THE DESCENDENTS AND ANCESTORS OF GEORGE WILLIAM CHILES AND MARTHA OLIVE (MCKINNEY) CHILES
GEORGE AND MARTHA CHILES LIVED IN THE LOUP COUNTY AREA FROM 1909 TO 1944-
George William Chiles was born in Clayton County, Iowa. He came to Nebraska in 1878 with his parents, William Walker and Isabella Chiles. They settled in Roca, Nebraska, where Walker found employment with the railroad and his wife operated the Roca Hotel.
In 1889, George married Martha Olive McKinney, daughter of Daniel and Anna McKinney. Daniel had come from Iowa and settled in Saline County where he homesteaded near Pleasant Hill in 1862. Daniel and Anna Moore were married in 1864 and moved to Roca in 1868.
To support his family George worked on the railroad and in the evening operated a barber shop and candy store.
George and his friend, John Harrop, began to hear about the land they could obtain under the Homestead Act. In the spring of 1909 they set forth for the sandhills in their covered wagons. The trip was not without incident as George lost one of his horses on the way. He somehow obtained another to continue their journey to Loup County.
As soon as their claims were staked and filed they started building shelter for the coming winter months. George had left his wife and youngest daughter, Daisy, in Roca, Nebraska until a dugout had been completed for living quarters. Late in the summer Daisy and her mother took the train from Roca to Burwell, Nebraska. They were met by George to begin the long trek by team and wagon to Northwest Loup County.
Their sod house was completed by next summer and Daisy celebrated her eleventh birthday, on the homestead, with a cake and a rabbit her father had shot.
They begin to acquire some livestock. During hayin season George worked for ranchers on the hay flats around Duff, Nebraska.
Their oldest daughter, Estella, and her husband and daughter arrived in 1913 and they worked on what was known as the Russel Ranch, near Duff.
During World War I the regular mail carrier was called to duty and being the substitute carrier, George was obligated to carry the mail from Ovitt postoffice to Fox Postoffice and on to Taylor. He stayed overnight and returned the next day. In the winter months when the snow was too deep for the horse and buggy he strapped the mailbags to the saddle and walked ahead of his horse to break the trail.
During the twenties George and Olive left the homestead and moved to Burwell where they farmed until 1928. At that time they returned to the homestead went through the depression years of the thirties.
Their health began to fail and they returned to Roca, Nebraska in 1944 where they spent their remaining years. They are laid to rest in the Hickman Cemetery, Hickman, Nebraska.
written by: Faye Portschy
transcribed by: Melody Beery
Source: Loup County Cenntenial 1883-1983
GEORGE WILLIAM CHILES ANCESTORS:
GEORGE WILLIAM CHILES WAS THE SON OF WILLIAM WALKER CHILES AND ISABELLA (HYDE) CHILES.
WILLIAM WALKER CHILES WAS BORN AUGUST 5, 1836 IN SHELBY COUNTY, SIDNEY OHIO AND MARRIED ISABELLA HYDE IN 1857. ISABELLA HYDE WAS BORN IN 1843 IN GREENE, PENNSYLVANIA AND WAS THE DAUGHTER OF JOHN HANFORD HYDE AND HANNAH SARAH HARRY.
MR. AND MRS. CHILES MOVED TO ROCA, NEBRASKA IN 1881 WHERE MR. CHILES WAS EMPLOYED AS A MILLER IN THE FIRST FLOUR MILL IN ROCA. MRS. CHILES OWNED AND OPERATED THE CENTRAL HOUSE HOTEL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IN LATER YEARS MR. AND MRS. CHILES MOVED TO KANSAS CITY MISSOURI WHERE MR. CHILES WAS EMPLOYED AS A HORTICULTURIST IN A LARGE GREENHOUSE. WILLIAM WALKER DIED IN 1907, IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI AND ISABELLA DIED IN 1923.THEY ARE BOTH BURIED IN FORREST LAWN CEMETERY.
BY: FAYE PORTSCHY
WILLIAM WALKER CHILES AND ISABELLA (HYDE) CHILES
WERE THE PARENTS OF:
