My Genealogy Hound

JAMES GASS first saw the light of day in New Brunswick, Canada, January 25, 1855, and is the son of Joseph and Isabella (Hannah) Gass, both of whom were born in Scotland, were married in Scotland, and came to America in 1850. They came to Nebraska in 1873 and were among the first settlers in Thornton township, Buffalo county. James Gass was twenty-three years old when he took up a claim in Thornton township. The country was very new and wild game was plenty, especially antelope, elk and deer, and he has seen a few wild horses and hundreds of Indians since his residence here. The settlers in those days were few and far between and the prairie was bare, except in the draws. As civilization advanced rain began to fall more evenly and the soil retained moisture better as it began to be cultivated. The climate has changed materially and grass grows much more profusely now than it did several years ago. During the grasshopper raid Mr. Gass did not leave, as many others did, but concluded to stay as long as he could succeed in getting enough to eat. He made up his mind that he could stay on the money it would require to get away on. The first election young Gass attended in this county was at Buda, in the fall of 1876. There were no township organizations then — only precincts. There were only a few voters, and a few came the day before and camped out over night. They had too far to come to make the trip in one day. He herded cattle a great deal in an early day in the summer, and hunted in the autumn and trapped beaver in the winter. His territory extended along the South Loup and Dismal for over one hundred miles northwest. He has been out all alone from August until November, and would only see two or three men in that time. He is the first son of a family of nine children, the others being Rachel, Jane, Mary, Nicholas, Thomas, Joseph, Hannah and Nettie. He has one hundred and sixty acres of land under a fair state of cultivation and he has always succeeded in raising good crops excepting two seasons.