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Nelson F. Bruce
Among
the old settlers in Keya Paha County, Nebraska,
none occupies a more prominent place that the above mentioned gentleman, Nelson
F Bruce. He is one of the pioneers who
teamed into the county from Wisner, Nebraska,
and since his coming to this section has done his full share in the upbuilding
of the community.
Mr.
Bruce was born in Wisconsin in
1857, on his father's farm. He is a son
of Jeduthen (sic) Bruce, of Scotch blood, and a pioneer settler in Keya Paha
County, coming here in 1884. He
[Jeduthun] remained here until his death, which occurred in 1901.
The mother of our subject was of English
descent, and of her family of three children he was the youngest member. He was reared in the state of his birth,
assisting his father in the farm work, and attending the public schools,
remaining in that locality until 1881, when he came to Nebraska,
locating in Madison County where he
lived for one year.
In 1882 he removed
to Keya Paha County, where he took up some government land and opened a farm,
putting up a log house in which he made his home for ten or fifteen years. When he struck this county all he had was
fifteen cents in money and a well developed case of "mumps." His first team was a yoke of oxen, with which
he broke up his first piece of ground.
He went through many hardships losing several crops through the droughts,
and experienced all the trials and privations which the early settlers in this
locality were subjected to, but he persevered in his efforts, and gradually overcame
all difficulties until he is now (1909) proprietor of a three hundred and
twenty-acre farm, of which one hundred and twenty-five acres are in a high
state of cultivation.
The Pine Camp
post office was established in 1884 and ten years later he was appointed
postmaster and has held this position ever since, proving a most popular and
efficient public official, obliging and esteemed by all patrons. He has built up a fine home and gained a
valuable property, due to his untiring energy and industrious habits, and well
deserves the success which he has attained.
Mr.
Bruce was married in 1892 to Miss Florence Cool, daughter of Fred Cool, an old
settler in Keya Paha County. Mr. and
Mrs. Bruce have three children, namely: May, Esther and Rex.
For
the past ten years our subject has held the position of county surveyor, and
was justice of the peace for many years, and he is widely known all over the
county as a public-spirited citizen.
At age 61, Nelson married a
second time to his widowed sister-in-law, Mary Emily (Hanen) Bruce in April,
1919. At that time he listed his
residence as Bassett, Nebraska
(Rock County)
a few miles south of Pine Camp. However,
he moved to Baker Twp, Fallon Co, Montana
in time for the 12 January 1920
Federal Census, taking his new wife and son, Rex R, age 18 with him.
After Mary’s death in 1937 he
settled in Ainsworth, Brown County, Nebraska
until his death in April, 1948, age 90.
He is buried between his father Jeduthun Bruce and his first wife, Florence,
in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at the County seat of
Springview, Keya Paha County, Nebraska
Nelson Francis Bruce settled in Keya
Paha County
in 1882. He had the following write up
in the "Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Western
Nebraska" page 417-418 published in Chicago
by Alden Publishing Co in 1909.
Transcribed and Contributed
by: Janet Bruce Nelson
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