Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF)

Written By: nppladmin - Aug• 26•22
Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 26, 2022.

Welcome back to another Facebook Friday History!

Today’s Facebook Friday History looks at another fraternal organization, the I.O.O.F., which stands for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows!

Never heard of them? Heard of them, but wondered what the heck are these “odd fellows” doing? Well, according to their website (https://odd-fellows.org/), their mission statement reads:

The Independent order of odd fellows aims to provide a framework that promotes personal and social development. For members, the degrees in odd fellowship emphasize a leaving of the old life and the start of a better one and of helping those in need. The command (purpose) of the IOOF is to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan.”

There is no definitive history behind the name, but it seems that that one possibility is that the original Odd Fellows were men who were engaged in various or odd trades that didn’t have the numbers to form the security provided by a trade guild or union like the Masons. These workers of “odd jobs” banded together and initially met in the back rooms of pubs, paying a penny per week in dues that would help members who fell ill or had passed away. Eventually, the idea spread and formed a network of more formalized Lodges and the Odd Fellows developed their own unique rituals, philosophy, and purpose.

This organization is still in existence on the national level and current IOOF members strive to:

  • Improve and elevate the character of mankind by promoting the principles of friendship, love, truth, faith, hope, charity and universal justice.
  • Help make the world a better place to live in, by aiding each other, the community, the less fortunate, the youth, the elderly, and the environment in every way possible.
  • Promote good will and harmony amongst peoples and nations through the principle of universal fraternity, holding the belief that all men and women regardless of race, nationality, religion, social status, gender, rank and station are brothers and sisters.

Many towns had IOOF lodges and North Platte was no exception. The following information about the IOOF lodge building is taken from the book “City Bones: Landmarks of North Platte, Nebraska, Second Edition” by Kaycee Anderson and Steve Olson. Published by the Lincoln County Historical Museum. 2012.

The I.O.O.F. Walla Walla Lodge was chartered on November 18, 1875. On April 14, 1881, it was reported that the Odd Fellows would be constructing their new building. The foundation had already been completed. The address of the facility was 420 N Dewey Street. The cornerstone, including a time capsule, was laid on April 26, falling on the sixty second anniversary of the establishment of the order in the United States.

The two-story structure features a brick exterior measuring 24 by 100 feet. The ground floor has been the site for several businesses, including the U.S. Post Office, two banks, and the current occupant, American Mortgage Company.

The second floor’s primary use was to house the lodge. Its current condition is as pristine as it was when the lodge headquarters graced it. The Odd Fellows’ benches still remain along the sides of the walls, and the small podium, where the lodge leader presided, still stands just as it had many years ago. Going up to the second floor of this building is truly like taking a step back in history.

Mr. D.W. Thompson was awarded the contract to build the building.

On May 14, 1907, the cornerstone was removed from the building and the time capsule was opened. The contents included a pocket knife; a 25 cent script; 54 cents in coins, comprised of nickels and dimes issued in the years 1873 and 1877; copies of the three different local newspapers, published in the year 1881 when the building was erected; and a copy of the ledge constitution and by-laws.

A new time capsule was built which contained new coins, current copies of the local newspapers, and, once again, the lodge constitution and by-laws. A news cornerstone was then installed, depositing the new time capsule to its station with the building.

UPDATE (Researchers updated the information from the 2012 City Bones entry): The new time capsule was added to a new building, which was built approximately 1907-1910. You can see the difference in the building windows in the attached photographs.

Researchers believe that the IOOF dissolved in North Platte around 2013. But the building is still in existence in the Canteen District. If our readers can give us an update, we would appreciate it.

Thank you for reading! See you next week!

#NPHistoryArchives

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Dr. Josiah Beckley Redfield

Written By: nppladmin - Aug• 19•22
Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 19, 2022.

Today’s North Platte History looks back at a turn of the century doctor, Dr. Josiah B. Redfield. Dr. Josiah B. Redfield’s family history gave researchers quite a run, so stick with us as we unfold his story. Read on!

Josiah Beckley Redfield was born in Omaha, Nebraska on August 23, 1882 and died in North Platte Nebraska on March 16, 1976 at the age of 93. Some of our readers may remember him personally!

