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Gc 978.201 G12d 1271399
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01066 5732
HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Very Truly Yours .
HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
A NARRATIVE OF THE PAST, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS UPON THE PIONEER PERIOD OF THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, ITS SOCIAL, COMMERCIAL, EDU- CATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CIVIC DEVELOPMENT FROM THE EARLY DAYS TO THE PRESENT TIME
.
BY HUGH J. DOBBS
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA WESTERN PUBLISHING AND ENGRAVING COMPANY
1918
COPYRIGHT, 1918 BY HUGH J. DOBBS
THE TORCH PRESS LINCOLN, NEBRASKA AND CEDAR RAPIDS, IDW/
5-6-64
1271399
DEDICATED
This volume is affectionately dedicated to the memory of my parents and to the memory of the other pioneers of Gage county, living and dead, whose heroism called the county into existence and advanced upon its rolling prairie wastes the lines of civilized life.
PREFACE
This volume is divided into historical and biographical matter. For the former I am wholly responsible, but for the latter my responsibility is lim- ited to a few biographical sketches -less than a dozen out of hundreds - the remainder having been prepared under the supervision of the Western Publishing and Engraving Company of Lincoln, Nebraska.
The chief value of the historical part of this book lies in its fidelity to facts. It is not claimed, however, that all has been set down that should have been written for a work of this character nor that the narrative is as complete in every instance as could be desired. Time and the limitations as to volume, imposed by my contract with the publishers, have both combined to set bounds to my work. Whatever faults the critical may discover in the following pages, this much can at least be truthfully said of this History-it constitutes an earn- est effort to give both to the subscribers and the public, a readable and reliable history of Gage county, something that has not hitherto been attempted.
I am under personal obligations to many for assistance in the preparation of this history. Particularly do I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to A. E. Sheldon, secretary, and Mrs. Clarence S. Paine, librarian of the State Histori- cal Society, Lincoln, Nebraska; William Elsey Connelley, secretary of the State Historical Society of Kansas; Hon. Charles H. Sloan, congressman of the Fourth congressional district of Nebraska; Major A. L. Green, Mrs. Charles F. Gale, Earl Marvin of the Beatrice Daily Sun, Mrs. Anna R. Mum- ford, William R. Jones, and Mrs. Oliver Townsend, Beatrice; John A. Weav- er and J. B. High, of the register of deeds office; Mrs. Mabel Penrod, coun- ty clerk, and F. E. Lenhart, clerk of the district court of Gage county; Mrs. Minnie Prey Knotts, Lincoln, Nebraska; Mentor A. Brown, Kearney; Mrs. Maud Bell, Tecumseh; A. D. McCandless and Charles M. Murdock, Wymore; Mrs. Elizabeth Porter, Wilber; Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Graham, William Craig, and Robert A. Wilson, Blue Springs; Homer J. Merrick, Adams; Miss Ev- elyn Brinton, Pickrell; Theodore Coleman, Pasadena, and Miss Benetta Pike, Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Lilian P. Scoville, San Juan, Porto Rico; Dr. James P. Baker, St. Louis, Missouri; Mrs. Julia Beatrice Metcalf, Portland,
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PREFACE
Oregon; Joel Thomas Mattingley, Condon, Oregon; Louis Laflin, Crab Or- chard; Hon. Peter Jansen, Andrew S. Wadsworth, Leonard A. Emmert, Clar- ence WV. Gale, Beatrice; Robert H. Baker, Chicago; W. H. Brodhead, Mckay, Idaho; and James H. H. Hewitt, Alliance, Nebraska.
I desire to express my sincere appreciation to the many subscribers to this volume who by letter or otherwise have shown a kindly interest in the work.
Beatrice, Nebraska, August 7, 1918
Very respectfully, HUGH J. DOBBS
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I - THE DISCOVERERS 15 Christopher Columbus - England and France - French Explorers and Missionaries - Robert Cavalier de La. Salle - The New World - Louisiana.
CHAPTER II -TERRITORY OF LOUISIANA
21
As part of New France - Attempted Settlement by La Salle - His Assassination - Effect of Extension of New France to Mississippi Basin - France loses her Colonial Possessions in North America - Retrocession by Charles V - American Opposition - Jefferson and the Treaty of Ildefonso- Jefferson's Aims concerning Louisiana and the Mississippi - Threat of Alliance with England - Alarm of Napoleon by Threat of War - Livingston Admonishes Talleyrand - Arrival of Monroe - Cession to the United States - Price - Population - Ignorance of America concerning New Purchase - Explorations of Lewis and Clark.
