"ALFRED PEARSON - COZAD PIONEER;" DAWSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA Written by Beverly Scrutchfield Diefenderfer, edited by Eunice Buckley Wilson. Submitted to the USGenWeb Nebraska Archives, August, 1998, by Beverly Diefenderfer (BDiefen249@aol.com). USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist. *************** Alfred Pearson - A Cozad Pioneer Alfred Pearson was among the early settlers to be lured west to the Nebraska plains. Leaving his wife and children behind in Indiana, Alfred arrived in Cozad, Dawson County, sometime between 1871 and July 1874 to establish a home for his family. His wife, Harriet, with children Mahlon, Albert, Orra, May and Frances joined Alfred sometime in 1877 or 1878. They arrived by wagon train. As the Pearson wagon was full of supplies and furniture, the children walked the distance behind the wagon. Their oldest son, William Alfred, with his wife, Frances Wright Pearson, and their three young children arrived at the same time. Left behind were three older sons who worked on the railroads in Ohio and Indiana. Of these railroaders, only George Quency joined the Pearson family in Cozad about 1888. Son of a Quaker farmer, Alfred was born January 8, 1832, in Union County, Indiana. The fourth of seven children born to Henry and Abagail Bradway Pearson, he had three brothers and three sisters. With the exception of his brother William who may have made the trip west with Alfred, all of his siblings remained in Indiana. On February 19, 1852, Alfred married Rachel Harriet Agnes Leonard, the daughter of John G. and Soloma D. Ward Leonard, in Liberty, Indiana. The Leonards were Presbyterian by faith and came from New Jersey. Alfred and Harriet were married by a Presbyterian minister, thus ending the Quaker association. Quakers were not permitted to marry outside of their religion. Shortly after they were married, Alfred and Harriet leased land to farm near Liberty, Indiana. By 1870 land had become too expensive and Alfred was working as a farm laborer. It must have been during that time that Alfred decided to go west because of cheaper farm land. The first record of Alfred being in Dawson Co. was when the County’s Special Constable, Alfred Pearson was delivered a warrant to serve on July 15, 1874. Shortly there after in his capacity of Special Constable he appeared as a witness for the state. John W. McLaughlin, the D. W. Atkinson family and Oliver Buckley were Alfred‘s neighbors in June of 1880. William Groves, a farm laborer, and Thomas Lahman, a Clergyman from Pennsylvania, were staying with the Pearson family. By July of the same year, Alfred had finished building a three room sod house with six windows, board floor and roof on Buffalo Creek northeast of Cozad. An earlier home had been destroyed fire in 1879. Early records indicate that as of June 15th of 1881 the name of the town of Cozad changed to “Gould”. Alfred used Gould as his place of residence when signing two notes for farm equipment in September of 1881, and again in August of 1882. He filed an application to homestead the Bufflo Creek property in June of 1882 under the Homestead Act of March 3, 1879. The homestead, in addition to the 14 by 39 foot sod house, had a well, with windmill and pump, an 8 x 16 foot grainery, hog pen, stable and chicken coop. He had planted fruit trees, 100 forest trees and had 80 acres under cultivation. Oliver Buckley testified that the morning of October 14th, 1882, Alfred was running a threshing machine about three miles northwest of Cozad for Samuel Atkinson when he heard that John J. Cozad had returned from Denver. There seemed to be a disagreement over the right to pasture cattle on some land claimed by Cozad and that Alfred was going into town to confront John J. In an hour or two word came back to where they were threshing that Alfred had been shot. The next day a Criminal warrant was signed by R.B. Peirce, County Judge. The warrant read as follows: “The State of Nebraska vs John J. Cozad. Before me R. B. Peirce county within and for the county of Dawson Nebr personally came Alex Trimble who being sworn according to law deposes and says that --- John J Cozad on the 14th day of October 1882 in the county of Dawson afore said did unlawfully maliciously and feloniously shoot with a pistol with intent to kill one Albert Pearson of said county and further this deponeth sayeth not. Signed A. C. Trimble” : The “Dawson County Pioneer” December 9, 1882 reported that Alfred died in the early morning of December 4, 1882 from the gun shot wound to the front side of his head. The Coroner; H. O. Smith impaneled a jury of Absalon Henry, E. H. Krier, W. T. H. Tucker, J.P. Brott, B. F. Krier, and J. H. Rice. An inquest was held at Plum Creek on the 7th of December. An indictment for murder in the first degree was filed December 9, 1882 against John J. Cozad. Witnesses were Dr. W. W. Bancroff, Mrs. Julia Gatewood, Henry Drew, Wm McLaughlin, ------Owens. Henry Drew later gave a recorded testimony as a witness to the event, this record became part of the court record May 9, 1894. “Territory of Utah County of Salt Lake Henry Drew being first duly sworn deposes and says that he now lives at Santa Clare, in Washington County, Utah, that in 1882, he resided in Dawson County, Nebraska, and was acquainted with John J. Cozad and also with Mr. A. Pearson. That he was in the Village of Cozad, in the fall of 1882, and witnessed the altercation between said parties that resulted in the shooting of said Pearson by said John J. Cozad, that the particulars so far as affiant said and knows are as follows. Affiant was in the store kept by Mrs Julia A. Gatewood the mother in-law of Cozad and was in conversation with Cozad concerning a business matter. That Mrs Gatewood who was sitting behind the counter and the affiant and Cozad who were sitting in front of the counter were the only ones in the Store. That while the affiant and Cozad was negotiating a proposed trade Pearson came in to the store and said to Cozad, as near as I can remember now “Cozad I hear you are going to sue me” without waiting for him to reply further said “you God Damm