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Gc 978.201 F98m 1248205
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01066 5724
PIONEER STORIES
OF
FURNAS COUNTY NEBRASKA
COMPLIED FROM THE FILES OF THE
BEAVER CITY TIMES-TRIBUNE
CLAFLIN PRINTING COMPANY UNIVERSITY PLACE, NEBRASKA
1914
FOREWORD 1248205
Fifty years is a short span in the life of Nations and of States, but it marks more than the average length of man's life. Nebraska is young in years as the age of Nations and States is counted, and it seems fitting that in her comparative youth her history be written in large part by the men and women who have made that history. Fortunately there yet remain upon the seene of action many of these pioneer men and women-men and women who braved the dangers of the wilderness, and who through dark days and bright days, through storm and sunshine, through privation and prosperity, have kept their faith and have lived to see the fruition of their hopes. They found Nebraska a barren wilderness; they are leaving it as fruitful as a garden. They endured privation almost unspeakable, yet never faltered. And today they may point with pride to the work they have accomplished, to the state they have builded.
Two years ago I conceived the idea of having these pioneers write the stories of their early days in Nebraska. The idea met with a ready response-and this volume is the result. Originally the intention was merely to publish the sketches in the Beaver City Times-Tribune, but as the series continued many requests came in that it be published in more convenient and permanent form. Accordingly I have gathered them into this book. My earnest hope is that these stories of the Pioneers, written by themselves, may become an indelible part of the written history of Nebraska.
To those who have contributed these sketches I return my grateful thanks, and I believe I also voice the thanks of every citizen of Furnas county.
H. T. mervin.
esistono
CHAPTER I
W. E. Crutcher, a Pioneer of 1874, Starts an Interesting Series of Articles Covering the Early Days of Furnas County.
The love of adventure and the desire to acquire possession of a part of the earth's surface were the incentives that lured a great number of the pioneers to the West.
Animated partly by each of these motives, in March, 1874, E. D. Jones and this writer blew into Beaver City and found that a number of sol- diers of Fortune had pre- ceded ns. Jake Young had that day moved out of the lone hotel, having become weary of the duties of land- lord in the long tenure of two months, and A. JJ. Spahr and Mrs. Sweetland were just installed as managers of the hostelry.
Some of those who had preceded us into the Land of Promise were Robert Den- ham, who was running a livery stable: 4. 11. McKee. postmaster, had a store: Mondell & Lashley, a store : W. E. CRUTCHER Captain JJ. R. Brown had a store. The last named We purchased, and it soon became known as The Boy's Store.' We watched the incoming settlers build their sod houses, played cro- quet, hoped and prayed for rain, and incidentally sold some sup- plies. The sod houses were very interesting and likewise ceo-
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PIONEER STORIES
nomical and comfortable, except on rare occasions when the rain actually came and poured down through the dirt roof. Then the good wife would spread a waterproof over the bed, hoist an um- brella over her Sunday hat, and wait for the sun's rays to appear, while the husband would light his pipe from a dying ember and stroll out into the field to revel in the rain and keep from get- ting wet in spots. The sod house was warm in winter and cool in summer, and surely a blessing to the early settlers of the prairies. A. D. Allen was seen industriously following a sod plow «cross some perfectly good town lots one day, and was asked what he was doing. His reply was, 'Ripping out my weather boards.'
Some weeks after our advent, grass began to sprout, and very soon thereafter the buffalo appeared. During our first sum- mer there I have stood in the street and seen buffalo killed on the hills south of town, and a few times small squads ran across the townsite. The main herd, however, was some distance west,and hunting parties were numerous. Buffalo were killed in large numbers, the flesh dried and brought to Beaver City for sale. Dried Buffalo meat was then a staple commodity and was ex- changed in the stores for groceries just as butter and eggs are at this time. Many stories of hair breadth escapes from enraged buffalo were told by the late Elder S. B. Mayo. He wounded a buffalo and followed it up a draw to a point where there was a branch draw. Up this branch the buffalo went and the parson continued up the main draw, not having noticed the deflection of the game. The buffalo returned to the main draw and proceeded up the same in the rear of the hunter. Finally they reached a point where the banks of the gulch were so steep that neither hunter nor game could seale them, and for once the parson felt cornered. An angry buffalo glared menacingly at him and no means of escape open. Mayo said that he had never felt so lone- some in his life. After keeping him in fearful suspense for a while, the buffalo charged, and Mayo stepped to one side, seized the infuriated animal by the tail as he passed and uttered one wild whoop. The buffalo alarmed by the fearful sound and the unexpected tug upon his eandal appendage, turned and made off down the gulch, leaving the hunter safe.
