The Frontier -5---S---=5= VOL r XI O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26. 1940 NUMBER 33 .... HEART ATTACK FATAL TO PROMINENT HOLT COUNTY CITIZEN WEDNESDAY Former Representative and State Senator Had I^ong Been Active in Affairs of the County and State John A. Robertson, one of the pioneer residents of this county and long prominent in the civic and political affairs of the county and this section of the state passed away at his farm home northeast of this city Wednesday afternoon about *3 o’clock from a sudden heart attack. The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. H. D. Johnson officiating, and interment in the cemetery on his home place northeast of this city. He leaves twelve children to mourn his passing besides several grandchildren. The children are Mrs. Lottie Wiedman, Plainview; Mrs. Elsie R. Anderson, Omaha; George C. Robertson, O’Neill; Hel en E. Sundell, Wakefield; Harriett J. McElhaney, Omaha; John A. Robertson, Jr., Chicago; Samuel R. Robertson, O'Neill; Ray R. Rob ertson, Dakota City; Rachel A. Robertson, O’Neill; Rebecca M. Ernst, Spencer; James A. Robert son, Sioux City, Iowa; Dick W. Robertson, O’Neill. On March 24, 1938, Mr. Robert son wrote the following sketch of his life and mailed a copy to each of his children and a few close per sonal friends. There is much of interest in the article and we here with reproduce it in full. John A. Robertson was born in a log house on a farm in the White River Valley between Seymour and Brownstown, Jackson county, Indi ana, on January 22, 1867. My father died when I was about three years old and before my I youngest sister was born. The! family left was my mother, my two j sisters and myself. I was the old est of the three children. My old est sister was Mrs. O. E. Ott and she died and was buried at Dick-1 son, Tenn., on August 22, 1933. My youngest sister was Mrs. H. J. Worth and she died January 9, 1936, and was buried in the Pleasant Valley cemetery near Meek, Nebr. We were not wealthy; my father left us a small farm of 28 acres, 10 acres of it timber, and neither were we “poor white trash” but my mother had to save every penny and we lived very frugally and as soon as we children got old enough we got jobs helping the neighbors for whatever they would pay us and I worked one summer for $7.00 a month when I was 121 years old. It was figured that i could do one half of a man’s work and was worth one half of a man’s wages, which at that time was from $10.00 to $14.00 per month and a month there was 26 dry days and some times it took six weeks to get a month in. I felt pretty big because I could help my mother. My sisters got from 50 cents to $1 per week but wre all helped all we could and got along the best way we could. We were taught that lo take anything we did not earn would be a disgrace and w<- never heard of any such thing as relief. We attended the public rural school of that dale and our Indiana schools rated very good but we knew nothing of grades in school but had our first to sixth reader I and reading, writing and arith-, mi -lie. the three RRRs and a scholar might go just as far as he could and not be hampered by grades or heurs of study. The rent from our little farm of 28 acres with the few dollars and cents we could earn did not make a very big in come and our living was not very fancy at any time but we was happy in trying to do our best. At that time there was the great west Kansas, Nebraska, the Da kotas and on toward the setting sun and my mother always said we should go west if we could and get some free land but that seemed impossible bo us children but it was sointhing to hope for anyway. On January 11, 1883, my mother manned Samuel Beavers a friend of her younger days but then living at Malvern, Iowa, and we came to Malvern to live but my mother still clung to thg idea that we ought to go west and get some free land. Mr. Beavers was a carpenter and not much interested in land but she got him to go to Nebraska and he took a homestead now part of the place where Bill Fronek now lives, about fifteen miles northeast -of O’Neill. The land office was at Niobrara and he had six months to get on the land or forfeit his filing. He traded his town proper, ty in Malvern for an old team of horses and a wagon and sold all „f his household goods that we could not take along with us and in a covered wagon we struck out for the