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German descent, born in Ohio, settling in Indiana when he was twelve years old, and still resides in that state. His wife was a native of New Jersey, and died when her family of children were still quite young. Mr. and Mrs. Strong have five children, who are named as follows: Royston C., Bessie M., Della A., James F. and Dick W., two of whom are married and reside in Alliance, and the rest make this their home, their postoffice address being Lakeside, Nebraska. Mr. Strong is a gentleman of active public spirit and takes a keen interest in local and state affairs, but has never held any except local office. He cast his first vote for U. S. Grant, in 1872, and has always voted the Republican ticket.

     In the gentleman above named we have another one of the sturdy sons of Sweden, who left his native land and came to this country to help in the steady march of progress, and incidentally to build up for himself a home and fortune for his descendants. Mr. Forsling was born January 10th, 1870, and grew to the age of eleven years in the land of his birth, then came to America with his parents. A sketch of his brother. C. A., is given in this volume, also the family history.

     Mr. Forsling first lived in Hardin county, Iowa, after striking the states, and made that his home for six years, later went to Chicago and secured employment with the Northwestern Railroad Company and was connected with that company for one year, then came to Phelps county, and later to Kimball county, Nebraska. He is the owner of several ranches, one situated on Lodgepole creek and one on the table land, owning altogether about four thousand acres, and engages in stock raising on an extensive scale, running about one hundred cattle and seventy-five horses. Besides his stock raising operations he raises large quantities of hay each year. He has a complete set of good buildings on his ranch., and every improvement for the operation of a model farm. Mr. Forsling is also engaged in the livery business, and a member of the firm of Forsling & Walker, pioneer real estate agents, with offices in Kimball. He owns and occupies a handsome residence in the town and is a prominent factor in all town and county affairs. In 1900 he was elected sheriff of the county, holding that office up to 1905. Politically he is a Republican. Mr. Forsling was married to Miss Rose Lynch, July 13th, 1898, at Cheyenne, Wyoming. Miss Lynch was born in Cheyenne county, Nebraska, her parents being a pioneer family in the region, and among the very first settlers. Her mother is still living, but the father is dead. Four children have been born to our subject and his amiable wife, namely: John W., Lela, James C. and Mary, all living at home.

     George Arthur Heath, a progressive and enterprising farmer and stockman of Cherry county, Nebraska, is one of the early settlers of this region. He resides on his pleasant farm in section 18, township 33, range 34, known as "95 Ranch," where he has succeeded in building up one of the valuable estates of the locality, and is considered one of the substantial agriculturists of the community.

     Mr. Heath was born in Canada July 14, 1864. His father, George Heath, lived on a farm near Libby Mills, and the family remained there until our subject was two and a half years old, then moved to the United States, locating at Steamboat Rock, Hardin county, Iowa. There were six children, of whom he was the oldest member, and at the age of eighteen years he started out for himself, securing employment on farms in the locality of his parents' home, and continued at this for three years. In 1886 he came to Nebraska and settled on a homestead in Cherry county; which place he now occupies. During the first three years he worked out through the winter and devoted his summers to building up his farm and breaking land. He had a hard time to get along and went through the dry years, but was very fortunate in never having had a total failure of crops since starting here. He has made all he had since coming to this locality, as he had no start at all except a strong heart and willing hands, and has worked hard to meet his payments on his land and to improve his place, but is now owner of a ranch and farm of four hundred and eighty acres of deeded land besides a homestead tract of four hundred and eighty acres additional. He farms one hundred and thirty acres and is engaged to a large extent in the stock business, running about one hundred head of cattle and twenty horses. A view of the family residence and surroundings will be found on another page in this work.

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ruary 25, 1903, Mr. Heath married Miss Ella Milslagle, born in Iowa in 1863.

     When our subject came to this section he was the second settler on Boiling Springs Flat, and has remained on this ever since. His entire time is devoted to his home and farm, and although he is a loyal Democrat he has never had any time to devote to taking an active part in politics.

     Albara D. Beebe. whose postoffice address is Ainswortb, Brown county, Nebraska, is widely known as a leading representative of the agricultural interests of this section of the state, and has won from rather unfavorable conditions by industry, thrift and prudence, a very considerable competence, which he is able to enjoy while still in the vigor of his manly strength and vital powers.

     Mr. Beebe was born in Chardon Village, Geauga county, Ohio, November 14, 1849, and came of a family long settled in the state of New York, but of remote English extraction. His parents, Nelson and Caroline (Twung) Beebe, were devoted to the cultivation of the soil. They early felt the drawing of the west, and for some years made a home in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, but later removed to Waseca county, Minnesota, where from 1860 and on the paternal home was maintained, and where the subject of this writing and the only other member of the family, his brother, George, who is now a resident of Oregon, grew to manhood. There Nelson Beebe died, and his death was soon followed by that of his wife. Albara D. Beebe was thrown upon his own resources, and began life for himself as a worker in the grain warehouses at Wells, Minnesota, at the early age of eighteen years. He was quick to master the mysteries of grain buying and grading, and for some years was employed as a grain buyer. While a resident of Rushford, Minnesota, he was elected marshal, and held the office several years. While still in Minnesota he was married in Waseca county, and was blessed with three children, Charles, Albert and Clara. He contracted a second marriage in Nebraska, in 1880, when Miss Sarah Hastter became his wife. She is a native of Richland county, Ohio, and is a lady of many charms and social abilities. To this union there have come five children, George, Robert, Effie, Lloyd and Lawrence, all of whom were born in this state, and constitute a bright and interesting circle of young people.

     For a time Mr. Beebe was engaged in the drug business at Rushford, but came to Nebraska and made his home in Hall county for some two or three years. In 1882 he removed his family from Hall county to a claim which he had located the previous year, and described as part of section 14, township 30, range 21. The homecoming journey was not uneventful, being made across country with ox teams and a covered wagon. The house which became the first family home was built of logs, and had a shingle roof, the first of the kind between Longpine and Ainsworth. For two years it was without a board flooring, that being a luxury that could await the establishment of the family finances on a firmer footing. For some two years Mr. Beebe used oxen before he was able to supply himself with work horses. Take it altogether these were hard and toilsome days, but their memory can but make sweeter the present independence and ease. To maintain his family he worked out for a time, and hauled wood for a living. At one period he worked forty days for seventy-five cents a day and his dinner. Now these experiences seem almost a forgotten dream amid the privileges and comforts of his present well earned independence. He is the respected proprietor and operator of a choice half section of Brown county, all of which with the exception of about sixty acres is under active cultivation. Here he has erected a very comfortable and attractive two-story farm house, forty-eight by twenty-six feet, and a modern and well appointed barn forty-eight by thirty-two feet. He has brought into fine condition a charming grove as well as a good orchard. Here he has an ample supply of the best farm machinery, and is extensively engaged in stock raising. In the spring of 1906 he had some twenty head of horses, thirty head of cattle and one hundred and thirty-five hogs. He owns his entire plant clean and clear, and owes not a dollar to anybody. He has done his full share in the development of Brown county, and is known by all conversant with its history as one of its leading settlers and pioneer citizens. Although never taking an interest in party politics, he has been a patriotic and public-spirited participant in local affairs; and for more than fifteen years has been school director, and assessor for eight years.

     Phylander H. Young, a very successful ranchman of Cherry county. Nebraska, whose home and business are to he found in section 24. township 31. range 29. is western born and bred, and thoroughly familiar with all the conditions of life in that vast region which he has made his home. His father, George Young, was a

© 2001 NEGenWeb Project Resource Center, Marilyn J. Estrada, T&C Miller