USA > Nebraska > Pioneer sketches, Nebraska and Texas > Part 1
USA > Texas > Pioneer sketches, Nebraska and Texas > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
-
Gc 976.4 St8p 1386814
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02282 4996
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/pioneersketchesn00stra_0
PIONEERS COMING TO NUCKOLLS COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Pioneer Sketches
NEBRASKA and TEXAS
HICO, TEXAS HICO PRINTING CO. 1915
1386814
CONTENTS
Ox Team Days.
1
Trying Times in 1873 4
Early Days in Nuckolls County 8
Recollections of Pioneer Life.
11
Some First Things
15
Reminisences of 1873-4 17
Death of James Parkerson, Aged 118 Years
23
The Famous Dove Creek Fight. 25
Murder of Ann Whitney and Amanda Howard's Bravery .. 36 The Beautiful Steer 43
Interesting Events of Early Days. 45
First Wagon Though Town of Indian Gap 47
First Election Held in Bosque County. 50
Early Schools of Dublin, Texas 52
Death of Prof. Albert D. Wallace 56
FOREWORD
This little volume was begun while the compiler was edi- tor of the Nuckolls County Herald, Nelson, Nebraska, in the spring of 1910, and was reprinted from a series of papers published in that newspaper. In May of that year, I moved to Hico, Texas, where I was elected editor of the News-Re- view. After entering my editorial duties in the latter office I resumed the publication of the sketches, but concerning Texas history only.
These sketches are not as complete as they might have been, but are just as the articles appeared in the two above papers. It was not our intention to make a volume beauti- ful, but merely to record and preserve these items of history for future generations to read.
If these chapters have entertained you, and incidentially instructed you, we feel repaid for our efforts.
W. STRALEY.
Hico, Texas, October 21, 1915.
I .- OX TEAM DAYS.
N the days prior to the placing of the county seat of Nuckolls county at Nelson, in fact before Nel- son was even large enough to scarcely be called a hamlet, there moved to this section from the eastern part of the state one Joseph Van Valin together with his family, consisting of a wife and three sons. This was in '73.
Mr. VanValin settled on a tract one mile east of Nelson, which he put into cultivation.
In those days a house in this section was a luxury enjoy- ed by a few. The dug-out was the usual place of abode, and in such Mr. VanValin and family continued to reside for some six years. These dug-out dwellings were not very substantially built, nor were they as rainproof as the modern houses which are now our homes. In speaking of those days, long since past, with the estimable wife of the pioneer, she laughed at the many "soakings" they received during those six years, as the scenes of by-gone days passed before her mind. Every rain played havoc with the dirt roof until fin- ally Mr. Van Valin went to Edgar and procured lumber and shingles and built a much better roof to his under-ground home.
In those days horses were scarce, and the hardy pioneer used oxen in their stead. An ox team now would be an in- teresting and amusing sight to the present inhabitants of Nelson and vicinity. But in the 70's the ox was it. So, of course, Mr. Van Valin had such a team; one of which was "muly"-had no horns.
2
Pioneer Sketches.
During one nice day in the summer of '74 Messrs. Van Va- lin and Byron Adkisson were to work the public road about two miles west of our present Nelson. On the way as they passed through the little settlement, Mrs. VanValin aceom- panying them, they went to each house and gathered up the women folks to go along and spend the day with the wife of Mr. R. M. Gourley, who lived near where the road work was to be done.
The entire female population of the little burg were soon on the ox-wagon excursion-viz: Mesdames Adkisson, Rit- terbush and Follmer and Miss Josie Adkisson (now the wife of Judge Hall).
The start was made and everything was going smoothly until the team started down the hill near the Gray place a mile west of Nelson, when something happened. In going down hill the oxen tried to hold back, and as the "muly" one pulled back the absence of the horns let the yoke slip over his head, which put the party in a very peculiar pre- dicament, and caused the two gentlemen quite a bit of trouble in getting the ox back in place and moving the wag- on safely down the hill. But all were glad that the acci- dent did not prove disastrous. They continued the journey, spent an enjoyable day with Mrs. Gourley and in the evening returned home, each feeling refreshed by the outing and a chance to enjoy a few hours together socially.
Game was quite plentiful at that time-deer, turkeys, prairie chickens, quail, etc. One evening Mr. VanValin while on his way home passed the place east of town now owned by Mr. Scherzinger when he saw a number of wild turkeys alight in a tree, and not having a gun to shoot them with he proceeded to throw a club at them and succeeded in knocking one out, which he secured and took home with him and on the next day had turkey for dinner.
3
Pioneer Sketches.
Now the dug-out is gone; the game is here no more; and the oxen has been replaced by the horse and foul smelling automobile.
FIRST FRAME MOUSE IN NELSON Courtney Nelson Gazette. .
II .- TRYING TIMES IN 1873.
HE following sketch was handed us by Mr. D. W. Wright of Nelson. He has pictured the experi- ences his father's family underwent in Nuckolls county in the year 1873. His father, W. B. Wright, is now living on the old homestead southeast of Nelson.
"We started from near Otomway, Iowa, with a good team of horses and a few cattle, and landed at Beat- rice in the latter part of September, 1872, where we winter- ed, as they said there was nothing to do for a living farther west.
"During our stay in Beatrice, father hauled rock for some of the best buildings there.
"He paid $300 for the right of a homestead to C. J. Ja- cobs, Alfred Harsis' father-in-law. Then we traded for two yoke of oxen to begin life right in the West.
"We arrived at our homestead in Nuckolls county, May 10, 1873. There were ten acres of broken land on the place and 9x12 'dug-out' on the southeast corner of the tract. This 'dug-out' had a half window in the gabled front. There were six of us in the family, and we had a bed, stove, table and several boxes in this 9x12 room. Sister and I slept on the table, and were always sure of our bed being made.
"Father had $7 in money to build and do all the improv- ing with, and with which to keep up a sickly wife and a fam- ily of helpless children.
W. B. WRIGHT'S LOG MANSION BUILT IN '73 - PHOTO BY WRIGHT.
5
Pioneer Sketches.
"His machinery consisted of a wagon, breaking plow, harrow, scythe, axe, hoe and a 1}-inch auger.
"Our nearest neighbor on the east was Alfred Harris, two miles; on the north, Mr. Alender, one and a half miles; on the west they said twenty miles-but we never saw him.
"We sowed the ten acres in wheat the first year, cut it with a cradle and threshed it with a flail.
"Father began to break prairie, and soon the plow blade got dull. He cold-hammered it out on a piece of railroad rail about eight inches long for an anvil. This did not do very well, so he built a furnace out of sod in which to heat his lays. He used wood instead of coal to heat them with. His cutter broke and he could not weld it, so he carried it about twelve miles distant. to a man who had a forge and eoal to get it mended.
"We planted some sod corn. Father took the axe and I the corn; he drove the axe through the sod and I dropped in the corn, and then another lick with the axe and the seed was covered.
"When it did not rain enough to fill the ponds (buffalo wallows) to water the cattle, sister and I drove them once a day to a pond in a draw two miles east of us, where there was water. We were afraid and disliked it very much, but it had to be done. When the wiggle-tails were too thick to strain out of the water from the little holes in the draws, father hauled water in a barrel on a sled from Mr. Alender's.
"When we went visiting we rode on a sled. In the summer-time the wagon-bed was set off on some blocks, as that was the only means of keeping the clothing dry, as it had a good cover, and the 'dug-out' leaked-and there was not room to put the things and live there too.
"Father had to build a house, so during the summer he
6
Pioneer Sketches.
cut logs on the creeks from far and near, as the right lengths were hard to find. The logs were twenty-eight feet long and so crooked that when one end was on the wagon the other was laying on the ground-some of them had to be swung under the wagon and hauled home in that nanner. In the fall we had a log raising. Among those who helped to raise the house were: Fred and Alfred Harris, -. Al- ender, T. J. Hewett, E. L. Downing, and others. We used mud for mortar to fill the cracks between the logs, and chuncks of wood in the holes formed by the crooked timbers. The house was covered with a series of ribs, over which was put a layer of willows, which in turn was covered with grass, then a final covering of earth on top of all-not a board was used in the entire building. At first we hung up a piece of old carpet for a door-the building also had two half windows. When a door was finally put in, the lumber and nails came from Sutton, about forty miles distant. The grass was knee-high under the bed for a year or two, as we did not get to tramp it off there.
"Father made us a bedstead, split from a log. He made us shoes out of the tops of old boots which had been brought along in case of necessity; and the soles were made out of saddle skirts, as we did not need the saddles-our oxen not being broke to ride.
