Nebraska Roots

Thoughts for Today

admin — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 15:22:41 +0000

1. A friend is one of the nicest you can have, and one of the best things you can be.

2. Words are the voice of the heart.

3. The strength of a family is in its loyalty to each other.

4. Never let discouragement be carried over into a new day.

5. Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring.

6. Our choice of words shapes our character and we receive what we give, so choose wisely.

Nebraska Counties and Towns

admin — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 03:51:53 +0000

The following list shows the COUNTY with the towns in each county listed. All of the towns listed may not be in existence today. The county seated is in CAPITAL letters.

ADAMS Co. Ayr Brickton Hansen HASTINGS Holstein Ingleside Juniata Kenesaw Pauline Prosser Roseland

ANTELOPE Co. Brunswick Burnett Clearwater Copenhagen Elgin Frenchtown Glenalpine Hord Siding Jessup NELIGH Oakdale Orchard Royal Saint Clair Tilden Vim

ARTHUR Co. ARTHUR Braden Carman Collins Cullinan Lena Read Rice

BANNER Co. Ashford Bighorn Epworth Flowerfield Freeport Gary HARRISBURG Heath Hillside Hull Kirk Loraine Van

BLAINE Co. BREWSTER Cooper Dunning Edith Lucy Purdum Scheding

BOONE Co. ALBION Boone Bradish Cedar Rapids Loretto Petersburg Primrose Raeville Saint Edward

BOX BUTTE Co. ALLIANCE Berea Birdsell Burbank Burns Carpenter Girard Hashman Hemingford Letan Nonpareil Nye Willey Yale

BOYD Co. Alford Anoka Baker Bristow BUTTE Gross Lynch Mankat Marple Monowi Naper Rosedale Spencer

BROWN Co. AINSWORTH Alkali Altai Beardwell Enderslake Giles Huffman Johnstown Lakewood Long Pine Mary Midvale Pike Raven Sunnyside Spragg Winfield

BUFFALO Co. Amherst Buda Denman Elm Creek Gibbon Glenwood Park KEARNEY Luce Majors Miller Nantasket Odessa Optic Peak Pleasanton Poole Ravenna Riverdale Saint Michael Sartoria Shelton Sweetwater Watertown

BURT Co. Argo Basford Bertha Craig Decatur Golden Spring Lyons Oakland Peak TEKAMAH Zion

BUTLER Co. Abie Bellwood Brainard Bruno DAVID CITY Dwight Garrison Linwood Loma Millerton Octavia Rising City Surprise Ulysses

CASS Co. Alvo Avoca Cedar Creek Eagle Elmwood Greenwood Louisville Manley Murdock Murray Mynard Nehawka PLATTSMOUTH Rockbluff South Bend Union Wabash Weeping Water

CEDAR Co. Aten Belden Bow Valley Coleridge Constance Fordyce HARTINGTON Laurel Magnet Menominee Obert Randolph Saint James Saint Peter St. Helena Wareham Wynot

CHASE Co. Best Champion Chase Enders IMPERIAL Lamar Wauneta

CHERRY Co. Arabia Banner Big Creek Brownlee Burge Calf Creek Capwell Cascade Cashswan Cherry Chesterfield Cody Crookston Curlew Eli Elsmere Elizabeth Enlow Erik Ethel Fern Gilaspie Harmony Hire Irwin Kennedy Kilgore King Kinneyville Lackey Lake Lavaca Lewanna Lund Martindale Merriman Middle Prong Nenzel Newton Oasis Prentice Pullman Reeves Riege Rita Park Rolf Roxby Simeon Soudan Sparks Survey Thatcher Trouble VALENTINE Vian Wood Lake Wells

CHEYENNE Co. Brownson Clara Colton Dalton Dye Henry Herndon Higgins Ickes Leafdale Lodgepole Lorenzo Margate Potter Sextorp SIDNEY Sunol Weyerts

