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     J. N. Wise, with his tuning fork, was the leader of these "sings." The names of some of these first families in this group were Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Bradford, Mr. and Mrs. Perry P. Gass, Jonathan Wise, Parker Wise, Borwell Spurlock, Miss Nancy Spurlock, Milo Ella Duke, Miss Margaret Duke, I. N. Karraga.
     This secretary's book is important because it gives us the date (1858) of the first organization to have vocal music regularly on the program.
     I have depended on the secretary's book for these earliest historical tools, but the remainder of this article is strictly reminiscent, as I took part in all that I relate.
     Soon after the close of the Civil war an opera was presented here by local talent. I remember that at the age of 8 years, I made my debut as a singer in the chorus of that opera. What the name of the opera was, I do not know. But I distinctly remember that my mother made for me a new ruffled white dress with many gilt paper stars sewed upon it, so presumably I was an angelic fairy.
     The operas of Gilbert and Sullivan were very popular during the latter part of the 19th century.
     Plattsmouth musicians organized for the purpose of presenting some of these, between 1887 and 1900.
     The operas selected were: "H. M. S. Pinafore," composed in 1878; "Pirates of Penzance," composed in 1880; and the "Mikado," composed in 1885.
     I wish to digress from my subject to comment on the fact that this year (1939) the jazz-swing maniacs have attacked the "Mikado" and have now presented it to a long-suffering public, under the title "Hot Mikado."
     I wish I knew a soft pedal word that would be a synonym for "lazy." But I do not, therefore I must say that these self-styled ultra-modernists are too lazy to do serious, original work and therefore they attach "jazz-swing" like parasites, to correct musical forms of real merit, hoping thereby to participate in the success of meritorious work from which they receive sustenance.
     Following the presentation of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, we began the study of oratorious (sic). "Elijah" was given about 1892, directed by Mrs. G. W. Noble. "The Messiah" given about 1893, and was also directed by Mrs. G. W. Noble. "Queen Esther" was given in 1898, directed by Mrs. Lillian Swearingin-Hasse.
     One of the earliest music clubs was the "Mozart Study Club" whose members were earnest music teachers and students whose object was to become better acquainted with classical music and composers.
     In 1887 the "Zither Orchestra" was organized with the following players: Zithers: Mrs. Ida Waterman-Wagner, Miss Anna Wechbach, Mrs. Alex Clark, Mrs. C. M. Butler, Miss Kate Stadleman; Violins: Miss Lillian Kauble, Mr. A. Eigenbrodt; Corne (t?): Mr. Alex Clark; Guitars: Miss Olive Gass, Miss Lydia Wechbach, Miss Alma Schmidtman; Bass voil (sic): Mr. Hobabt.
     We not only gave our entertainments in Plattsmouth, but we presented our concerts in neighboring towns.
     Besides these group activities along musical lines, Plattsmouth has sent out professional entertainers who have been a credit to the city. Among them are Alice and Ethel Dovey, Dora Swearingin, L. D. Hiatt, Lillian Kauble, Agnes Knoflicek and Richard Avard.
     In closing I wish to compare the

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status of music in our city in those early days, with the advancement of today.
     During my school days, we had no music supervisors and no music was taught. However, we sang every morning at opening exercises a capella, and enjoyed it.
     Today, "music" is found in the cirriculum of every school in Plattsmouth.
     Two of the most efficient and widespread means of cultivating a knowledge and love for music are Victrola and radio and to these must be given much credit for the remarkable advancement in music appreciation in Plattsmouth, today.
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HISTORY OF SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 70
  

