[Osceola Hotel.]
OSCEOLA HOTEL--JOHN ECKERT, PROPRIETOR.

JOHN ECKERT, proprietor of the Woods House at Osceola, was born in Switzerland, on the 14th of May, 1840; came to the United States with his parents when only two years of age, settling in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he lived until the breaking-out of the rebellion, when he enlisted in the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company E, in 1861, and served until the close of the war, taking an active part in all the engagements of his regiment. After the war, he went to Bureau County, Ill., where his parents had moved during his absence. He here engaged at farming until 1871, when he moved West to Atchison County, Kan., settling on a farm, where he lived until January, 1882, at which time he sold his farm and moved to Osceola, Neb., and bought the hotel which he now runs, the building being 50x60, two stories high, and with twenty departments, well furnished, to supply the demand of the traveling public (see view). He is a member of J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, G. A. R. He was married April 13, 1858, in Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth Huffman, who was born in Ohio. They have six children--Mollie M., Flora K., Samuel H., Lily O., Fannie and Ellsworth E.

DAVID FOY, farmer, Section 15, Town 14, Range 2 west, P. O. Osceola, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, February 16, 1832. In the year 1838, he left there with his parents and settled in Cedar County, Iowa, where he resided until 1851, when he went to California during the great mining excitement, remaining there until 1856, and working in the mines. He then returned to Iowa and worked at the carpenter trade until May, 1864, when he enlisted in the Forty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Company I. He was a charter member of J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, of G. A. R., and is now a member of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75. After the war he returned to Iowa where he made his home until he came to Nebraska. Was married in February, 1866, to Myria A. Starr. His family consists of two sons and three daughters.

SLUMAN M. FRENCH, restaurant and confectionery, Osceola, came to Nebraska in April, 1880, and in October following he opened his present business. He was born in Ohio, Geauga County, November 20, 1828. Left his native State in 1847, and came West to Illinois, where he was engaged in farming for a number of years, then started in the same line of business he is now engaged in which he followed till he came to Nebraska.

EDWARD W. HAVEY, Section 35, sheep-raiser, in company with F. A. Schoula, their ranch being located on Section 35, seven miles northwest of Osceola. The subject of this sketch came to Nebraska in March, 1871, and took up a homestead on Section 4, Stromsburg Precinct. He then immediately commenced working at carpentering and building in Osceola, and was employed in erecting the first court house in Polk County, having followed that trade ever since. Mr. Havey was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 8th day of December, 1842, and came to Boston, Mass., with his parents, when only seven years old. He was married, June 23, 1881, to Miss Emma Chilberg, of Illinois.

JOHN P. HEALD, Clerk of Polk County and District Court at Osceola, also senior member of the firm of Heald & Huffman, abstractors and real estate dealers, opening the first set of abstract books in the county. The subject of this sketch came to Nebraska in the fall of 1871; took up a homestead on Section 4, Town 15, Range 3 west, in Platte Precinct and was among the very first settlers in the town here. He taught the first school in the precinct in District No. 7; in 1873, he was elected Assessor for the west one-third of Polk County; in the fall of 1875, was elected County Clerk, holding the said office for two terms, and in 1881 was also re-elected and also Clerk of the District Court. Mr. Heald was also one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal Church Society of Platte Precinct, which was formed with only a class of seven members. He was born in Washington County, Ohio, December 25, 1848; was married April 6, 1870, at Kewanee, Henry Co., Ill., to Miss Sarah F. Pyle.

DANIEL W. HUFFMAN, abstractor, real estate and loan agent at Osceola, and one of the firm of Heald & Huffman, came to Nebraska in 1877, first locating in York County. Here he engaged in clerking for C. C. Cobb, in a general merchandise store, where he remained until March, 1879, then moved to Osceola, Polk County; then became a member of the above firm. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church Society at Osceola; was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, March 4, 1850. He was married in Henry County, Iowa, in October, 1876, to Miss Alma Kyle, daughter of Alexander and Eliza P. Kyle, formerly from Illinois. The firm of Heald & Huffman have the only complete set of abstract books in Polk County, the latter gentleman having charge of the office. He is always ready to serve his customers with the promptness of a thorough business man and obliging gentleman.