"In the summer while we were in the 'dug-out' father heard a terrible noise which sounded like some one in deep distress; he went out and listened, and it proved to be a bunch of Texas cattle1 which had stampeded. A man was on a pony ahead of the cattle hollowing as loud as he could, endeavoring to attract the cattle so that he could turn them to stop -- get them to mill, as we say, or come into the back
1 These cattle were being herded here at that time.
7
Pioneer Sketches.
part of the herd, when they would run in a circle and then break up. About ninety head lost their horns during the stampede, caused by striking against one another in the run.
"There were lots of deer and antelope here in those days. One day mother and I saw animals coming into our corn so we took the dog and chased them off; they proved to be deer. Father saw a few buffalo. There were lots of paririe chick- ens on the prairie, but no quail.
"In August the county was devasted by a prairie fire.
"The up-land hay was no good, and what was secured had to be cut in the draws.
"We were ready for winter in our new home, the largest log house in the county, and we thought it a mansion-dirt floor and roof. We had a cross log to hold up the long logs in the roof, the cross logs being about five feet above the floor. These cross logs felt many a soft head that bumped them. Ask Will Welch if he ever felt the soft side of one of these logs."
2
-
NUCKOLLS COUNTY'S FIRST COURT HOUSE. Courtesy Nelson Gazette.
III. - EARLY DAYS IN NUCKOLLS COUNTY. NARRATED BY MR. D. W. SMITH.
SETTLED on a homestead in Nuckolls county, Nebraska, in April, 1872; my wife1 coming to me six months later. We bore the inconveniences in- cident to pioneer life together, ever striving for the betterment of our home and community.
Luxuries of life were few.
We saw the buffalo here in 1873.
We broke up the wild prairie; cultivated and planted with our own hands the first fruit tree-watched it grow until it produced the long-looked for fruit, that we might eat and enjoy the fruits of our own hands.
We helped to organize and build school houses and churches in which our children and grand-children could be educated and taught "the way of Life," that they may be good and useful citizens of the county and community in which they live.
We have often asked this question: "Have we done any good?" Children and grand-children, take a walk with us over the roads, wade the rivers, walk the streets of our county seat on the native sod as we did not so many years ago. Yet, some of us are still here to wal" with you on graded roads, cross the rivers over good bridges, and walk on paved walks in our county seat. "Have we done any
1 Mrs. Smith died at Hastings, Nebraska. February 2. 1910 .-- ED.
MR. AND MRS. D. W. SMITH .-- PHOTO RY WRIGHT.
9
Pioneer Sketches.
good?" We abide by your verdict, for it will not be long until our story will pass into the history of the past.
We claim the distinction of being the parents of the first white children born in Nuckolls county after the organiza- tion. On November 19, 1872, twins were born to us, viz: Hiram W. Smith and Katy B. (now the wife of Mr. R. F. Harriett)-all continue to reside in the county.
I am one who voted to locate the county seat at Nelson.
Personally I claim ancestorial pioneer blood-my grand- father was among the first settlers who crossed the Ohio river where Stubenville now stands, and helped to build the first stockade there for defense against the Indians. From there with eighteen other men he migrated to near where Wooster, in Wayne county, Ohio, now is, and where my father, John M. Smith, was born in October, 1817. The In- dians were plentiful in those days and had to be watched closely. Many are the stories of Indian butchery of those days which have been told me. I was born near Wooster, June 9, 1844. In 1850, I, with my father's family, removed to Allen county, Indiana, where on August 9, 1862, I enlist- ed in Company H 89th Indiana Infantry to take a three-year course in a "military school"-and was tutored in genuine instead of sham battles.
I have not had any fights with the Indians since coming to Nebraska, yet they have camped on my farm here many times during the early settlement of the county. I am not a friend to the Red Man.
I might tell many stories of my camping out on the prai- rie, fording swollen streams, traveling through rain and snow storms with well auger, and later with corn sheller and threshing machine.
During the early days here the people were kind and very hospitable, but often the little shanty would not ac-
10
Pioneer Sketches.
commodate all the guests, when they would go to the sheds, hay and straw stacks and arrange for a night's rest and sleep as best they could. I will give one such incident. At one place where we were threshing the crowd was too large to be accommodated in the shanty for the night, so the good woman gave us a quilt, which we took and arranged our bed on top of the threshed grain in a bin which had no roof. We were awakened in the night by the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, and we had to change beds on short notice or get a good soaking. As the grain bin and straw stacks were no safe shelter from such a rain as was approaching, we took our quilts and got down under the bin, where we drove out an old sow and her pigs and occupied her bed 'till morning. But, oh! the fleas! If you want a witness to this story call on J. L. Donahoo or Ed. LaBounty.
