USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 56
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The following is from a record by Moses Anderson :
"I commenced work on this charge October 1. 1904. The charge had no home for their pastor and houses were so scarce that we could not rent, so the only thing to do was to build. We started a subscription for the new parsonage, and by the eleventh of January, 1905, we moved into our new home. We were pushing the new M. E. Church enterprise of McCool. At conference time, in September, 1905, we have let the contract for our new church. The building committee, Moses
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Anderson, Thomas Marshall, M. E. Boren and Ed Russell. Corner-stone was laid December 4, 1905."
The present pastor (October, 1920) is Rev. S. E. Smutz. Church membership is 137. Sunday school enrollment is 130. Superintendent, C. L. Sparr.
The following account of the young MeCool, published in 1887, will serve to illustrate the optimistic self-estimate a very young town was wont to place upon itself in those days.
McCool Junction-A Seren-Weeks-Old Town That Is the Wonder of the Age-Its Business Men and Business Prospects.
During the past winter the Town of McCool Junction was platted. The town site comprises 240 acres of the prettiest portion of York County and is located on the southwest quarter of section 18, township 9, range 2, in Me Fadden Township and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 13. township 9, range 3. in Hays Township. The portion of the town site in Hays Township was originally owned by J. J. Gilmore, who still retains one-half of the lots in the west eighty acres of the town site. This part of McCool is destined to be the residence portion of the future city and perhaps great railroad junction. The land being a gentle raise above the business part of town and commanding a beautiful view of the West Blue and the surrounding country. The part of the town in McFadden Township was owned by D. C. Kuns and Lewis Kleinzman, who still retain their interest in one-half the lots. The Kansas City & Omaha Railroad passes through this end of town, and the result is that a business center is rapidly being established. This 160 acres is surveyed into both business and residence lots and a large number of desirable purchases have been made by men of means who are improving their ventures with costly and substantial business houses.
Seven weeks ago the first ground was broken to put in a set of scales to weigh corn, and now fully forty buildings are completed and occupied by as live and energetic a set of business men as ever boomed a town. A number of grocery and provision stores are established, two banks, two drug stores, two butcher shops, livery stable, grain and coal offices, lumber yard, blacksmith shops, two bakeries, a restaurant, a first-class hardware store, a barber, a practicing physician, a number of painters, carpenters and tradesmen are already located and doing a lively and paying business.
MeCool Junction is located eight miles due south of York and is nine miles from Fairmont, and is located in the center of a large scope of territory, com- prising the best and richest farming district of Nebraska. The territory adjacent to MeCool is sure to become the point where the business of all this vast scope of rich territory will be transacted.
The Kansas City and Omaha Railroad, which is being built through this town, have placed their junction at MeCool, the line to Fairfield in the southwest and the line to Fairmont and Fairbury on the southeast join at this place. The officials. of the road have taken a deep interest in this junetion and hold large property interests there, which is good evidence that the road intends to make McCool its town, The following is a short review of the business interests now represented :
The Blue River Bank occupies a prominent corner and is owned by wealthy Fairmont parties, and will soon be ready for business.
Vol. 1-30
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Walter Fisher, formerly of Bradshaw, has a neat loan and land office and is agent for the town site lots, and does a general land loan and insurance business. Mr. Fisher is entirely trustworthy, and to strangers living at a distance the Demo- crat can recommend Mr. Fisher as reliable and responsible.
T. W. Smith, agent for the K. C. & O. lots at McCool, is one of the leading men of York County and hitherto a prominent farmer. Mr. Smith was recently chairman of the Board of Supervisors and has filled several positions of trust and importance. lle transacts a general land business and will be found worthy of confidence.
A. Brubaker, formerly manager of the York Lumber Company. 'is in charge of the lumber and coal trade and will be found a gentleman equal to the emergency.
W. R. Vanderveer, formerly of Davenport, is buying grain and now has several hundred thousand bushels of corn in erib, waiting for the first train of the K. C. & O. to take it to market. Mr. Vanderveer is in the grain business also at Benedict, and is a hustler and just the man needed in a new town.
Sedgwick & Bagnell have an elegant new building, well fitted up and filled with a complete stock of drugs. medicines, paints and oils. The firm consists of Dr. Sedgwick, of York, and Mr. I. N. Bagnell, formerly of Bagnell Bros., York. Mr. Bagnell is one of the best prescription clerks in the state. Another drug store, across the street, is operated by S. B. Moberly, who is an old York County boy, having recently embarked in the drug business at Osceola, but being aware of the grand opening at McCool, very wisely located there.
