The early history of Kearney is a fascinating study of the multifaceted men and women who comprised her population during those first 25 years.  Dreamers, promoters, educated and self taught businessmen and women were seeking new lives and a prosperity promised through diligence and hard work. S.C. Bassett, Buffalo County historian, found the Kearney story unique:

         In old and well established communities it is customary for a stranger or newcomer into such a community, if he does not bring with him credentials or letters of introduction, to at least seek introduction and to generally take an interest and an active part in public affairs.  Not so the early settler in Buffalo County, those who helped found the City of Kearney Junction; they"arrived" possibly in a prairie schooner, possibly on the evening train of the Union Pacific or the B. & M. and the next morning we find them fullfledged citizens, coat off, sleeves rolled up, not only taking part in public affairs but taking a leading part, originating new plans, directing what shall be done.  These pioneers confidently believed that at the junction point of
these two great railway systems there would grow and develop one of the largest cities on the plains west of the Missouri River and firm in such faith and belief those on the ground floor planned the foundations accordingly.

         Fifteen years after Kearney Junction was platted, one of the latter type of settlers, a twenty-two year old man from Sheridan, Iowa arrived in this fledgling community.

         Will J. Scoutt was a self-taught court reporter and stenographer who came to Kearney in the spring of 1886 as secretary to George W. Frank and will remain to be one of the active builders of the city during the "boom" days in the 1890's.  One of Mr. Scoutt's proudest possessions in later years was the Opera House on Central Avenue, a splendid building which was used for concerts, traveling dramatic shows, graduation exercises and home talent productions.  In the course of his career, Scoutt's business interests will take him to every part of the United States, greatly facilitating the pursuit of his hobby, the collecting of antiques.  Silver and gold mining interests took him and his family to Ophir and Rico, Colorado.
    
        Reminiscing about her father and his life in Kearney, Mrs. Marguerite Scoutt Gildner of Chula Vista, California said: "From Dad's first arrival in Kearney, he seemed to love it and everything concerning it.  He was continually planning some addition or the beautifying of it and the surrounding acres.  Section Three was his special interest for so many years.  The expanse of the alfalfa fields was always a special picture for him."
    
        Born in Adrian, Michigan in 1864, the son of William J. Scoutt and Sarah Woodward Hoag, Will Scoutt became a court reporter in Sheridan, Iowa at the age of twenty-one.  He was living in Kearney when he married Miss Carrie Maude Carpenter of the same city in 1888.  Miss Carpenter had come from Osceola, Iowa to live with her brother Fred, who was employed at a local clothing store.  Their first child, Marguerite, was born in 1891.  She is the widow of E. J. Gildner, a Kearney jeweler.  A second daughter, Dorothy, is now Mrs. Dae Lantz of Burbank, California.  The third daughter, Ruth, now Mrs. Ted Buttrey, lives in Austin, Texas.  Their brother Jerrold passed away.

         The Scoutt family lived for many years on the northwest corner of 24th and Second Avenue.  Later the Ralph L. Spencer house in the West Kearney development was purchased and moved to 2221 Seventh Avenue, where it was remodeled and enlarged.  Mr. Spencer was the general manager of the West Kearney Investment Company and was associated with the Hancock Land and Investment Company.  The house is the present residence of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

         In 1936 Mr. Scoutt wrote extensively of his business involvements with George W. Frank and H. D. Watson to Floyd A. Miller of Wilcox, who was gathering information for a thesis on the Watson Ranch.  His letter of December 7, 1936 details his knowledge of an important era and reveals the role he played in these affairs.

'Mining in Colorado'
Scoutt family in foreground, from left: Dorothy Scoutt, Carrie Carpenter Scoutt, Jerrold Scoutt, Marguerite Scoutt Gildner and W. J. Scoutt.

         The ranch was a development following the Kearney Boom, a very brief history of which is: Mr. Geo. W. Frank had spent about two and one-half years completing the Kearney canal for water power and irrigation purposes, and in building a water power development and electric light plant and distribution system, at a very considerable expense, and was in need of additional money.  The writer had been his secretary for that period, and was familiar with the conditions that led to the following.

         Mr. H. D. Watson, a publisher and tool manufacturer, of Greenfield, Mass., passed through Kearney in the summer of 1888 to visit in the next county to the west, Dawson, another publisher then living in Hartford, H. H. Stoddard, who owned some thousands of acres of land in that county.  At Kearney Mr. Watson saw the well lighted streets, and was told the energy was produced by water power.  Immediately following his visit with Mr. Stoddard, Mr. Watson came to Kearney, and met Mr. Frank.

         Following 30 days during which time each investigated the other, an agreement was made between the two under which Mr. Watson was to promote the Geo. W. Frank Improvement Co., with a capitalization of three million dollars but to be sold on the basis of one million dollars, and all to be consummated within six months.  The property included the Kearney Canal, 16 miles long, having a fall in the city limits of Kearney of 56 feet; the electric plant entire, and about two thousand acres of land, nearly all within the city limits of Kearney.

         In less than 90 days Mr. Watson brought three excursions from New England to Kearney, each consisting of a number of loaded Pullman manufacturers, largely interested in cotton mills in New England.  These people, and others that learned of and wanted into the Kearney Boom, caused by this influx of men and money, invested in Kearney within a period of about 4 months, more than a million and a quarter in money, and obligations assumed, and the boom was on.

         When the boom collapsed what had been substantial properties and good equities became heavy liabilities, and Mr. Watson believing in his undertaking was loaded with some hundreds of thousands of dollars of debts.  Many others in similar condition, but with fewer equities and lesser obligations.