In December, 1874, a party of nine, including the writer, started west to find the main herd. We journeyed to within about 80 miles of Denver, and killed plenty of buffalo. But the trip be-
9
FURNAS COUNTY
ing longer than we anticipated, we ran out of provisions, and for two weeks lived on buffalo meat-straight. This diet was ap- parently wholesome, but it did grow somewhat monotonous. This was an unusually cold winter, and being beyond timber a part of the time and having deep snow to contend with, five of the party were badly frozen ,but we all got back to the settlement alive.
The hope of the early settlers had been that with cultiva- tion of the soil the rainfall would inerease, but, so far as I know, we spent much time in wishing for rain, and as J. H. McKee so often remarked, as he caressed the bald spot on top of his head, 'If we could only have plenty of rain we would be alright.'
The grasshoppers then came to us for two successive years and devoured everything green, not excepting the Ilolland shades on the windows. The appetite of those little red legs was wonderful, and their gastronomie capabilities almost beyond belief. They came about the time the corn was in roasting ears and the farmers' hopes of a good erop were high, but it was only a few days until these hopes were dissipated, and the fields stripped to abject barrenness, leaving only the stubs of the cornstalks to tell the tale of the onee luxuriant cornfields whose abundant harvest constituted the pride and wealth of the state. Much of the grass, too, was eaten, and the trees stripped of every particle of foliage. The whole country presented a scene of deso- lation distressing to look upon. The loss of all means of sus- tenanee made so much suffering and destitution that Uncle Sam had to be called upon, to which appeal he generously responded, providing both provisions and clothing for a time for all those in real need. Many were the hardships endured during those try- ing years, but of those pioneers who remained, and are still in Furnas county, nearly all are enjoying a comfortable degree of prosperity, and it is the earnest wish of the writer that this for- tunate condition may continue for many years to come.
W. E. CRUTCHER.
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PIONEER STORIES
CHAPTER II
J. H. McKee, Beaver City's First Postmaster, Tells of the First Days of the Furnas County Metropolis
J. G. Struve and I started with teams from Lincoln about June 1, 1872, headed for the Republican and Beaver valleys, and arrived on the Republican Valley, where Oxford now stands. Mr. Struve thought that he liked the places at Oxford and would take land there. We went across to the Beaver and there I found the loca- tion that suited me. I made a choice of the land that I hoped to locate on. From there we returned to await for the U. S. land office to be opened, which would not be until the next September. The B. & M. railroad was then being built west from Hastings, but had not reached Lowell, where the road expected to stop for a while. In due time the land office was opened and we filed on our land. R. J. Den- 8 J. H. McKEE First Postmaster in Beaver City ham and J. Tiger aecom- panied me from Lineoln. Mr. Denham and I took quarters north of Beaver City and Mr. Tiger pre-empted the land on which East Beaver City is now lo- cated. As soon as Mr. Tiger proved up on his claim, Denham and myself bought the quarter, and soon after had it surveyed and platted into blocks, streets and lots.
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FURNAS COUNTY
In the meantime the Hadley Bros., who had taken the land west of the Tiger claim, joined in and helped to plat the town. Denham and I, to boost the town, thought that there should be a store. We got two teams, one of oxen and the other of horses- Denham driving the former and I the latter. We drove seven- ty-five miles for our lumber, Lowell being the nearest railroad station, and the end of the line at that time.
