My Genealogy Hound

LEWIS A. KENT. In writing of the early settlers of Kearney county, there comes to mind at once the name of Lewis A. Kent, now a prominent business man of the town of Minden. Not only is Mr. Kent an old settler of Kearney county, but he has been actively identified with all its interests, its settlement, growth and development, having assisted in its organization and having held a number of responsible offices, and is therefore deserving of special mention in connection with its history.

Lewis A. Kent is one of a family of seven children born to David and Hester (Guynn) Kent, there being besides himself three brothers and three sisters — William Alexander, Benjamin Franklin, Aaron Lytle Maggie E., Emma and Anna. The subject of this notice is a native of Richland county, Ill., and was born October 29, 1847. He was reared in his native county on his father’s farm, receiving an ordinary common-school training. His first pursuits were those of agriculture. Marrying in 1870, he came to Nebraska a year later and settled in Kearney county, taking a homestead four miles east of the town of Lowell, and there began his career in the West. He began in an humble way. In fact, he drove through from Illinois with a team, and after two years’ farming he moved into Lowell and began clerking in a store. In the fall of 1873 he was elected county clerk of Kearney county, having assisted in the organization of the county in June, 1872, and held the office of clerk by successive re-elections for five terms. The county seat was then at Lowell. After it was moved to Minden, Mr. Kent moved there, and after he finished out his term of office as county clerk he began the banking business, opening a private bank at that date in partnership with Rush H. Palmer, which bank was re-organized as the First National Bank of Minden, in 1883. Mr. Kent became president and has been the active and efficient chief executive of the First National since. He has given his time almost exclusively for the past ten years to his private interests; but, as stated at the outset of this sketch, he has held a number of public offices at one time and another in Kearney county. After assisting in organizing the county, he was elected superintendent of public instruction; he was then elected county clerk, serving five terms; he served then in the legislature; in the senate, from Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties, and he has been a member of the State Board of Agriculture for fifteen years, having been manager of the board for five years and treasurer five. He was the first mayor of Minden, and has at all times been actively identified with the best interests of his adopted town and county.

Mr. Kent married in 1870, prior to moving West — the lady whom he selected to share his fortunes with him being Miss Leona M. Barney, then of Woodford county, Ill., a daughter of Hiram Barney, now of Kearney, Buffalo county, Nebr. Mr. and Mrs. Kent have a pleasant home in Minden. They are members of the Methodist church and liberal contributors to all charitable purposes.