James Baxter ¹²

  General Notes:

For over forty years the gentleman above named has been identified with
the agricultural interests of Howard county, Nebraska, and has aided
materially in transforming this locality from its wild natural state into
a thriving farming district. Mr. Baxter is a gentleman of unusual
perseverance and energy, who has met with deserved success in his labors,
now being classed among the leading, citizens of his community.
James Baxter was born in the County of Cumberland, England, on the first
day of December 1837, and was the second child in a family of four, he
being the only boy. His parents died in England, and two sisters still
live there, while the third also is dead. Our subject made England his
home until his thirty-second year, then came to America, landing in New
York in August 1869. He went directly to Kalamazoo, Michigan, accompanied
by Mr. Alex Lamb, who came from England with him. There Mr. Baxter
engaged in the stock business, as he had followed farming and stock
buying for many years in England, and he remained in Michigan until
March, 1871, at which time he went to Dubuque county, Iowa, spending a
few weeks with old friends James and George Irvine, sketches of both of
whom will be found in this book.
Mr. Baxter's first sight of Howard County was in the latter part of March
1871, when he arrived here in company with the Irvine boys and Alex Lamb.
This party of men were among the first, if not actually the first,
resident settlers of the county, and Mr. Baxter still relates in a very
interesting and amusing manner their early experiences here, particularly
of their crossing on the Loup river, as there was at that time no way of
crossing the stream except by fording it and taking your chances of
striking the best spot for so doing. They had an ox team and load of
supplies, and in trying to get to the opposite side were forced into the
deep channel of the river; when part way across they were obliged to turn
the oxen loose, and, taking their load in small quantities, after making
four or five trips, managed to got it all safely over. They then floated
the wagon front and hind wheels of the wagon over separately. So far as
is known, this is the first fording of the river made in Howard county by
white men.
In April, Mr. Baxter homesteaded on northwest quarter section
twenty-five, township twelve, range fourteen, and this land is still in
his possession. He has seen every change that has come to the locality,
doing his full share in bringing about the prosperity now enjoyed there,
and incidentally has built up for himself a comfortable fortune, at the
present time being proprietor of nine hundred acres of choice land which
is divided into several fully equipped farms. Mr. Baxter has himself
retired from active management of the farm, his sons relieving him of the
burden, while he with his wife and three unmarried children, reside in a
pleasant home in Farwell.
Mr. Baxter was married at Grand Island, Nebraska, on December 26, 1873,
to Christina Irvine. Mrs. Baxter is a native of Scotland, coming to the
United States in 1872, in order to join her brothers George and James
Irvine, mentioned above. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Baxter, named as follows: Jane, wife of Frank Dodd, they living in
Alberta, Canada, and having a family of seven children; Thomas and James
A., both married and farming in Howard county, the latter working the
original Baxter homestead; Archie W., Albert H and Mary Ethel, living at
home. One son and a daughter died during babyhood. Portraits of Mr. and
Mrs. Baxter will be found on another page.
Mr. Baxter has always been prominent in local affairs holding different
precinct offices. In 1885 he was appointed county clerk to fill an
unexpired term, and for thirty-five years served as justice of the peace
in Kelso precinct.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration.

• Immigration, Aug 1869, USA.

• Census Record, 1900, Kelso Precinct, Howard County, Nebraska.

James married Christina Irvine, daughter of James Irvine and Janet Locke, on 26 Dec 1873 in Grand Island, Hall, Nebraska, USA. (Christina Irvine was born in Mar 1853 in Scotland.)