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1 10. Ccx
HISTORY
OF
SEWARD COUNTY
NEBRASKA
.
AND
-
REMINISCENSES OF TERRITORIAL HISTORY
4
BY
W. W.COX
Author of "Northern Eyes in Dixie," "Papers on Labor and Capital," "History and Resources of the United States of Venzuela," "Glimpses of the Rockies and California as seen in 1902."
SECOND EDITION
JASON L. CLAFLIN University Place, Nebraska 1905
F672 S5C82
DEDICATION
To the ever kind and loving companion that walked hand in hand with me nearly forty-four years of life's journey, sharing all the privations of frontier life, and lend- ing cheer in all the dark hours and performing so nobly all the duties incumbent on her as wife and mother, as neigh- bor and friend, ever ready to lend a helping hand in matters of charity or public enterprise-she that walked so faith- fully in the service of her Divine Master over half a century and when her work was all well done passed over the dark river to dwell in the heavenly home-is this book lovingly dedicated as a memorial, to Rebecca Sampson Cox.
THE AUTHOR.
.5876
PREFACE
The author kindly asks the reader of this volume to be considerate in measuring the value of the work.
All historical works are subject to criticism, and we are sure this can not hope to be an exception. Many incidents herein related were obtained from people now living and memory at best is defective.
In many instances authorities conflict and the worst thing the author has had to contend with was, so many of the early records are lost or destroyed. We have searched diligently through the vaults of the county clerk's office for old records that should be there but seem to be lost in the shuffle, also in the county judge's office, where valuable rec- ords of the early days should be found, but they are wanting.
But with material at command, with the help of many old time citizens and a personal knowledge, coming of forty years residence, we have measureably succeeded in giving the reader the essential facts of county history and trust we have been able to give a true pen picture of frontier life and also of our achievements through the passing years.
We cannot say that we are entirely satisfied and yet we feel a degree of pride in having established many landmarks of history for the future historian, and being able to give the reader an intelligent idea of the country as it existed in its primeval state and the growth and progress to the pres- ent time.
We cheerfully acknowledge our obligations to the good people who have assisted by valuable historic letters, and to
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
editors for the use of their files, etc., and last but not least to the host of patrons who have met us so cheerfully and been so very liberal with us.
We must say in all parts of the county we have met the most cordial welcome, and our labor among the people has been like a friendly visit.
PART ONE
TERRITORIAL HISTORY
CHAPTER I.
Nebraska Territory- Date Organic Act-Boundaries-Area-Possibilities -- A Great Epoch in History-Slave Clause-Political Storm-Strife in Kansas-Nebraska Dominated by Southern Office Holders-First Newspapers-Squatter Claims-Mormon Exodus-California Trail -Mormon War-Freighting-First Settlement-Old Block-House and Ferry-Elections and Candidates-No Money to Get Back- Wouldn't Raise White Beans-Villages-Legislature of 1854-1855- Panic- Gold Discovered at Cherry Creek-A Little Story.
May 30th, 1854, the organic act creating the Territory of Nebraska was approved by President Franklin Pierce.
It comprised the land within the following limits: com- mencing at the center of the channel of the Missouri river on the fortieth parallel of North Latitude and thence run- ning west along said parallel to the summit of the Rocky mountains to the eastern border of Utah Territory, thence north to the forty-ninth parallel of North Latitude to the British possession, thence east to the west line of the terri- tory of Minnesota, thence southward on said boundry to the channel of the Missouri river, thence down the said main channel to the place of beginning.
If the reader will turn to a map of the United States and trace these lines and note that this vast domain includes the present state of Nebraska, North and South Dakotas, one- fourth of Colorado, nearly all of both Wyoming and Mon- tana, making in the aggregate nearly one-half million square miles of territory or about the same area as England, Scot- land, France and all Germany combined. In regard to the vast possibilities of this empire, we note that the present
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
population of these countries at this time reaches one hun dred and twenty millions. According to that reckoning, when Nebraska, with the present area, becomes as well set- tled as these countries in Europe. it will contain eighteen and one-half millions and should it bear the same population that England now contains per square mile; it will reach the stupenduous number of thirty-eight and one-half millions of people. Should it ever bear as dense a population as Rhode Island with all her rocky hills, it will have over twenty-six millions and Rhode Island is yet increasing rapidly.