CHAPTER III - NEBRASKA UP TO 1866 .
29
Early Explorers in Nebraska - Coronado - Mallet Brothers - Lewis and Clark - Kansas-Nebraska Bill - Territory opened for Settlement - Area - Boundaries - Or- ganization - Census - Death of Governor Burt - Governor Cuming - The First Leg- islature - Statehood.
CHAPTER IV - GAGE COUNTY 36 Act Defining Boundaries - Name - Area - Seat of Justice - Whitesville - Prepara- tion for Election - Organization - First Meetings of County Commissioners - County Seat.
CRAPTER V-OLD CLAY COUNTY . 41
Act Creating - Organization - Austin - Settlements - Partitioning - John P. Cad- man - Joint Meeting Commissioners of Gage and Lancaster Counties.
CHAPTER VI - TOPOGRAPHY OF GAGE COUNTY 45 Location - Townships - Area - Hydrographic Features - Stone - Clay - Coal - Water Supply - Climate - Temperature - Soil - The Prairies.
CHAPTER VII - FLORA AND FAUNA 51
Grasses - Flowers - Forest and Stream - Animal Life -The Buffalo - Elk - An- telope - Native Birds - Fish - Insect Life - Grasshoppers - Effect of Settlement.
CHAPTER VIII -THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
57
Nemaha Land District - Brownville Land Office - Registers and Receivers - Offered and Unoffered Lands - Preemptions - Free Homestead Law -- Agricultural College Land Grant Act -Operation of the Act -College Scrip Entries in Townships - Homestead Entries.
CRAPTER IX - THE PIONEERS
63
First Glimpse of Gage County - Home Building on the Prairies - Food Supplies - Fruits - Fish - Game - The Buffalo - Clothes - Food Substitutes - First Wheat Crop - Spring Wheat - Common Salt - Social Life.
CHAPTER X
71
Poem by Edwin Ford Piper, "Have You An Eye" - Early Gage County Markets - Missouri River-Oregon Trail - Insufficiency of Local Markets - High Prices - Mis- souri River Points Best Purchasing Markets - Oregon Trail Best Selling Market - Its Early History - Great South Pass - John C. Fremont - Origin of Term, "Military Road" -- Starting Point - Route - Marcus Whitman - Changes - Statistics of North- ern Route - An Emigrant Route - Freighting - Nebraska City -Overland Stage - Pony Express - Beatrice Route - General Description.
CHAPTER XI -FIRST ACTUAL SETTLERS 85
Otoe and Missouri Tribes of Indians - History - Reservation - Relation of Pioneers to Indians - Plans to sell Reservation - Sale - Report of Lewis and Clark - Indian Village - Removal of Indian Tribes.
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER XII - NARRATIVE OF MAJOR ALBERT LAMBORN GREEN 89
CHAPTER XIII - FIRST WHITE SETTLERS 111
Indian Agents and Employes - Gideon Bennett - David Palmer - John O. Adams, and the Shaws - The Pethouds - The Kilpatricks and Others - Settlements in Rock- ford Township - In Grant Township - At Blue Springs.
CHAPTER XIV - FOUNDING OF BEATRICE 117
The Hannibal-Nebraska Association - Organization - Members - Locating Commit- tee - Its Report - Selection of Name- First Fourth of July Celebration .- Associa- tion Meets on Townsite - Selection and Entry of Townsite.
CHAPTER XV - NARRATIVE OF MRS. JULIA BEATRICE (KINNEY) METCALF . 123
CHAPTER XVI - FOUNDERS OF BEATRICE 129
John Fitch Kinney - John McConihe - Albert Towle - Joseph Rutherford Nelson - Obediah Brown Hewett - Gilbert T. Loomis - Oliver Townsend - Harrison F. Cook - Dr. Bayard T. Wise - Joseph Milligan - Bennett Pike - Jefferson B. Weston - William H. Brodhead - Dr. Herman M. Reynolds.
CHAPTER XVII - A ROLL OF HONOR 149
Gage County Territorial Pioneers - Biographical Sketches: Nathan Blakely, Charles N. Emery, Joseph Hollingworth, Hiram W. Parker, Charles G. Dorsey, Fordyce Roper, Albert L. Tinkham, Horace M. Wickham, Isma P. and Elizabeth Mumford, James B. Mattingley, Samuel Jones, Algernon Sidney Paddock.
