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county as a successful, clear-headed and intelligent citizen, always casting his influence for good.

     Mr. McClymont was married in March, 1878, to Miss Isabelle McDowell.

     Mr. McClymont is now serving as district supervisor, comprising the townships of Industry, Laird and Rock Falls. He was elected in 1905, and is a faithful public official, always looking to the interests of the community which he stands for. He is a Republican, and has been a member of the school board for the last nineteen years. He has also been a deacon in the Congregational church at Loomis.

     The gentleman here named is the oldest settler in Rock or Brown counties, and is well known throughout this section of the country as a successful and prosperous agriculturist. He has been the foremost among the pioneers who have aided materially in the upbuilding of the commercial and social interests of the region, and enjoys a deservedly high standing as a citizen.

     Mr. Putnam was born in Clinton county, Michigan, May 7, 1843, and was raised there until 1852, when the family moved to Shiawasse county. His father, William R. Putnam, of good old American stock, was born in New Jersey in about 1810, and died in Michigan in 1881, universally esteemed and respected. There was a family of seven children, of whom our subject was the third member. He went out into the world to make his own way at the age of twenty-one, following farm work for three years in Michigan and Illinois, then taking up contracting and building as a trade. His principal work was building churches, and he did much of this in Iowa, where he located in 1868, remaining there for ten years, eight years of this time at Fort Dodge. In the fall of 1878 he moved to what is now Rock county, then unorganized, settling on a homestead on section 34, township 32, range 20, and lives on that place at the present time, to which be has given the name of Spring Arbor Farm. When he first came here there was not a family on Long Pine creek, the country was a wilderness, wild game was plentiful and as trapper and hunter he killed sixty-eight deer himself. He was here during the pony raids and cattle rustling, but was fortunate in never having lost any stock, although he had some heavy losses by drouths. He relates an interesting anecdote of an attempt of the famous Doc Middleton to steal his team while camping one night some distance from home. He and his father-in-law witnessed the hard winter of 1880-8l, but got along without receiving any assistance from the government. He stuck to his place through all the pioneer experiences that fell to the lot of the early settler, and now has a fine farm of seven hundred and sixty acres, all lying on Pine creek. One hundred and fifty acres is under cultivation, with fifteen acres including three of orchard that have been subjected to irrigation. He keeps sixty head of cattle and fifteen horses, besides other stock. His farm is splendidly improved with good buildings and fences, and he is numbered among the progressive and leading citizens of his community. At present he has partially retired from active farming, the business being carried on by his son.

      While living in Iowa Mr. Putnam was married to Miss Sarah Brinckerhoff, of Grand Junction, whose parents, natives of New York, were early settlers in Rock county; both have since joined the great majority. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Putnam: Ira Wayne, Bessie, now Mrs. Charles Sawyer; William Dayton, Alonzo B., who runs the home farm; Clem and Agnes.

     In 1883 Mr. Putnam organized the Campmeeting Association and served as president a number of years. He is deeply interested in educational affairs, and contributed the labor to erect the school near his home. Here he organized a Sunday school, the first west of O'Neil, and acted as superintendent for twenty years. For four years Mr. Putnam has been president of the Agricultural Society of Rock county, and takes an active interest in all affairs of importance to the interests of his locality. He is an independent voter, and while in Iowa he was a member of the Congregational church.

     A view of "Spring Arbor Farm" will be found on one of the illustrated pages of this volume.

     Perseverance and diligence are the stepping stones to success, and these characteristics, supplemented by honesty and good citizenship, are the leading attributes possessed by the gentleman herein named. Mr. Shipman has been a resident of Daves county. Nebraska, since the early settlement of this section, and has built up a comfortable farm and home here, and his name is closely identified with the upbuilding of this locality. He is

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well known and highly respected throughout his community.

     Mr. Shipman was born in Pike county, Illinois, in 1862. His father, Alfred Shipman, was a farmer, of American stock, he having married Miss Almira Durrell, of Ohio. Our subject was reared in his native state, attending the country school and helping his parents in the farm work, until he reached the age of eighteen. Then the whole family moved to Iowa in 1880, and in 1884 he came to Dawes county, with a party of three others, from Illinois, all traveling by team. Mr. Shipman located on section 27, township 32, range 52, and put up his first building, which was a log shack, and here "batched it" for seven years, driving ox teams, breaking up his land and building up his farm. He proved up on his preemption, and took a homestead in about 1888, proving up on that also, and remaining for several years. In 1904 he moved to his present farm in section 28, township 32, range 52. Here he has everything in first-class shape, with good buildings, fences and all machinery for use on his farm. The place consists of four hundred and eighty acres and he engages extensively in stock raising, besides cultivating one hundred and fifty acres. In the spring of 1907 he had a fire which destroyed his stable, corrals and feed, but he is now planning to build other barns, etc. He has been unfortunate in having been burned out three times since settling here, the fires being caused by sparks from railroad engines.

     In 1892 our subject was united in marriage to Miss Barbara Cornell, daughter of Levi Cornell, an old settler in this county, now residing in the state of Washington. To Mr. and Mrs. Shipman have been born the following children: Harold, Ethel, Oliver, Hazel and Genevieve.

     In politics Mr. Shipman is not party bound, but votes for the best man running.

     Through exceptionally good management and persistent labors the gentleman herein named has acquired a well developed farm, and is enabled to enjoy the comforts of modern farming surrounded by his family and a large circle of warm friends. Mr. Simons resides on section 21, township 34, range 23. Norden precinct, and has the satisfaction of knowing that his success has come to him by his own unaided efforts.