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     School district No. 70, known as the Grind Prairie School, began in 1876, according to records available, is located one and one-half miles west of the town of Manley. There is a possibility of the school having began a few years earlier, possibly in 1871.
     The first board of directors being D. D. Andrus, director; William Coon, moderator and N. J. Calkins, treasurer. The first teacher being Mary B. Coiner and some of the first pupils were the Andrus, Coon, Caikins, Taylor, Woodward, Hughes and a few others.
     Some of the earliest teachers were Howard Zink, Alice Gilbert, Dottie B. Cook, Flora B. Ashmun, A. L. Timlin, J. C. Wachtel, Maria Rockwell, Ella Thorngate, W. J. Burgess and S. L. Hawley.
     In 1879 the school building was badly wrecked by a wind storm, but was repaired.
     The largest number of pupils enrolled was in 1886. That year there were 75 students of school age in the district. Twenty-two were between sixteen and twenty-one years of age.
     The first record of text books used was in 1876. Some of the books were as follows: Worcester's Comprehensive Speller, Hillard's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th readers; Griffith's Elocution; Harvey's English Grammar; French's Model Arithmetic; Ray's Arithmetic; French's Common School Arithmetic; Quyot's Common School Geography and Anderson's History. An interesting fact is that corn was brought for fuel in the early eighties.
     In the year 1889 the school building was moved one and one-half miles west to the place where it now stands. It was moved for the reason that the Missouri Pacific Railroad came thru the village of Manley in 1883. Five years later Manley built their own school building.
     The teacher's salary has ranged all the way from $26 to $100 per month. The district has always had nine months school a year, except in 1880 and 1881, they voted on seven months or more, if funds held out. Usually the term was divided into a fall term of three months, winter term of four months and a spring term of two months. Sometimes there was a different teacher for each term. The

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latest date that the school closed was the twelfth day of July, in 1879. In the winter of 1888 the memorable snow storm of January 12th was to be remembered. Bennett, who was staying at the William Coon home, went to get the children home. He took all that went west, but became lost in the storm for several hours. He finally got as fas (sic) as Sam Coon's place, which was one-half mile west of the school Louse, Mr. and Mrs. Coon kept the children over night.
     In 1905 the old Grand Prairie school building was sold to the highest bidder and a new building erected for the sum of $1,500, This building was torn down and an ice house was built of it in Murdock, Nebraska.
     In 1936, a full basement was put under the present building.
     In all the years the school has never had less than sixteen pupils in any year. The present school board consists of Alvin Oehlerking, Harold Schliefert and Lawrence Earhart. At present, Miss Mary Powers is the teacher.
     (This article was written by Mrs. Anna (Bornemeier) Richert in July, 1938, and furnished through the courtesy of Ed Bornemeier of Elmwood.)
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THOMAS PATTERSON, PIONEER CASS COUNTY SURVEYOR, SETTLED BOUNDARY DISPUTES

By DR. G. H. GILMORE
  

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     The Territory of Nebraska was organized from the great Indian Territory May 30, 1854 and on June 24th following when the Indian title had been extinguished, a flood of settlers entered this new country and hurriedly staked out claims along the Missouri river under the unwritten law of "Squatters' sovereignty." Such claims frequently overlapped with boundary disputes and serious trouble.
     A war was also on between "claim jumpers," vigilantes and various claim club organizations. Claim sharks sold to greenhorns any claim in sight for cash and left, thus creating more disputes over claim ownership. Some settlers "pulled stakes" and returned east, some were put over the river and two known victimes (sic) were put through a hole in the ice below Plattsmouth one cold winter night.
     These hostilities in eastern Cass county were not quieted until after October 31, 1855, on which date Thomas Patterson of Rock Bluffs was awarded a contract by Surveyor General John Calhoun to sectionize and subdivide the townships along the Missouri river from Nebraska City north to the Platte river. This survey covered what is now Wyoming precinct in Otoe county and Liberty east of Nehawka, Rock Bluffs and Plattsmouth precincts in Cass county.
Instruments Preserved

     The old type of surveyor's compass with which this tract was surveyed by Thomas Patterson, His diary started in 1827, many territorial documents, first ballots voted in Nebraska and many heirlooms of pioneer


