USA > Nebraska > Antelope County > A history of Antelope County, Nebraska, from its first settlement in 1868 to the close of the year 1883 > Part 17
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CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK OF ANTELOPE COUNTY IN THE EARLY DAYS
BY REVEREND C. H. FRADY OF BILLINGS, MONTANA
O UR concern for the future too quickly casts a shadow over the things of the past. People, generally, do not care so much for the things of the past, its achievements and failures, as they do about the oppor- tunities and allurements of the future. However anxiously we may be rushing on for the things of the future, let us understand that we cannot detach ourselves from the past. Every one filleth a niche in the bulwarks of time, and each generation buildeth a stepping-stone between the two eternities.
Preceding the main subject of my article for Antelope County history, I wish to give a few instances of my con- nection with the county of earlier date. During the summer of 1871, as surveyor in Pierce County, I located some claims for homesteaders in the northeastern part of Antelope County. One day, in the summer 1871, look- ing southwest from my home, located on Willow Creek, near the present townsite of Pierce, I saw a mirage in which ap- peared a grove of timber. I could see the trees distinctly. The day following, together with my hired man, we took my teams, a span of horses and a yoke of cattle, started for said grove, thinking it was not far distant. On and on we went, across the stretches until nearly night before we reached the grove, which was located about one mile northwest of Mr. John Hunt's present home in Antelope County. I think it was called "Elm Grove." We saw no ax marks in the grove. We secured two wagon loads of fine hackberry wood for our prize.
Again, during the summer of 1871, a state road was located between Columbus, Platte County, and Niobrara,
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Knox County. The counties through which the road ran bore a proportionate part of the expense. The northeastern part of Antelope County was crossed. Afterwards I bought up the claims against Pierce and Antelope counties from George W. Quimby, the surveyor. It was in April, 1873, just after the terrible snowstorm and blizzard on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, that on horseback I undertook to go to Oakdale to present the claims before the honorable board of county commissioners. It was a hard jaunt for my horse on account of the deep snowdrifts. I reached the bulffs north of Crandall Hopkins' place and rode `across the deep gulches over the hard-packed snow. My horse sank but little in the drifts, and picked the twigs off the tops of some oak-trees which were nearly buried in the snow. I rode down into the valley at the Rollins ranch. There I saw a memorable sight. It was a large number of fresh cattle hides all stretched out on a fence. The Rollins people had lost heavily in cattle during the late blizzard. I kept on up the valley until I reached the home of Judge Snider near the Elkhorn, opposite Oakdale. I had to leave my horse there. The river was gorged with snow, over which I crossed afoot. Arriving at Oakdale, I found the board of commissioners in session. They considered my claim and allowed the same. I sold the warrant granted to Judge I. N. Taylor.
In 1873 to 1876 I was superintendent of public instruction of Pierce County. Among those who applied for certificates to teach in the county were Thomas Warner of Oakdale, Mrs. Waterman of Willowdale, and Miss Lizzie Wright of Elm Grove township. Each received a certificate and taught in Pierce County.
In 1875 I was a member of the Nebraska Constitutional Convention held at Lincoln, together with R. C. Eldridge of Antelope County, and sat in the legislature in 1877 with William B. Lambert of Neligh. In both assemblies I did all in my power for the benefit of my constituency as well as for that of theirs.
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THE SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK
May 1, 1881, under the auspices of the American Sunday School Union I began work for the society, having northern Nebraska and territory west for my field. The first month I worked in Knox County. Then was detained by the sickness and death of my wife at Plainview. I moved to Neligh the latter part of June and canvassed Antelope County at once. I found in the county sixteen regularly organized Sunday schools, having seventy teachers and six hundred scholars, viz;
Neligh Union, 9 teachers, 75 scholars, William Lawrence, superintendent.
Oakdale Union, 9 teachers, 75 scholars, Mrs. P. E. Ritz, superintendent.
Elm Grove Union, 3 teachers, 25 scholars, G. S. Mills, superintendent.
Pebble Creek Union, 3 teachers, 28 scholars, Mrs. D. J. Taylor, superintendent.
Divide Union, 3 teachers, 27 scholars, J. L. Whitney, superintendent.
Pleasant Valley Union, 3 teachers, 25 scholars, A. J. Seaberry, superintendent.
Ives Creek Union, 3 teachers, 25 scholars, C. K. Motter, superintendent.
Bethel Union, 3 teachers, 30 scholars, C. M. Seeley, superintendent.
