NSGS AncestreeNebraska State Genealogical Society Journals NEBRASKA ANCESTREE Volume Six, no. 2
Fall 1983
Vol VI, no. 2, page 50 - Fall 1983
Submitted by: Mrs. Peg Zubrick, Omaha, NEFrom: The Omaha Daily Bee, September 1886
NEWSPAPER ITEMS 4 Sept. Saturday -- A Custer County Couple. Yesterday, James H. CAMPAN, a wealthy cattle man of Red Fern, Custer county, this state, was married to Miss Avonia LORANGER, of Detroit, Mich. by Rev. R.A. SHAFFEL, S.J., of Holy Family church. The lady had come from Detroit to meet Mr. CAMPAN, the marriage having been previously contemplated at that place, where, in fact, it had been previously announced in the church by the pastor of St. Joachim's. This fact was attested by the pastor's letter, and the ceremony was accordingly performed here, a gentleman and lady of this city acting as witnesses. The marriage was followed by an elaborate wedding breakfast at the Paxton, after which Mr. and Mrs. CAMPAN left for home.
15 Sept. Wednesday -- Brilliant Wedding at Columbus: Columbus, Neb., Sept. 14; C.J. GARLOW, past graduate of State Normal college and junior member of legal firm of HIGGINS & GARLOW, and Mamie WINSLOW, graduate of Lake Forest seminary and student of the New England conservatory of music and dau. of H.M. WINSLOW, stock raiser. First Presbyterian church by the Rev. J.W. LITTLE.
29 Sept. Wednesday -- Postoffice Changes in Nebraska during the week ending Sept. 25, furnished by William VAN VLECK, of the postoffice department: Established: Dolphin, Knox county, John DOLPHIN, postmaster. Name changed: Somerset, Frontier county to Eustis, Marion HUGHES, Postmaster. Discontinued: Bushberry, Cass county; Cherry Creek, Buffalo county; Luray, Red Willow county. Postmaster appointed: Ryno, Custer county, Michael CONLEY.
7 Sept. Tuesday -- York, Neb., Sept. 6 -- A brick arch on the new court house fell to-day, while under construction. About five thousand brick went down in the fall and caught a bricklayer, Lawrence MEEHAN, who is severely injured. who is to blame for the accident is not known.
9 Sept.--Thursday--Columbus, Neb.--Sept. 8: One of our oldest and most esteemed citizens, W.A. CLARK, died this morning at the good old age of seventy-seven. His death, mourned by a devoted family and a host of friends, was caused by a cancer, the result of a bayonet wound received while engaged in battle with pirates in the Malay seas.
12 Sept.-Sunday--Fremont, Neb., Sept. 11--Mrs. August KUNDE, a German lady about sixty years old, was run over last night by a Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley train near the "Y" east of town and had her skull crushed. She is yet alive, but will die. Valley, Neb., Sept. 11-- The lady run over by the Elkhorn valley train last night died today.
22 Sept.--Wednesday--Grand Island, Neb., Sept. 21: The funeral services of Mrs. Ina Belle Jenny, wife of Frank E. WINKELMAN, conductor on the union Pacific railway, took place here today at 2 P.M. from St. Stephen's church, Rev. E. WARREN, pastor, officiating ... two brothers and four cousins of the husband acted as pall-bearers.
26 Sept.--Sunday--Oakland, Neb., Sept. 25--Oakland was greatly shocked this morning by the news that Adolph MOSHAGE had been found dead near his son-in-law's slaughter house. It is thought he died from the effects of heart disease. When found he was on the road. He was about 66 years.
Vol VI, no. 2, page 51 - Fall 1983
Submitted by: Mrs. Georgene Morris Sones, Omaha, NeFrom: The Daily Nebraska State Journal, 2 July 1882
DIED IN NEBRASKA At Weeping Water, June 18, Julia, inf. dau. of F. L. KRUNGER.
At Weeping Water, June 18, Della, inf. dau. of F. T. BARTON, aged 1 yr.At Valparaiso, June 23, Manuel JENSEN, aged yr.
At York, June 26, Eva SPARKS.At Beatrice, June 23, G. P. WHITCOMB, aged 64 years.
At Beatrice, June 26, Henry GRUSEL, aged 29 yrs.
At Beatrice, June 22, Thomas COLLESTER, aged 53 yrs.At Columbus, June 17, Mary HALLEN, aged 28 yrs.
At Grand Island, June 19, inf. son of Ed. SEARSON.In Cass County, June 26, a dau. of Charles LANGHOFF, aged 9 yrs.
At Pawnee City, June 19, Cora wife of W.A. SHANE, aged 19 yrs.At Fremont, June 26, Mary E., inf. dau. of Henry BRUNNING.
At Plattsmouth, June 29, Robert N. TODD, aged 26 yrs.At Omaha, June 30, Donald ROSS
At TECUMSEH, June 28, Alice J. WHITE, aged 16 yrs.At Syracuse, June 28, Martha, wife of A. WAIT, aged 31.
Near Humboldt, June 24, Rebecca J. WALKER, aged 23 yrs.At Blair, June 23, Arthur, son of James FOLEY.
