House of Negley

Eldorado, Nebraska, in Clay County, was settled by 1888 originally as Eldon. The Josiah and Sarah Negley family moved there from Decatur, Iowa, sometime before August of 1887 when their son Newton died of tetanus, or as they called it - lockjaw. The picture below of Josiah standing in front of a house that I would presume to be his own may have been taken around 1890 (give or take a few years). There is nothing else in the background here. 

Eldorado never incorporated as a town. It lies 10 miles south of Interstate 80 on Highway 14. Don't blink or you'll miss it! Where once there stood a grain elevator, school, churches and stores, there is now nothing more than a cluster of trees with a couple of houses, some outbuildings, machinery and a few animals and people. I'm not sure of the exact location where this house stood, but there is now almost surely a cornfield in that spot.

Josiah and Sarah were the parents of George, Alice, Sadie, Bill and Cal, besides Newton. I believe it is Alice and either Bill or Cal with Josiah in the photo below. The house looks the same, with no noticeable improvements, still likely taken before 1900. 

It would be interesting to know how long it took to build this house.  

I've been led to believe that this is also the Negley home. It looks different than the first house, but these little mentions in newspapers under the Eldorado social news columns can explain that. 

• "J F Negley has again resumed work on his new house." Harvard Courier, April 6, 1912 
• "J F Negley's new house is gradually nearing completion." Clay County Patriot, May 3, 1912 
• "J F Negley has resumed his work on his new house in the east part of town." Harvard Courier, August 24, 1912 

Josiah and Sarah Negley both died at home, Josiah in 1922 and Sarah in 1927.

House in Harvard, NE... maybe

 

This old photo is 6-1/2" x 4-1/2" mounted on 8" x 10" black cardboard. I have are two of these. This house must have been significant to someone in my family. The corner door makes it somewhat unique. Mom thought that this house belonged to George Lee in Harvard, Nebraska. She wasn't sure. She came into possession of this along with many other old photos that were left with her Mom, those things all coming from my Grandma's Mom, her Grandma or other family members.  

Mom passed away and now I have these old photos and it's up to me to remember what I was told about them and to pass on the details. I only hope my memory is good enough. Each generation loses a little information, like a game of telephone. I may be the last generation to hold onto these old photos.  

George W Lee was the brother of my Great-Great Grandmother, Sarah (Lee) Negley. George Lee's family lived in Harvard and Sarah's family lived not far away in Eldorado, Nebraska. George's family consisted of his wife, Christine (Berkstresser), children Kitty, John and George. A son, Lewis died in infancy. George was a farmer and later a stockman, buying and shipping horses and mules to the southern markets. This old house would suit a stockman.