Clear Creek Union, 3 teachers, 20 scholars, S. S. Murphy, superintendent.
Millerborough Union, 9 teachers, 75 scholars, H. Miller, superintendent.
Saint Clair Union, 4 teachers, 30 scholars, C. K. Motter, superintendent.
Cedar Creek Union, 4 teachers, 30 scholars, William H. Whitmore, superintendent.
West Cedar Valley Union, 3 teachers, 30 scholars, O. Eggleston, superintendent.
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Clay Ridge Union, 4 teachers, 50 scholars, H. Stebbins, superintendent.
Frenchtown Union, 4 teachers, 30 scholars, Alex Graybiel, superintendent.
Glenalpine Union, 3 teachers, 25 scholars, W. B. McQueen, superintendent.
Professor Wightman, Sunday school missionary, York, Nebraska, in 1880 visited Antelope County ; while present he organized a Sunday school, at the Horne school-house. The school closed in the fall. It was reorganized by I. P. Gage in July, 1881, with 4 teachers and 35 scholars, Mrs. Palmer, superintendent. During the remainder of the year 1881 I organized five other Sunday schools in the county. The first at Clearwater station on July 3, en- rolled 3 teachers and 21 scholars, Mrs. J. H. Kelsey, superintendent. The sessions of the school at first were held in the residence of Mr. Snider. The second school, organized July 17, six miles northwest of Neligh in a little, board house belonging to James Crum, consisted of 4 teachers and 35 scholars; I. E. Keith was chosen superin- tendent. Mr. Crum named the school "The Grecian Bend," which name the community bears to date. The third school was started at the New England Valley school- house July 24th, having 4 teachers and 31 scholars, Mr. George Gatenby acting as superintendent. On the same date, I also organized the fourth school at Willowdale, with 3 teachers and 36 scholars, Mrs. Morrison, super- intendent. And the fifth school was commenced at the home of Grandma Aken, 7 miles north of Neligh, with 5 teachers and 40 scholars, J. L. Whitney, super- intendent.
At the close of the year 1881 Antelope County had 22 Sunday schools with an enrollment of 75 teachers and 800 scholars. October 6 to 7, 1881, a largely attended Sunday school convention was held at Oakdale. The county Sun- day school association was reorganized.
During the year 1882 the Sunday school work throughout the county developed very satisfactorily. Twelve new
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schools were added to the county list, having an enroll- ment of 45 teachers and 377 scholars.
Sunday schools organized by others: the Welcome, Rev. D. S. Hulbert, superintendent; Center Park, E. Harlan Clark, superintendent; Sunnyside, J. C. Johnson, superintendent; Union Valley, C. Olliver, superintendent; Antelope Creek, O. Eggleston, superintendent; Little, A. Curtis, superintendent.
Organized by C. H. Frady: Eureka, Mrs. J. W. English, superintendent; Royal, J. H. Womeldorf, superintendent; Jessup, John Gardner, superintendent; Swedish American, Charles Nelson, superintendent; Moran, L. Rice, super- intendent; Pleasant Dale, W. A. Chumbly, superintendent. Also reorganized the St. Clair school February 12th, Mr. C. K. Motter, superintendent. Gain in the school over the past year, 3 teachers and 30 scholars. Reorganized the Pebble Creek school, C. L. Grover, superintendent. The schools generally in the county increased in attendance, especially at Oakdale and Neligh. By the close of the year there were in the county 34 schools having 150 teachers and 1,350 scholars; total, 1,500 persons. The Sunday school association promoted the standard of work in the county and held its annual convention at Neligh.
The year 1883 was a marked one. Several of the pioneer union schools were reorganized into denominational schools. Those at Oakdale and Neligh were subdivided, the Oakdale Union to the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal, the Neligh union to the Congregational and Methodist Episcopal. I organized three new schools in the northern part of the county. On June 29th, the Kemple, 4 teachers and 35 scholars. William Dunn, superintendent ; August 12th, the Hammond, 3 teachers and 35 scholars, Samuel Skeen, superintendent; September 9th, the Sim- mons, 4 teachers and 40 scholars, William Armstrong, superintendent. September 16th, I visited a new school that had been organized at Council Hill, conducted by S. Kirk, having 3 teachers and 30 scholars. The year closed with 40 Sunday schools in the county; attendance
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180 teachers and 1,620 scholars; total, 1,800. The county Sunday school association was very alert to the general welfare of all the work and held a rousing convention in the fall.