At Blair, June 26, Clarkson B. SKINNER, aged 65 yrs.In Seward County, June --, George C. McKAY, aged 65 yrs.
At Omaha, June 24, Daisy, dau. of William DEW, aged 2 yrs.At David City, June 20, John McKNIGHT, aged 47 yrs.
At Indianola, June 22, Margaret, wife of William N. BROWN, aged 34 yrs
Vol VI, no. 2, page 52 - Fall 1983
Died in Nebraska, continued:At Omaha, June 30, Melvin, son of William & Eunice PENOYER, aged 6 mos.
At Omaha, June 30, Henry James NELSON, aged 6 mos.At Wahoo, June 20, a son of A. JANSA, aged 2 yrs.
Vol VI, no. 2, page 52 - Fall 1983
Submitted by Mrs. Georgene Morris Sones, Omaha, NeFrom: Waterloo Gazette, 9 Feb. 1900
Nebraska Dead on the Pekin
Following is a list of the Nebraska dead that arrived on the Pekin, showing the destination of the remains:
Horace L. FAULKNER, private, Company F; sent to Mrs. H.B. WILKINSON, Western, Ne.
William R. PHELPOT, private, Company F; sent to James W. PHELPOT, Humboldt, Ne.
Ralph W. KELLS, private, Company L; sent to Leslie E. KELLS, South Omaha.
Earl W. OSTERHOUT, private, Company C; interred in national cemetery at San Francisco. Notified Mrs. H. V. RAMSDALE, San Francisco,
Frank M. KNOUSE, private, Company C; sent to W. B. KNOUSE, Beatrice, Ne.
Walter H. HOGUE, private, Company G; sent to G.A. HOGUE, Milligan, Ne.
Fred TAYLOR, Company L; sent to S.J. ARNETT, Madison, Ne.
Frank S. GLOVER, private, Company A; sent to D.W. HURD, Nelson, Ne.
Ira E. GIFFEN, private, Company E; sent to M.B. GIFFEN, Valparaiso, Ne.
George F. HANSEN, private, Company A; unclaimed.
Lester E. SISSON, lieutenant, Company K; sent to F.L. SISSON, St. Edward, Ne.
Elmer B. WAMPLED, private, Company A; sent to Mrs. G.F. GOULD, Highmore, Ne.
Alfred J. ERISMAN, private, Company I, sent to Jacob ERISMAN, Hickman, Ne.
Charles 0. BALLINGER, private, Company L; interred in national cemetery at San Francisco, and notified Mrs. G. W. BALLINGER, Los Angeles, CA.
Frederick J. PEGLER, private, Company 1; sent to J.H. PEGLER, Palmyra, Ne.
Theodore H. LARSON, private, Company K; sent to O.S. LARSON, Corning, IA.
Vol VI, no. 2, page 52 - Fall 1983
Submitted by Mrs. Ruth Anna Hicks, Lincoln, NeFrom: Cemeteries of Pawnee County, Ne by Mrs. Hicks
BERANEK CEMETERY Clear Creek Township, Section 27, Pawnee County, Nebraska
STOLTZ, John C. Dec. 29, 1826 Feb. 2, 1908 Uncle Eva Margaret, his wife Dec. 6, 1824 Mar. 7, 1910 Aunt BURGERT, John Andrew May 17, 1830 Sept. 14, 1902 Christiana, wife of John Aug. 17, 1840 Feb. 12, 1894 Louis Sept. 27, 1863 Nov. 3, 1891 Christine, dau. of J. & C. Dec. 28, 1876 Mar. 11, 1879 Flat stone, no inscription MACHA, Rose (children of Frank and Mary) John WENSEL, Jose, dau. of Charles & Barbar V. July 22, 1879 aged 5 m 16 d Agnes Mary Apr. 3, 1879 Aug. 7, 1880 Fredinand Louis Apr. 3, 1879 Apr. 7, 1879 Children of J.F. & Josie WENZEL WENSL, Jennie March 12, 1876 Oct. 15, 1876 Charles Feb. 10, 1871 March 14, 1871 Children of F.J. & Anna HLINOVSKY, Rose, wife of Martin Aug. 29, 1877 aged 47 years. MACHA, Frank Nov. 17, 1862 Feb. 14, 1899 Frank Dec. 22, 1833 Jan. 18, 1909 Husband Marie Apr. 30, 1838 Dec. 14, 1928 Ona Nov. 26, 1871 Dec. 28, 1950 William Sept. 28, 1875 Dec. 26, 1940 ZELENYA, Mary, wife of Joseph Oct. 20, 1877 aged 27 y 1 m Vaglav Sept. 27, 1875 Sept. 12, 1879 George Apr. 9, 1873 Sept. 21, 1879 Children of Joseph and Mary Joseph Dec. 25, 1812 Aug. 3, 1894 BERANEK, John Dec. 7, 1828 May 29, 1913 Barbara Oct. 20, 1840 Mar. 25, 1920 John May 23, 1887 Mar. 6, 1901 Mary, dau. of John & B. Oct. 23, 1875 aged 2 yr 8 m
