USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 65
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
Hogs of the First Families. . York hog breeders had some of their best animals on display. Poland Chinas, Duroc Jerseys and Spotted Polands were the families represented. J. Arnold took first premium on aged Poland Chinas, and B. S. Kuhn
550
IHISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
first on the junior yearling, while Aubery Barr got first and champion on aged sow. Alvan Olson got three firsts, one second and one champion on Poland Chinas from Yorkview, which is a model stock farm a few miles north of town. W. L. Porter took a first, a second and two thirds. and R. Fenster and Sons a first and second. So much for the Poland Chinas.
Snyder and Sons, who breed Duroe Jerseys, got three firsts, two seconds and two thirds. Harry Dorsey, showing the same breed, was awarded four firsts, two champions and one second, and John MeClatchey got three firsts. a second and a third on his Spotted Polands.
Blooded Horses. Many people in the community are perhaps not aware that the Highridge stock farm of Jas Barr and Sons produces annually as many horses if not more than any other similar farm in the state. The Barrs have devoted themselves principally to Percherons, but in the last year have added a few good Belgians to the herd. At present there are sixty head of horses on the farm. and some of the best were at the fair. The Barrs took first and third prizes on suckling eolts, a pair of handsome little blacks winning the ribbons. A big bay Belgian took first and champion. Two Percheron mares won first and third, and first went to the best span of mares hitched. A Percheron mare won first and champion and firsts were carried off by a yearling Belgian and a yearling Percheron. A black Percheron stallion took first and a big gray took second. The Percheron who took first weighs 2,000 pounds, but in spite of his size has the grace lacking in many a smaller animal. With his arched neck and silky mane and coat he is good to look at.
A handsome white mare with her blaek mule colt by her side took first prize and champion for her owner, Arthur Otto. The colt was also awarded first prize.
John Snyder and Sons also devote much time to horses and had a fine showing in the horse barn. A pretty suckling took second prize and two grade year olds were given first ribbons. A Percheron mare took second and a handsome team also won second.
Small Exhibit of Sheep. There were only two exhibitors to enter sheep this year, the number of animals shown being smaller than in previous seasons. Glen Foster had two head and took first and champion in ewes. Clinton Kirkpatrick entered twelve head, winning first, second and third prizes. When Judge Propp went through the pens he gave an impromptu lecture on judging sheep to a number of boys who were exhibiting in the calf and pig club, and awakened con- siderable interest among the lads and bystanders.
With the High-Bred Cous. It's a shame to have no better place to accommo- date 'em, those high bred horses, cows and hogs, and the aristocratic sheep. To invite guests of their pedigree to come to town and then house them in a dark ramshackle old barn is not the right kind of hospitality, but perhaps before another year rolls round we shall be able to do better by them.
If this paper gave the impression in last week's issue that Short Horns were the only breed on exhibition in the cattle sheds the impression was as wrong as it was unintentional. There were also Aberdeen Angus, the coal black animals whose name reveals their Scotch ancestry : there were Jerseys, the real cream-giving kind. and Holsteins and Herefords and Polled Short Horns. In the Short Horn department the following breeders took ribbons:
Alvin Westwood. first and second on senior bull calf; B. S. Kuhn third on
551
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
year-old cow : E. J. Foster. first and grand champion on two-year-old bull ; third on senior bull calf, first and champion on three-year-old cow and third on three- year-old cow, second on senior heifer calf, first on junior heifer calf, third on get of sire, first on produce of cow, second on calf herd; Fred Thomas and Son first on junior yearling bull ; William Tindall & Son, first and third on junior yearling heifer : E. J. Ilays, second on two-year-old bull, first on senior yearling heifer; McCarthy Bros., first and champion on junior bull calf, second on three-year-old cow, first on two-year-old cow, second on two-year-old cow, second on senior yearling heifer, second on junior yearling heifer. third on senior heifer calf. first and grand champion on senior heifer calf, first on get of sire, second on get of sire, second on produce of cow, third on produce of cow, first on calf herd: C. A. Barr, second on junior heifer calf.