A. G. Corey, formerly postmaster at Blue Valley, has a new building well filled with dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes. Mr. Corey is an old hand in the mercantile line and will be one to make business lively at MeCool.
W. E. Butler, formerly of Seward, has a first-class grocery and carries a com- plete line of everything known to the grocery, queensware and glassware trade.
Henry Vanderhoof is also a Seward gentleman who has cast his lot at MeCool and has a good building well stocked with general merchandise.
G. R. Carey, formerly of York, has a new building completed and will at once begin to deal ont fresh and salt meats and do a general butchering business.
Isaac Ong, a farmer living near the town site, has a good substantial building about completed and will also serve beefsteak and everything else connected with that branch of business to the good people of MeCool and vicinity.
Mr. Schear, of Davenport, is erecting a large building to be occupied as a con- fectionery and bakery. Mr. Schear is a practical baker.
William Richter, formerly of York, has a building up, on the west side of the town, and is running a bakery and confectionery.
F. C. Webster, also from York, is running an eating house and restaurant and has at present a monopoly on the business of the town.
W. K. Paxton & Son have a large livery, sale and feed stable and are doing a lively business.
O. Washburn, of York, is operating a branch shop at MeCool and is a good carpenter.
Rothmanz. Holden & MeFall, house, sign and carriage painters, scenic artists and decorators, do a good business in their line.
Frank S. Morris, physician and surgeon, looks after the aches and ills of the
FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH, MCCOOL
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MCCOOL
THE NEW YORY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LEN JA AND SILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
community and is a competent young physician, with an office in Sedgwick & Bagnell's drug store.
J. D. Stone, of Friend, is erecting a large two-story building, 44x50, on the land adjoining the town site on the south. This building will be oceupied with a bank and a general store.
A. Wallen is operating a grocery store in the south part of town and C. Deeious is putting in a boot and shoe shop.
Mulligan & Graves have a large storeroom and carry a well-selected stock of stoves, tinware, shelf and heavy hardware and are doing an immense business. A tonsorial artist has a chair in one of their windows and does the shaving for the town.
Work is progressing rapidly on a new two-story hotel, 44x60 feet. This will be one of the best hotels in the county and will fill a badly felt want at MeCool. Messrs. C. N. Carpenter and H. B. Seeley, of York, are the proprietors.
The town is deluged with carpenters, and the noise of the hammer and saw can be heard from morning until late at night. New buildings are daily being started and a general hum of enterprise and prosperity pervades the town. New men and new enterprises and ventures are constantly coming in. Among the many new schemes that may be mentioned is a newspaper which will soon be started. There is no better place for investment in Nebraska, and before ninety days a large and respectable town will grace the spot where two months ago there was not a building to be seen.
GRESHAM
Gresham is in the northeast corner of the county and is laid out mainly in the northwest quarter of section 11, township 12, range 1, in Stewart Township. It is situated on the Chicago & North Western branch that comes into York from David City. There was no town at this site until the railroad went through. The Pioneer Town Site Company laid out the town in August, 1887. upon land belonging to the heirs of Fred Fuller.
The new town was first named Poston, in honor of Judge George W. Post, but its name was afterwards changed because the United States postal authorities refused to accept that name, there being another postoffice in the state with a similar name. It was then named after Walter Q. Gresham, secretary of state in Cleveland's Cabinet.
Levy B. Fuller built the first store building. It was used as a hardware and grocery store, and his son, J. N. Fuller, made the first sale to Doetor Campbell, it being ten cents' worth of tobacco and five cents' worth of eandy. The first residences built were those of Levy B. Fuller, Joe Diekenson and N. E. Vansickle, which were all completed about the same time. The next few houses were built by Paul Dullum, W. R. Heines, John Walford, S. A. Toby and Joe Bennett. The next few business buildings were built by A. A. Howley, Ernest Fuller, Byers & Dullum, Hylton & Clem, Thresler & Co., Malone Bros., Walford & Innis, and Diers Bros.
L. B. Fuller ran the first general store about two years and was succeeded by Vick N. Losh. 1
The first blacksmith shop was started by Alex Landenklos and the next one by E. W. Raikes, to whom Landenklos sold out his shop. Raikes sold out to Adam
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Schmidt. who still runs in the old stand, and E. W. Raikes started another shop and is still running it.
