ERNY, HENRY JOHN
Henry John Enry was born on Oct. 17, 1899 to Charles and Louise Erny at their home-stead which was over 20 some miles south-west of Mullen, Nebr.
He, his brothers Joe, Carl, Frank and sister Lena, grew up on the family homestead in southwest Hooker County.
In his adult years, he purchased from his parents, the ranch 17 miles southwest of Mullen, which today is still the Erny ranch.
The Elick and Florence Sexton family were neighbors five miles east of the Erny ranch. Henry courted Beulah Sexton and later wed her on Dec. 15, 1936. To this union was born a daughter, Charlotte Louise and sons, Henry David and Clifford John.
As a young man Henry enjoyed his live-stock. As a source of entertainment Henry put on rodeos at his ranch which drew large crowds of neighbors from near and far. Later on,he and Jack Jeffords put on several rodeos in Mullen. The following is a clipping from a 1937 issue of the "Hooker County Tribune".
In sponsoring a two-day rodeo to be held in Mullen last Friday and Saturday the promoters, Jack Jeffords and Henry Erny, calculated at the outset that it was not going to be any get-rich quick undertaking – but they did entertain hope that it would at least break even. It did so, with $2.60 to spare. It was the boys intention to provide one more round of public entertainment before cold weather set in, and from this angle the event was a success, the quality of entertainment put on being up to standard, though the program was probably not as long as some staged here in the past. At least many hundreds of people were in town Saturday for the event which spurted up an additional large volume of patronage among the various business concerns, which owe the boys a measure of credit and thanks.
The Saturday program went over with a large bang, but the weather man on Friday decreed there would be no rodeo that day and
proceeded to put out a brand of cold, misty and rainy weather that caused most people to give preference to fireside over going out to the grounds. But the unpleasant tactics were paid little attention to by the rodeo talent on hand to compete for the prize money offered and a number of good horses were rode for what prize money the small attendance wished to toss intothe passed hat – plus additional money put up by the management, which was entirely satisfactory to the boys who took part in the event, as they kept in mind the weather had given the sponsors a bum break.
The dances Friday and Saturday nights were largely attended and all present, from far and near, had one big round of fun. The crowd was in town to have a good time, and such was had, with no one becoming unruly or disorderly so far as we have heard.
The management wishes to thank the business men who closed their establish-ments for a few hours and went to the grounds to attend the show. They also wish to extend thanks to the following business men who lent financial encouragement: E.E. Long $10, Crouse and Long, $7.50, Billy B. Wright $10, Johnson Mercantile Co. $10, Wm. Gibson $20, Callie Smith $5 worth of meals, Bank of Mullen $3, Clyde Arnold Store $5, Rose H. Welton $2, A.G. Humphrey, a days services at rodeo gate, Total receipts were $343.95 Total expenditures were $341.35 which accounts for the $2.60 men-tioned above.
Eddie Becker of Ashby, who years ago took part in the bronc busting at Mullen rodeos, and got away with the – grapes – a number of times was one of the judges. The two other judges were Dean Hayward of Hyannis and Russell Phipps who threw a lucky rope and tied his calf quick enough to land first prize of $15. Enoch Phipps and Howard Prentice were pickup men, and Charles Phipps and two other lads, whose names we failed to learn, did the announcing. Following are the winners in the events: Saddle riding: 1st. Tommy Thompson $15, 2nd. Henry Apple-garth $10. Bareback riding: 1st. Slim Pitzer $10, 2nd. Jess Gorsuch $7.50. (Cow riding 1st. Barney Applegarth $10, 2nd. Henry Apple-garth $5.) Calf roping: 1st Russell Phipps $15, 2nd. Barney Applegarth $10. Free-for-all horse race: 1st. Dwayne Buechler $10, 2nd. Henry Erny $7.50. Saddle horse race: 1st. Henry Applegarth $7.50, 2nd. Elmer Eckles $5. Pony race: 1st. Dick O'Keefe $6, 2nd. Jack Hanna $4. In the horseshoe pitching contest Dale Bradley and Claude O'Brien received first prize, $4.20 and Louie Neal and E.W. Bailey second prize, $2.80.
The clipping of the afore mentioned rodeo was the last rodeo Henry put on. The next thirty-five years of Henry's life were devoted to caring for his ranch and his family. He passed away in Febr. 1972.