REV. CHESTER C. HUMPHREY, farmer, Section 18, Osceola Precinct, P. O. Osceola, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, July 13, 1830; left his native State with his parents in 1842, and went to Cedar County, Iowa, where, at the age of twenty, he entered the college at Davenport, where he graduated in the class of 1857. He immediately afterward went to Andover, Mass., where he pursued his first theological studies under the guidance of Prof. Calvin Stowe. After studying for one year, he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he taught school for one year, and in 1859 was married to Miss Lizzie S. Holt, of Andover, Mass. He then removed to Chicago, Ill., where he spent two years in study, graduating in the Theological Seminary in the class of 1861. He commenced his first ministerial work at Austin, Minn., remaining there for two years, after which he removed to Jones County, Iowa, where he stayed four years. In 1871, the subject of this sketch came to Nebraska, having previously been constantly engaged in the ministry after his graduation, with the exception of two years that he was obliged to abandon it on account of poor health. After coming to Nebraska, he first located in Otoe County, where he took charge of a church at Camp Creek, remaining there until July, 1872, when he moved to Polk County, and organized the first Congregational Church in the county, and in 1873 moved to Boone County; in 1878, he settled on his farm, which consists of 160 acres, 100 of it being under cultivation, and on which there is set out 36,000 trees. He has also a fine young orchard. His family consists of four children, one daughter and three sons.

ALEXANDER N. JAY, proprietor of the pioneer harness shop at Osceola, came to Nebraska in February, 1876, first starting a harness shop on the east side of the court house. In the following October, he erected the building that he now occupies, and at the present writing runs the oldest shop in Polk County. He is one of the charter members of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75, at Osceola, being their first Noble Grand, and is also a member of the A., F. & A. M. The subject of this sketch was born in Burlington County, N. J., January 3, 1818, and commenced learning his trade in 1832, being almost constantly engaged in that line of business ever since. He was married in November, 1839, in Warren County, N. J., to Miss Amelia Colcher. His father is still living in Luzerne County, Penn., at the advanced age of eighty-seven years.

I. F. KELLEY, real estate and insurance agent, and ex-County Clerk of Polk County, came to Nebraska in the spring of 1873, first locating at Kearney Junction, and remaining there but a short time; then went to Saunders County and taught school, and was the first teacher in the first frame school building at Ithaca. This occupation he followed until 1876; then he took up a homestead in Hackberry Precinct, Polk County, on Section 34, Town 14, Range 1 west; was elected to the office of County Clerk in the fall of 1879, serving two years; enlisted in the late war at Prescott, Wis., April 22, 1861, in Company B, Sixth Wisconsin Infantry, losing his left arm in 1863, at the battle of Mine Run, Va.; in the spring of 1864, was mustered out and commissioned in the Veteran Reserve Corps as Second Lieutenant, and served as such until June 30, 1866. He is a member of the G. A. R., and was one of the original members of the J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, at Osceola, serving as Commander for two terms. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75. He was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., October 10, 1839; was married in 1878, to Miss Harriet E. Kinney.

EDWIN L. KING, attorney at law, with the firm of King & Thurman, Osceola, came to Nebraska in July, 1879, and located at the above place, uniting with N. A. Cornish in law practice; was a graduate of the University of Iowa, in Law Department, June 12, 1878; was admitted to practice in the Fourth Judicial District of Nebraska, before Hon. G. W. Post, December, 1879; was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, February 4, 1855; is also a graduate of Iowa State Agricultural College in class of 1877, in course of General Sciences.

