Menu

Location: Brown County NE

Homestead Act in Brown County, Nebraska History

In 1904 a new law was passed permitting a homestead of 640 acres to be acquired by five years residence thereon and placing improvements upon it to the value of $800. This was called the “Kinkaid law,” honoring the congressman from this district who secured its enactment Hon. Moses P. Kinkaid of O’Neill. This law proved of great value to all of northwest Nebraska and its passage resulted in the settling of the sand hills in a very few years. Again new settlers, sometimes called “Kinkarders,” came into our county, and a most prosperous period followed their coming. The population

Interview with Nannie Hogan

(Having had the privilege of a very interesting interview with Mrs. Nannie Hogan, daughter of the late Mrs. Nannie Osborn, during her last visit to Ainsworth in July, 1935, a few facts of general interest, as well as some of her own pioneer experiences were recorded, chiefly for the benefit of the school children who often have need to seek information regarding the early history of the town.)-Lila McAndrew. Mrs. Osborn and her daughter, Nammie lived at old Fort Hartsuff near the town of Ord. They became acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Tower, the latter being a sister of Mr.

Ainsworth Public School

(Lila McAndrew) School District No. 10, Ainsworth was organized August 25, 1883, E. A. Palmer was director, J. W. Alden moderator and S. G. Chaney treasurer. The first school in district No. 10 was held in a little log building, northwest of town, on the north bank of Bone Creek, in 1882. It was taught by Mrs. Mary Wade. Some of the pupils attending were Lettie Cheney (Mrs. J. D. Kirkpatrick), Millie Cheney (Mrs. Will Kirkpatrick), Joy and Bert Cheney, Dan and Mary Woodward, (the late Mrs. L. M. Short.) In 1883 school was: held in a frame building where

Outlaws and Pawnee Indians of Brown County, Nebraska

Kid Wade, a young outlaw supposed to be one of the famous gang that operated in this section in early days, was lynched in the early morning hours of February 8, 1884. He was captured in Iowa by a band of vigilantes, given a trial and turned over to officers from Holt County. During the night he was taken from the guard in a hotel at Bassett’ by a band of masked men and hung to a railroad whistling post, one mile east of the town. He was buried on Bassett hill. His true given name was Albert. His trial

New County Seat at Springview, Nebraska

It took some time to locate the county seat as there were many little towns contesting for the honor. It was finally established at Springview on April 28, 1885. The residence of David Heiges was made the temporary courthouse. As the county owned the town site the funds secured from the sale of lots were used to build a courthouse. Among the early post offices were Darnall, Adrian, Lutes, Enterprise, Nesbit, Burton, Brewer, Simpson, Norden, McGuire, Carns, Stevenson, Lomo, McLean, Munt and Meadville, though the last named was located in Brown County for several years it served many on the

Winter of 1880-81 and Agricultural Fairs in Brown County, Nebraska

In the winter of 1880-’81 many farmers were unable to get supplies as the cold and snow were so severe that it was almost impossible to drive to Atkinson for the necessities of life. Even at Cook’s ranch where supplies could usually be obtained, but little could be spared. Three settlers, Gus Sisson, C. N. Swett and Jap Stanley, sent a team to Atkinson, but owing to the deep snow it did not return for thirty days. They got a half-bushel of shelled corn, a few beans and a hog’s head from Cook’s and on this they lived till the

Settlers from Bradford, Pennsylvania

From Bradford, Penn., in the early spring of 1883, a colony consisting of sixty-five men, women and children settled along the south side of the Keya Paha river. They played an important role in the early history of the eastern end of the county. Their children and grandchildren are still numbered among Keya Paha County’s leading citizens. Iowa, Wisconsin and eastern Nebraska also sent large numbers of settlers. Probably no other section of Nebraska has seen more crime and tragedy enacted on its soil than has that section which is now Keya Paha County. It was the battleground between the

Firsts in Brown County, Nebraska

The first term of court was held November 27, 1883, F. B. Tiffany, presiding. Among the jurors were: H. S. Potter, W. D. McCord, O. B. Rippey, C. F. Barnes, F. W. Sellors, A. L. Sisson. The first patent issued for land within the limits of Brown County as it then stood, by the United States government, as shown by the records in the Valentine land office (now extinct) was to Charles W. Wyman of Carns, Nebraska, April 10, 1881. The first teacher’s examination was given in 1883 by Supt. J. L. Harriman. The applicants were: Millie Cheney, Minnie Briggs

Memories And Items of Interest

The fact that our sister county, Keya Paha, was a part of Brown from February 19, 1883 to November 4, 1884, gives us an active interest in her early settlement and history. The name “Keya Paha,” meaning in the Indian language, “Turtle Hill,” was given to that portion of our state north of the Niobrara River and the river which traverses it, many years ago. In a communication, dated October 29, 1858, signed C. Randall (from near Fort Randall and printed in the Missouri Republican, of St. Louis) I have found the following: “We travelled up the Turtle Hill river

History of Ainsworth, Nebraska

That portion of Ainsworth lying west of Main Street was platted on the homestead of Mrs. Nannie Osborn. Leroy Hall platted an addition on his land on the east side of Main, extending as far north as Fourth Street. North of that, Henry Woodward’s addition on his homestead. On the corner of Main and Fourth was the Woodward store, the first business house in the town. It was a log building put up in 1880, and was located on the freighter’s trail. Among the early business houses were Tracy add Glover’s store managed by J. D. Crawford; Munson and Secor,

Copyright © 2019 Access Genealogy