CARR, LEE AND JANET

by Mary Carr Swendener

Entry F65 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Lee, Janet and Mary Adeline Carr

Eddie Lee Carr was the oldest son of
Thomas W. Carr and Mary Jane (Boyer)
Carr. He was born April 1, 188 near Emerick
in Madison Co., Nebr.

When he was 12 Years old he drove one of
the covered wagons when the family moved
to South Cherry Co. , where they home-
steaded in "Dry Valley".

His parents were helpful in getting the Dry
Valley Church built and Sunday School
organized. A younger brother, Teddy, was
one of the first to be buried in the new
cemetery.

Lee worked on several ranches and also
"freighted" for some. He worked for big
Creek Ranch some 20 years.

On Sept. 19, 1917, he answered his countrys
call, serving in the 355th Field Hospital of the
89th Division from Camp Funston, Kansas to
France and Germany. He was discharged at
Camp Dodge, Iowa on June 4, 1919.

Sept. 30, 1925 he was married to Janet A.
Hogg of Berwyn, Nebr. She had been teach-
ing the Stanbaugh school north of Big Creek.

Their only child, Mary Adeline, was born
August 12, 1927 at Alliance, Nebr. Since she
was several months premature, Lee always
told her she looked like a "skinned rabbit",
the first time he saw her. They were living at
Big Creek where he was foreman when she
was born. They purchased his folks place and
they moved there in the spring of 1932.

Lee passed away at the Veterans Hospital
in Hot Springs, South Dakota, June 8, 1938
at the age of 50. The body was taken the 1/2
mile from home to Dry Valley cemetery with
American Legion Members from Mullen,
Thedford and Hyannis marching behind. It
was reported to be the largest military funeral
to be held in the area.

Janet and Mary A. stayed on the place with
the help of Lee's brothers Floyd and John and
nephews until 1943 when she leased the place
to Cecil Baldwin and she and Mary lived in
Mullen while Mary attended High School.
Janet worked for Ruth Stoughton, the
County Clerk and later for John Motl at the
Drug Store.

Mary went to work for the "Northwestern
Bell" Telephone Office in Broken Bow after
she graduated from High School in 1945.
Janet came down to see her in August and was
put in the hospital with pneumonia, where
she died August 31, 1945. Hers was the last
funeral held in the Dry Valley Church and the
stage of the church was completely covered
with flowers.

Janet was an active member in Extension
and 4-H club work, Eastern Star and Ameri-
can Legion Auxiliary. Dearest of all was her
church work. In the Dry Valley Church and
Mullen Methodist Church.

Mary married Ray Swendener December
24, 1945. They had three sons and she still
lives on the old "Carr Homestead" in Dry
Valley.