GEORGE W. KINYON, blacksmith, Osceola, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1871, settling in Polk County, on Section 4, Town 14, Range 2 west, where he homesteaded a soldier's claim of 160 acres. In the spring of 1872, he opened a blacksmith shop on his place, which was the second one in the county. He continued to work at this on his farm until February of 1880, at which time he moved into Osceola. When Mr. Kinyon first moved on to his claim, he had occasion to go off to some of the neighbors, when a violent snow storm ensued and he was delayed from returning home, from Friday till the following Sunday, and found his family in the cellar, wrapped up in all the clothing they possessed, to keep from freezing to death, as they had exhausted all of their fuel. The subject of this sketch was born in Broome County, N. Y., November 13, 1828, and here resided until fourteen years of age, at that time going to Du Page County, Ill., where he was still living at the breaking-out of the war. He enlisted, July, 1862, in the One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until June of 1865. He is a member of the G. A. R., J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26. He was married March 17, 1858, in Illinois, to Miss Mary J. Kernan.

CHARLES W. KYLE, Osceola, was born at Alton, Ill., September 8, 1853. His father, Alexander Kyle, was of Scotch descent, having in a marked degree the characteristic traits of that race. He was born in Maury County, Tenn., January 7, 1809. His mother, Eliza P. Kyle, was of Irish origin, being of the lineal descent of the family of which Patrick Henry was a member. She was born at Livingston County, Ky., April 2, 1814. In the spring of 1861, he removed with his parents to Iowa, and located in Washington County. After receiving an academic education, he entered the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, receiving his collegiate education in the class of 1875. He then entered the law office of Woolson & Babb, one of the leading law firms of the State. Under their careful and efficient instruction, he received the most thorough and practical training in the science of law, and was admitted to the bar at Mount Pleasant in August, 1877. Being a forcible and eloquent speaker, he was called upon by the Republican central committee, and at their solicitation took the stump and made a thorough canvass against the Greenback party, which at that time had gained many adherents in that section of the country. In this canvass he met and crossed swords with some of the ablest advocates of this party, and was universally successful in showing up the fallacy of their position. Thus early in life he rose to a degree of popularity seldom obtained by one so young. In the winter of 1879, he came to Nebraska, and shortly afterward opened a law office at Osceola, where he has since resided. By close attention to his profession, he has built up an extensive practice, and is referred to as one of the best read lawyers in this part of the country. Prompt, active, aggressive, efficient and obliging, he is steadily winning his way toward the zenith of his profession. The following highly complimentary notice is clipped from the Ulysses (Neb.) Dispatch, referring to an oration delivered at that place on July 4, 1881. The oration prepared for the occasion was laid aside, and he addressed himself to the one topic uppermost in the mind of every loyal citizen--the assassination of President James A. Garfield: "C. W. Kyle, Esq., of Osceola, delivered the oration, which very appropriately consisted principally of eulogizing President Garfield. * * * Mr. Kyle is a natural-born orator, and as his oration plainly indicated, is an extemporaneous speaker of no mean pretensions. In a word, he is the best speaker that the people of Ulysses have ever listened to." During the year 1880, he edited the Osceola Record, the leading paper in the county. As a writer, he is clear, brilliant and concise, the articles from his pen containing frequently an undercurrent of sarcasm, a vein of which runs through his nature, which an opponent in debate would not care to arouse the second time. He is a true student of history, both sacred and profane; having a wonderful memory, he is an arsenal of facts, beginning with Herodotus and running down to the present time. He is also a great lover of the poets, quoting readily whole paragraphs from Shakespeare, Milton, Dante and others of more modern date. Early in life, he identified himself with the cause of temperance, and has ever earnestly labored in public and private for the promotion and advancement of the cause. The movement to secure the right of equal suffrage finds in him an earnest and sincere advocate; believing that all men are created free and equal, he seeks to reduce this theory to practice by earnestly endeavoring to bring about the time when we shall have before the law, no sex, no sect, no creed, but universal liberty for the human mind."

