'
Neb. State Historical Society
BREEZES FROM
THE SOUTHWEST
By Romaine Saunders
Atkinson, Nebr., Star Route No. 5.
Why all the hooey handed to
the American farmer? He is not
a consummate idiot.
A correction is due as to the
cause of the death of H. L. James.
The report that it was pneumonia
was erroneous, relatives inform
me. Failure in the functioning of
kidneys was ascribed as the cause
of death.
Governor Griswold uttered a
classis in his message to the legis
lators when he said “let the peo
ple alone.” It strikes a responsive
chord in the ample bosoms of
Nebraska patriots and is recom
mended as a motto to be hung in
the national congress.
In those remote but not inglor
ious homestead days a sign sway
ing in the wind proclaimed a
homestead a couple of miles out
of town “for sail.” Part of it was
sailing ir| the wind the day I first
saw the sign. But the wrong word
on the sign did the business.
Frank Huntley bought the land
and layout; thus another family
of quality moved into a neigh
borhood being settled by citizens
of quality.
The country’s first co-operative
family health set-up, the Sand
hills Region Health Association,
has blown up by the simple and
ever enlarging process of resign
ing. The physician in charge quits
with the party salutation, “the
people expect too much.” It op
erated for a time out in a central
section of the Nebraska sandhills
district and fades out' as other so
cialized schemes have faded. This
one doctor concludes, after a few
month’s tryout, that “it can never
be made to work.” The plan pro
vides that each family in a desig
nated territory pay in $30 to a
community fund for one year’s
medical service,
f. -- ■
V
“Roll on, thou deep and dark
blue ocean, roll!” I wonder what
part George Gordon Byron’s
thundering verse plays in the call
of prairie boys to the sea. In the
ripple and flow of the waters of
the Elkhorn, James Carney heard
the call of old ocean, fitted him
self for a brilliant career in the
Navy and has been sacrificed on
the altar of human freedom. Our
youngest, before he had seen a
more extensive body of water
than Swan lake, felt the lure of
ships and the “shining big sea
water.” Today he is serving in
the national coast guard at Hono
lulu. Prairie boys—but in them
the human urge to break camp
and move on; the spirit of adven
ture and the pioneer, gives them
the stuff it takes to strike out and
see if the earth is really round;
while others of us have less cour
age and spend our lives in one
spot. —
Aft exasperated brother down
at 6riihha quits his job in connec
tion with oil refining because he
couldn’t take the griping of peo
ple coming into the office and
feared he might slug the next
one. Some officials are courteous,
pleasant and agreeable to deal
with, sensing that they are placed
there as servants of an erratic
public. Sometimes one gets the
idea that he is the boss to cuff the
public around. The characteristic
of the Nazi Gestapo crops out
even among us as a world-wide
human trait, though none yet
match the agents of Herr Hitler
in scientific cruelty. The gentle
man is to be congratulated for re
signing if he can’t deal with the
public. And that recalls what a
friend daily dealing with the
public recently told me. He looks
ahead a few years to a time when
he hopes to “get away from the
people” by moving into the
country.
Hate— implacable, final, abso
* lute hate—the apparition that will
sit with treaty makers at any
peace table. I have heard a gen
tleman of large experience abroad
say Yankees know nothing of
hatred. Bitter years, bitter cen
turies, have schooled the Czechs,
the Greeks, the Poles, the Musko
vites, the varied tongues and peo
ples of eastern Europe, in the cor
roding science of unrelenting
hate. And this is a stone wall that
our internationally minded world
rebuilders are going to run in to.
As a former mayor of O’Neill
would say, they reckon without
their host. Listen to this from a
group of Polish women: “We de
mand the ruins of a German city
Celebrates Golden Wedding Anniversary
i * ..- - - .- -- - ■
Rev. and Mrs. S. M. Ohmart
celebrated their Golden Weeding
Anniversary at their home lii this
city last Monday, with a reokption
tendered their many friends.
Samuel M. Ohmart and Miss
Luella Beck were married at
Chappel Lake, Michigan, January
11, 1893, and lived at Rodney,
Mich., for ten years. They then
came to Nebraska and have re
sided at Atkinson, Emmet and
O’Neill ever since.