Seven new schools were added to the county's roll during the year 1884: The Highland, P. Ashleman, superintendent; Plainfield, N. M. Johnson, superintendent; Lawn Ridge, Frank Todd, superintendent. Those organized by C. H. Frady: March 30th, Grand Prairie, Joseph Ball, superintend- ent; April 6th, Little Daisy, John Curtis, superintendent ; April 13th, Elgin, E. A. Shain, superintendent; May 25th, Rural, Frank Moore, superintendent. The enrollment of the above seven schools was 28 teachers and 295 scholars. Grand total of the attendance in the county, 2, 113; number of Sunday schools in county, 47. The association's work in the county was very beneficial.
The year 1885 was a very successful one, 18 new schools being organized throughout the county. Organized by others: La Beau, S. P. Baldridge, superintendent; Hoskins, Clayton Bibb, superintendent; West, Miss O. E. Rice, superintendent; Rayner, John Rayner, superintendent; Mitchell, U. P., Thomas Shaw, superintendent; Glovers- ville, Mrs. E. M. Libby, superintendent; Mentorville,
Elias Smith, superintendent ; Bethel, George Lefever, superintendent. Started by C. H. Frady: West Cedar Valley Congregational, J. F. Smith, superintendent; Royal No. 2, William M. Fannon, superintendent; California Valley, F. M. Housh, superintendent; Crawford Valley, Mrs. T. C. Lewis, superintendent ; Glendale, H. S. Wetherby, superintendent; Pleasant Ridge, C. R. Kirk, superin- tendent; Maple Grove, Fletcher Scott, superintendent; Mount Olivet, Thomas Todd, superintendent; County Line, Frank Weaver, superintendent; Eureka, Charles, Swanson superintendent. The attendance of the above eighteen schools was 73 teachers and 630 scholars, which raised the total enrollment of the county to 2,816 persons; number of schools in county, 65. The county Sunday school association was active in its work during the year.
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The year 1886 was one of gracious results. Earnest work was done in all the schools. Twelve more new schools were added to the county list, viz: Chicago, W. H. Van- Gilder, superintendent; Lakeside, J. R. Nichol, super- intendent; Eden Valley, Frank Weaver, superintendent; Verdigris, Mrs. C. H. Jearison, superintendent; Pleasant Hill, E. F. Skinner, superintendent; Pleasant View, W. N. Sutton, superintendent; Oakdale, German Evangelical, Samuel Clingman, superintendent; Neligh Episcopal, Frances Earl, superintendent; Bunker Hill, T. M. Olin, superintendent; Warner, S. D. Taft, superintendent; Star, Calvin Pratt, superintendent; Little Pilgrim, Mrs. Emma Barrows, superintendent. The above schools had 46 teachers and 410 scholars, making the number of schools in the county 77 and the grand total attendance of 3,272. The county Sunday school association held its annual convention and did effective work along its line. This brings my present chapter to a close. It can easily be seen that the number of Sunday schools had increased in five and one-half years from sixteen up to seventy-seven, and from an attendance of 670 up to 3,272. Antelope County at the close of 1886 had a larger per cent of its population in Sunday schools than any other county in the state, and the second place of any county in the United States, Harrison County, Iowa, holding the record. I shall always have a fond recollection of the many faithful co-workers in the county, and will ever praise the Lord for His wonderful blessing on our mutual work.
CHAPTER XXXIX
THE FIRST MAIL ROUTE IN THE COUNTY - THE FIRST POST- OFFICES - THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY FROM 1873 TO 1884
A BOUT the year 1866 a German colony from Wisconsin made a settlement in the northeastern part of Madi- son and the southeastern part of Pierce counties, the settlement extending at that time about four miles up the valley of the Elkhorn above the present site of Norfolk. These settlers received their mail from West Point, which was then the nearest post-office. In the year 1867 a mail route was established from West Point to Norfolk and a post-office established at the last named place. This Nor- folk post-office served the settlers of Madison, Pierce, western Stanton and southwestern Wayne counties for three or four years, and all of the unorganized territory west of Madison and Pierce counties. The post-office thus established got its name in the following manner, as told to the writer many years ago by old Colonel Mathewson, who was one of the founders of the city of Norfolk. When the time came to send a petition to the post-office depart- ment to have a post-office established, the question of a name came up for consideration. After considerable dis. cussion it was agreed upon by those interested to call the new post-office Nor'fork, a contraction of the words North Fork, and accordingly the petition went in this way. The post-office department granted the petition and established the post office, but gave it the name of Norfolk, evidently assuming that the petitioners had misspelled the name. From 1868 to 1871 the settlers of Antelope County got their mail at Norfolk, but as early as the year 1869 they began to agitate the question of securing an extension of the mail route from Norfolk west up the valley of the Elk- horn, Judge John H. Snider taking a leading part in this
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movement. John Taffe, at that time the sole representa- tive of Nebraska in the lower house of Congress, was written to, and becoming interested in the matter, he secured the passage of an act to establish a mail route from Norfolk northwest to the northwest corner of township 24, range 5 west, the last named point being also the northwest corner of Burnett township.