Exhibitors of Polled Short Horns were awarded prizes as follows: Fred Thomas and Sons, first on junior yearling bull, first and champion on senior bull calf. second on senior bull calf, first on three-year-old cow, second on junior yearling heifer and third on junior yearling heifer, first and second on junior heifer calf, first on get of sire and first on calf herd : Lester White, first and champion on two-year-old bull, first on junior bull calf, first and champion on two-year-old cow, first and champion on senior heifer and first on junior heifer.
The Aberdeen Angus exhibited by Jay White carried off a string of prizes. In this connection it is worth noting that Mr. White took third and fourth on his junior bull calf at the state fair. At the county fair he was awarded first and grand champion on a junior yearling bull, first and second on junior bull calf, first on three-year-old cow, first on junior yearling heifer, first on senior heifer calf, first on junior heifer calf, second on junior heifer calf, first on get of sire, first on produce of cow, first on calf herd.
W. F. Schultz, who exhibited Herefords, took first and champion on senior yearling bull, first on junior yearling heifer. first on senior heifer calf and first and champion on junior heifer calf.
Red Polled Short Horns exhibited by John Brabham were awarded a first and champion for a two-year-old bull, first and champion on senior bull calf, second on senior bull calf, first on both senior and junior heifer calves, first on a yearling, first on get of sire and first on calf herd.
C. E. Bond brought a Holstein cow which took first prize.
A. C. Krah won first ribbons on his Jersey bull and heifer.
The Poultry Show. "The poultry show went over the top in both the number of exhibits and the variety and quality. There was not room enough to accommo- date all the birds which owners were desirous of entering, and it was necessary to turn would-be exhibitors away after the tent was filled. The poultry shown was withont exception in fine condition and people who appreciated high-bred stock enjoyed the display.
Thirteen breeds of poultry were shown besides turkeys, ducks and geese. The old, reliable Barred Plymouth Rocks were exhibited by James Pickrel, S. S. Piper, C. D. Tharp and O. O. Jones. Handsome White Rocks were shown by James Pickrel and Frank D. Wing. August E. Krah entered White Langshans and B. S. Kuhn displayed the Blacks of the same breed. J. M. Meadville was the only Buff Plymouth Roek specialist in the list, but fine Buff Orpingtons were sponsored by C. J. Blender. Mrs. R. Fenster. Mrs. Carl Barth and C. Piekrel. The nifty Par-
552
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
tridge Wyandottes of Mrs. S. L. Cleland were the only ones of their family at the show.
W. C. Noll and H. C. Feemster exhibited Rhode Island Reds. dividing the prizes between them. White Wyandottes are a favorite among the faneiers in the county and W. E. Gould, Mrs. Fred Stilson, Mildred Tharp. Mrs. Lucy Zentz. and O. II. Feldman had fine specimens in the tent. The ever attractive White Leg- horns were shown by Edwin Getty, Reverend Bollman, Mrs. J. A. Campbell, Mrs. Fred Stilson and Claude Hudson. Mrs. Paul Diehl brought White Orpingtons and W. MeTaggert Black Orpingtons. Mrs. R. Fenster and W. T. Wherry showed Mottled Anconas, 11. C. Feemster had a large exhibit of Black Cochin Bantams and llerb Reisinger exhibited his beautiful Silver Wyandottes.
White Holland turkeys from the pens of Mrs. Paul Diehl attracted much attention. The rearing of turkeys is almost a lost art in this vicinity. but the health and beauty of Mrs. Diehl's snowy pets proved that it can be done. E. O. Stone had Toulouse geese, Tom Green. Pekin ducks, and Mrs. A. L. Howard. B. S. Kuhn and Mrs. Paul Diehl, White Muscovey ducks.
