Tekamah and Vicinity, Noteworthy Men of

Tekamah and her interests in April, 1884. He has followed mercantile lines during all this time and is one of the best known of Tekamah's business men, having been with the firm of Smith Bros., continuously since March, 1889.
   Mr. McCoskey was united in marriage to Laura E. Baxter, in Tekamah, December 3d, 1890, she passing from this life May 12th, 1892. He was again united in marriage, November 24th, 1897. This time to Miss Harriett Fifield, of Tekamah.

   ASA CHILCOTT was born April 4th, 1821, in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. From there he removed to Jefferson county, Iowa, in 1844, and from the latter place to Burt county, Nebraska, in 1856, bringing with him his wife and four children. The date of their arrival here was September, 1856. Their first home in this county was on the farm in Arizona township now the property of Sam McMullin. There was no house or claim away from the timber along the river when he entered upon his claim and built his house. The last of November of that year nine inches of snow fell. It began about nine in the morning and the weather was mild but before night a tremendous blizzard was raging which continued all night and all the next day and night, three feet of snow falling on the level. Mr. Chilcott says he measured the snow that fell that winter and there was eight feet and one inch. The following spring brought a big flood and Mr. Chilcott carried flour from Tekamah, wading in the water part of the way and riding in a boat a part. He would take twenty-five pounds at a time and this would double in weight before he got home.
   He hired Mike Shafer to break twenty acres of his land and paid at the rate of $4.00 per bushel for seed corn with which to plant it and none of the corn grew.
   Mr. Chilcottt is now a resident of Jefferson county, Iowa. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Park, in Jefferson county, Iowa, in May, 1847.

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   JOHN E. MASON was born April 21st, 1831 in the state of Connecticut. He accompanied his parents to Ohio in childhood and there he grew to man's estate. Later he removed to Jackson county, Iowa, where he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy A. Fowler, July 16th, 1856, at Maquoketa, Iowa.
   July 6th, 1867, Mr. Mason and his family removed to this state settling in Arizona township, this county where they lived until 1887 when the family removed to a farm in Summit township west of this city where Mr. Mason passed from this life.
   Mr. Mason enlisted in Company I, 24th Regiment Iowa Volunteers at the breaking out of the Civil war and served nearly two years, until wounded in the left ankle.

   NORTON W. BARDWELL was born June 1st, 1853, in Alabama, New York. He accompanied his parents in their changes of residence from that place to Shelby Center, Colesville and Attica, New York and to Tekamah in November, 1866, reaching this town the first day of that month. Since reaching man's estate Mr. Bardwell has followed farming and now possesses a fine farm home near this city.
   Mr. Bardwell was united in marriage December 27th, 1880 to Miss Kate Hill, of this city.

   ROYAL J. BARDWELL was born April 22nd, 1814, in Smithfield. Sullivan county, New York. After several changes of residence in that state he removed to Tekamah, Nebraska, reaching here November 1st, 1866. He was one of the prominent citizens of this place until his death which occurred January 6th, 1889.
   Mr. Bardwell was united in marriage to Mrs. Eliza Hunt in 1846. She passing from this life in 1857 he was married in 1859 to Mrs. Susan Hunt.

   SAMUEL McMULLIN was born in Ohio, October 12th, 1841. At the age of twelve years he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin. In 1865 he left the latter

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