Buffalo County, NE  "Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan 
and Franklin Nebraska" .... Pub. Chicago F. A. Battey & Co., 1890

Philetus Pierce is a native of Illinois, born at Springfield, November 5, 1827, and is one of 
five children born to Lanson and Mary Pierce, both of whom are natives of New York State. His 
father and mother emigrated West in an early day, locating in Illinois, or what was then known 
as the Western frontier.  His father followed farming, and was a sawyer by trade.  Philetus 
lived in Illinois until nineteen years of age, during which time he attended school and labored
on the farm.  In 1846 he went to Iowa county, Wis., where he resided for ten years and was engaged
in mining lead.  He next moved to Dubuque, Iowa, where he engaged in mining for four and one-half
years.  
He then moved to Clayton county, Iowa, and farmed one year; after which he moved to Buchanan 
county, same state and followed farming for two years.  He afterwards located in Harrison county, 
Iowa, and for a period of fifteen years was engaged in the lumber and tie business, and also 
farmed a portion of the time.  From there, in July, 1878, he started West, with a view of looking up 
a suitable location and taking up a government claim.   For two months he traveresed Nebraska, 
Colorado and Wyoming, and finally decided to locate in Buffalo county, Nebr.  He accordingly 
filed a claim on his present land in Sartoria township.  In those days that section of the county 
was scarcely settled at all, and Mr. Pierce's nearest neighbor was four miles distant.  In those 
times money was a scarce article and, in order to get some with which to purchase flour and  
clothing, Mr. Pierce trapped beaver and hauled cotton-wood bark to Kearney, a distance of thirty-
five miles, and sold it at one dollar per load.  There were plenty of deer, elk and antelope only a 
few miles away, and he reports having killed a fine large buck near his place with a load of fine 
bird-shot.  Mr. Pierce took, in addition to his homestead, a timber claim, and now has three 
hundred and twenty acres, most of which is well improved.  He lives in a commodious frame 
house, and his surroundings in general speak well for his prosperity since coming to this county.  
He was married in January, 1850, to Louisa Noyes, who was born may 13, 1832, and is one in a 
family of ten children born to Harman and Mary (Harrison) Noyes.  The former was a native of 
New Hampshire, and was born in the year 1800; the latter, a native of New York state, born in 
1798.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce has been blessed with the birth of fifteen children as follows - 
Ira N., September 7, 1851; Harman L., December 8, 1852; Mary E., March 5, 1854; Abiatha R., 
May 12, 1855; Maria L., November 13, 1856; Percie A., February 5, 1859; Emma A., November 
5, 1861; Eva B., Auguest 12, 1863; Chester S., March 6, 1865; Lillie M., March 17, 1866; Albert 
P., March 27, 1869; Laura M., january 23, 1872; Reuben W., April 11, 1874; Minnie V., August 
23, 1876; Ella M., Auguest 3, 1879.
In Political matters Mr. Pierce is a stanch republican.