CLAY Co. CLAY CENTER Deweese Edgar Eldorado Fairfield Glenvil Harvard Inland Ong Saronville Springranch Sutton Trumbull Verona

COLFAX Co. Clarkson Howell Leigh Praha Richland Rogers SCHUYLER

CUMING Co. Aloys Bancroft Beemer Bismarck Cuming Germanville Monterey WEST POINT Wisner

CUSTER Co. Anselmo Ansley Arnold Berwyn BROKEN BOW Callaway Climax Comstock Cumro Dale Elton Etna Gates Huxley Lillian Lodi Lomax Mason City Merna Milburn Milldale Oconto Ortello Sargent Walworth Weissert Westerville Yucahill

DAKOTA Co. Covington DAKOTA CITY Goodwin Homer Hubbard Jackson Nacora Sioux

DAWES Co. Antelope Belmont Bordeaux CHADRON Crawford Dakota Junction Dunlap Esther Fort Robinson Hough Ida Manchester Marsland Pine Ridge Vista Wayside Whitney

DAWSON Co. Buffalo Buzzards Roost Cozad Darr Doss Eddyville Farnam Gothenburg Josselyn LEXINGTON Overton Simonds Sumner Willow Island

DEUEL Co. Barton Bigspring CHAPPELL Day Froid Perdu Ralton

DIXON Co. Allen Concord Dixon Emerson Ionia Limegrove Martinsburg Maskell Newcastle PONCA Wakefield Waterbury

DODGE Co. Ames Crowell Dodge Everett FREMONT Hooper Ihno Leavitt Mapleville Nickerson North Bend Pleasant Valley Rawhide Ridgeley Scribner Snyder Uehling Winslow

DOUGLAS Co. Bennington Benson Dodge Elk City Elkhorn Florence Irvington Lane Mercer Millard OMAHA Ralston Sarpy Seymour Valley Waterloo

DUNDY Co. BENKELMAN Calvert Haigler Hiawatha Max Parks Sanborn

FILLMORE Co. Burress Carlisle Exeter Fairmont GENEVA Grafton Milligan Ohiowa Sawyer Schickley Strang

FRANKLIN Co. Bloomington Campbell FRANKLIN Hildreth Macon Naponee Riverton Upland

FRONTIER Co. Centerpoint Colebank Curtis Earl Eustis Freedom Havana Hunt Maywood Moorefield Orafino Osborn Quick Saint Ann Stevens STOCKVILLE

FURNAS Co. Arapahoe BEAVER CITY Cambridge Edison Hendley Holbrook Hollinger Oxford Wilsonville

GAGE Co. Adams Barneston BEATRICE Blue Springs Clatonia Cortland Cropsey Ellis Filley Freeman Grandview Hanover Hoag Holmesville Kinney Krider Lanham Liberty Odell Pickrell Rockford Townsend Virginia Wymore

GARDEN Co. Hartman Hutchinson Kowanda Lewellen Lisco Lutherville Moffitt Mumper Orlando OSHKOSH Pawlett Rackett

GARFIELD Co. Ballagh Blake BURWELL Deverre Dumas Erina Gables Rosevale Sheridan

GOSPER Co. Ceryl ELWOOD Gosper Smithfield

GRANT Co. Ashby Duluth Elva HYANNIS Lucky Valley Whitman

GREELEY Co. Belfast Brayton GREELEY CENTER Homestead Horace Parnell Scotia Spalding Wolbach

HALL Co. Abbott Alda Cairo Doniphan GRAND ISLAND Spencer Schauppsville Underwood Wood River

HAMILTON Co. AURORA Giltner Hampton Hordville Marquette Orville City Phillips Stockham

HARLAN Co. ALMA Carter Huntley Mascot Orleans Oxford Junction Republican City Stamford

HAYES Co. Hamlet HAYES CENTER Marengo Norris Rain Robert Strickland Thornburg White

HITCHCOCK Co. Beverly Cornell Culbertson Meeker Palisade Poe Rupert Stratton TRENTON