     Mr. Simons was born in Fulton county, New York, March 25, 1861. His father, Peter Simons, was a farmer by occupation, who came to this country from France, his native land, in about 1850, and died in New York in 1864. There were four children in his father's family, and he was the third in order of birth. When he reached the age of thirteen years his mother died, and as they had no relatives to look after them, the children were compelled to make their own way, and our subject worked on farms at times, also worked in the cotton factories, tobacco factories, and peddled goods through the country. At the age of nineteen he came west, locating in Crawford county, Iowa, where he followed farming for several years, and in 1886 came to Nebraska, settling in Keya Paha county. He at once put up a board shanty, and the following year built a sod house containing two rooms, in which the family lived for several years. The first years were hard ones to them, and oftentimes they endured privations and hardships, going through the drouth periods, when he was obliged to work out by the day to make a living. One year he put in fifteen acres of wheat, planting it four times, and each time the wind storms which swept the country would blow his seed out of the ground. He had a few head of stock, and managed to get along until the better years came on. His farm now consists of five hundred and sixty acres, and he engages in mixed farming and stock raising, mostly the latter. He has built a substantial house, barn and hen house, besides has wells and windmill with plenty of good water, and a fine grove of trees nicely growing. In 1901 he lost his health through overwork, and since then has not been able to do any hard labor. -

     Mr. Simons is a strong Republican, and although he takes a keen interest in local affairs, could never be induced to accept office. He has been active in helping to build up the schools in his locality, and done his full share in the development of its commercial and educational interests.

     Mr. Simons was married April 18, 1883, in Crawford county, to Miss Katherine Sander, daughter of Peter and Gertrude (Peters) Sander, both born in Germany and coming to this country when very young. Mr. and Mrs. Simons are the parents of fourteen children, eleven of whom are living, named as follows: Mary, now Sister Adelia of St. Francis' Convent, Lafayette, Indiana; Annie, wife of William Langer, of Keya Paha county; Nicholas, John, Joseph, Katherine, Charles, George, Matilda. Dorothy and Agnes. Those who died were named Peter, Rose and Leo.

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All but two of these children were born on the homestead in Nebraska. Mr. Simons is a Republican in politics and a communicant of the Catholic church.

     The gentleman whose name heads this personal history is a man of industrious habits, progressive and up-to-date in his methods of operating his fine farm, which lies in Madrid precinct, every appointment of which bespeaks his good management and individuality. He is one of the early settlers of Perkins county, and was very influential in shaping the affairs of the region during its development into a farming community.

     Sidney W. Ford was born in Jackson county, Illinois, in 1861. His father, James Ford, was a native of Ohio, and he married Mary Paxton, also born and reared in that state. The family settled in Grundy county, Illinois, when Sidney was three years old, and there he grew up on a farm, receiving a limited schooling and being taught at an early age to do all kinds of hard farm work. He started out for himself when a youth of fifteen. Later, at the age of twenty-one, he rented land, remaining there up to 1886, when he came to Nebraska, locating in Perkins county on section 32. township 11, range 37. On coming to this region he shipped his goods to Ogallala, which was his nearest trading post, and drove from that place to his claim. His first dwelling was a frame shanty, and he lived in it for several years, then put up a sod house, steadily improving his farm and getting considerable of the land tinder cultivation. He was soon hit by the drouths and grasshopper periods, losing several crops from different causes, but remained there up to 1901, succeeding in building up a very productive farm, then came to his present homestead, which is situated on section 4, township 10, range 37. Here he has put on splendid improvements, having a handsome residence, good barns the place entirely fenced and cross fenced, and it is considered one of the best equipped ranches in the county. There are about nine hundred and sixty acres all in one piece, and he has two complete sets of buildings, engaging in mixed farming and stock raising,

     Mr. Ford was united in marriage at Verona, Illinois, in February, 1883, to Miss Ann Jones, of Welsh descent. Five children have been born to them, who are named as follows: Simon, Lloyd, Mary, Sarah E. and Minnie.

     During his residence in this vicinity Mr. Ford has always manifested a true public spirit and has gained the respect and esteem of his associates through his straightforwardness and sterling character. He has been an important factor in. the advancement of his locality. During the construction of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway through Perkins county he lent his aid in building the road,

     The advantages offered in America for the young man of thrift and enterprise to gain a footing and build for himself a comfortable home and become an honored citizen has induced many sons of the Scandinavian peninsula (sic) to emigrate to the new world, and they are now found plying all trades and filling all professions. Agriculture comes in for her full share of these desirable citizens, and Cheyenne county, Nebraska, has many within her borders. The gentleman above named came from Sweden and has gained a high station in Sidney precinct, Cheyenne county, as a prosperous farmer and citizen of sterling character.

     Nels W. Olson was born in the province of Skone, in the south part of Sweden, on May 18, 1871, and was reared there to the age of sixteen years. At that time he crossed from Christianstadt to Copenhagen, thence to Hamburg, whence he sailed for Baltimore, landing after a voyage of fifteen days. He located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and remained for one year, working in the track department of the Union Pacific railroad. He then came to Cheyenne county, and for several years after locating in this region worked for the Union Pacific Railway Company, again in the track department. He filed on a homestead in section 14, township 14, range 51, and later removed to section 36, where he now owns one thousand six hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land, and controls one thousand three hundred and sixty acres additional. He has built up a good home and ranch, having splendid buildings of every description and all improvements. Lodge Pole creek runs through the place, which has much fine hay land and twenty acres of alfalfa. He runs about one hundred and fifty cattle and has made a success of his enterprise, and is classed as one of the leading men of his community. Mr. Olson

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