Among the early settlers in Antelope County who took an active role in religious, educational, and civic development of the county were Mr. and Mrs. Gildon Donner, who in 1873 located in West Cedar Valley. He was born in Boston, England and Betsy Fraser was born in Inverness, Scotland. They came to America to Illinois County, Illinois and were married there. Their first home in Nebraska was in a dugout.
They helped to organize the West Cedar Valley Congregational Church. Mrs. Donner planted tree seedlings and grew the first grove in the community. For some years she walked from her home to Oakdale to help feed the railroad crews. She would keep a burning candle in the window during stormy nights to help wayfaring strangers. Mr. Donner died in 1925 and Betsy in 1928. They were the parents of seven daughters and three sons, their first born dying in infancy: Grace, Jane, Frank, Elizabeth, Myrtle, twins (Ernest and Katherine), Anna and Willeta.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007