USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward County, Nebraska, and reminiscenses of territorial history > Part 32
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Under the faithful administration of the present presi- dent, John Zimmerer, the association has been quite a fact- or among the financial institutions of our city At the last report its assets amounted to $52,954.47. It is accomplish- ing much good in the community and has already helped scores of poor men to secure pleasant homes of their own.
MUTUAL PROTECTIVE FIRE ASSOCIATION OF NEBRASKA
The Mutual Protective Fire Association of Nebraska was organized at Seward, January 14, 1894. First officers were as follows: E. Polley, president; Geo. Merrium, sec- retary; directors, Dr. J. T. Potter, H. C. Atwood, G. W. Meeker, I. L. Dermond, W. C. A. Hartman, J. M. Calder, J. F. Guss, E. J. Hartman, and Thos. Bishop.
The business of the association extends to all parts of
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the state. The business is confined by the charter to risks in cities and towns except such risks in country as churches, school houses, factories, etc. Had to July 4, 1904, issued 5886 policies and to same date, paid in losses $23,608, and have $10,000 in the reserve fund and not a dollar of indebted- ness.
The highest amount ever collected in premiums is 75 per cent of old line rates, and are writing policies at same rate now. The amount of insurance now in force is one million three hundred and forty-five thousand dollars.
The present officers are, John Kribbeler, president; John Zimmerer, vice-president; J. F. Goehner, treasurer; Geo. A. Merrium, secretary; Landis & Shich, attorneys; directors, J. M. Calder, Seward; Dr. J. T. Potter, Seward; F. W. Rodenbrock, Nebraska City; T. J. Rademacher, Crete; H. C. Atwood, Milford; I. J. Dermond, Beaver Crossing; D. J. Hartrum, Utica; Wm. Grabe, Wahoo; and Delevan Bates of Aurora.
The company enjoys a splendid reputation for prompt- ness in the adjustment of all claims, and the business is rap- idly growing.
CHAPTER XXII.
MILFORD, ITS FOUNDING AND GROWTH
Post office-Cereal Milis-News Papers-Pleasant Dale Schools-Utica, its growth and progress-Post Office-Village of Bee-Germantown Creamery-Germantown Post Office-Tamora Post Office-Grover Post Office-Early Railroading (story)-My first ride on a Rail.
Milford was first settled by J. L. Davison in the spring of 1864. He built a log house on the site of the present hospital and opened a ranch on the steam wagon road. One of the first things he undertook was improving the ford be- tween the present bridges and the mill. For about two years Mr. Davison was "monarch of all he surveyed." In the winter of 1865 he built a substantial bridge. A few set- tlers had located on claims in the vicinity. In the spring of 1866 Wm. H. Reed, of Weeping Water, became interested and a partnership was formed, and the mill from Weeping Water was moved and the nucleus of the village was formed. Soon thereafter, Henry Wortendyke became interested in the mill. Doom and Etherly opened the first store in 1868. It was the second store in the county. Milford soon took the lead as a business center and secured the location of the county seat. The first attorney resident of the county, Hon. D. C. McKillip, located in 1868 and soon Geo. B. France located in the new town and was ready to take a hand in the legal battles that ensued. L. D. Laune located by the new town in 1864. These matters are quite fully treated in an- other place, and we will not dwell on them here. Suffice it to say that the brave men that laid the foundations worked to build Milford with one hand and fought the enemy with the other. The place grew apace and prospered as the settlers came and occupied the lands adjacent. The great freight road and the mill were drawing cards, and the coun- ty seat, although held by an uncertain tenure, was a great
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help. Soon the irrepressable J. H. Culver came and he knew how to use the quill, and he used it effectually in help- ing to boom the town. Unfortunately the geographical po- sition was not quite as favorable as desirable to hold the county seat and Milford had wily foes to contend with; and with no fault of her energetic citizens, the county seat was wrested away from her in 1871. Still she had a good fight- ing chance and the village continued to grow. However, in 1872, the good people of the locality made a fatal mistake in not grasping the opportunity offered when the Midland Rail Road Co. offered to build the road from Lincoln to Milford and up the valley to Seward. This opportunity lost, placed the thriving village in the back ground and she must wait weary years until 1879 for a rail road when the Atchison & Nebraska was built. Then, at once, the village began a vig- orous growth and from that day to this it has been prosper- ous. It is a great grain center and with the help of the great cereal mills, it commands a trade of prodigious proportions.