The first grain elevators were operated by Lord & Spelts and by B. F. Willis. Lord & Spelts were succeeded by Wm. Davidson, then Davidson was succeeded by Walford & Haines. They sold to Osear Ragan and the Updike Grain Company succeeded him, and at the present this elevator is run by Ralph Thompson. B. F. Willis was succeeded by B. F. Moorehouse and Moorehouse was succeeded by the Farmers' Co-operative Company, which is running this elevator at the present time. The first lumber yards were started by S. K. Martin & Company and Haines Brothers. S. K. Martin & Company were succeeded by Searle & Chapin Lumber Company, which still runs that yard.
Fred Weitzel started the first harness shop. Ernest Fuller started the first hardware store. Levy B. Fuller put in the first meat market, and G. A. Barbee the second market in the village. Lind and Lash put in the first stock of imple- ments. Kingsolon & Clem started first in the drug store and then R. S. Hirsch. Mary Brown put in the first stock of millinery ; she was succeeded by Alice Rokies. This line of business passed successively into the hands of Mrs. Blanch Lamphere and Mrs. W. L. Wade, who is in business at the present. Hien Brothers started the first garage.
Gresham is equipped with the services of modern public utilities. W. N. Hylton put in a light plant: the Village of Gresham owns and operates its own water- works, and the York County Telephone Company has an up-to-date exchange here.
Gresham has responded liberally to the fraternal impulse. Among the orders which have installed lodges or chapters in Gresham are the Masons. Eastern Star, 1. 0. 0. F., Rebekah, M. W. A., W. O. W., A. O. U. W., G. A. R., Sons of Veterans and American Legion. Among those who lived in Gresham in the first few years who are still residents of the town are Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Toby and two children, Mr. and Mrs. Byers, A. A. Hayel and E. W. Raikes.
Gresham, 1914
Barbee, S. A., meat market
Ilillyer, V. A., jewelry
Bond, C. A., cream station
Hirsch, Chas., variety store
Cane & Nebergall, implements
Ilusbands, H. M., hardware
Hylton. W. N., Dr.
David Young Co., hardware Diers Bros., general merchandise
Marble & Neujahr, store
Ebensperger, Fritz, meat market
Marriott, A. M., hotel
Electric Light & Power Co.
Rogers, C. S., garage
Farmers' Elevator First National Bank
Schmidt, Adam, blacksmith
Fogarty, E. R., drugs Gresham Gazette Gresham Hotel
Updike Grain Co. Van Gorden, Fred, merehandise
Gresham State Bank
Williams, F. C., cafe
Hawley, A. A., furniture Ilawley, B. L., livery barn
Searle & Chapin Lumber Co.
Warner, Sam, cafe
Wooley, F. W., garage
ELEVATOR AT GRESHAM
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Gresham, 1920
Brittell Bros., furniture and undertak- ing
Gresham High School
Gresham State Bank
Brittell, Clarence, Dr.
Harris, meat market
Cane, L. H., & Son, implements
Harris & Warner, Drs.
Cane's Garage
Henriksen, A., variety store
('lem, A. L., general merchandise
Ilillyer, V. A., jewelry
Conrad, D. L., drugs
Husbands & Hawley, hardware
Diers, Herman, general merchandise
Hylton, W. N., Dr.
Ebensperger, Fritz, meat market
Johnson, A. F., Dr.
Electric Light & Power Co.
Richter Hardware Co.
Farmers' Union Store
Searle & Chapin Lumber Co.
First National Bank
Schmidt, Adam, blacksmith
Ford Service Station
Standard Oil Co.
Gresham Garage
Tompkins, R. L., grain elevator
Gresham Gazette
Warner, F. W., Dr.
Gresham Grain Co.
THAYER HISTORY
By a Thayerite
Thayer is beautifully situated on the south side of Lincoln Creek in Thayer Township and was platted in 1887. The land for the village was purchased from David Price, an old homesteader, who has sold his farm and is now retired to a residence in Thayer.
The village has a population of 200.
The first schoolhouse in district No. 9, which is Thayer school, stood west of the present school site, and was remodeled as a dwelling house and is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Pegan. In this old schoolhouse Sunday school and church services were held in the early days before the town existed. The second schoolhouse was a two story structure with two rooms, which was moved to the present location in Thayer. This was replaced about two years ago by a fine new four room school building of two stories. Three teachers are now employed and eleven grades taught. A number of pupils from surrounding districts attend Thayer high school. The second old building, sold at public auction, was bought by A. E. Grobe and remodeled into a dwelling house.
