Interesting Pioneer Story of Reed Family
By Mrs. Victor Peterson, Bertrand.
One of Farnam's old pioneers who has now passed on, was J. W. Reed who came here in the early part of 1886. He and a brother-in-law by the name of Frank Land loaded their household goods in Henry county, Iowa and shipped them to Cambridge. From there they hired a team and wagon to transport their goods to Farnam. Cambridge was the nearest railroad point in those early days. Mr. Land had been here previously and taken out homestead papers and it was to his place they unloaded. Mr. Reed filed on a homestead ten miles southwest of Farnam, on the place which belongs to Jim Hazen and occupied by Eldin Roberts.
A few weeks after Mr. Reed arrived in this neighborhood his wife and two little children, Bertha and Wallie, then 3 and 1 years of age arrived. They had some difficulty in proving on their claim and in the meantime moved to Moorefield, the highline then being under construction. They opened an eating house there and fed the railroad workers.
One Sunday evening while 22 railroad men were enjoying their supper, little Bertha slipped away and was playing on the turntable, which was unlocked. In some manner the machine started and her little foot was caught in the machinery. Railroad men in those days were rough and tough but big-hearted for all their outward appearance. They got out the old pumper type handcar and hurried to Curtis and brought back a doctor who ministered to the little tot for three days. It was apparent that the only way to save her life was to amputate the foot. Two other doctors were summoned and the amputation was made. The doctors names were Wilson, Winston
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and Webster. The little girls made a rapid recovery, used crutches for a few years. Later she was fitted with an artificial limb, went through school with no apparent handicaps, and is today in Lincoln happily married to A. G. Elander.
They operated the eating house for about a year and then returned to their homestead near Farnam, where they went through all the adversities of pioneer life. They lived in a dugout, hauled water for a mile by ox team. The oxens names were "Judge" and "Jury." Mr. Reed broke his land with this old ox team and developed his claim. A few years later they erected a soddy, one of the typical abodes of those hectic days.
By '95 three more children, all girls, had been born. They were Euda, Edna and Vernal. Euda is now in Lincoln, Edna passed away at the age of 5 months with wooping cough, and Vernal is now Mrs. Victor Peterson of Bertrand. Wallie lived in Farnam for many years and was drayman, marshal and various other occupations. He is now at Springfield, Nebr. His three children were born at Farnam.
In 1894 Mr. and Mrs. Reed erected a second soddy on their claim and papered it with newspapers which they had saved. Even newspapers were hard to get in those days. In 1905 they erected a frame house which still stands and is now occupied by Eldin Roberts.
Mr. Reed quit active farming in 1906. They remained on the farm until 1918 when they went to Bertrand, arriving on Christmas day of that year. They had sold the farm and decided to retire and spend the rest of their lives at ease. Mr. Reed passed away in January of 1927. Mrs. Reed occupied their home in Bertrand until just the last few months. She is now in Lincoln living with her children.
Mrs. Reed is enjoying good health for one of her years, and you old timers here can expect to see her at the big Golden Jubilee on August 5 and 6.
1886
1936
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