Sarpy County NE

Biography of Elisha Wesley McComas, Hon.

While the years of his greatest activity and achievement, the period which made him a national figure, were spent in other localities, a special interest attaches to the career of Elisha W. McComas in Kansas, not only because he lived in that state for many years, but members of his family still reside there. He was born in Cabell County in Old Virginia, the second in a family of six sons. His father was a prominent man in Old Virginia, served several terms in Congress, filled a position on the local bench, and other places of honor. The early life … Read more

Biography of Hon. Burdice J. Briggs

There are few men in southern Idaho better or more favorably known than Hon. Burdice J. Briggs, a lawyer of ability and success, an up-right and patriotic citizen, and the constant promoter of the best interests of the state and its people. His effective work in the legislature in behalf of irrigation entitles him to a prominent place in any volume which purports to give an account of Idaho and her leading useful citizens. Hon. Burdice J. Briggs was born at Bellevue, Nebraska, November 21, 1859, a son of Alpheus N. and Harriet (Green) Briggs. The Briggs family in America … Read more

Biography of William H. Moffit

William H. Moffit. In the group of surviving territorial pioneers of Kansas, William H. Moffit of Highland Park, a suburb of Topeka, has an important place. Mr. Moffit carries within his individual recollection practically the entire story of Kansas from the beginning of the border warfare until the present, a period of fully fifty years. He has been a witness of great and stirring events, and in those events has not been himself an inconsiderable participant. His birth occurred in Henry County, Iowa, January 6, 1842. That date indicates that the family history has been identified with the pioneer times … Read more

Nebraska Cemetery Records Johnson to Sarpy Counties

Nebraska Cemetery records are listed by county then name of cemetery within the Nebraska county. Most of these are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Nebraska Cemetery Transcriptions, Johnson to Sarpy

Anderson Grove Cemetery, Belle Vue Precinct, Nebraska

Copied by Gilbert Harry Doane, A.B., Lincoln, Nebraska (Original text is all single spaced & in small type.) These inscriptions were copied in October, 1930, and checked in March, 1931. Those marked with an asterisk (*) represent “undertakers’ markers”, i. e. a card inscribed with the name, date of death, and age of the deceased, covered with glass, and framed in lead. In many of these the glass is broken, and the card sadly weathered and rapidly disintegrating. The copyist’s notes are enclosed in parentheses. All other notes (enclosed in square brackets) were supplied by Jedediah M. Gates, Esq., whose … Read more

Biography of Ward Salisbury

Ward Salisbury. The Salisbury family have been residents of Hiawatha County for over thirty years, and Mr. Ward Salisbury, who was a child when his father located there, had succeeded the older Salisbury as proprietor of the leading grain elevator and his business as a grain buyer extends all over that section of Kansas. Mr. Ward Salisbury was born in Norway, Herkimer County, New York, February 20, 1877. His lineage goes back for a number of generations in American history. The Salisburys came out of England and were colonists in New York. Mr. Salisbury is a member of the Sous … Read more

Beights, Mary Jane Morrow – Obituary

Another pioneer of the Alta community has been laid to rest. Mrs. M. W. Beights passed away at the Alta hospital on Monday of last week [January 20, 1934] following an attack of pneumonia. Her advanced years and the severeness of the attack was more than she could stand and in spite of all efforts passed away at the age of 74 years, 8 months and 4 days. Funeral services were held in Alta on Thursday, February 1st with Rev. J. M. Bloomquist in charge. Burial was made in the Woodlawn Cemetery. Mary Jane Morrow was born in Henry County, … Read more

McKenzie, Charles Maxfield – Obituary

Former Yakima Valley resident Charles “Max” McKenzie, 84, of Edmonds, died Sunday in Edmonds [August 17, 1986]. Mr. McKenzie was born Dec. 8, 1901, in Omaha, Neb., to Charles and Maude McKenzie. They moved in 1903 to Quincy, where his family homesteaded until the death of his father in 1915. In 1917, they moved to the Kittitas Valley and took up farming. Mr. McKenzie went to work for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1923, retiring in 1967. He was married in 1926 to Ruth Barnhart. They were transferred to Yakima in 1932. While working for the railroad, he maintained a … Read more

