COX, A. B. “ECK” AND MINNIE (KIRK)

Alexander B. Cox “Eck'' was born 14 October 1879 and died in a car wreck south of Valentine 13 May 1959. Minnie L. Kirk was born 7 August 1882 and died in Mullen 15 November 1976. Both were born in Grayson County Virginia. They had three children Donald A. born 7 May, 1912-Henry J. born September 15, 1915 and Martha Lucille born 26 September 1920.

In Virginia a young man was allocated a parcel of land to clear of rock and briars. For this he could farm it for a period of time. Eck had worked at this sporadically for some time. However a grubbing hoe didn't fit his hands very well and horse-trading took precEdence. Grandpa (Little Doc) told me Eck had more stock than he did at times. In the fall of 1899 Rush (Colonel) Osborn returned from Cherry County to Grayson to visit. He told about a country with no rocks or briars – 160 acres for free – just live on it. Eck decided that was for him. He decided to accompany Colonel back to Nebraska. He disposed of his stock and Grandpa gave him $500. They stopped in Madison County where Colonel had brothers. Eck stayed there, worked for Hoyt, traded horses, far-med some on his own. When the “Kincaid Act'' was passed in 1904 Eck came on to Mullen. Here he learned John L. Roseberry would hire home-steaders and that he had a reputation as an honest man. Roseberry would size them up, if he thought they wouldn't stay he suggested they file with-in his area, if he thought they would stay then he proposed they file further away. Eck was asked to file outside his area. He filed on S.12. T26, R35 some 6 miles to the south and south of Calf Creek which valley was aleady taken with 160 homesteads.

Minnie was working as a seamstress for 50 cents a day. John Parsons of Harrison, Nebraska was visiting in Virginia and he told her she could get work in the Black-Hills for more pay. She coaxed her mother to let her return with him and she got a job in Deadwood as a maid for $20 per month. Later she worked in a dress-making shop for better pay. In 1909 Eck convinced her to file on a relinquishment joining him on the west. In 1910 Eck proved up on his section. They were married 17 December 1910. In the spring they moved his 16 by 18 one and a half story house and joined it onto her 10 by 12 shack. In this manner they fulfilled the requirement for buildings and living on the land. At this time the two sections joining them on the north (which had the meadow) was for sale. He couldn't raise enough money to swing the deal so a partnership was formed with H.J. Lowe, a merchant of Mullen, to buy it. As I grew up I can never remember a time when there wasn't a land deal brewing. Since all the work was done with horses and they run both a ranch and farming crew so some 15 to 18 men were around all summer. Also one man was on freight wagon to and from Mullen most of the time to get needed supplies. This required over 100 horses to be in the pasture north of the buildings during the summer. These men plus a constant stream of “Grub Line Riders'' made Minnie and a hired girl several mouths to feed. Washing was done for all, on a washboard, a large garden was raised and canned for winter in a wash-boiler over a coal burning range of large size. That kitchen was a hot place on just a warm summer day. A well pumping through a shallow tank was the only means of keeping things cool. When the wind didn't blow that didn't work too well. The water was then directed down the rows of a large strawberry patch below the milkhouse. This meant every time one went there for something they took time to direct the water down a different row.

The hogs were fed the grain, drove to Mullen and the railroad and shipped to Omaha. Proceeds from them was expected to pay running expenses. The cattle were trailed to Hecla because it was closer to the summer pasture. They carried the 7 0 Brand. Proceeds from cattle sales went to make down payment on more land. By 1922 Mr. Lowe's health was failing so they decided it would be prudent to divide up the operation. In 12 years they had put together 26,000 acres, had 1000 cattle and 300 horses. They divided the land, horses and quite a large debt. Lowe brought Eck's 1/2 of cattle and he went to New Castle, Wyoming and bought a train-load of cattle. They carried two brands neither of which was in use in Nebraska so they didn't have to be rebranded. These brands are still being used by A.B. and Marvin. In 1947 Eck and Minnie retired to Mullen, selling the ranch to their two sons-Henry buying the west and south part and Don the east and north part.

Lucille was born in a maternity home in Mullen. When Eck got in to view the new arrival they had a second baby in bed with Minnie. They had Eck going all around town passing out cigars on twins. This was just one of the many pranks pulled off by Windy Boyer, Ollie Franke, John Vinton, John Motl and Eck.