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- Compendium of History and Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska
Henry R. Gragg
Henry R. Gragg, one among the many who came to western Nebraska in 1894, and from a start of practically nothing have carved out for themselves a good home and comfortable competence by dint of perseverance and thrift, is proprietor of a fine estate in section 27, township 21, range 35, Hooker county.
Mr. Gragg is a native of Oakland county, Michigan, born on a farm there in 1877. James T. Gragg, his father, was a farmer by occupation, and is well known in Nebraska, having gone through pioneer experiences in Redwillow and McPherson counties, coming there in 1881 with his family. Our subject grew up in his home locality, assisting his father in the farm work until he reached the age of fifteen years, then started to work for himself, going to Hooker county and securing employment as a cowboy, later traveling all over that part of the state following ranch work. In 1901 he settled on the ranch he at present occupies, beginning with absolutely nothing excepting a team of horses. He took up the land as homestead, and proved up on it in the fall of 1907. Besides this ranch he also lives on a Kincaid homestead of four hundred and eighty acres, and has the property well improved. He has but seventy acres under cultivation, and intends breaking up seventy-five acres more as soon as possible.
Mr. Gragg was married in 1900, to Miss Gertrude Bassett, whose father, Thomas M. Bassett, was a pioneer in McPherson county, Nebraska, and a successful farmer and ranchman of that locality. When he first struck that region he was a poor man, and in order to make a living for his family, began to pick up bones from the prairie and sold them for nine and ten dollars per ton. Mrs. Gragg's mother was Viola Hayward, of Iowa. To Mr. Gragg and his good wife have been born the following children: Robert, aged seven, George, eight and Hazel, two years.
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Bassett Family Association Database