west. We crossed the Missouri river at Omaha on the ferry as there was no bridge there then nnd drove up Farnam street and on up the Elk norn river and the railroad and as far as we could see both before us and behind us as it was a stream of covered wagons all going west to get free homes, some with good teams and wagons, some with oxen and some with one horse an 1 one cow but all with the same object in view', Free Land. Creighton was the end of the railroad at that time and we drove across from there to Niobrara where we rented a farm and I did the farming and Mr. Beaver work ed at his trade of carpenter as there was plenty of building going on and plenty of work for everybody. In the fall of 1883 Mr. Beaver took lumber from Niobrara and built a shanty on the homestead and the rest of the family moved up while I got a job and stayed at Niobrara. The next year I held my job and Mr. Beaver broke a few acres on the homestead as required by law and worked at his trade while my sisters worked out and all helped keep things going on the home stead. In 1885 I was married to Rachel R. Hindman at Niobrara and in the spring of 1886 took a preemption ojn 80 acres that lays just north of our present home. A pre-emption was different from a homestead be cause we had to pay the government SI.25 per acre lor the land while for a homestead we had only to pay the land office fees and live on the land five years. In 1887 we sold the 80 and bought the home place and that has been our home ever since. We raised and educated a family of twelve, six girls and six boys, all living and all honorable and upright citizens and T am proud of every one of them. On Christmas day, December 25, 1935. we celar bra ted our Golden weddi ng and all the children was present as well as 18 grandchildren. On .June 15, 1836, my wife died and is buried it the cemetery on the home place. I have always taken an active interest in public affairs and in 1895 and 1897 was elected to the legislature from Holt county.( In 1913, 1915 and 1917 and again in 1925 I was elected to the state senate from this district. In 1913 I introduced and secured the pass age of the first mothers pension law ever passed in this state and wh;le some changes have sinci been made the law is practically the same as at first. On July 21, 1917, on the recom mendation of Governor Keith Ne ville I was appointed a member of the District Board for Division number one of Nebraska by Presi dent Wilson and served during the entire period of the World’s vva*'. This Board of five members passed on classification of men for service in the army and wo classified about 75000 men during our time of service. Our office was in Omaha in the court house and our territory was all of Nebraska north of the Platte river. This was an exper ience that was heartbreaking at times and I hope this country will have no more wars for many gen e'vitions to come. On March 31, 1919, our Board was relieved from fu'ther duty and 1 have my dis charge signed by E. H. Crowder, Provost Marshal General and S. It. McKelvie, governor of Nebraska. I a iso have a letter of appreci ation from General Crowder, all those papers beginning to turn vi 1 low with age. almost twenty jeats. Three of the five original members of our Board have died since the close of the World’s war. I l ave some very interesting let ter ami nnpers covering the time of my service on th's Board. Many interesting events happen ed on this 71 mile journey down life’s pathway but this is much too long now for me to describe any of them. I doubt if there ever was a period of time of the same length in the world's history that would compare with the time cov ered in this sketch. Word was received here last Sun day of the death of MichaelMc Nally, of Chicago, 111. Mr. McNally was married in 1909 to Miss Nora O’Malley of this city, who is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter O’Malley. Mr. McNally was well known in O’Neill, having visited here a number of times. He leaves to mourn his death, his wife, Nora, three daughters, Margaret and Grace of Chicago, Mrs. Frank Hop kinson of Louisville, Ky., and one son, Joe, who is in the army sta tioned near St. Louis, Mo. Two sons preceded him in death. BRIEFLY STATED Dr. Frank Gallagher, of La Crosse, Wis., arrived home on Sun day to spend Christmas with his mother, Mrs. J. P. Gallagher and friends. Donald Gallagher, of