From the first Milford has been a popular resort and this has been a source of profit. For many years the peo- ple have taken an interest in public institutions, and by dint of perseverence two state institutions have come to them, (Soldiers' Home and Industrial Home). The village occu- pies a sightly position upon a commanding hill, overlooking the great valley away to the northward and southward in curves and semi-circles. The town is embowered in shade. The streets are broad and crossing at right angles and lined on either side with handsome homes. As the eye wanders up and down the long avenues it makes the heart glad to look upon these pleasant homes. The village, at the pres- ent writing has near eight hundred souls. At the last elec- tion there were 168 votes cast and the school census shows 277, and from this we conclude that there are eight hundred people.
There are eleven brick business houses in three blocks. The main business places are as follows: 4 general stores, 1 grocery house, 2 drug stores, 3 hardwares, 4 restaurants, 2 hotels, 2 lumber and coal yards, mill and vast elevators, 2 shipping elevators, 1 printing office, 2 millinery establish- ments, 2 implement houses, 2 banks, 2 livery barns, 3
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churches, town hall and opera house, first-class graded school and a good system of water works and fire depart- ment. They have a nice park in close proximity to the busi- ness. The state institutions are outside the corporate limits. They have the best arranged third-class post office in the state. The saloon had to go in 1905, but they have an am- ple supply of excellent water.
MILFORD POST OFFICE
Judge J. L. Davison opened a post office.
The office at first was supplied by a Star route (with several stars in the route) from old Camden. Part of the time the judge sent his son, Marcenas, on horseback, and sometimes he sent one of the girls. Mr. Davison held the office until the advent of Etherly and Doom, who opened a store in the embryo town, and the office with all its honors and emoluments were turned over to Mr. Etherly in 1868. By this time a regular star route was established from Lin- coln via Pleasant Dale to Milford and Beaver Crossing. This was a tri-weekly, and many times the weekly trials were too much for the driver and failed to connect. A little later a route was established from Crete to Columbus via Milford, Seward and Ulyses, which was continued for a number of years. J. H. Culver succeeded Mr. Etherly in 1871. It has always been a conundrum why Cap. Culver 'did not become a millionaire, running that post office in con- nection with the Blue Valley Record. During Culver's term, in 1871, the money order office was established. That was certainly a prominent event and one of great value to the people because all the banks of that day in this region were sand banks and not very reliable.
April, 1873. Hon. Thos. A. Healy received his appoint- ment. The date of his first money order was April 30th. His wife, Mrs. Kate M. Healy, was his successor in 1876, when he was elected representative. S. D. I. Emerson suc- ceeded Mrs. Healy in 1879 and held the fort until 1885, John A. Cockron was appointed and succeeded by J. H. Cul- ver in December, 1889, and he run the office until the appoint- ment of Thos. Mustain, in 1894. Mr. Mustain died in office
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and the unexpired term was held by his widow in 1898, when the present incumbent, Hon. Thos. A. Healy received his ap- pointment from President Mckinley, July 31. Up to Janu- ary 1, 1904, two hundred and twenty thousand dollars of money orders had been sold during his administration.
Post master's salary now amounts to twelve hundred dollars per annum. The office has just, at this writing, been placed in a new brick structure. This most elegant room has the reputation of being the best and most thoroughly equipped third-class office in Nebraska. By dint of persever- ence Mr. Healy secured the first two rural routes in Central Nebraska for Milford July 15, 1899. At that time the most westerly route was a trial route at Tecumseh. The first carriers of these routes were Chas. W. Funk on No. 1, . and H. J. Matzke on No. 2. The third route was established November 1, 1900, and the fourth November 1, 1904, with Wm. Smiley as carrier.
At first the patronage of the rural routes was very small, but has steadily grown from month to month until the business has become a very important factor in the busi- ness relations of the country. The rural routes have come to stay. The present management of the Milford office is so entirely satisfactory that we could heartily wish that Mr. Healy could remain at the head of it until his salary would reach five thousand dollars per year and then enjoy it a good long term.
MILFORD MILLS
J. L. Davison, one of the very first settlers of Seward county, came to Salt Creek, (the Lord only knows when) and to old Camden ranch in 1862, where he learned most thoroughly the ways of the "wild and wooly West" as a ranchman. He was a venturesome and restless pioneer that was ever on the lookout for a new enterprise. In the spring 1864, while exploring the upper Blue Valley, found a rocky ford at a point below the present mill. John Cadman and William Fields of Lancaster county had determined to open a new road for freight and general traffic across the plains to be known as the steam wagon road, which road
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left the old Camden trail about twenty miles east of Salt Creek and crossed that stream at Yankee Hill (near the in- sane hospital) and to intercept the old trail just east of Walnut Creek. It became the privilege of Mr. Davison to find a suitable crossing (by ford) of the Blue and he was quick to see just where to locate. He, with indomitable perse- verence, went far out into the prairie to the westward and interviewed train masters and induced them to try the new trail and soon secured enough travel to break the road. and it was not long until thousands of immigrants and emigrants were winding their way over the steam wagon road. But now about the steam wagon? Well some ingenious fellow had gotten the idea that has led up to the present traction engine and he made an engine which he thought could be made successful on the Plains and had determined to run it over this trail. It succeeded in getting out about three miles west of Nebraska City in the summer of 1865, but it failed, got tired, and in that summer we saw it resting by the road side. The road was a perfect success, however, if the wagon was a failure.
The travel increased so that Mr. Davison determined in the winter of 1865 to build a bridge and with a crew of hardy frontiersmen, he scored, hewed and hauled timber from every section (thirty-seven) on the river up and down for ten miles or more, and built a strong substantial bridge (the first on the river north of old Camden bridge at the forks).
In the spring of 1866 many new settlers came and among them was William Reed, of Weeping Water Falls, who owned a litte mill. The people of that aristocratic commu- nity wanted a larger one so Uncle Billy formed a partner- ship with Mr. Davison, and they were a well matched and strong team and they moved the mill and placed it by the ford, and thus we have Milford. Most happy were the peo- ple of that part of the valley, that there was a mill by the ford.
The mill wheels turned in due time and many were the glad hearts that secured the grinding of a sack of corn. That grand little old mill was not quite so large, neither was so filled with the latest improved machinery as the pres-
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ent great structure, but, somehow, we can't help but think that the biscuit and Johnny cake coming from the little mill were sweeter and better than any of the present. Perhaps a ten mile drive through a blizzard for a sack of meal made the cake sweeter. Well, the old mill performed duty well and truly until the fire fiend came and destroyed it in 1881.
Some time during the early days of the mill Henry Wor- tendyke held an interest in the plant and also W. J. Thomp- son was interested for a time; when later J. L. Davison bought the entire plant. In 1877 J. H. Culver bought an interest and in 1879 F. S. Johnson and H. D. Perry and Mr. Johnson's brother bought an interest. This partnership continued but a short time. F. S. Johnson & Co. bought the property in 1880 entire, and built the present great mill in 1882 and 1883 and soon thereafter, the company built the capacious warehouses with holding capacity of two thous- and barrels of finished product besides one hundred thous- and bushels of grain. The machinery is run by a combina- tion of water and steam power of one hundred and twenty- five horses. The present capacity is five hundred barrels of meal and one hundred thousand pounds of feed stuffs every twenty-four hours.
The mill was run as a combined plant, manufacturing flour, meal and corn products up to 1900, when the flouring machinery was all taken out and replaced with the most ap- proved machinery to manufacture corn products. The .mill is a massive brick structure five stories in height and all filled with a labyrinth of machinery that is bewildering to a novice.
MILFORD NEWSPAPERS
From the time that the Record ceased to exist, in April, 1873, which able and valuable paper has already been fully noticed, Milford had no paper until February, 1882, when the Seward County Democrat, a seven-column folio, was is- sued by Alexander Brothers. It was true to its name, a straight-out democrat paper, and had a successful business for two years, when its proprietors sold it out to Prof. Geo. F. Burkett, of Michigan. The professor changed its name
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to that of Milford Ozone, and its political career thencefor- ward was republican. A few months later, the editor having been elected principal of the Milford high school took in as partner an erratic individual by the name of Horace Boyle, who played a brief engagement of three months, when his interest was purchased by H. C. Hensel, of Omaha. An amicable partnership of two months ensued, when Prof. Burkett's interest was purchased, and then the name was changed to that of Milford Nebraskan. Its politics remained republican. Mr. Hensel continued the publication for some years. L. O. Howard bought the plant in 1900 and has con- ducted it up to this time.