Biography of Fred S. Watt

Fred S. Watt, cashier of the Lovewell State Bank, is a man of exceptlonal ability and widely known in Jewell County, and besides his banking duties is also pastor of the United Brethren Church at Lovewell. Mr. Watt was born in Webster County, Nebraska, July 30, 1879. He is of English ancestry but the family located in Pennsylvania in colonial times. His grandfather, John Watt, was born in Indiana in 1810 and in 1871 became one of the piommer settlers in Webster County, Nebraska, where he homesteaded 160 acres near Guide Rock. He was a practical farmer, and spent his … Read more

Biography of Gerald Francis Wilson

Gerald Francis Wilson. Among the contributing factors to progress and prosperity in Clay County are the newspapers, and in taking them into account the Leader, at Longford, should by no means be overlooked. It is a live, wide-awake, progressive journal becanse such are the characteristics of its able editor and manager, Gerald Francis Wilson, who had the advantage of being a practical printer and before assuming charge of the Leader had had editorial experience. Gerald Francis Wilson was born at Racine, Wisconsin, November 4, 1891. His parents were Fred Morgan and Miranda (Kennedy) Wilson, the latter of whom was born … Read more

Biography of Charles J. Smith

Charles J. Smith, Manager of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky, March 13, 1854, and is the son of Charles F. and Z. A. ( Jackson) Smith. His father was a merchant at Nicholasville for several years, but in 1857, removed to Kansas City, Missouri, where he died in 1877. In the latter city, the subject of this sketch was educated in a private school until he reached the age of fourteen, when he entered Blackburn University at Carlinville, Illinois, from which institution he graduated in 1870. After graduation he spent one year as a … Read more

Biography of William W. Driggs, Jr.

William W. Driggs, Jr.,is a capable young newspaper man and is now editor of the Bern Gazette in Nemaha county. The Gazette is one of the live papers of that county, and was established in 1898 by M. E. Ford. The editor of the paper was born in Hannibal, Missouri, December 25, 1891. His father is William W. Driggs, Sr., and together they make the firm Driggs & Driggs, publishers of the Bern Gazette. The senior Driggs was born March 25, 1856, in Pennsylvania. At the age of fifteen he learned telegraphy and began working soon afterward as a railroad … Read more

Beights, Moses Washington – Obituary

Moses Washington Beights, son of James and Mary Beights, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, September 9, 1854, and departed this life on August 31, 1938 at the age of 83 years, 11 months, and 22 days. When a youth he moved with his parents to Henry County, Iowa, and continued to reside with his parents until he reached his majority. On March 12, 1879, he was united in marriage to May Jane Morrow who preceded him in death on January 29, 1934. No children were born to this union. Mr. Beights and his wife resided in Henry County, Iowa, … Read more

Houses of the Omaha Tribe

Page of Kurz's sketchbook showing interior of an Omaha lodge, May 16, 1851

When Lewis and Clark ascended the Missouri in 1804 they found the Omaha village not far from the Missouri, in the present Dakota County, Nebraska. On the 13th of August the expedition reached the mouth of a creek entering the right bank of the Missouri. Just beyond they encamped on a sandbar, “opposite the lower point of a large island.” From here Sergeant Ordway and four men were sent to the Omaha village and returned the following day. “After crossing a prairie covered with high grass, they reached the Maha creek, along which they proceeded to its three forks, which … Read more

Biography of James B. Roberts, M. D.

James B. Roberts, M. D. A physician and surgeon of broad and successful experience, Dr. James B. Roberts had practiced for many years in Kansas, and had long been the leader in professional circles at Goff in Nemaha County. Doctor Roberts was born in Newton County, Indiana, February 18, 1857. His Roberts’ ancestors came originally from Wales and were pioneers in the State of Indiana. His father, Thomas Roberts, was born in that state in 1823 and became a pioneer in the northwestern part of the state in Newton County, where he followed farming until his death in 1858, when … Read more