Mr. Ohmart entered the minis
try forty-four years ago and still
preaches whenever there is a call
for him. He was 80 years of
age on June 21, 1942, and looks
15 years younger, and is in fairly
good health. Mrs. Ohmart has
been in poor health for some time,
but we are glad to report that her
health is much improved the past
few months. She was 69 years of
age on October 11, 1942,
They have three living child-!
reh, daughters, two of whom,
Velma and Merle, are on the
west coast and Elsie, who planned
the entertainment, with light re
freshments, at home. They have
seven grandchildren and one great
grandchild.
Rev. and Mrs. Ohmart received
many lovely gifts, among which
were a large boquet of pink and
white carnations, and numerous
greeting cards from friends all
over the country. Many friends
called during the day and
tendered their congratulations
to this estimable couple and ex
pressed the hope that they would
enjoy many more happy anniver
saries. Mrs. Ohmart was heard
to say “that it was one beautiful
Golden day for them, as the bright
sunshine helped to make it so.”
The afternoon was spent visiting
with old friends. Rev. Ohmart
rendered several selections on
the portable organ that he has
carried with him for over thirty
years, to the different points
where he held services.
The many friends of this estim-1
able couple in the county wish
them many more years of happy
wedded life.
O’Neill Man Recently
Graduated From
Aviation Radio School
Otho Russell Johnson of O’Neill
recently graduated from the Avi
ation Radio School, after complet
ing an intensive course in radio.
He enlisted in the Navy on June
24, 1942, and was sent to Great
Lakes, 111., for indoctrinal train
ing before being transferred to
the U. S. Naval Air Station at
Jacksonville, Fla. Now a quali
fied aviation radioman, Johnson
will probably be assigned to a
naval air unit for further duty.
Mr. and Mrs. Ned Saunders and
children, of Lincoln, and Mr. and
Mrs. Romaine Saunders, of south
western Holt, were in the city
Wednesday, visiting their many
friends and looking after business
matters. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders
and children came up from Lin
coln Monday to spend a week
with his parents. They expect
to return home Sunday.
Carroll O’Neill, of the Phoenix
neighborhood, was in the city on
Tuesday and favored this office
with a pleasant call, extending
his subscription to The Frontier
for another year.
Mrs. Clara Miles entertained at
a tea Tuesday afternoon in honor
of Mrs. J. E. Spencer.
for every bloody massacre, air
raids on German civilian popula
tion and tenfold executions for
every murdered victim in Poland.
We wish to hear about it through
the radio, in order that our prayer
for the wailing of German moth
ers may come true. Do not give
us words, do not ask us for per
severance. We have given ample
proof that we know how to per
severe. We have no use for di
plomacy or humanitarianism with
regard to the German brute and
postponement of revenge until af
ter the war.” The voice is Polish
but it speaks for outraged hu
manity across the continent. If
the time comes, those who have
suffered most as well as those
who have had the larger share in
the war on the Axis powers will
dictate peace terms. The aims of
the guiding minds of an older
generation that out of the sacri
fices of blood and treasure would
bloom a world “safe for democ
racy” perished in the grave of
disappointed hopes. Does history
and life’s experiences encourage
the thought that we can expect
anything better out of human
planning now?
Fay Puckett Has Ideas
On Farm Mobilization
O’Neill, Nebr., January 1, 1943.
Dear Editor: We seem to be liv
ing in an age of bureaus and com
mittees. Names of 37 men appear
in your paper as members of “M”
Day committee for Farm Mobili
zation Day.
That’s enough men for three
full threshing crews, or it would
make three shifts for George
Clacey’s corn sheller.
They are to have a meeting, af
ter which they will put more
wear on rubber, that can’t be re
placed, to go out and ask each
farmer and rancher to increase
his production.
One successful farmer and
feeder in this locality remarked
not long ago, “They have taken
all my help, I don’t see how they
expect me to do more than I’ve
been doing with two men to help
me.” If that committee will take
pitchforks and go to that man’s
farm in the spring, when his feed
lots thaw out, they can accom
plish something as he is a good
manager and knows how to get
things done if he can get the help.