The younger readers may not have noticed that this or- ganic act was a most peculiar and we might say the most important epoch since the revolutionary war up to the war of the rebellion. The magnitude of the territories of Ne- braska and Kansas was lost sight of, but all interest cen- tered in one part of a sentence in the organic act, which we quote as follows: "And when admitted as a state, or states, the said territory, or any portion of the same, shall be re- ceived into the Union with or without slavery." Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois championed the measure in the Congress. It raised a storm in political circles such as had never been seen before. The whole country was agi- tated from center to circumference. It caused the total dis- ruption of the great Whig party and it rent the great Dem- ocratic party in twain .. The people south of what is known as Mason and Dixon's line were favorably to the act, while the people of the North were appalled at the attempt to fasten slavery upon the virgin soil that had been by solemn compact dedicated to freedom. The people became aroused as never before on the slavery question. Under the admin- istration of Pierce the territories were furnished with a full complement of officers in close sympathy with Southern sen- timent.
The Southern people were determined to grasp the prize in sight and urged the occupation at once and many took their human chattels to Kansas and a few of them had the hardihood to invade Nebraska. The northern people or- ganized for resistance and urged emigrants to the territories and were equally determined to save this new land to free- dom. On the great plains of Kansas there was bloody war
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to the knife and knife to the hilt. There were many scenes of ravage and plunder that were sickening. The struggle was desperate and bloody. Kansas was so situated beside slave territory of Missouri and Arkansas that the friends of slavery had great advantage but the free state men swarmed to the territories in great numbers and were led by men of tact and courage that they were enabled to defy all attempts to fasten slavery there. Nebraska, just beside loyal Iowa, gave the free state men a greater advantage, and the south- ern men soon gave up the idea of ever making it a slave state, and our people were comparatively free from the bloody struggles of that eventful period prior to the Rebell- ion. Our emigrants were mostly from the northern states and although dominated for seven years by pro-slavery dem- ocratic territorial officers it was seen from the first that Ne- braska could never be made a slave state. There was not the rush to Nebraska from either south or north for the simple reason that the South could entertain no hope here, and that Kansas must be the battle grounds and where the bone of contention was, there the mass of emigrants came to take a hand in the settlement of the matter. The simple fact that Kansas was the scene of the principal strife, we attribute the fact that she secured the larger share of emi- grants that were seeking homes in the new land.
Nebraska had been traversed by tens of thousands of people long before the organic act. The Morman exodus had been across this land and many of the Pilgrims seeking a home in the desert wilds of Utah had crossed these fertile fields, but their eyes were fixed upon that far off desert home by the dead sea. They could not see the beauties of this land of transcendent natural wealth. Then great swarms of men and women of good sense, too passed up the Platte valley on their way to far off Oregon and could not see ought but miriage and desert wastes in this land of corn and wine. And again thousands more crossed this wilderness on their way to the gold fields of California. It
is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of white people traversed this goodly land from the river to our western boundary without any of them making the discovery that this was naturally one of the richest and grandest por-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
tions of God's green earth. It was a true demonstration of the ringing words of the Master when He said, "Having eyes they see not." Of course there was no opportunity to make permanent settlement here until the organic act had become a law, and until the Indian titles had been secured by the Government for some of the lands.
A few Indian traders and a few ferrymen were about all the white settlers of the Territory at the beginning of 1854. There had been a government fort at Calhoun as early as 1819 under the name of Fort Atkinson. This old fort, now long since in ruins, was sixteen miles north of Omaha. A man named Cabanne had a trading post ten miles north of Omaha and Manual Kisa also had a trading post one mile north of Cabanne's. The fort was built on the spot where Lewis and Clark held the council at the time of their visit to the northwest in 1804.
In about 1827 this fort was abandoned and the garrison moved down the river and took up quarters on Caro Island which later received the name of Fort Cragan. About the spring of 1828, after being flooded out, the garrison moved down the river and established Fort Leavenworth.
There was an Indian trader by name of T. B. Range on the site of Omaha as early as 1825. Peter A. Sarpie located a trading post at Belevue in 1822 and was a familiar figure at the time settlement began in 1854.
