Seward County

John E. Fouse of Seward County

Pioneer Stories of the Pioneers of Fillmore and adjoining Counties title page

John E. Fouse, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the son of Ezekiel Fouse, a professor at Philadelphia College. He married Isabella McMichael from Belfast, Ireland, and they moved to Page County, Iowa, in 1865 before establishing the Fouse Ranch in Seward County, Nebraska. The ranch, situated near Beaver Creek and the Blue River, became a key stop for overland stagecoaches. John served in the Mexican and Civil Wars, while Isabella managed the ranch’s operations, hosting travelers and managing frequent Indian encounters. The ranch also hosted the first post office and store in the county. John E. Fouse passed away in 1898.

Biography of W. B. Graul

Pioneer Stories of the Pioneers of Fillmore and adjoining Counties title page

W. B. Graul came from Pennsylvania to Nebraska with his father; Levi Joseph Graul arrived at Milford, April 1, 1871. They settled on a farm one and a half miles north west of Goehner, in Seward County, where the mother still lives; the father was killed by lightning on May 19, 1897. Their first night in Nebraska was spent in visiting with William Bivens, the wind that evening was so strong that it upset their wagon. When the father commenced farming he had only a team of horses and five dollars, so he rented a small house; which was guaranteed … Read more