Capt. S. T. Leaming, civil engineer, is a native of Schoharie County, N. Y. When four years old, he came with his parents to La Porte, Ind.; in 1852, he went to California; returned in 1855; then took up engineering, he having studied and been actively engaged in the field before going to California; in the winter of 1856-57, he was employed by the Iowa Central Air Line (now the Chicago and North-Western) Railroad; surveyed the road from Ida Grove to the Missouri River; in 1857, came to Decatur and bought a claim of 320 acres from Mr. Rose, for which he paid $6,400; he now owns 120 acres joining the town on the south, where he resides; also owns about two hundred lots in town. He assisted in organizing the town, and was the first Mayor; he held the office four years; in 1858, helped organize what was known as the Decatur South Pass Air Line Railroad Company; was elected Chief Engineer of said Company, and made the first actual railroad survey ever made in Nebraska—-said survey running westward from Decatur 100 miles—and the next year was elected to the Territorial Legislature and served two years; he was appointed to allot the farms for the Omaha and Winnebago Indians; was County Surveyor two years. He enlisted, in 1862, in Company I, Second Nebraska Cavalry; was promoted in 1863 to First Lieutenant, and later promoted to Captain, which rank he held when mustered out.
