In 1880 J. H. Spellman erected a store building and put in a complete stock of goods. He continued business in this building for thirty years. In 1880 L. R. Horrum, who had taken a home- stead near Adams in 1868, working in the meantime at his trade as a harnessmaker in

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History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time, Part 34

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849- Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company Number of Pages: 1120

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120