Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneers

John A. Bruce, Wauneta

In 1870 Harrison County, Indiana, John A. is with Jacob Bruce 39 and Rosana 37. William M. is 16, John A. 15, Mary A. 13, Malinda 11, Lucy H. 9, Orena F. 7, Elizabeth 5, Homer 2, and Samuel five months.
In 1885 Cass County, Nebraska, Jacob Bruce is 54, Rosana 52, Lucy 24, Orena 22, Homer 16, Samuel 14, and Benjamin 12.

Jacob Bruce 1831-1900 is buried in Gosper County, Nebraska, per # 59745301, and Rosanna 1833-1897 # 59745302.


John A. Bruce and Isabelle Collins married in Harrison County Indiana April 20, 1879.

In 1880 Harrison County, John 25 and Isabel C. 20 have month-old Charles O..

In 1900 Phelps County, Nebraska, John A. Bruce is a provision dealer, born January 1855 in Indiana, Isabell C. Dec 1859 Kentucky, have Charles Jan 1880 Indiana, Jessie Feb 1884 Nebraska, Jacob E. October 1887 Indiana, and Virgie D. May 1899 Nebraska. They've had one child die.

William Bruce born Jan 1854 in Indiana is a grain dealer, with Emma 39 and three kids, all born in Nebraska.

In 1910 McCook, Nebraska, John 55 is a meat cutter, 55, Isabella 50, with Jesse L. 26 a sales lady, Earl 22 a railroad brakeman, and Virgie D. 10.

1911 McCook "Messrs. John A. Bruce, Gerald Wilcox, and Alpha D Warfield are the inventors of a portable alfalfa grinder and feed condenser which they are applying for patents for.
The machine is portable and will cut, grind and sack alfalfa, hay, straw, etc. and the boys think they have a practical patent of value. The drawings shown at this office were made by L. A. Carson of our city. Application has already been made for letters patent in Washington.

December 1913 Wray "First class meals are served at the restaurant of Mrs. J. A. Bruce, successor to Mrs. Sam Arnold."

John proved up 320 acres in sections 23 and 24, 4N 44W in 1916.

In 1918 he was a witness for the claim of William J. Moore for land in 4N 43W, section 18 - about two miles east of John's claim.

March 1919 "S. B. Bruce of Hotchkiss, Colorado, was here last week for a few days visit at the home of his brother, J. A. Bruce, who lives about eighteen miles north of Wray. Mr. Bruce had been to the Kansas City market with a shipment of lambs and on the return trip availed himself of the opportunity to stop off here. Mr. Bruce is an uncle to Mrs. Jessie Lee Moore, county superintendent of schools."
In 1920 Hotchkiss he and Marie have Charles and Verna.

1929 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania "Miss Verna Bruce, Hotchkiss, Col., is the guest of her aunt, Mrs. E. M. Roland, 740 Girard street."

Samuel B. Bruce 1870-1945 is buried in Hotchkiss # 30783792, with Marie N. (Young) Bruce 1877-1960.



May 22, 1919 "Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bruce returned Thursday from an enjoyable visit in Holdrege and Lincoln, Nebraska."

May 1919 "J. A. Bruce is the owner of a new Ford sedan, equipped with an electric starter and demountable rims. It is the first complete electrically equipped Ford in Yuma county."

May 1919 "Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bruce, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Moore and Miss Virginia Bruce motored Sunday to their former home, eighteen miles north of town."

In 1920 Yuma County, John is farming, 65, born in Indiana, with Isabella C. 60 Kentucky. Virginia 20, teaching school, was born in Nebraska.

John is widowed in 1930 Yuma County, living alone, farming.

John 1855-1936 is buried in Wray # 17059274, with Isabella C. 1859-1924 # 17059266.

JESSIE

July 1912 " Mr. and Mrs. Moore have arrived from the west to reside on their homestead. Mrs. Moore filed on the claim when she was Miss Bruce."

In 1915 Jessie Lee Moore, formerly Jessie Lee Bruce, filed for land in 24, 4N 44W, witnesses Everett Carson, Charles A. Lincoln, Will Schelley, and Samuel Arnold, all of Wray.