PLEASANT DALE SCHOOL, DISTRICT 21 BY F. H. BLACKER
Was organized in 1870, by Geo. B. France, County Su- perintendent. The district comprised twenty sections of land in the northeast corner of "I" precinct. April 9th a school meeting was held at the house of M. Steinhilber and J. T. Priest was elected moderator, W. A. Higgins treas- urer and J. A. Raymer director. The first school was taught by J. Lafler in a soddie built on Steven Brown's homestead. In 1873, a frame house was built on section 26, and May H. Frisbee taught two terms at $25 per month. Fifteen pupils made up the school. The next term was taught by Miss Mary E. Skorey with nineteen scholars.
In 1890 the present two story frame building was erected in the village of Pleasant Dale, the district having been di- vided and W. C. Dunten was elected director. The first eighth grade class to graduate took their degree in 1899. It took its place in the ranks of the high schools in 1901 and 1902, through the generous help of citizens who raised by subscription $250, as the 25 mill limit of tax was insufficient to carry on the school. F. H. Blacker was elected principal with a salary of $50 per month, which was later raised to $60 per month, with Miss Mable Hensen as assistant at $40 per month. At the time Henry Oxley, S. Vanandel and E. J. Newton were the school board. The enrollment was about ninety for the years 1902-1903. The next year the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
term was made nine months. Miss Lulu Mitchel was in charge of the lower rooms. Total enrollment was 88. The school year opened September 5, 1904, and closed May 19, 1905. Present board are John Mitchell, E. J. Newton and S. Vanandel.
The commencement exercises were held in the M. E. church. Class sermon was preached by Rev. H. G. Clay- comb. Blanch Vanandel, Grace Dunten and May Best grad- uated in the tenth grade. The class motto "Upward and On- ward." Guy Pool has the honor of a grand record. Four terms without a tardy or absent mark. The district is free from debt with a present valuation amply sufficient so that eight mills levy furnishes plenty of funds.
UTICA -
A beautiful bustling village of near six hundred people is situated on the Burlington rail road near the west line of Seward county and was founded in 1877. It - is surrounded by excellent farms, and has from the beginning enjoyed a good trade. It is well built with many substantial business houses. Some very good two-story bricks. There are a host of cozy cottages. The stocks of merchandise in every line are large and has the appearance of thrift and enter- prise. The shipping facilities seem to be adequate as there is a freight train in sight nearly every hour, day or night.
They maintain an excellent high school and have four good churches. The fraternal orders seem to have a strong hold and we note a fraternal hall of vast proportion. Along the streets we count about forty business houses of various kinds, representing all classes of business of our western towns. It is a noticeable feature that the village has fairly awakened upon the sidewalk question and the village has its complements of excellent brick walks. There are num- erous buildings in the course of erection among which we note a very extensive grain elevator being erected by Fritz Beckard.
Utica has many real live men that mean to keep Utica to the front, but there are some clogs in the wheel. Some of her most wealthy citizens that have made their money off the people are more of a hindrance than a help.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
UTICA POSTOFFICE
Established in the fall of 1877 with T. E. Standard as post master. Money order office was established soon after- wards. The next post master was Rev. C. E. Phinney, suc- ceeded by H. M. Colman and he was succeeded by Rev. C. E. Phinney in 1880. In 1885 Win. Nevins was appointed and in 1889 R. C. Ragan held it one year when Hon. G. A. Der- by had it and was followed by D. S. Hardin; he was suc- ceeded by Geo. Debolt, then Charles Greenwood was ap- pointed and died in office in 1899, when the present efficient incumbent, J. H. Casler was appointed December 15, 1899. He is now enjoying his second term.
Busines of the office for 1904, $1494.68; post office order business for 1904, $11,094.21. The office is almost ready to enter the third class. There is one rurul route.
BEE
On the Northwestern railway, eight miles northeast of Seward, is a neat little village well situated in the midst of a splendid farming community and commands the grain and stock trade from quite an extensive area reaching well into Butler county on the north. The village has two hundred and thirty inhabitants. It has two capacious, elevators, a large lumber yard, two general stores, two grocery and con- fectionary stores, a bank, good hotel, two churches, a sub- stantial graded school, with a commodious building. The Modern Woodmen have a large hall, the second story of the only brick block in the town.
