Nonpareil Cemetery
Photo added by Nancy Thwing

Nonpareil Cemetery

Hemingford, Box Butte County, Nebraska, USA

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  • Get directions Hemingford, Nebraska, USA
    Coordinates: 42.26311, -103.08243
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Nonpareil was the first county seat in 1886 with a peak population of 50 in 1890 when there were two churches, two hotels, two general stores, a blacksmith, newspaper, harness shop, feed and implement store, lumber yard, bank and a doctor. It was thought that the railroad would come through the town but when it went through Hemingford instead, the county seat was moved there and later to Alliance. This graveyard is all that remains of that Nonpareil and it has a tragic story to tell. For two years, no burying ground was needed, but in April of 1888, a young man, William Morton, came to an untimely end. He and his wife lived seven miles southeast of town. They had a quarrel and she went home to her parents. Some neighbors aggravated the situation by gossip and finally taking the young man over to her parent's house and starting a row. Morton hit his father-in-law over the head with a wooden club and when the father got up he ran into the house to get his rifle. Two shots went wild but the third hit Morton in the leg, splintering one bone. He was loaded into a wagon and taken to a doctor. A week later gangrene set in and, to save his life, his leg was amputated but he died that night. His father-in-law was convicted of murder and got a three year sentence but was out in 2 years. Morton's young widow ordered the head stone soon after his death.
Nonpareil was the first county seat in 1886 with a peak population of 50 in 1890 when there were two churches, two hotels, two general stores, a blacksmith, newspaper, harness shop, feed and implement store, lumber yard, bank and a doctor. It was thought that the railroad would come through the town but when it went through Hemingford instead, the county seat was moved there and later to Alliance. This graveyard is all that remains of that Nonpareil and it has a tragic story to tell. For two years, no burying ground was needed, but in April of 1888, a young man, William Morton, came to an untimely end. He and his wife lived seven miles southeast of town. They had a quarrel and she went home to her parents. Some neighbors aggravated the situation by gossip and finally taking the young man over to her parent's house and starting a row. Morton hit his father-in-law over the head with a wooden club and when the father got up he ran into the house to get his rifle. Two shots went wild but the third hit Morton in the leg, splintering one bone. He was loaded into a wagon and taken to a doctor. A week later gangrene set in and, to save his life, his leg was amputated but he died that night. His father-in-law was convicted of murder and got a three year sentence but was out in 2 years. Morton's young widow ordered the head stone soon after his death.

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  • Added: 29 Mar 2020
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2703457