McDermott Family
 As we were desirous of information about the McDermott family for the jubilee edition, Mrs. H. R. McNickle consented to write for information, and she received a reply from Elmer Peckham, a relative which we felt was interesting just as he had written it, as above.
We also received additional information about the McDermott family and the J. P. Burrows family which is printed as follows:
Michael McDermott, sons, Thomas and Stephen and daughter, Rosa came here in 1885 from Albany, Wisconsin, bringing with them machinery, horses, cattle, oxen and a small amount of household goods.
They brought two yoke of oxen, which they used to plow the sod in which to build their house and break the prairie for farming. They all took homesteads on Plum Creek. They hauled the water they had to drink from the valley 8 miles. They went to Lexington and Arapahoe for groceries taking them at least two days and nights to make the trip.
There were two neighbor families living near them, or near for those days, the Shaw family and the Skull family. They had small children, which would often go hungry before the men could return with food.
When the McDermotts first built their house they had no floor in it; to keep it from being too dusty they poured their wash water on it to keep it hard. It also
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had a sod roof, later they put a floor and a shingleroof as it is now.
Mr. McDermott took the first timber claim, walked two miles and set out the trees. There is still considerable timber there. He died there in 1889. In 1890 another daughter, Polly came to keep house for her brothers.
1886
1936
J. P. Burrows
Still Has "Soddy"
J. P. Burrows came here in 1886 from Westfield, New York. Upon arriving here he located the Crossgrove family whom he had been acquainted with in their old town, Westfield.
That summer he worked for "Bill" Johnston and for awhile for Murphys and homesteaded a quarter section of land now owned by Adolph Gewecke about eight miles northwest of Farnam, where he lived until he was married in 1891. He and his bride, Miss Rosa McDermott were married in the local Congregational church and moved to her homestead where they lived until Mrs. Burrow's death in 1929. Since that time Mr. Burrows has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. H. R. McNickle and other relatives. Mr. Burrow's other daughter, Mrs. C. H. Andrews lives at Grants Pass, Oregon.
1886
1936
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