The village was laid out in the fall of 1887, when the railroad was completed. Michael Dunigan was the founder. His daughter, Minnie, was the first postmistress and held the place until 1889, when the old veteran pioneer, E. H. Noxon, received the appointment at the hands of President Harri- son's Postmaster General and he has held the fort now six- teen years to the satisfaction of the people. We could not learn just when the money order office was established. The money orders sold and paid amounts from six to eight hun- dred dollars per month. One rural route runs out of Bee, with a mileage of twenty-eight miles, From the gentlemanly
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
agent of the railroad company, we are able to give the number of cars of freight received and sent out during the year 1904. The showing of shipments of grain and stock shows up well. The incoming freight was, coal, 15 cars; lumber, 13; cement and brick, 5; imigrant cars, 2; stock 7: total in car lots, 40 cars. Cars shipped out, grain 184; stock, 72; miscellaneous, 33; total, 289 cars. Stuff shipped as lo- cal freight not noted.
The village is a nice home place only a few minutes ride from the city.
THE GERMANTOWN CREAMERY
Was incorporated, April 9, 1892, with a capital stock of five thousand dollars. There were issued one thousand shares of five dollars each, one half the amount was paid in before business was commenced, May 1, 1892. First direc- tors were E. M. Olney, J. A. Ohlwiler, Henry Hans, Jr., and M. B. Palmer. Louis Meyers was first secretary and Cyrus Fetterman first treasurer. The articles of incorporation provided for the manufacture of dairy products and handling and feeding of live stock. The stockholders consisted of sixteen citizens. From the start the business has proved profitable to both stockholders and the community. They immediately erected a plant and put in all the necessary ap- pliances for the manufacture of butter and under the excel- lent business management of W. W. Higman, the manager for years, the creamery took high rank and the products found a ready market at prices very satisfactory. The com- pany have kept pace with the times and have added new ma- chinery as the wants of the institution demanded and at this time the plant is a most thoroughly equipped factory with all modern machinery. They receive milk from the farmer and return him the skimmed milk and buttermilk, with a good paying price for the butter fat of the milk.
The products of the concern for the year 1903, footed up to the neat sum of twenty-nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-one dollars. It is an important factor as a wealth producer in the community round about Germantown. Pres- ent board of directors, Hon. Henry Beckman president, John
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
A. Ohwiler, Henry Hans, Jr., John' Sunderman and Wm. Shultz; August Beckman, treasurer; G. L. Petri, manager; Ottoe Smith, butter maker.
GERMANTOWN POST OFFICE
Germantown established in March 1873. John Wester- hoff first postmaster, salary twelve dollars a year. The prominent citizens that have been in turn postmasters, are Benj. Walker, Charles Fetterman, Charles Hans and L. S. Callaghan. The present incumbent has held the position for eight years. The office is fourth class in rank.
TAMORA POST OFFICE
In the ancient days, nobody can tell just when, but it was in the Seventies, a country post office was established and named Lafayette and was presided over by Mr. Welden. Of this little office we can learn but very little, but it was supplied-semi-occasionally- - a star route supplied with a buck-board and one horse.
The town was located shortly after the rail road was ex- tended west from Seward and P. G. Tyler was the first post- master of the town in about 1880. Mr. A. Wolf succeeded him and he was followed by Henry Cross in 1883, the first date obtainable. We find W. W. Rogers held the position in 1884. J. A. Norin succeeded him . January. 1, 1886, was appointed and held the place until October 1, 1887, when R. E. Marshall was appointed and he was followed by Chas. Emerson in 1889. R. E. Marshall was again appointed in 1893 and held the fort until January 1, 1998, when the pres- ent incumbent, C. D. Alexander, was appointed.
Money order office was established in 1886. It is a fourth class office and up to the present there are no rural routes eminating from Tamora.
GROVER POSTOFFICE
Just by the Milford station was established in 1884, and the money order office in 1900. J. J. Briggs was the first ยท postmaster aud was succeeded by Mrs. E. C. Funk, who has
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now held the place eighteen years. This post office is a pe- culiar exception to the rule, it being located only about half a mile from the Milford post office; but it seems to hold its footing pretty well and more than pays the expenses of the same, and is quite an accommodation to the people near the depot and the settlement to the eastward.
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