USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward county, Nebraska, together with a chapter of reminiscenses of the early settlement of Lancaster county > Part 1
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HISTORY
Seward County. OF
1800
O
Glass F412
Book
8508
O
HISTORY
OF
SEWARD COUNTY,
NEBRASKA,
TOGETHER WITH
A CHAPTER OF REMINISCENSES OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
BY W. W. COX,
AUTHOR OF PAPERS ON LABOR AND CAPITAL, AND "ADDRESSES TO YOUNG PEOPLE."
LINCOLN, NEB: STATE JOURNAL COMPANY, PRINTERS 1888.
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$ 3280 101
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1
DEDICATION.
To the young people of Nebraska, and especially those of Seward county, the children of the pioneers, is this little book humbly dedi- cated by their friend and well-wisher,
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
The author would ask the reader to not be unreasonably critical. All historical works are imperfect and subject to criticism, and why should this be an exception ? We have done the best we could with the material at hand. Many incidents herein related are obtained from people now living, and are generally correctly related, but the memories of men are sometimes faulty, and people are frequently led to see matters and things from different standpoints.
The best authorities frequently conflict, and many matters of im- portance were never recorded, and we are left dependent on the memory of men for matters that occurred twenty or more years ago. We have searched diligently and patiently, and have given you the result of our efforts.
We would not say that we are entirely satisfied, but hope that we have measurably succeeded in establishing many landmarks for the future historian, and conveyed an intelligent idea of the early settle- ment and the more important events of our history.
We cheerfully acknowledge our obligations to the friends that have so kindly aided us in our work, for the many valuable historic letters and papers furnished us ; to Hon. C. H. Gere, for his sketch of Lancaster county; and also to the editors of the various newspapers for the use of their files, and the county and state officers for courte- sies shown ; and last, but not least, the great host of friends that have met us with words of encouragement and liberal patronage.
CHAPTER 1.
FIRST VISIT TO LANCASTER COUNTY-SETTLEMENT-SALT BASINS-MAKING SALT-COMERS AND GOERS-IMPROVEMENT-FOURTH OF JULY, 1862- ELDER YOUNG AND PARTY-FOUNDING LANCASTER-COUNTY-SEAT FIGHT -CLAY COUNTY DESPOILED-INDIAN SCARES-FIRST DISTRICT COURT- SCENES AND INCIDENTS IN JUSTICE COURTS-GROWTH AND PROGRESS- REMOVAL TO SEWARD COUNTY.
In the last days of June, 1861, we chanced to meet Wm. T. Don- ovan on the streets of Nebraska City, and upon our learning that he lived on Salt creek, and in the neighborhood of the wonderful salt basins, we speedily arranged to accompany him, that we might see for ourself the country and the basins of which we had heard so much.
If we remember correctly, after passing the old Majors farm, four miles out, we passed over an unbroken wilderness, save Wilson's ranch at Wilson creek, until we reached McKee's ranch on the : Nemaha, where widow McKee and her sons lived. James Iler also lived near the same point. This was twenty miles out and near the present town of Syracuse. The next improvement was that of John Roberts, on the Nemaha, near the present sight of Palmyra, and five miles further to the west, lived a Mr. Meecham, a weak-kneed Mormon who had fallen out by the way. These were all the people that we saw on that trip until we reached Salt creek. After enjoying the hospitalities of our friend's home for the night, a somewhat novel : mode of conveyance was improvised for our trip to the basin. A tongue was fastened to the hind axle of a wagon, and a pair of springs was made of short ash sticks with a board across the ends of the sticks for a seat, and our carriage was complete, and Buck and : Bright served for motive power. On the second day of July, 1861, we followed a dim track down-to Lincoln ?- no ; to Lancaster ?- no-but down Salt creek (we hardly ever go up Salt creek), to the mouth of Oak creek, where we forded the stream. There was at that time a magnificent grove of honey locust timber on the west side of
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Salt creek, and just south of Oak creek; and a little to the south of the foot of O street, the large bend of the creek, there were perhaps a hundred majestic elms and cottonwoods, with here and there a hack- berry and honey locust. Those lovely groves would now, if they could have remained in their natural grandeur and beauty as we saw them, be of priceless value to the city for a park. Joseph, the elder son of Wm. T. Donovan, was our teamster and guide. The big flies that infested the low bottoms were a great help as persuaders of our oxen, and at times our ride was exciting in the extreme, as the oxen would dart first to the right, then to the left, to get the benefit of a brush to rid themselves of flies.