IV .- RECOLLECTIONS OF PIONEER LIFE. NARRATED BY MRS. ALICE HENBY-SAVIN.
HEN my father, Willis Henby, with his family set- tled in Nuckolls county in 1870 the county was not organized, and was inhabited by Indians and wild animals.
Our transportation from Iowa was with one 0 team of horses and one of oxen hitched to emi- grant wagons containing our family and all our household goods; three good cows were brought with us.
The first thing in the way of improvements when we landed on the homestead was the making of a "dug-out" (that's a house dug in the side of a bank) ; it was 12x16 with one window and one door; a fire-place was built in one end with a sod chimney; the floor was of dirt; the roof was cov- ered with poles and brush, then sod and dirt on top. Our house was comfortable, but very dark when the door was closed, as the one window was just one sash. We lived in this house five years, then built a two-story house 18x24, which looked almost like a mansion in that day. But how happy we were to get out of the old "dug-out" and live on top of the ground once more.
My father went to Blue Springs the first winter we lived here and traded his ox team for flour and provisions to sup- ply us the first year. Although he needed them to break out his claim, as oxen were used mostly for that kind of work,
12
Pioneer Sketches.
but his family had to have bread, and there was no other way to get it and hold down the homestead.
The first winter we spent here was very mild (no snow) and our cows lived on the buffalo grass and looked well. But in the spring, when the wild flowers were in bloom, I think it was in April, we experienced a three days' blizzard that did much damage. All stock that was loose drifted with the storm and perished, and some were drifted under in sheds and smothered. We had some young calves, and hav- ing no place of shelter for them, we put them in our covered wagon and they came through alright.
One incident of that blizzard we have often laughed about, my father wore a high silk hat (such as they wore at that time); he thought he would see how things were and when he stuck his head out of the door the wind struck his hat with such force as to carry it over in Thayer county, where it was found after the snow went off.
Our greatest dread and fear the first year was Indians and prairie fires.
The Indians had made a raid through this country the spring before, killing a man living near the Blue river and took his team, then had a fight with the soldiers half a mile from our home. The soldiers shot down their own ponies to make a breast-work for defense during the fight. Of course the settlers expected the Indians any time the following spring. Many false rumors were started about the Indians coming. An Englishman who was getting wood on Spring creek came rushing in, much excited, and informed us that the Indians were coming. He said, "Hi knew they weren't hantalope, for hi see their 'eads!', But they proved to be men looking up land. The Indians did not bother us, and all alarms proved false.
But we did have some experience with prairie fires. Once
MR. AND MRS. WILLIS HENBY .- PHOTO BY WRIGHT. Mr. Henby died in 1890, aged 78. Mrs. Henby died in 1905, aged 78.
13
Pioneer Sketches.
they swept Spring creek, burned out our corrals and stam- peded our cattle. Father went to look for them and night overtook him causing him to lose his way and wander around all night, and morning found him in Kansas, near the White Rock mounds. He knew where he was then, and returned home, finding the cattle had come home before him. For days the timber burning on the creek made it almost suffo- cating for us.
There was much wild game here-buffalo, deer, elk and antelope. Every spring my father would kill enough buffalo to supply our summer's meat, which was cured and dried, and very good, we thought. Through the season we would often have fresh antelope meat, which tasted something like mutton. Elk and deer were somewhat scarce at times.
My brother, Will, caught a young antelope in the grass, where it had been hid by its mother, and was just a few days old; we made a pet of it-called him "Bob." He soon learned his name, and would drink milk from our hands. This animal was a beauty, but when his antlers grew he proved worse than a "billy goat" to butt, and the only way we could get rid of his charges on us was to set the dogs aft- er him; no dog could catch him, but he would give them merry chase. He got so he would run away and people would shoot at him, and caused us so much trouble that brother sold him.
Once when my brother, Oscar, and I were herding the cattle we heard a rumbling noise that sounded like distant thunder. In a moment we knew what it was. I said, "Let's run for home;" but he (boylike) said, "No, let's hide be- hind a hill and see them!" It was a bunch of nine buffalo, bellowing and pawing the earth, for they were closely pur- sued by hunters, and some of them were wounded. We did not realize the danger we were in at the time, because if the
14
Pioneer Sketches.
buffalo had seented us there would have been no one left to tell this story.
