This history of Sam Wymore coming west reads like pages taken from a pioneer's notebook. The word pioneer has in most instances been entirely sufficient in its descriptive use for the telling of and about ones ancestors. But for the true exemplification, for all that the word Pioneer stands for, one only has to scratch beneath the surface of the history of Samuel and Isabella Wymore's transmigration into the prairie states to find its true meaning. From notes forwarded to us from lsabel Roberts, granddaughter of Samuel and Isabella Wymore, also notes taken from the Gage County Portrait and Biographical Album published in 1888, we present a progressive biographical sketch of Samuel and Isabella Wymore.

Samuel Wymore was born November 20, 1835 on Cole Creek Prairie, between Park and Montgomery Counties, Indiana. Not long after his birth his parents moved to Sugar Creek in the same state, where they remained until 1844, they then moved to Mahaska County, Iowa, where they remained until 1855. Samuel went to Atchinson County, Kansas. He reached the age of maturity during his stay in Atchinson, starting out on his own in 1856. He went to Davis County, Mo., where he met and married Isabella L. Scott on August 6, 1856 He returned home to Atchinson and worked with his father for a year. April 24, 1858 Samuel and Isabella left Atchinson for Johnson Creek near the Pawnee, in Pawnee County, Nebraska, where they took "up" land, and started their improvements as rapidly as possible. They built a log cabin within a weeks rime and while Sam was working on the cabin Isabella was busy putting in a family garden, during this time of building and working, their residence by necessity, was their covered wagon. Sam in this first year of residence in Pawnee County hired out to different settlers for odd jobs and saved enough to buy his first breaking plow. He had cleared twelve acres and put his new plow busy breaking the sod for planting and had every thing ready by fall, sufficiently, to allow them to return to Missouri for the winter. That next spring in coming back to Nebraska and Johnson Creek the Wymore's had a team of oxen, a team of Texas steers, one stag and two heifers, a cow and a pair of two year old steers, which they had driven ahead of their wagon back to Missouri. These returned with them in the spring and on arrival at their location on Johnson Creek they were confronted with a desolate and heartbreaking sight, for their cabin and hay stacks that they had left intact the previous fall now all that remained was piles of blackened ashes.

One today must reflect for a moment and try to

put ourselves in such circumstances, these were times when every little item was at a high premium in the frontiers of our country, consider the every-day item of nails, string, wire, pins, hammers and saws and a score of other items taken for granted. Whatever thought of defeat and sadness that entered the minds of that young couple standing amidst the ruins of their hopes and desires, on lonely Johnson Creek we will never know and it must have been very lonely for a girl of Isabella's age for at one period of seven months time Isabella hadn't looked upon the face of a white woman. We have no indication that defeat entered into their minds for they attacked their problems and won out over these adversities.

In 1861 Samuel sold his farm in Pawnee County and moved to Kansas to help his father for his brothers had joined the Army. He helped his father the following year and then returned to Pawnee County and bought land upon the west branch of the Pawnee. He improved this land and sold it two years later. It was at this time that he came here and bought his first land, 270 acres near Blue Springs. He didn't take up residence on this land however but went back to Missouri for the next two years before

returning here.

When he returned he became the owner of the southwest quarter of section 21, and lived on it for one year, then took up a homestead where Wymore now stands. This was in the year 1868. There were then but three houses south of Bills Creek. Samuel and Isabella lived on this homestead for the next eight years making the necessary improvements and farming the land. They then moved to what was then the Wymore township. It was about in this period of time that he bought more land to bring his total to 438 ˝ acres. He sold 38 ˝ acres of this land in 1877. The remaining four hundred acres of his original property he made his home, continuing to improve and farm it until 1880.

When the town of Wymore was platted Sam Wymore owned 160 acres within the city limits which was laid out with the other land comprising the city. There was a heavy demand for lots so through the sale of his lots he realized a reasonable profit. He joined with Mr. William Ashby in purchasing another 180 acres which they in turn had subdivided into lots and placed on the market for sale Together with Mr. Ashby they had built many dwellings in their addition which was an influencing factor in the quick selling of many lots.

