Fillmore County, Nebraska

(Last Updated 12/22/2004 )

Fairmont Miscellany

The Railroad Company selected sites of their stations. The site for the town of Fairmont was not on railroad land, so the company hired four men to take pre-emption claims on the land wanted for the town site. The men hired to live on the claims and " prove up" on them were George ENDERLY, James SEELEY, J. A. CRAWFORD and Obediah SCOTT. Each filed on an 80 in Section 30, 78, 82W, and they built a house in the center of the section in April 1871. When title was secured, they deeded the land to the South Platte Land Company, who had it surveyed into lots in October 1871 and sold these to the people. The town was comprised of 188.67 acres. At the same time, the first B & M train passed over this land and through the new site. This attracted many new settlers.

The original first building was built on Nebraska Avenue. As ground was being broken, a pioneer by the name of J. E. PORTER opened a general store in Fairmont. This was located on the corner where the CUBBISON block now stands. This corner was the starting point of business in Fairmont.

Up to this time, two post offices had been established in or near Fairmont. First was called "Hesperia" and was in the residence of the postmaster, W. H. BROWN. The second postmaster was Dan SPADE and the office was moved to his store, north of the Cubbison building.

At this time the name was changed to Fairmont, meaning "fine surrounding and somewhat elevated position." This was in the fall of 1872. From this date the town grew rapidly. More than twenty carpenters and masons were busy building store buildings, hotels, livery barns and residences. During this building a brickyard was established to furnish material. Some of these buildings still stand, that were made from the old Fairmont bricks. In the summer and fall of 1872, Fairmont was the furthermost western town on the " Great American Desert." There was no other town west for over 500 miles or between it and Denver, Colorado.

In 1901, Bert ALDRICH began construction of a modern steel standpipe, which is still in use. By 1888, Fairmont’s population was pushing 1800. In pioneer days more labor was in demand and Fairmont had more industry. Two railroads – B & M (Burlington & Missouri River) and its branch to the south, and the old K. C. & O (Kansas City & Omaha) each maintained a depot, freight yards, grain elevators, etc.

The first child born in Fairmont was "Bessie Fairmont" HAGARTY born 19 June 1872. The first paper was "Fairmont Bulletin" edited in 1872. The first sermon was in 1871 by Rev. G. W. GUE at railroad depot. The first edifice in county was Methodist Church with Rev. G. W. GUE as pastor. The first marriage was Clarence CHAPIN and Miss MORGAN in fall of 1872. Fairmont was incorporated as a village on 26 May 1873. The Trustees were A. S. SHEPARD, H. L. EDWARDS, W. C. ZIEGLER, J. E. PORTER, and F. F. PARLIMAN.

The first mayor was E. L. MARTIN. The first council was John CUBBISON, F. G. USHER, William GAYLORD & Fred PAGE. On 6 June 1901-sold park in S. E. corner of town, Lot no. 655 to Mrs. Margaret ALDRICH for $300 to purchase lots closer to town for park purposes. On 1 April 1891, Fairmont holds a Municipal Election. In 1891, over 2000 people were present at 7:35 a.m. to greet President HARRISON, the first president to visit Fairmont. On 1 October 1900, over 3000 were waiting to give ROOSEVELT a hand and children gave him a bouquet. On 1 May 1900, Fairmont goes dry as a result of an election. In 1900, William J. BRYAN came to Fairmont and spoke for 20 minutes. President TAFT came in 1911 Ford for a 5-minute stop. 1500 were present.

In 1942, Federal Judge DONAHUE of Lincoln gave federal government permission to take immediate possession of 1840 acres in Fillmore County for the Fairmont Airfield. In 1943, the prisoner of war camp would be located at Hebron. In 1973, the mayor is Ernest E. MUMBY and councilmen are Gordon NICHOLS, Francis McMAHON Sr., Francis JACOBSEN & Marvin EIFERT. Major Ellis ENO was first commander of Air Base. First Presbyterian Church had origin on 14 May 1871 when Rev. Eratis SPEAR, a Baptist minister from Indiana, preached what is believed to be the first sermon in Fillmore County.

It was formally organized on 21 Feb. 1872 with 13 charter members. The building was erected in 1873. A new vestibule and bell tower was added in 1898. The manse was added to church property in 1909. The Congregational Church began at store of J. E. PORTER. Formal organization was 17 Nov. 1872 with 17 charter members. The building was erected in 1879-1880. Bell was purchased in 1882. In 1885, additions were made to original structure. Parsonage was built in 1916-1918. In 1922, the Federation of Congregational and Presbyterian churches was endorsed by Dr. David HONSACKER (President) and Rev. W. B. CLINE (Cong.); on 17 December 1922, by unanimous vote in both churches. The Federation became effective on 1 January 1923 with total membership of 323. On 19 December 1926, the new building was dedicated. The following Sunday, the new pipe organ was dedicated. Rev. W. F. PERRY served the church for nine years.

