My Genealogy Hound

LEVI D. HAGER is one of the very best farmers and one of the very earliest pioneer settlers of Franklin county, and is one of the men, who, by their enterprise and industry have made the country what it is to-day. He is one of the few whose lives are full of good lessons which should not be lost, but preserved as an example worthy of imitation by the coming generations. He was born June 10, 1844, at Wallingford, Rutland county, Vt., and comes of good old New England ancestry, being one of a family of twelve children born to Steadman and Sylvia (Davis) Hager, both of whom were natives of Vermont, the former having been born in the year 1809, the latter in 1812. His parents left Vermont and moved to Outagamie county, Wis., when he was but one year old, and there the father pre-empted a quarter section of timber land on which the family settled. On this place our subject resided, attending school and choring about his father’s farm until twelve years old (1856), when he emigrated with the family still farther West and settled in Dodge county, Nebr., eight miles west of where the city of Fremont now stands. His father’s claim was located near Pawnee Indian village, and for a long time the family were troubled by the thievishness of the natives. The winter of 1856 was one of the severest ever experienced within the memory of the oldest settlers of Nebraska; and it was during one of those driving, blinding snow storms, known as the Nebraska blizzard, that the father of our subject perished. It seems that he was some distance from home when the storm overtook him, and not being able — as any one having experienced a Nebraska blizzard well knows — to find his way home, he wandered about until overcome by the elements and compelled to lie down and die. His remains were not found until six months later, when his skeleton and pieces of his clothing, sufficient for identification, were found lying in the forks of a tree, which had blown down. A small pile of brush near by indicated that he had attempted to kindle a fire, but probably owing to the driving wind was unable to do so. The family being thus deprived of the father, one on whom it had always depended for guidance and support, and the boys being young and inexperienced and the country new and sparsely settled, naturally were compelled to endure hardships and privations which doubtless would have otherwise been averted.

Our subject remained at home doing what he could to alleviate the wants of the family until twenty-one years of age, when, the balance of the family having grown well up to maturity, he left home to begin life on his own account, he came to Franklin county, June 3, 1871, and pre-empted a claim on Centre creek, four miles north of where the town of Franklin is now located, in section 15, township 2, range 15 west. But few persons had attempted to settle in the country up to this time, and the few that had taken claims were to be found along the river and creeks. Wood and water were among the first essentials to permanent settlement, and for this reason Mr. Hager settled on Centre creek. His claim was about half timber and half prairie, and later, when the country became more thickly populated, he divided his wood land into small lots and disposed of it to other settlers having no timber. His first house was a 16 x l8 foot two-story log house, in which he lived for seven years. The country was full of wild game — buffalo, deer, antelope and wild turkey — and he has killed many of the former, dried the meat and carried it with him to eat, while on long trips or in the field at work. He used to cut up the hides of the buffalo into straps which he used to lariat his oxen. It was customary among the early pioneers to divide the meat of a buffalo, killed by one of them, with all his neighbors, and in this manner the little neighborhood was kept well supplied with meat. For the first few years Mr. Hager’s nearest trading point was at Lowell, fifty miles to the north, and thither he would go with his oxen over the broad prairie, making the trip to that place and back in four days. There being no water on the vast space of prairie lying between the Republican and Platte rivers known as the “divide,” and over which he had to pass, he carried pumpkins along, on which to feed the oxen, thus quenching, in a measure, their thirst. In making one of these four-day trips to and from Lowell, he was obliged to camp and spend the night on the open prairie. Let the reader imagine, if he can, a night thus spent on the broad open prairie, with nothing but the dome of heaven for his shelter and the radiance of the stars for his light; with no sound to greet his ears save the munching of the oxen and the occasional bark of a hungry coyote in his swift flight over the prairie in search of food.

Mr. Hager’s entire stock in store when he landed in Franklin county consisted of one yoke of oxen, a half interest in a cow, some provisions, and three dollars in money. It will be seen by this, that the circumstances under which he began pioneer life in Franklin county were not as favorable as might be expected, after considering the marvelous success he has achieved in the score of years intervening. Crops, from various causes — chief among which were drought and grasshoppers — were almost a total failure the first four years; but with that invincible determination characteristic of his people, he kept toiling on until prosperity at last dawned upon the country and justly rewarded his assiduous efforts. In May, 1879, he disposed of his old pre-emption on Centre creek and purchased a quarter section of railroad land on the “divide,” in Macon township on which he now resides. He also filed a timber claim on a quarter section across the road from his newly purchased land, which claim bears the distinction of being the first final proof filed untler the new act of Congress, known as the timber claim act, and entitling settlers to the right of land under its provisions. The first house constructed on the new purchase was a 12 x l6 foot sod house, in which he lived six years, and then built the present spacious brick mansion, which is one of the best residences in the county. Mr. Hager has dealt largely in stock, and from this source he has made and accumulated considerable money. His farm, of three hundred and sixty acres, is one of the best in the county, and is fully equipped with all the modern improvements. He has made a somewhat phenomenal success at fruit growing, and now has apples and peaches bearing on his place.

Mr. Hager was married March 21, 1872, to Miss Lilly B. Thompson, who was born in Scott county, Ill., December 9,1853. Her parents are John and Mary (Chapman) Thompson, the former being a farmer by occupation and a native of Kentucky by birth; the latter was a native of Maryland. The congenial union of Mr. and Mrs. Hager has resulted in the birth of four children, namely— Ida B., Frank E., Mary A. and Ebbert D. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Hager are believers in the Methodist Episcopal faith, and are active members of the organization in their neighborhood. Politically, Mr. Hager, although reared a republican, and for many years a believer in its principles, has of late years allied himself with the prohibition party. He has held various local offices, serving in the capacity of justice of the peace, of Franklin precinct, in 1872, and also as county commissioner for a term of three years, commencing in 1877. He is a member of the order of A. F. and A. M., at Bloomington, and a man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.

He has been class-leader in the Methodist Episcopal church since 1873, and director of the school district in his neighborhood for ten years past.