ULRICH, JOE AND TENNIE (LONG)

by Elmer Littles

Entry F430 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Joe and Tennie Ulrich, 1956.

Joe and Tennie Ulrich were residents of
Hooker County from 1945 until Joe's death
February 23, 1969 and Tennie's death April
1, 1975.

Tennie Lee Long was born March 1, 1895,
in Grayson County, Virginia to Charles
Ulysses Long and Irene (Boyer) Long. Only
an infant, Tennie, her older brother, Ellis,
and her parents came to the Mullen area by
train from Virginia. They first located on the
Loomis Place which was being rented by her
grandfather, Calvin Floyd Long, and her
grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Kennedy)
Long. Her grandparents had come from
Virginia in 1894 and took land, that is today
the Long Ranch, by "Squatters' Rights".
Calvin had served in the Confederate Army
with General Early when he surprised Gen-
eral Early when he surprised General Sheri-
dan's forces at Winchester, Virginia. Charles
and Irene moved several times in the local
area and finally homesteaded at the east end
of Dry Valley. Their first home was a sod
house and later a frame house was construct-
ed. They made their living by growing small
grain and raising poultry, horses and some
cattle.

On December 10, 1914, Tennie was united
in marriage to Carl Berson Little, who had
come to the Mullen area from Elkhart, Texas.
Carl was the only member of his family to
settle permanently in the Sandhills. His
father, Johnnie Samuel Little, and mother,
Lizzie (Cunningham) Little, along with his
two brothers, J.R. and Elmo, and sister, Judy,
remained in Texas. It was there his great
grandmother, Sarah Little, had been granted
a patent signed by Sam Houston, Governor,
on January 8, 1860, for her land. It is thought
that Carl's grandmother, Lizzie (Weisinger)
Little, passed away while visiting in the
Sandhills and is buried in the Cedarview
Cemetery, but no records have been found to
confirm this. Carl and Tennie settled in
southern Cherry County. A four-room frame
house was constructed and Carl farmed
approximately 100 acres, raising corn and
oats. They also raised horses, cattle and
poultry. Their children, Elmer, Paul and
Neva still reside in Mullen, while Thelma,
Minnie and Ivan live in the area. Another son,
Claude, passed away in infancy as a result of
an illness. Carl passed away March 24, 1929,
as a result of an illness which may have been
complicated by his spinal injury he had
received earlier in life. Tennie remained on
their place and on January 31, 1931, married
Joseph Capser Ulrich.

Joe had been working as a ranch hand
south of Mullen a few years prior to meeting
Tennie. He was born September 8, 1879, to
S.A. and Mary (Cooksie) Ulrich. As a young
man he worked in the stockyards at Omaha
and moved from there to Moorcroft, Wyo-
ming, where he became foreman of a horse
ranch. He worked as a ranch hand around the
Alliance area before coming to the Sandhills
in the late twenties. Joe and Tennie were
accompanied on their honeymoon by her
parents. They went to Alliance to visit
relatives. In 1945, Joe and Tennie moved
from the ranch into Mullen. Tennie was
employed at the Mullen Bakery and Stylerite
Cleaners. Joe was employed by the State
Department of Roads. Tennie was a charter
member of the Hospital Auxiliary and the
Rebekah Lodge No. 315.

Joe is buried in the Cedarview Cemetery in
Mullen and Tennie is buried next to Carl and
their infant son, Claude, in the Virginia
Cemetery (named for the Virginia settlers in
the area) north of Mullen.