Josiah Beckley Redfield was the son of Willis Cleveland and Catherine “Kate” (Archer) Redfield. Willis C. and Catherine were married in Sarpy County Nebraska on December 20, 1875 had the following six children:

  1. Willis Jay Redfield (1877 – 1934). Physician and surgeon first in North Platte with his brother, Josiah and then in Omaha.
  2. Henry A. Redfield (1879 – 1927). AKA Harry A. Adair. Worked at odd jobs, was a miller and a janitor.
  3. Nellie S. Redfield (1880 – 1881). Died under the age of 2 in September.
  4. Ernest Redfield (1881 – 1881). Died at the age of 4 months in August.
  5. John B. Redfield (1882 – 1973). A salesman who worked in the St. Louis and Warrenton MO area. A twin brother to Josiah.
  6. Josiah B. Redfield (1882 – 1976). The subject of this article and John’s twin brother. He shares his entire name with his grandfather, Josiah Beckley Redfield.

In 1883, when the twins were about 18 months old, their father, Willis C. Redfield, a printer by trade, died in his home in Omaha from consumption at the age of 27. Catherine, now a widow, was left with four children (two children died two years prior). All of the remaining children were under the age of seven. Catherine, overwhelmed with grief, legally gave her children up for adoption soon after the father’s death. In 1886, Catherine remarried Joseph L. Harley and had one more child. Catherine passed away in 1890 at age 34.

Researchers found that the oldest son, Willis Jay Redfield, was apparently adopted by a Ryan family, per the court case. Since he was older, a researcher’s guess is that he remembered and aware of what happened.

The second son, Henry Redfield, was adopted by an Adair family and they change his name to Harry Franklin Adair. Harry had various jobs in his life: miller, bank cashier, and janitor; this was probably due to his fragile health. Harry acquired tuberculosis while serving the in the military in 1898, made his home in Valley Falls, Kansas with his wife, Mamie Russell, and died from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1927, at the age of 46 years. They had two sons.

John B. Redfield is adopted by Adelbert and Jennie Grinnell, farmers near Papillion, Nebraska. John attends agriculture college and returns to the farm to help his Grinnell parents. He eventually marries Florence Marie Anderson of Kent, Iowa in 1905 and they make their home predominantly in Warrenton, Missouri, where John worked in sales. They had one son, John Redfield Grinnell.

Josiah B. Redfield (John’s twin and the primary subject of this post), is also adopted by the Grinnell’s. Both of the boys take the name Grinnell and since they were so young, neither knew they were adopted for some time. John found out when he was about 12, Josiah didn’t know until it was time for him to attend college, around age 19 or 20. After the Grinnell parents had passed away, there was a court case to determine if adoptees were legitimate heirs to foster parent estates. The case in 1928 is still cited sometimes and can be view at https://cite.case.law/neb/117/332/.

Josiah, also called Joe, received his primary education from Papillion High School, graduating in 1898. He went on to further his education in the healing arts with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Nebraska in 1908.

Dr. Josiah B. Redfield started his medical career in Wood River, Nebraska and then went to Cairo, Nebraska.

Meanwhile Dr. Willis Jay Redfield, Josiah’s brother, was practicing medicine in Grand Island, Nebraska. Willis and his business partner, J. R. McKirahan, decided to relocate their practice North Platte in 1909. Together they open the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital (also known as P. & S. Hospital) at 721-723 Locust Street (now 721-723 North Jeffers Street).

About this time Dr. Josiah B. Redfield came to North Platte where he built up his medical practice, making surgery his specialty. McKirahan married and left North Platte; and Josiah came to North Platte to be in practice with his brother, Willis Jay. Willis stayed in practice with Josiah in North Platte until about 1916, when he served his country in the medical corps during World War I. Dr. Willis Redfield returned to Omaha, Nebraska after the war and created a successful practice in his own right there. Willis acquired an illness that forced him to retire from practice in 1930 and he died September 22, 1934 at the age of 58 leaving behind his widow, Margaret, and a son, Willis Glenn Redfield.

