Harrison Township
Sources:
Archives
ESU 10
County Court House – Assessors office, Register of Deeds office
Randy & Jerry Bentley (members of township board) & father Les
Susan Day Underhill
Location
Range column on western edge of the
county – Range 18
Township row farthest north – Township12
Harrison is Township 12, Range 18 – the township in the northwest corner
of the
County, starts 2 miles north of Miller.
What does it look like?
High compared to Platte Valley, rolling
hills
Lot of grassland, some corn & hay
Loup River enters the county and crosses almost the entire width of the
township,
entering Sartoria township only about 1 ½ miles south of the
Buffalo/Sherman
county line.
Several streams flow into the Loup
Elk Creek from the north
Otter & Dry Creek and several
drainage routes
The south edge of the township appears to be a watershed with some
streams
starting here and flowing into the Loup while a few others go south to
the
Wood River.
Sandy soil in north along Loup River blending into more clay farther
south.
Few roads compared to other townships in the county
Of 84 possible miles in a township, Harrison has 44 & 3 minimum maint.
Highway 183 through all of Harrison Township 2 miles east of the
Buffalo/Dawson county line.
What’s there?
No towns or community centers
No cemeteries
One rural church – Grand View Emmanuel Missionary –
Small sect - headquartered in Indiana
Buildings – church, windmill, small house which was parsonage
No minister living there since the 1960’s
Well maintained
Weekly services, summer Vacation Bible School
Membership less than 20 now.
Milt’s Store on county line. Now closed
Operated by Seraphine (100) and daughter Virginia
3 sites – 1st by railroad bed, 2nd by
road, 3rd back from widened road.
Convenient, closer than Miller
Aspen Dairy
Schools:
Grand View – near Grand View church
Wild Horse – 2 m south of Milt’s & 1 m west,
across the road from Darby & Douglas Line places now.
(one whose name and location I’m not sure of)
Red Wing – Formed in 1883 by consolidating Dist. 37 and 54.
Organizational meeting held at sod hoe of Frank Burge
First school census taken in April
1884 – 79 school age children in 51 families
1886 census – 31 school age children
in 15 families
June 1887 – one acre of land leased
from Frank Burdick to build a schoolhouse
[Frank Burdick homesteaded in Section
11 along the Loup River]
$1 per year for as long as a school
was on the property
Frame school, 22’ x 32’, cost $200,
door at east end, 3 windows/side
Teacher’s desk on stage at west end,
stove in middle.
Painted white with red shutters –
thus the name.
No well at first. Got bucket of water
from nearest home ¼ mile away
1916 – building replaced. Located in
Sec. 10
1989 – closed
Today – dilapidated, Bell tower but
no bell
Was sold at auction but buyer did not
move it in 60 days allotted
Children now go to Amherst, SEM, or
Ansley
The People:
Richard Pierce – County Supervisor
Harse, John -
Born October 17, 1852 in England
Came to US in 1871
Iowa, for a short time
Spring 1872 – Polk county, Nebr.,
farmed and raised stock 6 years.
Fall 1879 homesteaded on the Loup
River northwest corner of Buffalo county.
Built sod house, replaced in 2 years
by house of logs from along the Loup
May 1, 1881 – Married Abbie J. Cassel
[that’s probably why the log house]
Five children – James, Ethel, Howard,
Lloyd, & Ineze Emma
Served on County Board of Supervisors
Accumulated 2748 acres of ranch land,
2308 in northwest corner of Harrison
Township, 40 acres north in Custer Co. & 400 acres west in Dawson Co.
Abbie died in 1911 and is buried in Armada Cemetery, large, ornate stone
John returned home to England,
married Emily
Died October 4, 1923
Land he owned in England [possibly
inherited] went to Emily
Land he owned in Nebr. went to 5
children
James apparently bought out the other
4
When he died in 1943 his widow sold
the ranch
Now owned by Zero Hereford South,
Inc.
Lloyd possibly worked the western
part of ranch, was in Dawson Co. in 1920
Then bought a ranch southwest of
Valentine
Howard was in Adams Co. at time of
his father’s death
Ethel was married, living in Colorado
when father died
Emma also married, living in Omaha
when father died
No Harse now –
James had 4 daughters
Lloyd had 3 daughters
Howard moved away, children unknown
Both daughters married, children have
different surname
[Susan Day Underhill’s 4 grandparents all lived within 2 miles of each other
growing up.]
Daugherty & Wells – homesteaded the 2 north quarters of Section 22, came
from Illinois
Keyser – homesteaded ne ¼ Sec. 34, came from Iowa,
sod house then frame like vbrick house in Iowa
Day – from Indiana, purchased land in Sec. 35 (rr land)
Daugherty daughter married Day son
Wells daughter married Keyser son
Day son married Keyser daughter – Susan’s parents
Boyds – James & Benjamin, came with Days, homesteaded 2 south quarters of
Sec. 34
Ben, Sr. also homesteaded in Buffalo
Co
Bentley – Morrison, Minnie, Carrie all homesteaded.
One piece still owned by descendents.
Current residents are Les & sons Randy & Jerry, their cousins, Larry &
Ronald.
Judy – Swiss, Wild Horse Valley in Harrison Twsp., came with Emmets
McCann, James – Homesteaded a ¼ section
September 23, 1916 – declared insane
by Lancaster Commissioners of Insanity
October 18, 1916 – Wife, Ida, filed
for Guardianship
James at
Ingleside [Hastings]
Property – the homesteaded ¼ plus
another ¼ with touching corners
[no probate,
did wife, as guardian, sell his land for his keep?]
Beavers, Sam – Homesteaded along Loup River
August 30, 1920 – Living in Elm
Creek, age 84, declared incompetent
Son, Sam Jr., filed for guardianship
Romaine St. John to be in charge of
estate
6 children
May 22, 1921 – Died - No real estate
Buckley, Drucilla – Homesteaded 160 acres in 9 & 10
Husband’s name was William
Marriage records for daughters Annie
and Ida
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