I. Robert Snodgrass, of Clinton County and State of Indiana make and publish this my last will and testament.

In the first place as soon as convenient after my decease I wish my funeral expenses paid and all legal debts that are owed paid.

I hereby will and bequeath to my son Garrett Snodgrass the following described Real Estate situated in Clinton County of Indiana and described as follows:

The west half of the southwest quarter of Section__ Township 20 North of Range One East and the Northwest quarter of the Southeast quarter of Section __ Township Twenty North of Range One East

And also all the personal property of every description, notes and account that I may be seized of at my death.

The foregoing bequest is made to the said Garrett Snodgrass under the following conditions viz; he shall take care of me and my wife and furnish us with what we shall need during our natural lives and make us comfortable and shall pay or cause to be paid to my granddaughter, Naomi Wynkoop who now lives with us the sum of Five hundred dollars on her becoming twenty-one years of age.

I make this bequest of Garret the balance of my children being already provided for.

I hearby appoint Garrett Snodgrass my sole executor of this my last will and testament and revoke all other wills made by me.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my had this 12th day of January 1871.

Signed Robert Snodgrass (seal)

1850 Indiana Census Boone County 27 Jul 1850

Mrs. James Hopkins died at Berwyn, Nebraska, 01-05-1919, in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Nancy J. Allen. She was age 88 years at the time of her death.

She was born Mary Frances Snodgrass, in Indiana on 10-31-1831. When she was 19 years of age, she married James Hopkins and they moved to Iowa. They lived there for 15 years, then moved to Lancaster County, Nebraska. Four years later, they came to Custer County, Nebraska and took a homestead one mile southeast of Berwyn, where they have lived since. Mr. Hopkins died in 1892.

Mrs. Hopkins joined the Church of God soon after it was organize in Berwyn, under the leadership of Rev. J. L Jackson and Rev. John Etherton and she was an active worker in the church during her entire life.

Thirteen children were born to them and eleven now survive, being: Mrs. Elizabeth Haggard of Seneca, Nebraska , Mr. James Hopkins of Fairfield, Nebraska, Mr. Jesse Hopkins of Kendrick, Colorado, Samuel Hopkins of North Platte, Nebraska, W. R. Hopkins of Deer Creek, Colorado, Mrs. Mary Brown of Bayard, Nebraska, George Hopkins of Weissert, Custer Co., Nebraska, Mrs. Nancy J. Allen of Berwyn, Nebraska , Miles and Eldridge Hopkins both of Kendrick, Colorado, and numerous other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held at the Church of God in Berwyn on January 8th at 2:00 P.M., with a very large audience of relatives, neighbors and friends present. The funeral was conducted by Rev. Richard Bellis, Pastor. Burial was made in the rural Janesville Cemetery southeast of Berwyn, Custer Co., Nebraska, with a long procession following the hearse to the cemetery there.

"Grandma Hopkins" as she was known, who died Wednesday at Berwyn, truly was a pioneer of the early day period of settlement of Custer County, Nebraska.

Francis Hopkins died January 10,1919, left no Last Will, left estate, died resident Cuter County, Nebraska. Estate duly administered. She left heirs, all reached majority, as follows: Alfred E. Hopkins a son Kendrick, Colorado; Robert W. Hopkins, son , Dove Creek, Colorado; Nancy Jane Allen, daughter Berwyn, Nebraska; George W. Hopkins, son Weissert, Nebraska; John G. Hopkins, son of Maxey, Colorado; Elizabeth A. Haggard, daughter , of Seneca, Nebraska; Mary T. Brown, daughter, York, Nebraska; James F. Hopkins, son of Fairfield, Missouri, Jesse Hopkins, son of Yoder, Colorado Miles Hopkins, incompetent person of Hasting, Nebraska; Samuel Hopkins, son North Platte, Nebraska; Viola Allen, grand daughter, Kansas City, Missouri, James F. Liptrap, grandson US Navy.

Family Histories- in NE library Do not have title.