HOLT Co. Agee Amelia Anncar Atkinson Badger Biscuit Blackbird Bliss Brodie Catalpa Celia Chambers Chelsea Cleveland Deloit Dorsey Doty Dustin Emmet Emporia Ewing Grand Rapids Gravel Pit Greenvalley Hainesville Harold Hay Point Inez Inglis Inman Josie Joy Kola Laura Lavinia Leonie Little Lucerne Maple Grove Martha Meek Middlebranch Mineola O’NEILL Opportunity Paddock Page Phoenix Ray Redbird Saratoga Scottville Stafford Star Stuart Swan Tonawanda Tonic Turner

HOOKER Co. Donald Dunwell Eclipse Hecla Kelso Moore MULLEN Weir

HOWARD Co. Boelus Coatesfield Cushing Dannebrog Elba Farwell Nysted Saint Libory SAINT PAUL

JEFFERSON Co. Daykin Diller Endicott FAIRBURY Gladstone Harbine Helvey Jansen Kesterson Meridian Plymouth Powell Reynolds Steele City Thompson

JOHNSON Co. Cook Crab Orchard Elk Creek Graf Saint Mary Sterling TECUMSEH Vesta

KEITH Co. Belmar Bertha Brule Keystone Lemoyne OGALLALA Oren Paxton Roscoe Sarben

KEYA PAHA Co. Brocksburg Burton Carns Eclipse Enterprise Jamison Marlbank Meadville Mills Norden Pinecamp Riverview Simpson SPRINGVIEW

KIMBALL Co. Beacon Bethel Bushnell Crossbar Dix Gifford Hodges Kauffman KIMBALL Oliver Owasco Parker Smeed Troy

KNOX Co. Bazile Mills Bloomfield Blyville CENTER Creighton Crofton Jelen Knoxville Le Blanc Millerboro Niobrara Pishelville Reidsville Santee Sparta Venus Verdel Verdigre Walnut Wausa Winnetoon

LANCASTER Co. Agnew Arbor Belmont Bennett Berks Bethany Burnham Cheney Cobb College View Cushman Davey Denton Emerald Firth Hallam Havelock Hickman Holland Jamaica Kramer Lancaster LINCOLN Malcolm Martel Normal Panama Prairie Home Pecks Grove Pella Princeton Raymond Roca Rokeby Saltillo Sprague Summit University Place Walton Waverly West Lincoln

LINCOLN Co. Arna Bignell Birdwood Brady Denmark Dexter Dickens Echo Gannett Garfield Hershey Hindrey Ingham Maxwell Myrtle Nichols NORTH PLATTE O’Fallons Somerset Spannuth Spear Sutherland Vroman Wallace Wellfleet Whittier Willard

LOGAN Co. Ford Gandy Gem Hoagland Kirsch Logan STAPLETON Wagner

LOUP Co. Almeria Calamus Ferguson Gracie Moulton Ovitt TAYLOR Valleyview

MADISON Co. Battle Creek Burnett Emerick Enola Hope Kalamazoo Kent Siding MADISON Meadow Grove Newman Grove Norfolk South Norfolk Tilden Warnerville

MC PHERSON Co. Brighton Chandler Flats Forks Lemley Lilac Mayflower Nesbit Ney Omega Ringgold Summit TRYON Valyrang

MERRICK Co. Archer CENTRAL CITY Chapman Clarks Elvira Palmer Silver Creek Sunrise Worms

MORRILL Co. Angora Atkins Bayard Bonner BRIDGEPORT Broadwater Chimney Rock Cleman Colyer Goodstreak Guthrie Lynn Northport Redington Silverthorn Simla

NANCE Co. Belgrade FULLERTON Genoa Kent Merchiston Northstar

NEMAHA Co. Aspinwall AUBURN Brock Brownville Glen Rock Howe Johnson Julian Nemaha Peru Saint Deroin

NUCKOLLS Co. Abdal Angus Bostwick Cadams Hardy Lawrence Mount Clare NELSON Nora Oak Ruskin Sedan Smyrna Superior

OTOE Co. Burr Douglas Dunbar Lorton Minersville NEBRASKA CITY Otoe Palmyra Paul Syracuse Talmage Unadilla Wyoming

PAWNEE Co. Armour Bookwalter Burchard Du Bois Lewiston Mayberry PAWNEE CITY Steinauer Table Rock Tate Violet

PERKINS Co. Brandon Elsie GRANT Madrid Pearl Phebe Venango

PHELPS Co. Atlanta Bertrand Funk Haydon Holcomb HOLDREGE Loomis Sacramento Westmark Williamsburg

PIERCE Co. Breslau Hadar Lucas Siding McLean Osmond PIERCE Plainview

PLATTE Co. COLUMBUS Cornlea Creston Duncan Humphrey Lindsay Monroe Oconee Platte Center Tarnov

POLK Co. OSCEOLA Polk Shelby Stromsburg Swedehome

RED WILLOW Co. Banksville Bartley Boxelder Danbury Indianola Lebanon Marion MCCOOK Perry Red Willow Shippee

RICHARDSON Co. Arago Archer Barada Dawson FALLS CITY Fargo Humboldt Middleburg Nims Preston Rulo Salem Shubert Stella Straussville Verdon

ROCK Co. BASSETT Buell Butka Cuba Duff Hammond Horsefoot Kirkwood Malvern Mariaville Newport Perch Pony Lake Rock Rose Selden Shebesta Sybrant Thurman

SALINE Co. Crete DeWitt Dorchester Friend Plato Pleasanthill Shestak Swanton Tobias Western WILBER

SARPY Co. Bellevue Chalco Fort Crook Gilmore Gretna La Platte Meadow Melia PAPILLION Richfield Springfield

SAUNDERS Co. Ashland Cedar Bluffs Ceresco Colon Ithaca Leshara Malmo Mead Memphis Morse Bluff Plasi Platte River Pohocco Prague Rescue Sand Creek Swedeburg Touhy Valparaiso WAHOO Wann Weston Woodcliff Yutan

SCOTTS BLUFF Co. Bradley Brockhoff Caldwell Covert Dorrington GERING Haig Henry Heyward Hope Larissa McGrew Melbeta Minatare Mitchell Morrill Roubedeau Scottsbluff Sedan Snell Toohey Woodrow

SEWARD Co. Beaver Crossing Bee Cordova Garland Goehner Milford Pleasant Dale SEWARD Staplehurst Tamora Utica

SHERIDAN Co. Adaton Albany Antioch Bingham Clinton Ellsworth Gordon Grayson Hay Springs Hilton Hunter Lakeside Long Lake Marple Mirage Moomaw Peters RUSHVILLE Schill Spade Strasburger Whiteclay

SHERMAN Co. Ashton Austin Hazard Litchfield LOUP CITY Rockville Schaupps

SIOUX Co. Agate Andrews Ashbrook Bodarc Coffee Siding Curly Glen HARRISON Kelley Malinda Montrose Mud Springs Orella Story Unit

STANTON Co. Bega Haymow Pilger STANTON

THAYER Co. Alexandria Belvidere Bruning Byron Carleton Chester Davenport Deshler Friedensau Gilead HEBRON Hubbell Kiowa Stoddard Williams

THOMAS Co. Halsey Natic Norway Seneca THEDFORD

THURSTON Co. Macy PENDER Rosalie Thurston Walthill Winnebago

VALLEY Co. Alta Arcadia Elyria Geranium Lee Park Miracreek North Loup ORD

WASHINGTON Co. Admah BLAIR Bowen Coffman Cuming City Dale De Soto Fontanelle Fort Calhoun Herman Kennard Washington

WAYNE Co. Altona Apex Carroll Hoskins Sholes WAYNE Winside

WEBSTER Co. Bladen Bluehill Cowles Guide Rock Inavale RED CLOUD Rosemont

WHEELER Co. Arden BARTLETT Cumminsville Ericson Francis Headquarters Lisle Newboro Pibel Sheridan Wheeler

YORK Co. Arborville Benedict Bradshaw Charlestown Gresham Henderson Houston Lushton McCool Junction Thayer Waco YORK

Durham Museum, Omaha, Nebraska

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:38:52 +0000

The Durham Museum’s Photo Archive contains over 700,000 images spanning from the 1860s to the 1990s. They document the fascinating history of Omaha from its early days as a young frontier town to a unique and sophisticated city.

To view this collection and other information that is available you can go to this website.

http://www.durhammuseum.org/experience/photo-archive.aspx

Searching for a Nebraska location

admin — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:57:16 +0000

If you are searching for a location in Nebraska you may want to check out this website. It has locations by name that cover the state. However, not all locations in Nebraska are listed. So this is a resource that can be used but remember that some locations may have been left out. Example is Norfolk, NE., is not on the list and others may have also been left out.

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/localSearch.php?searchStr=+Enter+a+community+name&parseMethod=phrase&state=28&submit=Search

Nebraska 93 County Courthouses

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 04:22:00 +0000

Adams County Courthouse Hastings, NE. 68901

Antelope County Courthouse Neligh, NE. 68756

Arthur County Courthouse Arthur, NE. 69121

Banner County Courthouse Harrisburg, NE. 69345

Blaine County Courthouse Brewster, NE. 68821

Boone County Courthouse Albion, NE. 68620

Box Butte County Courthouse Alliance, NE. 69301

Boyd County Courthouse Butte, NE. 68722

Brown County Courthouse Ainsworth, NE. 69210

Buffalo County Courthouse Kearney, NE. 68848

Burt County Courthouse Tekamah, NE. 68061

Butler County Courthouse David City, NE. 68632

Cass County Courthouse Plattsmouth, NE. 68048

Cedar County Courthouse Hartington, NE. 68739

Chase County Courthouse Imperial, NE. 69033

Cherry County Courthouse Valentine, NE. 69201

Cheyenne County Courthouse Sidney, NE. 69162

Clay County Courthouse Clay Center, NE. 68933

Colfax County Courthouse Schuyler, NE. 68661

Cuming County Courthouse West Point, NE. 68788

Custer County Courthouse Broken Bow, NE. 68822

Dakota County Courthouse Dakota City, NE. 68822

Dawes County Courthouse Chadron, NE. 69337

Dawson County Courthouse Lexington, NE. 68850

Deuel County Courthouse Chappell, NE 69129

Dixon County Courthouse Ponca, NE. 68770

Dodge County Courthouse Fremont, NE. 68025

Douglas County Courthouse Omaha, NE. 68183

Dundy County Courthouse Benkelman, NE. 69021

Fillmore County Courthouse Geneva, NE. 68361

Franklin County Courthouse Franklin, NE. 68939

Frontier County Courthouse Stockville, NE. 69042

Furnas County Courthouse Beaver City, NE. 68926

Gage County Courthouse Beatrice, NE. 68310

Garden County Courthouse Oshkosh, NE. 69154

Garfield County Courthouse Burwell, NE. 68823

Gosper County Courthouse Elwood, NE. 68937

Grant County Courthouse Hyannis, NE. 69350

Greeley County Courthouse Greeley, NE. 68842

Hall County Courthouse Grand Island, NE. 68801

Hamilton County Courthouse Aurora, NE. 68818

Harlan County Courthouse Alma, NE. 68920

Hayes County Courthouse Hayes Center, NE. 69032

Hitchcock County Courthouse Trenton, NE. 69044

Holt County Courthouse O’Neill, NE. 68763

Hooker County Courthouse Mullen, NE. 69152

Howard County Courthouse Saint Paul, NE. 68873

Jefferson County Courthouse Fairbury, NE. 68352

Johnson County Courthouse Tecumseh, NE., 68450

Kearney County Courthouse Minden, NE. 68959

Keith County Courthouse Ogallala, NE. 69153

Keya Paha County Courthouse Springview, NE., 68778

Kimball County Couthouse Kimball, NE. 69145

Knox County Courthouse Center, NE. 68724

Lancaster County Courthouse Lincoln, NE. 68508

Lincoln County Courthouse North Platte, NE. 69101

Logan County Courthouse Stapleton, NE. 69163

Loup County Courthouse Taylor, NE. 68879

Madison County Courthouse Madison, NE. 68748