         These New England manufacturers were attracted by the water power and organized, and erected a cotton mill 100 by 400 feet, at a cost of four hundred thousand dollars when equipped with machinery, and this was operated for nine years, but always at a great disadvantage because of lack of cotton mill operatives that knew the work; and it was finally moved to Evansville, Indiana, and is still in operation there.

         Following the boom, and during this construction period, large sums of money were brought to Kearney to protect the remaining equities in lots, lands and buildings, but mostly lost.

         Early in 1890 Mr. Watson and the writer, they ranking 2nd and 3rd in amount of Frank Improvement Stock owned, and interested in many properties; formed a joint and equal partnership, a 50/50 basis, which lasted until October, 1907.  This partnership covered not only the Kearney interests, but many other matters away from Kearney, which were in the aggregate of much greater value than the Kearney properties, and from which outside matters many scores of thousands of dollars were made and taken to Kearney to protect and develop these properties.

         The writer never lived on any part of theWatson Ranch property, nor was he ever in charge of that operation. In some of the affairs away from Kearney the writer was in exclusive charge, and in some we both cooperated.  On one outside property more than sixty thousand dollars were realized in one year, and every dollar of that was sunk in the Kearney lands and companies.

         Mr. Scoutt's partnership with Mr. Watson put him in the forefront in planning and arranging for the extensive tree planting project at the Watson Ranch as well as the introduction of alfalfa which was so beneficial to Nebraska.

         Mr. Scoutt owned and operated the electric light and gas company plant, the Kearney Electric Company, for many years before selling it to the Central Power Company, predecessor of the Consumers Public Power district.  His obituary recounts that when he acquired the power and gas system the Kearney Canal was well filled, and he had it reopened.  He was also involved in the real estate business and owned Section Three south of the Frank House as well as the Frank House itself for a short time.  His gas company business extended to Fairbury. Prior to his death he was state sales manager for the Hamilton Farm Company of Aurora.  Mrs. Ruth Scoutt Buttrey wrote:  "In my father's later years, when in the employ of the Hamilton Farm Company, he traveled back and forth over the state, successfully convincing the farmers to plant hybrid corn, both for seed and feed. The production of corn in the state was greatly increased through his efforts."

Marguerite Scoutt Gildner sits on one of four antique chairs she donated to the Frank House at Kearney State College. Her son, W. W. Gildner, is pictured standing behind her. (Hub Photo) June 11, 1981.	W. J. Scoutt

         Mr. Scoutt's avocation was collecting antique furniture.  "He first became interested in this hobby while living in Connecticut, where I was born, in 1891.  He collected pieces from all over the country," writes Marguerite Gildner.  "When we see now, how "easy" it is to get across the country, I wonder how Dad collected his antiques over the country, with the poor trains, etc.  He seldom returned home from a trip, business often to different places in the country, that he did not bring some unusual or interesting object.  Am afraid that I was not sufficiently impressed. I have loved many of the pretty pieces since."

         The remodeled home on Seventh Avenue accommodated a rosewood tester bed acquired in Jackson, Mississippi.  It was 10 feet 6 inches high and can be viewed today at Pioneer Village in Minden.  The bed which dates back to the 1700's was sold in 1958.  This elaborate collection included a highboy, thousand-legged table, Lafayette chair, English Hepplewhite knife box, seven foot long mahogany settee, hall clock with second hand, sewing table, sideboard with inlay, Washington chair and Chippendale dining chairs.  Mr. Scoutt made a comprehensive list of the collection including descriptions, details and history of his purchases which is still in existence.

         Mr. Scoutt was a member of the Presbyterian church, the Shakespeare club, Masonic lodge, Shrine, Knights Templar, and was at one time a Rotarian.  In 1946 he received a pin for 50 years of membership in the Masonic blue lodge, and he also had been in Knights Templar 50 years.

         Will J. Scoutt passed away at his home on the 15th of February, 1947.  He had suffered a cerebral stroke in January.  An editorial in the Kearney Daily Hub on Tuesday, February 18, 1947, noted his passing and the important role he played in the early development of Kearney.

ADDENDUM: It was a privilege for the writer to interview Marguerite Scoutt Gildner of Chula Vista, California about her father.  Mrs. Gildner who graduated from Kearney High School, attended Kearney Normal and taught at Kearney High School has never severed the bonds of communication with her friends in Kearney.  She married E. J. Gildner, a Kearney jeweler, in 1920.  Her son, Will W. Gildner and her daughter, Mrs. JoAnne Wells live near her.

         An incident in 1911 at the athletic field at Kearney Normal illustrates that Marguerite Scoutt is indeed a "chip off the old block."

         Charles Walsh brought his box kite airplane to Kearney in Aug. of 1911.  On Aug. 4 a big crowd paid admission of 50¢ - a- head to watch him fly.  They were disappointed - he crashed into some telephone wires.  One week later Walsh was back and this time flew successfully.  He even gave rides to some of the audience including A. M. Easterling.  The first to fly with Walsh was a Miss Marguerite Scoutt who may be the first Kearneyite ever to fly.

                                  Kearney Daily Hub, Friday, June 29, 1973.

Bassett, S. C., Buffalo County, Nebraska and its People; Kearney Daily Hub; Marguerite Scoutt Gildner; Ruth Scoutt Buttrey; W. W. Gildner; Personal papers of W. J. Scoutt.

Proofread 1-27-2004

---

Back to Buffalo Tales Home Page

Back to Buffalo County Historical Society Home Page

edited 3-10-2003