William and Zelphia Napier moved from Indiana when their son, Oliver, was a small boy. They had three other sons, Wilber, Roy and Travis, and three daughters, Mary (Mrs. Clarence Smith), mother of Gladys Shamburgh; Adelaid, (Mrs. Luther), mother of Millie Kamenske; and Etta, who died as an infant.

Oliver and Delia Napier, May 5,1903.

   Ollie, (as he was called), married Delia Cobb, daughter of George and Anna Cobb, on May 5, 1903. They lived on a farm just below the hill on Highway 81, now occupied by Francis Adamy. Grandma Napier made her home with them after her husband passed away. Their children were: Arlette, Arnet, Sadie, Kenneth, Iola, George and Beryle. On this farm their twins, Arlette and Arnet, were born. Arnet passed away at three weeks of age. After graduating from Bellwood High School, Arlette attended summer school in Peru and Kearney and taught school a few years. She married Wilbert Widdowson and moved to a farm north of Rising City, Nebraska. Later they moved to Columbus and then to Wichita, Kansas where Arlette now resides. Wilbert passed away in October, 1958. There were no children.
   Here, the second daughter, Sadie, was born. After graduation from high school in Bellwood, she attended college at Peru and Kearney. She taught school five years

and then married Russell Walden. They lived on farms near Ulysses and Rising City. They then moved to Shelby, Nebraska, where Russell purchased a produce and feed store and later worked for Willis McMeekin's Implement and Machinery in Shelby. Russell passed away in March, 1955. They belonged to the Methodist Church where Sadie was quite active. She taught Bible class, sang in the choir, was pianist and organist and was a member of the music department on the church board. Two children were born to this union - Donald of Boerne, Texas and Keith of Westminster, Colorado. Donald married Nancy Thomson of Chicago. They have four children: Leslie, Amy, Lori and Dean. The Waldens' other son, Keith, married Portia Garrison. They have five children: Cindy, Dale, Robert, Mindy and Kimberly.
   After Russell's death, Sadie continued teaching. She finished getting her B.A. degree at Wesleyan University and moved to Westminster, Colorado to teach in 1959. She has taught 27 years. Arlette and Sadie toured several countries during vacations, namely Hawaii, Bahamas, Florida, New Orleans, St. Louis, Canada and Vancouver, taking the Inside Passage up to Prince Rupert and the Scandanavian countries of Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.
   Sadie married Ray Alshouse and moved back to Columbus, Nebraska where they now reside. They have spent the last four winters at Weslaco, Texas.
   A son, Kenneth, now came to join his sisters. He grew to manhood and married Mary Hadwiger from Duncan. They had two children, Robert and Patricia. Robert has two sons, Scott and Robert. Patty has three daughters, Becki, Karen and Cheril. Kenneth and Mary farmed around Genoa and Bellwood, and later moved to Oregon where they had a chicken farm, then worked at ship bulding [sic] in Portland and finally bought a fishing boat, "The Astoria." In September, 1948, he and his boat were lost in a storm in the Pacific. All his family still live in Portland.
   Since the schools were all too distant for walking, and the children were too small to manage a horse and buggy, the folks bought a home in Bellwood, now occupied by Ray Kouma, and rented out the farm.
   At this home in Bellwood, Iola was born. She married Jerry Holderness. They had two sons, Tom and Ronald. Tom has two children, Mickey and Denise. Ronald was killed in a car accident when he was a teenager. Later Iola married Kenneth Crowell. They had two children, Diane and Cindy. Cindy married John Allen. They had two children, Shelly and John. Iola and family all live in California.
   Another son, George, was born in Bellwood in 1914. He married Lorraine Gunderson of Bellwood. After farming in Nebraska for several years, they moved to Wichita, Kansas, to work in an airplane plant. They had two daughters, Carolyn and Joyce. George passed away in 1967. His family all live in California now.
   After Arlette and Sadie were old enough to drive a horse and buggy, the family moved back to the farm where they attended Brown School. Some of the teachers here were: Oma Cady, Hazel Want and a Mr. Hannel. Literary meetings and box socials were held at the school house and neighborhood barn dances were forms of entertainment in those days. Our mode of travel was horses and carriages.
   In 1915, the Napiers sold their place below the hill and bought the same farm where Ollie had formerly lived as a boy. Here he built a new house with furnace and delco lights and new crib.
   In August another son, Beryl, was born at their new farm home. He contacted diptheria and passed away at the age of eight years. We all attended school at District No. 7, which was just across the road from our house. Arlette and Sadie drove a horse and buggy to high school. We graduated in 1921. Iola stayed in town part of the time when in high school.
   We entertained ourselves with our own ball team, riding the calves, riding horseback. When the field work was done, and during the long winter evenings, we played cards, square danced and had our own little home orchestra. Ollie played the violin, Delia the organ, Kenneth had a clarinet and drum

set, and the girls and Kenneth had taken music lessons from Edna Widdowson. One winter sport we enjoyed was riding on a large sled Ollie had made for us with our pony pulling it.
   As we grew older and in high school, we enjoyed neighborhood house parties on weekends. The high school kids enjoyed coming out to "Napiers Ranch" as they called our place.
   Delia passed away in March, 1934 at the age of 51. Ollie continued farming with the help of different ones of the children living with him. He passed away in May, 1941 on the same farm where he had lived as a boy.
   Sadie Alshouse, his daughter, still owns the north 91 acres of this farm.