It brings peculiar thoughts to mind as we look around us now and consider the changes that twenty-six years have wrought.
One dim track only crossed the site of the future city from east to west, that had been made by hunters and salt pilgrims, and the one already mentioned running up and down the creek. As we viewed the land upon which now stands this great busy city, we had the ex- citing pleasure of seeing for the first time a large drove of the beauti- ful antelope, cantering across the prairie about where the government square is. We forded Salt creek, just by the junction of Oak creek, and what a struggle we had in making our way through the tall sun- flowers between the ford and the basin. There was something en- chanting about the scene that met our eyes. The fresh breeze sweeping over the salt basins reminded us of the morning breezes at the ocean beach. The basin was as smooth as glass, and resembled a slab of highly polished, clouded marble.
The wrecks of some old salt furnaces and two deserted cabins were the only sign of civilization. All was wild and solitary, but our soul was filled with rapturous delight. The geese, brant, and pelicans had undisputed sway, and the air was filled with their shrill notes.
The nearest human habitation to either the basin or the present city, was that of W. T. Donovan, on the Cardwell place on Salt creek, about five miles up the creek or south of the ford. Joel Mason lived a mile farther up. Richard Wallingford lived at his present home. A. J. Wallingford also lived just across the creek. John Cadman lived just across the county line, as the counties were first constituted, in old Clay county, and where the village of Saltillo now stands. Dr. Maxwell lived in that neighborhood; also Festus Reed; and above Roca, J. L. Davison and the Pray family had located.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Wm. Shirley, on Stevens creek, was the nearest settler to the east- ward. Charles Retslef and John Wedencamp, also, Judge J. D. Maine, held the fort a little farther up the creek, and Aaron Wood was located near the head of Stevens creek. John and Louis Loder lived down Salt creek near Waverly; also Michael Shea and James Moran. To the westward it was a complete wilderness.
In company with Darwin Peckham (now of Lincoln) we com- menced making salt on the 20th of August, 1861. We pre-empted one of the log cabins and " bached " it during the fall. Salt was very scarce during war times, and was high in price, and of a necessity great numbers of people came to scrape salt. They came from all the settled portions of the territory, from Kansas, Missouri, and as far east as central Iowa. At the time of the second visit we found the roads well broken by pilgrims in search of salt. Going for salt in those days was like going fishing-it was all in luck. If the weather were perfectly dry, they could get plenty of it, for it could be scraped up by the wagon load, but three minutes' rain would end the game. We have seen a drove of men that came a full hundred miles arrive just in time to see a little rain clear all the salt off the basin in a moment, and they left to hold an empty sack. We found a goodly number there when we arrived, and they were holding the empty sack, for it had just rained and the basin was as black as ink. We remember Milton Langdon as one of the disconsolate pilgrims. The next morning all except our party pulled out, and " we were monarchs of all we surveyed."
We immediately built a small furnace, made a sheet-iron salt pan, and began boiling salt, and by the time the next drove of pilgrims came we had salt to sell or trade them. Many farmers would bring their sorghum pans to make their own salt, and when they would get enough, or tired, we would trade salt for their pans and all their spare provisions. When the weather was dry many would scrape more than they could haul home, and we would trade for their scrapings at twenty-five cents per hundred and pay in boiled salt at two dollars per hundred. In dry times we would accumulate a mountain of scraped salt, and as soon as the first rain came our scrapings would be worth from fifty cents to one dollar per hundred. Pilgrims would grab for it. They brought all manner of provisions to trade for salt-meat, flour, chickens, butter, fruit, potatoes, eggs;
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
and others were willing to go to the groves and cut and haul wood and trade us; others would haul up'a large pile of wood and then rent our furnaces for the night, and would work all night, and thus get a supply. So we had salt to sell, scrapings to sell, furnaces to rent, and, generally, provisions to sell. One man we remember brought a fine suit of clothes and traded us for salt. A party brought two four-horse wagon loads, 5,000 pounds, of flour from Winterset, Iowa, and we made him an even exchange of 5,000 pounds of salt for it. It was a lively time, for hundreds were coming and going continually during the fall.