McPherson County Courthouse Tryon, NE. 69167

Merrick County Courthouse Central City, NE. 68826

Morrill County Courthouse Bridgeport, NE. 69336

Nance County Courthouse Fullerton, NE. 68638

Nemaha County Courthouse Auburn, NE. 68305

Nuckolls County Courthouse Nelson, Ne. 68961

Otoe County Courthouse Nebraska City, NE. 68410

Pawnee County Courthouse Pawnee City, NE. 68420

Perkins County Courthouse Grant, NE. 69140

Phelps County Courthouse Holdrege, NE. 68949

Pierce County Courthouse Pierce, NE. 68767

Platte County Courthouse Columbus, NE. 68601

Polk County Courthouse Osceola, NE. 68651

Red Willow County Courthouse McCook, NE. 69001

Richardson County Courthouse Falls City, NE. 68355

Rock County Courthouse Bassett, NE. 68714

Saline County Courthouse Wilber, NE. 68465

Sarpy County Courthouse Omaha, NE. 68046

Saunders County Courthouse Wahoo, NE. 68066

Scotts Bluff County Courthouse Gering, NE. 69341

Seward County Courthouse Seward, NE. 68434

Sheridan County Courthouse Rushville, NE. 69360

Sherman County Courthouse Loup City, NE. 68853

Sioux County Courthouse Harrison, NE. 69346

Stanton County Courthouse Stanton, NE. 68779

Thayer County Courthouse Hebron, NE. 68370

Thomas County Courthouse Thedford, NE. 69166

Thurston County Courthouse Pender, NE. 68047

Valley County Courthouse Ord, NE. 68862

Washington County Courthouse Blair, NE. 68008

Wayne County Courthouse Wayne, NE. 68787

Webster County Courthouse Red Cloud, NE. 68970

Wheeler County Courthouse Bartlett, NE. 68622

York County Courthouse York, NE. 68467

A call for help

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:41:19 +0000

As winter approaches many demands will be made upon the people of Norfolk for assistance by the unfortunate men and women who are out of work. All over the state the prominent citizens of towns and cities are beginning to organize relief associations which is the only practicable means of dispensing charity so that it will reach and relieve those who really merit the aid. Is it not time that Norfolk was looking to the organization of a public aid society? It has been suggested to The News that the churches might unite and by the united influence of their best workers, who have had experience in such work, bring the system to a condition, wherein they could reduce suffering and yet not spend the money to a disadvantage. Each church has its own to assist, it is true, but organized efforts are bound to produce the most good and then there will be no need of indiscriminate giving. Each case of destition much by this means become generally known and all cases may be treated equally.

Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Mon. Sept. 24, 1894, page 3.

Charles R. Edwards

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:38:43 +0000

Edwards Funeral Here

Last Rites for Victim of Crash; Burial at Fairview Cemetery

Funeral services for Charles R. Edwards of Omaha who was killed in a car accident near Pilger November 30, where held Thursday afternoon. Burial was at the Fairview cemetery southeast of Battle Creek, where the wife and children of the deceased were buried.

Mr. Edwards was born at Meadow Grove, Nebraska, June 13, 1890, and had reached the age of 58 years, 9 months and 15 days. He was married to Miss Maude McDaniel in 10915 and lived on a farm near Meadow Grove until 1920, when he moved to Omaha and entered the government postal service and remained an employee of the government until his death. His wife, a son, Maurice, and a daughter, Jean, had preceded him in death.