Among the early homesteaders in the Berwyn Precinct was the James Hopkins family. There were thirteen children born to James and his wife, Frances Snodgrass Hopkins, James and five sons all took homesteads in the Berwyn Precinct. The father filed his claim on March 12, 1883 for the SW 1/4 552 R19 and on April 13, 1889 was given title to that land. (This farm is presently owned by Marvin and Donna Olson). The improvements put up by the Hopkins were: a sod house, 14 X27 feet with board and sod roof and a wood floor, a sod stable 16X24 feet, two wells, one 33 feet deep and the other 17 feet , a sod hen house, cave, frame corn crib, 30 acres were fenced 90 acres cultivated, 200 forest trees 12 nut trees 12 small fruit and apple trees and a hog pen. James Hopkins had been born in Nucholas County, Kentucky the son of Eldredge and Martha Buntin Hopkins. When about seven years of age the family moved to Clinton County, Indiana where his father died in 1831. In 1850 James married Frances Snodgrass the daughter of Robert and Rebecca Gregg Snodgrass of Boone County, Indiana. Soon after they moved to Davenport Iowa but did not stay long. They returned to Indiana but by 1866 were in Madison County, Iowa. in 1860 they moved back to Clinton County, Indiana where they remained until 1869 when they again moved to Madison County, Iowa. In 1877 they moved to Lancaster County, Nebraska later to Butler County and finally to Custer County were James filed a claim on the homestead there. He did blacksmithing along with farming. The going back and forth from Indiana to Iowa may have been job related, it is not really known.

His sons who filed for homesteads in Berwyn Precinct were Alfred Eldredge S10,T15,R19 in 1882; George S14,T15,R19 in 1882: William S10, T15, R19 in 1882; John S14, T16, R19 in 1886; Jesse S9, T15, R19 in 1893. Others in the family were James who lived in Missouri; Rebecca Hopkins Lipstrap; Frances Hopkins; Elizabeth Hopkins Haggard; and Nancy Jane Hopkins Allen. All the above are deceased. Names of the remaining three are not known, James the father died in 1892 and Frances in Jan 1919. Both are buried at Janesville Cemetery.

MRS. GEORGE ALLEN of Berwyn

Nancy Jane Hopkins, she was born in Indianapolis, Indiana June 6, 1853 and died at her home in Berwyn, Nebraska on September 04, 1936, at the age of 83 years, 2 months and 29 days. When a child she moved to Iowa with her parents.

She was united in marriage to George Allen at Winterset, Iowa in 1879 and moved to Custer County, Nebraska in 1884. To this union, eleven children were born, seven boys and four girls. Her husband and two children, a boy and a girl preceded her in death.

1920 census Nebraska Berwyn Township Village, Custer, Sup. 6 ED 76 Sheet 11

In grandma Allen's obituary it says she had 11 children, 7 boys, and 4 girls, two children that preceded her in death. Which would be Guye James and Clara. Sarah was not Nancy's daughter, her mother was Mitilda (Hiatt) Allen

Compiled by: Mable E. Allen, Newport, WA.

So far I haven't been able to trace George Washington Allen back to his parents. He was born 1836 in New York State. (This information is from court records and census. All have the same birth place.) Stories handed down are: His parents died and he was raised by two unknown maiden aunts. He ran away at the age of 15 and nothing else is heard of him until he married Matilda Eveline Hiatt.

After Mitilda's death George married Nancy Abernathy. (Source: Madison County, Iowa , District Court clerk..) Marriage: George W. Allen to Nancy Abernathy, 07-31-1873--by D. Baxter, Justice of Peace and affidavit signed by Abijah Abernathy, as to full age. (Nancy's brother.)

Birth date 1848 NY came from 1900 Census Berwyn, Custer , Nebraska.

Sup.#6 EN.Dist.60 Sht.3B Family Histories- a book in NE Library

Allen-Loy Family    by Bernice Allen Loy

George William Allen married Nancy Jane Hopkins. To this union was born seven children: Alfred, Lewis, Walter, Oliver, Richard, Charlotte, and Fannie. The family of George and Nancy was raised and educated in the Berwyn vicinity. George was a farmer. George and Nancy lived on a tree claim in Custer County. After George's death Nancy and her mother Francis lived on the tree claim until 1909.

In the records of Walnut Twp, Madison County, Iowa, George W. Allen bought 120 acres for $100. He paid cash for it in 1872, later lost it to creditors who sued to recover their money. This is on record at Winterset Court House.