Vol VI, no. 2, page 53 - Fall 1983
Beranek Cemetery continued:From Cemetery records BRANEK, Kate Apr. 4, 1868 Aug. 4, 1958 Frank Dec. 20, 1880 Jan. 12, 1959 SIMANDL, Mary (MACHA) 1864- 1926 Wife Joseph Feb. 22, 1865 Feb. 26, 1931 Husband BLECHA, Mr. WAPATA, Infant son of Albert Anna COCKRILL, Infant of John
Vol VI, no. 2, page 53 - Fall 1983
Submitted by Mrs. Ruth Anna Hicks
Clear Creek Cemetery or Griffing Church Yard, Pawnee Co. Clear Creek Township. Section 13 WILCOX, Agnes J. 1870--1932 Mother Chauncy R. 1870--1952 Father PARRISH, Joseph C. Mar. 22, 1820 Mar. 11, 1894 Father Ruth E. Oct. 25, 1821 Feb. 11, 1869 Mother WM. W. d. Nov. 27, 1875 aged 28 y 8 m 8 d R. P. Nov. 23, 1806 Sept. 9, 1874 aged 67 y 9 m 14 d GRIFFING, Harriet S., wife of Rev. G.L. d. Jan. 18, 1880 aged 45 yr 2 mo 22 day SMITH, Kezia d. May 20, 1873 In Her 75 year MITCHELL, Johnie R., son of C.C. & M.A. d. May 11, 1879 aged 3 yr 26 d GRIPPING, George Lane Nov. 13, 1824 Aug. 17, 1886 Ruth Edith, dau. of G.L. & H.S. Nov. 19, 1869 Feb. 28, 1885 H. Benjamine, son of G.L. & H.S. Mar. 10, 1871 May 19, 1892 Lucy H., dau. of G.L. & H.S. June 25, 1865 June 23, 1894 George V., son of J.T. & F.M. Jan. 7, 1897 Apr. 12, 1897 CONKLIN, Henry d. Sept. 3, 1887 aged 57 yr 6 mo 10 d GAR marker CLIFT, Phedora A., wife of C.A. June 17, 1855 Oct. 28, 1880 HERRICK, Walter W. Dec. 6, 1875 Sept. 1, 1881 aged 5 y 8 m 5 d Infant dau. b. Aug. 27, 1874 d. Aug. 30, 1874 Children of M.A. & W. D. PHILLIPS, Infant dau. of M.D. & J.W. d. May 1888 aged 21 hours BECRAFT, Amy Sept. 7, 1859 Jan. 18, 1892 LENT, Abram Will d. Oct. 28, 1871 aged 15 y 8 m ELLIS, Sabbina, departed this life 12 day of Oct. 1881 aged 36 years HODGE, Charley d. Dec. 11, 1885 aged 1 m 27 d Henry d. Dec. 22, 1884 aged 2 m 26 d Children of J.B. & A. D. CARRITHERS, Walter G., son of J.A. & Susie d. July 22, 1881 age 3 yr 24 d SMITH, William June 22, 1826 Jan. 24, 1889 Martha S., his wife Aug. 26, 1836 May 15, 1907 James F. Feb. 28, 1861 July 29, 1915 George T. Sept. 14, 1862 Apr. 26, 1931 NEISON, Mathews Oct. 15, 1824 Mar. 21, 1904 Caroline, his wife Feb. 3, 1821 Apr. 12, 1905 From Cemetery records WILCOX, R. P. Nov. 25, 1806 Sept. 9, 1874 Civil War Vet BILLINGS, Emma E. d. Oct. 16, 1879 aged 19 y 5 mo 20 d MITCHELL, Arthur Apr. 1, 1883 aged 11 weeks Son of E. L. & M. U MORSE, Twin sons of Williston and Anna COVAULT, Infant son of John & Zella Aug. 4, 1887 Aug. 4, 1887 HARMAN, Altie Mar. 24, 1895 June 17, 1897 Joseph May 8, 1845 Apr. 30, 1907 Sarah J. May 21, 1853 May 23, 1925 Stiles Albert Sept. 28, 1870 Apr. 30, 1931
Vol VI, no. 2, page 54 - Fall 1983
Submitted by: Eloise ThompsenFrom: "Memoirs of a Country Doctor.-'
Excerpts used by permission of the author, Dr. Thomas Doher, Weatridge, CO.
MEMOIRS OF A COUNTRY DOCTOR I had two very good friends and colleagues in Beaver City, just 16 miles east of Wilsonville, and another good friend Dr. KEE, in Cambridge, NE, just 16 miles to the northwest. Dr. KEE did a lot of surgery and owned a good 20 bed hospital. He also had two good doctors on his staff, together with a staff of good nurses.
