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enemy on either side. His genius for strategy and wisdom was early exhibited in the county seat warfares and it has been the ambition of all politicians to win his friendship and assistance.
Like old Warwick, the king-maker, Newt Cope has, perhaps, made and named more county officers than any other man in the county.
His name will be frequently mentioned hereafter. John O'Brian settled on the land now owned by Ben Miller, near Devizes, in June, 1872; his wife died on Easter Sunday, 1875, and was buried in the Devizes cemetery. Mrs. Early, who was well known to the pioneer settlers, kept house for him after his wife's death; it was reported at one time that they were married, but this was probably a mistake. He removed to Saline county, Nebraska, in the fall of 1870, and died there in 1876. Peter Applegate settled at the mouth of Rock Branch in May, 1872; he now lives in Arkansas. lra Applegate came in October, 1872; he now resides in Cheyenne county. Edgar Page came from Iowa in June, 1872; he settled on the farm now owned by Emanuel Fisher, six miles east of Norton; he sold his claim in 1873 and removed to the Sappa and located on the farm just below the Devizes mill. Some years afterward he and his wife separated; he sold out and went to Legrande, Oregon where he now resides; his wife, later divorced, is now Mrs. R. F. Hudsonpillar. Abram Louk came from Webster, Monroe county, New York, and settled on the land now owned by Ed Rhoades on June 25, 1872. He was chairman of the first convention held in the county, on Oct. 15, 1872. He was elected county commissioner at the special election held September 24, 1872, and was made chairman of the board. His eldest son, William. was the first township trustee of Center township but left the county in 1885 and went to Texas; has not been heard from for several years. His second son, Cornelius, was in Iowa when last heard from; his youngest son, Frank married Miss Nettie Hoover, and now resides on the Morrison farm just west of town; his eldest daughter, Mrs. Minnie Kay, married Nat L. Baker and now lives at Seattle, Washington. Abram Louk and wife both died of pneumonia in June, 1877 and are buried in the Leota cemetery. John A. Newell and two sons, Sam and Ed, started from Cedar county, Iowa, in May, 1872, for Norton. They came overland by team driving a small bunch of cattle with them. About the same time Peter Mittan left Minnesota for the west in search of a homestead. While he was visiting his brother, near Beatrice, Nebraska, Newell's party came along; he joined them, acting in the capacity of cook to pay his fare. They arrived at Norton June 20, 1872. John A. Newell located on Spring Branch, three miles northeast of Norton. Ed took a claim just north of town afterward owned by J. B. Hamilton, now owned by the Lincoln Land Company, but abandoned it in 1873. Peter Mittan settled two and one-half miles east of Norton, on the farm where Homer Curry now lives. His family came in November, 1873. His eldest son, Melvin, took the claim west of his father, now owned by M. Heaton. Melvin died in March, 1883, of consumption; his widow married William Spicer in 1885; Spicer and family lived here until 1890; they now reside in Linn county, Iowa. Peter's youngest son, Martin, never took up any land; he now lives in Norton; his eldest daughter, Amanda, married Clinton Reed; they now live in Norcatur; his youngest daughter, Anna, married William Smith; they reside in Norton. In 1883 Peter traded his farm to Jack |
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