June 1916 "Mrs. Jessie Moore left last evening for Lincoln, Nebraska, where she joins the Standard Lyceum Chautauqua Co., and will go with one of its divisions as a Junior superintendent on its tour for the summer months. Mrs. Moore hns been teaching in the rural school near her home, eighteen miles north of Wray for the past two or three years and is a very successful instructor. She obtained the position as junior superintendent through her brother, C. O. Bruce, who is secretary and treasurer of the Standard Lyceum and Chautauqua Co., and who visited Wray last summer. Mrs. Moore will be away for six or eight weeks. The members of the different lyceum groups will be given a banquet at the Lindell hotel in Lincoln on the evening of June lOth, before they disperse for their summer's work."

October 1918 "Democratic Candidate for County Superintendent of Schools Mrs. Moore, established her residence in Yuma County in 1910, and has since that time been one of the foremost promoters, not only educationally, but in every worthy project in her community. She is a graduate of the Lexington, Nebraska, high school and has also had three semesters of normal training, in Nebraska. After teaching two years in that state, she chose a business career and for seven years was a leader in this life, being at one time head of her department and the highest salaried woman in her profession in a town of 7000 population. This business training is of untold value, and assures the people of Yuma county that she is well equipped to handle the business part of the office she is seeking. After Mrs. Moore came to Colorado, she again took up school work, teaching three years in Yuma county.



During the summer of 1916 she was with the Standard Chautauqua Co., as Junior Superintendent, during which time she had under her daily supervision as many as 208 girls and boys ranging in years from 4 to 18 - a splendid opportunity to observe and study child welfare. Mrs. Mooro has not been actively engaged in teaching for three years, but she has by no means been idle along educational lines, for she has kept in constant touch with the educational promotions and activities in the county. She has juat completed a correspondence course in Story Telling and Play Ground Supervision from the University School of Music and Other Fine Arts, at Lincoln, Nebraska, for which she holds a diploma. The voters of Yuma county will do well to keep in mind those facts, together with the fact that Mrs. Moore is a lady of refinement, pleasing personality, strong determination and possessed of an unusual amount of common sense and an ability to overcome all osstacles and reach her goal.
All this, with her broad-minded convictions and experiences, places her well up on the ladder of promoters, and as County Superintendent she may well be ranked with the best."

March 1919 "Mrs. J. A. Bruce, who was called to Wray last week to be at the bedside of her daughter, Mrs. Jessie Lee Moore, suffered an attack of infiamatory rheumatism and is herself confined to her bed. As soon as she is able to do so, Mrs. Bruce will take a course of baths and treatments at the Dr. Brown sanitarium."

December 1923 "Mrs. Jessie Lee Moore, formerly county superintendent of public instruction of Yuma county, is working for the Standard Chautauqua System of Lincoln, Nebraska. Mrs. Moore is working in the field at the present time in an effort to secure 1924 contracts for the Standard."

Jessie 1884-1925 is buried in Wray # 81597208.
September 3, 1925

VIRGINIA

In 1917 the graduating class at the Yuma County High School were: Dwight Lambert, Foster Coe, Wayne Kohlman, John Starnes, Clifton Smith, Lulu Coston, Vivian Ambler, Lucile Pryor, Harriett Short, Virginia Bruce and Glen Sopor.
May 1919 "Miss Virginia Bruce was his week the happy recipient of a number of beautiful souvenirs from France, consisting of silk handkerchiefs, hand embroidered apron, a French silk flag bearing that country's coat of arms, several French notes and other money of that country."

May 1919 "Misses Vivian Ambler, Virginia Bruce and Lulu Coston joined schools Friday and had a big picnic at the Nelson school, three miles north of Wray. The afternoon was spent in games and a most enjoyable time was had."

September 1917 "Einer Jensen of Genoa, Colorado, is here this week the guest of his brother, Mike, and family."
October 1917 "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Winthers left Thursday morning for their home in Omaha, Nebraska, after a few days visit with Mrs. Winthers' brothers, M. M. and Einer Jensen. They made the trip in their car."


Einer Jensen registered for WWI in Wray, born July 2, 1892 at Omaha, Nebtaska. He's a mechanical drafftsman for A.B. Rounds, of Wray.