Lincoln, Nebraska, arrived here on Sun day to spend a few days visiting his mother, Mrs. £. F. Gallagher and other relatives and friends. Ed O’Donnell, of Okmulgee, Ok la., arrived here on Saturday to spend the Christmas holidays here with his daughter, Miss Patricia Oiiu other relatives and friends. J. B. ltyan left on Monday for Chicago., 111., where he will spend the holidays with his daughter, Mrs. Emmet Doyle and his sons, Bob and Joe. Lyle Hartford arrived home on Sunday evening from the Great Lakes training station to spend the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Hartford. Miss Luella Hartford, of Sioux City, Iowa, is expected to arrive on Tuesday evening to spend the holi days with her parents, Mr. and M rs. Geo. Hartford. Mis. Augusta McPharlin left Sunday for Omaha where she will spend the holidays visiting at the home of her daughters and with her son, Owen. Miss Dorothy Jordan, of the University of Nebraska, at Lincoln, arrived home on Saturday to spend Christmas with her mother, Mrs. Anna Jordan. Dr. and Mrs. J. L. Sutcliffe, of Custer, S. D., arrived here on Sun day afternoon to visit for a few days with Mrs. Sutcliff’s mother, Mrs. John Carr and other relatives. Miss Mona Melvin, of St. Louis, Mo., arrived here on Saturday to spend the Christmas vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Melvin. Mrs. H. J. Hammond left Thurs day afternoon for Denver, Colo., where she will spend Christmas with her daughter, Miss Mary Lois. Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Ruzicka left Tuesday foi Reufleld, S. D., where they will :r-jrd Christmas with Mrs. Ruzicka’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Sell. Junior Toy, a student at *the University of Nebraska, arrived home on Friday evening to spend the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Toy. Mrs. Jeannie Scott left Tues day for Omaha, where she will spend Christmas with her daugh ter and husband, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Oppen. The teachers of the O’Neill High school held their annual Christmas party at the Golden Hotel on Thursday evening at seven o’clock with a dinner. Mr. and Mts. P. C. Donohue and Mr. and Mrs. Jack Arbuthnot and daughter, Cecelia, will spend Christmas day in Petersburg, with Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Duffy. Due to the generosity of one of our readers, Mrs. William Storts, the editorial family will enjoy a chieken feed next Sunday. Many thanks, Mrs. Storts. Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Turner and children, of Winner, S. D., arrived here on Christmas day to visit at the home of Mrs. Turner’s mother, Mrs. Teresa Connelly. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. McManamy and Miss Maryann Kubitschek left Wednesday afternoon for Omaha, where they will visit friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. E'. H. Nelson and daughters and Miss Marie Reardon, of Norfolk, arrived here on Tues day to spend Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Reardon. Bill Biglin, a student at Creigh ton University, arrived home on Saturday to spend the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Biglin. A Pioneer Celebrates Her Eighty-third Birthday Eighty-three years ago on Dec ember 23, Mr a. J. M. Hunter was born and in honor of that anniver sary Mrs. Frank Hunter enter taied eight ladies at a 1 o’clock three-course luncheon on Monday. The house was decorated in Christmas decorations and the cen terpiece was a large color-glow i candle set in holly a£d silver decor, ations and the plate cards were; reindeers and Christmas trees. The afternoon was spent in working puzzles and playing games. Margaret McCormick Hunter j was born in Cedar county, Iowa, i and her early life was spent there until after her marriage in Febru i ary 1881, to Joseph Hunter, since ’ then she has lived in Nebraska, j They lived on a farm until 1914 when they moved to O’Neill. Her husband died in 1926. She is the mother of five children, two of whom are living. Wm. M. Hunter of North Bend, and Cleda Brady, of Calgary, Canada. BRIEFLY STATED George Ellsworth left Monday for Lincoln, where he will spend the holidays visiting friends. Andy Hansen will leave on Sat* urday for Cheyenne, Wyo., where he has accepted employment as a carpenter on a new government army camp which is being built there. j Neil Brennan, of Houston, Tex.t| a