WOLFENDEN, CYRUS AND LIZZIE (KIME)

by LeRoy Wolfenden

Entry F458 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Cyrus R. and Lizzie Wolfenden Golden Anniversary October 8, 1949

Cyrus Robert Wolfenden was born to
Cyrus and Mary Wolfenden at Little Rock,
Ark., Oct. 23, 1875. He was the fourth
generation to be named Cyrus Robert. His
father died of typhoid fever before he was
born. Mary wed Frank Marshall and with
young Cyrus moved to Wisconsin and then to
Maywood, Nebr. At the age of 16 Cyrus
helped trail cattle from Maywood to the
Dismal River south of Seneca, Nebr. He
stayed and herded the cattle on the open
range and lived in a covered wagon. He came
to Cherry County, Nebr. to homestead on
Lone Tree Lake. After making numerous
improvements he was turned in as being too
young to stake a claim and had to give it up.

Four year old Lizzie, the oldest daughter
of John and Annie Kime had moved from
Holt County, Nebr. to their homestead claim
40 miles north of Mullen, Nebr. Lizzie stayed
with her grandparents, Levi and Nancy
Kime, in Valentine, to attend school 2 or 3
months during the winter. She attended
school through the third grade. In later years
she taught one year of school with just this
education and was called upon many times
to help with the birth of babies or whenever
a doctor was needed.

Lizzie and Cyrus were married Oct. 8, 1899
at her parents homestead. They filed on a
homestead and in 1907 bought the John
Kime place. They also bought her sister,
Edna, and brother, Clide, and of others and
soon acquired 36 sections of land.

They had five children: Ruby Mary Oct. 8,
1900 married Carl Wolf in 1924 and had one
son, James. Carl was killed Jan. 17, 1944.
Cyrus Robert (Bob) born Dec. 4, 1902,
married Pearl Phillips Dec. 25, 1933. He died
May 5, 1965 and Pearl June 10, 1979. Warren
Earl born Nov. 30, 1904, married Eunice
Pearman Feb. 25, 1937 and had six children:
Robert Earl, LeRoy, Jerry, Melvin, Billy,
Lawnie. Warren died Nov. 4, 1971. Lizzie
Hazel born April 12, 1906, married Eugene
Howard and lives in Florida. Erma May born
Dec. 1, 1913, married Lee Cooley of Mullen.
They had 2 sons, Jack of Michigan and Cy of
Mullen.

While the children of Cyrus & Lizzie
attended school in Mullen Lizzie lived in
town with them. All of their children graduat-
ed from Mullen High School.

Cyrus died of a heart attack June 26, 1950.
Lizzie continued operating the ranch and
lived there more than 80 years. She died July
18, 1971.

The ranch has been family owned for 103
years.