SIOUX COUNTY – The Spencer family of Sioux County Nebraska was recently recognized as one of the 122 honorees of this year’s Aksarben Pioneer Farm (100 years) and Aksarben Heritage Farm (150) awards.
Aksarben began awarding the Pioneer Award in 1956, and since that time, nearly 10,000 farm families have received the award statewide. The Heritage Award was established in 2014, has been awarded to nearly 100 farm families.
Walter Spencer, LLC or better known as the Spencer Family Farm, was established in 1920 by Norris Brighton (N.B.) Spencer and his wife, Beatrice.
Great grandson Pete Cawiezel of Morrill has kept many of the family records and history. According to his records, N.B. was born in 1881 and came to Western Nebraska from Palisade, Nebraska.
In 1918 while working for Pete Remender, he married a neighbor lady Beatrice Long. Their first child, Raymond was born in 1919. In 1920 N.B. and Beatrice purchased their farm from John R. Russell and wife. N.B. and Beatrice had four more children Frances (Ross), Guy, Walter and Dorothy (Schuman) all born at home on the farm.
In addition to farming they fed sheep. Lambs were purchased near Douglas, Wyoming. They came by train to the Redus beet dump where the farmers received them and herded them to their respective farms.
At the passing of N. B. (1971) and Beatrice (1974) the siblings sold their shares to brother Walter. When Walter passed on in 2017, his nieces and nephews became the owners.
Local family include Dan and Connie Spencer, Raymond and Connie Spencer, Dick and Monett Ross, Ken and Debbie Spencer, Max and Bonnie (Spencer) Cawiezel and Dennis and Becky (Spencer) Eisenbarth and their families.