Our first Sunday schools were held from house to house, and although some had to walk or drive oxen they would go for miles to attend and have a social time together.
There was no preaching for several years.
Our nearest railroad station was Nebraska City, 150 miles away.
Our postoffice was Hebron, 20 miles distant, where we got our mail once a week.
The first wheat we raised we took to a flouring mill in Jefferson county, some 35 miles distant It took three days to make the round trip. Once we got out of breadstuff be- fore father could make the trip, so we used potatoes instead.
The first school I attended in Nebraska was in a little 10x12 "dug-out" with rude benches for seats. We furnish- od our own books; and there were three pupils in attendance. We had a spelling school one night. My! what a grand af- fair we thought it. People came for miles; one family walked five miles and back that night. Everyone took part in the spelling match. That seemed to be a beginning of in- terest along educational lines.
I might tell of hardships and privations we met from grasshoppers, hailstorms and drouths, but my story is long enough, so I will leave that for others to tell.
-
MR AND MRS. JOSEPH VAN VALIN .- PHOTO BY WRIGHT. Mr. Van Valin died in 1905, aged 69.
V .- SOME FIRST THINGS. NARRATED BY MRS. JOSEPH VANVALIN.
E came to Saunders county, Nebraska, in 1871, and removed to Nuckolls county in September, 1873; making the trip overland with two wagons, one being drawn by oxen; was eight days on the road.
Mr. Van Valin had been here during the sum- mer breaking and planting the ground to sod corn. The next year he planted wheat and corn. The wheat was securely stacked when the grasshoppers came and deliberately robbed us of every bit of corn and garden truck, except parts of several cabbage heads, which, after considering my safety to venture forth into such an army, I gathered a wash boiler full of the remains of the garden.
Frank Thompson stated that one of the big grasshoppers had the audacity to ask him for a chew of tobacco. They certainly were saucy enough to do anything.
The school house in District No. 14, two miles east of Nelson, was built that fall, and the first teacher was Miss Ola Carlon, afterwards Mrs. Ethan Parker, who is well known here by the older citizens.
The first church building was erected by the members of different denominations, but owned by the so-called Chris- tian church.
16
Pioneer Sketches.
It is interesting to settle on the frontier and watch the progress and development in the different stages.
What we considered the greatest thing with which we had to contend was the prairie fires.
Despite the struggles and privations there were pleasures on every hand, if we would but look on the bright side.
F. A. Long conducted the first hotel in Nelson.
The first newspaper, The Inter Ocean, was established by Dr. Case, assisted by a young man named Oakey Mamey. Dr. Case was Nelson's first physician.
The first legal light was Dan Barker.
NUCKOLLS COUNTY COURT HOUSE.
D. W. WRIGHT
VI .- REMINISENCES OF 1873-4. NARRATED BY MR. D. W. WRIGHT.
URING one cold night in the winter of 1873-4 the squall of a chicken woke father, and he yelled so loud that the wolf which was after the chicken left it. But in a short time the animal tried to get the fowl again, and once more father yelled, which caused the intruder to leave. The fowl was found next morning to be unharmed. For some reason the dog was not at home.
During this winter we dug a well. It was 63 feet deep and was walled up with stone for about 15 feet, and was never walled any farther. This well did not cave so long as the water was kept from running in at the top. We drew the water with a windless, which was used to take out the dirt while digging the well, and was a rather slow process. But sister and I could draw the water by having a handle at each end of the rope beam. The first summer this well was in use we kept it covered with boards-the sideboards off the wagon. At one time a sow with her pigs were in the yard, and while the dog was chasing ber away she ran across ore end of the boards titlting up the other end under which one of the little pigs ran into the well. We heard the splash. The little fellow swam around until we got the half barrel, which had been used to haul the dirt up in, which we lowered into the water and the pig swam into the tub and was hoisted out unhurt, after a fall of 63 feet. It
18
Pioneer Sketches.
was a happy pig, and glad to get back to its mamma. This well was also used as a refrigerator in which we kept our butter firm and cool-by lowering the pail containing the Cakes down quite a distance attached to a cord.
We lost the best yoke of oxen we had during the winter. They were of the long horn Texas variety. They threw themselves one night, and becoming chilled their legs were soon frozen, and they would not try to get up. These ani- mals were brown and each had a set of horns which meas- ured some four feet from tip to tip. I used to feel very small when they would stick up their heads and look wild- like at me. I could not do anything with them unless they were yoked up, as they were not very tame.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.