Not long after Fern and I were married, the church had a reception for us. We had not been at the church long, when someone came to tell me I was wanted on a country call. After apologizing to those good people who wanted to do something nice for us, we left, changed our clothes and Fern and I took off across the hills as directed. We arrived at the place to find it a dugout and a woman in labor. That was the first dugout we had ever been in. The builders just dug back into a hill with enough space for a room, put in a partition, and dug another space digging as many spaces or rooms as they needed, according to the size of the family. On getting ready to wash up, all that was available was one rusty tin wash basin with a hole in it. I held my finger over the hole while Fern washed, and then she held her finger over the hole while I washed up, using a mercury disinfectant in the water to attempt to pretend we were some what sterile. The family had very little of anything in the home, no sheets, or clean clothes, a bare mattress. No preparation had been made for the baby or mother and it didn't take long to use all the sterile towels and pads that were in my bags.
In September 1927 we loaded a freight car with our household goods and my office equipment and moved them to Bayard. I contacted the drayman, Ed DEEKER, there and had the house furniture stored, as I couldn't rent a house at the time....
In 1927 Bayard was a very different town compared to the little Wilsonville we left. Bayard had more businesses, churches, and a different type of agriculture; such as beets, beans, potatoes and some wheat. Bayard had a population of about 2400....
When the sugar factories were built during and after World War I, the town followed. With the sugar beet farming came the German Russians who bought or leased the field (from the sugar company), and then the Mexicans were brought in by the Great Western Sugar Company, as labor, for thinning, weeding and topping the sugar beets. Bayard was thriving with two banks; the First National and the State; eight grocery stores, two well-stocked drug stores, One owned by Wallace LONIE, the other by Fred and Leon HUGHES. There were two lumber yards; John LOWENSTIEN was manager of one and J. ROGERS managed the other (both handled hardware). The meat market belonged to Armand BOREN who was also a chef and a caterer. There were two real estate agencies, FRICKE'S and Earl VINATTA'S. JOHNSON and ORR were plumbers and MERRYS had a photoshop. We had two bean elevators in town and one grain elevator, plus the feed store owned by Cy BOLLINGER. A Chevrolet agency was owned by Homer FULK.
The newspaper was the Bayard Transcript (a weekly), the editor and owner was R. (Ray) A. WISNER, The dry goods stores were the Golden Rule, managed by Bill HAMER, and Axel ERICKSON's Dry Goods. The two hardware owners were Emil ERICKSON and Charles KERN. John WALLISEN owned a hardware and second hand store. Renny FLOWERES owned two picture shows. Bill DIENES had a very up-to-date men's clothing store, George MASON was in one barber shop and Art WILSON another. Elmer BUELL was the morticians. The recognized contractor-builder was Jim EDDLEMAN. Tom McCANN (still my very dear friend) was and is today the owner of the tire shop....
. . . There were two good cafes (one Greek), two pool halls, John HUNT and SUITS, and two blacksmith shops. A ladies hat shop owned by Borothy DeVAULT and Ed DECKER ran a dray line. Ed was the mayor of Bayard for years. . . . Fred LYONS was agent for the Burlington R.R. A.M. GINN was the general manager of the Bayard and Minatare factories. Ralph BRISTOL was superintendent of the Bayard factor. Chris MOBERG and Charles COMSTOCK were assistant superintendents, and Charles NINEGAR was Chief Chemist.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Dr. Thomas L. DOHER was born 2 May 1890, near Franklin, NE. Dr. DOHER served as a country doctor for over 50 years, and his autobiography contains excellent stories of his practice in Hubbell, Hendley, Wilsonville and Bayard, NE. Dr. OCHER served in World War I, attached to the 163rd Depot Brigade Tent City, Camp Dodge, Iowa. After being discharged from the service, January 1919, he decided to locate in Wilsonville, NE.
Vol VI, no. 2, page 55 - Fall 1983
Submitted by: Mary Jo Hunt, Quincy, IL
From: The Autobiography of Hattie Melissa Baker Paddock.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HATTIE MELISSA BAKER PADDOCK (Hattie Melissa BAKER was born 2 November 1855 in Aurelius, Cayuga County, N.Y.; the daughter of Edwin BAKER. She had three brothers, Albert, Marcus, Edwin and one sister, Carrie. Hattie was the youngest child.
Dr. Charles BAKER, a brother of her father, lived in Auburn, N.Y. Also a sister of her father, Caroline, who had married Hatties mother's brother, Lands WILBUR. Land and Caroline had three children, Birney, Charles and Ellen. Hattie's mother had three brothers, John J. WILBUR of Ill. and Martin WILBUR of Addison, Steuben County, N.Y and Willis of Peterboro, N.Y. Also mentioned is an Uncle Julius and Aunt Eliza BAKER and daughter, Jane, Hattie's father had a sister Abagail who had married Uncle Mercereau.
Hattie married John Baker PADDOCK on 24 January 1871 at age 15. The family lived near Wolcott at this time. He was born in Hossic, Renssalaer Co., N.Y. on 27 June 1849, the son of Mercy BAKER. After they were married they lived with John's father and his three sisters.
Their first child was born in Wolcott, N.Y. on 24 June 1872, Stella May PADDOCK. The next child, a son, was born 6 February 1874, Louis Aggasiz PADDOCK. Jesse Belle PADDOCK was born 25 January 1876. They moved to Hannibal, Oswago County, N.Y. in 1876. There, on 1 August 1877, a son, Arthur John PADDOCK was born. He died 24 August 1881 in Nebraska. (Here follows the account of her life in Nebraska.)