Old Fort Kearney at Nebraska City was established about 1847 and about the same time Fort Laramie was es- tablished on the North Platte river just near the eastern boundary of Wyoming. About the same time John Bolware established a ferry at Nebraska City. The exact dates of the fort and ferry are unattainable. We are indebted for what we learn of the dates of old Fort Kearney and the ferry to the diligent researches of Prof. Geo. E. Howard of our State University.
In the conversation with Col. Bolware in the winter of 1859 and 1860, at Nebraska City, he told the writer that he established the ferry twelve years previous and that corres- ponds well with Prof. Howard's researches. We have many times had the pleasure of seeing the old block house of old Fort Kearney. Col. Bolware claims that he first settled at
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Fort Atkinson and that next to Sarpie he was the first man to make permanent settlement in Nebraska. When we saw the old man last in 1865 he looked as if he had been here a long time. In the early summer of 1854 settlements began in earnest at Omaha, Plattsmouth, Nebraska City, Brownville, Rulo and Belevue, and some other points.
It is a mere matter of conjecture or guess work as to how many people made settlements in 1854. There were quite a number that came as adventurers, without any intention of making it their permament home. The towns were purely speculative. Scores of paper towns were boomed for "all there was in it." The agricultural possibilities of the country were scarcely thought of. Of course claims were located near the towns by what was known as squatters right, which by a "law all their own" were permitted to consist of a half section of land. Very few, indeed, thought of cultivating the soil, or trying to make permament homes.
Every fellow was on the speculate, designing to make their pile, then go home to "America, " as they used to say .. Many of such went home to "America" but they went dead broke. Some got so desperately hard up that they were forced to stay, as their "wife's relation" could not or would not send them money to pay their way back. To some this was a "God-send." They just had to stay and they began to stir themselves and accomplish something, and such can usually get a foothold. A few came for business from the start. They got a claim and went to work in dead earnest and although these had much to contend with and oftimes had a desperate struggle to "keep the wolf from the door." they finally made it win and in time secured a competency.
In this eventful year, 1854, Wednesday, November 15th, the newspaper had invaded the wilderness and at Belevue the Palladium was issued. That day the first stick of type was set, at the Mckinney house (a log cabin). Three printers from three states, Thos. Morton from Columbus, Ohio, fore- man; A. D. Long, compositor, from Virginia, and Henry M. Reed, from Massachusetts, an apprentice. The paper had been born at St. Mary, in Mills County, Iowa.
The first words of this issue reads as follows: "Owing
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to our removal of the office we hope our readers will excuse the late appearance of this number." This number notes the arrival to the Territory of J. Sterling Morton on the 13th inst., from Michigan.
One prominent paragraph of this issue is under the head- ing "Agriculture," as follows:
"He that by the plow would thrive Himself must either hold or drive."
On the 6th of December the Palladium contains a list of the voting precincts of the Territory, viz: Richardson county, two; Nemaha county, one. This was then known as Forney county. Pierce (now Otoe), one; Cass, two; Washington, one; Burt, two; Dodge, one. Douglas is omitted. One voting place, Nebraska City, was at the house of Major H. P. Downs. He, who being asked by a stranger of Nebraska's possibilities as an agricultural country tersely remarked with his stentorian voice: "Ten miles west of the valley they can't raise white beans," yet that old soldier had resided here since 1847, as commander of the post.
The Palladium did not winter kill because it lived till April 11, 1855, when it passed into history and gave up the ghost. The paper that came to stay was the Nebraska City News. It also had its birth place on Iowa soil, at Sydney, and was issued there first November 14th, 1854, with Henry Bradford as editor, but in the spring of 1855 the Nebraska City Town Site Co. employed J. Sterling Morton to take the sole management of the office and it was moved over home and was printed in the old block house April 12th, 1855. So on the twelfth of April, 1905, it will have rounded out a full half century, being, we believe, the oldest newspaper between the Missouri river and California.
In 1856 the Brownville Advertiser was started at Brown- ville. It was founded by Dr. John McPherson, but soon fell into the hands of R. W. Furnas and Lyanna. This paper was quite prominent for a number of years as a republican advocate and was wide awake in arousing Nebraska people to push forward development.
The Nebraska City Press under the name of "People's Press" was established by Hon. O. H. Irish and Matthias in the spring of 1859, and it came to stay, and next to its con-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
temporary the oldest living paper of the Trans-Missouri country. It has always been strongly republican, while the News has always held aloft the democratic standard.
