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Note: Father: Eliakim Dewey, a native of Mass. and an early settler on the Western Reserve lands of Ohio. With half-brother, William F. Dewey, Timothy came to Richardson County, Nebr. in the fall of 1858. In the spring of 1859, he moved to Pawnee County, Nebr. Timothy Dewey and his wife Margaret were divorced sometime before 1885. He built a house for her in Beatrice, NE after the divorce. Daughter, Daisy, was living with her in the 1885 Nebraska census. Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Liberty, NE. TIMOTHY G. DEWEY has seen perhaps as many of the changes that have taken place in the western half of this country as any other man residing in this county, having been early inured to pioneer life when the development of these States was yet in its infancy. He was born on the 20th of May, 1828, in Portage County, Ohio, his father, Eliakim (now deceased), having been a native of Massachusetts and an early settler on the Western Reserve lands of Ohio. Our subject spent the early part of his life on a farm, engaged in the various duties of rural life, accompanied no doubt at that time with an infinite number of hardships and obstacles, which have since been removed. He was able to receive but a very limited education, not because his parents did not appreciate the value of learning but because the opportunities were extremely limited. Late in the year 1849 our subject went to Waukesha County, Wis., and lived there for a time, then changing his residence to several other parts of the State, but in the fall of 1858 he became dissatisfied and, in company with his brother William F., came to Richardson County, Neb. In the spring of 1859 he came to the western part of Pawnee County and took up some Government land lying partly in that county and partly in this, his brother settling just across the line in Gage County. They were the first to break land bordering on Wolf Creek, and at that time the Indians held undisputed sway, and wild animals made their home here. Herds of buffaloes were grazing not more than thirty miles west from here, having been driven already that far by the march of civilization. There was but one family (by the name of Bennett) living on Plum Creek when our subject and his brother came to this section, and that family was the only one living in Liberty Township. While he was preparing to build his house, and that, too, in the most primitive style, our subject boarded with this family. At one time the Indians staid over night with them, and finding a sack of gold belonging to our subject, they took $20 of the amount contained in it, not daring to take the remainder lest the theft should be suspected. The early settlers of this section suffered quite a number of losses from the pilfering of these Indians, who claimed to be friendly, but who could not resist carrying away with them small articles of value on which they could lay their hands. Several new families settled in Plum Creek in the fall of 1859, which no doubt was a grateful addition to the lonely little settlement. Our subject returned to Wisconsin in the fall of 1860, and 1861 he went to Mitchell County, Iowa, where he remained until the 13th of April, 1862, on which day he was united in marriage with Margaret A. Pilcher, a daughter of Joshua Pilcher (deceased). They gathered about them a family of nine children, seven of whom are living, namely: Minnie (Minerva), Celestia, William L., Charles E., Belle O., Adaline and Daisy. Our subject settled on his present farm on section 5, Liberty Township, in 1883, and owns 160 acres of good land, which he devotes to the purpose of general farming, also paying attention to the breeding of graded stock. For a period of almost fifty years he has watched the westward course of civilization, which still continues on her way, and in that time the section of the country which was frontier and Western Reserve, has become the center of colonization, while stretching far beyond it are improvements far exceeding those of the Eastern States half a century ago. The railroads traverse the country in every direction in place of the stage coaches that were once thought to be a great convenience. The telegraph lines form a connecting link which joins this section to the most distant parts of even the great world, while the religious and educational advantages now offered here are unsurpassed. Of all these changes our subject has taken note, and has done his share toward the development of his immediate section. Comments by R. F. Droullard This information is from the: Portrait and Biographical Album of Gage County, Nebraska, Chapman Brothers, 1888, 978.2286, D3p pp 277-278. This information was received from Mrs. Maxine A. Mann in August, 1992. Timothy Gilbert Dewey (1828-1906) is a descendant of Thomas Dewey, (1597-1648) the immigrant ancestor who arrived in this country aboard the John and Mary in 1630. Our line is through his sons Israel (1645-1678) and Thomas II (1639/40-1690). Eliakim Dewey had three wives. The second was Phebe Whipple (see Whipple file which goes back to England) who was Timothy's mother. Eliakim Dewey's first wife was Hannah Utley. She and their two young daughters died from smallpox. His third wife was Lydia Wolford and they had 5 children: William F. Dewey, Daniel Dewey (we have his picture), David Dewey, Alonzo Dewey and Hanna Dewey. Margaret Adeline Pilcher was born January 14, 1843 in Jo Daviess County IL. Her father's name was Joshua Pilcher (of Scotch ancestry) and he was born near Lexington, KY. Her mother's name was Philadelphia Beer and she was born in St. Clair County, IL. Margaret died July 5, 1910 in Beatrice, NE of arteriosclerosis. She is buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery north of Liberty, NE (many of the Deweys attended church in that vicinity). Joshua Pilcher owned land in Mitchell County, IA.
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