You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>Ms. Eickhoff shared the story of her great-grandfather with UNL History Harvest graduate student assistant Rob Voss.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>Mr. Eickhoff shareed the story of his ancestors with UNL History Harvest graduate student assistant Rob Voss.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>Ms. Eickhoff shared the homestead, timber claim, and citizenship papers of her great-grandfather with UNL History Harvest graduate student assistant Rob Voss.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
This is Patrick Kennedy's admission for citizenship, made in Nebraska in 1884. At the time, a person had to continuously reside in the United States for five years before applying for citizenship and live within the state of application for at least one year. Patrick Kennedy, Sue Eickhoff's great-grandfather became secured the 160 acres as a homesteader in Nebraska in 1891, after being a citizen for seven years.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.This is Patrick Kennedy's homestead certificate given in accordance with the 1862 Homestead Act, securing his right to the 160 acres of land in Cedar County, Nebraska. Seeking to create more yeoman farmers, believed to be the backbone of antebellum America in the North, the Republican authors and advocates of the of the Homestead Act managed to pass it only after the Southern Democrats left the 37th Congress. Signed into law on May 20, 1862 the Homestead Act required the potential homesteader to be 21 years of age or older, or be the head of a family when filing an a claim for a federal land grant, live on the land for five years and have made improvements, and finally file the deed of title. After 1873 homesteaders in Nebraska and Kansas often filed claims for additional land under the Timber Culture Act seeking to enlarge their land holdings through claiming improvements planting trees.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>This is a Timber Claim granting Patrick Kennedy, Sue Eickhoff's great-grandfather, rights over 160 acres of land in accordance with the Timber Culture Acts of 1873, 1874, and 1878. First passed in 1873, the Timber Culture Act provided up to 160 acres of land to farmers for planting trees to better the land for cultivation and increase the rainfall in the western parts of the Great Plains. Most often, however, the Timber Claim allowed homesteaders to secure another section of land, leading to the repeal of the act in 1891. Yet the claims established for over ten years after 1891 as Patrick Kennedy's claim testifies. Since Patrick Kennedy became a citizen in 1884, and secured his homestead claim in 1891, it is probable that he established the claim in the early 1890s, as only citizens and homesteaders could establish Timber Claims after 1874.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>Terri and Dave Mabon share the story and photographs of their great-grandfather's second wife Charlotte and her family (pictures of Charlotte's family and the Littlefield's family reunion; letters exchanged between Charlotte and her sister) with the History Harvest graduate student assistant Leslie Working.
You can find this and other stories on the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Charlotte (Lotta) Littlefield (nee Roberts) was Joseph Littlefield's second wife, whom he married in 1887 after his first wife Hellen died in 1881. Robertses came to Nebraska from Illinois in 1864 to homestead in Cass County.
The letter comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Charlotte Littlefield's great-grandson.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>This is a letter to Charlotte Littlefield from her sister Anna and her husband Theodore. Anna probably wrote this letter in the late 1930s or early 1940s, since this is the time the interest in family history rekindles.
Charlotte (Lotta) Littlefield (nee Roberts) was Joseph Littlefield's second wife, whom he married in 1887 after his first wife Hellen died in 1881. Robertses came to Nebraska from Illinois in 1864 to homestead in Cass County.
The letter comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Charlotte Littlefield's great-grandson.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Dear Sister,
I have intended writing you
for some time in regard to the
old home. But have had a
slight cold and felt rather
(?)less. Then as you know I
have so much writing to do that
some of it is pushed back for lack
of time. I do not re-member just
what I wrote you – But the Burlington
(C-B-rd-) crossed with Nebr at Platto
(?) in July 1869. And then then pushed
on to Ashland and Lincoln. We were
living in the house. Then I can re
member that a number of the men
used to come to our house for food
we cooked and ate in the basement
---------------------------
and slept I think on first floor you
may re-member that the rooms were
furnished by peace-meal and the room
intended for our parlor not finished
until J-M took the place over. The
Congregational church was organized in
Ashland in may 1871 So that
I presume Rev (?) Knowles only preached
from the time we moved in until then
Rev Ara Farnell (?) you will remember was
the first pastor at Ashland for the Con-
gregational church. The (?) (?) that
did not pass our place. But the freight-
ers going from Nebr City and Plattsmouth
to Denver and other points west. I will
keep on making inquiry in regards
copy of mothers picture. If you want to
write G.G. I think a letter to Siux Falls
would be forwarded. Keep well-
Dearest love
Theodore and Anna
Charlotte (Lotta) Littlefield (nee Roberts) was Joseph Littlefield's second wife, whom he married in 1887 after his first wife Hellen died in 1881. Robertses came to Nebraska from Illinois in 1864 to homestead in Cass County.
The letter comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Charlotte Littlefield's great-grandson.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
]]>This is a letter to Charlotte Littlefield from her sister Anna and her husband Theodore. Anna probably wrote this letter in the late 1930s or early 1940s, since this is the time the interest in family history rekindles.
Charlotte (Lotta) Littlefield (nee Roberts) was Joseph Littlefield's second wife, whom he married in 1887 after his first wife Hellen died in 1881. Robertses came to Nebraska from Illinois in 1864 to homestead in Cass County.
The letter comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Charlotte Littlefield's great-grandson.
For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Dear sister Lottie
a little note to remind you that
I have not forgotten your birthday
I am so glad to see you looking
well and we wish you many happy
birthdays to follow. We were glad
to have had the little visit with
you and your family. So glad to
have seen Harry again and also
to meet his wife. She seemed very
pleasant and interesting. Gill(?) and
Verma(?) are such worth while young
people. We hope that the elements
will not dry them out this coming
year but give them Nebraska in
general an abundant crop.
we too feel very much warmed over
-------------------------
the condition of Josephine's little girl
and hope that the will be marked im-
provement when we hear again.
Lottie I talked with our (?)est Supervisor
in our schools about having copies
of mothers picture made – She knows the
picture well. Thinks there is noone
here now who could do it. There was
but she has gone. She told megapho-
tographes who might be able to do it
I will see him soon – and let you know
what he has today. A few years ago
before the old home burned Ray Reas(?)
took a Kodac picture of it I asked him
when we were there in June to get it
for me. He kept neglecting it and only
got it two or three days before it (?)
which I think was in September. I thought
it was Pioneer History, Built before
the Burlington R R came into Nebr.
The Stage coach stopped there to lease and
----------------
take mail on their route. Freighters
from Nebr City and Plattsmouth on
the trail to Denver passed by long
(?) (?) Mr Knowles held
services there every other week on Sun
afternoon and as I have said to our
children – it was "Community
Centre" without being named such
Rays Kodac was very small but you
can have the picture made larger
if you wish. Lulu(?) had one made for
one 7x5 inches. It is a very good picture
if you would like to have a picture of
the old house I will send you the
film. I am enclosing the one Ray had
finished. Theo thinks mine is 8x5 inches
I went into the house but not upstairs
Some changes which were an improve
ment. You were in California then
------------------
your visits have been so short that
we did not have time to think of
nor talk of our doingo(?) . You must
come when you can stay long
enough that we will get caught up
on our visiting. I am enclosing
the picture of the old home that Ray
had finished. The larger one that Lulu(?)
Had made for me shows up better.
We hope that you have a comfortable
winter and keep well.
With love to you and yours-
Theodore and Anna
Should I address letters to Verna(?) to
Aurora or Hampton?