We remember several distinguished visitors of that fall, among whom were Hon. O. P. Mason and Hon. J. Sterling Morton. We treated them to slap-jacks of our own make, which the judge seemed to relish, but our friend Morton didn't seem to appreciate our cooking; just why has always been a mystery. Hon. P. W. Hitchcock, after- wards U. S. senator, and his excellency, Gov. Saunders (he was then our governor), also made us a visit. They were not repairing fences, but quite likely they were examining J. Sterling Morton's fence around the saline land. Many of lesser note visited us during the fall.
Late in the fall we moved our family to Salt creek, and wintered in one apartment of the log cabin that W. T. Donovan occupied, and as the salt business always quits when winter begins, we put in the time as best we could, chasing rabbits, etc. Uncle Dick Walling- ford, learning that we had graduated at the carpenter's bench, besought us to build him a house. We,suppose we have the honor of building for Uncle Dick the first frame building in Lancaster county, in the winter of '61 and '62. We made the doors of black walnut lumber that was about as liard as glass. We also call to mind the struggle we had one night the following summer in making a coffin for Grandmother Wallingford out of that hard lumber.
We took up our abode at the basin with the wife and two children on the first day of May, 1862. That same day a county convention was held at the basin, and nearly every man in the county was there, but we remember none of the proceedings, as we were occupied in setting our house in order. Two or three days later, Milton Langdon arrived with his family, and took up their abode just west of the B. & M. bridge, north of Oak creek. The season of 1862 was
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
exceedingly prosperous. Great numbers of people came and went every day. Numerous other furnaces were started, and the salt works presented quite the appearance of business.
Here we must beg indulgence, while we relate a little story. In the winter of '62 and '63, there was an old fellow by the name of Ben Vanthusen, camping and boiling salt, and there was an Indian camp a little distance away, and the Indians had beeu bother- ing Ben until he had become impatient with them. A young stalwart brave thought to play a trick on him, and approached him with the usual aboriginee's salutation, "How !" and at the same time offered Ben a finely polished ramrod, which he reached out to take, when Mr. Indian struck him a violent blow with the rod across the knuckles. Ben couldn't stand that, and quickly as thought returned the compli- ment with his fist, propelled by his stalwart arm; the blow took effect just under the ear of the young brave, and he reeled backward and sat down in a pan of boiling salt water. A sharp shriek, and Mr. Indian jumped for life, and ran wildly into the swamp hallooing all sorts of bloody murder in the Indian tongue. Other braves went to his relief, and carried him to camp. He. was thoroughly cooked and well salted. The little settlement soon became alarmed, fearing that the Indians would be enraged and seek vengeance. A hurried consultation was had, and the camp was visited to learn, if possible, the temper of the red-skins. We found the man almost dead, and while he was writhing in agony, the other Indians were making all sorts of fun of him, calling him squaw man, etc., and point- ing their fingers at him ; and finally Ben Vanthusen appeared on the scene, and they began at once lionizing him, as if to further tantalize the poor unfortunate. They finally made a litter of a buffalo robe and carried him away with them, while in a dying condition.
On the morning of the Fourth of July, wife suggested that we celebrate by gathering a lot of gooseberries, of which there were great quantities. Just as we had filled our buckets, we heard some- one hallooing, and as we emerged from the brush, who should we see but Elder Young and party, consisting of Rev. Peter Schamp, Dr. McKesson, Mr. Warnes, Luke Lavender, and Jacob Dawson. They were in search of a suitable location for a colony. They were patriotic, and had not forgotten the flag. Dinner was quickly pro- vided and disposed of, the neighbors called in, and we had a celebra-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
tion that was a feast to the soul. As the dear old elder talked to us of our blessed flag, and how it had been trailed in the dust by recreant hands, and the mighty struggle that was going on to main- tain its supremacy, how our hearts swelled with emotion as we real- ized that our country and our all was at the moment trembling in the balance. This was probably the first time our national flag ever kissed the breezes of Lancaster county, and it was an occasion long to be remembered by all the participants.
Some, we know not how many, of that little group have gone to their long home. Uncle Jacob Dawson lived just long enough to see the foundations of Lincoln well laid, and was called away. Our dear old friend, Elder Young, lived to see the city of his found- ing great and strong, and marching forward to greater achievements, and " he was gathered to his fathers full of years and full of honors."
In the second week in July, and after making a thorough exami- nation of the surrounding country, the party made settlement on the land where Lincoln now stands, and dedicated a portion of section twenty-two for a town site, and christened it " Lancaster. "
Lancaster did not grow as more modern towns do. A few settlers began to arrive, and settled on the beautiful lands in the vicinity, but not many cared to try their hands at building a city just then. Town building was a slow process in those days so far inland.
It must be remembered that the bill providing for the Union Pacific railroad had passed but the previous winter, and the eastern terminus had not been fixed by the president. Our nearest railroad was at St. Joseph, Mo., and Ottumwa, Iowa. And further it was yet very questionable as to whether our upland prairie was of any value for agricultural purposes. The farms were all yet confined to the creek bottoms. Prairie fires would sweep the prairies just as soon as the grass was dry in the fall and leave the roots exposed to the scorching rays of the autumn sun and then to the frosts of winter. The snow would gather into huge drifts, there being nothing to hold it except the ravines. This resulted in very short grass crops on the upland, and frequently there was scarcely grass enough to hide a gar- ter snake in midsummer. People saw the fact that the prairie pro- duced but little grass, but were slow to discover the causes, and were ready to condemn the land as worthless for cultivation. Some are led to believe that great changes have taken place in. the general
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
character of the soil, as well as in the climate. We have frequently been asked if this land was not all covered with buffalo grass. To this question we answer most emphatically, no. It might have been at some remote period, but never since white men have known it. Many are of the opinion that it scarcely ever rained in those early days. That is certainly a mistake. The summer of 1860 produced scarcely any rain (we well remember the year of the Kansas famine; we resided at Nebraska City at the time), and to help matters along there were sixteen days and nights of continuous hot south wind. It was almost insufferably hot, so stifling it was that people could not bear to sit in the wind, even late in the evenings, but would be com- pelled to seek a wind-brake. Except that memorable year, rains were just as plentiful and as well distributed through the growing seasons in those years as now, and vegetation, where it had a fair show, made the same luxuriant growth. But we do not wonder that the overland immigrant who passed through this country in the early spring or late in the fall pronounced this a desert land, for as far as the eye could reach, in all directions, nothing could be seen but black prairie. Most dreary indeed was the spectacle. There being nothing to retain the moisture, and the sun bearing down on the defenceless head, and the mirage playing in the distance like some specter, it did not seem that it ever could be a fit abode for civilized man. It took men and women of strong nerve and great faith to attempt to build a home in this wilderness then, but there were some brave souls. that were equal to the hour, and such were the men who founded Lancaster.
The story of the founding of the embryo city, and the struggle over the location of the county-seat, is an interesting theme. The settlement at Yankee Hill (where the insane hospital now stands), under the leadership of John Cadman and Wm. Fields, made an interesting and energetic fight for the prize. These men looked with jealousy upon the Lancaster colony. Our friend Cadman was wide- awake, and with a fertile brain was ready for almost any emergency. It will be remembered that the boundaries of the county were mate- rially changed in the winter of 1862-63. Friend Cadman secured the election to the legislature from old Clay county, John S. Gregory was by some trick of legerdemain elected to represent Lancaster, and Hon. H. W. Parker was sent fromn Gage. The trio each had an axe
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
to grind. Parker wanted to make the county-seat secure for Beatrice, and Cadmam wanted to spoil Elder Young's little game and make a new town and clothe it with the honors of the county-seat. So they arranged and carried through the scheme to eliminate Clay county from the map of Nebraska, and give to Gage the south twelve miles, and the north twelve miles to Lancaster, in the interest of Cadman and his friends. Thus it came that Gage and Lancaster are each thirty-six miles long, and that Clay county was buried out of sight, to be resurrected at a later day farther to the west. We have never been able to learn just what interest our friend Gregory was to have, but suppose he was to be endorsed for the post office at the basin at a salary of one dollar per month, and also to have his name perpet- uated by renaming the great salt basin "Gregory Basin," both of which he secured ; but the honors of his office and the name were very much like a soap bubble-they got away from him in a very short time. Cadman and his friends lost no time in fixing upon a point for their new town at Yankee Hill, and then came the tug of war. About this time what was known as the steam wagon road was located from Nebraska City to the west, and the crossing of Salt creek fixed at Yankee Hill. An appropriation of five hundred dollars was secured by the legislature for a bridge on Salt creek in Lancaster county, to be located by territorial commissioners. When these gen- tlemen came to fix the location of the bridge, the Lancaster party, headed by Elder Young, and the Yankee Hill folks, led by Cadman, each made an earnest showing why they should have the bridge, and we take it for granted that each succeeded in convincing the commis- sioners that their claim was the best, for they divided the money between the two points, and thus, with the aid of private help, two good bridges were secured.