August 1923 "Mrs. J. Einer Jensen and baby of Reedley, Calif., arrived a few days ago to visit at the home of Mrs. Jensen's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bruce, living west of town. Mrs. Jensen will be remembered as Miss Virginia Bruce."

December 1923 "Mr. and Mrs. J. Einer Jensen are the parents of a fine baby boy, born Saturday, Dec. 15. Mrs. Jensen was formerly Miss Virginia Bruce."

In 1930 Los Angeles, J. Einer is 37, Virginia 30, Jerald B. 9 California, and Wilbur D. 6 COlorado.

In 1940 Los Angeles, J. Einer Jensen is 47, Virginia 40, Gerald B. 19, California, and Wilbur D. 16 Colorado.
J.E. Jensen died February 24, 1961 in Humboldt County, California, mother's name Larsen.

EARL

December 1916 Wray " J. A. Bruce, residing north of town, was in receipt of a letter written by his son, who is in the British army now stationed in France. The letter was written October 30, to C. O. Bruce, his brother, at Lincoln, Nebraska, and was quite lengthy, giving much praise to the work of the army. Especially did the young man pay high tribute to the French soldiers.
Earl Bruce, for this is his name, become tangled up with this war by going to Canada and taking up some timber land. He was formerly in the railroad service in Montana, but learning that Canada offered some good opportunities to settlers he went to Chicago and from there across over to Manitoba. This was about three years ago. By settling in Canada he was induced to join the Canadian forces sent to war, and has now been in that service two years. His parents are only permitted to hear from him once or twice a year, and it is a great comfort to them to receive ono of his interesting letters."

August 1918
( The following letter is from Earle Bruce to his brother in Lincoln, as is given to us for publication by J. A. Bruce, north of Wray.)
France, June 18, 1918.

Dear Brother:
When last I wrote you I was in hospital, this time in convalescent camp, but have been up the line in the mean time and escaped after rather a near thing. A machine gun bullet got in my way and I stopped it with my neck. It penetrated to the right of my throat, touched but did not penetrate my jugular, and stopped in the muscle of my shoulder. Yes, it was a near thing. A doctor from Atlanta took it out and I'm nearly O. K. again.
Will be up the line again in perhaps two weeks. Have the bullet, which I prize very much as a souvenir.
It happened on the 10th day of May - Virgie's birthday. Was glad to have your letter and know that you are all well and with every chance for happiness.
Hope the war does not call for such sacrifices in the U. S. as it has here and in England. Every one here up to fifty-one is in the army and in Canada up to twenty-five. Saw a ball game between a team from an American ambulance unit and one from here on Sunday last, and it was my first opportunity of seeing any of "The Yankee Doodle Boys" as they are mostly called. A fine lot of men — all under twenty-five, keen fresh, and aggressive. Every one a college man. They were rotten ball players, though. The U. S. troop have a very excellent name already and have done some very good work. We will all he glad whon sufficient os them get out to finish this — a very great many are here now—and all our spirits are up at the way things have been done. I'd like to see the State now —all rush and pust without confusion. Was glad myself for the Atlanta doctor. He was clever and careful.
It must be difficult for a great many people to live with prices the way they are with you. They are the same here only there is such a lot of money in circulation the hardship is only on a few. Every one who is able is working —people with incomes and all and all for big wages. I hope your business does not suffer but I should not think so for all people need recreation under the stress of these times.
Am going to write Uncle Carl so must finish this. Give my love to all and tell Virgie that on her birthday I was a casualty for the first time—after thirty-two months. Please let me hear from you again soon and use my same address as I'll be up again soon.

Au revoir, EARLE.

CHARLES OLIN

Charles was born January 2, 1880 at Corydon, Indiana.

May 1918 "C. Olin Bruce of the Standard Lyceum Bureau of Lincoln, visited his father, J. A. Bruce, north of town, from Saturday to last evening."

June 1922 "Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Bruce of Lincoln, Neb., arrived in Wray last Thursday for a visit at the home of Mr. Bruce's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bruce. Mr. Bruce had timed his visit so that he could be here during the 1922 chautauqua session, the chautauqua talent having been supplied by the Standard Chautauqua System of Lincoln, Neb., of which Mr. Bruce is sole owner."

Charles 1880-1943 is buried in Lincoln, # 69014301, with Jennie 1878-1961.

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