CHAPTER XVIII - NARRATIVE OF GEORGE GALE WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 166
CHAPTER XIX - GROWTH OF BEATRICE FROM BEGINNING TO 1870 181
A Hard Winter - Company Assets - Pap's Cabin - Mumford's Cabin - Entry of the Townsite - Population in 1870- Coming of the Railroads - First School House - First Bridge across the Big Blue - The Government Land Office - Improved Condi- tions - First United States Mail - The Stage Routes - Beatrice of the Sixties.
CHAPTER XX - BEATRICE CONTINUED 189
Incorporation of Towns by County Board - Petition to Incorporate Beatrice - Order . Incorporating Beatrice - First Board of Trustees - Incorporation of Beatrice as a City of the Second Class - First City Council - Population of Beatrice - Incorpora- tion of Beatrice as a City of the First Class - Additions to Beatrice - Changed to Commission Government - First County Court House - Location - Old "Public Square" - Description - Cost - Abandoned - Demolished - A New Court House - Court House Bond Litigation - County Jail - The New Jail - First United States Postoffice - Present Postoffice Building - Postmasters - Beatrice City Hall - Fire Department - Lighting Plant - Sewers - Paving - City Water Works.
CHAPTER XXI - BEATRICE CONTINUED
The Free Public Library - First Board of Directors - Carnegie Library Building - First Librarian - Public Parks - The Old Stone Church - The New Methodist Church - The First Presbyterian Church - The Episcopal Church - First Christian Church - United Brethren Church - Trinity Lutheran Church - First Catholic Church - First Baptist Church - St. John's Lutheran Church - German Methodist Church - LaSelle Street Church - Seventh Day Adventist Church - First Church of Christ Scientist - First Congregational Church - Mennontie Church - Beatrice School Dis- trict - Old Frame School House - First High School Building - Second High School Building - Third High School Building - Grade School Buildings - City Su- perintendents of Schools.
CHAPTER XXII - BEATRICE CONCLUDED 228 Banks - Factories - Wholesale Houses - Rawlins Post - Hospitals and Sanitariums - Newspapers and Newspaper Men.
CHAPTER XXIII - BLUE SPRINGS . 249
CHAPTER XXIV - WYMORE . . 260
CHAPTER XXV - INCORPORATED VILLAGES 272
Adams - Barneston - Clatonia - Cortland - Filley - Liberty - Odell - Pickrell - Virginia.
208
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXVI - UNINCORPORATED VILLAGES . 290
Ellis - Hoag - Kinney - Lanham - Rockford - Holmesville.
CHAPTER XXVII - COUNTY OFFICES AND OFFICIALS .
294
First Election Law - Elections - Two Early Elections - Official Roster of County Commissioners - Adoption of Township Organizations - County Clerks - County Treasurers - Clerks of District Court - County Sheriffs- County Judges - County Superintendents of Schools- County Surveyors -County Coroners - Registers of Deeds - County Attorneys - County Assessors - Territorial Assemblies - House of Representatives - Members of the Council - State Legislatures- Members of the Senate.
CHAPTER XXVIII - HOSPITALS
Institute for Feeble Minded Youths - Hepperlin's Hospital - New Lutheran Hospi- tal - Fall's Sanitarium - The Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital.
CHAPTER XXIX - MILITARY HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY
310
Indian Raid on Little Blue River, 1864-First Military Organization - A Stampede - Company C, Nebraska Militia - Sioux Indian War, 1891 - Gage County in the Civil War - The Spanish-American War- Roster of Company C, First Regiment - The World War.
CHAPTER XXX - THE BENCH AND THE BAR
Territorial Supreme Court - Territorial Distriet Courts - Chief Justice Ferguson - Associate Justices - First Session Supreme Court - First Term District Court - First Judicial Legislation - Gage County's First District Judge - First Term Dis- triet Court in Gage County - Second Term - First Grand Jury - First Embezzle- ment - First Murder - Third Term District Court - First Petit Jury - First Di- vorce Case - State Supreme Court - State District Courts - Aet Admitting Attor- neys - First Lawyers in Gage County - Brief Sketches of Former Members of the Bar - Present Members.
CHAPTER XXXI - PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THEIR PART IN MAKING GAGE COUNTY .
303
319
338
ILLUSTRATIONS
WILLIAM CLARK .
26
MERIWETHER LEWIS .
26
BOWLDER COMMEMORATING FIRST COUNCIL WITH THE INDIANS ON NEBRASKA SOIL . 28
QUIVERA MONUMENT .
30
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS
32
FRANCIS BURT
33
THOMAS B. CUMING .