Sam at this time became very active in the civic development of the city. He held a large share of the interest in the Hotel Touzalin and the Street Railway He was responsible for the establishment of the Wymore Building and Loan Association, and from 1884 to 1886 was the president of the Blue Valley Bank. By 1888 he owned parcels of land in Kansas and Nebraska totalling 1,800 acres.

There were born to Samuel and Isabella, seven children, however by 1888 only three remained. They were Mary Scott, Matilda M. and Samuel Jr.

Today in this year 1956 as we view Samuel Wymore's movements and accomplishments through the foregoing brief biography, we are conscious that only the highlights are given and we cannot but feel that in a degree it fails to convey the true essance of courage, stamina and leadership of this man. We miss and can only surmise the pathos and drama that entered into the everyday existence and toiling for survival in country that was wilderness. Nothing in that brief biography mentions about babies being born without benefit of doctor or midwife. We only note that seven children were born of Samuel and Isabella. We can only hazard a guess as to conditions of birth or where the children are interred in their graves, or the grief,

tears of utter hopelessness and dejection that went with such heart-rending circumstances. It is for us in our ease, reflections and remembrances to hold the Samuel Wymores up as a symbol of triumph. To reflect not alone on their hardships but of their conquering them. They were of many who have long since been affectionately remembered as "sod-busters." They tilled the soil, readying it for the planting of seeds, seeds that would grow into villages and cities, men and women. Progress was not ahead of them, they were progress.

WYMORE HAS MODERN DISPOSAL PLANT

Unlike many cities in Nebraska which seem to be waiting until either state or federal law force them to install disposal plants and quit running their sewage into streams, Wymore made plans some time ago to correct this situation.

Work was begun in 1947 on a $100,000 project which included a new modern disposal plant and sewer district No. 2 which served the west and southwest part of town. The sewer district was completed before the disposal plant and was placed in operation early in 1948, the sewage being run into the old sewer lines and disposed of in the river.

On July 26. 1948 the new disposal plant was placed in operation. Through their foresight, city officials saved taxpayers considerable as continued inflation would have brought present day costs much higher than they were in 1947.

Wymore's modern disposal plant located in the east part of town and near the river.

Cutting and Storing of Ice during the winter become big business here, with radroad cars to ice as well as serving the needs of the surrounding community These men are cutting the ice with a saw pulled by horses More modern equipment was used in later years.

RAWLINGS ICE BUSINESS

Among the leading early-day residents of Wymore, one who had an important role in the building of the community, and who will be remembered as Wymore's well known wholesale ice dealer of the early days of this century, was Melvin Longstreet Rawlings, better known locally as M. L. Rawlings, or "Mel" Rawlings, the local man who built a small city ice business into a large wholesale ice business. Mr. Rawlings came to Wymore in 1886 and died in 1940.

Mr. Rawlings decided to start an ice business to supply the local trade, but in those early days as the smaller towns were growing into larger communities, an important item such as ice was very much needed but it was scarce and mighty hard' to get. So the Rawlings ice business increased so rapidly that in just a few years it was necessary to build a dam and back up the waters of Indian Creek to get enough water area to produce the crop of ice needed by the folks of this community and a number of adjoining communities who had no way of getting ice.

The Rawlings ice plant was able to supply the local demands, and large quantities were trucked and shipped to other towns nearby, and some not so near.

From Weekly Wymorean, Jan. 16, 1930: "The Rawlings Company commenced ice hearvest in Wymore Monday noon, the ice cutting 8 to 10 inches thick, and going into the ice house at the rate of about 1,000 tons a day. The ice is of extra good quality. About fifty men are employed in this work.

Horse power was put to use in storing the ice. Pulled up an incline on a moving belt it was shunted off at various levels and sled into the ice house. This business came to employ large numbers of men during the winter time.

"All the ice handling is done by machinery. The saw is a rotary operated by electricity. The only work in which horses are used now is scraping the snow from the ice when this is necessary. The ice is floated from the cutting edge to the conveyors at the storage house, where endless belts haul the cakes up the chutes into the storage rooms.