(In 1877) My husband decided to go to Nebraska and homestead land. While there he filed on a homestead and also a timber claim, making a rand of three hundred and twenty acres without a tree or a stone on it.
In April, 1879, we left New York State for Grand Island, Nebraska, by railroad, and were met by a team that took us sixty miles north to our homestead. My husband had gone to Nebraska alone and ahead of us, laying the walls of a large sod house ready for the roof, had had three acres of wheat put in the Fall before and had returned to New York to work off his marble (business) and settle up his business. And so we were starting a new life entirely with only one neighbor nearer than three miles.
Two young men went with us to our home -- Rockwell TEAGUE and Eben FETTERLY, and we stayed with a neighbor, who lived about three miles below our ranch, while he went to help my husband get the roof on our sod house and things ready for us.
I shall never forget the trip up to our new home across the prairie which, having been burned off by a prairie fire, appeared, as you looked across it then, like a beautiful, well kept lawn with now and then a wild rose bush in bloom.
Our house was the largest anywhere around. The roof was made of rafters hewn from oak of which there were several trees in a canyon west of us a few miles; willows were then laid on the rafters and hay scattered thickly on that, then a layer of tar paper and lastly a row of sod cut four inches thick, two feet long and one wide laid tight together over all to hold the rest down when the wind blew.
During the summer one of the minor annoyances that we found were some snakes, (called blow snakes by the settlers) for we seemed to have chosen our home near their. One day I chanced to look up and saw one gliding along over my head in the willows and tar 'till, at last, it disappeared. I could not forget it, however, and ran to meet my husband and Rockwell as I saw them returning from a days work at a neighbor's below. They took a hasty survey and laughed at my fears. But while we ate our simple meal my eyes kept going to the roof and, all at once, on looking over to a far corner I saw a snake hanging half way down and looking apparently for a good place on the floor. Your father caught up a pair of deer antlers and hooked into the curve and carried it out hanging over the horns, and dispatched it. Another one we found one day in the sod wall pearing into my improvised cupboard and it was shot and drawn out later. They seemed harmless but we were more than happy when, after killing half a dozen or more, we were left in peace.
Eben FETTERLY, becoming homesick, started home on foot having written his parents to tell them. At last they sent him money to pay his way by railroad. We had paid Rockwell's fare to Nebraska upon his promising that he would stay with us until he was twenty one, or about four years. However, we let him work for a neighbor to get him a new suit and he never came back again.
In the fall, my brother, Edwin BAKER, and his wife and two boys came from New York State and lived with us all winter. Your father went to Grand Island to meet him with a yoke of oxen. He left our home to go the sixty miles about the same time that my brother left New York. He got to Grand Island and put his ox team in a "feed stable" just a few minutes before the train came in.
Our good neighbor, Mrs. George DAVIS, had given me a hen and seventeen little chickens, and another neighbor, Mrs. RUTHERFORD, gave me nine chickens to raise without a mother and I raised them all, and so, in the fall, I had a nice start.
Vol VI, no. 2, page 56 - Fall 1983
The Autobiography of Hattie Melissa Baker Paddock, continued:During the fall, as the grass dried up, we saw as we sat in the yard evenings, that there were many prairie fires. We were not afraid as my husband had plowed a wide fire-guard around the house, at some distance away, and had put up a large stack of prairie hay inside this fire break to feed the oxen and a young cow, that we had been lent if we would wean the calf. One evening, as we sat outside, my husband remarked, "If the wind changes, that fire over there would be down upon us before morning". As he was to start for my brother the next morning and I was to stay alone with my little ones, I thought I should be glad if it did. The cattle were brought inside the ploughed square and tethered and we went to bed.
Waking up suddenly sometime in the night, the windows seemed all afire and, springing up and hastily donning something, we were in time to witness a grand sight. No one lived north of us and the wild grass had grown rank and tall, in places above my head, and the wind was driving the fire faster than a horse could run. Every bird, prairie hen and every living thing, was fleeing before it. As it came over the hill and swept down upon us it seemed as if we were doomed. But even as we held our breath in suspense, the fire parted at the ploughed furrows to the right and left and left our little square plot, containing all that we had, untouched and we stood spell-bound watching it racing on for a time then went back to bed. In the morning everything was black like a slate washed clean, and the tracks made by settlers as they passed this way and that over the hills was not unlike marks made by a pencil on a slate and I felt very glad that the dread of the fire passed.
That winter father taught school and "Uncle Eddie" kept us in fuel from bits of wood in the oak canyons.
On January 2, 1880, Grace Greenwood was born, and on January 4th, a little girl came to Uncle Eddie and Aunt Addis, whom they called Mattis. They wanted our little girl called Nettie, as sort of a twin name, but father called her Grace Greenwood, In the spring, Uncle Eddie built a sod house on a claim he had taken about three miles from us and moved to it. Father worked for a neighbor and got a start of pigs and later on sold three of them and worked five days for a young cow and we soon had milk and our first butter for something like two years.