son of a bitch if you say that my stock injured your hay ground you are a liar” Cozad who was sitting now got up and told Pearson to get out of the store as there was a woman present that he would not stand or have such talk in the presence of his mother-in-law who was a lady, Pearson then said that he did not know there was a woman in the store as he had not noticed Mrs Gatewood until Cozad had spoken he then said come out of doors, there are no women out there, we can talk or will talk, I can not now say positively which. That both men then went out the door, Pearson going first, when Pearson fairly got out side he again says to Cozad “I hear you are going to sue me” Cozad replies “I am if you dont keep your stock off of my land, immediately the word liar or lie, was used. I cannot now tell which spoke it, but almost instantly Pearson struck Cozad and knocked him down, in falling Cozad fell into an empty dry goods box or box of some kind and in such a way that it appeared to me that it prevented him from getting up and the next thing I saw was Cozad in the box with his heels and head sticking up and his body down and Pearson striking him on the head and attempting to kick him. I heard Cozad hollow to Pearson to quit that he Cozad was fast and could not get up but Pearson kept right along a striking him or at him and then I heard Cozad hollow help! Help! I also called to Pearson to stop at least three times when I saw he did not stop I hallowed then help! Help! For the purpose of attracting the attention of some one about this time Pearson took hold of Cozad by the throat or collar, I will not say which and then I grabbed hold of Pearson and attempted to pull him away. Then I heard a report of a pistol and Pearson let go of Cozad and staggered back taking me with him. Then I saw that Pearson was shot as the blood was running down his face. When I next saw Cozad he had extricated himself from the box and went into the house, he was bleeding from the nose and cuts on his fact, the worst cut was close to the right temple. Pearson was very boisterous and loud when he first spoke to Cozad in the Store, seemed to be very much excited. While striking and attempting to kick Cozad he was swearing and talking vehemently, but I can not now say what he said. The reason I did not take hold of Pearson sooner to pull him off was I was afraid to do so, as soon almost as he clinched Cozad I did so but did not attempt to when he was striking and kicking, and further affiant saith not Signed Henry Drew” Rev. C. S. Carr, of the Cozad M. E. Church, officiated at Alfred’s funeral. The “Dawson County Pioneer” also reported that he was buried in a new burying ground just set aside for that purpose by the people of Little Buffalo Creek, the same being on the top of a commanding bluff about two miles east of Pearson’s farm. The value of Alfred’s estate was appraised in May of 1883 at $1,052.30, his wife was allowed to retain furniture, wearing apparel owned by the family, two horses, one cow, a wagon and set of harness, total value $262.35. A farm sale was held on the rest of the personal property. Most items were purchased by the children of Alfred and Harriett. J. W. Rose, J. H. Cover, Charles Edwards, J. H. Borders, W. D. Larmon and Seth Harrison purchased a few items. The sale brought $489.15. One cow sold for $53.00 and a horse for $50.00, the windmill also sold for $50.00. Harriet “proved up” on the homestead in February of 1886 and sold to J. T. Waller in March of 1888. On January 15, 1894 Harriett died and was buried beside her husband in the Buffalo Table Cemetery, now known as the Rhinehart Cemetery. The final chapter of the death of Alfred Pearson was written twelve years later on the 9th day of May, 1894 in the District Court of Dawson County, Nebraska. “The State of Nebraska vs Plaintiff. John J. Cozad, Defendant Comes now E. A. Cook, County Attorney, in and for the County of Dawson, and represents to the Court that he has investigated the facts and circumstances connected with the charge of murder in first degree preferred against said defendant and is of the belief and opinion that no conviction can be had on said charge or any charge included therein. That the affidavits of Julia A. Gatewood, Wm M. Bancroft, H. M. Sinclair, Luciue Buckley, Henry Drew and Oliver Buckley, which are hereto attached and given as the reason therefor I therefore with the consent of the Court enter a “Nolle Prosequi” in said cause. Signed E. A. Cook, County Attorney” “It is therefore considered by the Court that a “Nolle Prosequi” be entered in this cause.” What of the Children of Alfred and Harriet? Some members of the Alfred Pearson family remained in Dawson County and numerous descendents populate the community today. The oldest son, William Alfred, also homestead about 10 miles northeast of Cozad. He died in 1886 and is buried in the Rhinehart Cemetery. George Quency married William Alfred’s widow. He was a photographer in Cozad and Eustis in the late 1880’s and 1890’s, he later moved to Freewater, OR. Two of the railroaders, John Cortland married and remained in Indiana. Francis Melville, a train engineer, was killed in 1887 when his train collided with another train outside of Kansas City. Mahlon Ellsworth Pearson married Dora Catherine Allen and moved to Moorefield Nebraska. Two of his daughters returned to Cozad; Mrs. Ed Strickland and Mrs Dora Scrutchfield. Some of Mahlon’s grandchildren still live in Cozad. Albert Sherman married Marrieta Larmon (Groves), a widow, and moved to Walla Walla, WA. Ardella Evelena May Pearson married Oliver P. Buckley, who died in 1911 and then married William Henry Scrutchfield. Many Buckley descendants live in the Cozad area. The last granddaughter of Alfred Pearson, Myrtie Scrutchfield Henry lived in Cozad and died in 1997. Orra William married Nora Hawley, a sister of W. B. Berryman’s wife. Orra died in Lexington in 1926 and is buried in the Cozad Cemetery. The youngest, Frances Rosella married Edward Franey in 1894 and moved to western Nebraska. By: Beverly Scrutchfield Diefenderfer, edited by Eunice Buckley Wilson Great granddaughters of Alfred Pearson