"The Rawlings holdings include about two miles of Indian creek, measured in its meanderings. While it is nearly two miles from the dam to the upper end of the ice holdings, it is only about one-half mile across from one point to the other, in a straight line. Mr. Rawlings has taken advantage of this fact and instead of floating the ice around the bends he has a conveyor which takes the ice across the narrow neck of land separating the upper and lower bends of the creek, saving much time and labor."

Marshall Produce Fire

Worst fire in Wymore in recent years was at Marshall Produce late in August, 1952 The alarm sounded at 7:15 in the evening, and soon the 100x140 foot frame building was a mass of flames This view of the fire was taken from the corner of Burlington park.

This picture taken the following afternoon shows the destruction wrought by the fire. Damages were listed at $130,000, not a single thing being saved from the building. It was thought the fire was due to an explosion as employees had been in the building but a few minutes before the fire engulfed the building in a matter of minutes.

Merchants pitched in on "clean-up day" and this picture shows some of the men and equipment donated for the job. In the background is the old Peckham building, also badly damaged by the fire This building was torn down and the lot added to the Marshall location when decision to rebuild was made.

The fire of 1910 which burned out the present Ben Franklin corner. The old hose cart in the foreground is still owned by the fire department and will be seen in the Jubilee parade.

WYMORE HAD ITS SHARE OF DISASTROUS FIRES

First really disastrous fire to strike Wymore was June 30, 1910 when the entire corner of the block now occupied by the Ben Franklin Store and the Schafer Rexall Drug Store burned to the ground. Damage from the fire was estimated at $200,000, three 2-story brick structures being lost. Stores located in the buildings included the Taylor Opera House, Cutshall & Cumro Grocery in whose basement the fire started, Laflin Drug Co., Mentgen Bros. General Merchandise, E. N. Kauffman lawyer's office, Nebraska Telephone Company Central offices, City National Bank and Weekly Wymorean. Also damaged was the D. A. Lasher building.

Another disastrous fire struck on the east side of the street May 9, 1914 when the Greenwood and Dimmitt buildings were burned to the ground with a loss estimated at $78,000. The Dimmitt building

The fire of 1914 left these ruins of the Greenwood building and Dimmit building to its left.

was occupied by W. A. Dawson who carried a stock of furniture. Losses were also suffered by the Cutshall building, Robertson & Co., dry goods, Tom Huston, undertaker, Postoffice, Company F, Adam McMullen Law Office, Ten Cent Store, Various lodges, Hurtz building, Wymore Drug Store, F. G. Pennington, First National Bank, Pizar Building, Schwentker Barber Shop, Kinley Cigar Store, O'Donnell & Hickock, and Stephenson & Moran.

RE-NAMING STREETS

An ordinance re-naming the streets and avenues of the city of Wymore, Nebr. and providing for the numbering of all business houses and residences of said city:

Be it ordained by the Mayor and Council of the city of Wymore, Gage County, Nebraska.

Section 1. All of the streets and avenues of the city, are hereby renamed and numbered as follows:
Section 2. All streets and avenues in said city, running north and south shall be called and known as avenues and be numbered and designated as hereinafter provided,
The street, or road, between sections 20 and 31 in Township two North in Range seven East, (known as the Marysville road) shall be named and numbered "First Avenue." And the next street west thereof shall be named and numbered "Second Avenue" and so on consecutively entirely across the city.
Section 3. All east and west streets shall be called streets and shall be named as follows: The first east and west streets north of the Burlington railroad, now known as Brown street, shall be named and called "Adams street" and the east and west streets from said Adams street north shall be named consecutively as follows: Bryan, Cleveland, Decatur, Edison, Franklin, Grant, Hays, Irving, Jefferson, Knox, Lincoln, Monroe, Nebraska, Otis.
Section 4 The Mayor and Council shall cause to be put up at street and Avenue crossings, such street signs as they may from time to time order by resolution.
Section 5. On all avenues, business houses and residences shall be numbered commencing with the number 101 and 102 at Adams street, 201 and 202 at Bryan street and so on consecutively across the city from south to north. On all streets, business houses and residences shall be numbered commenc-

