s ▁dist ributes ▁catalog s ▁throughout ▁the ▁nation , ▁and ▁maintain s ▁a ▁considerable ▁web ▁presence . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁Charles ▁W . ▁G ur ney ▁( born ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 4 0 ) ▁a ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁opened ▁his ▁first ▁nur ser y , ▁H esper ian ▁Nur series , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁in ▁Mont ic ello , ▁Iowa . ▁The ▁business ▁remained ▁in ▁Mont ic ello ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁business ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁D ixon ▁County , ▁Neb r aska . ▁After ▁real izing ▁the ▁trade ▁potential ▁in ▁towns ▁near ▁rivers , ▁G ur ney ▁moved ▁H esper ian ▁Nur series ▁to ▁Y ank ton , ▁South ▁Dak ota , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁ ▁C . W . ▁G ur ney ' s ▁seven ▁sons ▁were ▁very ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁seed ▁business , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁C . W . ▁G ur ney ▁and ▁his ▁sons , ▁and ▁one ▁nep hew , ▁had ▁the ▁nur ser y ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁G ur ney ' s ▁Se ed ▁and ▁Nur ser y ▁Company . ▁The ▁company ▁started ▁listing ▁products ▁on ▁a ▁generic ▁price ▁list ▁for ▁ma iling ▁purposes , ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁when ▁G ur ney ' s ▁published ▁its ▁first ▁large ▁seed ▁and ▁nur ser y ▁catalog ▁with ▁a ▁full - color ▁cover . ▁ ▁Upon ▁Charles ▁W