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SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF
NEBRASKA
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adopted children. He is now serving his first
term as County Assessor of Dundy County, having been
elected on the Republican ticket.
L. MORSE was
born in Weston, Massachusetts, in 1842, where he received
his education in the high schools. He resided in Weld
County, Colorado, four years and after coming to Nebraska
engaged in the ranching business. Mr. Morse served as
Treasurer of Dundy County for four years and was a member
of the State Board of Agriculture for fifteen years. He
has been chairman of the County Central Committee for ten
years and is at present County Surveyor.
FILLMORE COUNTY.
The first
settlement in Fillmore County was made in June, 1866,
when William Bussard and William Whitaker took up claims
in the northern part of the county on the West Blue
River, where the Fillmore Mills were afterward built. The
first white woman was Mrs. E. A. Whitaker, then about
seventy years old, who entered a homestead claim. During
the first years buffalo, elk and antelope were present in
large numbers, and the care of meats, hides and furs was
one of the principal occupations. In 1870 immigration
began to come in fast, most of the settlements being made
in the southeastern part of the county, and by 1873 all
the land was thickly settled. Fillmore County was
organized in 1871. Its 576 square miles of land are, for
the most part, level and there is very little waste land.
The orchards furnish apples, cherries, plums and peaches.
Land has almost doubled in value during the last few
years. The water supply is made up of West Blue River,
Turkey Creek and other smaller streams. The first
ministers of the Gospel were Elder F. R. Spear, who
settled northwest of Geneva, and Rev. G. W. Gue, who
located near the present site of Fairmont. The first
post-office was established at Fillmore in 1871. E. D.
Martin was made Postmaster, and his salary for the first
year amounted to $12. All progress came to an end in 1874
because of the terrible destruction wrought by the
grasshoppers. Many residents deserted their farms. Among
those who stayed, the suffering from want and privation
was intense, although no one actually died of starvation.
A small amount of relief was voted by the county in
behalf of the sufferers. There was very little
immigration during the years of 1875 and 1876 because of
the widespread reports of the grasshopper visitation, but
now the inhabitants number 15,087, of whom 1,534 live at
the capital, Geneva. The school census shows 5,519
pupils.
E. J. BARBUR was
born in Woodstock, Illinois, November 23, 1868. While a
small child he came to Filmore (sic) County with his
parents, and has since lived there, engaging in farming
and stock raising. He was educated at the Lincoln
Business College and has held the office of Chairman of
the County Board and is now County Clerk. He is a member
of the Republican party.
JOHN K. WARING
is a native of New York City, the date of his birth being
June 2, 1863. Here he spent his boyhood and when fourteen
years of age went with his parents to Illinois and a year
later came to Fairmont, where he has since made his home.
He gained his education in a correspondence school and
studied law in Chicago. Since 1897, when he was admitted
to practice before the Supreme Court, he has been a
member of the law firm of Curtiss & Waring. He was a
member of the Board of Health in Fillmore County for
several years, and is now County Attorney, elected on the
Fusion ticket.
JOHN R.
PATTERSON is a native of Scotland, having been born
in Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, January 9, 1846. He came to
Rockford, Illinois, when a young man of twenty-three and
to Nebraska in 1878. He was conductor on the Esk Valley
Railway in Scotland and has also been engaged in farming.
He has held several offices, some of which are Hustice of
Peace for eleven years at Grafton, Chairman of the
Village Board for two years, seventeen years on the
Collections and Notary Board, and is now Judge of
Fillmore County. He is politically Republican.
J. L. ADAMS was
born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1862, of
Pennsylvania German parentage. In 1878 he removed to
Ellsworth County, Kansas, and in 1888 to Fillmore County,
where he has since remained. He has followed the vocation
of teacher, and has been honored with an election to the
office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. He is a
member of the Republican party.
E. J. DEMPSTER
was born in Rochelle, Ill-
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