Poultry fanciers are looking forward to the winter show. when they plan to fill Agricultural Hall so full of the very finest birds in the country that no exhibi- tion of the kind ever held here before will be able to compare with it. In case their plans work out the county fair exhibit will only be a forerunner of better things.
POULTRY SHOW A SUCCESS
Within the past decade or so the "humble hen" yet the fruitful hen has been gaining rapidly in prominence upon the farm. The revenue derived from the poultry on all of the farms in a single county is immense, and thus one of the modern agricultural show activities is the poultry show.
On the eve of the close of the exhibition held by the Central Nebraska Poultry Association, last Thursday, the members of the organization and interested friends mnet at the Miller Cafeteria for dinner and a general discussion of matters relating to the poultry business. Congratulations on the success of the exhibition were mintnal between exhibitors and the officers who were so largely responsible for the success of the show. The principal speakers of the evening were E. C. Bishop of Bradshaw, who has had wide experience in interesting boys and girls in agricul- tural matters through the medium of clubs and who spoke on poultry elub work for the young people. Claude Hudson, secretary of the association, talked of various phases of the poultry industry. Impromptu speeches were made by other guests. Officers for another year were elected and the time of the exhibition next year set for the second week in December. The new officers are W. B. McTaggart, president ; H. (. Feemster, vice president, and Claude Hudson, secretary and treasurer. Everett Gould, Herb Reisinger, Julius Crane and Joseph Pashang were named as directors.
Friday was the last day of the exhibition and Saturday the handsome birds, many of them wearing prize ribbons, were shipped to their homes. The association hopes in time to purchase uniform cages, such as were used this year, as a part of the equipment for the annual show. Prospects now are for an even bigger and better exhibit in 1921.
553
HHISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
STATISTICS ON YORK COUNTY PRODUCTION
Now we will come to the consideration of cold, hard facts, and let figures speak for the agricultural achievements of our county. First, taking a rather inviting inspection of the totals, as published in the York Democrat in 1915, before we take the same facts in coldly, solidly arranged tables.
. York is not the largest Nebraska county in point of area, nor is it the largest in point of population. Cherry County could be cut up into twelve counties as large as York. and Custer County would make four counties the size of York County. But it is only in area and population that York will consent to play second fiddle to any of them. Some counties excel York County in the produc- tion of some particular crop. but when it comes to the production of the five or six staple agricultural crops produced in Nebraska, York claims to stand right up at the top in bushels or tons per acre. value per capita, or total amounts.
The statistics compiled by the State Board of Agriculture for 1914 contain some information well worth while. The figures show York County to be one of the very best counties in the state-in fact. excelled by only a very few, and those connties that are larger in area and population.
The value of land and permanent improvements in York County, according to the 1914 statistics, was $32.378,000. Only Lancaster and Platte exceeded this amount. This, of course, refers to farm lands only.
The value of farm buildings in York in 1914 was $4,528,000. Only Butler County exceeded this total.
In 1914 York County produced 3.472,000 bushels of corn. This production was excelled only by Lancaster, Custer, Boone and Antelope. York had the smallest acreage of the five named, and the largest average yield per acre.
York produced 104,200 bushels of winter wheat in 1914. This production was excelled only by Lancaster. Kearney. Gage. Fillmore, Clay and Hamilton. York County had the smallest acreage of the lot, and the production per acre was exceeded only by Hamilton and Clay.
York's production of alfalfa in 1914 was 19,200 tons. This amount was exceeded by eleven counties, every one of which had a vastly larger acreage, but not one of which produced as much per acre.
In 1914 York County had 1,280 hand separators. Only Platte, Otoe. Lancaster and Gage exceeded this, and all of them have larger population. This is an index of York County's growth as a dairying county.
York County showed the assessor 7-12 automobiles in 1914. Only Saunders, Otoe, Laneaster, Douglas and Dodge acknowledged more.
In 1914 the value of dairy cows, other cattle and swine in York County was $504.448. This total was excelled by eleven counties.
