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post office at Hedgewood, gave it its name and was postmaster for many years. The widow Aplington, D. E. Stevens' mother-in-law, and her son Alph came in 1872 and settled on the head of Elk Creek in the north-east corner of the county. They kept a ranch there where freighters used to stop in the early days; their place was known as the most hospitable between Norton and the U. P. R. R. The widow died there some years ago and was burled on the homestead. Alf now lives in Almena in the employ of the Rock Island R. R. Nathan W. Aplington come with Stevens; he put a soldier's filing on land adjoining him but when he came back in 1872 some one had jumped his claim; he afterward settled in Phillips county, but now lives at Elgin, Union county, Oregon. Erastus W. Aplington came in 1874; he afterward married Miss Millie Wiley of Long Island; he now lives in Colorado. G. G. Codner came from Iowa with Nate Aplington in 1873; he lived for a time in Phillips county, was back in Iowa for a few years, but now resides in Almena township. 
David Wood Mills was born in Delaware county, New York, Dec. 13, 1819; was raised on a farm and received a common school
education; left New York in 1842, settled in Huron county, Ohio; worked on a farm in summer and taught school in winter; was married in 1848 to Miss Sarah Ann Cook; two children were born to them, Eugene Darwin, in 1854, and Arba Kaiser, Jan. 1, 1860.
He came to Nebraska in 1866, settled in Nemaha county in 1867, came to Norton county, accompanied by John Gishwiller, and settled May 7 1872.
We have previously stated they came in September, which we correct here. Mrs. Mills died in Nemaha county, Nebraska, September, 20, 1872.
She was accidentally killed in a cane mill; Mr. Mills was here at the time and did not hear of her death until two weeks after her burial; the mail facilities were poor at the time, Republican City being his nearest post-office.
He was again married in September, 1876, to Miss Sarah Luthera Wilson, at Huron, Ohio; Miss Wilson was an old acquaintance and schoolmate.
To them were born two children; Luthera, born June 29, 1877, and Walter, Oct. 6, 1879.
Mrs. Mills died Dec. 26, 1885, is buried in the Almena cemetery. Mr. Mills was twice elected county surveyor and once as county superintendent.As soon as Billings had been installed as county superintendent in September 1872, he proceeded to organize school district No. One which included sixteen sections, commencing at north west corner of sec. 28, town 2, range 23, known as the Grieb farm; thence east four miles to Tom Mathew's farm; thence south four miles to Truman Fuller's farm; thence west four miles to Ed Rhodes; thence north to place of beginning. |
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