Odessa Township Minutes

Donated to the Archives by Wayne Webb

Originally Crowelton Precinct

March 24, 1884 – First entry – Odessa Township Minute Book
        Moved and carried to petition the county for 5216 feet of bridge lumber
            [Followed by the specifics of length and size of boards they wanted.]

April 1, 1884 – Board met but not a quorum so adjourned to April 8
        Then followed the Annual Meeting.

Apparently even though the board members were not present 14 other men were
A moderator was chosen and sworn in (F O Ransom, young farmer in late 20’s)

Voted 13-1 for 2 mill for bridge purposes
    Voted 14-0 1 mill for road purposes
        Voted 12-2 1 mill for support of poor

15 minute recess
        [one more must have arrived; now 15 voting except on the first motion]

Voted 4-8 against 2 mills for general fund

Voted 10-5 to reconsider the bridge fund motion
        Voted 10-5 to amend motion for bridge fund to read Bridge & General Fund

Voted 14-1 to pay constables $3 a day out of the General Fund for removal of dead animals and other offensive matter and 50 cents for each notice

Voted 12-3 to reconsider road tax motion
        Voted 10-3 that there no special tax be levied for roads

Voted 11-3 to levy 1 mill for general fund

April 8, 1884 –
Decided location of a bridge across the north channel of the Platte.
        That’s what the lumber was for that they voted to petition the county for last month.

R. E Barney was charged with not reporting the true value of his personal property for tax assessment purposes.

        The Town Board wanted to raise his valuation by $600.

        He was to appear before the Board when it reconvened.

April 14, 1884 –
        1. Petition to have a special meeting to raise funds “to defray the necessary expenses of this Town.”

        2. Barney did not appear before the board and the Board decided that he had more property than he had listed and raised his valuation by $1000.

Jan. 1885 –
        1. Among other appointments, Otto Olson was appointed constable of the township

            Reported in the Kearney New Era - Aug. 1886 – “In my last item about Odessa I omitted to mention the happy home of Mr. Otto Olson. His farm consists of eighty acres, all of which is laid out in beautiful style; his grain, corn and meadows are excellent, and his grain is neatly stacked. Everything looks prosperous. When he appears on the road it is behind a beautiful young black horse. He was born in Sweden and has been eight years in Buffalo County. ..

        2. Question raised: Can the township levy property tax on unpatented land?
            Land owners have to pay property tax. Renters do not.

            A homesteader does not own his land until he proves up – lives there 5 years, puts in improvements.

            Then he receives a Land Patent from the government – a deed to the property.

            So during that period of time between filing on the land and receiving his Patent, does he have to pay property taxes?

            They did not know and decided to ask the county attorney –
                [did not see an answer to the question]

March 1940 – Vote to buy a snow plow

Jan. 1942 – Big book ends

1953 – Book II begins --- Jan. 1956 – Book II ends

April 1953 – agreement to go under Social Security

Nov 4, 1953 –
“The board entered an agreement with the county board to grade a mile of new road starting one mile east and one mile north of Odessa and extends one mile north. [Eagle Road between 39th & 56th St.] It will replace a winding road through …[a] pasture and eliminate the need of replacing a rotted out cattle underpass. The new underpass was estimated to cost between $500 & $800. [A] County Commissioner… agreed to grade the road on the line for $1000 to be paid as soon as money is available.” Earl G Webb, Clerk


Webb family in Odessa Township
Ernest Richard Webb
        Signed a petition in April 1884 to hold special meeting to raise general funds
        Member of the Township board in 1886

1900 Census
        Ernest Webb in Odessa Township, residence in Amherst
        Children included 3 boys -
            Harry R, - lived in Kearney, had sons Ralph & Lester
            Fred G, - lived in Odessa Township
                Had sons Earl & Lawrence
            Milton H, - lived in Odessa Township
                Had son Wayne


        Son Milton was town clerk in 1939

        Son Fred was a member of the board in 1953

        Grandson Earl (Fred’s son) was clerk in 1953

        Grandson Wayne (Milton’s son) was treasurer in later years

5 members in 3 generations of Webbs served on the Odessa Township board

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Some Causes of death:
Malnutrition & shock – age 95 in 1948
Degeneration of the spinal cord – age 78 in 1934
Spinal trouble – age 14 in 1900
Old age – 98 in 1919; 70 in 1920; 83 in 1922
Sudden death – age 80 in 1980; 89 in 1980
Softening of the brain – age 43 in 1908
Severe internal injuries – male, age 18 in 1962, from Odessa
Female trouble – age 20 in 1901