34
REV. WILLIAM D. GAGE
37 53
GRASSHOPPER SCENE, 1874 .
FIRST CLAIM CABIN IN NEBRASKA .
65
SALT BASIN AND SALT WORKS, LINCOLN, 1872
69 73
JOHN C. FREMONT
74
BRIGHAM YOUNG
75
SCENES AT ASH HOLLOW
76 77
FREIGHTING SCENES ALONG THE OREGON TRAIL
80
CONCORD STAGE-COACH
82 .86
OTOE INDIAN VILLAGE
92
OLD AGENCY MILL, INDIAN RESERVATION .
95
OLD BURIAL PLACE AND FUNERAL TREES OF THE OTOES .
99
MEDICINE HORSE'S VILLAGE
108
LOG FROM JOHN PETHOUD'S CABIN, 1857
113
ORIGINAL CABIN ON FIRST HOMESTEAD
115
DANIEL FREEMAN
116
JULIA BEATRICE KINNEY, 1860 .
120
JULIA BEATRICE (KINNEY) METCALF, 1909
124
JULIA BEATRICE (KINNEY) METCALF, 1878
124
JOHN FITCH KINNEY
131
HANNAH D. (HALL) KINNEY
131
GENERAL JOHN McCONIHE
132
ALBERT TOWLE
133
KATIE TOWLE
134
JOSEPH RUTHERFORD NELSON
135
OLIVER TOWNSEND
137
HARRISON F. COOK
138
BENNETT PIKE
141
WILLIAM H. BRODHEAD
144
HERMAN M. REYNOLDS
146
NATHAN BLAKELY
154
MARGARET CONSTANCE BLAKELY
155
HIRAM W. PARKER
157
11
MORMON ENCAMPMENT ABOUT 1846 .
PETER J. DE SMET, S.J.
AR-KA-KE-TA, HEAD CHIEF OF THE OTOES .
12
ILLUSTRATIONS
ELIZABETH MUMFORD .
161
PIONEER RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL JONES
164
MR. AND MRS. GEORGE GALE
167
COURT STREET, BEATRICE, IN 1870
185
BIRDSEYE VIEW OF BEATRICE, 1874
192
FIRST COURT HOUSE AT BEATRICE FEDERAL BUILDING AT BEATRICE
197
OLD COUNTY JAIL
197 199
NEW COUNTY JAIL
200
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, BEATRICE
203
CITY WATER WORKS, BEATRICE
203
BEATRICE CITY HALL .
203
VOLUNTEER FIRE STATION, BEATRICE
203
ATHLETIC PARK, BEATRICE .
210
VIEWS IN AND ABOUT BEATRICE .
211
BEATRICE CHURCHES
215
NEW CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BEATRICE
221
FIRST HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, BEATRICE .
224
BEATRICE SCHOOL BUILDINGS
225
BEATRICE NATIONAL BANK BUILDING
232
BEATRICE BANKING INSTITUTIONS
233
BEATRICE STEEL TANK MANUFACTURING COMPANY
234
BEATRICE IRON WORKS
234
JOHN H. VON STEEN COMPANY .
236
F. D. KEES MANUFACTURING COMPANY
236
BEATRICE COLD STORAGE COMPANY
237
SWIFT & COMPANY
237
BEATRICE CREAMERY COMPANY .
237
RESIDENCE STREETS IN BEATRICE
238
BUSINESS STREETS IN BEATRICE
240
BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN BEATRICE THEODORE COLEMAN .
244
COURT STREET, BEATRICE, IN 1908
248
BRIDGE AND MILL AT BLUE SPRINGS .
251
BLUE SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
252
WILLIAM B. TYLER
254
MRS. REBECCA TYLER
254
ROBERT A. WILSON
255
MRS. AMELIA WILSON
255
SOLON M. HAZEN
256
DR. LEVI ANTHONY
257
FRANCIS M. GRAHAM .
258
MRS. HANNAH RETTA GRAHAM .
258
NIAGARA AVENUE, WYMORE
263
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH AND RECTORY WYMORE
266
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WYMORE
267
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WYMORE
268
TWO RURAL CHURCHES NEAR WYMORE
269
195
GAGE COUNTY COURT HOUSE
241
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ILLUSTRATIONS
HIGH SCHOOL, WYMORE
270
MAIN STREET, CORTLAND
278
PUBLIC SCHOOL, CORTLAND
279
VIEWS IN ODELL
285
HIGH SCHOOL, HOLMESVILLE
292
COTTAGES AT INSTITUTE FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTHS
304-305
GIRLS' SECOND COTTAGE, INSTITUTE FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTHS .
HOSPITAL BUILDING, INSTITUTE FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTHS
MENNONITE HOSPITAL
DR. FALL'S SANITARIUM
308
LUTHERAN HOSPITAL .
308
INSTITUTE FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTH
308
NEW LUTHERAN HOSPITAL
309
COLONEL JOHN M. STOTSENBERG
314
FENNER FERGUSON
320
JAMES BRADLEY . .
321
EDWARD RANDOLPH HARDEN
322
OLIVER P. MASON
325
ZION'S LUTHERAN CHURCH
448
KILPATRICK MAUSOLEUM
600
PIONEER RESIDENCE OF FIDILLO HUNTER DOBBS
613
306
307
308
CHAPTER I
THE DISCOVERERS
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS - ENGLAND AND FRANCE - FRENCH EXPLORERS AND MISSIONARIES - ROBERT CAVALIER DE LA SALLE - THE NEW WORLD - LOUISIANA
Nothing in human history exceeds in roman- tic interest the discovery and settlement of the New World. The first voyage of Columbus from the shores of Spain across the unknown waters of the Atlantic ocean, which the super- stition of the times invested with every sort of mystery and danger, must always appeal to the imagination as an act of superlative dar- ing -an event of first importance in the progress and happiness of mankind - for he, by adventuring where others dared not ven- ture, by a single act revealed to the astonished gaze of Europe the existence of new lands of wonderful beauty and promise, where none were believed to exist; and, at a blow, dis- pelled forever the ignorance and fear which hitherto had enslaved the mind and paralyzed the endeavor of the most favored and most intelligent portion of the globe.
Columbus set sail from the port of Palos on the 3d day of August, 1492, with a fleet of three small vessels, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, and the Nina. He was accompanied by the tears and lamentations of the entire popula- tion of that small port, most of whom had relatives abroad the ships, and who, as the winding of the shore hid the little fleet from sight, abandoned all hope of ever again see- ing the adventurous mariners alive. On board those small caravels the crews them- selves, as the distance from the shores of Spain daily increased, were seized with fear and unrest, which greatly endangered the success of the expedition. But the confident Admiral held firmly to his course and pointed the prow of his flag ship steadily toward the
west. The sea was smooth, the air soft and refreshing, nature herself seemed un- usually propitious toward this momentous and daring enterprise. Soon the frail vessels came within the course of the trade winds and, with a constant and favoring breeze, the little squadron made rapid headway. Occa- sionally the crews sighted floating weeds and other objects which seemed to indicate the near presence of land and which served to cheer their spirits and invigorate their flagging zeal. On, on, on they sailed, day and night, always toward the west. Uneventful weeks passed without sight of land, but on the night of October 11, 1492, Columbus, who was sta- tioned on the high cabin of the Santa Maria, saw at a distance across the water a faintly gleaming, uncertain light. Few of his crew were encouraged by this sign, though Colum- bus himself regarded it as a certain proof of the vicinity of land. At two o'clock on the morning of the 12th day of October, 1492, the little Pinta, which from her superior sailing ability was leading the other vessels, fired a gun, the agreed signal in case any of the ships should in the night time discover certain indi- cations of land. The little squadron instantly lay to, eagerly awaiting the dawn. At last daylight slowly broke, and at a short distance the voyagers beheld a green and marvelously beautiful island, lying in a sapphire sea. It was San Salvador, the outpost of a newly discovered world. To their intense surprise, the Spaniards found this island densely popu- lated by perfectly naked savages, so kindly disposed and unsuspicious as to regard the
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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
newcomers as gods whom they were inclined to worship. Accompanied by the principal persons of his expedition, Columbus, richly attired, was rowed to the shore. Falling upon their faces, the party kissed the earth and gave thanks to Almighty God. Then unfurl- ing the banner of Spain over this patch of land, Columbus took possession in the name of his sovereigns, Ferdinand and Isabella. A few days were spent in sailing the waters about this island, and having gathered from the natives that, toward the southwest, gold was to be found in lands of yet more surpass- ing beauty, Columbus, on the 24th day of Oc- tober, 1492, turned his prows in that direction. On the fourth day of his voyage he beheld the noble shores of Hispaniola, now Cuba, rising out of the ocean before him. Charmed to ecstacy by the mildness of the climate, the beauty of the scenery, the gorgeous plumage of birds, the docility and intelligence of the natives, and the sunlit sea in which Cuba rests, queen of the waves, the soul of the great Ad- miral glowed with pride and satisfied ambi- tion. He gave up his days to the luxury of his surroundings and to exploring the north- ern coast of the island, and on the 5th day of December, 1492, having passed the eastern extremity of Cuba, he saw toward the south- east, looming out of the ocean, a new island - high and mountainous, Hayti, the most beau- tiful and most unfortunate of all the West Indian islands. Here, freed by the softness of the climate and the wonderful fertility of the soil, from toilsome labor, he found a native population that passed its days in indolence and repose. Having lost the Santa Maria by an accident of the sea and being deserted by the Pinta, commanded by Pinzon, Columbus now resolved to begin his homeward voyage. Departing from Hayti January 4, 1493, after a most perilous voyage, guided by the hand of Providence, on the 15th day of March follow- ing, he again cast anchor in the little harbor of Palos. He left Spain poor and unknown, he returned rich with honors, having gained the right to have his name forever first on the roll of discoverers, as well as that of those who by greatly daring, greatly achieve.