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days of Nebraska are in possession of his grandchildren. Robert and Chase Patterson, Mrs. Joe Shea and Mrs. William Baker who reside in or near where once stood the busy river town of Rock Bluffs.
     Before this survey was made, authorized "road viewers" had staked out mail routes and emigrant roads, their courses winding along the divide of the rolling prairie and leading down through a valley to an easy fording point. Steamboat landings, trading posts and water driven flour and saw mills were important centers to the early settlers and the men operating these enterprises were usually outstanding figures in governmental affairs.
     The advent of the railroads destroyed river transportation and with it river towns and towns through which they did not pass, as today, the paved highway is destroying the railroads and the small towns along their routes. From the notes and maps of surveyor Patterson made in 1856 this first epoch mentioned as clearly established.
Early Legislator
     The survey of this river tier of townships started in Wyoming precinct and April 7, 1856 we find the surveyors at "Cowell's mill dam on Walnut creek." C. H. Cowel was one of the first legislators. North of here on the Missour (sic) river the town of "Wyoming" is platted, a town which blazed with frontier tragedy, the home of McWaters, who led a penitentiary outbreak and Quin Bohannan who killed his man in an argument over the spelling of the word "peddler." Wyoming was also winter quarters for the Mormons, and 6,500 left this point and treked (sic) across the plains to Utah. Scrap iron, stone and corn fields now cover the site of a leading city of the early days.
     On the Weeping Water "Folden's house" is located. Here Folden's mill was built and "String Town" grew up along the roadway but all vanished with the building of Union. On South Branch, "George Hunt is erecting a saw mill on the northeast quarter of section 27." Here the town of Factorville developed rapidly with stores, churches, blacksmith shops, doctor's office and even a university was established.
Dust Covers Site
     This town site is covered today with a field of drouth stunted corn stalks. Territorial roads led to Kirkpatrick's mill on the Weeping Water. S. M. Kirkpatrick served in the first territorial legislature and it was on his land below the mill that the town of Nehawka was established in 1887.
     At a point two miles north of Nehawka, "W. B. Gage has a claim in the south part of sections 4 and 5. The northeast quarter of section 5 is laid out for a city by the name of "Mount Pleasant. This remained a paper town. "Mail road leads from Nebraska City to Plattsmouth. Land is first class. In sections 31 and 19 is staked out the town of Lewiston. It has one house, that of Lewis Young, the proprietor." It is from this paper town near Murray that the Lewiston cemetery and the Lewiston community center, well known throughout the county, derives its name.
First Grave
     Many Indian trails and emigrant roads centered at Plattsmouth. Samuel Martin, assisted by James O'Neill, opened a trading post here in 1853. Samuel Martin died December 4, 1854, was buried where the high school

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stands and was the first to fill a white man's grave in Cass county,
     In East Rock Bluffs precinct, "there are two towns laid out and incorporated in this township. The town of Kanosha is in the fractional section 33 and has eight or nine houses and six or seven families. The town of Rock Bluffs is laid out in sections 8, 9, 16 and 17. It has a steam boat landing, improving considerable and bids fair to become quite a business point."
     It did become a freighting center and many heavily laden wagon trains left this river town for Denver and points along the trait. Kanosha at this time had aspirations to become the county seat of Cass county. On February 1, 1855 Bela White, along with J. B. Garrison, presented petitions to the first assembly to make "this town the seat of justice of Cass county."
Indian Scares
     Indian scares among the settlers were quite common, whether real or imaginary. When Governor Cuming called for volunteers to protect the frontier of the first settlements against the depredations being committed by the Indians the Rock Bluffs Horse Guards were organized and Thomas Patterson made captain; William Laird first lieutenant and Martin Neff, second lieutenant. They were commissioned August 15, 1855. The Rock Bluff Guards were organized at the same time with James Kidwell, captain; William Rakes, first lieutenant and William Ellington, second lieutenant.
     Thomas Patterson was born near Patterson's mill, Washington county, Penn., May 29, 1806, married Elizabeth Howard Wells, February 10, 1831, moved to Hennepin, Ill., and to Nebraska territory in 1855. They were the parents of twenty children. Several of the sons also became surveyors. One son, Philander Patterson, received a contract from surveyor General John Calhoun, Oct. 31, 1855, to sectionize what is now Russell precinct in Otoe county and Stove creek, Elmwood and South Bend in Cass county. Frederick Patterson, the youngest son, was for many years surveyor for Cass county until his tragic death when he was murdered in his little store in Rock Bluffs.
Needed Resourcefulness
     Resourcefulness was an essential and outstanding quality of every pioneer. Two incidents common to early settlers is here recorded in Surveyor Patterson's diary:
     "James Buchanan Patterson was born on the 28th day of April, 1856 at 9 o'clock a .m. was the second child born in the town of Rock Bluffs, Cass county, Nebraska Territory and in the first house built in the town. About an hour after the birth the steamboat Omaha, landed in front or the house with freight and groceries much needed, it being the first landing made by steamboat at this place. The first dwelling house built in Rock Bluffs was on lot four, block one south and two east from the public square. By P. Patterson."
     The Patterson heirs still own this property.
     "James Buchanan Patterson died February 5, 1857, at 9 o'clock a. m., age 9 months and 16 days, was buried on top of the hill south of Rock Bluffs in Cass county, Nebraska territory, the first burial in the place which was selected for this purpose by his father and Mother in April, he having been

