My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH B. McNEW, one of the young and enterprising farmers of Harlan county, is a native of Kentucky, born in the village of Booneville, Owsley county, October 29, 1855, and is a son of Moses and Clarissa (Jones) McNew, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. The senior McNew was a physician, practicing for several years with success prior to his death, which occurred in 1859. The mother of our subject and her eight children came to Harlan county, Nebr., in the spring of 1872, and homesteaded land in Spring Grove township, where she resided nearly fourteen years. In 1885 she removed to Washington, Lincoln county, where she continues to reside. Joseph B. McNew, the subject of this biographical notice, pre-empted a piece of land in Spring Grove township, in 1879, on which he lived for several years. He was married January 1, 1879, taking to share his life’s fortunes Miss Eva Cress, a daughter of Madison J. Cress, asketch of whom will be found in this work. This congenial union has resulted in the birth of two children — Floyd L., born November 19, 1879, and William L., born February 11, 1887. Mr. McNew is a stanch republican in politics and is well posted on the doctrines of that party. While he has not been an aspirant for office, he has been called upon to fill some positions of no little responsibility and trust. He has filled the office of assessor for nine consecutive years, and has always given the best of satisfaction. He remembers well when there were plenty of Indians in Harlan county, and when buffalo, elk and deer roamed over the surrounding prairies in great herds. Settlers, in those days, were few and far between and the country was one vast unbroken prairie. He is therefore familiar with almost every phase of pioneer life in Harlan county, and he, in common with those around him, has endured some of the hardships and privations incident to the early settlement of any new country. He and his estimable wife are zealous members of the Methodist Protestant church, and earnest and enthusiastic workers in every new cause. He has one hundred and sixty acres of rich land, which he has under cultivation. He is an industrious and hard working young man and stands high in the estimation of his fellowmen.