We had heard that Lowell was a pretty tough place. It was said that there were several graves in their cemetery and not one natural death and we believed that it was bona fide. Before we were there three hours a man was shot in a saloon by a man who said that he was from Melrose, a town that was situated west of Orleans and has since become extinct. We managed to put in the night without any stray bullets harming us. In the morning we loaded up with lumber for a 16x20 building and started home. We had a tedious time getting through with our loads, many times having to double teams to pull over and thru the canons. If I remember rightly, it took us three days to reach home. In the meantime people were coming in very fast, and it was but a short time until all of the timber and water claims were taken up. Our mail was lacking. We had to de- vise some way to get it. We organized a committee of the whole and agreed to take turns once a week and go after the mail. The distance to the nearest postoffice was 25 miles, being cne mile east of Alma, but I do not remember the name of the office, but the postmaster's name was Painter. We managed un- der this arrangement to get our mail pretty regularly, but soon the postoffice department came to our rescue and established a star route from the Painter office. via Precept, and Richmond to Beaver City and on west to Wilsonville.
Our county was as yet unorganized, and the legislature was to meet the first of January, 1873. We got together and they ap- pointed me to go to Lincoln to see about getting the county pro- perly organized. Through the help of the representative from our district, Captain Garber, who was elected governor the next year, we got our county bounded and named Furnas, and a spe- cial call by proclamation by the governor for an election to be held for the purpose of electing county officials to hold until the general election in November. Two voting places were named in the proclamation, one at Beaver City and the other at Ara- pahoe. At this election the following officers were elected: N.
12
PIONEER STORIES
M. Ayers, county elerk; - - Sharp, county treasurer; Herman Jenkins ,county judge; M. II. Johnson, sheriff; W. B. Bishop, C. W. Mallory, and James Parmenter, county commissioners, and Mrs. J. B. Whitney, county superintendent. Then to provide a place for the new county officials was the quandary, but the little store, building came to the rescue by the proprietors offering what little spare room they had. The commissioners willingly accepted the offer and took possession and utilized it for county business for several months.
There was some contention some years ago about where the first court house was located. I thought then if I had been re- ferred to I could have told that it was in our little store build- mg. I think that N M. Ayers would verify my statements, as he was county clerk and met with the county commissioners many weeks.
Beaver City continued to grow. Every man in and around the place did all he could to help seeure a good class of people to locate. The townsite owners made it interesting to some Lincoln people. Among them were Morrell and Lashley, who contracted with the town- site company to build a ho- tel and store, fill the store with goods, put in a saw mill and lumber yard, all of which they did as agreed.
We had many families who settled in and around town who worked together to boost the country. Among these were C. A. Danforth, J. T. Sumny, T. M. Williams,, Armstrong Bros., A. D. Allen, W. E. Crutcher, E. D. Jones and others who came later.
Our first Indian raid was made by a band of Chief Whistler's tribe, which came trooping down the Beaver Valley, and pitched their tents near where the
MRS. J. H. McKEE
13
FURNAS COUNTY
Beaver City Mills are now located. Dashing Charlie, who was a conspicuous character in a long continued story in the New York Weekly, about that time, was with them and seemed to be rather a leader of the band. IIe was said to be Chief Whistler's son-in-law. It was also reported that Chief Whistler was killed shortly before they started on this trip, and some of our people did not feel very safe while there were so many prowlers going into houses without leave to beg for something to eat and to see what could be seen. Our store was quite a loitering place for them. They came generally to trade butcher knives for sugar, coffee, bacon, tobaeco, or anything that they eonld use. Buteher knives seemed to be their chief commodity for traffic. except a few furs. We traded goods for a good many of their knives and some furs, as the knives were of ready sale to the inhabitants. The Indians stayed for a few days, and then pulled stakes and moved on down the Beaver and pitched their tepees near Melrose. The Melrose people were prepared for any emergency. They had recently built a stockade, but thy did not occupy it, knowing that our people had gotten along with the Indians without any trouble.
During the year 1873 we raised but little crops, as there was but little land broken. The year 1874 was dry and the grass- hoppers came in myriads, and all of the crops were destroyed. So poor were the settlers and discouraged that many of them left the country. It looked very discouraging to those who were left. as actual starvation seemed to stare them in the face. Al- though there were thousands of buffalo scattered over the prairies in herds, they were soon killed or run out of the country by hunters who killed them principally for the hides, so that the settlers eould get but little buffalo meat to appease hunger. Var- ious means were devised to tide us over until another crop. Fin- ally the government got to know of our needy condition and a shipment of provisions was made to Beaver City to be distributed to the needy. An army officer accompanied the shipment to see that the provisions were properly divided and receipts were taken for settlement with the government. When all had been given out and the receipts handed to the officer by the sub-com- mittee. all seemed to be satisfied that they could pull through until another erop. When the next crop came it was rather short, but with a little help the settlers managed to live.
