and appliances, which is one of the most complete of its kind in the west. The building is of brick, twenty-five by eighty-six feet in size, two-story and basement, and is of beautiful architectural design, and a credit to the city. Dr. Andrews has his residence in the building, and the best of trained nurses are constantly in attendance. This is a great boon to Holdredge and western Nebraska, as it is the only up-to-date hospital in this section.
Before locating in Holdrege Dr. Andrews had an office at Eustis, Nebraska, where for ten years he had a large practice, which extended for seventy-five miles around the country. He is well known throughout the entire state as an able surgeon and general practitioner, and also an active citizen along all lines of progress. He is of attractive personality, strong physique, outspoken and frank, with strong social tendencies, and is greatly esteemed by all. As a member of the state legislature in 1901, he was recognized as an able member of that body. He is an effective friend, and a foe to be reckoned with.
Dr. J. A. Andrews is a native of Iowa. He graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1893, and for a time practiced in that city. His prior education was at Simpson College, Iowa. His brother, Hon. W. E. Andrews, is now auditor for the United States treasury at Washington, D. C., having been a member of Congress from this district for one term, and was the first Republican elected after the Populist victories in Nebraska. He was previously a professor in the Hastings College, at Hastings, Nebraska, then private secretary for Governor Crounce, of Nebraska.
Dr. Andrews is a member of the State Medical Society and was first vice-president of that body for one term. He is also a member of the American Medical Association, the Missouri Valley and the Republican Valley Medical Associations, also of the Highline Medical Association. He is a Mason, also an Odd Fellow and a Woodman. In politics he is an ardent Republican.
In 1901 Dr. Andrews was united in marriage to Miss Lulah Trott, of Kearney, Nebraska.
Joseph P. Kreycik, who is classed among the intelligent and progressive ranchman of Cherry county, Nebraska, is a resident of section 32, township 32, range 26, where his new residence is located. He has been in Nebraska since 1878, and during the years of his residence here has become one of the important factors in the development of that region. He is the owner of a fine set of ranch buildings and is one of the leading old settlers in the vicinity.
Mr. Krevcik is a native of Jestraby, Lhota,
Bohemia, and was born on a farm, January 1, 1866. His father,
Matej Kreycik, came to America in 1878 and located in Knox county,
Nebraska, where he now resides. The family sailed from Hamburg on
the steamer Gelart, April 5th, and after fourteen days on the
water landed in New York. Coming direct to Yankton by way of Sioux
City, a friend of the father met the family and took them to his
home, the father soon locating on a homestead where he now
resides. Of a family of eight children Joseph is the eldest and
started out for himself at the age of twenty-one, following ranch
work, and first came to Cherry county in 1884, where he took up a
homestead and tree claim; on the former he now resides. He has
added to his acreage until he now owns a tract of nine hundred and
sixty acres, and keeps some five hundred head of cattle and fifty
horses. When he located on this place his sole possessions were a
few cows, one team, and a debt of eighty dollars. He first built a
log house and sod stables and outbuildings. He now has an
excellently constructed two-story nine-room frame dwelling, with
running water at all times, supplied from an elevated cistern
reservoir, two big cattle sheds, two barns, a sheep shed and
numerous outbuildings, wind mills, and tanks and concrete walks.
Altogether it is one of the best equipped ranches within the
boundaries of Cherry county. The land is all fenced, and the whole
ranch bears evidence of the best of care and good judgment in its
operation, making it one of the valuable estates in the locality.
A view of the place will be found on another page of this
work.
Mr. Kreycik is worshipful master of Wood Lake lodge, No. 221, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and a charter member of camp No. 221, Ancient Order of United Workmen, of the same village. He has been a member of the school board for some years, and held different school offices. He is a Populist in political faith, having voted that ticket since the organization of the party. He has done his share in the upbuilding of the commercial and agricultural interests of the community in which he resides, and is one of the substantial men here.
Peter P. Shade, one of the best known pioneers of Nebraska, is proprietor of an excellent farm adjoining Ainsworth in Brown county.
Mr. Shade was born in Fayette county, Illinois, July 6, 1849. His father, William Shade, was a farmer by occupation, and came to Illinois from Pennsylvania in the early days, bringing with him his family of two children; five children were born in Illinois, of whom our subject is the youngest. He was reared and educated on his father's farm and started life for himself at the age of twelve years, learning the shoemaker's trade at Moweena, which occupation he followed for six years, and then went back to farming. At first he begun on rented land in Moultrie county and worked this for several years. In 1873 he came to Nebraska, locating on a homestead in Adams county, near Hastings. He had practically nothing to start with, and the first five years were very hard ones for him. The first year he settled here his crops failed, being utterly ruined by the grasshopper raids, which devasted (sic) the entire country round. The same condition of things existed the following year. His first house was a dugout, and in this he lived for some years, then built a sod house and kept at work improving his farm, trying hard to overcome the discouragements and hardships which he encountered.
He remained on this homestead until the fall of 1884, and then sold out his holdings and came to Brown county, settling on a farm three miles east of Ainsworth. He proved up on this, erected good buildings and continued to reside there until October, 1907, when he sold and invested in a twenty-four-acre tract adjoining Ainsworth, where he has built a fine house and barn, fitted with all the necessary improvements for running a model farm. He has planted one hundred and thirty fruit trees and a number of forest trees and evergreens.
