William Vandervoort Sweeney [RG1454.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG1454.AM:  William Vandervoort Sweeney, 1829-1920

Letter, clippings:  1906, 1920
Arapahoe, Furnas County, Nebraska:  Surveyor; farmer
Size:  One folder

BACKGROUND NOTE

Born at Buffalo, New York, on March 15, 1829, William Vandervoort Sweeney was one of Nebraska’s early settlers.  He came to Nebraska in the 1860s and settled at Arapahoe in the 1870s.  He married Mary Anne Emms at Omaha, Nebraska, on January 29, 1872.  Sweeney worked on a survey party for the Union Pacific Railroad.  He helped establish the right of way for the railroad through Nebraska.  He then had a farm and ranch, and remained at Arapahoe for the rest of his life.  William Vandervoort Sweeney died on May 28, 1920, and was buried in the Arapahoe Cemetery.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists of one folder of materials relating to the life of William Vandervoort Sweeney.  The collection includes one letter written from Andrew Rosewater to Sweeney, discussing the early days of surveying for the Union Pacific Railroad and what became of various members of their survey party.  Also included are copies of several clippings about the death of William Vandervoort Sweeney.

INVENTORY

William Vandervoort Sweeney materials


Subject headings:

Rosewater, Andrew, 1848-1909
Surveyors — Nebraska
Sweeney, William Vandervoort, 1829-1920
Union Pacific Railroad Company (Omaha, Neb.)


Revised TMM      02-03-2020

 

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Marker Monday: DeWitty – An African American Settlement in the Sandhills

Marker Monday: DeWitty – An African American Settlement in the Sandhills

How Eliza Grayson escaped Nebraska slavery

How Eliza Grayson escaped Nebraska slavery

Marker Monday: World War II Hero Charles Jackson French

Marker Monday: World War II Hero Charles Jackson French

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Director Daryl Bohac. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.