Dr. Josiah B. Redfield continued his studies by taking post-graduate work at the Mayo Brothers Hospital in Rochester MN; and continued to hone his surgical skills. When Willis left North Platte, Josiah bought his brother, Willis’ interest in the hospital they co-owned, by that time called General Hospital, which was located at 721-723 Locust (now North Jeffers). Josiah then donated the hospital equipment he owned to Good Samaritan Hospital of North Platte. The location of Good Samaritan Hospital was 113 West 6th ST (now in the vicinity between the Platte Bar and Nebraska Fire and Safety).

Dr. Josiah B Redfield also served his country during World War I, he was stationed for a short time at Fort Riley in Kansas. He later served again during World War II in the Nebraska State Guard and as a member of the Selective Service Boards for McPherson and Lincoln Counties.

In 1909, Josiah married Cassie Harris in Lincoln. Cassie was the daughter of Dr. A. H. Harris. Cassie graduated from Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Nebraska with the class of 1907. She attended Nebraska University for two years. Upon settling in North Platte, Joe and Cassie lived in several rental houses.

Josiah and Cassie had two children:

  1. Harris Beckley Redfield (1912-1969). Harris was married twice. His first wife was Phyllis Heaton and they got married on January 36, 1933 in Grand Island, Nebraska. Harris enlisted in the Army Medical Administrative Corps at Fort Crook, Nebraska on December 19, 1941, less than two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. On November 16, 1942, Harris married his second wife, Nelvina La Fern Sorensen in Lubbock, Texas. Harris had at least two children. He died at age 57 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
  2. John Josiah Redfield (1917-1945). John also became a doctor. John married Dorothy Eileen Larson on September 14, 1939 in Lincoln, Nebraska. John served in the medical corps as a First Lieutenant, when he died at age 28 on August 22, 1945 at the Fort Benning GA regional hospital. His parents had received a letter from him that Monday (August 20th) and in it he told them he hadn’t been feeling well. John died two days after that letter. He is listed on the World War II casualty list for Lincoln County as DNB or died non-battle. John and Dorothy had one daughter.

Dr. Josiah Redfield and his family were active in the Episcopal Church of Our Savior. Josiah was active in a variety of organizations, including:

  • Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Platte Valley Lodge No. 32;
  • Signet Chapter No. 55, Order of the Eastern Star;
  • Theams Temple of the Shrine;
  • North Platte Kiwanis Club (charter member);
  • Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks;
  • P.R. Halligan Post No 163 of the American Legion;
  • Lincoln County Medical Society;
  • American Medical Association;
  • American Legion; and
  • North Platte Country Club (Josiah and Harris were regular golfers)

In his spare time, Dr. Redfield liked to tinker and invent things. He invented and patented several devices, including the “Redfield Mouth Gag”; Redfield Voting Booth; and a Tally Sheet (see pictures of his patents in the attached documentation).

Whether golfing with friends, delivering babies, caring for his patients; inventing and patenting his ideas; attending church with his family; serving as county coroner, attending meetings; combating disease by trying to control rat populations; informing the public about rabies; performing surgery; keeping the public safe and informed about polio; Dr. Josiah Redfield was described as personally genial and companionable, warm and loyal, and commanded the respect and esteem of the entire community.

Dr. Josiah Beckley Redfield died on March 16, 1976, at age 93 in a nursing home in North Platte. Cassie died on July 28, 1980, age 89. They are both buried in the North Platte Cemetery.

Thank you for reading!

#NPHistoryArchives

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Freemasons / Order of Free and Accepted Masons

Written By: nppladmin - Aug• 12•22
Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 12, 2022.

Welcome back to another Facebook Friday History!

Today’s Facebook Friday History looks at a fraternal organization—The freemasons or the Order of Free and Accepted Masons; specifically, the building where the members met, namely, the Masonic Temple.

From Britannica.com: Freemasonry is the teachings and practices of the fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons. They are the largest worldwide secret society—an oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance. They conceal, at least some of its rituals, customs, or activities from the public (secret societies do not necessarily conceal their membership or existence). In 1717, the first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England.

But let’s come back to North Platte and look at the history of our local Masonic Lodge. The following information is taken from the book “City Bones: Landmarks of North Platte, Nebraska, Second Edition” by Kaycee Anderson and Steve Olson. Published by the Lincoln County Historical Museum. 2012.

