NSGS Ancestree

Nebraska State Genealogical Society Journals

Methodist Church Records from Vesta, Johnson Co. continued from Vo1 19 #1

BETHEL EVANGELICAL UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH, Dawson, NE

Ministers

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75 Anniversay of Bethel Evan. U.B. Church October 27,1957

Dawson Union Sunday School started in 1875. Henry ALLEN, 1st superintendent. The names of families represented were: LIBBEE, SMUTZ, DeWEESE, ILIFF, HILL, ALLEN, BURR, HANNON, TIGNER, DAWSON, BARLOW, MEADE, HETTRICK, HEIN.

The Bethel Church was started in 1882. In the fall of 1882, Rev. S. A. PETTIT, past of the Evangelical Association Church at Verdon and Maple Grove started preaching on alternate Sundays.

Charter Members were: Mr. & Mrs. Joseph G. GEIM; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel HElM; Mrs. Henry HElM, Mrs. Emanuel ULMER, Josiah HOPPIS, Mrs. Minnie LIBBEE, Mrs. HETTRICK and Jacob S. HElM.

Active Members 1895

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Active Members, May 1900

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BETHEL EVANGELICAL UNTIED (sic) BRETHERN CHURCH, Associate Members
1894-1895-1898

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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT MAYBERRY, PAWNEE CO., Nebraska

BAPTISMS

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Ghost Towns of Eastern NE (continued)

OTOE COUNTY

NORTH BRANCH--In 1882 this was a post office location with an accredited population of 52. It had no business houses. The post office established on April 5, 1871 and officially discontinued on January 26, 1877.

UNITED BRETHERN CHURCH, Julian, Nemaha County, Nebraska

This church was organized under the name "Lafayette", in charge of the Brownville Mission. It was among the first United Brethern missions organized in Nebraska. In January 1875 Daniel SMITH was elected leader. David KINNISON, steward; Isazc (sic) Belknap, pastor in charge.

Charter members

In January 1876 class was reorganized at Rcok (sic) Creek school house by J.S. SMITH. Charter members of this organization were:

Pastors in charge of class at this place and up till the building of the present Julian Church. and its organization are as follows:

The Julian Class was again organized in March 1891 by B. PRISSON and at this time was given the name Juilian (sic). Charter members were:

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Ghost Towns of Eastern NE - (continued)

PIERCE COUNTY

COLBERGER--Coleberger was primarily a post office located on level prairie in Willow Creek Precinct, in the southwestern part of the county, twelve miles west of Pierce. The first settlement here was made in 1872. In 1875 a school house was built. The post office was established in 1880.

WARREN--In Mills Precinct was a post office for a time called Warren. There was also a Warren school and church. Many of its patrons came there from the town of Burnett, later called Tilden. The Warren post office was abandoned many years later.

POLK COUNTY

SWEDE HOME--Though there are a few families still in Swede Home, it is an "almost" ghost town. Swede Home was settled in 1872 and is located three miles north and three and one hail miles west of Stromsburg. The name was used as a reminder of the settlers' homeland. A grocery and general mercantile store was begun in 1884. A post office was established in the year 1883. Other businesses included an implement store, blacksmith shop, a shoe repair store, tailor, etc. At its height, Swede Home had about forty residents. The post office was discontinued in June 1902.

DUST TO DUST- Ghost Towns of Eastern Nebraska by Lowell Greunke (continued from Vol 19 #1)

JOHNSON COUNTY

HELENA--Helena was located on the south branch of the Little Nemaha River in the northeastern part of the county. It was surveyed in 1867 and for a while improved very rapidly. In 1870 the Presbyterians and the Lutherans each built churches there. In the early 1870's it was a center of trade for the area. The construction of the railroad through the county, leaving Helena six miles out in the cold, practically ruined the town and in 1873 it was almost deserted. By 1882 it had perhaps fifty persons in it with two country stores and a blacksmith shop.

VESTA--This is a small settlement located nine miles west of Tecumseh. It was founded in the late 1860's. The town, if it could be called that, in 1882 was made up of about ten families. It was entirely a farming community, with one general store, a post office, several mechanic' shops and a schoolhouse. A steam saw mill was built here in 1866. The town was named for a little girl in Massachusetts known by one of the founders.

KNOX COUNTY

MILLERSBORO--This settlement was located on level prairie in the southern part of Knox county, about eight miles southwest of Creighton. The first settlement in the vicinity was in 1873. The town was named for the first settler, J M MILLER. A schoolhouse was finally built in 1879 and the Presbyterians built a church in 1882. The post office was established in 1874 with a woman, C A MILLER, as post mistress.

PISCHELVILLE--This town was situated on bottom land, in the northwestern part of the county, on the Niobrara River. The first settlement was made in 1870 by a portion of a colony formed in Chicago the year previously by a number of Bohemians. The town was named after Anton PISCHEL, one of its founders. A schoolhouse was built in 1872 and the post office was established that same year, with Anton PISCHEL as postmaster. A grist mill was built in 1878 and in 1879 PISCHEL opened a general store.

WALNUT GROVE--This was primarily a post office in the western part of Knox county, on the west branch of the Verdigris River. The first settlers in the vicinity arrived in 1873. The post office was established in December 1875 and the first schoolhouse was built in 1876. Mr. D TENNEY opened a store in August 1880, the first store in Walnut Grove. Timber and building stone were abundant in the vicinity.

CENTERVILLE--Centerville was located in the northeastern corner of section 21 of Centerville Precinct. It was once the crossroads of an Indian trail going north and south and on the old freighter road from Nebraska City to Denver. It was settled in about 1868 and at one time had a post office and a number of residences. A pony mail station was located one half mile east of the Centerville school.

LANCASTER CO (continued)

CROUNSE--Crounse was a small town located about four miles north of Malcom. It was named for a governor of the state, Lorenzo CROUNSE. At one time it had a post office, a general store, and a creamery. A Methodist church was built here in 1887. The post office was established in April 1873 and discontinued in October 1901.

SALT1LLO--Saltillo was once a small village on the Burlington Missouri Railroad line, it was located about six miles south and one mile east of Highway 77, along Salt Creek bottom. At its height, Saltillo had a store, schoolhouse, and church. It was primarily just a passenger stopping place for the railroad. It was founded in September 1882 and probably named for Saltillo, Mexico. The post office was established in March 1865 and discontinued in January 1906.

MADISON COUNTY

BLAKELY--This was primarily a post office, situated on mostly level prairie, it was established in 1880. The first settlement in the vicinity was made in 1871. Except for the post office, there was only a blacksmith shop there.

EMERICK PO.--Ernerick Post Office was located oin (sic) the western part of the county, near the head of Battle Creek. It was established in May 1873, and it was named for a local poineer. The first schoolhouse was built in 1874 and a store was opened in October 1880 by J. L. GRANT, one of the first settlers in the place.

WARNERVILLE--This was a hamlet which in 1892 had about one hundred people in it. It was on the Norfolk branch of the Union Pacific Railroad in the eastern part of Madison county. It had a hotel, public school, Presbyterian church and was a good grain and lumber trading center. It was platted on July 5, 1887 by Hiram WARNER on Section 13-23-1. The post office in the area was established in January 1880 and discontinued in November 1917. The founder, Hiram WARNER later operated a store and elevator in the town. The town was originally named Munsonville, for another early settler.

NEMAHA COUNTY

ASP1NWALL--Aspinwall, situated on the Missouri River, in the southeastern part of the county, was surveyed in 1857. HOBBITZILL & Co opened the first store in the town. Aspinwall was named such because settlers wanted to give it a "long name". The town was incorporated in 1870. By 1880 it contained several mercantile stores and other business establishments, a school house and several churches. Extensive coal mines were being worked in the area. The town itself was located two and one half miles below Nemaha City. The town site was within the Indian reservation originally.

BEDFORD--This is the name given to a railroad town platted January 20, 1882. A train station and post office were established immediately. Bedford lay four and one half miles south of Sheridan and was located on the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 10, Township 4, Range 14. CROWELL & Co. opened a store of general merchandise in 1882.

NEMAHA CO (continued)

CLIFTON--The first settlement was made in Clifton in 1864, and the name was derived because of the surroundings of rocky hills. Clifton was on a prairie, with uneven or hilly surroundings, and was sixteen miles west-northwest of Brownville. The Clifton post office was established in May 1868. By 1882 there was no village at Clifton, nothing but actual farmers, not even a blacksmith shop or store.

GLEN ROCK--Glen Rock was surveyed September 7, 1857. The town was located on the southwest quarter of Section 29, and the northwest quarter of Section 32, Township 6, Range 14. It was named Glen Rock because it was in a valley near some stone quarries. The peak population for the town was 120 in the 1900 census. The post office was established in August 1859 and discontinued in 1930.

HILLSDALE--Hillsdale was surveyed on June 25, 1866 and was located on Lot 7, Section 22, Township 4, Range 16. The post office was established in 1868 and discontinued in 1891. By 1882 the town only had a post office.

HOWARD--Located on the Little Nemaha River in the northwestern part of the county was a small town which by 1880 contained a grist mill, hotel, tin shop, wagon and blacksmith shop, grocery and dry goods stores, two physicians, etc. The post office was established in 1867. The name was changed to Psdunk in May 1880.

LONDON--London, three miles west of Brownville, had by 1880 two churches, a fine schoolhouse and several business establishments. It was incorporated in 1858 but the first settlement was made in July 1856, the first settler being John HOUMAN. The first school house was erected in August 1857 and the first church built in 1865. The London post office was established in the fall of 1867. Soon after the first funeral (1857) in the village, a man, whose name is unknown, was shot for claim jumping. He died on his wounds the next day.

ST. DEROIN--Joseph DEROIN, an Otoe chief, owned the land that became known as St. Deroin, after whom the village was named. It was located on the bank of the Missouri River, and at one time the town was situated on what was called the half-breed reservation. In 1854 Robert HAWKE, Joseph DEROIN, and others laid out and named the town, and commenced a store for the sale of goods to the Otoe Indians residing in the vicinity. In 1858, DEROIN was killed by a man named BEDDOW, in a quarrel. In 1859 another mercantile store was opened and a post office was established in 1861. A school house and a first class flouring mill were built in 1868. By 1882 there was one store, two blacksmithing shops, one hotel, and one flouring mill, a wagon shop, and a brick school house. The town washed away by the Missouri River in 1911. It had been one of the oldest towns in the state.