In the early “thirties” with hogs
below the cost of production,
cows at $15 per head, and cream
at 12 cents per pound, enough
farmers managed to stay in the
game—without committees to tell
them how—so that we still have
a farmer for about every farm,
and now with farm produce
showing a profit and with so
many farmers having a son or
more in the service, he don’t
need a committee to ask him to
step up production—he had that
all figured out long before they
ever took that “M” out of the kin
dergarten alphabet. What he
needs is help, tractor fuel, ma
chinery, repairs—give him access
to these and he will work longer
hours, without complaining, than
any other working class.
The 37 men on that “M” Day
committee are all very fine men,
but I have neighbors in each di
rection whose advice I’d rather
have concerning the needs and
possibilities of my locality.
Sincerely.
FAY A. PUCKETT.
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Brennan and
son, Jerry, of Rapid City, S. D.,
returned home Tuesday, after at
tending the funeral of his brother,
Col. F. M. Brennan.
Miss Eileen Robertson enter
tained four girls at a six o’clock
dinner at a local cafe Monday
evening.
O’Neill High School
Basketballers Win
County Championship
This year’s Holt County Bas
ketball Tournament was a repe
tition of last year’s tournament,
with St. Mary’s of O’Neill and
O’Neill High in the finals. O’Neill
annexed the championship with
a 28-12 victory for the second
time in two years and the second
time in the school’s history.
An all-tournament ten selected
by the officials placed three play
ers from the champions: Gene
McKenna and Harold Calkins,
guards; Gene Wolfe, forward;
two from the runner-up, St.
Mary’s: Jack Gallagher and Bill
Grady. Other players gaining
recognition were: Leo Spittler
and Ted Tomjack, Ewing; Bob
Appleby and Eugene Harte, In
man; and Donald Heiss of Page.
Ewing swamped Chambers in
the game for third place by a
score of 47-14. Leo Spittler and
Gene McKenna' were high scorers
of the tournament with 32 and 31
points respectively.
The attendance at the tourna
ment this year was greater than
that of last year despite the fact
that there were three less teams
represented and the tournament
was cut one day shorter.
Anton Toy, Jr., Is
Appointed Cadet
Chief Petty Officer
Cadet Anton Toy, Jr., son of
Mr. and Mrs. Anton Toy, of
O’Neill, has been appointed a Ca
det Chief Petty Officer at the
U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School,
Iowa City, Iowa. This honor was
given to Cadet Toy in recognition
of ability and leadership that he
has shown during his first two
weeks at the Pre-Flight School.
Cadet Toy is undergoing a
three-month toughening-up course
at the Pre-Flight School in prep
aration for his flying duties. Af
ter he is graduated from the
School, he will g*fi hiS first flying
lessons at a Naval Reserve Avi
ation Base. Following three
months there, he will be given
advanced training, and then will
receive his wings and an officer’s
commission in the Naval Reserve.
Henry W. Washechek
Henry W. Washechek died at
his home in south O’Neill last
Sunday morning at 4 o’clock, af
ter an illness of about three
weeks, as the result of a heart
attack. The body was taken by
Biglin’s to Platte, S. D., on Tues
day afternoon and the funeral
services were held at Eagle, S.
D., Wednesday afternoon and
burial in the Eagle cemetery.
Henry Washechek was born
near Castle Rock, Grand county,
Wisconsin, on January 9, 1880,
and was 63 years and one day old
at the time of his death. When
he was a young man he went up
to South Dakota and located near
Eagle. On October 20, 1903, he
was united in marriage to Miss
Anna Sebesta, Eagle, S. D., the
ceremony being performed at
Eagle. Two children were born of
this union, Mrs. Hilda Shelhamer
and Carlyle Washechek, both of
this city, who with his wife are
left to mourn his passing. Ho is
also survived by two brothers and
three sisters.
Mr. Washechek came to this
city April 1, 1934, and engaged in
the cream business and for sev
eral years operated a cream sta
tion just south of this office. He
retired from the business about
two years ago and since that time
had been living in the Quig prop
erty south of the Northwestern
depot. Henry was a good citizen
and had a host of friends in this
city and vicinity who will regret
to learn of his sudden death.