A conservative estimate of York County's corn yield this year is 7,000,000 bushels. Were all this corn to be shipped by rail at onee it would stall every rail- road in Nebraska, for it would require 10,000 cars each loaded with 700 bushels of corn to transport the crop. This would be 125 freight trains of 80 cars each, or one freight train more than 100 miles long. If York shipped her 1915 crop of alfalfa to market by freight it would require nearly 1,800 cars carrying ten tons each. A freight train transporting York County's 1915 crop of corn, wheat and alfalfa would run through Omaha by the way of Lincoln, have its engine whistling
554
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
ten or twelve miles to the east of the Missouri River before the caboose left the corporate limits of the City of York.
Nebraska is a wonderful state, and is made up of many splendid counties. And little old York is more than willing to be measured alongside any other Nebraska county, or any similar expanse of territory in the United States, when it comes to the production of all the good things that tend to make life better and therefore happier.
YORK COUNTY IN 1915
('rop
Acreage
Average
Yield 4.444,956
Value $2.222.478
Corn
108,915
40.8 bu
Wheat
100,171
21.4 bu
2,164,659
1,731,721
Rve
108
21.3 bu
2,300
1,725
Barley
302
35.0 bu
10,570
4.228
Oats
23,580
35.6 bu
839,448
235.045
Potatoes
510
92.5 bu
49,725
19.890
Alfalfa
22,908
3.9 ts
89,341
536,046
Hay
9,961
1.5 ts
14.941
85,649
Timothy
10.206
102.060
Clover
1,905
22,860
Blue Grass
24,382
243.720
Other Grasses
11,209
112.090
Grand total Agricultural products.
$5.311,518
Live Stock
No.
Value
Horses
12,561
$1.268,661
Mules
2.007
218,763
Milch Cows
6,535
392,100
Other Cattle
16.812
672.480
Swine
31,292
469.380
Sheep
1.164
6,984
. 3,029,368
Grand total for 1915.
$8,346,886
Estimated per capita production for the entire county. $418. This is greatly in excess of the average per capita production of the entire state, and it must be borne in mind that Nebraska's production of agricultural and live stock wealth per capita is greater than that of any other state.
YORK COUNTY-1916
Products
Head
Products
Bushels
Cattle
8,533
Apples
735
Hogs
33,502
Barley
26
Horses and mules
1,127
Corn
698,273
Sheep
4,629
Oats
55,443
555
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Pop corn
5
Flour
7,007,491
Potatoes
2,895
Furs
150
Wheat
1.230.792
Hides and pelts
77.745
Fresh fruit .
340
Honey
16
Products
Tons
Lard
324
Alfalfa
589
Live poultry
1,302,242
Hay
698
Melons
25,560
Ice
894
Mill feed
1,912,047
Stone
120
Millet seed
1,000
Products
Number
Nursery stock
694.738
Brick
972.000
Tallow
28,946
Products
Gallons
Timothy seed
7.535
Cream
40,134
Vegetables
23,460
Ice cream.
1.207
Wool
13.780
Products
Pounds
Products
Baskets
Alfalfa seed
14.642
Peaches
263
Butter
32.190
Products
Dozens
Clover seed.
910
Brooms
444
Dressed meat
867
Eggs
559,715
Dressed poultry
50
YORK COUNTY-1917
Products
Ilead
Products
Pounds
Cattle
10,213
Alfalfa seed
1,100
Ilogs
41.375
Butter
42.117
Horses and mules
641
Clover seed
950
Sheep
10.530
Dressed meat.
612
Products
Bushels
Dressed poultry
550
Barley
14,614
Flour
2,063,971
Corn
2,308.311
Furs
200
Oats
257,008
llides and pelts
110,179
Potatoes
28
Honey
100
Wheat
424,512
Lard
268
Products
Tons
Live poultry
1,249,168
Alfalfa
49
Mill feed
250,000
Cement blocks
50
Nursery stock.
532,000
Thay
667
fallow
4,256
Ice
21
Timothy seed.
2,795
Sand and gravel
150
Vegetables
950
Products
Number
Wool
13,190
Brick
2.848,100
Products
Dozens
Products
Gallons
Eggs
1,195,965
Cream
124,819
Ice cream
4.150
In 1918 the number of farm mortgages filed in York County was 254, the amount being $1,460,529, the number released was 313 and the amount $1,230,537.
Vol. I-36
556
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
There were 12,162 horses and mules valued at $90 each, which amounted to $1,094,580, and 1.13 valned at $100 each, amounting to $121,300. The number of milch cows was 6,666, valued at $599,940; other cattle 20,580, valued at $1,440,600. There were 34.482 hogs and sheep valued at $30 each, amounting to $1.034,460, and 5,183 valued at $12,00 per head. amounting to $62.196. The number of sheep and goats fed in the year 2,659, valued at $28,570: also 13,688 dozen poultry.
There were 102,830 acres of corn, producing 719,810 bushels : 82,120 acres of winter wheat, producing 439,080 bushels; 1,937 acres of spring wheat. produeing 34,559 bushels; 32,282 aeres of oats, making 419,666 bushels: 593 acres of rye, making 6,523 bushels; 5,778 acres of rye, making 86,670 bushels: 16,256 acres of alfalfa, making 26,009.6 tons, valued at $650,240 : 6,505 acres of wild hay, making 4.553.5 tons, valued at $86,516; 929 acres of potatoes, making 39.018 bushels, valued at $31,214.
There were 6.997 aeres of timothy, 580 aeres of clover, 33,958 acres of blue grass, 43,320 acres of sugar beets, 15 acres of broom corn, 40 acres of kaffir eorn. The number of bushels of corn on hand in April, 1918, was 245,600 bushels, 24,927 bushels of wheat and 525,225 bushels of other grains: 84 acres of spelts, 45 acres of millet and Hungarian and 221 acres of sorghum. There were 1.491 automobiles, 892 gas engines, 61 gasoline tractors, 40 silos, 1,489 cream separators, and 23 butter-making machines.
MODERN FARM LIFE
Several very changed phases of modern farm life have caused more or less anxiety in recent years. One is that the census of 1920 shows a decrease in popula- tion in agricultural distriets and even in many towns entirely dependent upon agricultural territory. Yet this is not altogether alarming. and it might be well to consider the following analysis of the situation as viewed by one of the newspapers of Lancaster County, facts which will equally apply to York County.
THIE CALL TO QUALITY
The detailed eensus returns for Lancaster County show Nebraska what to expect in the way of general population development in the years next ahead. The pre- cinets of the county which are without villages show a loss in population. The villages show losses or very small gains. The City of Lincoln with its suburbs shows a fair gain.
The farms contain fewer people than in 1910. The villages which are purely farm trading centers barely hold their own. The larger center of population makes a gain, though by no means such gains as the industrial cities show. Nebraska, this suggests, is to remain statie in rural population. Such gains in population as it makes are to be in the larger towns.
The conditions accounting for this state of affairs give no sign of change, as yet. More machinery and fewer men man the farms. The eighty-acre farm is giving way to the larger unit demanded by fast plowing and harvesting machinery. The new farms of the West, level and light of soil, are manageable in still larger units. As labor conditions change there will be more intensive farming in the irrigated dis-
557
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
tricts. The sugar beet country will continue to increase in population. As to the rest, there may even be further decreases while present economic tendencies continue.
In these circumstances, Nebraska must find its pleasure in growth in quality. This is a more satisfying process, once we are embarked upon it, than that mere growth in numbers on which Americans are so prone to base their pride. Nebraska has enough people to be comfortable and content together. What we need is better living for those already here. Good headway has been made in some of these respects, notably with roads. A start has been made toward better schools. Unfor- tunately as much cannot be said for the church situation. Farmer organizations have begun to point the way to a richer social life. There is a prosperity by means of which Nebraska can make itself, if it will, a state of the healthiest, highest minded, happiest, wisest, most efficient people the world ever saw around a common capital. To go in that direction is work enough. There is no time nor need to worry over numbers.
