Madison County, Miller left Wisconsin to homestead in Platte County, settling there with his cousin, George Zimmerman in the late seventies.

Others who settled in Deer Creek Precinct were James Hunter in Section 1; Lyman Parson in Section 3; William H. Westervelt, Chas. N. Hutchinson, William Sutherland, and James F. Crowley in Section 4; W. S. Crook bought railroad land in Section 5; William Colterman, Willard Brooks, and John A. Creighton bought railroad land in Sections 8 and 9. Mr. Creighton became famous and wealthy as a contractor in the building of the Union Pacific Railway from Omaha to Promentory Point in Utah, and also had a contract in building the first transcontinental telegraph lines. He was chief donor to Creighton College. B. H. Cox settled the NE1/4 of Section 9; L. C. Wolfe, Robert E. Moore and William Lowe took land in Section 11; George Martin took the NE1/4. H. H. Byers the NW1/4, Stephen M. Merrit a part of the NW1/4 and Lewis W. Ray and Henry Gehrts the remainder of Section 12. John Buffington bought railroad land in Section 13; Chas. D. Cooper, Geo. Worthington (now Fern Bartee home), D. E. Trexler (old John Shipley home and now owned by Alvin Koopman), and Solomon Beese (now Grossrode) settled in Section 14.

Joseph A. Besst, William W. Cloyd, August J. Huebner and John McKirahan settled in Section 15 and 16. McKirahan was the famous hermit who lived in a cave below the Yellow Banks.

A. H. Caemerer, who became the first called pastor of the Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, acquired land in Section 21.

Peter D. Sardan acquired the NE1/4 of Section 22 and then sold it to J. H. Jackson. Also in Section 22 were Frank P. Hughes, Christian Huebner, August Haase, and I. A. Hutchins who had a post office near the Yellow Banks. Owners in this section now are Harry Werner, Walton Grant, George and June Noah, and Lawrence Walz.

In Section 23, Herman Wachter, K. M. McDonald, Wm. O'Neill, Jos. R. Morris, Mary Wallert, and August Zemish settled. Owners of land in this section now are Helen Weygint, Paul Shinkus, Harry Werner, and O'Brien Gravel Company. None of the first settlers are know to this writer.

Section 24 was likewise settled by people who left the area long ago. These include Thomas H. Montgomery, Bernard Burke, and John W. Walker. Owners of this section now are Leo Bierman, Harry Werner, John Volk, Jr., and Paul Clemens. In Section 25, we have perhaps one of the earliest homesteads. The NE1/4 was homesteaded by Philip Hughes, grandfather of Philip Hughes of Battle Creek. (See Hughes story). It is now owned by Ray Vogel.

Patrick O'Neill had acquired the NW1/4 of Section 25 in addition to the homestead one mile north of Battle Creek. This land was first acquired by W. P. O'Neill, father of Rose O'Neill, who became famous and wealthy with her creation of the kewpie doll. It is now the John Volk, Jr., home.

33

Next Page

Last Page

Return to Madison Page

Table of Contents