The Columbus Telegram from Columbus, Nebraska • 5

Colombui, Tlgrom 5 Mondoy, January 26, 1987 Ranch last vestige of pioneer family dynasty IT. A Ik V- i MAIN RANCH HOUSE The occupied two-story ranch' history. 21-room frame house at the Dawson Ranch and 1870s. Farm near Linwood survives as a reminder of the Speaker of the Legislature Bill Barrett Senators' priority is cutting state's budget $6.5 million In Hi Li i-1 Ui mated farm machinery had yet to replace hand labor and mules. "Dad had a maximum of 26 hired men in summer.

He had six off-and-on year around," he said. "The railroad resulted in a lot of bums coming around each fall (for harvest work). We had three who showed up each year. One of them would husk a mile-long row of corn, then build a fire and take a break." Horseback riding on the ranch was all done bareback style, Dawson said. "Uncle Walter had a cousin who was killed in an accident involving a horse saddle.

He outlawed saddles and none of us kids knew how to ride with one." Dawson attended school in Linwood, Schuyler and a military school in Lexington, Mo. Later, family members advised him not to follow the grain trade as a career. "Even uncle Walter said they didn't want a Dawson in the business," he said. Dawson entered the United States Mlitary Academy at West Point, Va. The late Karl Stefan from Norfolk, then Third District congressional representative, supplied a recommendation for entry.

Dawson graduated with the West Point class of 1951. After eight years in the service, he resigned his commission to pursue work with defense contractors and later for a consult- By JIM REISDORFF Telegra Correspondent LINWOOD It was never the headquarters of a Nebraska cattle baron or the site of seamy financial power struggles as depicted on television imaginary Ewing Ranch. However, the Dawson Ranch and Farm near Linwood does survive as one of the last vestiges of a pioneer family dynasty in Butler County. Linwood native Richard B. Dawson has attempted to carry on the ambitions nutured by four generations of Dawsons.

The current village of Linwood was established 100 years ago this year with the arrival of the railroad. However, great-grandfather Rodolphus Dawson is reported to have settled here in 1869. It was from his initial homestead that the Dawson Ranch apparently grew to become one of the largest landowners and employers in the vicinity. The image of a once-prosperous ranchstead is reflected in the still neatly-maintained ranch house located a half-mile northwest of the village. The two-story, 21-room frame house was the Dawsons home.

Other ranch facilities, including other houses formerly used by the hired men, are still located nearby. Beyond the structural remnants, much of the history behind the ranch died with his ancestors, Richard Dawson said. "I'm guessing as to when the house was built, somewhere in about 1875 to 1879. 1 could be a little bit off," Dawson said. "I know they said it took $400 to build it." Dawson, now a resident of Davenport, Iowa, said he's heard stories that his grandfather once herded about 3,000 head of cattle at the ranch.

The Dawsons otherwise did widespread business in hay raising and grain merchandising. Today the Dawson Ranch consists of 1,781 acres of farmland overseen by the Austin Company, a farm management firm. A feeder livestock facility for the ranch has been idle for over a year; The 'main house 'is now leased by the Ellory Renner' family. However, Dawson retains the right to share house facilities whenever he comes back for a visit. Local history sources indicate the ranch was originally the homestead site of the first permanent white settlers in Butler County, the James Blairs, in 1858.

When Rodolphus Dawson Pickup truck overturns Saturday near Bellwood DAVID CITY A pickup truck overturned in a ditch Saturday morning near Bellwood according to the Nebraska State Patrol. The state patrol reported that the southbound pickup of Dorothy Dunn of Bellwood overturned at about 9 a.m. Saturday when it collided with a westbound car driven by Mary Boss of Bay Meadows Trailer Court at an intersection one-half mile west and one mile north of Bellwood. Dunn was taken by the Bellwood Rescue Unit to the Columbus Community Hospital for observation, and was ka Legislature was found to be number one in the nation for accountability to constituents. But while the Legislature is receptive to the citizens, Barrett quoted a Lincoln poll which showed more than half of Lincoln residents did not know that Nebraska had a unicameral Legislature.

"The fact that our people can ignore our government is a luxury few others in the world have," Barrett said. "But if freedom is to thrive we should try to stay interested." The 761 bills introduced to the Nebraska Legislature doesn't bother him, stated Barrett, even though it is the highest number of bills the Legislature has had. In Massachusetts, Barrett said, citizens can propose their own bills, so their Legislature has around 20,000 bills per year to consider. He said that the 50-state average is 1,500. The 761 bills do not include bills to be introduced by the governor nor appropriations bills.