Atkinson Hay Balers
Trim St. Mary's Basketball Boys
The St. Mary’s Cardinals bas
ket ball team traveled to Atkin
son last Monday night and came
home with a 23 to 7 defeat.
The Cardinals just could not
seem to get going and the Hay
balers were in top notch condition
with Tiny West giving the Car
dinals something to worry about
with his one-handed shots.
Gallagher and Grady looked
good for the Cardinals while West
and Wymore played the best
game for Atkinson.
The Cardinals second team also
lost by a score of 15 to 14.
The Cardinals next game here
j is Monday night with the boys
; from Page. So far the Cardinals
j and Page have broke even and
the locals are gunning for this one
I trying to hit the comeback trail.
Be sure and attend the game next
Monday and help cheer the Card
inals on to victory.
f
Holt County Pioneer
Passes Away At Home
Of His Daughter
William Evans, 84, resident of
Holt county for 47 years, died
Wednesday evening, January 6
at the home of his son, Lloyd, on
the farm 11 miles northeast of
Atkinson where he lived from
1895 until he retired and moved
to Atkinson about 12 years ago.
Mr. Evans had been living with
his son and daughter-in-law at
the farm the past two months.
He suffered a severe stroke Sun
day and remained in critical con
dition until his death.
Funeral services will be held
Saturday afternoon with a short
service at 2:30 o’clock at the Ev
ans home in Atkinson, followed
by rites at the Methodist church.
Members of Atkinson Lodge
No. Ill, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, will attend the fu
neral in a group and will have
charge of the rites at the grave.
Mr. Evans had been a member
of the order for more than fifty
years. Lodge members who will
act as pallbearers are L. C. Ge
nung, R. A. Findley, A. C. Pur
nell, L. E. McDowell, H. J. Heu
ton and W. F. Werner.
William Evans was born May
23, 1858, at Radnorshire, Wales,
and died at the farm home of his
youngest son, Lloyd, near Atkin
son on Wednesday, January 6,
1943, at the age of 84 years, seven
months and thirteen days.
He came to America when he
was a young man, arriving in
March, 1882, and settling in the
state of Wisconsin, where for two
years he worked on a farm. Mov
ing westward, he came to Ne
braska in 1885 and for a short
time lived at Wisner and worked
on farms near there. Then he
started operating a place of his
own near Hay Springs, where he
homesteaded and lived for ten
years.
Mr. Evans came to Holt county
in 1895 and lived on a farm near
O’Neill for a few years, then pur
chased a place eight miles east
and three miles north of Atkin
son, where he lived until he re
tired and moved to Atkinson in
the spring of 1931.
He became a member of the
Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows at Hay Springs in 1888 and
had his membership transferred
to the Atkinson lodge in 1904.
He was united in marriage to
Anna Bausch at O’Neill on No
vember 25, 1891. Mrs. Evans died
July 6, 1941.
Surviving are three daughters
and three sons: Mrs. Alice Stor-j
johann of Spencer; Miss Char-j
lotte Evans of Casper, Wyo.; Ar
thur, of Norfolk, Nebr.; Mrs. Le-,
ola Peterson of Atkinson, Nebr.;'
Robert, of Rockford, 111.; Lloyd,
of Atkinson, Nebr. He is also
survived by a sister, Mrs. Polly
Morgan, who lives in Radnor
shire, Wales.—Atkinson Graphic.
Mary McDermott
Mrs. Mary McDermott died at
her home in this city last Sunday
afternoon at 3:17 o’clock, after an
illness of about six months, at the
age of 75 years, four months and
twenty-five days. The funeral was
held Wednesday morning at 10
o’clock from the Catholic church,
Rev. Father Brick officiating, and
burial in Calvary cemetery, at
the side of her husband, who
passed away on October 25. 1921.
Mary Dixon was born in Scran
ton. Pa., on August 15, 1867. When
she' was a little girl of thirteen
years her parents came to this
county in 1880 and located north
west of O’Neill, where she grew
to womanhood on the farm there.