WILLIAM E. LORING, merchant, Osceola, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1871, and located on Section 22, Town 14 north, Range 2 west, Osceola Precinct; was one of the original members of the Congregational Church; the society was organized at his residence, Rev. C. C. Humphrey, presiding, consisting of twelve members, in October, 1872. In the spring of 1872, the first post office in Polk County was established at Mr. Loring's house, and he bears the honor of being the first Postmaster, the said office soon afterward being transferred to the store of William H. Waters, who was the pioneer merchant of Osceola. In the summer of the same year, he was appointed Probate Judge, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of G. Stull, thus making him the third Probate Judge of the county. His first official duty was to unite in holy matrimony Rev. A. T. Kenneston and Miss Ann Cooper. In the fall of 1872, he was elected to fill the balance of the term--one year. In the fall of 1873, he was re-elected for two years. He also served as School Treasurer of District No. 19, for six years. He has always been connected with all public enterprises for the good and welfare of his county and town, and as an official he was prompt and efficient in all public transactions. He is a native of New York, being born in Tioga County, March 8, 1843. He was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, enlisting at Athens, Penn., August 25, 1862, in Company E, One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry; was slightly wounded in the battle of Chancellorsville, Va., three times--May 3, 1863; July 2, same year; was wounded again, at the battle of Gettysburg, in the right thigh, which disabled him for further service, being discharged May 13, 1864. He is a member of the G. A. R., J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, at Osceola. He was married October 16, 1865, at Waverly, Tioga Co., N. Y., to Miss Alice A. Shepherd, by whom he has one son--William A., being the second white child born in what is now the territory of Osceola Precinct. He was born May 19, 1872.

HENRY MAHAN, Postmaster, Osceola, came to Nebraska in May, 1872, locating at Osceola and starting a general merchandise store, which was the second store in the town. This he continued until February, 1880, when his building and almost his entire stock were destroyed by fire. He at this time was serving as Postmaster, and has filled that position since March 25, 1876. He was born in Cortland County, N. Y., September 18, 1843, and was married January 1, 1879, to Miss Alice Black, of Warsaw, Ill.

G. M. McCONAUGHY & BRO., lumber merchants at Osceola, successors to S. A. Reichenbach & Bro., in July, 1881. The first member of this firm had been a resident of Chicago, and was a graduate of the university of that city in 1877, and afterward read law with Jacob Newcomb there. In 1880 he came to Iowa, and after pursuing the study of law for two terms, was admitted to the bar before Judge Cook, on March 23, 1881. In 1881, this firm received 120 car loads of lumber, nearly all of which was consumed in improvements in Polk County.

CALMAR McCUNE, editor of the Osceola Record, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., February 15, 1849. At the age of twelve years, he went to West Virginia with his parents, where he lived until the breaking-out of the war. He enlisted in Company K, First Maryland Volunteer Cavalry, in 1864, being only sixteen years old, and served until the close of the war, after which he went West to Mount Vernon, Iowa, where he entered Cornell College, being a student there for four years, and then became city editor of the daily paper at Cedar Rapids, continuing there for one year, and in 1872 went to Marion, Iowa, and established the paper now known as the Marion Liberal. This he edited but a short time, and in the winter of the same year, removed to Nebraska, and in the spring of 1873, took up a homestead in Osceola Precinct. In the spring of 1874, he edited the Homesteader, at Osceola, for one year, and in the fall of 1877 went to David City, Butler County, where he established the David City Republican, which he ran until April, 1880, at that time going into the real estate and abstract business. After pursuing this for a short time, he went to Florida, returning from there to Osceola, Neb., in the spring of 1881. He then purchased the paper of which he is now editor. He is a member of the G. A. R., A. Lincoln Post, No. 10, being also a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. of H., and Nebraska Editorial Association. Mr. McCune was married in August, 1873, to Miss Julia Bell, by whom he has four children, three girls and one boy.

JOHN B. MITCHELL, ex-County Superintendent and Insurance agent, Osceola, came to Nebraska in 1873, and took up a homestead on Section 22, Town 14, Range 4 west, in Platte Precinct. Here he remained until 1876, when he was first elected to the above office, then moved to Osceola. This office he held up to December 31, 1881, except the years of 1878-79. He enlisted in the war of the rebellion, in Rock Island County, Ill., August, 1862, in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and upon the organization of his company was elected First Lieutenant, and served as such till January, 1864, when he was discharged on account of disability. Is charter member of J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, G. A. R; was then First Adjutant, and served as such for three years. He was born May 16, 1835, in Fayette County, Penn.

