MTFCA Forum

Many may recall I like to research the people who owned our early cars, and attempt to understand their lives, as well as the impact early cars had upon the culture at the time. This story takes place in my own backyard, in Nebraska.

John W. Wehn was born in Pennsylvania in 1849. To put this in perspective, he was born about 14 years before Henry Ford. This excerpt from a 1909 Nebraska publication gives a few details of his early life. We learn that Mr. Wehn was a 15 year old Union Army soldier, serving for a few months prior to the end of the Civil War. In 1867 (the year Nebraska received statehood) his family moved from Pennsylvania to the Beatrice/DeWitt/Wilber/Crete area, in southeast Nebraska:


Soon, John Wehn was in the local news, and not in a good way. In 1871, he is charged with operating an illegal saloon, and selling liquor to native Americans. "On the 4th of July one or two Indians obtained liquor at the saloon, from the effect of which they. Became quite noisy, threatening vengeance against certain ones here for some real or fancied wrong."

Other news reports indicate one of the Native Americans was charged with murder as a result of this drunken spree, and was later sentenced to life in the state penitentiary. Later the charges against John Wehn at the district court in Omaha were dropped, because he could not be located:


Meanwhile, John Wehn relocated to nearby Saline County, starting a local newspaper that served the communities of DeWitt (think brand name Vise-Grips, manufactured in DeWitt for years), Wilber and Crete Nebraska. Stories he covered included events that made national headlines in 1876.

The first, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, took place in late June, 1876. Wehn's newspaper, "The Opposition," carried the story:


Another 1876 event involved a notorious gunfighter/lawman who initially gained fame in southeast Nebraska, committing his first known killings at Rock Creek Station, a Pony Express and Oregon Trail stopover near Fairbury Nebraska. In August 1876, Wild Bill Hickok met his end north of the northwestern Nebraska border in Deadwood South Dakota, immortalizing the term, "dead man's hand." Wehn's newspaper carried this report from the "Denver News:"


Next, go west young man.

In 1893, we learn John Wehn has relocated to fAlliance Nebraska to fill a United States land office (administering the Homesteaders Act) position. This was a sought after political appointment office. Alliance is in far northwest Nebraska, almost 400 miles from Wehn's southeast Nebraska home:


In 1900, John charters a special train to take him from Alliance to DeWitt to reach his ailing wife. I thought this an interesting example of the importance of rail travel at the turn of the last century. It's also a precursor to Mr. Wehn's desire to travel at a faster rate than most travelers of the period. The special charter is reported to have reached speeds of near 60 mph:


By 1901, John Wehn owns three banks in western Nebraska. His fortunes are looking up:


In 1904, Wehn is appointed county commissioner to fill an open seat on the county board. His reputation and standing have certainly improved from his illegal whiskey sales over thirty years before:


Although western Nebraska was (and is) lightly populated, with less developed roads than the rest of the state, it's about to enter the automobile age.

By 1905, the Wehn family own several banks in western Nebraska, as well as the first phone company to establish lines between Alliance, Bridgeport and North Platte.

By 1905, they also own an automobile. In late September, 1905, Herbert Wehn, John's son, is involved in a wreck while racing his automobile in Cheyenne WY. The reports indicate it was a 30 horsepower machine purchased in Denver:


Newspapers as far away as Omaha in eastern Nebraska and Deadwood in SD carried the news of the accident involving the now wealthy family:


Herbert brings the car home, and the local Bridgeport newspaper carries stories about it's repair:

Next, 1906 and a new car.

In early September 1906, J.W. Wehn purchases the fourth Ford Model K (I've found) in Nebraska. Reports indicate the car was purchased in Denver.


Over the next two years, the Ford Six received a good workout, driving Wehn's between banks and properties in western Nebraska:


And, like many wealthy automobile owners, John Wehn on occasion went back to his old mode of transportation. As this article reports, he may have preferred his auto after this:


John W. Wehn passed in 1921 in California. Over his lifetime, he went from 15 year old Union soldier during the Civil War, to saloon owner accursed of selling whiskey to Native Americans, newspaper owner and editor, to federal employee administering the Homestead Act, to multiple bank owner, phone company owner, and rancher. An extraordinary life spanning a period of extraordinary history.


I used to conduct business with the bank in Oshkosh, NE., and know some of the officers. I'm hopeful I'll locate a photo of the Wehn family, and with a little luck, maybe a photo of their 1906 Ford.

I was (still looking) hoping to come up with a photo of John Wehn, possibly with one of his early cars. I'm curious what the 1905 30 hp car was. Winton was one candidate, and was sold in Denver at the time.

This is what an August/September 1906 Model K would have looked like. Not the early style radiator, but a later streamlined tank and less flared fenders. This photo (courtesy The Henry Ford, all rights apply) is colorized, showing Henry Ford, possibly talking to his farm tenant: