WIGGINS, BENJAMIN AND EMMA (CARNELL)

by Esther Wiggins French

Entry F453 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Ben and Emma Wiggins came to Seneca,
Nebr. in the spring of 1911. They came from
South-Eastern Nebr. Rising City, where they
had owned a general store, which they had
traded to Marshall Cunningham for 648 acres
of farm and ranch-land.

Seneca was then a thriving small railroad
division point, the main line from, Grand
Island, ne. to Alliance, Ne. The Loup River
flowed thru the town. The country was very
hilly and sandy soil. A good ranching country
but not farming. The roads were just two
wagon trails winding from Valley to Valley.

The land had been opened to home-stead-
ers and now many were just proving up on
their places. Many sold their places and left,
some just left and the country began to go
back to larger ranches.

When Ben and family got out to their new
farm they found a nice big valley with about
two-third of the place crop land. There was
a small unpainted house. Four small rooms
a fair sized barn and an old cement milk
house and a windmill. The water from the
well ran thru two big tanks and out to the
stock tank. This made a good cool place for
milk, butter, etc., Almost as good as a
refrigerator. There was no electricity, no
running water, no bathroom, no telephone,
no lawns. It was back to pioneer days.

Ben plowed and planted and bought a few
cattle. Emma planted a big garden and the
girls planted flowers and tried to have a lawn.
In a few years Ben built a new three bed-room
house which helped.

There was a little country school-house
about three-fourth of a mile away. Mother
organized a Sunday School and they got a
minister from Thedford, Ne. to come once a
month and preach. There were two neighbors
about one-half mile away and five neighbors
about two miles away. So there was a good
school.

Emma taught it several years. When the
girls finished the eighth grade, the family
moved back East, so they could go to High
School.

Susan, the older one got married and went
back to Seneca, Ne., and Ben and family
returned in about three years. Emma died in
1934. Ben lived with Gerald and Esther for
twelve years. He died in 1946. They are both
buried at Seneca, Ne.

Esther finished High School back east and
got a school toteach in Hooker Co. She taught
several years then married a young rancher
near Mullen, Nebr.