Town: Grand Island

Cash Baird Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Cash Baird, born September 7, 1898, in Redding, Iowa, and his wife Eileen, born April 23, 1904, in Grand Island, Nebraska, moved to Merrick County on December 1, 1945. They settled on a farm in Midland Township, previously known as the Bert Crouch farm. The couple married on January 1, 1926, and had two children, Jack and Betty. Jack, born July 7, 1928, became a soil science expert in North Carolina, while Betty, born October 26, 1931, married Howard Zeilinger and resided in Kimball, Nebraska. Cash transitioned from farming to insurance before retiring due to health issues, passing away on May 21, 1980.

Alfred & Elizabeth Bader of Merrick County, Nebraska

A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Alfred William Fredrick Bader, born on August 9, 1903, in Chapman, Nebraska, was a pivotal figure in local agriculture and community service. Son of Fredrick William Bader and Mary Amelia Loeffelbein, Alfred married Elizabeth Louise Giesler on March 10, 1925. The couple were known for their extensive contributions to community infrastructure, including donations to local medical facilities and public utilities, and for their support of various civic boards and community organizations. Notably, Alfred’s innovative farming techniques included the early adoption of mechanized combines. His legacy is commemorated through various local landmarks and community awards recognizing his service and philanthropy.

Heinrich Ahrens Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Heinrich Christopher Ahrens was born December 5, 1839, in Hanover, Germany. He married Magdalena Dierks on November 19, 1868, in Liverpool, England, en route to the United States. She was born on November 18, 1847, in Holstein, Germany. They settled near Yorkville, Illinois, where they lived for three years before traveling by horse to Shelby County, Missouri, where they remained through the winter. This trip took three weeks. In February of 1872, they homesteaded in Lake Township, Hall County, Nebraska. Their children were Alida Christine, who later married Frank Niemoth and lived in Merrick County; Helene, who died at the … Read more

The Abbott Family of Merrick County, Nebraska

A History of Merrick County, Nebraska to 1895

Jacob W. Abbott and Elizabeth Abbott, our great-grandparents, settled in Chapman, Nebraska, in 1877. Born in Ohio in 1845, Jacob fought in the Civil War and later farmed in multiple states before homesteading in Kansas and returning to Nebraska. Jacob and Elizabeth had eleven children, whose descendants mainly remained in Nebraska, many involved in farming and local businesses. The Abbott family endured the typical hardships of early settlers, including the brutal 1888 blizzard. Their story reflects the broader historical and personal narratives of pioneering American families, dealing with frontier challenges and contributing to community development. The details sourced from C.E. Persinger’s 1981 history of Merrick County portray a vivid picture of their legacy.