14
PIONEER STORIES
Our town did not improve very fast, although quite a num- ber had come to make a home with us. W. E. Crutcher and E. D. Jones had come to put in a stock of goods. T. R. Armstrong and family had come to put in a drug store. Brown and Cluster put up a store building. Others came in to find homes: L. Kins- man and family, H. C. Fletcher and family. B. F. Maple and fam- ily. D. HI. Lashley, J. A. Gibson, J. R. Downing and families, and others tos numerous to mention, helped to share the privations of i frontier life, coming in along from 1872 to 1877.
In the fall of 1878 we had another Indian seare, when the Cheyenne Indians escaped from their reservations-Oklahoma. They crossed the Beaver creek near the headquarters, commit- ing many atrocities. murdering and stealing from the settlers. The people became so frightened that they left their homes, tak- ing their stock and as many of their belongings as they could and came down the Beaver Valley as far as Beaver City. Here we stopped them and provided the women and children a com- fortable house to stay in. The men barrieaded a space of an aere about the house with their wagons, which made it quite im- pregnable in case of an attack. It was but a short time until a scouting party of fifteen or twenty men. gathering what firearms they could find. started on a reconnoitering expedition. They went up the valley for fifteen or twenty miles, but found no enemy. The Indians had continued their course north, and the danger being over, the settlers dispersed and returned home, not much worse for their scare.
Again turning to give a fuller account of the little store, be- fore referred to. I have thought that if there is any honor in the title of Historical Land Mark, the first building is certainly en- titled to it. This little building was the first frame building. the first store building, the first post office, the place where the first election was held when the county was organized, the first courthouse where the commissioners held their first session. and where Judge Jenkins opened his first books to docket the first eases imed in Furnas county. The commissioners, after oc- cupving the building for several months vacated, store and post office remaining. In the course of two or three years the post office was moved to a room on the west side of the square. The building was then leased to the druggists for three or four years. in which time about five different firms were in command. It was again vacated and Cope Bros., bought both the building and
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FURNAS COUNTY
lot, and put in a stock of goods bought of J. Clafflin & Co., of New York. They soon failed.
The building, goods, and lot were turned in toward the debt.
The Clafflin Co. transferred the property to their attorney. Lyman Mallory, the same being vacant T. R. Armstrong rented it for a residence for a time. It was then occupied by W. E. Crutcher and T. R. Armstrong. for the publication of the West- ern Leader, which was a bright. newsy little paper. Crutcher was editor and Armstrong manager. But as other business re- quired their attention, they sold the paper to L. C. Chase, who changed the name to the Beaver City Times, which many vicis- situdes is today the Times-Tribune. The people generally thought the name of Western Leader was good enough. The paper was continued to be published in the now historie building for a short time. When it was again vacated I moved the postoffice from the west side of the square back to the old building, where the postoffice department made Beaver City a money order office. This property was sold to W. F. Crutcher after about 35 years of continual service. The building was finally sold and moved off the lot and taken to another location on the square, and was used, I believe, by S. S. Allen as an implement warehouse. The building being gone. the lot is the land mark. which is lot 17. block 25. according to the recorded plat of Beaver City.
These reminiscences of the early days of Beaver City are pieked up from past recollections by the subscriber in his eighty- second year
JOIIN II. MCKEE.
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PIONEER STORIES
CHAPTER III
C. A. Danforth, the First Settler in the Beaver Valley, also had the First "House Raising."
The third article of this series is from the facile pen of C. A. Danforth, of Tacoma. Washington. Mr. Danforth was un- doubtedly the first of the early settlers to set eyes upon the Beaver Valley. He also claims the distinction of being the first postmaster. He held the commission, but J. H. McKee was the first active postmaster, and as the first deputy postmaster had entire charge of the office. Mr Danforth has always been a great hunter, and the halftone which accompanies this article shows him after a return from the chase at his home at Fern Hill. and was taken soon after his return to his home from a visit to Beaver City.
