PEARMAN, ROBERT E. AND RENA G. (ALLEN)

by Marion Pearman Isom

Entry F324 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Robert Ernest Pearman 'Little Butch': World War, 1917.

Robert Ernest (Little Butch) Pearman was
born in Ivanhoe (Wythe County) Virginia,
September 11, 1895 to William Cloyd and
Mary Belle Porter. The family left Virginia
in 1903 because of Robert's mother's health,
traveling west by covered wagon to Oklaho-
ma. Since Mary's health was not improving
they continued traveling on to Nebraska
where William (Bill) homesteaded north of
Seneca, Nebraska in Cherry County in 1903.
Bill's homestead was located just a few miles
northeast of James Buchanan (Buck) Pear-
mans. Buck had homesteaded in 1899 and
later his homestead was where the Grover
Ciles family resided. Both homesteads were
part of the Virginia Colony.

Mary died a few months after arriving in
Nebraska. Robert was eight years old at that
time of her death. An older sister Belva
Pearman, Gregory Spurlock and Grandmoth-
er Polly Pearman cared for the four younger
children for some time. When Grandmother
Polly Pearman became ill she returned to
Virginia.

At an early age Robert began working on
ranches. He entered the service in 1917
during WWI and after a few months received
a medical discharge at Camp Cody, New
Mexico. After his discharge he returned to
Seneca. September 9, 1925 he married Rena
Gertrude Allen at Mitchell, Nebraska. Rena
was born on the family homestead north of
Ainsworth, Nebraska the daughter of John
Austin and Laura Isbelle Bolich, March 18,
1910. Her father died in 1921 and her mother
married William (Bill) Betts. The family
lived south of Ainsworth for a short time,
then traveled by covered wagon to south of
mullen, Nebraska. Rena attended school with
Vera and Jack Maire. Then her folks moved
northeast of Seneca to the Verl Edelman
ranch. She attended high school in Thedford,
Nebraska and was qualified to teach school.
At the time of her marriage to Robert she was
living at home then after their marriage they
lived in Mitchell, Nebraska where Robert was
employed as an electrician for the Great
Western Sugar Company, where construction
of the factory was in progress. He continued
his work for the company as an electrician in
Julesburg, Colorado and Minatare, Nebras-
ka. After their first child, Marion Belle was
born, 1927, the family moved to
Belle Fouche, South Dakota where Robert
was employed at the sugar factory there.
They returned to Seneca in the fall of 1927
and lived northeast of Seneca helping Rena's
parents until 1930. Their second child,
Robert Eugene was born here
1929. In 1930 they purchased some cattle and
moved to the Pearman homestead and lived
there until 1937. Norman Lee was born on the
homestead 1931. Grandpa
Pearman lived with his children until his
death in 1935. After his death the homestead
and land was sold to David Walker M.D. and
Robert's family moved south of Mullen to the
Henry (Heine) Maire ranch. The schoolhouse
was the center of activity in the community
- here church services and elections were
held. Robert delivered the ballots to the
Mullen Courthouse after the polls closed
during elections for many years. In 1943 the
family moved to Mullen. Rena and Robert
were divorced in 1945. Robert died December
20, 1970 and was buried at Fort McPherson
National Cemetery at Maxwell, Nebraska.

Rena married Robert Neisius in 1953.
Robert retired from Civil Defense employ-
ment in 1974 and they currently reside in
Siloam Springs, Arkansas.