On October 21, 1870, Mr. Shade was married at Sullivan, Illinois, to Miss Mary E. Dieter, a native of Medina, Ohio. She came to Christian county, Illinois, with her parents in 1865, the family settling in this locality. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shade, of whom but one is now living, Maude E., a graduate of the Ainsworth high school, now the wife of Ralph Carpenter, living four miles south of Johnstown,
Mr. Shade has done his full share as an old settler, and is recognized as one of the leading residents of the county in which he makes his home. He is a man whom it is not easy to forget if once met with, being above the ordinary in intelligence and individuality of character. He has the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen, and his name will figure prominently in the history of Nebraska. In politics he is a Democrat.
Henry J. Davis, classed among the substantial and prosperous farmers of Court House Rock precinct, Morrill (formerly Cheyenne) county, is an old settler in western Nebraska, and has passed through all the old Nebraska times, good, bad and indifferent, remaining to enjoy the prosperity which has come to those who spent many years in helping develop the agricultural resources of that region. He has acquired valuable property by his labors and good management, and enjoys comfortable surroundings and an enviable reputation as a citizen.
Mr. Davis was born in Oakland county, Michigan, January 15, 1856, and grew to the age of five years, then with his parents moved to Saratoga county, New York, where they lived for about nine years. The family then came to Stephenson county, Illinois, remaining there but a short time, then into Hardin and Franklin counties, Iowa. The father, William Davis, was a farmer, and followed that calling in Iowa up to 1887, at that time coming to Nebraska, settling in Cheyenne county, where he took up a preemption. This is now our subject's home ranch. Both his father and mother, who was Julia Valentine in maidenhood, are now deceased, the mother's death occurring in this county in 1894, the father following in 1901.
Mr. Davis has a fine ranch, engaging almost exclusively in running cattle and horses. He has plenty of pasture for his stock, also meadows and groves, with a good set of buildings on the place.
Mr. Davis was married in Webb City, Web-
ster county, Iowa, in 1893, to Miss Emma Gaudy. His wife died in Sidney in the fall of 1895, leaving one child, Vera, now attending school in Iowa Falls, Iowa. In political faith our subject is a strong Democrat and is active in local affairs.
One of the highest tributes to be paid a citizen is to say that he is a leading old settler. During the many years of his residence in a community he has been placed in communication with many of the inhabitants of his home neighborhood, and his career has been open to their criticisms one way or the other. The gentleman above named is classed among the pioneers of Sheridan county, Nebraska, and as a resident of Hay Springs, former agriculturist of enterprise and integrity he has passed favorable criticism and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen.
Mr. Ferrel is a native of Wayne county, Iowa, born June 23, 1861. His father, John Ferrel, was a farmer and early settler in Iowa, having taken up a tract of government land there in 1852. In a family of nine children our subject was the sixth member, and he together with his brothers and sisters grew up on the frontier, where he early learned to do all sorts of hard farm labor, during the winter months attending the country schools. He left home at the age of twenty-two and came west, locating in O'Neil, Holt county, Nebraska, where he followed the carpenter's trade there up to 1884. At that time that section was a tough country, full of rough characters who made that their headquarters during the pioneer days of that region.
Mr. Ferrel came to Sheridan county during June of the latter year, driving through from O'Neil with a team and covered wagon, settling on a pre-emption situated three and one-half miles west of Hay Springs. Here he built a log house and batched it, going through the usual pioneer experiences, freighting from Bordeaux saw mill to Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota. He remained here proving up on his claim, and spent the year of '85 working at his trade in Pine Ridge Agency, and the following year in this work at Hay Springs. After this he clerked in a hardware store for eighteen years, learning the tinner's trade and mastering every detail of the hardware business, and also establishing a furniture store here which he owned and managed for twelve years. He sold out his holdings in 1906, and bought back same business in 1907, and still continues the same at Hay Springs. Mr. Ferrel is also interested in farming lands in the vicinity of the town, and now devotes much of his time to this industry.
Mr. Ferrel was married in 1890 to Miss Julia Moulton, whose father, A. W. Moulton, was a stockman in Iowa and later an early settler in Sheridan county. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ferrel, named as follows: Ruth, Cora, Lyle, Zelma, Ina and Gladys.
Mr. Ferrel is a man of active and energetic habits, always taking a deep interest in local affairs and lending his aid in building up the commercial interests of his community and promoting educational matters to the best of his ability. He has taken part in the history of this region from its start, and has done his full share as an old settler.
Bethuel S. Sawyer is one of the oldest settlers of Loup county, Nebraska, and has witnessed the country grow from a wild, bleak, wind-swept prairie to a land of beautiful homes occupied by intelligent, contented and prosperous people. He has coped successfully, with the varying fortunes of pioneer life and has surrounded himself with the satisfying evidences of work well done.
Bethuel S. Sawyer is a native of the old state of Maine, being born in the town of Pownal, August 12, 1832. His father, Joseph T. Sawyer, was a trader and business man and was a native of Maine, and of English descent. His mother, Elizabeth Sweetser in her maiden days, was a native of Maine, of Scotch-Irish descent.
Our subject lived in Maine till he came to Loup county, Nebraska, in 1879. He located on the farm where he now lives on section 31, township 23, range 20, and started to lay the foundations of a permanent home and ranching business. His first house was built of adobe, and the family were contented with that until the time came when circumstances permitted building a better one. He participated in the organization of the county and his son Frank was the first county clerk elected in the county. His home was far from the railroad and he had to haul all his supplies from Grand Island, one hundred and twenty miles away, and he remembers many a night when he had to sleep under his wagon while making those trips. But the reward for
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