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William Henry Karr

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William Henry Karr, the oldest son of George Phillip and Mary Catherine (Arter) Karr, was born April 1, 1867 at Manhatten, Illinois. In the spring of 1888, his parents moved to the Blue Hill, Nebraska area. February 18, 1890, he married Dora Baker in Hastings, Nebraska. Dora was the eldest daughter of Jacob and Frances (Falley) Baker, born at Arrowsmith, Illinois, April 20, 1870. She was widely known and a popular young lady and has many warm friends. He is reported to be a prosperous and well to do young farmer. They lived on a farm near Blue Hill. Three children were born to them, Blanche Sylvia, William Phillip and Hester Ellen

Dora became an invalid and was bedfast when her youngest child, Hester was born and as she was unable to care for her baby, grandparents, Phillip and Mary Karr took Hester to live with them at an early age. The family lived on a farm three and one half miles west of Blue Hill on the south road to Bladen at the time. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to a farm in the Riverton, Nebraska area. On August 17, 1898, after a long illness, Dora passed away at age twenty eight. Her sister, Lillian (Baker)Sanders thought she may have had M.S. or M.D. Funeral services were held in the Christian Church in Blue Hill with burial in the Blue Hill Cemetery. Blanche and Willie went to live with the Karr grandparents. After a few years they went to live with their father and Hester continued to stay with the grandparents. According to talk among family members, the maternal grandparents wanted to take the oldest child, Blanche, but their father didn’t want to separate them. There were hard feelings over this and the grandmother did not visit the children in spite of the fact that they lived down the road a quarter of a mile. In 1900 the Bakers moved to Grand Island.

On January 15, 1913, at Normal, Illinois, William H. married Rebecca Virginia Shutts, daughter of Michael and Sarah Shutts. Born October 11, 1864 in Center Hall, Pennsylvania. She was a member of the Baptist Church in her youth and after moving to Blue Hill, worked in the Methodist Church. She passed away February 12,1954 at the Maynard Hospital in Red Cloud, Nebraska. Burial in the Blue Hill Cemetery. William made his home with his sister, Sadie Zimmerman after the death of his wife. He passed away August 30, 1958 at Red Cloud, Nebraska. Burial in Blue Hill Cemetery.

Source:
Information courtesy of Delores (Karr) Krichau’s family history compilation

William Henry Karr Obituary

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William Henry Karr, son of Philip and Mary Karr, was born April 1, 1867 in Manhattan, Illinois and passed away August 30, 1958 at the Webster County Hospital in Red Cloud. He lived 91 years and 5 months.

The Karr family came to Nebraska when he was child and they settled on a farm in the Blue Hill community. On February 18, 1890, he was united in marriage to Dora Baker of Plymouth, Nebraska. To this union three children were born, one son, William and two daughters, Blanche and Hester. His wife preceded him in death on August 17, 1898

On January 15, 1913, he was married to Rebecca Virginia Shutts. They continued living on the farm where he was active in community affairs. He was president of the Cloverton Farmer’s Union at one time. In 1924 he and his wife moved to Blue Hill. His wife Rebecca passed away February 12, 1954. Since that time he made his home with his sister, Mrs. Sadie Zimmerman of Blue Hill.

He was a kind and loving father, grandfather and brother. He loved to visit with his many relatives and friends. He led a well and active life until a few weeks ago when he became ill and was taken to the hospital where he passed away.

He leaves to mourn his passing his son, William of Bladen, daughters, Mrs. Blanche Schulz and Mrs. Hester Schulz of Blue Hill, nine grandchildren, fifteen great grand children and his sister, Mrs. Sadie Zimmerman of Blue Hill.

Source:
Information courtesy of Delores (Karr) Krichau’s family history compilation

George Phillip Karr

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George Phillip Karr was born October 21,1841 in Dackenheim, Germany and was baptized in the Evangelical Association at that place. At the age of four years, he came to America with his parents in 1845 and the family settled near Dayton, Ohio. In the year of 1862 they moved to Joliet, Illinois, he married Mary Catherine Arter at the home of her parents. Mary Arter was born near Johns town, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1847. They made their home in Illinois until the spring of 1888, when they moved to Nebraska and located on a farm three miles west and 3/4 mile north of Blue Hill, NE. They had three hundred and twenty acres of which the east half was a timberclaim. Nine children were born to them, six sons and three daughters. Two sons, Phillip A. and Lorenz L. passed away in infancy and were buried in Illinois. A daughter, Mary Ellen (Mrs. John Zimmerman) died on July 8, 1910 during childbirth, and she and her infant daughter, Ellen, are buried in the Blue Hill Cemetery.

The Karrs celebrated their Golden Anniversary, January 30, 1916, when relatives gathered at their home. He was presented with a gold headed cane and she was the recipient of a lovely gold cream and sugar set. The table was beautifully decorated. A large vase filled with pink and white carnations and fern leaves adorned the center of the table. A huge wedding cake bearing the words “Golden Wedding” and two hearts linked together was placed at one end and a molasses cake, the same kind that they had for their wedding day fifty years ago was placed at the other end. Their four sons and two daughters with their families were present, there being sixteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.  The Karrs were among the older residents of Webster County and were held in highest esteem by many warm friends.

After the death of their daughter in law, Dora (Baker) Karr, they took the three children of William’s to raise. Blanche age seven, Willie age five and Hester, about three. Hester had made her home there for most of her life as her mother was an invalid at the time of her birth.

Mrs. Karr passed away on Monday, February 3, 1919, on the farm northwest of Blue Hill. She had been in ill health for some time due to her advancing years and her death was not altogether unexpected as she had been fighting a cancerous condition. Funeral services were held from the home with burial in the Blue Hill Cemetery.

On Sunday, December 17, 1922, George Phillip passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J.K. (Addie) Martin. He was in his eighty first year and had enjoyed a good degree of health for a man of his years, but paralysis seized him and in the end succumbed. For his last four years he had made his home with his daughter in Blue Hill, he was a man of splendid traits of character and counted everybody his friend. For many years he lived on the homestead west of Blue Hill. Survived by four sons and two daughters, William and Frank of Blue Hill, John of Bladen, Edward of Atkinson, Nebraska, Addie (Mrs. J.K.Martin and Sadie (Mrs. John Zimmerman) of Blue Hill. Burial in Blue Hill Cemetery.

He was usually called “White Grandpa” because of his white beard.

Source:
Information courtesy of Delores (Karr) Krichau’s family history compilation

Otto Post Office

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The Otto post office was established September 12, 1884, with Francis E. “Ed” Payne as postmaster. It too was named for Otto Skjelver. In 1890, William Brethour had the mail contract to carry mail from Inavale to Otto. The post office remained in the F.E. Payne residence in the NW 1/4 of section 34 until December 11, 1894, with Ed Payne’s sister Mary, (Mrs. A.A. Cooper) performing the duties of postmistress. Ada Skjelver, daughter of Otto Skjelver, pointed out that the District 66 school teachers boarded with the Coopers – in the Ed Payne house – “so it was no trouble to get the young men to ride over there for the mail in the evening once or twice a week!” Anne E. Marker was the next postmistress until July 7, 1898 with the post office in the Alford Marker residence. The post office was then moved to the Eric J. Peterson farm, with Mr. Peterson as postmaster. The Otto post office remained at the Peterson farm until January 14, 1904, when the mail was sent to Inavale post office for distribution to the residents of southern Catherton precinct.

The Farmers Creek Telephone Company was formed in 1903, with lines strung from Inavale to the Otto post office. Another line came up the middle fork of Farmers Creek to the A.A. Cooper farm. A telephone line from Campbell came to the Otto Skjelver and the E.J. Peterson farms. Thus families in the area could go through the “switches” at the Cooper, Skjelver or Peterson farms to talk to neighbors on another line without paying toll. Also in 1903, the Webster County Argus reported that the “Rural mail route was ‘running full blast’ and the farmers who live several miles from town now enjoy reading a daily paper.”

Source:
Webster County: Visions of the Past
By Mabel Cooper Skjelver
Published 1980
Pages 66-67

The Otto post office was at the E.J. Peterson farm residence from July 7, 1898 to January 14, 1904, when the post office was closed and mail ordered distributed from Inavale. This event was commemorated by the mail patrons of the area who brought a basket dinner to the Peterson residence. Some thirty families were present who had taken their mail from the Otto post office regularly, and they presented the E.J. Peterson with a library table in appreciation of their service.

Source:
Webster County: Visions of the Past
By Mabel Cooper Skjelver
Published 1980
Page 65

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Here is a plat map of Catherton township from 1900.  It shows the Otto Post Office located on E.J. Peterson’s ground, as mentioned in the article above.  The Otto Post Office was originally located on the Payne homestead.