Wayne County Precincts

PRECINCTS MAP

How They Got Their Names

Precincts in Wayne County were named for officials, early settlers or neighborhood creeks. The County's 13 precincts were named as followed:

  • Brenna: Brenna precinct was named for Brenna Moses. F.E. Moses, who was the first settler in the precinct, was allowed by County Commissioners to name the precinct and he chose to call it Brenna for his sister.
  • Chapin: Chapin precinct is named for Arthur T. Chapin, an early settler.
  • Deer Creek: Deer Creek precinct is named from the plentiful supply of deer horns found scattered over the prairies in about 1884.
  • Garfield: Garfield precinct was named for James A. Garfield who became the 20th president of the United State and who was assassinated.
  • Hancock: Hancock precinct bears the name of Brigadier General Winfield Scott Hancock, one of the heroes of the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War between the States, and a democratic candidate for president against James A. Garfield.
  • Hoskins: Hoskins was first named Spring Branch, but was later named for Mr. Hoskins who was secretary for Mr. Peavy, a member of the land company that laid out the Town of Hoskins.
  • Hunter: Hunter precinct was named for Cyrus E. Hunter, one of the first settlers, who came from Lee County, Illinois.
  • Logan: Logan Precinct is thought to be named for John A. Logan, who as the vice presidential candidate with presidential candidate James G. Blaine. Blaine ran against Grover Cleveland, who was elected.
  • Leslie: Leslie Precinct is said by some early settlers to be named for a judge who served Wayne County in pioneer times. Dr. G.E. Condra of Lincoln says the precinct was named after a post office.
  • Plum Creek: Plum Creek Precinct is so named because of wild plums which were growing on the banks of the creek in early days.
  • Sherman: Sherman Precinct, according to Dr. G.E. Condra, is named for General Sherman of Civil War fame.
  • Strahan: Strahan Precinct is named for J.M. Strahan, who was an early settler there.
  • Wilbur: Wilbur Precinct carries the name of Russell H. Wilbur, who was a pioneer in the precinct.

Source

Information was taken from "A History of Wayne Nebraska - Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth, and Development, Together With A View of the Territory in 1938," written by Dorothy Huse Nyberg.