Strong Pioneers

John Spencer Anderson was born and raised in the state of Kentucky. He married Mary Ann Hall, also a native of the Blue Grass State. They began their trek west, first moving to Scott County, IL where in 1851 John bought 200 acres of land near Winchester, IL. In 1855 he sold the 200 acres and moved the family to Jacksonville, IL. There the family continued to grow until there were 17 children, and by 1864 they decided to leave Illinois for free land in Nebraska. Seven of these children died before the age of two and were buried in Illinois.

Nineteen year old James was sent ahead to what would later become York County, NE to stake out homestead claims for his father and older brother, William. John Spencer's homestead was the first in York County. William was 21 at the time and old enough to file for a homestead in his own name. As the other boys became old enough, they all took homestead, with the exception of the youngest son.

Hezekiah Boone, always called "Boone", was 16 years old when he left with his parents from Illinois. He also applied for a homestead. During his years in York County, in addition to farming, he drove freight wagons on the Government Freight Road between Nebraska City and points in western Nebraska and Wyoming.

In the spring of 1885, he moved his family to a tree claim eight miles southwest of Gothenburg, NE, in Lincoln County. Even though he had homesteaded 80 acres in York County, he was still eligible for a 160 acre tree claim under the Timber Culture Act of 1878. This is a picture of his "soddy" near Gothenburg.

When the family moved to Lincoln County, they brought the family dog and kept him tied up for a few days until he got used to the new home. When he was turned loose, he disappeared and showed up several days later back at the farm in York County (150 miles) with sore and bleeding feet.

In addition to farming, Boone was an auctioneer and also earned money playing the fiddle for country dances with sons Wilburn and Jesse. In the early 1900's he ran a livery stable in Gothenburgh.

He and Mary Louisa had 11 children.