With the immigration of the early seventies and the coming of the B & M Railroad, the city of Fairmont was one of the first towns to be surveyed and platted in this area. Methodist preachers, as circuit riders came with the first group of settlers. Soon, the Lincoln district procured Rev. G. W. GUE to organize church work in Fillmore County. In 1871, he visited the people in their sod houses and dugouts and formed a circuit. Nine months after the first settlement of Fairmont, Rev. GUE had the first church well underway. A plain frame building, the first church was located one block south and two blocks west of the present 1973 location. Rev. W. E. BASSETT succeeded Rev. GUE and the third pastor was Rev. D. B. LAKE who took up the challenge of building the first parsonage in 1873. Later the parsonage was moved to a new location in the east part of Fairmont and was used as a hatchery building.

In 1879, the Fairmont charge included Fairmont, Exeter and Turkey Creek. During 1879-1881, the Turkey Creek area was absorbed by the Fairmont and Geneva charges and the first M. E. Church at Exeter was erected in 1881. A new edifice was built in 1885 on the southeast corner of Jackson Street and Fairmont Avenue – the place where the present church stands, for a cost of $4,000.00. The 1 July 1885, " Nebraska Bulletin" states " Last Sunday was Children’s Day at the Methodist Church. This was the opening of the new church. We understand that the society has paid all indebtedness and do not owe anything on their new building. It is the finest and largest edifice in the county, and the Methodists of Fairmont can take pride in referring to this new and handsome building."

Some of the Pastors who have served the Fairmont United Methodist Church are:

Rev. G. W. GUE, 1871-1872; Rev. W. E. BASSETT, 1872-1873; Rev. D. B. BLAKE (6months) 1873-1873; Rev. J. W. STEWART, 1873-1874; Rev. J. W. STEWART, 1874-1876; Rev.; Rev. J. S. ORR, 1876-1878; Rev. W. R. JONES, 1878-1879; J. W. STEWART (6 months) 1879-1881; Rev. A. C. CROSTHWAITE, 1881-1883; Rev. E. J. RAMDALL, 1883-1885; Rev. J. K. MAXFIELD, 1884-1886; Rev. G. A. SMITH, 1886-1888; Rev. R. G. ADAMS, 1888-1891.

Professor I. L. LOWE, 1891-1892; Rev. A. A. RANDALL, 1892-1895; Rev. C. B. LENFEST, 1895-1900. The Saint James Catholic Church of Fairmont was erected in 1882, in the northwest part of town. Mass was usually held on Saturdays for the early Catholic population of the community which was of largely Irish descent. Interest abounded in the church as evidenced by the " Chronicle" of 25 October 1900: "St. James Catholic Church of Fairmont is now attended from Geneva. Fr. PETRASCH will have the Divine Services here next Sunday, October 28th." Some of the priests who either served at St. James Church or assisted in weddings and funerals in the Church were before 1890, REV. ENGLISH; 1890 – FR. SIMEION; 1897 – FR. HANSEN (of the Exeter Church); 1900 – FR. FITZGERALD (of the Grafton Church); also in 1900 – FR. PETRASCH. The Fairmont Catholic Cemetery is located about a half mile east of Fairmont on the north side of Hwy. 6 and is under the jurisdiction of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church of Exeter.

Nicholas Frank ALBRO Joseph JACKSON

Charles ALDRICH George JOHNSON M. D.

Sherman F. ASHBY David JOLLEY

Charles Lawson ASHBY James A. KEEGAN

Mr. & Mrs. Charles BACH Karl KELL

Henry Lewis BADGER Susannah KERCHNER & Johnathan HALL

Samuel BAIR Charles & Frances KNESS

BALTHASER (better known as B. BITTERMAN James LEFLER

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. BENDER James H. LITTLE

Captain Frederick C. BENNETT Issac LOTT

Harry BERGSTRAND Warren MALSBARY

A. M. BLACK Michael A. MARANELLO

Frank Orlando BRIDGMAN David N. MARTIN

Qilliam Silas BROWN E. L. MARTIN

John & Sophie CUBBISON John MCCASHLAND

Edward DAWSON Anson Carey PALMER

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. DENNIS PERKINS Family (9 generations)

Johann Conrad DICK James N. PLUMB M. D.

Nimrod DIXON J. E. PORTER

William DORRANCE Helmuth F. PULITZ

Jesse H. EVERETT William PUTT

John FARRAR Fernando F. ROBBINS

James S. FOULON James A. ROSE

Bill FRAZIER Joseph Howard RUSHTON

Joseph FRAZIER SHOEMAKER Family

Lewis GOODRICH W. E. SMITH

James & Clarissa HADSHELL Mary & Herman STOTTKO

Robert HALL Harry SMITH

Edmund HALL & Gladys STOTTKO Hal P. STINES Sr.