The Nebraska Republican was first issued in 1858 and lived up to 1889.
The Omaha Times came to light under the management of Geo. W. Hepburn in 1857 and expired about 1870.
The Wyoming Telescope was started by Jacob Dawson at Wyoming, Nebraska, in 1857, but only survived two years.
The Omaha Nebraskan, edited by T. H. Robertson, the rankest copperhead of his days, in 1854, and expired in the sixties, just in time for Dr. Geo. L. Miller to start the ablest democratic paper that Nebraska ever contained, in 1865, which continued to do battle for Nebraska and the democra- tic party for twenty three years, when it was consolidated with the World, and is now known as the World-Herald.
There were many other papers started in various localit- ies, generally for the purpose of booming paper towns. Many of them were like the "rose of the wilderness, born to blush unseen." The number of the inhabitants that win- tered in Nebraska in the winter of 1854 and 1855 can never be known. It is safe to say they were few. There being
but ten voting precincts as the story goes, people had to be imported from Iowa to hold elections in several instances. The settlements were confined to a narrow strip along the river, mostly. Should we attempt to estimate the population it would be guess work. As yet we are not aware that there was any incorporated village although there were many names of cities of great promise. The only means of com- munication was a stageline to Council Bluffs, known as Kan- esville, an old Mormon settlement, and an ocasional river steamer.
The first session of the Territorial Assembly met in the winter of 1854, which had largely been elected by Iowa citi- zens, who in some instances brought along their candidates. (See Dr. Geo. L. Miller's paper.) It is needless to tell the readers that acting Governor Cummins winked at these slight irregularities. By his proclamation forming election districts there were whole counties where there was not a white set- tler and assembly men were accredited them and they must
.
.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
be represented "you know." One of the principal labors of that legislature was to bring forth a whole litter of wild cat banks, the story of which is told in another chapter of this book. In March, 1855, this farce of a legislature granted a charter to the first insurance company, known as the "West- ern Fire and Marine Insurance Campany," with full powers to do a general banking and exchange business, and thus was born the Farmers Western Exchange Bank of Omaha.
During the first four years of occupation, settlements made but little progress. New immigrants were constantly arriving at the different points and others tired and were leaving. No lands were yet in market and the only title obtainable was by the squatter's right and this was not very satisfactory. Of course a pre-emptor's title was all right until the lands were thrown into market, but it happened as noted in another chapter that the lands were thrown into market just exactly in the wrong time and it played havoc with the pre-emptors.
Population increased slowly, but in 1858 there was a new development, or rather two new developments. The Mor- mons of Utah were in rebellion against the government and an army was sent there and had to be supplied from Missouri river points, and the great firm of Majors, Russel & Wadell got a contract to haul army supplies to Utah and other west- ern forts. That year four thousand men with thirty thous- and oxen with great wagons, were sent across the plains. The outfitting point for the Utah traffic was Nebraska City. This gave a new impetus to business and the growth of the village for a time was phenomenal. Large brick business houses were erected and people flocked in by the hundreds. Speculation ran high, and just about this time gold was dis- covered at Cherry Creek, at the site of the coming Denver. The wildest stories of the fabulous wealth of the mines were circulated all over the states and great droves of people gathered at all the Missouri river towns and made prepara- tions to cross the plains to the gold fields. This gave life and push to every hamlet on the river. Tens of thousands of infatuated people swarmed through Nebraska headed for
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the mountains, knowing nothing of the suffering and disap- pointment that was in store for them. Trade in all the towns was simply enormous. Everything was on a wild boom. Values of property increased fabulously. The wildcat banks issued money by the cart load and it was no uncommon sight to see boys with their pockets full of money, but soon this bubble burst. Thousands of disgusted Pikes peakers began their homeward journey, careworn and weary, and were ready to wreak vengeance on the towns of Nebraska that had started the wild stories that induced them to embark on the foolhardy venture. In the mad rush to get back to the states it is safe to say that along the great trials between the river and the mountains there was a million dollars worth of prop- erty thrown away and abandoned. Tired out animals, wagons, machinery, tools, groceries and provisions. Then who can tell of the numbers that perished and that sleep in unknown graves, or left to be eaten by the wolves on the plains?