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temporarily buried near the residence until that time.--By Thomas Patterson.
Cemetery Established
     This established the Rock Bluffs cemetery of today on a high scenic spot south of the town, a view many miles up and down the Missouri river with Tabor and Glenwood. Ia., in the distant east, the last resting place of the ancestors of some of the state and national figures of today in the political and business world.
     It has been discovered in recent years that this cemetery is located where once stood a large village of some prehistoric race. Archeologists have made excavations at the boundaries of this cemetery and rare pottery and stone implements have been recovered.
     Thomas Patterson died March 24, 1869 and his wife May 3, 1968 (sic), and both are laid to rest in the family lot beside their infant son, James Buchanan, in this cemetery which overlooks the vanished, yet historic town of Rock Bluffs.
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BIOGRAPHY OF LAWSON SHELDON

Pioneer Resident of Nehawka was Prominent in All Local and Territorial Affairs.
  

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     The following article on the life of Lawson Sheldon was written by Mrs. V. P. Sheldon. It won honorable mention in the State Historical Contest of 1934. Complying with the rules of the contest it was written in story form although the historical data is authentic.
     In the spring of the year of 1856, just as the stone foundation of the new Capitol in Territorial Nebraska was being laid above ground, and the northwest part of Omaha was being surveyed, a young man, heeding Horace Greeley's advice, "Go West, Young Man," paused on his way and talked with Governor Izard, who was overseeing the work on the capitol, and with Mr. Cozad who was surveying. He was told by Governor Izard of the great city that would some day be built on that land, covered with prairie grass. The surveyor told him of the beautiful land a few miles farther south. The interested young listener was Lawson Sheldon and no doubt but that he, too, had faith and dreams of what the future was to bring to this new strange country, for he traveled but a few miles farther south and stopped at the place which is now Nehawka on the Weeping Water in the southeastern part of Cass county.
     Lawson Sheldon was born in the year 1827 in Ludlow, Windsor county, Vermont.
     In 1851 he went to California where for four years he tried his fortune in the gold mines along the American river. Perhaps because of early environment (for he belonged to a family of strong character and enduring vitality; a family who had contributed their share of muscle In paving the pathway of the "Green Mountain" state) young Lawson grew tired of

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prospecting and determined to get back to the soil. He returned to his home in Vermont by the Isthmus of Panama, A short time after reaching home, he started west.
     He came by railroad to Iowa City, Ia., then by stage to Council Bluffs, which was the end of the western stage line. From Council Bluffs he crossed over the Missouri river by ferry to Omaha. From Omaha he went on horseback until he reached the valley along the Weeping Water. He probably recognized in the fertile, loamy soil, in the steady flowing creek and in the timber along its banks, a chance to live and prosper, and he was content. There he "squatted" on June 10th, 1856, and immediately pre-empted 160 acres of land. His son today, holds the patent for this land, signed by James Buchanan, then president of the United States.
      The section lines at that time were not laid out and one built his house and took the land contiguous, holding it by "squatter's rights." This caused some trouble later when the section lines were made, as it cut the landup into queer shapes.
     Under the early Territorial law, a man could pre-empt 160 acres and 100 acres more. This law was changed later and the settlers were unable to take but 160 acres and this caused trouble also. Some of the new settlers tried to seize land of the pioneer. Early settlers tales tell us that such actions were not tolerated; those sort of men were escorted across the river.
     Shortly after arriving, Mr. Sheldon and a friend, Isaac Pollard, who had come west at the same time, purchased a mill site of S. M. Kirkpatrick. They paid for it with gold which they had brought from California. Mr. Kirkpatrick had bought a saw mill near Glenwood, la., and moved it over, putting it up on the Weeping Water Creek. This was one of the first saw mills in Nebraska. In hauling it from Plattsmouth he opened up the first road from that point to what is now Nehawka. The high water in the spring of 1856, carried the mill away, scattering the timbers many hundreds of miles. The new owners went to Cincinnati to obtain machinery for a new mill. They brought the machinery with them in boxes, coming by boat from St. Louis to Nebraska City.
     Lawson Sheldon saw many men grow discouraged and turn hack: he saw Civil War soldiers come, borrow money of the pioneers on their land and then abandon it; he witnessed early Nebraska blizzards and told many times of the long winters when the snow blew across, the burned prairies and lodged in the gullies until they were even with the surrounding country. The few settlers lived in meager cabins and prepared to protect them from the wintry blasts by banking them with dirt to the roof tops. He lived through long droughts when his fields of corn and grain were laid barren. According to a letter on record, written to relatives in New York, dated 1871, he told of the dry hot winds burning his crops, but in the same letter he very optimistically stated "but this is fine land; the poorest acre has as good soil as the best in your state."
     In another letter written in 1862, he quotes the crop prices as follows:
     "Corn, 10c a bushel; wheat, 40c; barley 40c; cows, 12c; hogs, 1 1/2c; and potatoes, nothing." For sugar they paid 40c a pound; calico, 50c a yard and cotton material, 75c a yard. Yet in that letter he told of his hundreds of bushels of corn and grain and of the