One of the first meat markets in Wymore, before the time of showcases and electric refrigeration. Tony Hirman located in this building in October, 1890. In 1926. just East of this location, he built a new modern market, which is now occupied by Hubert's Market and Smitty's Bakery. In the early days, he made his own wieners and bologna. Bologna was ordered by people as far away as Chicago. He purchased cattle by the carload and did his own butchering. Left to right: Tony Hirmon, John Simmons, Josh Hicks and Herb Lippold.

ing with the number 101 and 102 at First Avenue, 201 and 202 in the next block west and so on consecutively entirely across the city from east to west.
All odd numbers to be upon the west and south sides of each street and even numbers upon the north and east sides of the streets.
Section 6. Each number shall comprise a lot frontage of (25) twenty-five feet.
Passed and approved November 6, 1912.
J. A. Rueling, Mayor; T. F. Hutson, Clerk.

While the north and south streets still retain the numbers as set up in 1912, the east and west streets were later listed alphabetically, beginning at the south side of town and progressing north. New alumnium street markers were installed several years ago.

If all the eggs that are marketed through Wymore Produce Houses were to be stirred and mixed it would make a "whale" of an omlet.

With two produce houses, which furnish an excellent local market for egg producers, Nebraska eggs are marketed over a good part of the United States and also foreign countries. During World War II it wasn't uncommon to have boys write home from distant points over the world, telling of eating eggs from a local produce house.

Modern, up-to-date equipment and 80 employees are required to handle this tremendous volume. Emphasis has been placed on "quality" eggs, resulting in the Chamber of Commerce adopting the above slogan.

The next two pages give you an inside view of the egg industry in Wymore.

In the upper picture, employees at Marshall Produce are placing eggs on the belts which sends them through machines which automatically grade them for size. In the near foreground, men are packing the eggs for shipment.
In the lower picture are part of the eight ladies operating candling machines Separated into a number of grades, the fillers are sent on to the packers on an endless belt, each filler containing a slip designating the grade and packer's number. During busy seasons the machines are used on two shifts. The past three years, an average of 9,000,000 dozen eggs have passed through the plant. Up to 60 employees are used to operate this large plant during peak times.

"FAMOUS HEALER" BRINGS FOLKS TO WYMORE

From The Arbor State, Feb. 27, 1947

The name of Wymore, the home of the "Famous Healer," has become a by-word with people from many states during the past sixteen years. And to local residents, the name of Perry Philben is probably better known than any in the community.

J. Perry Philben, known to his friends as Perry, came to Wymore as a healer June 15, 1930. According to Mr. Philben, Claus Remmers was the gentleman who was instrumental in influencing him to make the change in location from Neligh to Wymore.

Perry is a generously jovial man. To anyone knowing him even slighthly, his belief in himself is astounding. He freely said, "I do not pretend to be a doctor in any way. I have a natural gift which I know relieves pain. I don't know any more about 'it' than you do."

According to Philben, he does not know whether his parents had this "it" he terms the healing gift. However he observed, his parents knew he had it. Though discovering the gift at the age of 5 or 6, Perry did nothing with it commercially until he was 40 years of age. In the barber business or the farm he often applied his art, but many times others did not know it.

This "it" or "power" comes, according to Philben, through his body, toes and fingertips. Mostly through his hands does he control this gift which he maintains he can send miles away.

He spoke of attending the theatre in Wymore one evening and being called out to answer a long distance telephone call. A young girl 15 or 16 years of age was suffering with a high fever and was unconscious. Her mother had called from a hospital. According to Perry, he returned to the theatre and before the show was over, he received another call that the girl's temperature was down and she was rational.

"This 'it' is indefinable, invisible and can only be felt," Perry explained. He is more relaxed when he works than when not working, and has perfect control of this ''power."

The West Ward school house, built in 1891 and torn down after the present school was built. This picture was not available when the school story was composed.

People come from a distance to Wymore to visit the man on West D street, whose neon sign in front of his office reads "Famous Healer." The office is a large house and as many as 20 people can be accommodated there. A community kitchen is operated by the ever-changing group. The overflow go to private homes and local hotels.

