Family Group Sheet

HUSBAND
Dewitt Clinton BOLEJACK-B5A727,52
BIRTH	1834	near Salem, Forsyth, North Carolina, United States27,52,67
CENSUS	15 July 1860	Dewitt seems to be listed twice in the 1860 Johnson Co., MO. census. He was listed first with his parents (age 23, farm laborer) and then as an ox driver (age 24) with William H. Carpenter. ; Jackson Township, Johnson, Missouri, United States61
OCCUPATION	15 July 1860	Ox driver; Jackson Township, Johnson, Missouri, United States61
MIGRATION	about 1861	Dewitt and Paulina moved to Nebraska soon after their marriage to avoid the "bush-whacker war." Southern sympathizers in Missouri would attack those who did not believe in slavery. The United States government urged such people to move to Kansas or Nebraska. Soon after they arrived, the first election came along. The locals wanted to deny these newly arrived "rebels" the right to vote. Dewitt explained why the group had come and that they expected to vote because they expected to be good citizens. He also told them that he had as much hair on his chest as anyone there. It was apparently effective because the group did vote. Part of the reason for the locals objected to the new arrivals voting was that there was a gang of locals who had been stealing and getting away with it. They were afraid that their scheme might be ruined by the newly arrived families. They were apparently correct as the gang members were soon rounded up and given the choice of prison or the Union Army.; Richardson, Nebraska, United States
DEED	26 March 1868	He purchased 80 acres of land.; Richardson, Nebraska, United States
CENSUS	21 June 1870	Falls City, Richardson, Nebraska, United States66
DEATH	4 August 1871	Dewitt died from a growth on the left side of his throat that burst, causing him to choke to death.; Richardson, Nebraska, United States67
BURIAL	August 1871	Prairie Union Cemetery, Shubert, Richardson, Nebraska, United States67
REF #		B5A7;
PHOTO		68
MARRIAGE	about 1861	probably Johnson Co, MO;
FATHER	Samuel Henry BOLEJACK Sr-B5A
MOTHER	Milly DOSS-B5A/W/
WIFE
Paulina BARKER-B5A7/W/342
BIRTH	31 January 1835	Lafayette, Missouri, United States67,342
MISC	1871	Richardson, Nebraska, United States
MISC		Paulina was a quiet woman who helped her children grow up the right way. She was a good cook and seamstress.;
MIGRATION	1887	Because her son Henry's (B5A7B) health was not good and northwest Nebraska was beginning to be settled, Paulina sold the farm in Richardson County. In the spring of 1886, Paulina, Henry, William and his new bride Cora started west in a covered wagon. Near the present-day site of Broken Bow, they camped one night with the Jesse Kennedy family. Jesse and his older sons had already been west to scout the area and had returned for the rest of his family. As the Bolejacks were alone, he suggested they travel together. As the trip progressed, Henry became acquainted with Cora Kennedy whom he later married. The family's first home was on the homestead they had entered. The land was treeless, so they plowed up strips of sod to build a two room house. It had a board floor and shingled roof. A plaster made of mud and alkali from the lakes nearby covered the inside of the thick walls, which kept the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Cora made rag rugs to place in front of various pieces of furniture. She later crocheted rags until she covered the entire floor, join the smaller rugs into the whole. They hauled firewood from Pine Ridge (Nebraska), a day's journey away. Water had to be hauled in barrels as the water was too deep to dig a well. The thick grass made good pasture for cattle. When the sod was plowed, the land grew vegetables well, especially potatoes. However, if the local market became glutted, there was no other place to sell the produce. The Sioux Indian Reservation was not far to the north of their claim. The Indians had been restive several years because of broken promises and broken treaties. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, white men invaded their land. There were sporadic fights between the Indians and the U.S. Army. They had heard the gunfire from the battle of Wounded Knee on 29 Dec 1890. The Indian trouble made the settlers nervous. ; Broken Bow, Custer, Nebraska, United States434
MIGRATION	about 1891	Because alkali proved bad for Henry, worsening his health, they decided to give up their claims and return to southeast Nebraska. There they survived the great panic of 1893 with hard times for all.; Richardson, Nebraska, United States
DEATH	1 September 1894	dropsy and heart disease; Shubert, Richardson, Nebraska, United States67
BURIAL	September 1894	Prairie Union Cemetery, Shubert, Richardson, Nebraska, United States67
REF #		B5A7/W/;
MARRIAGE	19 September 1875	Alvin WALRATH; Richardson, Nebraska, United States
FATHER	William BARKER Sr
MOTHER	Mary BARKER