My Genealogy Hound

WILLARD WESTON is a native of Broome county, N. Y., and was born July 15, 1836. He accompanied his parents to Susquehanna county, Pa., in 1847, where he lived several years. His father was a miller and mill-wright for many years. Willard was apprenticed to a carpenter at the age of sixteen, and, after learning his trade, he followed it for twenty-four years, during which time he followed contracting to quite an extent. He was also in the mercantile business in Pennsylvania for two years and owned and operated a saw-mill for some time during the winters. Mr. Weston came to Franklin county, Nebr., in April, 1874, and was one of the first settlers in the northwestern part of the county, where he located a homestead, and built a sod house in which to receive his family. He was eaten out by the grasshoppers and saw some very hard times. When Mr. Weston came to Franklin county the entire country was undeveloped and the boundless prairie was unbroken for miles. No towns had sprung up and few railroads passed through that section, and Mr. Weston knows all the ups and downs incident to the settlement of a new country.

He was married November 17, 1858, to Abbie M. Lester, a native of Pennsylvania, born November 28, 1838. Five children have been born to this union, namely — Mary M., Elmer E., Elias J., Jonathan O. and Elizabeth J. Mr. Weston has been justice of the peace and notary public for many years. In 1880 he was appointed postmaster of Moline, and in 1882 he opened a small general store, and is now doing quite an extensive business. He belongs to the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Good Templars orders, and has been a strong prohibitionist for some years. He owns four hundred acres of good land which is in a good state of cultivation.

Both he and his wife are zealous members of the Congregational church, and he has always been an active church worker and a contributor to every good cause.