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number of acres of prairie which he was preparing to "break" in another year. Rather boastfully and sarcastically he wrote to his relatives in the rocky hills and meadows of New England, "I know one thing, I don't propose to plow where the plow will hit a stone in any place or pick them either, although this is the wild country of Nebraska." However, it seems that he surely reconsidered the last statement for the many well built rock fences which today surround his land, stand as silent testimony that he did spend many long hours "picking" and placing rocks.
     His crops suffered throughout the ravages of the grasshoppers in the years of 1874 and 1875, but this young settler was not discouraged. An elderly lady in the community today loves to tell of how she remembers in the year of 1875, of meeting Mr. Sheldon as she and her father drove along the road. Her father stopped his horse to visit and lament of the terrible scourge, but she relates that with a twinkle in his blue eyes, Mr. Sheldon answered: "Oh, the grasshoppers were pretty good to us, they brought us a baby boy. Come no over and see him."
     So Lawson Sheldon went steadily onward, ever with the same shrewd foresight, always believing in Nebraska's soil until he, at the time of his death, owned about 4,000 acres of land that he termed the "Land of Plenty."
     Throughout every hardship and struggle, throughout all discouragement and losses which the early pioneer had to endure, he always held explicit faith in the great future and resources to his adopted land. To keep that faith, he surely was guided by the same thought as President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed recently when he advised the people of the Nation to "Keep that vision in your minds and in your hearts. It can and will be attained."
      At the end of the first year he and his partner had the mill well started, he had broken some prairie land, had acquired four yoke of oxen and built a log cabin for the reception of his bride. He returned to Vermont in March, 1857, and married Miss Julia Ann Pollard. They were married at her father's home. The home still stands in the Green Mountains on a farm adjoining the Calvin Coolidge home at Plymouth. The grandchildren get a big thrill on visits there to sleep in the same high beds, see the same paper on the walls that were there when their grandparents were married and to be shown the hitching rack where "Lawson tied his horse when he went to court Julia,"
     We know somewhat of the great sacrifices this girl made, of the cultured home she left, of the home ties that were broken and of how she bravely followed her heart with her young husband into this Prairie Grass country, we realize that her life as a pioneer is a story within itself and we are convinced that whatever fortune, success and happiness Lawson Sheldon gained, was made possible by this understanding, courageous girl whom he brought here as his young wife.
     A letter which she wrote to a sister back east is now a prized possession of her granddaughter. It was written shortly after she had become established in her new strange home and a few quotations from the letter will show something of her strong character and her happy acceptance of her new surroundings. This letter was postmarked, "Waterville, Nebraska Territory," May 6, 1857:

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      "My house is an elegant one. It is about 12x12 and is made of logs. It is not very high. Lawson has to stoop a lot as he comes through the door. The door is made of planed boards, straight up and down, a knob on it as smart as you please. The window contains 12 lights of glass. The window is put in laying down, I call it. In the corner near the window is a clipboard (made of good planed boards) which contains my crockery. On the top of the cupboard stands a small wooden pail of sugar, the tea container, and a steamer with a pie and some bread in. In the next corner stands our bed. It is made up neatly; the plain calico bed quilt looks very pretty on it. In the next corner is the flour barrel - there is a shelf on the barrel - one end to mix on and my groceries and an earthen jar of lard are on the other end. In the next corner is also a small shelf on which I keep the water pail and over which hangs the towel. Near this shelf stands the stove. It is very nice. I have a nice table which cost $5.50, a great rocking chair, two dining room chairs (nice ones.) I keep the two large trunks under the bed. I have a very good floor so I mop it and it looks nice and is real white. The house is comfortable indeed - it doesn't leak to do a bit of harm. You know a small house well filled is worth more than a large one without nothing in it.
     Now I suppose you are thinking I am very homesick in such a place as I describe, but it is not so. I have plenty of house room for any occasion and if anything uncommon should come along I can just step out doors and I can have all the elbow room I want without hitting any rocks or hills. I am perfectly contented. I like this country very much indeed. These western prairies are so nice. They are grand to look at and to work on. I have met only one woman, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, and I like her very much
     We expect quite a little village here soon. The boys are surveying it now and laying it off into lots. They want to start to Omaha tomorrow and pre-empt it."
     Such was the spirit of this pioneer woman and her hundreds of friends, her children and her grandchildren testify that it was always her attitude - contented, cheerful and ready to help others.
     Mrs. Sheldon showed remarkable ability and fortitude during the Indian troubles. She was never afraid of the Indians. When they came through the community every little while and stopped, peering in at her door and windows, she understood their wants and their customs. She fed them, gave them what she thought necessary and they disappeared as quietly as they had come.
     A quotation from a letter written in 1857 shows her great sympathy and understanding at that critical time:
     "We have been laboring under a great excitement with the Indians. But that was a "great cry." The whites were altogether too much to blame. They the same as stole 15 ponies from the Indians, The Indian Agent went up to see the Indians and found them more scared, if possible, than the whites. I think there is no trouble with them - not :n the least. But the people here became terribly frightened and made a useless cry. But it is over, and peace is around us.
     She was never happier than when using her influence to get others from her native state to come west. Her

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brother, Levi Pollard, came, her husband's twin brothers, Ambler and Amsdell came, and later many nephews and cousins.
     Julia found a place for them all - they had their brides, until they had taken their land and established homes of their own. As one talks to people of Nehawka today, it is surprising how many of them at one time called Lawson Sheldon's place "home."
     A more spacious dwelling was built a few years after of native lumber. This house in which their children were born and reared, where they shared their joys and their sorrows, a home which can well be termed as "A House by the Side of the Road," still stands and is known as "The Sheldon Homestead,"
     Later they built a more modern brick dwelling where they lived during the sunset of their lives.
     Mr. Sheldon gave much or his time, ability and money for the betterment of the community in which he lived.
     In the spring of 1887, the Missouri Pacific surveyors began surveying for a railroad from Weeping Water to Auburn via Nebraska City, The proudest dream of the early settler was about to be realized. For twenty years they had been hauling all their wheat, corn and oats to Nebraska City or Platttsmouth (sic); they had driven miles to the trading posts for provisions - the mail had been carried two times a week overland by the old star route, by horseback to Factoryville which was about four miles southeast of them,
     Mr. Sheldon used his influence and was very instrumental in getting the people along the intended line to give the right of way to the railroad company. By doing this the railroad was assured and work progressed rapidly. Although the surveyors' lines cut diagonally across many acres of his best farm land, as was ever characteristic of Mr. Sheldon, he asked not a cent for the right of way his only request was that the trains stop on the town site.
     He was the original treasurer of the town school and was re-elected each time as his term expired until close to the time of his death. A new school house was built in 1893. He burned the brick and furnished them for the building letting the district have them on open account..
     In order that the school district would not have to vote bonds and incur debts in order to finish the building, Mr. Sheldon paid the money out of his own account until the taxes had been paid, He charged no interest.
     In him the churches also found a loyal friend. His mother, who lived several years in his home, was a staunch supporter of the Babtist (sic) Church in Nebraska. However, her son Lawson, was ever a benefactor to them all.
     When the railroad went through, he used his time and influence in getting the town started. He built the first store building which was immediately occupied by his son, Frank, and it is still the "Sheldon Store" in the town. He helped plant the many trees which surround beautiful Nehawka today,
     Politically, Mr. Sheldon was a Republican. He always took an active interest in the prosperity of his state and county. He had the confidence of the people and held many places of trust. He was a member of the noted Florence Legislature, but never felt very much honored by having the fact revealed.
  
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