The local Masonic Lodge was chartered at Cottonwood Springs near Fort McPherson on November 15, 1869. The Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons met above Charles McDonald’s store in a room that was only 24 by 24 feet in size. They spent $60 dollars to furnish the room and had a grand total of five members present at the first meeting. Soon others joined, including Charles McDonald, Dr. F. N. Dick and Eugene A. Carr. Buffalo Bill was also an early member, initiated into the Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 on March 5, 1870.

Not everyone was happy with the lodge. Colonel W.H. Emery, commander of the Fifth U. S. Cavalry, stationed at Fort McPherson, was opposed to the lodge and worked against the group by punishing officers and enlisted men who wanted to join. He kept his tirade up until the Masons thought it would be best if they moved away from the fort.

In 1872, a two story frame building was erected on the corner of 5th and Dewey streets, at a cost of $2,600. The funds for the project were raised by selling each Mason a $50 share. This site almost became an Episcopalian church, but Major William Woodhurst made a trip to Omaha to buy the property before the Church could. In this building, before the county courthouse was erected, the bottom floor was used by the county as a courtroom and offices for county business.

The Lodge soon saw the need for a more permanent and larger building. Plans started coming together in January 1900. However, the second temple was not begun until 1907. The second temple was completed on February 22, 1908 at the same location. The North Platte Telegraph called it, “The largest and most imposing single structure, with the exception of the high school building, in the city.” The ground floor was occupied by the Wilcox Department Store, while the second floor contained a banquet hall, reading and lodge rooms, a cloak room, and a kitchen.

By 1929 there was a need for more space, so a third floor was added including two elevators, one for freight and one for passengers. The dedication for the third floor was held on February 22, 1930, the twenty-second anniversary of the original opening. The addition brought a large meeting room and an expanded cloak room. The meeting room had a staircase that entered into the banquet hall on the north side, giving more access to the many rooms.

The old lodge remains as it was left twenty years ago. The temple area has seats on risers along the north and south walls. Only the Grand Master’s chair at the head of the temple and the shield which hung on the wall are missing. The banquet hall and the stage area are in excellent condition with wonderful wood floors that shine when the sunlight pours through the original box windows. The only damage noted is some water damage in the back of the temple area, a damaged wall sconce, one broken pane of glass in the French doors leading to the banquet hall, and water damaged floors in the cloak room. Visitors can still see the indentations in the carpet where the couches once sat in the lobby.

Today, the current Masonic Temple sits at the corner of McDonald and B Streets. They moved to the McDonald location in 1987. The organization remains an active chapter.

Thank you for reading! See you next week!

#NPHistoryArchives

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John James Hahler

Written By: nppladmin - Aug• 05•22
Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 5, 2022.

Welcome back to another Facebook Friday History!

Today’s Facebook Friday History looks at a hard-working, innovative gardener, farmer, and WWI veteran; who survived floods, the great war, and challenging farming conditions.

John James Hahler was born on June 24, 1899 in Pierre, South Dakota to Julius J. and Frances A. (Henish) Hahler. John was an only child and by the time John was ten years old (1910), the Hahler family had moved to North Platte, Nebraska. The family was of German descent and Julius was the immigrant who came to America in 1873. Julius and Frances also adopted two children while in North Platte.

Although most of John’s schooling took place at North Platte Catholic Schools, John graduated from North Platte High School at age 16. In 1918, he enlisted in the Army and served in World War I. After the war, John attended and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

In 1925, John married Mary Evangeline Herrod in North Platte. They were catholic and attended St. Patrick’s catholic Church. They had two children:

  1. John James “Jack” Hahler, Jr (1927-2018). He graduated from St Patrick’s Catholic School, entered the United States Navy and served in World War II. Then attended the University of Notre Dame; John Junior married Catherine Ann Williamson in 1949.
  2. Mary Elizabeth Hahler. Mary also graduated from St Patrick’s Catholic schools and attended St. Theresa’s College in Winona, Minnesota. Mary married Bernard “Bernie” Pieper and lived in North Platte, Nebraska.

By July 1925, John Hahler was building a new home south of North Platte. This land was located east of Applebee’s Restaurant. See the follow-up at the end of this post. The deep red brick home was a bungalow style. The floors of the house were all done in 2-inch oak, in the log cabin style. They were hand finished by John and were not stained. The wall that contained the fireplace was left red brick. The house contained eight rooms and the interior was in a log cabin style. The house was wired for electricity. You can see what the house and outbuildings looked like in 2019 in the color photographs attached to this post.