We had a letter from our home people in N.Y. saying there were two barrels coming for us -- one from Father PADDOCK and one from my mother -- to be divided with my brother. It was a stormy winter and we did not get the freight until sometime after Christmas and then a neighbor, Will DAILY, who lived some miles below us, surprised us, late one afternoon, by bringing the barrels to the door. (Mr. DAILY was always a kind hearted man but I had done many kindnesses for them; they had four boys and I was there every time, on duty). We hastily opened the one that Father PADDOCK had sent and, finding it was for us alone and that it contained a quantity of seed corn, dried fruits and calico for our morning dresses (I felt I must dress up every afternoon even in those days) We gave Mr. DAILY a large pan of dried fruit.
My brother was sick that winter with inflammatory rheumatism so, on the first day that promised to be pleasant, we started for his home, about three miles away, taking the barrel, still unopened, that was to be divided. Going along the edge of the hills, where the snow was not as deep, the oxen made their way and at last we were there.
Your Father rolled the barrel into the house and close up to brother's chair and, taking out the head or cover, an excited group gathered around as Eddie took out first one thing after another. There was some dried fruit also in this barrel, which we gave entirely to them, and each one had a pound of butter, a pound of tea, a bottle of camphor, a bottle of peppermint, a dress and stockings each for Grace and Hattie with yarn enough to knit each one another pair and, all in all, nearly one hundred years (sic) of calico (to be used in lining quilts, etc. Also a large sack of candy with the request that the children hang up their stockings whenever it arrived.
After killing and dressing the pig we had given my brother in the spring and which had grown to a respectable size, we started on our slow journey homeward. The children were sitting in the wagon bed, well wrapped up in blankets for the oxen went so slowly and the cold increased with nightfall. There was a happy chatter from them, however, as to what one or two mysterious looking packages contained while the father and mother on the front seat, were laughing trying to tell how they used to cook butter, thus pretending they had gone so long without they had forgotten how it was eaten. But when home was reached at last and a fire was made of broken-up corn stalks, we soon found out how to eat butter and some of the dried fruit that we had cooked, and the children were anxious to get to bed that they might the sooner awake to see what their stockings contained.
We had bought the two yokes of young oxen of Mr. DAVIS' after using them the spring before by breaking up the prairie on shares for him. Two of the oxen -- Beecher and Brigham, were red and the other two Brandy and Rock, were spotted. The next spring Rock got into deep water and drowned, while Father was teaching, and Brigham had his feet frozen one winter so he was fattened and sold to the butcher thus leaving Beecher and Brandy, one red and one spotted. This yoke of oxen was later sold to our neighbor, Mr. STANDISH, and your Father went to St. Paul, Nebraska, and cam home with horses and a new lumber wagon and, by contrast it seemed much as it mast now-a-days in
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The Autobiography of Hattie Melissa Baker Paddock, continued:an airplane, they went so much faster than oxen.
In the fall of 1881, we built a new sod stable and hen house on a level piece of land. This building was forty feet long and twelve feet wide. We also built a new sod house, not very far away, with a cellar and a board floor and every sod in them was handled at least twice by me. I was so happy to have a nice, white, pine floor, and when I cleaned it the children had to play outside 'till it was dry. we sold nearly one hundred bushels of potatoes that fall and Father and I dug them all by hand with hoes, calling ourselves "Biddy" and "Mike". These were sold in St. Paul and the lumber for our floor, rafters and also pipe for a new well, was bought with some of the money. The new well was bored and was one hundred feet deep and about as large as a good sized stove pipe, and the bucket was a little smaller, with a bottom of wood containing a valve, and was two feet long.
While we still had the oxen, we drove to Scotia, ten miles away, to help celebrate the Fourth of July, and I was proud of the fact that your Father was to give the address of the day.
We all moved into our new quarters about New Years and the next fall we used our old sod house in making sorghum molasses, having bought a small mill from our neighbor, Mr. STUBBLEFIELD.
July 20, 1882, daughter Mary came to us, and Father became one of the County Commissioners and was often away from home a week at a time when they met in Scotia. One of the occasions he came home on Friday night as they had adjourned until the next Monday. He decided to go to the "Oak Canyons" (so named as they had been wooded but at this time they only had fallen limbs.) I suggested that he take a gun and get a deer or try, at least. He started early and borrowed a gun from a neighbor, Ed BISHOP, as he went by, and on getting to the canyons he tied the team to one side of the wagon and shouldering the gun, he started down through the wild sun-flowers along the botton of the "draw". Soon a large deer, with wide spreading antlers, bounded up the steep canyon side. He shot quickly but did not think he had hit it 'till it came tumbling back almost at his feet. He had no knife and had to chop its throat with an axe, then putting a log chain about it on one side of the wagon and fastening the team to it on the other side, he managed to lift, as they pulled, until he had it in the wagon. Then loading on the oak limbs he reached home late that night and unloaded the wood and I holding the lantern, helped him skin the deer before midnight.
The next day, which was Sunday, Mr. ASHTON came in and said he was going to town the next day and Mr. PADDOCK could ride with him. Then Father told him how he had asked Mr. BEAN, who kept the hotel where we stayed when in town, what he would give him for the deer he hoped to get. So the next day they took it with them and it brought him fourteen dollars which came in very fine although the hotel keeper did not seem very anxious to keep his bargain.