Each of the legislative bills, Barrett said, is simply a suggestion or an idea from a constituent. came here from Ohio, he apparently first homesteaded a site out near the current ranch house, Dawson said. The exact site is disputed among Dawson relatives. One of Rodolphus Dawson's six children, Daniel G. Dawson, apparently managed the ranch through its most prosperous years.

Dawson recalls he was 6 years old when his family moved from a house in Linwood to the ranch house in about 1934. "Dad inherited a farm fully mortgaged to save a son' Dawson said. Daniel Dawson, during the Depression, sold most of the widespread financial assets of the ranch to raise funds to support the then-ailing grain business operated by his other son, Walter. Walter had operated a chain of Dawson Grain Company elevators in towns which included Linwood, Abie, Shelby, Nimburg and Morse Bluff. "Grandfather Dawson did not want anybody in the family going bankrupt, Dawson said.

His grandfather's convictions apparently allowed his uncle to stay in business. As for his father, Dawson said he succeeded in paying off all debts on the ranch within his lifetime. Harold Dawson died in about 1965, two years after his wife died. Dawson said he grew up on the ranch at a time when auto Cedar Rapids ALBION (TO The Crop Focus '87 area meeting scheduled for Cedar Rapids Feb. 2 begins at 9:30 a.m.

and adjourns after 3 p.m. The theme of this year's meeting is "Profitable Production Practices." There will be seven University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension specialists providing timely information on a variety of topics. The speakers include: Roy Frederick, professor of agriculture economics; Chuck Francis, extension crops specialist; Richard Pierce, professor and extension specialist, agricultural engineering; Alice Jones, soil erosion controlconservation tillage specialist; Ed Penas, Don Sander and Richard Wiese, extension soils spe The house was built in the late (Telegram photo by Jim Reisdorff) 11 ing firm to the federal government. He retired in November after 19 years in government service. His last position was as director for a computer facility which kept track of munitions worldwide for the U.S.

Army. Dawson met his German-born wife, Heike, while she was working for the West Germany embassy in Washington, D. C. They have two sons, Richard 17, and Daniel, 15. A mix of business sense and family sentiment has prompted Dawson to retain the ranch.

"I'm lucky I'm conservative. Even today, I have no debts on the place, he said. cost-cutting information available from a land grant university, we haven't seen it." The meeting will be co-sponsored by the Cedar Valley Cooperative in Cedar Rapids and Primrose. $34.50 s' I I hosts crop focus seminars By JUDY SCHMIDT Telegram Staff Writer The overriding feature of the 90th Legislature was the budget and how they were going to cut $6.5 million from it, Unicameral Speaker Bill Barrett said Saturday in Columbus. Barrett said the difference between revenue and expected expenditures in the next three years was expected to be about $60-70 million.

"There are no simple answers," he said. Barrett, senator from the 39th District, which includes the counties of Dawson and Phelps, spoke at a banquet of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference sponsored by Nebraska Farm Bureau. Barrett stated that this year marks the 50th year of Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature and called it "the most unique legislative system this country has ever known" because it is nonpartisan and has only one legislative chamber, while other states are partisan and have two legislative chambers. He also noted that in a thorough study, the Nebras Keeping kids off ALBION (TO "Three Ways to Keep Your Kids Off Drugs" is the title of the film Boone County Deputy Sheriff Ron French will present Wednesday, Jan 28, at 7:30 p.m. at St.

Michael's School basement. The public is invited to attend. There is no admission charge. A discussion will follow the film and there will be a display of different types of common drugs. "ar from Duling Warmuptowmterwrththegreatest 2504 13th Street Columbus 563-2324 drugs film theme French was among seven persons from Albion who attended a conference in Lincoln Jan.

22-24 for "Community Organization for Prevention" sponsored by the Alcoholism Council of Nebraska and the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety. There they received individual training on implementing alcohol and drug prevention programs in the community. vdrocurve Sottmate tor 6D Offer good inrougn cialists. A registration fee of $4 includes the program, meal, and a copy of the proceedings. In review of the Crop Focus meeting concept, the Nov.Dec.

1986 issue of "The New Farm" magazine stated that "if there's a more well-rounded collection of useful TOOLBYS FAMOUS FOR PRESCRIPTIONS LOBBY HOURS; Monday thru Friday 9:00 a.m. p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. -12 Noon first rmrjAL BRANCH DAL'K CUSTOMERS From January 26th through January 31 we will be doing some improvement work on the Drive-In speaker system. Iff all lanes are not available, please remember our convenient parking and lobby hours.

Sorry for the inconvenience. TH-ili-nof I Jl 1 III First National Columbus Member F.D.I. C. Highway 30 Branch Columbus, NE..