ing their later years until her marriage, caring for them with filial affection. Her union with our subject resulted in the birth of four sons and one daughter, of whom Charles died when two years old. The survivors, Annie, William, John and Walter, are at home. Mr. West, politically, supports the principles of the Democratic party. and his estimable wife is a member of the Baptist Church, attending religious services at Delta.

HOMAS P. MORGAN, of Palmyra, Otoe Co., Neb., was born in Usk, Monmonthshire, Wales, Nov. 1, 1832. In 1854 he became a citizen of the United States, in 1868 came to Nebraska. To the best of his knowledge he never did anything worthy of remembrance except the extraordinary folly of trying to run a newspaper, a weekly known as the Palmyra Items, founded in April, 1887, the only merit of which is that it is Republican.

UZERNE WELLS has been a resident of Otoe County since the days of 1857, when he identified himself with its early pioneers. While doing his share toward developing its agricultural resources and promoting its material welfare, he has accumulated a comfortable property, and is now the owner of a valuable farm on the rich bottom lands of the Missouri River in Otoe Precinct, and he owns a herd of well-graded Short-horn cattle that compare favorably with any others in the country. Mr. Wells was born in Hartford County, Conn., five miles from the State capital, May 4, 1823. His father, Rufus Wells, was born in the same county. and it is also supposed that his grandfather was a native of the same county, and there he spent his last years. The father of our subject was reared in his native county to the life of a farmer, and he has always lived there. The maiden name of his wife was Thirza Wheeler, and she was also a lifelong resident of Hartford County. She was the mother of eleven children, ten sons and one daughter, ten of whom grew to maturity.
   The subject of our sketch was reared in the home of his birth in that New England town, and received his education in the district schools. He was trained to habits of industry, and inherited a fair share of the thrift and energy that characterized his ancestry. At the age of eighteen he commenced to work on the farm by the month, and was thus employed for four years by one man. Then becoming desirous to learn a trade, he engaged in a shop where planes and saw handles were made, and the succeeding eight years worked there. After that he resumed the calling to which he had been reared, that of a farmer, and bought a small farm in Litchfield County. But he was not contented with that, and thought that he would seek a home in the West, where land was cheap and he could afford more of it. Accordingly he started in 1857 for Nebraska, then a Territory, coming by rail to Jefferson City, Mo., then the western terminus of the railway, and from there on the Missouri to Otoe City, near Minersville. He started from there with a horse and buggy to seek a suitable location. He drove to Cass County with a Mr. Steele, and after traversing the wild prairies for several days returned, and bought a half-interest in a claim on section 13, Otoe Precinct, and the following year pre-empted the land now included in his present farm. He continued to live on section 13 until 1865, when he settled on this place. Besides the 125 acres of his land on the river bottom he has 160 acres on section 25, all improved and under fine cultivation. He is very successfully engaged in general farming, paying much attention to stock-raising, Short-horn cattle being his favorite breed.
   Mr. Wells was married, Aug. 15, 1848, to Miss Sarah J. Strong. She is likewise of New England birth and antecedents, New Hartford, Litchfield Co., Conn., being the place of her birth, and her parents were Edward W. and Sally (Shepard) Strong. For history of the Strong family see sketch of G. F. Lee. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wells, as follows: Mary Eugenia, wife of James Rowan; Wallace and Edward H.
   Mrs. Wells is a respected member of the Congregational Church, and she is zealous and helpful in all good works. Mr. Wells is a capable, practical farmer, possessing a good fund of sound common

sense, and many other qualifications that go to make a man a good and useful citizen. In his political views he is strongly Republican, and heartily supports the policy of his party at the polls.
   The portrait of this pioneer is presented on an accompanying page.

OHN C. RODDY. One of the most beautiful homesteads on the Missouri River is the property of the subject of this sketch, and is familiarly known to the residents of this section as "Walnut Hill Farm." It is situated in what is now Nebraska City Precinct, and comprises 463 acres of finely cultivated land, with handsome modern buildings, and well stocked with good grades of cattle, horses and swine. The estate of our subject includes in all 780 acres, as he owns over 320 acres elsewhere. The dwelling is finely situated, commanding a view of the river and surrounding country for several miles along its banks.
   Mr. Roddy has been a resident of this county since June, 1862, at which time he secured 133 acres of land included in his present homestead. He was then unmarried and poor in purse. and by his own unaided efforts has built up one of the finest estates in the county. Prior to taking up his residence in Nebraska he lived in Dane County, Wis., having settled in the vicinity of Blue Mound in 1856. He had removed to the Badger State from London, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, where he landed in 1851, after having made the voyage across the Atlantic from his native county of Westmeath, Ireland, where he was born in February, 1831, and where he lived until a young man of twenty years.
   Our subject was the eldest of eight children, four sons and four daughters, the offspring of Michael and Ann (Cormac) Roddy, who were natives of the same county as their son. In the days of his ancestors, on account of religious persecution, the latter were forced to flee from their native soil and their property was confiscated. They, however, never lost their high character, nor the influence of their early training, and were recognized for generations as among the better classes of the Irish gentry. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, and the mother died two years after her son John C. came to America, when a little past middle life. Michael Roddy was a second time married, to Miss Ellen Coffee, a lady of Irish birth and parentage. To them were born five children, two sons and three daughters, and they came to the United States in May, 1864, making their way westward to Nebraska and settling in this county. The father secured 160 acres of land in Wyoming Precinct, from which he improved a good farm, and where he spent his last days in ease and comfort, passing away at the ripe age of seventy-four years, on the 3d of April, 1878. Mrs. Ellen Roddy is still living, having a snug homestead of forty acres in Wyoming Precinct, with her youngest daughter Helen A., an interesting young lady of eighteen years. Mrs. Roddy is now fifty-three years old.
   Our subject, four years after coming to Nebraska Territory, was married, Aug. 15, 1866, in Nebraska City, to Miss Rose O'Donnell, who was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in the year 1840, and lived there with her parents until reaching womanhood. Then, accompanied by an elder brother, she emigrated to the United States, and from New York proceeded directly westward to Nebraska City in the year 1866, where she lived until her marriage. Her parents died in Ireland, her father, Abel O'Donnell, April 5, 1878, and the mother, Ann (Bohan) O'Donnell, in 1860. The O'Donnells were among the nobility in the early days in Ireland, as is well known by students of Irish history. Their family consisted of six children, five of whom are now living, three residents of Nebraska and two of Ireland. Three of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Roddy died in infancy. The eldest daughter, Anna, completed an excellent education in the convent at Nebraska City, together with her sister Mary. James C. and the younger children, John B., Rose and Michael A., are all at home with their parents.
   Our subject and his estimable wife were reared in the doctrines of the Catholic Church, to which they still loyally adhere, and in which they are likewise training their children. Mr. Roddy, after