We soon had a Post Office established in our sod house which was called "Floss" -- a name I had suggested to the government after reading George Elliot's "MILL ON THE FLOSS". It had replied to my suggestion "Just the thing; not another like it in the United States." I was Post Mistress until the farm was sold. There was a school house built, and we started a Sunday School, and a small library was soon added, and singing books "Sabbath Bells" were purchased for use.
On July 20, 1884, we went to Sunday School, as usual, only as the hay was being cut and stacked, the hay was on the wagon and we climbed on and rode that way. We were nearly at the close of our session when one of the men stepped out to see if his mule team was standing all right and, on coming back, hastily announced that there was a big storm coming and telling his wife to be ready, he went to get the team. But the storm broke before he could get back and the mule team broke from him and ran away and the men, standing on the end of the porch, caught him and pulled him into the porch. There were five horses, including our team, tied to our wagon and when the hail began to pelt them -- some of them as large as hen's eggs, -- they began to tug at their tie ropes and so brought the wagon, with the tongue pushing forward on the ground, around in front of the schoolhouse and so out of the fierceness of the hail. My husband, seeing them drift by the windows, went out to stand by them and calm them with his voice and, on feeling the force of the hail stones, he quickly drew the false face of his cap over his own, leaving only his eyes and nose exposed. As he stood there by the horses, a stronger blast came and, with it, the school house came sliding forward toward him, on its brick foundation, and it seemed, for a moment, that both he and all who were inside were doomed. But when it slid almost to where he stood, and perhaps one-third of the way off its foundation, the storm had spent itself and no one was harmed. However, the small coal house in the rear had been turned over, pinning a fine horse under it, but, being empty, the men lifted it off and the horse sprang up unhurt.
A dry water course, near the front of the building, now contained a small river which came to the horses' bodies as they forded it and it was ice-cold from the hail. Mr. ASHTON, who lived near us and who had taken his two little girls to Sunday School rode to his home with us. He found that the roof of his home had gone and his wife had drawn the heavy table up against
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The Autobiography of Hattie Melissa Baker Paddock? continued:the door and had crept under it with the baby for safety. The hail had killed many young pigs and chickens and some of the milk cows that had been tied on lariat ropes had bleeding sides. Grain, and young corn just earing, was all harvested for a wide path across the country and we had just to be thankful to God that no lives were lost.
We counted up the families and the number in each family and my husband sent a letter, containing the facts, to James Vick's Seed House in Rochester, N.Y., and met with a ready response in that they sent a large box containing all kinds of garden seeds for each family for the coming year. The empty box, about two feet square and six feet long, became a receptacle for clean clothing for several years and was known as the "Vick Box". As daughter Mary was two years old the day of the storm, the date has been easy to remember.
On April 16, 1885, Eddie Ernest was born to us. As we had continued to make sorghum molasses each fall we had bought a larger mill and used two horses to grind the cane. We made about six-hundred gallons that fall and I had the task of boiling the sap into syrup and keeping the pan clean, measuring the molasses, etc. As many of our neighbors brought theirs and gave one-half to us for our part, we sold it at the store, or, as it was wanted, to the neighbors. One day some children came for molasses and they were strangers. I raised the trap door to go down and draw it when I heard one of them cough and knew they had the whooping cough! All our children took it from them and Ernest never recovered but died the following spring on April 24, 1886.
During this time Stella helped me in my work very much as she had charge of the house while I was making syrup. I did the washing on Monday mornings, while the first quantity of sap was being made, and had to work late to get the second batch ready and boiled away for the next day. Louie did the grinding while Father kept him supplied with sugar cane, and Jessie tended the baby and helped Stella in the house so all were busy who were old enough to help. And, when she was not willing, Stella carried Jessie out and put her on a shelf, telling her -- "If you aren't useful, you must be ornamental". My sister-in-law came from the house to tell me about it.
About this time he had a large "Haladay Standard" windmill and a feed mill added to our comforts or, rather, our necessities. We ground feed for the farmers for a small share and so had feed for our stock as the hail had taken all we had. We could only grind when the wind blew to turn the mill. One time the mill-house had a large quantity of grain in it waiting to ground and, after Father had gone to town, the wind came up. I knew that the next day the farmers would be coming for the mail and the mill feed, so Louie and I went to work and ground over eighty bushels that day and when the farmers came the next day, it was ready for them.
On February 27, 1887, Hattie Winnifred was born. One month later Father exchanged the farm for a printing outfit and we moved to Scotia. We sold eight cows, about thirty five hogs, our hens, and taking seven horses with us which we sold as we had the opportunity, we kept one as a carriage horse. So life began anew for us all and the children had a better chance for an education which we were so anxious for them to have.
We continued in this work for about two years then one after another of the children came down with Mountain Fever, as it was called. Grace was the first to have it, then Louie, our oldest son, only with him it became typhoid and he died on November 2nd, and how we missed him! He loved work of all kinds and especially on the newspaper, doing the job printing, when not in school, and he took the teacher's examination, when he was only fourteen, just to see what it was like and to pass the time away. He passed the examination while some of the teachers failed.