   Lydia Jane Derby Newman, a long-time resident of Bellwood, was born in Schenectady, N.Y., February 1, 1830. She married Benjamin Derby, Jr., October 2, 1844. After his death in 1863 she later married Mr. Newman.
   Her daughter, Rose, married John Arasmith. They lived on the old cherry farm southwest of Bellwood. Rose's daughter, Lillie Arasmith McMullen, was born on that farm. Lillie's son Paul and his daughter Anita are also pictured here.
   Lydia Jane had other children who were early residents of Bellwood. Charles Derby and Joe Derby, both businessmen here, were her sons. Her daughter, Hattie, was the wife of J. D. Bell, founder of the town.

   At the time of her death on January 17, 1921 she was almost 91 years old and had 145 living descendants which included 23 great-great-grandchildren. She is buried in the Bellwood cemetery.
   The later years of her life she was known to everyone as "Grandma Newman" and lived with her daughter, Nell Newman Jewell in the home now owned by Bob and Lois Raric (SE 1/4 Blk 41).

   Left to right: Lillie Arasmith McMullen, Lydia Jane Derby Newman, Anita McMullen, Rose Derby Arasmith and Paul McMullen. This five generation picture appeared in Colliers magazine in 1914.

Frank Nicolas Family

      Back row: Peter, George, Joseph C. and Frank W.
      Front row: Louis O., Frank Sr., Nellie and Sophia. Mary and Kate not pictured.

   Frank Nicolas, Sr. was born July 15, 1851 in Lorraine, France. He came to this country with his parents N. and Elizabeth Nicolas in 1851, locating in Spring Bay, Illinois. He first came to Nebraska in 1872 and then returned to Illinois where he married Sophia Fischer and came back to Nebraska in 1878. He was in charge of some land belonging to L. Williams.
   Frank Sr. and Sophia had eight children: Frank W., George, Peter, Nellie, Joseph C., Louis O., Mary and Kate.
   Frank W. married Elizabeth Schmit and their family was four: Alphonse (deceased), George, Francis (deceased) and Leo. Frank farmed southwest of Bellwood.
   George married Valeria Schmid and they had one daughter, Viola. George farmed west of Bellwood.
   Peter married Anne Besch and their family was three: Mathew (deceased), Pete and Leonard. Peter farmed south of Bellwood.
   Nellie married Harold Cockson and their family was two: Lucy and Harold Jr. They were farmers south of Columbus. They also had a family band and played for dances.
   Joseph C. married Mary Demuth and their family was three: Evelyn (deceased), Marie and Joseph P. Joseph C. farmed southwest of Bellwood.
   Louis O. married Rose Zwiener and their family was three: Louis C. died in prison camp in the Philippines in WW II, Leon and Marilyn. Louis O. farmed and later became a builder at Shelby, Nebraska. Louis O. also served in the U.S. Army, Company 1, 355 Infantry, 89th Division in WW I.
   Mary and Kate died young of pneumonia.
   Frank Sr. and Sophia worked hard and saved their earnings and were able to purchase some land on May 1, 1893, southwest of Bellwood from Catherine J. Wilson who had received this land from Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States by patent on March 20, 1872, where a portion of this land still remains in the Joseph P. Nicolas family today.
   Frank Sr., subject of this sketch, also had one brother, Prosper, who died young and two sisters, Elizabeth, who died young, and Ellen who later became the wife of Talbot Hoshor.
   Frank Sr. passed away November 16, 1926 and Sophia passed away in 1914. They are buried in the Catholic Cemetery five miles east of Bellwood. Ellen passed away July 30, 1932 and is buried in the Bellwood Cemetery, west of Bellwood.

   Louis W. Nozicka, one of nine children was born to Matej and Frantiska Smejkal Nozicka on March 5, 1892 in the Plasi area. Mary T. Nozicka, one of ten children was born to John V. and Mary Novacek Kobza on January 27, 1889 near Brainard.
   Louis and Mary were married on January 31, 1917 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Brainard, with Msgr. Alois J. Klein officiating. Louis and Mary farmed near Bruno, southeast of David City, and east of Bellwood. In 1947, they moved to BelIwood to the Loomis property. They lived here till 1977. Both are now making their home at the david place in David City, Ne.
   Louis and Mary celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this year. They were the parents of one daughter, Dorothy, who married Albin Janky. They also have two grandchildren, David and Debbie.

   Frank Gordon Peck was born at Bellwood, Nebraska on December 28, 1852, and was married to Florett Rosetta Waldo, who was born in Holland on May 30, 1858.
   To this union were born Cora Peck Hoshor, Laura Peck Richer and Alfred Gibson Peck.
   Frank G. Peck passed away in 1892 and his widow married William Chester Martin on November 3, 1895. Chester Martin was born in 1897. Florett died in 1904.
   Alfred G. Peck was born on July 28, 1892, and was married October 21, 1915, to Marie Catherine Grohman. She was born on March 18,1896, to Gustav Grohman and Johanna Urban Grohman, both of whom were born in Austria.
   Edna Rozella and Alfred Donald were born to Alfred and Marie Peck.
   Edna married Harry Hiller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hiller in 1936. Their children are Donald, James, Richard and Barbara Hiller Trofholz.
   Dr. A. D. Peck was married to Claire Kreizinger in 1942. Their children are Thomas, Paula and Karen Peck Mohler.
   Alfred G. Peck was a painter and paper hanger in Bellwood for many years. In 1925, they purchased Gates Confectionery store. In 1952, Fred Mansfield purchased the business.
   Mr. Peck passed away in 1958 and his wife in 1966.

Frank G. and Florett Peck.