JONAS F. MONSON, of the firm of J. F. Monson & Bros., Osceola, was born January 18, 1846, in Sweden. He came to the United States in 1871, first locating in Maine, and from there went to Illinois. In 1874, he moved West to Nebraska, and first engaged with the U. P. R. R. Company, for which he worked for one year, when he engaged in clerking for Anderson & Myer, at Fremont. In 1876, he left there and located at Clear Creek, Saunders County, where he started a general merchandise store, which he ran until he moved to Osceola, which was in June, 1879. In the fall of 1880, he erected the brick building which he now occupies. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75. Mr. Monson was married July 10, 1879, at David City, to Miss Hatfield, daughter of I. B. and A. M. Hatfield, who were among the early settlers of Saunders County.

WILLIAM J. MOSSHOLDER, attorney at law, Osceola, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1875, first locating in Saunders County, where he engaged at teaching school. In 1878, he came to Osceola, Polk County. Here he entered the Wesleyan University that was located there, completing the philosophical course in 1880; then he went to Iowa, where he attended the State University, graduating from the law department in the class of 1881. Immediately he returned to Osceola, and was admitted to practice before Hon. G. W. Post, in the Fourth Judicial District. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, August 27, 1853. He is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75, at Osceola. In the fall of 1879, the Polk County Agricultural Society offered a prize of the best essay on Polk County, which he had the honor of receiving. He was also traveling correspondent for the State Journal.

[Portrait of J. H. Mickey.]

[Mickey residence.]
RESIDENCE OF J. H. MICKEY.

HON. JOHN H. MICKEY, banker, Osceola and Stromsburg, senior member of the firm of Mickey, Nance & Morrill, came to Nebraska in September, 1868, and took up a homestead on Section 2, Town 13, Range 1 west, Hackberry Precinct. In the winter of 1869, he moved his family out and settled on his claim, Mr. Mickey being one of the very first settlers in the precinct; also served as first School Treasurer of the precinct. In 1870, was elected County Treasurer of Polk County, holding his office at his residence until 1872. Upon the locating of the county seat at Osceola, he moved to the village, holding that office for ten years. Prior to the organization of the county, he was appointed Assessor of Polk County, by the Board of Commissioners of Butler County. In 1879, he opened their present bank, which was operated under his own name until April, 1881, when the above firm was incorporated. He was elected to the Legislature in the fall of 1880, from the Thirty-fifth Assembly District; was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal Church society of Osceola Precinct; was also one of the instigators of the Polk County Agricultural Society, and was their first Treasurer. He enlisted in the late war of the rebellion, in Des Moines County, Iowa, August, 1863, in Company D, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and served until the close of the war; is now a member of the G. A. R., and is a charter member of the J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26. He erected the first frame house in Polk County, and is now agent for the U. P. R. R. Company's lands in Polk County.

MYERS BROS., dealers in hardware and farm machinery, Osceola, Neb., first started business in Nebraska, at Blair, Washington County, in the year 1876, continuing there for two years, at which time they came to Osceola and established their present business, being successors to William F. Kimmel, and now are the most extensive hardware dealers in the county. In 1881, their sales amounted to over $30,000. Wesley H. Myers, the senior member of this firm was born in Wayne County, Ohio, on January 24, 1836, and was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company F, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served for three years. He is a member of the J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, G. A. R., and also of the I. O. O. F., Osceola Lodge, No. 75. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

[Portrait of H. M. Mills, M. D.]

[Mills residence.]
RESIDENCE OF HOLLY M. MILLS.

