FURROW FAMILIES

by Gladys G. Furrow

Entry F152 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

John Milton Furrow and wife Ivy Olive
(Moore) came to the Sandhills from Winter-
set, Iowa in the spring of 1908 with their
family of six children; Pearl, Leigh, Lloyd,
Marion, Lyle and Opal. A son, "Hady" died
at an early age. Two daughters, Ivy and Della,
were born after they came to the Sandhills.

John and son, Lloyd, came to Seneca, Ne.
by immigrant train bringing with them a
horse, a mule, 3 cows and feed for the trip.
The other family members came soon after
by passenger train.

John was a carpenter by trade and helped
build houses in both Seneca and Mullen. In
1909 he bought a Relinquishment to a
Homestead from Mr. Beal ten miles south of
Mullen.

In 1910 John's brother, Jesse Frank and
wife, Myrtle Vinetta (Beem) came to Seneca
from Winterset. They had two daughters,
Fern and Laura. John and Jesse contracted
carpenter jobs together till 1911 when Jesse
took a homestead south of Mullen. John
continued to carpenter in the Mullen area
while living on his homestead.

Lyle Edwin is the only one of the John and
Jesse Furrow families still living in Hooker
County. He attended rural school and two
years at Mullen High School; then worked on
ranches till his marriage. May 8, 1929 he
married Gladys Grace Van Deusen in her
parents home. Gladys attended rural school
in Hooker county; and, following her gradua-
tion from Mullen High School she taught the
Hatch school south of the Dismal River.

Lyle and Gladys had eight children; Clarice
and Alma, who died in infancy, Clifford
Layne, Phyllis Jean, Pauline May, Lyla Joan,
Georgia Grace, and John Edwin. The Furrow
children attended rural schools in Hooker
county and all graduated from Mullen High
School.

The first twelve years of Lyle and Gladys'
marriage were spent on rented places south
of Mullen with ranching the main occupation.
Lyle was road overseer in the southeast
district for six years and spent much time
repairing the sandhill trail now known as
Highway 97. Hay was spread on the sandy
trails and soapweeds cut to cover the banks.

In 1942 they moved to the Anderson place
in western Hooker County, three miles east
of the county line. A Trailer school house was
moved near the home for the children to
attend school. Two years later it was moved
three miles east to accomodate other children
in the neighborhood.

In 1946 Gladys returned to teaching as
there was a teacher shortage due to job
opportunities during World War 2. She
taught the home school two years then moved
to Mullen during the school months for the
children to attend High School.

Lyle was a county commissioner from
January, 1949 to January, 1961; and a
committee-man for the Agricultural Stabiliz-
ation and Conservation Service for several
years.

In 1973 the Furrows decided to give up
ranching and bought the Elsie Eivens home
in Mullen. In the spring of 1974 they had a
sale and moved to Mullen where they are now
living (1986) .