On January 26, 1886, she was
united in marriage to Dominick
McDermott, the ceremony being
performed in this city. Nine
children were born of this union,
one of whom preceded her mother
in death. The living children are:
Mrs. Vernie Wynn, Butte, Mont.;
Beatrice Lawyer, O’Neill; Mike,
Seattle, Wash.; James, Mrs. El
mer Sterns, Mrs. Joe Kubik, Dom
inick, and Gerald, all of O’Neill.
She is also survived by twenty
nine grandchildren and seven
great grandchildren; also four
sisters and one brother. Her sis
ters are: Mrs. John Gallagher,
Atkinson; Mrs. John Mulligan,
Wood Lake; Mrs. Dell Johnson,
O’Neill; Mrs. Ed Heeb, Atkinson.
Mrs. McDermott was one of the
real old pioneers of the county,
having lived here for sixty-two
years. For years she lived on a
farm northwest of town until fail
ing health caused her husband to
dispose of his place and move to
town on or about 1918, and this
had been her home ever since.
Pfc. Dale Matula, U. S. M. C.t
of New River, North Carolina, ar
rived Wednesday to visit friends
for a few days.
Colonel Francis M. Brennan
Passed Away Friday Evening
O’Neill Boy And A Graduate Of West Point Military
Academy; Had Been In Poor Health For A
Year; Funeral Held On Monday
Citizens of this city were shock
ed last Saturday morning when
word was passed around that Col
Francis M. Brennan had passed
away the night before, after suf
fering a stroke about 5:30 o'clock,
from which he never rallied and
passed to his reward about 11:30,
at the age of 48 years, six
months and 17 days. The funeral
was held Monday morning at 10
o’clock from the Catholic church.
Rev. Father Brick officiating, and
burial in Calvary cemetery. The
funeral was largely attended and
about 40 members of the Ameri
can Legion from O'Neill and At
kinson were in attendance and the
firing squad gave the final salute
over the grave of their departed
comrade.
Francis M. Brennan was born
in O’Neill on June 24, 1894, the
sor> of the late Col. Neil and Mrs.
Brennan. He was educated in the
public schools of this city and in
the spring of 1912 he went to
Annapolis, Md., and attended a
preparatory school. In July, 1913,
he entered the West Point Mili
tary Academy and was graduated
from there on April 20, 1917, and
commissioned a1 Lieutenant in the
regular army.
Shortly after his graduation he
went across the water and par
ticipated in World War No. 1. He
was with the army of occupation
in Germany until 1923, when he
returned to the United States. He
Was on the Florida University
R. O. T. C. staff from 1923 to
1928. In 1929 he graduated from
the Infantry Advanced Course at
Fort Banning, Ga. In 1931 he
graduated from the Command
and General Staff School at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan. In 1932 he
graduated from the Tank School
at Fort Meade, Md. In 1933 he
graduated from the Army War
College at Washington, D. C. He
served as an instructor in the
Command and General Staff
School at Fort Leavenworth,
Kan., from 1934 to 1939. He serv
ed on the General Staff of the
First Armored Division in 1940.
■ Served on the General Staff of
the First Armored Corps in 1941,
and on the General Staff of the
Armored Force in 1942. until his
retirement last August on account
of ill health.
On February 22, 1922, he was
united in marriage to Miss Mary
Devine, of Providence, R. I., the
ceremony being performed in
Brussels, Belgium. Five chiflUren
were born of this union, all of
whom are living and are left to
mourn the passing of a kind and
affectionate husband and father.
The children are: Neil Francis,
John Leonard, Herbert Owen,
Mary Devine and Margaret Pat
rica. He is also survived by three
brothers and two sisters: John,
Park City, Utah; Neil, Rapid City,
S. D.; Thomas, Lincoln, Nebr.,
Mrs. M. Pfeiler, Hot Springs, S.
D., and Miss Bernadette, O’Neill.
All of his sisters, with their hus
bands, and his brothers, with
their wives, were present at the
funeral, except John.
The death of Col. Brennan is a
severe loss to his family and rel
atives and to his country in this
hour of our country’s trial. He
was thoroughly trained in the
art of war and would have been,
a valuable asset to the officials of
our army across the seas if ill
health had not forced his retire
ment last August. His health be
gan to fail about eleven months
ago and, although attended by
some of the ablest physicians in.
the United States, no permanent
relief was available. For the past
month he was feeling much bet
ter and hope was general that he
was on the road to ultimate re
covery. He was down town the
day he died and was feeling es
pecially good that day. A few
hours later he had passed away.