HOLLY M. MILLS, physician and surgeon, Osceola, was born in Wayne County, N. Y., November 13, 1834. His parents moved to Michigan when he was only three years of age. Here he received a good preliminary education, also reading medicine with his father, who was a practical physician for over forty years. In 1855, he entered the Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, completing the course at the Eclectic Medical College, Cincinnati, in 1860. In 1861, he enlisted in the late war of the rebellion, at White Pigeon, Mich., in Company B, Eleventh Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and was in regular service until the spring of 1862, when he was appointed Hospital Steward, at Nashville, Tenn., afterward being transferred to Brigade Hospital as Steward, and from that to General Field Hospital as Steward, where he served until the close of the war; then he returned to Michigan and started practicing in Branch County, where he continued until 1870, when he came to Nebraska and took up a homestead on Section 14, Island Precinct, Polk County. He was one of the very first physicians in Polk County. He is a member of the Masonic order, and was a charter member of Osceola Lodge, No. 65. He was married March 7, 1878, by Rev. S. Barrows, to Mrs. Jennie S. Osterhout.

SAMUEL G. PHEASANT, Sheriff of Polk County, came to Nebraska in March, 1872, and took up a homestead on Section 14, Town 13, Range 2 west, Stromsburg Precinct, being one of the first settlers there, having previously crossed the plains in 1866. In the fall of 1873, he was elected County Sheriff of Polk County, being the second officer elected to that position, and he has so ably served the public that the people have continued to re-elect him up to the present writing, he being now the oldest county officer in his county. Mr. Pheasant was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, on July 17, 1846, and was married, in 1876, to Mrs. Sarah J. Boatright. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Osceola Lodge, No. 65.

REV. JAMES QUERY, minister and farmer, Section 26, P. O. Osceola, was born in Adams County, Ohio, January 27, 1821. At the age of five years, his parents moved to Rush County, Ind., on a farm, and here the subject of this sketch received such education as the county schools afforded. In September, 1844, he was married to Miss Osee E. Record, who was born September 21, 1822, in Rose County, Ohio. In 1845, he moved to Northern Indiana, where he remained until 1869, when he came to Nebraska and settled on Section 26, Town 14, Range 2 west, in Polk County. He held the first religious service in that county at the residence of Hon. J. H. Mickey, during the summer of 1870, and continued protracted meetings for six weeks. He was the first Probate Judge in Polk County, which office he held for two years. An incident connected with the early times of Nebraska is as follows: When Mr. Query first moved there, while he and the other men were off getting timbers to build their cabins, a small band of Omaha Indians came to the place and began to beg for everything they saw. Of course, the women were so frightened they could not deny them any of their things, and the Indians took advantage of their liberality to help themselves.

HORACE A. SCOTT, general store, Osceola. The subject of this sketch came to Nebraska in 1874, first locating in Seward, in the same county, when he started merchandising with J. E. Johnston & Co. Here he continued until April, 1878, when he removed to Osceola, Polk County, and started the store where he now lives, which is, at the present time, the oldest continued firm in the town, and has one of the most complete stocks of general merchandise of goods in the county. His store building is two stories high, 22x60, and has the appearance of the first-class stores in our larger cities. Mr. Scott was born on January 4, 1841, in Norfolk County, Mass., and was a soldier in the late war three months, in Company G, Ninth Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and has served as Master of Osceola Lodge, No. 65, two years. He was married May 23, 1872, at Warsaw, Hancock Co., Ill., to Miss Emilie J. Johnston. She is one of the original members of the Universalist Church of Osceola.

FRANCIS A. SCHOULA, druggist, Osceola, came to Nebraska in July, 1880, and located at Osceola, Polk County, where he immediately engaged in the drug trade. He was born in Middlesex County, Mass., February 6, 1857; removed to the city of Chelsea, Suffolk County, in 1873; there attended the public schools of Chelsea, where he received his literary education, and graduated at the Massachusetts School of Pharmacy in 1879.

LEVI L. SNIDER, senior member of the firm of Snider & Baum, druggists, Osceola, came to Nebraska in 1875, locating at Osceola, and is now the pioneer druggist of Polk County. In 1881-82, he was elected Assessor of Osceola Precinct; was born in Canada, May 28, 1842. James Baum, junior member of this firm, came to Nebraska, March 19, 1879, and first engaged at teaching school; had charge of the school at Osceola two years. In July, 1881, he became a member of the above firm. He was born May 21, 1850, in Fountain County, Ind., receiving his literary education at Lexington, Ky.