Martha Allen was born in Iowa, but soon after George and Nancy left Iowa , where he had been farming with Nancy's father James Hopkins, soon after she was born. They went to Lancaster County NE where Guye James Allen was born.
Lancaster County, NE -1880 Census:
George Allen     44 born NY- Parents New York
Nancy Allen       27 born Iowa
John Allen         16 born Iowa
Sarah Allen        13 born Iowa
Frank Allen        11 born Iowa
Mabell Allen        8 born Iowa
Martha Allen       4 born Iowa
James Allen        3 born Iowa
Clara Allen          1 born Iowa

**looks like these two census reports were added to my information wrong but I have no way of checking at this time.
Broken Bow Twp., Custer Co, NE - 1885 Census
George Allen     40 born NY
Nancy Allen       32 born Iowa
Frank Allen        15 born Iowa
Martha Allen        9 born Iowa
Clara Allen           6 born Nebraska
William Allen       5 born Nebraska
Alfred Allen         2 born Nebraska
Lewis Allen          7 months born Nebraska
John 21 was listed in separate household and Guye James is not listed. In the 1885 census Sarah age 13 and Guye James are not listed.

NOTES: Story as told to Mable Allen by Ethel (Hopkins) Spenser, the daughter of May Belle (Allen) Hopkins, goes like this: May Belle had a sister that died when she started menstruation. She had tried to wash herself in a creek in cold weather, that caused complications and she died. A few days later. So this could account for Sarah's disappearance, the age would be right.

When the Allen family left Lancaster Co., NE they went to Butler Co., NE. Alfred Eldridge Allen was born 08-25-1882. George Washington Allen had moved to Custer County and on 07-23-1882 he took out a homestead claim. Nancy must have stayed in Butler County because Alfred was born there a month later. In November of 1884, Lewis Christfer was born in Custer County.

The first homestead claim George W. Allen filled out, March 2, 1889 on section W1/2, NW1/4, section 32-12-6, which he did not perfect title to because of grasshoppers. The one he filed in 1890, according to Custer County records was W1/2, NW1/4,and N1/2, SW1/4, section 24-16N-19W-160 acres, which he owned until he died. It also said in the homestead papers that he and his family were away from the homestead for several months after their crops burned out. They went to Enid, Oklahoma to work in the harvest. Nancy's brothers had settled in that area. Her brothers were involved in the big race to claim land when the Oklahoma Territory opened up. Fannie Okly Allen was born in Enid, Oklahoma, she was George and Nancy's eleventh child.

George Washington Allen died 01-20-1907 at the age of 71 years in Berwyn, Custer County, NE. He is buried in Janesville Cemetery. Nancy out lived him 29 years, she is buried in Janesville Cemetery next to George W. Allen and their daughter Clara who died at the age of twelve, she had diphtheria. After George Allen's death, Nancy Jane (Hopkins) Allen moved to Berwyn, NE and rented the farm to her son. Alfred E. Allen, her son bought the home place in later years.

James and Mary Frances (Snodgrass) Hopkins are also buried in the Janesville Cemetery, they are Nancy's parents.

Son in law had built house for Sam and Daisy to live in. He had included a built in ironing board. Daisy didn't like it. Sam had had found an ironing board and bought it at an auction "barn" within walking distance fo home. He bought it and carried it home. Daisy didn't like it either. Sam was started to carry it back, but collapsed in the yard from a heart attack and died.

Obituary

Samuel Hopkins died suddenly Monday at 2:15pm following an attack at 1105 East 10th. Hopkins resided at 912 North Silber. Born Oct. 9, 1877, at Winterset, Iowa, Hopkins had lived in the North Platte area for the past 35 years. Hopkins was a member of the Berean Fundamental church and the Modern Woodmen lodge. Surviving at his widow, Mrs Daisy May Hopkins: three daughter, Mr. Ruby Teater of Cheyenne, Wy, Mrs. Betty Stafford and Mrs. Vivian Vierson, both of North Platte: eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Hopkins will lie in state at the Maloney, Cox and Kuhns Funeral home, where final arrangements are pending.

Buried in North Platte Cemetery

OBITUARY

Mrs. Daisy Hopkins, 76, died in a Lexington Nursing Home Monday afternoon. She was born May 5, 1883 in Clay County and moved to the North Platte area from Senacca and had lived here for more than 42 years. Survivors include three daughter; Mr. Ruby Teater of California,, Mrs. Betty Freeze, North Platte and Mrs. Vivian Vierson, of North Platte: one sister, Mrs. Meilia Bradburn, Nampa, Idaho:three brother John Ward, Fred Ward, Nampa: and W.H. Ward, Sargent: eight grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. She was proceeded in Death by her husband, Sam in 1951. She had been a member of the North Platte chapter of the Royal Neighbors of America since 1931. Funeral services are pending at the Maloney-Cox and Kuhns Funeral Home.