Father, being of a different political faith from the most of the settlers and being a staunch defender of his own (the Republican Party) was threatened with being "boycotted" if he did not support their candidate -- a Catholic. Having the same fever the children had taken, he became discouraged and having an opportunity to exchange his business with a jeweler and take his wares and as soon as he became well enough the exchange was made. So, on December 4, 1888, we were on our way to Oregon.
Our train was late and we reached Grand Island from Scotia, Nebraska in the early evening and had to wait until eleven o'clock for the through train which would take us to Sacramento, CA. There were many immigrants, also waiting. Some of the women sat there with shawls over their heads and with various bundles tied up in sheets. The men and children were lying on the bare floor in this waiting room and some were sleeping, knowing nothing of the jostling crowds.
The train we took was a regular Immigrant Sleeper and you had to have your own blankets and pillows or do without. A stove at one end of the car was kept going by some of the passengers. When bedtime came, a rack was pulled out from one seat to the other, blankets spread and curtains drawn.
We left the train at Sacramento as we were going north. We had to wait again for a night train and spent the day in the waiting room or taking short excursions about the City. In the evening we went on and the next evening found us at our destination -- Grants Pass, Oregon.
Having very little besides the box of jewelry, your Father began to work in the box factory hoping, still, to be paid past debts for the "Greeley County Graphic". (None of these Nebraska people ever sent money to pay up their past subscriptions.) The first few days in Grants Pass
Vol VI, no. 2, page 59 - Fall 1983
The Autobiography of Hattie Melissa Baker Paddock, continued:we stayed with the Sam and Abe AXTELLS. The next spring my husband went with Sam AXTELL to look up home land. Sam and Abe were old friends from Scotia, NE -- Sam a carpenter, and Abe, a lawyer. Father filed on a pre-emption about ten miles from Grants Pass and started building a house in the woods on this land. He found later that there were only forty acres of vacant land there but he had built the house on that, and on March 4th we moved out to the place before the floor was laid. My husband began teaching school two or three miles away, digging a well near the house as he had time, as so many other things had to be done. We could easily gather fuel almost everywhere and it seemed so precious after burning hay, corn stalks, and corn, in Nebraska, to know we had plenty of wood.
Nina was born May 26, 1889, and as Stella was in Grants Pass attending school and living in the home of the grocer, BARTLETT, Jessie became our house-keeper till I could take charge again. The next winter both she and Stella attended school in town and Father began working in the box factory there and walking ten miles each Monday morning to his work.
While we were living on this pre-emption, Stella taught school about three miles from us when she was seventeen. She received twenty-five dollars a month (if I remember correctly) and taught four months, living with the family of William POLLOCK from Monday night until Friday.
When the factory was burned your Father was left without work so he bought (borrowing from Mr. MASSIE about three hundred dollars which was afterward paid off) a piece of land in Grants Pass and started a house there. As soon as it would shelter them Stella and Grace stayed with him and Jessie with Rev. Robert McLEANS family. Then as soon as it was livable and the preemption proved up on (by paying one hundred dollars for the forty acres) we moved into Grants Pass and began life there. The factory was rebuilt, but we moved in a man came to see if father would do marble work for him as he had heard he was thinking of going into the business. So father began work for Dr. JACKSON at three dollars a day and at least bought the business and went on with it for several years.
Albert Wilbur PADDOCK was born November 19, 1891, and is now married and living in Portland, Oregon.
Jessie was the first to be married -- June 24, 1897, to Henry Adolph ROTERMUND, Grace was married to Arthur Lorin EDGERTON on July 18, 1899, and Mary Melissa was married to Roy Nelsey HACKETT on September 8, 1909.
A brother of father's -- J.T. PADDOCK, came to us in Grants Pass from North Loup, NE, and his son, William Anthony, lived with us for several years and keeping a bicycle shop in the town. He married Miss Nora McINTOSH -- teacher from Indiana, who died later, (leaving two little girls) in Temple, Arizona. After her death he took his children to Santa Cruz and built a small house on land he bought and there he tried to take care of them. He had lived in our home so long that he was like a son and brother. Finally our oldest daughter, Stella, went down to sew for the children and rest from teaching, a vocation she had followed since she was seventeen or about thirty years. By the time the sewing was done he found that he could not spare her and on December 31st at about 6:30 in the evening, they were married. They are now living in National City, CA, and the girls, Pauline and Marian are in high school and are doing very well.
Father, through the years, worked at his trade, and at other times, had a variety of things such as sawing shingles, running an engine, night-watching for our son-in-law, Arthur EDGERTON, until at last Arthur sold his mill. Very soon after, father came to Berkley, CA, (1920) and began work for the Western Pacific in San Francisco through Adolph's kindly efforts. And it meant that, every year since, we have taken a trip to see some of our children. Once it was to Santa Cruz, three times to National City, three times to Grants Pass, Oregon, on two of these trips going on to Portland to see our son and his family, once to New York state (1926) and once to Lakeview, Oregon. And so, as we have grown older, it has proven in many ways to be our happiest time of life.
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