John farmed a wide variety of crops around his home and raised livestock. By 1929, he was proposing pump irrigation projects to the City and County.

1929 also had John placing first in the Lincoln County Fair for Poland China hogs.

In 1930, John placed first in the Fair for the largest watermelon. And in 1932, Hahler told the North Platte Daily Telegraph that he was planting thirty acres of watermelons and cantaloupe.

Mrs. Hahler was very active in the community and played piano and sang frequently for local churches and other organizations. The family was actively involved in St Patrick’s Church.

In 1932, the Lincoln County Tribune reported that: “John Hahler has just finished planting 1,400 choice asparagus plants on two acres of his place on the island farm south of this city. It was a big job requiring several men to put the plants in the soil as they had to be handled individually and each plant had to be covered carefully. Mr. Hahler has no plans for the crop, except to see if it will pay dividends in competition with asparagus grown elsewhere.”

In addition to his asparagus, he also ordered 2,000 chicks! To put it mildly, John Hahler was a farmer from his heart to the bottom of his soul. He was a very successful farmer and his livestock were of high quality.

Then in April 1942, excessive rains hit southwestern Nebraska. John Hahler reported that 500 pigs drowned. There was no loss of life, but the high rising water killed livestock and damaged wells. Two years later, John had rebuilt his reputation as a pig man and was again selling Hampshire hogs.

John James Hahler died at age 66 on November 12, 1965 in an Omaha Hospital. Mary died at the age of 89 on June 5, 1989 in her home. Both are buried in the North Platte Cemetery.

Follow-up: After the passing of John James Hahler’s son, John James Hahler Junior, in 2018, Agri-Affiliates held a Hahler Trust Land Auction in 2019 and auctioned off all of the Hahler land and remaining buildings. You can click here to see the video made by Agri-Affiliates to help entice buyers to the auction to better see where the land was located: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ58pxbdqhs

The color photographs that accompany this post show the Hahler house and existing Hahler buildings (exterior and interior) as they appeared in 2019. While dilapidated and well-used, you can see the quality in the original buildings.

Thank you for reading! See you next week!

#NPHistoryArchives

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Jonathan Higgins

Written By: nppladmin - Jul• 29•22
Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on July 29, 2022.

Welcome back to another Facebook Friday History!

Today we look at an early pioneer, Jonathan Higgins. I chose to highlight this pioneer because of the paragraph below that was written about him in “An Illustrated history of Lincoln County Nebraska and her people” by Ira Bare:

“Jonathan Higgins was a member of a family that never succeeded in raising its condition above the line of self-respecting poverty, and consequently, he was obliged to confront the serious problems of life at an early age. He had limited schooling in subscription schools in North Carolina, but attended school only when the weather did not permit work in the open fields. He had some farming experience in Virginia and was about seventeen years of age when he came to Nebraska in 1854.”

So many of the people we highlight each week in this post became pillars of our community, county, and state. Roads are named after them, they left their impact on our community for decades after they are deceased.

But so many pioneers were just people. God-fearing people. Hard-working people. People who worked hard their entire life; and their life consisted of sadness and struggle. Even though this man was poor and led a life of misfortune; he was so highly regarded for his integrity and grit; that he was highlighted and included in the quintessential historical book of Lincoln County, right alongside doctors, lawyers, mayors, businessmen and ranchers. Please read on!

Jonathan Higgins was born in North Carolina on October 14, 1837 to Vincent and Jane (Wilson) Higgins. Jonathan was the sixth of seven children born to Vincent and Jane. Jane Higgins was a member of an English Quaker Colony in Virginia and when Jonathan was 4 years old, they moved back to the Quaker Colony in Virginia. The Higgins family were hard-working farmers. Jonathan’s father passed away when he was 10 years old (1847). When he wasn’t working, he did attend some school.

