homesteaded by Albert Mantey, and also a part by Pat O'Neill one of the founders of the original townsite of Battle Creek. The SW1/4 was homesteaded by James Orr, father of the late Joe Orr. James Orr's wife was the daughter of Phillip Hughes, the early homesteader, whose farm is now owned by Ray Vogel. George Galloway homesteaded the SW1/4 but soon after he sold it to John Bredehoft, Sr., and it was here that the Bredschoft children were born. The farm is now the home of Martin Werner.

In the NE1/4 of Section 32, a part was homesteaded by R. Lindeman, later acquired by Fred Fuerst, and now owned by Albert Unkel and occupied by his son, Melvin. The NW1/4 was acquired by Bernard Lindeman, now owned in part by Victor Flesner and part by Albert Unkel. Charles Fenske homesteaded the SW1/4 which is now owned by John Bredehoft, his son-in-law. Gottfried Schlack settled in the SE1/4 of this section. In Section 33 we find the Fred Richardson homestead where the Leo Prauner family now live. W. O. Isham owned the NW1/4 which is now owned by the Preece family. David Whitla acquired the SW1/4 and William Schmidt the SE1/4. Evidently Schmidt did not stay long because the farm was purchased by the Whitla family, and it is here that the Whitla family made their home when they moved from the original homestead in Section 9-23-2. More about the Whitla family will be written later. In Section 34, we find one Michael Conrad, Herman Stolle, and J. S. Stolle, who were brothers of Bernhard Stolle, who acquired land in Highland Precinct in Section 11. Descendants of the Bernhard Stolle's still live in the vicinity but members of the other Stolle families are known to have moved to Oregon many years ago. Carl Schulz, grandfather of Walter Schulz, also homesteaded in this section as did William Edens, who later sold out to Carl Schulz. Edens came into town to build the building last occupied by the Battle Creek Enterprise. Mr. Edens ran a saloon and it was possible the first of its kind in the town. There are a number of people, though not first homesteaders, who should be classified as early settlers and who helped materially in developing the town and the state.

George Berry, who homesteaded the NE1/4 of Section 19-24-2 and later acquired the SE1/4 of the same section in the late seventies and eighties, operated the Niobrara Stage Line. The safe of the Stage Line Company is now owned by Mrs. Simon Steffen, and may be seen in Tom Steffen's office. First starting from Wisner west to Fort Niobrara, located about four miles east of the present town of Valentine, George and his younger brother John, had the mail contract to Fort Niobrara in addition to carrying passengers. Fort Niobrara was one of the many forts built by the army to offer protection to the settlers from the Indians, who were quite bothersome into the eighties in the western part of the state. History tells us that the last Indian battle was fought in 1892 at Wounded Knee north of Rushmore, Nebraska.

In Deer Creek Precinct there seems to have been a concentration of Irish, namely, Pat O'Neill, the Hughes Brothers (Philip

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