Sugden

Jonas Sugden, a pioneer resident of this vicinity died Wednesday evening July 17, 1912 at 8 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Masters, after an illness of some three years duration. The funeral was held Thursday at 4 o'clock from the house and the interment was in Dudley cemetery.
Jonas Sugden was born in Yorkshire, England, March 7th, 1834 and came to America in 1854 going directly to Minnesota and afterward returning to Pennsylvania, and later to Buffalo, N.Y. In 1866 he came to Nebraska and homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 33 of this precinct. He was married in 1862, while a short time resident of Canada, to Miss Jessie Bulchart, a native of Dundee, Scotland. To this union there were born ten children, of whom eight are living. They are William J. of Buffalo, Kansas, Mrs. Frank Masters, Mrs. Daisy Lockhart, Rudolph, Thomas A., and John, of Syracuse, Mrs. Mary Walters of Talmage, and Paul of Burr. Two daughters, Elizabeth and Jessie, are deceased.
Mr. Sugden was at different times engaged in business in Syracuse, but devoted most of his time to his farming interests which were at times quite extensive.
His wife preceeded him in death several years ago.
The bereaved children have the sympathy of all in the loss of their father.

JONAS SUGDEN. Among the pioneers of 1866 who resolved upon the experiment of invading the Territory of Nebraska, was the subject of this sketch, who landed in Nebraska City in the winter of that year. The early years of his life were spent as a machinist, during which he became an expert as a blacksmith and general mechanic, but upon coming to the West he necessarily changed his occupation, taking up the pursuits of agriculture. For a time, however, before securing a tract of land, he followed freighting across the plains, in the meantime homesteading the northwest quarter of section 33, Syracuse Precinct, which is included in his present homestead.
Our subject, when taking possession of his property fashioned a dug-out in which to shelter himself, and family, and gradually began making improvements about him, although he was obliged to employ himself elsewhere in order to obtain the wherewithal for the sustenance of himself and family. As time passed on he found himself making headway, and the dug-out soon gave place to a comfortable frame residence, which later was flanked by a barn and the other out-buildings necessary to his comfort and convenience. He has steadily progressed since that time, and is now numbered among the well-to-do farmers of this region, who have been the architects of their own fortunes, and thus imbibed that spirit of self-reliance which enabled them to hew their pathway to success.
The subject of this sketch was born in Yorkshire, England, March 7, 1834, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Sugden) Sugden, who, however, bore no relationship to each other before their marriage. The father was a farmer all his life, and the parents are still living, continuing residents upon their native soil. They are naturally well advanced in years, and come of a long-lived race. All of their children, ten in number, are also living and all in England, with the exception of our subject and one brother, who is a resident of Chase County, this State. The others were named respectively: John, Elizabeth. Mary, Robert, William, Ann, Judith and Paul.
Jonas Sugden, when a lad of twelve years, commenced his apprenticeship as a machinist in his native town of Kiefley, at which he served nearly five years, when the firm by whom he was employed went out of business. He then commenced working as it journeyman in Bradford and Birmingham, but about 1853 or 1854, when a young man grown, he sailed for America in company with his brother John. After landing in New York City they proceeded northwestward to Minnesota, but later returned southeastward to Pennsylvania, where our subject followed his trade for a time at Erie. Later he was employed at his trade in the city of Buffalo.
During the progress of the late Civil War Mr. Sugden was in the employ of the Pittsburgh & Erie Railroad Company, and identified himself with the Machinist and Blacksmith Union Brotherhood. On coming to Nebraska, in 1866, he followed freighting, as we have already stated. He had been married while a resident of Canada, in 1862, to Miss Jessie Bulchart, who is a native of Dundee, Scotland, and the daughter of Andrew and Jessie. Bulchart, who spent their lives in Canada. Mrs. Sugden came to America with her parents when eleven years old, locating in Upper Canada, where she was married. Of this union there have been born ten children, who were named: Elizabeth, William, Jessie, Judith. Daisy, Rudolph, Thomas, Mary, John and Paul. Elizabeth became the wife of William H. Hill, and died in Chase County, this State, in 1886; Jessie died when nineteen years old.
Our subject and his wife have proprietorship in five farms in this county, comprising altogether 720 acres of land, besides a tree claim in Colorado. Mr. S. for many years devoted his attention chiefly to stock raising, buying. feeding and shipping. The farm residence is convenient and substantial, flanked by a good orchard covering an area of twenty acres, and including all the choice fruit trees which flourish upon the soil of Nebraska. In 1878 he established himself in the harness business at Syracuse, where he operated successfully for a period of fourteen years. He crossed the Mississippi poor in purse, even obliged to borrow money to get his family to their destination. His possessions to-day are the result of his own resolute industry. He has made it a point to live within his income, has been prompt in meeting his obligations, and thus gained for himself a solid foundation financially and in the opinion of his fellowmen. He was one of the pioneers of his neighborhood. His settlement here was rather the result of accident than intention, as he had started for California. In passing through Nebraska City he saw on exhibition specimens of potatoes, corn and other products grown in this State. and being informed that he could secure a homestead, and in due time produce the same, determined at once to make settlement. He has never repented of his decision, and declares that in all his travels he has found no section of country equal to Nebraska. A pleasant, genial and companionable man, he has made hosts of friends wherever it has been his lot to dwell, and none have been warmer or more sincere than those west of the Mississippi.
Mr. Sugden for a number of years was a supporter of Republican principles. During the campaign of 1884 he felt that he would be justified in changing his allegiance, and accordingly wheeled over into the ranks of the Democracy. He, however, meddles with public affairs very little, preferring to give his time and attention to his farming interests.

Kit Carson County, Colorado Histories

Kit Carson County, Colorado
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