The Frontier joins the many
friends of the family in this city
and county in extending to the
bereaved relatives its heartfelt
sympathy in their hour of sorrow.
O’Neill Public Schools
Will Present Musical
Program Tuesday
»■— ■
The vocal and instrumental
music departments of the O’Neill
Public School will present a pro
gram at the high schol auditor
ium on Tuesday, January 19 at
8:15 p. m. The vocal groups will
present the following numbers:
Girls Chorus—
1. “Into the Night,” Clara Ed
wards.
2. “Childrens. Prayer,” — from
“Hansel and Gretel,” — E.
Humperdinck.
Boys Chorus—
1. “Hiking Song,” Beatrice and
Max Kranes.
2. “Celtic Hymn,” Hugh Robert
son.
3. “The Ranger Song,” from
"Rio Rita,” Harry Tienney.
Mixed Chorus—
1. “To Thee We Sing,” Konstan
tin Schvedov.
2. "I Heard a Forest Praying,”
Peter DeRose.
Numbers by the band will be:
1. March, “The Stratoliner.”
2. Selection, “Melody A La
King,” Alford.
3. South American March, “La
Siesta," Caneva.
4. Overture, “Morning Noon and
Night in Vienna,” Von
Suppe.
The combined band and mixed
chorus will close the concert with
j "All Out America,” by Max and
Beatrice Krane.
Mrs. Ptak is director of the vo
cal groups and Mr. George is di
rector of the band.
Bennie Johring Elected
President Of F. F. A.
Bennie Johring, junior and a
student of Vocational Agriculture
! for three years, was elected presi
dent of the local F. F. A. Chapter
I at the regular meeting on Tuesday,
i January 12.
Other offices were filled by
Durven Kipple as vice president;
Charles Johnson, for secretary;
Dean DeLong, as treasurer;
Dewey Shaffer as news reporter
and Forest Riley as Watch Dog
After the election a shorl
speech was heard from both new
and old officers.
Judge D. R. Mounts and Courl
Reporter McElhaney held coun
in Rock, Brown and Keya Pahs
| counties on Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Dean
Streeter Celebrate 25th
Wedding Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Streeter cel
ebrated their 25th wedding anni
versary on Sunday, January 11.
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde
Streeter. The house was appro
priately decorated in silver and
pink, with pink and white car
nations being used as a center
piece. A dinner was served at
noon to twenty-five relatives and
friends of the couple.
Miss Gertrude Murray and
Dean Streeter were married on
January 10, 1918 at St. Patrick’s
church, Reverend Father Cassidy
officiating.
The couple received many love
ly gifts, among them a beautiful
ly decorated three-tier wedding
cake, which was baked by the
baker of their original wedding
cake.
Out of town guests included
Mrs. P. Streeter and son Bine, of
Brunswick; Mr. and Mrs. F. M.
Farrell, of Plainview; Mrs. Joe
Morley, of San Diego, Calif.; Mr.
and Mrs. W. J. Baker, Mrs. Jack
Smith and Kenneth McKnight,
all of Brunswick.
Their friends wish them many
more years of wedded happiness
and prosperity.
The stockholders of the O’Neill
National bank held their annual
meeting last Wednesday, the
meeting having been postponed
from Tuesday. At this meeting
the following directors were re
elected for the ensuing year:
Charles E. Abbott, Emma D.
Weekes, Julius D Cronin, E. F.
Quinn and F. N. Cronin. At a
meeting of the directors the fol
lowing officers were elected:
Emma D. Weekes, President; F.
N. Cronin, Vice President; E. F.
Quinn, Cashier; J. B. Grady, As
sistant Cashier. The officials say
they had a very successful year
and that prospects for the future
were bright.
Mrs. D. H. Cronin entertained
Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Miles and Mr.
and Mrs. F. A. Miles at a 6:30
dinner at the M and M Sunday
evening, in honor of Mr. Cronin’s
birthday.
Anton Toy went to Omaha on
Sunday to attend the annual
Market Week, returning home
this morning.