Survivors include a brother, Len, and three sisters Mrs. Karl Keyes, Mrs. Louis Fiedler, and Mrs. Claude Scott. He was a nephew of the Misses Mollie Taylor and Emma Taylor and Mrs. Nannie Dugan of Battle Creek. Source: excerpts from Battle Creek Enterprise, Thur. Dec. 2, 1948, page 1.

Mrs. Mettie (Phipps) Hackler

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:36:04 +0000

Last Respects Paid Mrs. Mettie Hackler Services Wednesday

Burial at the Osborn Cemetery

Mrs. Mettie Hackler died Saturday morning at a Norfolk hospital from complications due to injuries she received in a fall at her home Sunday morning. Mettie Phipps, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Creed Phipps, was born in Grayson county, Virginia, September 27, 1873, and had reached the age of 75 years, 1 month and 13 days. When a young girl, she came to Madison county, Nebraska, with her parents who settled on a farm southeast of Battle Creek. She was married to Munsey R. Hackler October 21, 1902, and to this union were born a daughter, Virginia, now Mrs. W. E. Thomas, and a son, Howard, who died when a small child. Mr. Hackler died June 14, 1940. Only surviving immediate relative is one daughter, Mrs. Virginia Thomas. L. V. Dufphey of Battle Creek is a nephew. Source: excerpts from Battle Creek Enterprise, Thur. Nov. 11, 1948, page 1.

Armistice Day — 1948

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:33:33 +0000

Armistice Day—1948

Editor’s Note: The following was written by Jack Macdonald, a University of Nebraska senior whose home is at Bremerton, Wash.

I had known Slim only about six months but those six months were a thousand years long. He was my friend. We marched together, laughed together, talked together—about home and girls and after the war. Together we sweated, inhaled dust, ducked bullets, cursed the Japs, the generals, the second lieutenants, the world and ourselves.

I can remember he used to tell about the way his mother made spaghetti and meat balls with a special sauce; about Mary, how he knew he loved her, and of all the plans they had made, Or maybe the talk was about Skip, his little mongrel dog. Sometimes it was about the lake eleven miles from his home where he and his dad went fishing.

Slim laughed and joked a lot. I can see his eyes now. When he laughed, they lit up from the inside. Even at night they made a fellow think of a bright summer day.

Slim is dead now. Why?

Plot six, row two, grave fourteen, Manila Cemetery No. 2. That’s Slim now. But why?—why?

Slim will never again see Mary or play with Skip or go fishing with his dad. Slim was just a good-natured kid from a farm in the Midwest who was looking forward to going home. He’ll never go home now. And I keep wondering—-Why?

I remember he used to say to me: “Freedom’s a great thing, Mac. If you haven’t got that, then nothing else in this world is worth much. But freedom isn’t just something that some people have and others don’t have. It’s a lot more than that. You have to work to get it and work to keep it. You have to be willing to fight for it—even die, so that other people can have its benefits. If a man isn’t willing to fight and die for freedom, then he isn’t worthy of having freedom.”

I supposed that is why Slim is dead. Because men think so little of their greatest possession—freedom, they let it get away from them and good guys like Slim have to die to get it back.

Source: Battle Creek Enterprise, Thursday, Nov. 11, 1948, page 1.

Francis E. Dover

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:28:37 +0000

Madison Pioneer Dies in S. Dakota; Services Sunday

Francis Dover, 92, Madison county farmer and pioneer, died at the home of his son in Martin, S. D. on March 22. Francis E. Dover was born at Silver Creek, Delaware County, on August 21, 1857. He was educated in Massachusetts and when yet a young man came to this state. On December 24, 1881 he was united in marriage with a cousin, Miss Jane Dover of Madison. To this union four children were born, two sons and two daughters, three of whom preceded him in death. Mrs. Dover died on October 19, 1905.

On May 23, 1911 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Rose E. Emery of Sansarc, S. D. She passed away on May 19, 1934. Source: excerpts from Madison Star-Mail Thursday, March 30, 1950 on page 1.