When Company D of the 133d Pennsylvania was disbanded before the battle of Gettysburg, he had reached the rank of Second Lieutenant, and then joined the 210th Pennsylvania and served in it until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and was wounded and taken prisoner at Gravelly Run, March 31, 1865. The Confederates put him in charge of a ward in the hospital, but he was recaptured in forty-eight hours by Federal troops. He was married in 1860 and came to Lexington, Nebraska, then Plum Creek, in 1874. In 1885 he settled in Cheyenne County and has remained in that part of the state ever since. He has been County Physician, Examining Surgeon and Coroner of Cheyenne County and is now Coroner of Deuel County.

      JACKSON GYGER was born in Weeping Water Precinct, Cass County, Nebraska, October 1, 1863. His father, John Gyger, was an early settler in Cass County, having settled there in 1856, where he still lives. He was educated in the common schools of Cass County and came to western Nebraska in 1886 as a cowboy, locating in Deuel County, then a part of Cheyenne County. Here he took a homestead, which he still holds, as part of his ranch, comprising four thousand acres, well stocked with cattle. He has served two terms as Clerk of Deuel County and has been a member of the School Board. In 1900 he married Miss Mary E. Williams of Chappell, Nebraska, and they have one son, aged two years.

      T. M. JOHNSON, owner and editor of the Register, the only newspaper published in Deuel County, was born February 15, 1871, in Bethany, Missouri. His father, Joseph C. Johnson, located on a ranch in Deuel County in 1885. Mr. Johnson received his education in the Denver University. He has been editor of the Register for four years, Deputy County Clerk, Assistant Cashier of the Commercial Bank of Chappell ten years, and Postmaster seven years, holding all of these positions at the same time. He is affiliated with the Republican party, was married to Miss May B. Loveland of Julesburg, Colorado, October 10, 1898, and they have one daughter, four years old. He homesteaded in Deuel County about 1892.

      WILLIAM F. WERTZ, a brother of John R. Wertz, County Treasurer of Deuel County, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, October 15, 1868. He came to Deuel County January 1, 1893, and has lived in the county ever since. He took a homestead August 15, 1898, and proved up on it, but sold it later. He is engaged in the hardware and lumber business.

 

      The Dakotas, Omahas and Poncas inhabited this county before the white men came in 1856. They caused no particular trouble, except that there were constantly Indian "scares," which originated usually in the vivid imaginations of the settlers. Among the first settlers were three Stough brothers, John, Jacob and Solomon, and two Brown brothers. The Hard Times which came in 1858--the very year of organizing--were a great drawback to the new county. Many deserted their homes, some to return to the east and others to seek Pike's Peak. The coming of the grasshoppers in 1874, 1875 and 1876 drove many away, and very little progress was made for a time. There are many rugged hills along the Missouri River in the northern part, and the remainder of the surface comprises mostly valley land because of the even distribution of the streams. The Missouri, Iowa and Logan Rivers make up the greater part of the water supply. The valleys of the different streams vary from one-half to three miles in width. Forest culture was greatly neglected during the earlier years because of the frequency of prairie fires, and the cultivation of fruit was not engaged in to any extent because of the fear of locusts. There are many groves of trees now which have been set out in recent years. The soil is deep and rich, the roots of trees extending in many places to a depth of fifteen feet. Grains- and corn are profitably raised, but the native grasses are the principal resource of the county. There is plenty of good building stone and clay for brick making. Peat is found and coal in limited quantities. The "Dixon County Volcano" has had a wide though mostly fictitious reputation. It is located about eighty rods above Ionia on

the Missouri bluffs. In 1877 great consternation was caused on account of a landslide which exposed minerals which seemed to have chemical action. Steam escaped from the crevices and the heat was very great, though nothing resulted. Limestone, sulphur, copperas and other minerals characteristic of volcanic regions are found here. Dixon county is populated by 10,535 people and its capital, Ponca, has 1,043 people. The manufacturing industry consists of four flour and grist mills and four brick yards. The census shows 4,023 school children in Dixon County.

      A. V. TEED was born in Williamsburg, Indiana, February 19, 1876. He removed with his parents to Bloomington, Illinois, in 1877; to Westboro, Missouri, in 1880; to Le Mar, Missouri, in 1888; to Jerico Springs, Missouri, in 1890, and to Newcastle, Nebraska, in 1898. He received his preparatory education in the high school and an academy and attended the Lutheran College at Jerico, Missouri, working his way through school. Mr. Teed has taught school and was Principal of schools at Newcastle, Nebraska. He is now serving his first term as County Superintendent of Dixon County, having been elected on the Republican ticket.

     A. H. MASKELL was born in Richland County, Wisconsin, December 24, 1865. He removed to Vermillion, South Dakota, about 1867, and some ten years later came to Dixon County, where he has since lived. He was married to Miss Effie Wellington in 1895 and