The Thayer Flouring Mill, which is operated by water power from Lincoln Creek, was in operation before the town was built. It had several changes of owner- ship, but for the past ten years has been owned and worked in an efficient manner by A. A. Tharp. Mr. Tharp also has his own electric light plant, for the mill and his residence, run by water power. Several times the mill dam gave way at the time of the spring freshet when the ice was breaking up, and an immense deluge of water and huge sections of ice with a rush and roar charged against it. But a few years ago Mr. Tharp put in an immense conerete dam that seems to be impregnable. At the proper season Mr. Tharp cuts ice from the mill pond, and people come from far and near to get their ice to pack for summer use.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
The first general store was built and operated by a Mr. Webster, who also acted as postmaster, mail at first being received only twice a week. Later Mr. Kline entered a partnership with Mr. Webster and the stock of goods was moved into a larger building where Mr. Kline remained until 1911.
E. R. Eckles, who had been in a general store with his brother Joe Eckles, was appointed postmaster in 1903, and he still handles Uncle Sam's mail in con- nection with his hardware store. Mrs. Eekles is manager of the telephone exchange.
The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was completed and the depot built during the spring of 1887. Wm. Stine has been the genial agent for nearly fifteen years. Mr. Stine has initiated five Thayer boys into the mysteries of telegraphy and other depot work: Martin Eckles, who now has a permanent posi- tion in Colorado: Logan Eckles and Ernest Wutke, who go out as relier agent and helper; Archie Gaskill, the present apprentice; and Arnel Halstead, who is again attending the high school.
Two elevators, the Updike Company, which also installed a lumber yard, and the Van Wickle, were soon on the ground and ready for business. M. V. Koons was manager of the Van Wickle elevator for many years, and after an absence of a few years is now manager for the Farmers' Grain Association, which bought out the Van Wickle Company about five years ago. Andrew Sinnamark was manager of the Updike Company for many years, and L. C. Keller is the present manager.
Wm. Jones operated the first hotel; later Win. Owens was the proprietor, and after changing hands several times a hotel and restaurant is now run by Bert Halstead.
The first hardware store was built by Wm. Hohnbaum, but Joe Hower. the present hardware man, has had the business for over ten years.
Otto Wutke was proprietor of the first harness and repair shop, which after several years he sold and accepted the position of cashier of the Thayer Bank.
The first village blacksmith in Thayer was Mr. Peterson, followed by Win. Kalle- han. The present blacksmith, Jake Keller, has been here a number of years and also owns the garage building adjoining.
The barber shop is managed by E. N. Henson, assisted by Irwin Grobe.
Schmidt and Mueller have been in the general merchandise business here about seven years and have a good trade. Frank Randall was the first druggist, and "he was a good one, too," said one of the old settlers the other day. The present druggist, Albert Sharp, has been here over seven years.
Soon after the town was platted, the town site company donated the location for a church, and the Methodist Church was built the same year. The German Lutheran Church was erected a few years later. This building was destroyed by fire, and the Lutheran people bought a country church west of town, moved it to their building site, and by adding to it made a splendid church. They now have a fine pipe organ. The Presbyterian Church was built above fifteen years ago and they have since finished up a basement and installed a furnace.
Thayer has an electric light plant and the streets and almost all the residences are lighted with electricity. Among the improvements of recent date are two fine modern homes, farm cottages and the cement block business building and opera house of W. C. Heiden, the implement dealer.
The close proximity of the town to Lincoln Creek, which by the mill dam is changed into a river, makes this a fine place for a summer resort. The pienie
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
grounds on the R. B. Priee land by the ereek have fine large shade trees, and a well has been sunk for the accommodation of picnickers. Many parties come from surrounding communities for fishing, boating and general pleasure seeking.
An excellent band of about twenty instruments is an asset in which our people take great pride. During last summer an evening concert was given once a week. We have the Royal Neighbors, M. W. A. and W. O. W. lodges; also a local moving picture machine which is operated two evenings of the week for the entertainment of the people.
The business men of 1920 in Thayer were:
Thayer Exchange
Bank of Thayer
Eckles. E. R .. hardware
Farmers State Bank
Farmers' Grain Association
Heiden, W. C., implements
Horsfall, C. M .. general merchandise
Octavia Lumber and Grain Co.
