Stedmans to Frontier
 By Mrs. Chas. Stedman nee Lavinnia Lapp  George Stedman in company with "Bob" McLaughlin, Ben and John Marshal, and two other men of whom we did not know arrived in Frontier county in the fall of 1885. Mr. Stedman homesteaded a short distance southeast of what is now Moorefield. A sod house 14x16 was built, the roof was covered with willows then sod on top. The following spring, April 26, 1886 the family consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Stedman and six children: Elizabeth, Charles, James, Lucy, Alice and John arrived taking possession of the little sod shanty on the claim. Water had to be hauled in a barrel on a sled from the home of a neighbor by the name of R. K. Hise, on the place where Roy Welch now lives.
At the time the family homesteaded there was no railroad in Moorefield, not even a house, and Charles hauled the first load of brick for the first store in Moorefield. He hauled many loads of
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lumber from Farnam with teams, the best means of transportation at that time.
This country was nearly all prairie at that time, only a few patches broke out, with no laid out roads, we just made trails anyway we wanted to go. The main road south of Moorefield used to angle across the school section from southeast to northwest.
The Stedmans came from Bancroft, Harrison county, Missouri to Nebraska to the homestead, which has been in the family since 1885. Delbert Stedman, a son of Chas. Stedman lives on his grandfather's homestead.
Chas. was 18 years of age the fall before the family moved, and he has weathered the storm and sunshine now 50 years, and says he has always had plenty to eat and wear. Mr. Stedman has been in failing health the past seven years, not able to da any work during this time. Mr. and Mrs. Stedman live 5 miles southwest of Moorefield.
I came here a girl of 15 in 1892 and have been here ever since with the exception of part of two years Mr. Stedman and I spent in New Mexico for his health.
1886
1936
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