Columbus carried with him to Spain several natives of the islands, together with products of the soils of these new lands, notably to- bacco, coffee, and potatoes, with fruits and spices, as evidence of his discoveries. The great and unusual honors bestowed upon him by the proudest and most powerful court of the world, with the graphic report which he was able to make to his sovereigns of his won- derful voyage and the marvelous possibilities suggested by his discoveries, electrified every portion of the globe where civilization had ob- tained the slightest foothold. Fired partly by religious zeal, partly by love of adventure and thirst for fame, and partly by the commercial incentive to discover and open an all-water route for trade between Europe and the East Indies, the maritime nations of western Eu- rope joined enthusiastically in voyages of dis- covery to the western hemisphere.
Columbus himself continued in the great work of discovery till he had added to the memorable voyage of 1492 three others to the New World. Island after island rose out of the depths of the ocean before him. But in none of his voyages did the great discoverer touch either of the American continents. Ig- norant of the vast extent of the ocean, he imagined that he had reached only the thresh- old of India and that he was upon the point of realizing his lifelong dream of an open, all-water route to Cathay -land of jewels and spices. With feverish energy he sought the one factor which alone, as he sup- posed. could give value to his priceless discov- eries. But gold was rare in those islands, fanned by the great trade winds, and yielding only bloom and fruitage, heaped as by magic upon the bosom of the Atlantic.
On his third voyage, in 1498, Columbus came upon the large island of Trinidad, which lies off the coast of South America, near the mouth of the Orinoco river. Cruising about this island, he found to his surprise that the waters of the narrow strait that separates it from the main land were sweet and fresh, and gazing westward he beheld what he conceived to be the low-lying lands of a yet larger island extending twenty leagues or more along the
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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
coast. Never dreaming that these fresh, sweet waters were those of a mighty river that drained a continent and the low-lying lands the eastern edge of that continent, he sailed away to Hayti to visit a colony which he had founded there on his second voyage, in 1496. From this visit he was sent to Spain a prisoner in chains, and he died at Valladolid, May 20, 1516, poor and neglected, old and broken, at sixty years of age, already robbed by Ameri- cus Vespucci, an obscure adventurer, of the honor due to his memory, of bestowing his own name on the great New World which his genius and faith had disclosed to mankind.
In a material sense, the net result of his four voyages of discovery was to add to the known portions of the earth those groups of archi- pelagoes in the western Atlantic which are collectively known as the West Indies, and which, sweeping in a wide curve from Florida to the mouth of the Orinoco, screen the Car- ibbean sea from the gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean - islands of ravishing beauty, marvelous fertility, delightful climate, teem- ing with the products of nature.
But who shall ever be able rightly to weigh the tremendous influence of this simple-hearted man upon the physical and mental horizon of the world? The people of all western Europe by the middle of the fifteenth century had so far emerged from the "Dark Ages" as to be measurably free from the forms of govern- ment which had characterized the feudal sys- tem, and for the first time since modern Europe had arisen from the fragments of the Roman empire its governments were in the hands of able rulers, while national policies had displaced government by individual whim or caprice. It was the age of the Renaissance and the revival of learning. The world was undergoing the process of a new birth. The foolish superstitions and practices which had prevailed for centuries under the forms and guise of religion were rapidly passing away. A universal activity and zeal for the cause of learning had aroused mankind to a sense of its needs. France, England, Spain, Portugal. were rapidly assuming the dignity and self- importance of empire. In the very midst of
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