Another fact is that the encroaches of the automobile upon the time-worn custom of Saturday shopping has removed one of the landmarks of farm life.
SATURDAY NO LONGER BIG DAY
Saturday is no longer the "big day" with the country merchants. The advent of the automobile has made all days look alike to both farmer and merchant. Today the farmer cranks up his car, scoots to town, does his trading and gets back home quicker than he could formerly hitch Dobbin and Bill to the buggy. Mother packs her eggs in a box, hops into the car with Father, and away they go, twenty- five miles an hour, and are in town, have their trading done, back home and at the evening chores, quicker than it used to take them to hitch up and drive to town.
But if the automobile has made it easier for the farmer and easier for the town merchant, it has destroyed one of the old charms of rural and small town life. Sat- urday used to be the big visiting day, as well as the big marketing day. The farmers would come to town with their wives, and while the farmers were talking crops and live stock, prices and politics, the good wives were foregathering in the stores and exchanging recipes and going into ecstasies over babies and inquiring about absent relatives and friends. It was a day of great sociability; a day on which new friendships were made and old friendships made stronger. It was a weekly event in the humdrum of existence, an oasis of pleasure in what was too often a social desert.
But the automobile has brought hurry as well as convenience, and instead of visiting around in the stores the farmer's wives hurry through their shopping and are off for a pleasure ride in the new car. The average farmer can get from his farm to town as quickly as the average city man can get to his place of business on the street car. The antomobile has destroyed the small town idea by making every farm a suburban residence. It is a great institution, but one often wonders if its convenience makes up for what it has destroyed : whether its hurry makes up for the old-time neighborliness and sociability that we used to have in the old years when Saturday was chuck full of sociability and the village and small city stores were crowded with cheery-faced farmers' wives and the streets were filled with stalwart men discussing every possible phase of political and social life.
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
FARMI ORGANIZATIONS
The past few years have seen another impetus given to the organization of the farmer. The farmers' unions, which have been very successful, have been joined by the Non-partisan League. These two organizations pursue a different theory, the former, of co-operative incorporation of elevators, stores and other enterprises con- ducted upon the co-operative plan or the regular corporation plan. The latter deems it wiser to form a strong political organization, seek the nomination and election of candidates pledged to carry out its ideas, which tend more to state ownership and operation of elevators, packing houses, terminal elevators, banks, and enterprises in which the farmer would be interested. Another strong organization in the state is the farm bureaus, organized in many counties of the state. York County has not yet formed a local farm bureau, and secured the services of a county agent. The following excerpts from the York Republican in November and December, 1920, indicate the frame of mind in York County upon this phase of work, as this book is being completed :
The farm bureau has leaped into universal favor in Nebraska. The drive which is being made by counties is phenomenal in its success. Counties which declined or looked upon it with cold favor a few months ago are accepting the farm bureau with great alacrity now. By the time the drive is finished it looks as if every purely agricultural county will be organized into a farm bureau. Present conditions have brought home to the farmer that organization is essential. The antipathy to the "kid glove" farmer has waned to almost nothing. The agricultural expert, turned out by the agricultural schools, has proven his value and won his way over the prejudices of the farmer whose education has come out of the soil itself. The farmer looked on the agent as an unwelcome and unwanted intruder. The county agent looked on the farmer as a field of conversion and education. When they got to work they found the actual experience of one and the academie knowl- edge of the other made a combination that solved many a farm problem and made farming more a science and less an experiment. The county agent now has his place to fill and it becomes a question not of shall he be employed but where can we get one? The supply must increase many fold to keep up with the demand. And so the agriculture school is justifying its existence and by its demonstrated worth making its own success.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.