HENRY B. THOMPSON, dealers in groceries, Osceola, came to Nebraska, in the spring of 1879, locating in Hackberry Precinct, on Section 30, Town 13, Range 1 west, where he remained until February, 1881, when he moved to Osceola, where he opened a grocery store, and now runs the only exclusive grocery store in the village. He was born in Kane County, Ill., on March 8, 1849. He was married in Buchanan County, Iowa, in 1874, to Miss Margarette Carr. The above firm did a business of $10,000 in 1881. It is one of the leading grocery stores in the county.

HORACE G. THURMAN, lawyer, and junior member of the firm of King & Thurman, attorneys at law, Osceola, came to Nebraska in the fall of 1877, and located at Osceola, soon afterward forming copartnership with R. Wheeler. This firm operated a short time, when the firm of Nance, Wheeler & Thurman was organized, said firm continuing until the fall of 1880, when Nance, of this firm, was elected Governor of Nebraska; then the firm remained Wheeler & Thurman; then in March, 1881, this firm dissolved, and in April, following, Mr. Thurman become a member of the present firm. Mr. T. is a graduate of Iowa University in Law Department; was admitted to practice in that State in June, 1877, and in December, this same year, was admitted to practice before Hon. G. W. Post, in the Fourth Judicial District of Nebraska; was appointed County Attorney by Judge Post, in 1877-78, on Board of Commissioners of Insanity, and member of the A., F. & A. M., Osceola Lodge, No. 65.

OWEN WILSON, proprietor of grocery store, Osceola, came to Nebraska in the spring of 1871, locating in Hackberry Precinct, where he took up a homestead on Section 10, Town 15, Range 1 west. Here he resided for four years, at that time moving to Osceola, where he first started a billiard hall, and still runs it in connection with his grocery store. Mr. Wilson was born in Putnam County, Ind., March 7, 1838. He was a soldier in the late war, having enlisted in 1861, in Company C, Thirteenth Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was wounded in the left hip at the battle of Atlanta, Ga., in 1864. He was a charter member of G. A. R., J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 26, and is, at the present writing, one of the Town Board of Osceola.

SIMEON O. WHALEY, physician and surgeon, Osceola, came to Nebraska in March, 1871, locating the 12th day of this month on a homestead on Section 18, Town 14, Range 1 west, Canada Precinct, and bears the honor of erecting the first frame building in the precinct, and with his brother, M. H. Whaley, was the first settler in the precinct, and is now the oldest resident physician in Polk County. He was born in Williams County, Ohio, October 29, 1842. He is a graduate of the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, in the class of 1869-70. He is now Coroner of Polk County, and has served three terms as such; has been a member of the Board of Commissioners of Insanity since 1875. He is now United States Examining Surgeon, and has held that position for five years. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal Church society of Osceola. He is a member of the Masonic Order, and I. O. O. F., Rising Star Lodge, No. 75. He was married in 1867, to Miss Susan C. Cough, who is a native of New York. He served eighteen months as soldier in the late war of the rebellion. He moved to Osceola in 1874, and erected the third dwelling in the village.

JOSEPH M. WOODS, general merchandise, and senior member of the firm of H. T. Arnold & Co., Osceola. Mr. Woods is one of the oldest resident merchants in Polk County. He came to Nebraska in 1869, first locating in Butler County, where he took up a homestead on Section 24, Town 14, Range 2 east, Union Precinct. In 1874, he moved to Ulysses and started a general merchandise store, where he continued till the fall of 1876, when he removed to Osceola, Polk County, and has been engaged in the merchandise trade since, first forming a copartnership with J. M. Batty, of Seward, said firm continuing until the spring of 1879, when the present firm was formed. Mr. Woods was born in Mercer County, Penn., January 2, 1848. The above firm now do about $35,000 business per annum.