Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

This week we will continue with the life of Thomas Sturgeon. A while after I received the letter from Thomas Carroll, I was reading my Biographical Souvenir of Franklin County and right before my eyes was what Thomas’ mother had looked for. I am happy to be able to fulfill her wish. Below is the writing that was printed in the book about Thomas Sturgeon.

“Thomas Sturgeon, one of the prominent businessmen of the town of Franklin, Franklin County, NE, was born in Essex County, England, March 4, 1845, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Rutherford) Sturgeon, both of whom were natives of England. Our subject has two brothers and two sisters, namely - Aleck, Richard, Sarah, wife of Lewis Pharmer, of New York, and Elizabeth. In 1850, young Sturgeon, when only five years of age, came to America and located in Kingston, NY, where he received his education and learned the trade of ship building from his father, after which he went to New York City and followed his trade there for three years. He then returned to Kingston, NE and took charge of Thomas Cornell’s steamboat works, filling the position of superintendent satisfactorily for eight years.

In 1878, he came to Nebraska and took a homestead on Section 8, township 2, Range 14 in Franklin County, where he resided until 1882, during which year he moved into the town of Franklin. He has seen the town grow from a mere hamlet to its present large proportions. Before the bridge was built across the Republican River, he built a Ferry boat for the purpose of transporting passengers, and by this and other acts of his he has done as much to build up and make the town of Franklin what it is as any man in it. In 1887 he engaged in mercantile business, and by honesty and fair dealing has established an excellent trade.

“Mr. Sturgeon married Harriet Harnden, a daughter of George Harnden, of England. They had known each other from childhood, their fathers having worked together in Chatom dockyards and were old friends. This union has been blessed with nine children, namely-Fannie, Tommie, Mamie, Lizzie, Kittie, Jennita and three who died in infancy. When the war of the rebellion broke out. Thomas Sturgeon, at the age of sixteen, enlisted in Company F, Twentieth New York State militia, or Eightieth New York Volunteers, and went to the army of the Potomac. He participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Wilderness and Mine Run, and was engaged in numerous skirmishes. He also served in the state militia Company E. Twentieth New York. On a midnight retreat from Fredericksburg to Falmouth he was exposed to severe weather from the effects of which he has almost lost the use of his left arm. No man in Franklin stands higher in the estimation of the people than Thomas Sturgeon.”

By going to the courthouse I was able to find in the deed book that Thomas Sturgeon lived on the southwest quarter of Marion Township. He received his patent on this land December 20, 1881 and sold it to J. F. Cochran March 13, 1888. Life today finds the homestead of Thomas Sturgeon in the adjoining southwest quarter, being west of where Curt Wolf lives. So of course I wonder, somewhere on this quarter land would have been Thomas’ sod house and his little farm. Would I ever like to know where it was.

In the stillness of night, hands are beckoning us there, and, with joy that is almost pain. Anonymous

Rena Donovan, For Another Day.

Return to For Another Day main page

Return to Franklin County NEGenWeb Main Page