My Genealogy Hound

EDWARD WALLEAN (deceased) was one of the most honest, industrious and intelligent citizens of Sherman township, a man noted for his exemplary habits and much loved by all who knew him. He was born in Sweden, June 22, 1840. In his early life he attended the neighboring school, and obtained a good practical education. He resided in Sweden until thirty-two years of age and was engaged in the bakery business. In the spring of 1872 he embarked for America, and, after spending some time in traveling about, located at Ishpeming, Mich., and found employment in the iron mines of that region. He followed mining there for seven years, during which time he had, through his industrious habits, and the practice of the most rigid economy, accumulated a considerable sum of money. He finally determined to seek his fortune in the far West, and accordingly, in the spring of 1879, he moved his family to Sherman township, Kearney county, where he purchased the southeast quarter of section 21 of the Union Pacific Railroad Company. He constructed, upon arrival, a small frame dwelling and broke thirty-six acres of land, which he put in corn. His crop was entirely destroyed that year by hail. The following year he redoubled his efforts and put out a large amount of acreage in crops, but to no avail; the drought of that season destroyed everything, and so straitened were his circumstances that fall, that he was compelled to go to the mountains, leaving his family on the farm, and work in the mines to provide a living. In the meantime, the family lived on the scantiest kind of food and burned corn-stalks and twisted hay and straw for fuel. Times finally changed and an era of prosperity dawned upon the destitute settlers, during which he was able to develop his farm, build a fine frame dwelling and barn, and otherwise improve his farm, until it is at present one of the best in the county. He was married September 21, 1869, to Christena Jacobson, who was born in Sweden, December 18, 1849, and came to America in 1874, her husband having preceded her two years before. Their union has been blessed with seven children, as follows — Oscar T., born October 22, 1870; Newton P., born March 14, 1872; Tacklo, born January 5, 1875; Bennie, born November 19, 1878; Earnest, born December 19, 1880 ; Frederick, born April 16, 1885; Emela, born December 1, 1887.

Mr. Wallean was taken sick in the fall of 1889 with dropsy, and, after an illness of some months, died in November. Politically, he was a republican.