The town site was surveyed by W. T. Richardson in 1873. The first house built on the site was the court house, in 1873. Hubbel Pepper placed the next, removing his house from Savannah in fall of 1873. During this year, Joseph Stevens moved a building from Butler Center, and John T. and Thornton B. Myers removed their store from Savannah, and are the pioneer merchants of the town.

At the close of 1873, Dr. G. H. Peebles came, opening the first drug store. J. Dean & Son opened a store for general merchandise. W. Y. Turner, Wilmot & Thompson located here at the same time. During this year F. H. Angel built the first house, and in the winter, Judge B. O. Perkins bought the old court house at Savannah, removed it to David City and opened the first hotel, naming it the David City House.

This was the nucleus around which has gathered the now prosperous town, and, although one of the very youngest of the State, it will compare favorably with many that have attained a greater age. The landmarks and scenes of former life are fast fading from view. It has sprung up as if by magic. The wild flowers of the plain, the tall prairie grass, have given place to the dwellings of active business and husbandmen, and a populous, flourishing town.

COUNTY OFFICES

Butler County Courthouse
451 5th Street David City, NE 68632
402-367-7430

Butler County Historical Society
Sunshine Court
1125 3rd St.
David City, NE, 68632

Chamber of Commerce
449 D Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-4238

CHURCHES

Congregational-Christian
696 5th Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3470

First Baptist
695 E Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-4412

Open Bible Evangelical Free Church
North Highway 15
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3844

Redeemer Lutheran
695 9th Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3859

St. Luke's United Methodist
620 D Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3494

St. Mary's Catholic
Rectory, 580 I Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3579

LIBRARY

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Knott Funeral Home & Monuments
835 C Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3384

Roberts Funeral Home
515 C Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3224

NEWSPAPERS

The Banner-Press
331 E Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3054

Butler County Press has been microfilmed and has obituaries back to the 1880's.   It is available on interlibrary loan from the History Center in Lincoln, NE.

SCHOOLS

Aquinas Middle School & High School
South Highway 15, David City, NE 68632
402-367-3175

Public Elementary Public School
826 E Street, David City, NE 68632
402-367-3779

Junior-Senior High School
750 D Street, David City, NE 68632
402-367-3187

St. Mary's Grade School
1026 5th Street
David City, NE 68632
402-367-3669

BOARD OF TRUSTEES - 1873 THRU 1881

FIRST BOARD OF TRUSTEES

B. O. Perkins
Chairman; George L. Brown
C. D. Casper
H. Pepper
William Turner
Horace Garfield, Town Clerk
F. H. Angel, Treasurer
G. H. Peebles, Assessor
Simon Parsons, Collector
G. H. Peebles, Marshal
H. C. Barnes, Town Attorney

1875 TOWN OFFICIALS and TRUSTEES

John T. Myers, Chairman
P. Murphy
Frank Davis
A. J. Evans
B. O. Perkins
T. B. Myers, Town Clerk
H. Pepper, Treasurer
G. H. Peebles, Assessor
W. B. Dunlap, Marshal
H. C. Barnes, Attorney
J. Wonderlick, Street Commissioner
William Turner, Police Judge

1876 TOWN OFFICIALS and TRUSTEES

J. T. Myers, Chairman
B. O. Perkins
William M. Smithson
John Harper
A. J. Combs
T. B. Myers, Clerk
H. Pepper, Treasurer
G. H. Peebles, Assessor
J. C. Browning, Marshal
H. Hawes, Street Commissioner

1877 TOWN OFFICIALS and TRUSTEES

William M. Bunting, Chairman
H. Pepper
Abel Hill
J. L. Cooper
B. F. Rolph, Trustees
Calmar McCune, Clerk
A. J. Evans, Treasurer
John T. Myers, Assessor

