Polk, Nebraska, situated in Polk County, was officially incorporated in 1885, emerging around the same time as the county itself was established. The town and county are named after James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States. Located in the eastern part of Nebraska, Polk is characterized by its rich agricultural land, which has historically driven its economy and settlement patterns. The town benefited from the establishment of railroads, particularly the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, which facilitated trade and migration. The Big Blue River, a significant geographical feature, flows near the town and has influenced both the agricultural and cultural development of the area. Early inhabitants of the region before European settlement included Native American tribes such as the Pawnee, which adds an important dimension to the historical and genealogical understanding of the area.
In 1974, sisters Mrs. Dwight Burney and Mrs. Irvin Anderson, edited a centennial celebration for the town of Polk Nebraska titled Polk Memoirs: Where Corn is King, 1874-1974. In this manuscript they and other townsfolks provide a look at the people and businesses that made up Polk in both the past and present. Genealogists should pay special attention to the families section.
Table of Contents
Early Day Memories — Present Day Realities — Future Day Aspirations and Hopes
Present Day Polk
- Mayor, Facts About Polk
- Why I Like Polk
- Present Businesses and Organizations
- Churches of Polk and Area
- Schools of Polk
- Data About Polk Folks
- Did You Know
- Salutes
- Personality Sketches
- Golden Years – 50 or More Together
- Family Album Section
Polk’s Yesterdays
- History of Polk
- As I Remember Polk
- Polk’s Bean Day
- Pictures
- Newspaper Stories About Polk People
- Cemeteries — Tragedies — Service Roll
- Potpourri — “Early Days”
Families
Adelson, Andrew, Etc., page 70
Adelson, Alex, page 70
Adelson, Frank, page 71
Adelson, John, page 71
Aker, Parker, page 71
Alfred, Olof F, page 71
Anderson. Irvin, page 72
Anderson, Alfred, page 72
Anderson, John H., page 72
Anderson, Forrest, page 73
13edient, Fred, Sr., page 73
Benjamin, Albert, page 73
Bragg, Meade, page 73
Benson, S. P., page 73
Blender, Wm. Sr., page 73
Bent ord . Walter, page 74
Branting, Clifford, page 74
Burgess, Clayton, page 74
Burney, Dwight, page 74
Carlson, Andy, page 75
Carlstrom, Carl, page 75
Carlson.Harold, page 75
Carlson. S. Alfred, page 75
Cohagen, Acquilla, page 75
Coover, Ed, page 75
Crow, A.K., page 76
Dahlin, Alvin, page 76
Dahlin, Oscar, page 76
Dore mus Neil, page 76
Dorsey, John L., page 77
Ehn. Joe, page 77
Flodman, Ernest, page 77
Flodman, Carl Ulric 78
Flodman. Hartwig, page 78
Fossberg, Frank, page 79
Fredrickson. Marvin 79
Garretson, Frank M. 79
Garretson, Roy, page 79
Glad, A.G., page 80
Glasser. Robert S., page 80
Green, James, page 80
Green, Wm. E., page 80
Gustafson, Alfred, page 80
Gustafson, Frank, page 81
Gustafson, Oscar, page 91
Hahn, Freeman, page 81
Hahn. E.W., page 91
Hanquist, Andrew, page 91
Hanquist, Donald, page 82
Hanquist, P.A., page 82
Hanquist, Wm. H., page 82
Harless, Jacob, page 82
Hill, G.M., page 82
Hill, Wayne, page 93
Hill, C. Glenn, page 83
Honess, Jameb, page 84
Horn, F.L., page 94
Jerner, C.A., page 84
Johnson, Andrew, page 94
Johnson, Charles 0., page 84
Johnson, John A., page 84
Johnson, Wm. E., page 95
Jones, Axel C., page 95
Kealiher, M., page 85
Kisler, Will, page 86
Knerr, F., page 86
Kroger, Will, page 86
Lampshire, G., page 86
Larson, C. & E, page 87
Lind, Albert, page 87
Lind. Amel, page 87
Lind, Henry, page 87
Lind, John, page 87
Lind, John, page 88
Lindburg, Will, page 88
Lindquist, Eric, page 88
McClure, Joseph, page 88
McConnell, Dick, page 89
McCune, Calmar, page 89
Miller. Wm. P., page 89
Mills. D.N., page 89
Myers, John, page 89
Myers, Z. F., page 89
Naslund, Olof, page 90
Nelson, August, page 90
Nelson. J.P., page 90
Nelson, J.W., page 90
Nelson, Robert, page 90
Nelson, Walter, page 90
Nelson, Theo, page 90
Newton, Willard, page 90
Norton, J.N., page 91
Nyberg, Nels, page 91
Peterson, Alfred, page 91
Peterson, Enoch, page 92
Peterson. Frank, page 92
Peterson, Jonas, page 92
Putman, Horace, page 92
Ramage, Grant, page 93
Reeb, Geo-Henry, page 93
Rodine, C. O., page 93
Rodgers. John J., page 54
Sandberg, August, page 94
Sandell, Wallace, page 94
Sandell, Henry, page 94
Sealey, James T, page 94
Sealey, Ray, page 94
Shostrom, Andrew, page 95
Shostrom, Ira, page 95
Shostrom, Peter, page 95
Slusser, Frank, page 95
Steelquist, August, page 95
Stevens, Arlo, page 96
Stevens, Clyde, page 96
Stevens, Paul, page 96
Stevens, Theo, page 96
Stevens, Jamier, page 97
Stevens, J. Ed, page 97
Stevens, Wm., page 97
Stohl. John, page 98
Stouffer, Roy, page 98
Strand, Oscar, page 98
Strand, Paul, page 98
Stromberg, Albert, page 98
Stromberg, Chas, page 98
Stromberg, Lloyd, page 99
Stromberg, Oscar, page 99
Stromberg, Rolland, page 99
Stunkel, Wm., page 99
Sundberg, David, page 99
Sandberg, Andrew, page 100
Sundberg, Henry, page 100
Sundberg, Oscar, page 100
Thesing, Richard, page 100
Tinker. G.W., page 100
Talbot, A.O., page 100
Widga, Adel, page 100
Widga, Charles, page 101
Widga, Lloyd, page 101
Widga, Peter, page 101
Willits, Clair, page 101
Willits, Horace, page 101
Willits, Grant, page 102
Wilson, John, page 103
Source
Burney, Dwight, Mrs., Mrs. Irvin Anderson, Polk Memoirs: Where Corn is King, 1874-1974, Polk, Nebraska : Polk, Nebraska, 1974