student at Rice Institute, arrived 1 on Tuesday morning to spend the j holidays here with his parents, Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. F. M.l Brennan. Mrs. F. M. Brenrun and Miss; Bernadette Brennan drove to Nor*' folk on Friday, where they met Lieut. Colonel F. M. Brennan of1 Fort Knox, Ky., who will spend the holidays here with his family. M. J. Golden will leave on Thurs day for Omaha, where he will meet his brother, Clear, of Cheshire, Conn., who will spend the balance of the holiday season here visiting relatives and friends. Mis. J. F. O’Donnell, of Omaha, arrived here on Saturday to spend a few days visiting relatives. Mrs. O’Donnell returned to Omaha on Tuesday, where she will make her home for the present. Miss Rose Mary Biglin and Ruth Ann Biglin, students at the Uni versity of Nebraska, arrived home on Saturday to spend Christmas with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Biglin. Mrs. Guy Cole and Mrs. Esther Harris drove to Sioux City on Fri day, returning home in the evening, and bringing Mrs. Harris’ daugh ter, Ruth, home to spend the holi days. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Mathews and daughter, Madge, of Lincoln, arrived on Saturday evening to spend the holidays with Mrs. Math ews’ father, R. H. Murray, and other relatives and friends. Mrs. Axel Borg and Mrs. Sam Robertson entertained the Alpha Club at the Borg home on Wed nesday, December 18. A lovely two-course luncheon was served at one o’clock. In the afternoon Christmas gifts were exchanged. Mr. and Mrs. Ira Moss and daughters, H. J. Hammond and daughter, Margaret and son, George, left Monday for Denver, Colo., where they will spend the Christmas holidays visiting rela tives and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Sauers and Miss Betty Cambre, of Sargent, Nebraska, spent Christmas here at ; the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Sauers. They returned to their ; home at Sargent on Thursday af ternoon. Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Angster and son, Billie Dean, of Atkinson, mov ed to O’Neill on Thursday and will make this city their home. Mr. Angster has accepted a position as mechanic at the Lohaus Motor Company. , a* Active Livestock Market Monday With Prices Generally Improved The pre-Christmas auction at the local livestock market showed plen ty of action and buyers paid at-! tractive prices. The general ten dency was toward better prices with a definite upturn in the hog division. * The extreme top on choice steer calves was $11.40 and the bulk ini this class cashed from $9.90 to $10.80. Heifer calves were in light supply and paid mostly froni| $8.75 to $9.75. Yeearling steers of good quality sold from $9.00 to $9.60 with a few scattered choicei ones going at slightly higher figures. The quality of the cow offering was only fair to good and prices were about steady. Extreme top on weighty cows was $7.00 with most of them selling at $5.60 to $6.20. In the hog division the market undertone was firm with prices on all kinds showing a definite up swing. Handy weight butchers sold consistently at $0.00 and $6.05 and sows were mostly with in the $5.45 to $5.55 price range. Light lights reached upwards to $7.25 and pigs weighing around 40 pounds brought a fancy price of $8.20, which is a new high in several months. Sheep were very scarce, not a sufficient number to make a quot able market. About twenty horses and mules were included in the day's offering. The next regular auction will be held Monday, December 30. __1_ BRIEFLY STATED Mias Ruby Weiseman left for Sil ver Creek on Tuesday, where she spent Christmas with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Weiseman. Mr. and Mrs. George Agnes, daughters, Virginia and Lorraine, of Norfolk, and Mrs. Ben Grady, of Omaha, spent Christmas day in O'Neill visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Gatz and with other relatives and friends. Dr. J. P. Brown and Frank Big lin drove to Omaha on Thursday afternoon. They expect to return Friday afternoon, and will bring Mrs. Annie Hughes home with them. Mrs. Hughes has been in the hospital recovering from a re cent operation. Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Bergstrom, Mr. and Mrs. Ollie Rummel and Owen Davidson left Sunday morn ing for California, where they will spend Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Bergstrom’s sons, Leonard and Bob, and will attend the New Year’s day game in the Rose Bowl. Mrs. Letta Sexsmith left on Tuesday morning for Omaha, where she will visit her daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ma son. She will also visit her daugh ter, Mrs. John Selders at Griswold, Iowa, and her mother, Mrs. Lucy Miles at Bethany Mo., before re turning to O’Neill. Miss Etta Morgan, of Exeter, | Nebraska, arrived here on Satur day and is spending the holidays j at the homes of Mr. and Mrs. W. J.: Froelich anti Mr. and Mrs. Ed j Campbell. She will also visit at j the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Froelich before returning to Ex eter. Miss Ethel Rennet, a student at the Chillicothe Business College, ; Chillicothe, Mo., arrived here on Saturday to spend the Christmas holidays with her parents, Dr. and j Mrs. H. L. Bennett. She plans on 1 returning to Chillicothe to resume ! her studies at the school on Janu i ary 6th. Miss Mary Jane Kubitschek, | daughter of Dr. and Mrs. F. J. Ku hitsehek of this city, who arrived here on Saturday to spend the holi days with her parents, has been chosen as one of the nine princess es and candidates for queen for the 1941 Duchesne College Mardi Gras Ball, which will be held in Omaha in February. Miss Kubitschey is a senior in the College of Arts and will be graduated this spring with the class of 1941. ST. MARY'S CARDS WON TWO GAMES LAST WEEK Defeat Elgin and Inman With Decisive Scores In I,ast Week’s Frays St. Mary’s of O'Neill defeated Elgin, Nebr., 68 to 14 last Thurs day night and Inman, Nebr., 37 to 20 Friday night, to make the rec ord read 4 wins and 2 defeats. Against Elgin, the team was hot, scoring 18 points in the first quarter and keeping up that pace the entire game. Shoemaker of O’Neill led the scoring with 20 I points. Kersenbrock and Hickey of the Cardinals had 11 and 10 points respectively, while Vogel, Ball and Henman led Elgin with 3 points each. At Inman, on Fridoy night, the team got off to a slow start, thru difficulty in adapting themselves to the small floor. The Cardinals, however, led at halftime 9 to 6. During the third quarter Inman took the scoring lead for the first time during the game but lost it by the quarter when St. Mary’s again led 18 to 16. During the final quarter the Cardinals turned on the heat and were drawing away at the end of the game with a 37 to 20 scores Kersenbrock of St. Mary’s led both games with 12 points, while Watson, of Inman, had 8 points. Cardinal Reserves won both times—over Elgin reserves 17 to 14 and over Inman reserves 21 to 8. Busy Hour Club The Busy Hour Club met on Thursday. December 19, at the home of Mrs. Lowell Johnson, in O’Neill. All but two members were present. The house was dec orated very pretty, and all present were in the Christmas spirit. All members received a present. New officers were elected for the com ing year. Mrs. Bessie Wayman was elected president, Mrs. John Miller, vii -president; Mrs. Low ell Johnson, secretary and treasur er; and Mrs. Roberta Spindler, news reporter. One new member has been taken into the club. The afternoon wus spent in singing and playing games. Prizes were won by Mrs. Margaret Keefer, Mrs. Roberta Spindler and Mrs. Bessie Wayman. At the close of the meeting a de licious lunch was served by the hostess. The next meeting will be with Mrs. Bessie Wayman on Jan uary 30. CARD OF THANKS We want to express our thanks to all who gave their help to us at the time of the death and burial of our brother. Thanks for the words of comfort, the lovely flowers, and thanks to the choir who selected and sang so sweetly the beautiful songs.—The Brothers and Sisters, Nieces and Nephews of a wonder ful uncle and brother, Leslie Wertz. Mr. and Mrs, J. M. Buckman and Mrs. Sarah Wallace, of Gann Val ley, S. D., will arrive here on Tues day to spend Christmas at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Wallace. Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hancock and son, Marlin, of Tekamah, Ne braska, arrived here on Sunday and will spend Christmas here vis | iting at the home of his son, Ed, and family. Mr. and Mrs. Charley McKenna i and son, Meridith, left Tuesday for i Lincoln, where they will spend Christmas with their son, Hugh, and with other relatives and friends. Miss Leona and Ivan French, ! students at the University of Ne braska, arrived home on Saturday t