The Nyes of Fremont: An American Story

In 1857 Theron Nye, of Madison County, N.Y., pioneered the settlement of Fremont, Nebr., betting on the route of the Union Pacific Railroad. Son Ray succeeded to Theron's flourishing grain, livestock, lumber and coal business, while son Fred became a newspaper man of talent and ambition. The sons' stories are prominent, as Ray goes to gold mining, and Fred to New York City as an editor for Joseph Pulitzer's New York World. The variety of the family's involvements create a palette with which the author illuminates American history in the 19th and early 20th centuries.