Samuel HILDEBRAND Shelly STINES

Swan & Christine HOLMES George W. SWARTZ

James Marshall HILL Henry THOMPSON

William H. HURST William WHITE

J. H. HAUGHAWOUT Wallace WHEELER

Another book on Fillmore County is "The Fillmore County Story". Geneva Community Grange No. 403 published it in 1968.

• William & Esther NICHOLS Married 28 March 1906

• Lloyd & Emma DIXON Married 14 April 1909

• Herman & Gladdis PALMER Married 11 March 1913

• Lou & Goldia REAL Married 8 Sept. 1913

• Harry & Mary KELCH Married 22 Dec. 1914

• Harry & Emma SMITH Married 17 June 1914

• Ernest & Hazel JOHNSON Married 20 January 1915

• Oliver & Amy MOUL Married 3 June 1915

• Ray & Ferne HOUGLAND Married 4 April 1917

• Homer & Mary GOODRICH Married 6 February 1918

• Frank & Marie SOUBA Married 3 Dec. 1918

• William & Neyta BOREN Married 10 July 1920

• John & Lydia BETTGER Married 24 April 1921

• Marion & Tena LOVEGROVE Married 21 September 1921

• Sidney & Dorothy ATWOOD Married 11 October 1922

• Ernest & Sarah SOFTLEY Married 23 Aug. 1922

• Leo & Nellie WINKLER Married 11 April 1923

J. E. PORTER opened a general store in Fairmont. It was on the corner where the CUBBISON building now stands. This corner was the starting point of business in Fairmont. A general merchandise store was built by William SPADE, for his brother Dan SPADE. In the fall of 1872, Fairmont had under construction, a school building, hotels, more stores, lumberyards and coal & feed yards. Three brickyards were started to supply materials. One of the brickyards was west of the branch railroad line leading toward Geneva. The other two were located east of what is now the railroads track leading to Helvey. The town flourished and grew rapidly due to the fact that materials for the construction and maintenance of both Geneva and York had to come through Fairmont, the nearest shipping point to both towns.

In 1873, Fairmont had two hotels. The Gaylord House and the Fairmont House. Pinney Brothers kept a General Store selling everything except dry goods. D. A. PHILLIPS kept one of the handsomest drugstores in this section of the county. P. P. DAWSON had a large hardware & tin shop. J. E. PORTER and Son had a large general store hiring five hands to keep up with the trade. W. C. ZIEGLER had a general store and was the busiest man in town. GAYLORD Brothers had a store of a general nature along with the hotel. DORRANCE & SHEPHARD had a large general store.

The Fairmont Bulletin of February 1, 1877 listed the following business:

Attorneys at Law – Will R. GAYLORD, R. B. LIKES, ELLER & FIFIELD, CONNOR & MAULE, J. O. CHASE, M. F. BOCK, WEBSTER & BROWN

Physicians & Surgeons – Drs. BRAZELTON & JOHNSTON, Drs. HART & COTTON

Agricultural Implements – George H. PINNEY, C. H. MAXFIELD, PALMER, STUART & Co., M. H. BROWN & Co.

Bankers – E. B. BRANCH & Company

Bakery – L. STEIGER

Blacksmith – E. GEPHART, S. GIBSON

Carpenters – TURNER & MCCALL, E. C. MASSEY, W. H. CHAPIN

Confectionery – J. W. BLISS, John BARSBY

Dry Goods – L. F. WHITEHEAD, W. C. ZIEGLER, ERWIN & MCKINNEY, J. E. PORTER

Druggists – D. A. PHILLIPS, W. E. WETHERBY

Elevators – Joe PRICE, PALMER, STUART & Company

Furniture – J. D. NOBLE

Groceries – B. F. RUFFNER, S. H. OLDHAM, Levi JOHNS, J. E. PORTER & Son

Hardware – P. P. DAWSON, Edward BROPHY

Hotels – W. C. HENRY, L. GAYLORD

Insurance – H. G. BLISS, and various lawyers

Jewelry – Robert LOCKE

Lumber – FREEMAN & CHAPIN

Land – H. G. BLISS, ELLER & FIFIELD

Livery – George RUDISIL

Millinery – Mrs. A. CHRISTIAN, Miss LOCKE, Mrs. William STEWART

Meat Markets – F. C. BENNETT, ROBINSON & PINNEY

Monuments – Frank CONROY

Newspaper – Fillmore County Bulletin

Painting – John VODRA

PRESCOTT & HILL and John BARSBY sold organs and sometimes sewing machines

Restaurants – J. W. (Yankee) BLISS, L. STEIGER, P. PALMER

Saloon – Ferdinand SCHEAR

Saddlery & Harness – I. H. WILLIAMS

Shoes & Boots – P. BEHNKE

Tailoress & Dressmaker – Mrs. T. FRAZIER

VAN SLYKE & CARSON also operated a livery stable

Wagon maker – Charles BEECHER

In 1878 the Fillmore County Bank was organized by J. O. CHASE and the Fairmont Steam Flouring Mill was built by WELCH & WILEY.