Just about this time the tidal wave of destruction, caused by the panic of 1857, had reached the western borders and there was a general collapse. The story of the situation in 1859 and 1860 is dealt with more fully in another chapter in which is related the money condition, the land sales and con- ditions of the people; how they had to "snuff ashes and drink pond water" for a living. Perhaps we may be excused for relating a story of our personal experience in the summer of 1860, just after the great fire at Nebraska City. We desired to work at carpenter work and we were anxiously looking for a job and it came to the point where we were very willing to saw wood, or dig, just any old thing for bread and butter. We called at a place where we understood there was help wanted. Yes, they wanted a man. What do you want per day, was the first question. Seventy-five cents and board myself. The terse reply was: "Pshaw! Can hire plenty of good men at twenty-five cents per day." My first job of work was sawing up a big rick of cord wood for a dollar and fifty cents, store pay. Store pay was good "you know," but the work was faithfully done and we went to hunt up the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
store. How our heart leaped for joy as we looked upon the stock of merchandise. It consisted of a few remnants of an old busted up hardware stock. There were a few old log chains and two or three ox yokes, a few horse shoes and a little brown stoneware. Splendid stuff to feed a hungry family!
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CHAPTER II.
Visit to Nebraska-Scenes and Incidents-First sight of the Promised Land -- First Dinner-Nebraska City-Looking up Land-Land Sale -First Entry-Floating Ice -- General Appearance of the Territory- Wild Cat Banks-Paper Cities-Wild Speculation-Panic of 1857- All Good Money Gone-Morman Trade-Pike's Peak-Great Throngs of Emigrants-Majors, Russell and Waddell-Great Freight Trains -Galusha A. Grow-Homestead Law Vetoed-"Gave them a Stone" -Land Sharks-Great Fire-Mob-Disastrons Results-Great Drouth of 1860-Hard Characters-Whipping Post-Governor Black-Indian Trouble and Default of Major Denisten-A Land of Slavery-John Brown-Underground Rail Road Depot-Rebel Flag-War Meeting in 1861-Alex Majors-River Steamers-First Apple Tree-Profes- sional Men-Noble Women-Letter from Morton.
In the early autumn of 1859 we had the first opportunity to gratify our curiosity to visit Nebraska.
At this time we resided in Page county, Iowa, at the little town of College Springs. A little company of us, in- cluding Abner Munger, David Haskins and Robert Hopps, who resided in Nebraska City over forty years, but now de- ceased, started with the determination of seeing the new promised land of Nebraska.
Passing over vast stretches of undulating prairie, wil- derness, watered by the east and west Tarkio's and the two Nishanahotina, we reached the village of Sydney (a city set upon a hill), the county seat of Fremont county, the second day about noon. We were taking matters leisurely, as we wished to see as much as possible of the country. At Sydney we were permitted to hear an animated political debate between the opposing candidates for governor of Iowa, on the important and exciting issues of that interesting period of our history. Gov. Kirkwood, known as the war governor of Iowa, and General Dodge, were the contestants for the people's votes. Just after leaving the little town our eyes rested upon a grander sight than Moses saw from
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the top of Nebo's mountain. The valley of the Missouri with the great river sweeping by the long line of bluffs, of beautiful Nebraska, presented to us a panorama at once im- pressive and inspiring. About the dinner hour of the next day we crossed the great river and first set foot on Nebraska soil. Passing through the bright little city we camped for dinner at a great spring just west of Arbor Lodge and had a bounteous repast from Nebraska grown potatoes and a young prairie chicken, captured for the occasion. This was our first meal on this new soil and it was a good one as we cook- ed it ourselves over a camp fire. Like everybody, we were crazy to get land. By virtue of the president's proclama- tion the lands of Nebraska were to be opened to the markets of the world within a few days. The weather was delightful. The little city looked bright and cheerful, most inviting, indeed. The lands were smiling with the tall prairie grass waving and flickering with changing shades presented a sight at once bewitching, and to cut this matter short, we were captured body and soul. We were excited. We all wanted some of that rich and beautiful land. We spent a day or two looking over the country as far west as Wilson's Creek, and made choice of quarters about eight miles west of the ferry. The Major's farm four miles west of the city was the last sign of civilization which met our eyes. All to the westward seemed an unbroken wilderness.
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