Each place made slow progress; a little store and a blacksmith shop were secured by each. Lancaster had the help of the salt interest to assist it, while its rival had the freight road. Each had energetic men as leaders, and they were equally well situated, but Lan- caster had the sympathy of the greater number of the people of the county. Friend Cadman had roused the ire of all his old neighbors on the head of Salt creek. They were very sore over having all their pleasant dreams of a county-seat at Olathe suddenly vanish, and their county disappear, or torn in two and swallowed by her greedy
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
sisters. When the county-seat problem came before the people for settlement, the Lancaster folks had a walk-away, and secured a grand triumph at the polls.
This county-seat election occurred in the summer of 1864, and was held at the house of the writer, just south of the great basin.
Notwithstanding his defeat in his pet project of founding a county- seat, Cadman secured a return to the legislature for several terms and had an honorable part in moulding the destiny of the county, in helping to secure the capital removal bill, and securing the location of it within her borders; and while Elder J. M. Young may justly be honored as the founder of Lincoln, to John Cadman belongs the honor of doing splendid work in securing a grand triumph in remov- ing the capital and securing the principal benefits to his county ; and while he did not realize the full fruition of his hopes in getting it at Yankee Hill, we are glad to know that he has been duly rewarded, and that in his green old age he is blessed with plenty of this world's goods, and friends innumerable to brighten his pathway. Long live Hon. John Cadman !
In the early summer of 1862, we had the pleasure of helping to raise a log house for Charles Calkins, on Middle creek, on what was afterwards known as the Horton farm, and about five miles west of the city. This was the first log cabin between the basin and the Grand Island settlement.
In the beautiful month of June our good wife made a visit to Nebraska City, and left us alone " with our glory" for a little sea- son. One afternoon a vast throng of Omahas camped at the head of the basin, but we thought nothing of it as it was a common thing to see great numbers of Indians on their way to their summer hunt- ing grounds on the Republican river. John Chambers' family lived a little way from our cabin. We went to bed as usual that night, with our bright saber under our pillow, and a rifle standing within easy reach. Near midnight we heard a (not very) " gentle tapping, as of some one rapping at our cabin door." "What's the matter ?" we cried. "Matter enough," says poor trembling John, his wife clinging to him like grim death, and crazed with fear; "the Indians are upon us. For God's sake what shall we do?" Whether we dressed or not, you may guess. We forgot that we ever had a saber or a gun. When we awoke our ears were greeted with the most un-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
earthly sounds, as if ten thousand devils were turned loose. We all run, as most folks do when badly scared, and we hid as best we could among the hills and awaited the coming of events, which we expected every minute. The pandemonium continued, but came no nearer. We waited patiently for the enemy, but they did not come. We were disappointed. The Indians were expecting to meet their mortal foes (the Sioux) on their hunting grounds, and were having a war dance. "Only this, and nothing more."
Salt creek and its principal tributary, Oak creek, were wonder- fully well supplied with fish. Black suckers and buffalo were the leading varieties. The settlers had plenty of sport and much profit in fishing. We all had plenty of fish. Great numbers were caught that would weigh ten to fifteen pounds, and we have seen them that. tipped the beam at thirty-five pounds.
Elk and antelope were plentiful, and the nimrods of that day had great and exciting sport in the chase. Some of the settlers spent a great portion of their time roaming the prairies in search of game. Many of them never came home without a supply of meat. If elk could not be found or captured, some luckless freighter's steer had to suffer the ordeal of being converted into elk meat. Many a steer has undergone the change in short order, and Mr. Steer's only safety was in staying close to camp. The basin was a great place for wild water fowls to congregate. Geese, brant, swan, ducks, and pelicans were there by the thousands, and it was the hunter's para- dise. Wild fruits, such as grapes, plums, gooseberries, and elderber- ries, were abundant along the streams, and were gathered by the bushel.
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