THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
April 10, l906

FRANK SHAVER'S MILITARY CAREER.
Old Soldier From Hamburg Tells of the Part He Played in the National Struggle

It was an interesting topic that Frank Shaver, of Hamburg, discussed Saturday morning while sitting in the Herald office..and only time prevented him from giving a more extended account of his stewardship during the great "revival" as he termed it, which was in progress from 1861 to 1865....At the age of twenty years he took his leave from his home in Smith county, Virginia...and began work for S.F. Nuckolls, of Nebraska City, and was in Sidney once in the early 50's. In the fall of 1860 he returned to his Virginia home, and in the spring of 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in Company "B", 29th Virginia Infantry of the confederate army and served until discharged after the surrender of Lee. When the surrender was made he with some 3000 others were sent to Washington, D.C., and were there on the night (14th of April '65) that President Lincoln was shot. He heard of the assassination early on the morning of the 15th and it was freely expressed that John Wilkes Booth did the shooting although some pretended to claim that the confederate soldiers had a hand in it and there were threats of mobbing the soldiers who a week before had laid down their arms. When the prisoners left Washington they had to be guarded from the city for a distance of two miles where they took the train for Baltimore, MD, on their way to Johnson's Island in Lake Erie.....He was with Lee during the great strife...

Mr. Shaver spoke freely of the war, the cause and the result. He expressed no personal opinion but gave the facts clearly from an unselfish point of view, and thinks slavery was detrimental to the best interests of the country and that many of the soldiers in the confederate army fought just because they had faith in their leaders and their leaders said hold your property--the Negroes--even at the point of the bayonet.

MEMORIES OF UNCLE JOHN COOPER.
Brief History of a Man Who Has "Trod Life's Dusty Highway for Nigh on 90 Years

...He was born in Mason county, Kentucky, October 13, l820, raised on a farm, and attended the district school until he entered the Washington academy, but before graduation at that institution, his parents in 1836 moved to Clay county, Missouri.....When Mr. Cooper came to what is now a portion of Iowa, it was then within the boundaries of Holt county, Missouri, and there he made the choice of a location and began the development of a farm. He has voted both as a citizen of Missouri and Iowa and yet has never changed his place of residence....When he took up his abode here there was log cabin upon the place, but otherwise no improvements.....His home overlooks the Nishna Valley and is protected on the northwest by a fine grove of native timber, the growth of which has been made since he possessed the land .......

Kesterson Discusses Old Times
J. C. Kesterson of Lathan, Kansas, made our office a visit yesterday afternoon and gave to us some interesting reminiscences of events of early days in and about Tabor. He readily recalled the names of the pioneer settlers of that vicinity and some circumstances which lead up to matters recorded in history. He has for the past four years lived in Butler county, Kansas, where he operates a ranch of 1200 acres and deals extensively in stock. He was called here by the sickness of his wife whom he reported to be somewhat improved. They are at present stopping at the home of Ross Story near Riverton.

Riverton News
We were called a few moments ago to the home of Robert Leslie and found their infant child dying. They reported that the child was well as usual all day Sunday, but was more of less fretful during the night, but not until a few moments before he came after the writer (Dr. S. C. Hatton) did he notice that there was anything seriously the matter with the child. We arrived at the home as soon as possible, but the little fellow lasted only a short time....

Pres. VanFleet has no picnic making his 25 miles a day as rural mail carrier on NO. [?]. When he goes 25 miles properly, he travels 27 1/2 miles in mud, 10 miles in water and 5 miles in open space, therefore we have the following: 25 plus 27 1/2 plus 10 plus 5 equals 67 1/2 miles each day say nothing about the snow drifts a few days ago, but Pres says he get there just the same and still draws his salary in his old fashioned way....

We received a card Sunday morning from our son Everett of Seattle, Wash., stating that Mr. Lord, a former citizen of our town, died very suddenly at that place Monday afternoon. He had many friends in this part of the country, where he had lived many years, who sympathize with the widow and orphans.....

Mr. and Mrs. Alex McKissick of our city received word Sunday morning that their son John who lives at Columbus, Neb., was very bad and to come at once.