As many as 160 people have been treated in one day, it was reported by Perry's office assistant. He works day in and day out with very little free time. The past 16 years in Wymore the only break in work has been planned vacations, when the office is entirely closed. Cars can be seen almost anytime parked around the West D street office. Varied makes from old to new are represented and bearing a mixture of license plates indicating state and county origins. "I have never turned anyone away," Perry said, "just because he might not have any money."

The emphasis is on relieving pain, Philben explained. "Where a bone is broken for instance, it has to be set by professionally skilled hands, but all the pain in the knitting of the bones I can relieve. Sometimes there must be many treatments, the relief cannot all be at once."

A set advertising program is not maintained, although there is a small book available with many printed testimonials, but this seems the extent of advertising "People tell other people when they have been helped," Perry said. "That is my advertising which brings folks from California, Washington, Florida, New York, Washington, D C and Alaska and those are only a few."

There is unlikely a person in the community who enjoys doing for others more than Perry. Perhaps it is his expression for the gift he has been given—but he has been a year-around Santa Claus to many of the less fortunate people of the community To be thanked for his thoughtfulness and generosity is to embarrass him—he has already received his reward in the act of giving.

Perry has two sons, Pat and Chet, both of whom attended Osteopathy school at Kirksville, Mo. Both have inherited his gift, the father said.

A Mrs Herbert Cigelske of Avon, Minn., who first came to Perry in August, 1946 and was completing another stay early this month made this statement "I suffered nine years with arthritis and had to walk with crutches Since first visiting Perry I have gained 20 pounds, can walk without crutches and my pain is greatly relieved. I believe in this man's power to relieve pain.

This lady is a nice little person. One cannot help but wish her well. In fact to all of Perry's Wymore visitors the same wish is applicable, for this must be their wish too—to be well.

For the past couple years, Perry has been confined to his home with a broken hip and other infirmaties of old age.

GRADUATES ACHIEVING OUTSTANDING SUCCESS

By this measure alone Wymore has had no small success for many of her alumni have achieved noted positions in their fields. The following are only a few of those who can be listed as prominent alumni:

Velda Benda, Class of 1931; AB. Degree in 1935 and LL.B. Degree in 1938, College of Law, University of Nebraska; admitted to the Nebraska Bar and the Federal District Bar in 1938. Legal Consultant for the State Assistance and the Child Welfare Departments in Nebraska, 1938-1944; Attorney for the United States Department of Agriculture, 1943-47; Member of the faculty, College of Law, University of Nebraska, 1947-49. In 1949, she was married to Sidney S. Anderson, now resides in Lincoln, Nebraska She is the only woman attorney among Wymore Alumni.

John Delehant, Class of 1907, prominent lawyer and one-time judge, well known in Nebraska politics, honored by his church, the title "Knight of St. Gregory" having been conferred on him by Papal authority in 1933 Senior judge, U. S. District Court.

The Lions Club Hall serves as a meeting place for many groups in the community It was purchased at a tax sale during the days of WWII, remodeled by members who donated money and time, and turned into an attractive meeting place.

Dr Houghton Elias, Class of 1929, B.S. Degree, University of Nebraska 1933, Research Asst. University of Nebraska 1934, M.D. Degree University of Nebraska 1936, 1936 to 1937 University of Rochester, N.Y., Surgical Service. Surgical Fellowship 1937 to 1939, Cleveland Clinic. Chief Surgical Resident, Cleveland Clinic 1939 to 1940. Served in Armed Service 1941 to 1946, Rank Lt. Col. At present Consultant Veteran's Hospital, Lincoln. Consultant, Thayer County Memorial Hospital. Consultant Fairbury Clinic. Consultant Broadstone Memorial of Superior.

Cloyd B. Ellis, Class of 1913, was appointed judge of the 18th Judicial District of Nebraska comprising Gage and Jefferson counties, by Gov. Roy L. Cochran in 1937, and has served continuously since that time. Was at one time city attorney of Wymore.

Jeane Hargrave, Class of 1909, Phi Beta Kappa, graduate of Harvard Law School, captain in World War I, awarded Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre. Now president and general council of the Eastman Kodak Company.

George Hughes, Class of 1925, Phi Beta Kappa, graduate Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Chi-