At age 17, Jonathan joined his older brother, Andrew and his wife on a journey west. They traveled overland by oxen team in a covered wagon to the Nebraska Territory, arriving at Fort Kearny on November 11, 1854. At this time, the First Fort Kearny was located in present day, Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Like many pioneers, life was hard a challenging at this time period (1854). Jonathan Higgins spent the next five years moving freight with an ox team from Nebraska City to Denver, Colorado. This trip took three months to make one round trip.

Jonathan Higgins joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in February 1858 in Nemaha County, Nebraska. He spent much of his time reading and studying the bible. While living in Nemaha, he served two terms as county commissioner; justice of the peace; and a member of the school board.

On November 26, 1857, Jonathan Higgins (age 20) married Mary Fletcher Good. Twelve children were born to them:

  1. Lamira Isabelle “Belle” Higgins (1858-1946). She married James H. Edmisten, Nemaha County, Nebraska. ;
  2. Lowell Mason Higgins (1860-1916). Born in Auburn, NE. Elected Sheriff of Red Willow County (McCook), Nebraska in 1900-1911. ;
  3. Lillian Lavica Higgins (1862-1898) Born in Nebraska City, NE. Married C.F. Stuck and lived in Nuckolls County, Nebraska. Died of consumption. ;
  4. Ulysses Grant Higgins (1864-1952). Became a breeder of full blood Red hogs at Fairmont NE. ;
  5. Elbert Arlington Higgins (1866-1901). Died of consumption. ;
  6. Emery Hubert Higgins (1868-1919). ;
  7. Dennis W. Higgins (1870-1871); Born and died in Glen Rock, NE at one year of age. ;
  8. Oliver Burton Higgins (1872-1874). Died at age two. ;
  9. Oscar Higgins (1874-1874). Researchers believe that Oscar and Ida (#10) were twins. Both Twins died on the day they were born. ;
  10. Ida Mae Higgins (1874-1874). ;
  11. Mary Ethelyn Higgins (1877-1975). Married A.R. McCain, an oil operator and lived in Wyoming. ;
  12. Homer S. Higgins (1879-1880). Died at eight months of age. ;

As Jonathan’s luck came and went, the family would move around Nebraska, with children born and buried in several different Nebraska counties. Sadly, Mary Higgins died three days after giving birth to Homer 1880. She was forty years old.

On November 7, 1881, Jonathan married Phebe Helane Delay (1857-1923) in Nelson Nebraska. Phebe and Jonathan had three children:

  1. William Clarence Higgins (1883-1931). He became a farmer near Cambridge, NE;
  2. Clara Viola Higgins (1888-1972). Married H.C. Woodgate, a farmer living south of North Platte;
  3. Jennings Bryan Higgins (1897-1948). Graduated from North Platte High School. Served in WWI. He lived in California and was a postal worker.

When Jonathan first came to the Nebraska territory in 1854. He settled in what became Nemaha County and underwent horrible difficulties and just had one bad thing after another happen to him. It was difficult to make a living, as he was isolated from the markets; and had to contend with dry, hot weather. Not to mention grasshoppers and nearly every other infestation of pests. His land was reclaimed at one point.

When the Civil War occurred (1861-1863), Jonathan was involved in “freighting.” This meant that he was operating a team of ox, hauling goods by wagon over the Oregon Trail, from Nebraska City and Denver, including all the western forts and post in between those places. During the war years, he carried government supplies to the Forts across the prairie.

During the “Panic of 1873,” Jonathan lost every cent he had worked so hard for. Have any of my readers heard of the “panic of 1873?” This panic was a financial crisis that started in Europe and spread to North America. It lasted from 1873 to 1877. This “Panic” was known as the “Great Depression” until the events of 1929 and the early 1930s set a new standard for inflation and economic instability.

In 1880, Jonathan moved to Nuckolls county, where he bought land. By 1884, he bought additional land in Furnas county and was successfully raising livestock. He stayed in Furnas County until 1908. At that time, he sold his ranch and arrived in Lincoln County, and purchased land near Bignell. He maintained 340 acres and ranched until 1916, when he retired in North Platte. He was well known by many North Platte residents.

Jonathan Higgins died on April 26, 1924, at age 86, in North Platte, Nebraska. He was a devout Methodist, a Mason and an independent voter. He is buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Cambridge, Nebraska.

Thank you for reading! See you next week!

#NPHistoryArchives

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