Early Settlers
The Chase County Historical Society, located in Champion, Nebraska, has since it's inception in 1938 collected personal histories of residents of Chase County, Nebraska. These oral histories provides a history of Chase County that goes beyond facts and information about the state. Listed on these pages are transcripts of interviews of many early settlers of Chase County, Nebraska. I am grateful to the Historical Society for the work it's researchers did in preserving these stories, and for permission to share them here with other researchers. These stories and other important historical information about Chase County can be found in their published Histories of Chase County, copies which can be purchased from the Society or viewed in the Imperial Republican Library. The Society welcomes any additional stories about early settlers that you may wish to contribute to their files.
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Ed and Mary Travis
Ed
and Mary Travis were married in 1894 and went to live in a sod house Ed had constructed on
his homestead soon after he came in 1887. He attended an academy at Holyoke one year
and progressed enough to secure a teacher's certificate. He saved money from five
years' teaching school for six-month terms of school for $25.00 - $30.00 per month.
He taught two years after his marriage and became County Superintendent in 1897.
Travis enlarged his land holdings as others
became discouraged and left the County. He gave his brother four head of cattle for
his place. A value of $160.00 was placed on the land.
During they years of World War in 1917 Travis
planted a quarter of land purchased for $19.00 per acre into wheat. Some of the
wheat sold as high as $2.97 per bushel. Also, during the war years horses were very
valuable and sold for a good price. He built up a herd of 110 head and sold them for
an average of $100 per head. The price dropped soon after the war ended and never
recovered.
In 1911 the family built a large frame house.
The family grew to 12 children: 8 boys and four girls. All of their
children sought an education, some with more than one degree. They had fun as a
family and never missed a good show or entertainment including chatauqua and the Chase
County Fair. If it was a question of some going and some staying home, usually all
stayed home.
(Information provided to the Historical Society
from an article published in the 1931 issue of "American Magazine" which was
furnished to the Society and is on file with them at their museum in Champion, Nebraska.)
email Linda Banks at: FlorenceEm@AOL.com