EARLY HISTORICAL REMINISCENCES
OF MAYFIELD TOWNSHIP
by R. C. PERKINS

On the tenth day of September, 1872, a party of five men, including myself, left Boone County, Kentucky, to look over the Great American Desert with a view to making homes in its bosom if our investigations proved satisfactory. Two days later we arrived in Omaha, on the western limits of civilization. After consulting with Colonel Noteweir, who was then immigration agent for the state, and obtaining from that excellent gentleman much valuable advice, we started the next morning for the heart of the desert. After brief stops at Columbus, Osceola, Lone Tree, and Chapman, we finally reached Grand Island, having explored much intervening territory but found no place that exactly filled the requirements. On the morning of September 19, after having been advised by the late E. W. Arnold to go to Prairie Creek, we secured a team and finally reached our destination. As we entered the limits of township 12, range 11, the first settlement that we discovered was that of Hans Kruger, on the southeast quarter of section 34. Proceeding a mile farther we pulled up at the residence of the late Carl Schaub. We also found Judge Garn there. They were delighted with the prospect of our stopping with then and did all in their power to show us the surrounding neighborhood. We soon decided to look no farther and at once retuned to Grand Island and filed delaratory statements on the north half of section 32 and all of 28. The following day we started on our return to the east where we were to spend the winter. Arriving in Omaha we found one member of the party whom we had lost a day or two befor. He had gone back to Osceola and taken up a very desirable quarter sectio which laid a short distance outside the village. Our six months of furlough having elapsed on March 10, in the following year we started again for the west, this time intending to remain. The number was lightly increased over that which had gone before, and consisted of John E. Lewis, L. and William C. Calvert and wife, John Sandford and four year old son Jack, Jacob P. Phipps, Thomas A. Blythe, and myself. Phipps and myself had left our families among friends and they were to follow as soon as arrangements could be made for their residence. We arrived safely at Grand Island and procuring a small supply of lumber from G. H. Bush, and a few provisions from Cornelius & Peterson, we hit the road for what has since developed into Mayfield precinct. We found the place and within two hours after arrival had built a shanty and were eating supper. Investigation proved that during our absence Peter Clausen had settled near us, also that W. W. Mann, Edward Bussell, E. D. Kent, and possibly others had taken up land and begun improvements. There was also a little settlement started below us by George Dean, Z. B. Partridge, and others. The summer of 1873 was very seasonable and we broke and planted considerable patches of sod corn which yielded well. During the summer Alex Thompson and C. Lozier settled very near us. I think where were also a few families on and near the bluffs. We did well the first year and the next season a number of people joined us, among them were J. H. Hulett and C. L. Alford. Soon after our arrival we were visited by the school director in the person of H. C. Streator. He informed us that we were a part and parcel of the present Cameron district. I think the number is 14.

During the latter part of the summer of 1873 we had built some sod houses and in the last days of September the families of Phipps and my-

self joined us. We felt then that we were at home. As the time for elections of county officers approached we dicided that we would exercise our right of suffrage. So we drove to the site of old Wood River station and saved the nation. I do not remember the names of the candidates.

The next year the grasshoppers devoured the corn crop. At this we realized that everything was not coming our way, but necessity is a stern master and we had but to wait for the opening of another spring and begin hoping for better crops. This was another year of but moderate success but we raised enough grain to subsist on. Notwithstanding the failures people kept coming in, and we soon had quite a settlement and most of them proved to be excellent people. For a few years times were somewhat better, but little progress was made in financial conditions. Most of those who came remained, a few becoming discouraged and seeking greener fields.

About '76 or '77 efforts were made to have some kind of religious services and for a time Rev. Trefran exponded the Word in the old sod school house in district 36. Later Charles Ridell served for a time but when Mrs. E. C. Avery bought a half of section 29 and settled on it she went to work to have regular sevices and soon had a Methodist class organized and Rev. Jeptha Marsh was, I think, the firs pastor who was regularly appointed. In the fall of '79 it was decided that a church building was needed and in July, 1880, the old Berwick church was dedicated. It was situated on the southwest corner of J. L. Hulett's farm and was used till Cairo was built and the present edifice erected there.

The necessity for school privieges was soon recognized, and during the winter of '73 distirct 36 was organized. I think, however, the school in the Partridge distict was provided for first. At any rate in the spring and summer of '74 we had two schools in our immediate vicinity. The voting places were soon made much more convenient. For several years Harrison and Mayfield voted as one precinct and the polls were held at Runnelsburg. There were many hard tussels in the caucuses and elections of those days. Mayfield particularly was about equally divided between the Democrats and the Republicans and battles of national importance were often fought out here.

Among the early landholders of Mayfield precinct were:

Geo. McNair, Walter P. Kellogg, Philip Kranz, C. L. Alvord, Ebert Corbin, J. C. Bishop, Levi O. Watson, Levi Cox, Chas. A. Moore, Wm. Haynes, H. Tighmeyer, L. O. Watson, F. M. Hillenbrandt, Jas. Hulett, Jesse Boring, H. C. Kroeger, Robert Taylor, Harry Rosswick, Ira T. Paine.

Among the early landholders of South Loup precinct were:

Michael Kyne, W. B. Waite, John Glore, W. B. White, Jas. M. Borglumm, Geo. Hodson, Wm. H. West, H. D. Aiken, C. M. Williamson, John Stoeger, Lyman Cole, Wm. Ofield, Chas. J. Webb, Peter Janns, J. T. Mehaffie, Erwin, Herrick [transcribers note: This is probably Erwin Herrick], Joseph Green, Seymour Veeder, Peter Veeder, Louis Meyer, Eliz. Stoeger, Barnie Putscher, T. E. Longstreet, Enos Brundage, F. M. Stanley, August Wieth, C. A. Goodrich, Jas. Paul, Josiah Hall, Thos. Green, A. T. Guthrie, John Dowling, Frank M. Stanley.