Mr. Danforth pertinently asks that a woman furnish an ar- ticle concerning the early days from a feminine standpoint. The Times-Tribune has the promise of such a contribution, and it will be forthcoming before this series is completed.
Mr. Danforth says :
About noon on the 28th day of August. 1867. I first saw the Beaver Valley at a point perhaps ten miles west of the present site of Beaver City. Seven companies of Custer's famous Sev- enth Cavalry, and two companies of the Eighth Kansas. to one of which T belonged, were eamped there after following a band of 3000 Indians north from near Saline to that point. Steadily, the trail had grown dim. until now in this valley not a sign of an Indian could be found. They had seattered to avoid us, and to meet again, probably, somewhere. One of the boys foolishly remarked that "some day people will live right here." The idea was ridienled. It was even intimated that the poor soldier might be crippled under the hat. But the beautiful valley, bet- ter than any we had seen, had made an impression on me, and some day. I thought. I would have a home here.
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FURNAS COUNTY
So when Victor Vifquain, about the last of August, 1869, organized a party of fifteen at Lincoln to investigate the Repub- lican Valley, I was one of them. Out past Milford, the last set- tlement, over the divide to the Platte. up the valley to old Fort
HOME FROM THE HUNT C. A. Danforth at Right
Kearney, and then southwest to the Republican, where we camped on the high bank of the river just south of the present site of Orleans. How clean, and wild, and beautiful it all looked to me. There were buffalo by the thousand, (I'll not come down one buffalo,) elk in herds of an acre or more. along the lower Sappa. antelope everywhere on the upland. black tailed deer in the can- vons, white tails in the main valley, and turkeys most always in sight along the Beaver and Sappa. It was a veritable hunter's paradise. It was then known that stock would thrive on buffalo grass, and we believed that the tall blue-joint, the rank sunflowers. and the great areas of timber, indieated agriculture. And as for horticulture, why, there were plums and grapes in abundance.
Next year the Byon and Vifquain colony settled at old Mel- rose. I could not go that year or the next. But about April 1st, 1872, Philip French, Felix Lester, Will Haney and myself, were
18
PIONEER STORIES
at the month of the Sappa going west. I crossed over to see my German friend Toepffer, who, at my request. had taken the claim I had picked out in 1869. Said he, "I know all the valleys to the west. Go up the Beaver to Sec. 20, T. 2, R. 22, and pick out your claims, there are no better, invite your neighbors as they come. to help you, and go after the county seat. It will be near the center of the new county, and will have the most good coun- try tributary to it. Now do as I tell you." While some others may have accomplished more, surely no one will say I ever failed to follow this advice to the best of my ability. The next morn- ing I had decided very early on the location of my future home. It was on the N. E. 1-4 of Sec. 19. T. 2, R. 22, now owned and oc- cupied by C. L. Courtright. Lester took the next claim east and Haney the one east of that. I am sure there were no claims taken west of these or east within two or three miles. The even- ing after we had taken the customary steps to show the location of our claims, we met Galen James with quite a party coming up to locate among them. Jesse and Manley Hadley. The next morn- ing several located near us. and in the next few weeks settlers came thick and fast, generally taking claims with timber and wa- ter. All were invited to help hold in reserve the S. E. 14 of 17 for a town-site, and all were in favor of it. But the W. 16, together with the E. 16 of the S. W. 14 was found to be a better location. -Jesse Hadley, who had selected the S. W. 14. was "agreeable" and this was finally made the town-site. And now came John II. McKee and June Denham with the promise of a little stock of goods (just what we were looking for), and they were invited to set up on this said S. E. 14. Our offer was accepted. and now Iam through with the town-site business. John II. McKee is better qualified than any other man ever was to write up the early his- tory of the town-site of Beaver City.
Before the coming of Mr. McKee, I had circulated a petition for a postoffice. and finally received a commission from A. J. Creswell, dated January 15, 1873, conferring powers, privileges and emolu- ments. Said emoluments consisting of twelve greenback dol- lars per year, my share of the same being turned over to my first deputy. John II. McKee. afterwards postmaster. I never did know just how John managed to spend so much money. It took me six months to transfer that office to McKee when everybody in this world was willing so far as I know, and some of us were anxious. I never wanted the office or a town-site, or a mill by
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