1878 TOWN OFFICIALS and TRUSTEES

B. O. Perkins, Mayor
T. B. Myers, Councilmen
W. M. Smithson, Councilman
A. H. Cooley, Councilman
H. Pepper, Councilman
J. A. Cook, City Clerk
Frank Davis, Treasurer
G. H. Mechling, Street Commissioner
H. T. Hawes, Assessor, appointed April 5
James O. Brien was appointed Street Commissioner to fill vacancy July 6
A. M. Sherburn was appointed the first Chief Engineer of the Fire Department

1879 TOWN OFFICIALS and TRUSTEES

E. R. Dean, Mayor
J. C. Panter, Councilman for First Ward
M. French, Councilman for Second Ward
A. M. Sherburn, City Clerk
Frank Davis, City Treasurer
A. J. Evans, Police Judge
M. M. Ormsby, City Engineer and Street Commissioner A. Palmer, Marshal
W. T. Hartley, Assistant Marshal
John Harper, Assessor

1880, TOWN OFFICIALS and BOARD OF TRUSTEES

W. B. Thorp, Chairman
F. H. Angel
W. G. Boston
L. Spelts
John I. Nelson
Charles E. Hewett was appointed Town Clerk
J. A. Cook, Treasurer
George Raynolds, Marshal
Thomas Evans, Street Commissioner
W. G. Boston, Chief of Fire Department

1881 TOWN OFFICIALS and BOARD OF TRUSTEES

W. B. Thorp, Chairman
F. H. Angel
W. G. Boston
L. Spelts
John I. Nelson
O. H. Ford, Town Clerk
J. A. Cook, Treasurer
George Raynolds, Marshal
Thomas Evans, Street Commissioner
W. G. Boston, Chief of Fire Department
A. J. Evans, Town Attorney

EARLY SETTLERS

WILLIAM KILGORE

William Kilgore was born on September 9, 1846 in York Co., Penn. When he was 19 years of age he enlisted as a Private in Company D, Penns Infantry Volunteers 103th Regiment at Harrisburg, Penn. on the 21 day of March 1865. He received an Honorable Discharge in N.C. on June 25, 1865. In Chanceford Township, York Co., Penn he married Annaline Garrett Anderson Thomas, the widow of David J. Thomas, on March 24, 1868. They moved to Henderson Co., Ill. in 1877 and were there for nine years and then relocated to Butler Co., Neb. in the fall of 1887 and settled on a farm near Ware bringing with them their children, Evan Alexander Thomas, Mary Emma Thomas, from Annaline's first marriage and their five children, John Joseph, who married Ella Alexander, Simon Hershey, who married Lois Youker, Sarah Ann who married William Boyer, Martin Luther, who married Mabel Hinkle, and Harry, who married Olive Pitt. Mr. Kilgore was a member of the David City G.A.R. Post and a member of the Methodist Church for forty years. In 1909 they moved to David City. Mr. Kilgore passed away on May 14, 1914 and Mrs. Kilgore passed away in Raymond in her son Simon's home after a three weeks visit on March 12, 1918 and was buried beside her husband in the David City Cemetery.

BENJAMIN HAIGHT

Bible Records: NSHS
Contributed by Elmer Haight, David City, Nebraska

Benjamin Haight's Bible passed at his death to his daughter Delia Vaughn. She probably added the later death records. Before her death she gave the Bible to the present owner Elmer Haight, David City, Nebraska, son of Lewis B. Haight, (Benjamin and Alma Beach).

Benjamin Haight,         Born May 31st 1794,   Died Jan. 6 - 1866 Age 71 yrs.

Pheobe Comstock (1st wife)  "   Jan. 13 - 1795, ^(a)  "   Aug 6 - 1825 Age 30 yrs.

Alma Beach      (2nd  " )  "   Aug.17 - 1808, ^(b)      "   Jan. 31 - 1848 "  40  "

Jane C. Wood    (3rd  " )  "   Mar. 12 - 1815,        "   Mar. 17 - 1870 "  56  "

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© 1998 by Carolyn Wilkerson
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