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"History of Hall County," ©1920 By Buechler, Barr & Stough

The story of the first settlement of the territory now comprised in Jackson and Wood River townships has already been told in the story of "The Early History of Wood River." Most of the men and wome who made possible the settlement of the southwestern corner of the county, as is true of all other parts for that matter, have long since passed away. Sometimes further than the mention of their names should be accorded to a few of these first arrivals whose activities led to the settlement of the community. Two of the first settlers of the present town, Pap Lamb and William Eldridge, belong east of the present town, over in the Alda township territory. But the first arrivals in Wood River and Jackson territory were Patrick and Richard Moore in 1859, and James Jackson and Anthony Moore in 1860.

PATRICK MOORE

came to Omaha, Nebraska, in the spring of 1858. He clerked in a hotel for a year, and in the spring of 1859 came to Hall County and settled in what is now Jackson precinct, about two and a half miles west of the present Wood River, on section 23, town 10, range 12, a homestead of 160 acres of land, and afterwards acquired other land in that vicinity. When he located there were no settlers in that vicinity, the nearest being about ten miles away. Buffalo, antelope and deer roamed over the boundless prairies with no one to molest them except roving redskins. Mr. Moore spent his first decade in that vicinity uner circumstances that required every farmer to keep armed with necessary firearms to protect himself at an instant's notice. Mr. Moore was born in County Cork, Ireland, March 21, 1835, and raised on a farm. He came to America in 1847, lived in New York until 1851, then to Joliet, Illinois, where he taught school, clerked in stores, etc., until he came to Nebraska.

His brother Richard came also in 1859, but his brother Anthony Moore did not come until January, 1860. Anthony located on section 27-10-12 and farmed there until 1872, then located over on section 22. Anthony was born in County Cork, also, on March 4, 1826. He came to America also in 1847; was married at Joliet, Illinois, in 1854 to Miss Mary Collins, a native of the same county. They had eight children, John, William, Dennis, Anthony A., Peter, Mark H., James and Annie.

JOHN MAHER

came to Jackson Precinct, Hall County, June 28, 1862, and settled on section 23. He was born in Ireland, March 2, 1822; came to America in 1847; he was married in 1852 to Elizabeth Collins, who was born in Ireland January26, 1826. They had six children, Honora E., Patrick, William, Dennis a., Johnn I., and James M.

OTHER FIRST SETTLERS

Other first settlers of this locality were Captain Smith, the Anderson family, a man by the name of Story, Ed O'Brien, James Cooke, Joseph Ross, and Roger Hayes. O. D. Montgomery settled in Hall County i 1865. James Jackson, who settled in Jackson precinct and whose name the precinct or township bears, settled there in 1860. Freeman C. Dodge came in 1867. Robert Kerr came to Wood River community in 1869. Pat Brett came to the community in 1867. In 1871 James Ewing came, and John S. Donaldson in 1872.

EARLY LANDHOLDERS IN JACKSON TOWNSHIP

Among others who came to Jackson township during the first quarter century of its settlement or acquired land within its bounds were the following individuals or families:

Wm. A. Maher, Patrick O'Brien, Jas. O'Keefe, Peter Nelson, John Moore, Martin Lane, John W. Fines, John Gray, J. J. Mosser, Henry Spohn, Dan Hannan, I. K. Watson, Nickolas Kelley, William O'Connor, William Brennan, Ed. O'Brien, M. McNamara, Philip J. Murphy, J. F. Ashton, Robert Gillispie, J. T. Ross, Martin Brett, Pat McDermott, John Pounder, Pat Kilkenney, L. Kilkenney, Noel Henderson, Owen Curry, John Callaham, L. J. Schooley, John Meyers, John Fines, Thomas Francis, John Devine, James M. Weldon, Patrick Duggan, John Mullen, Pat Leonard, Thomas Mullen, Christopher Bermuth, P. Dodge, G. W. Burmood, Geo. Meisner, Jasper F. Walker, L. C. Batterson, S. J. Miller.

EARLY LANDHOLDERS OF WOOD RIVER TOWNSHIP

Among others than those named as the first arrivals who either settled at an early time in Wood River township or became landholders during the first quarter century of its development were:

Patrick Hoye, H. S. Winn, James Cannon, Charles Baugh, E. A. Wedgewood, T. A. Wedgewood, J. H. Trout, E. E. Kile, C. J. S. Trout, John D. Scherer, Henry Starr, Ed Quissenberry, James Stillens, R. F. Moundjoy, Joshua Greenwood, Michael Judy, Frank Strasser, Thomas Campion, Joseph Roach, Norm Reese, Charles Fuller, H. A. Glade, H. P. Chapman, R. Mankin, Frank Corkin, Fred Whitehead, William Whitehead, J. M. Duncan, Tim Rocche, Chauncey H. Abbott, John Carey, M. J. Cunningham, Sarah S. Schooley, S. B. Bowen, Frank E. Howe, John H. Diefenderfer, Wm. B. Rounds, R. C. Dodge, J. Cornwall, F. N. Taylor, C. E. Crawford, Charles E. Bly, Lucinda Bly, J. S. Chapman, J. R. Blanke, John Allan, Foutain Hargis, Gilbert Slater, H. S. Kelsey, E. Christensen, P. Schroeder, Christian Opp, Max Opp, John Opp, E. Opp, C. Opp, Julius Krull, H. P. Christensn, Guss Persson, Paul Hansen, Jules Haumont, John G. Drake, Joe Severyns, William Taylor, Theodore Purchert, Charles T. Taylor, John Sprague, Savilla L. Taylor, J. H. Murphy, M. F. Costello, Benjamin L. Colwell, Charles E. Towne, B. F. Taylor, David Barrick, A. G. Hollister, Jesse C. Burkerd, John C. Boone, Theodore Purchert, Hans Weise, Freeman C. Dodge, Carl Schultz, Opp, Fritz Weise, Henry F. Luebs, J. Dibbern, Henry Drews, Paul Hansen, W. E. Lorenzen, N. Johnson, H. J. Madsen, Peter Holling, Nick Burderd, Owen Mullen, John Bulger, Stephen Jones.