Schroeder's Cash Store
Thayer Garage
BENEDICT
Benedict was incorporated in 1890 with J. W. Downing as chairman and G. M. Douglass as clerk. The board was: J. W. Downing, O. D. Keeler, Walter Scott, Robt. Cavender and Cris Sparling. Scott and Cavender are now deceased. The board in 1903 was: W. J. Degraw. chairman; P. F. Conant, B. J. Huff, F. C. Wirth and James Marvel, with M. L. Cavender as clerk. A. Schneider has the credit of serving fourteen years on the board and eight years as chairman,
The first school taught in Benedict was by' Frank Slagle; R. B. Brabham was director.
In the winter of 1886-7 bonds were voted by Morton Township to aid the Kansas City & Omaha Railroad, and in January, 1887, there were slight evidences along the right of way on section 13 that a town was to be started there. A small grain office and scoophouse were the first and for two months the only buildings. This village was named in honor of E. C. Benedict. president of the K. C. & O. Railroad. John Lett and the firm of Oughton & Stillwell drove into town the same day and same hour, the one from the west and the other from the east. These men built houses at once for their business and also as residences for their families. Mr. Lett went into the hotel business and Oughton & Stillwell opened the first grocery store. The Eckles building, adjoining the hotel, was put up at the same time and used at once and for years after by the firm of Knott & Sparling, our first general merchandise dealers. These were followed by Miller & Downing, hardware; S. M. French, restaurant and confectionery; Baum, the druggist. In the meantime, Dr. J. A. Van Dyke located and at once picked up a large practice, and proved to be a fine physician, Mr. Levens ereeted a billiard hall on the site of the present residence of F. M. Brabham. James Stoddard erected a building north of the livery barn of C. E. Anderson, and Barney Davis put up a second billiard hall. These buildings were afterward moved south onto Sherman Street. Stoddard's building is now occupied by J. B. Marvel as a restaurant, and the other was owned and occupied for some years by J. B. Johnson, but had fallen into deeay and was torn away to make room for a better building.
Frank MeConaughey opened the first bank, with B. B. Crownover as cashier.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
The place now contains two banks, the First National and the Farmers State Bank. Martin & Crownover were the first firm engaged in shipping live stock. Martin (Lee) died on his farm one mile south of Benedict, May 17, 1893. Mr. Crownover (Elmer B.) resided upon a farm which he has sold to H. A. Johnson for $204 per acre. This lies adjoining the village on the west, and was formerly . the home of Henry Harrington.
On Sunday, June 27, 1887, the first train, a construction train, pulled into our little village ; there was a large concourse of people from the surrounding country to see it, and great was the rejoicing that now we could go to York without driving a team. The town site had been taken off the farms of E. B. Crownover and Henry Harrington-sixty acres from each. George Kenyon erected a blacksmith shop and a residence, Joe Downey a residence, and S. P. Stryker a small hardware store, in which he lived until able to put up a residence on the block now owned by H. W. Hoffmaster, Sr. Here the first child born in Benedict first saw the light-Miss Alta Stryker, now a lady of some thirty summers. The doctor built him a cosy home, where at present the M. E. parsonage stands. C. H. Dovenbarger erected a livery barn on the southwest corner of the bloek on which Dr. Karrer later built a fine residence. Later Fairman & Harrington opened a general store on the west side of the railroad, east of the present residence of O. B. Canfield. In August R. B. Brabham came to town from his farm and took upon himself the duties of postmaster, which office he held during the remainder of President Cleveland's first term, and was followed by Jomm Lett, who in turn gave way to Mr. Brabham again, when, in 1892, Mr. Cleveland defeated Harrison for a second term. In 1896, however, the scales turned again, and John Lett was returned to power. He remained postmaster for some time.
In the fall of 1887 John Lett was elected justice of the peace and served for six years, or to January, 1894, when J. E. Hoover succeeded him and held the office for several years; and woe unto the man who fell into his clutches if proven guilty of any serious misdemeanor !
Benedict owns its electric light and water plant, thus making a little money on the side for the village. Its plant has been acknowledged to be among the best to be found outside of the larger cities of the state.
Benedict very early had three fraternal lodges, the Modern Woodmen. A. O. U. W., and Degree of Honor. These orders in 1907,'with the help of some public- spirited citizens, erected a fine fraternal building on the main street of the town, and all are justly proud of their Fraternal Hall, which cost $3,000, and was begun without a dollar in the treasury.
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