GEORGE AND HESTER [HEWITT] DARNELL
George Darnell was born July 17, 1885, near Knoxville on the
homestead of his farther, Calvin Darnell. He lived there until the
family went to Kansas when he was 16 years old.
Hester Susan Hewitt, daughter of James O. and Mary Guinn Hewitt, was
born April 29, 1886, in Brown County, Kansas, and died July 5, 1966,
at Elk Horn, Iowa. George and Hester were married September 14,
1910, at Hiawatha, Kansas.
George farmed in Brown County, Kansas, until about 1923 when he
brought his family back to Knox County, Nebraska, and worked on a
farm for Guy Johnson for several years. In 1929 he moved to
Winnetoon, Nebraska, and opened a shoe and harness repair shop. He
also worked as janitor in the Winnetoon School.
In 1935 George moved to the Bartak place north of Verdigre and drove
his Model T to town where he worked for Mr. Bartak in his shoe shop.
In those days there was located on main street of every town a shoe
and harness shop utilized by townspeople and rural folks alike, for
during the Depression when times were hard many owned but one pair
of shoes. It was essential that repairs be made. Thus it was that
George Darnell was to continue in his line of work in Niobrara and
in Burke, South Dakota. An adept leather craftsman, George
constructed and sold hand-made sets of harness.
[pg 224 PHOTO George, Hester, and Dorothy Darnell]
George Darnell died suddenly on July 19, 1941, at the home of Ed
Beran in Omaha, Nebraska, where he, Hester, and daughters Margaret
and Mildred, and Rose Marie and Charles Beran had stopped enroute
home from visiting his son Delbert at Ft. Riley, Kansas. He and his
wife are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Creighton.
There were six children: Dorothy, Donald, Mildred, Delbert, Darrell,
and Margaret.
Dorothy, born January 29, 1912, in Kansas, married Victor Benson
March 1, 1936, and lives in Norfolk, Nebraska. They lived briefly in
Verdigre in 1936, where Victor worked as a mechanic at the John
Deere Company. They have two children, Betty Stoural of Red Oak,
Iowa, and Garry of Norfolk.
Donald Darnell (1913-1977). (See history.)
Mildren, born September 9, 1916, married Charles Beran on October 6,
1933. They and Joe Beran owned and operated the Ak-Sar-Ben Hatchery
in Verdigre and Creighton in 1936-1941. They had one daughter, Rose
Marie Beran, born living, who lives at Harlan, Iowa. She is
married to Clarence Coenen and they have four children: Kelvin,
Leann, Curtis and Greg. Mildred married Harold Hull in 1943. They
live in Harlan, Iowa. Their children are: Larry Hull, Rosalene
(Hardy), Carol (Throlsen), Lois (Erickson), Delbert Hull and Mary (Murtaugh).
Delbert Darnell (1919-1945). (see history.)
Darrell Darnell was born in living. (See history.)
Margaret Darnell, born living, married Orvie Christensen on
December 13, 1945. They live near Kimballton, Iowa, and are the
parents of seven children: Kathlyn (Hansen), Marilyn (Weddum),
Evelyn (Madsen), Orvie L. Christensen, Mark Christensen, Thomas
Christensen, and Michael Jon Christensen (deceased).
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