He also secured the passage of an act to establish a mail route from Norfolk to Niobrara, this last named route running through the northeastern part of Antelope County, which was as yet wholly unsettled. Through the influence of John M. Thayer these acts passed the senate and were approved March 5, 1870. Early in the year 1871 a post- office called Twin Grove was established on section 6, Burnett township, with John H. Snider post-master, and weekly mail service began in July of that year on this route. By act of Congress approved March 3, 1873, the route was extended to Frenchtown and by act of June 3, 1874, the route was extended from Frenchtown to the northwest corner of the state of Nebraska.
The first ten post-offices to be established in Antelope County, with the postmasters appointed, were as follows, coming in the order named:
Twin Grove, in Burnett township, John H. Snider, post- master.
Gillespie, in Ord township, J. M. Gillespie, postmaster.
Antelope, in Blaine township, J. H. Smith, postmaster.
Frenchtown, in Frenchtown township, Jay Saxton, post- master.
Ogden, in Burnett township, Crandall Hopkins, post- master.
Neligh, in Neligh township, J. B. Thompson, postmaster.
Clyde, in Cedar township, E. R. Palmer, postmaster.
Willowdale, in Willow township, A. W. Waterman, post- master.
St. Clair, in Grant township, E. M. Blackford, postmaster.
Jessup, in Verdigris township, Alex. McCollum, post- master.
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About the time that Ogden post-office was established, Twin Grove post-office was moved to Oakdale and the name changed to Oakdale and R. P. Elwood was ap- pointed postmaster. As the county settled up new post routes were formed and new post-offices established until by the year 1880 nearly all parts of the county were sup- plied. Recently, however, all post-offices not directly on railroad have been discontinued, the rural free delivery taking their places.
Among the papers of the late William B. Lambert has been found the following memorandum relating to the first newspaper published in the county: "To Antelope County belongs the honor of having a newspaper estab- lished within its boundaries at an earlier date after the first settlement than any of her sister counties in the Elk- horn valley. This possibly can be accounted for from the fact that her population up to 1880 was almost exclusively American born, speaking the English language. Up to the date named Antelope County was the most distinctively American county in the state." The first newspaper of the county was the Oakdale "Journal," owned and edited by Robert P. Elwood. Mr. Elwood was a young man of good ability, well known and universally liked by the early- day settlers. He enjoyed the distinction of being the first justice of the peace, the first storekeeper, and the first editor of the county. His newspaper was a semi-monthly and was printed in the office of the West Point "News" and was sent up to Antelope County for distribution, its items for publication being prepard by Mr. Elwood and sent to West Point by mail. The first number of this paper was issued in June, 1873, but after the publication of five numbers Mr. Elwood was taken sick and died suddenly September 23, 1873, at the age of twenty-three years. The publication of the paper was continued by Dr. A. B. Elwood, a brother of Robert P. Elwood, until the spring of 1874, when it was discontinued.
In the month of April, 1874, Mr. M. S. Bartlett came to the county from West Point, Nebraska, and established the
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second Oakdale "Journal," issuing the first number May 7, 1874. Mr. Bartlett employed Rev. Charles E. Sale, the first resident Methodist minister of the county and who was preacher, teacher, lawyer, farmer, or teamster, as occasion required, to move the printing press and office fixtures from West Point to Oakdale. Mr. Bartlett states that this removal was made by ox teams in April, 1874, just after a bad storm that left the roads in a very muddy condition and the poor fellow earned his money twice over. The Oakdale "Journal" continued to be published regu- larly every week at Oakdale until October, 1875, when, during the fierce county-seat war then raging, the pro- prietor was induced to move his paper to Neligh, where its publication was continued as the Neligh "Journal" until some time in the year 1879, when it was taken to Norfolk and published as the Norfolk "Journal." After the removal of the press and fixtures to Neligh in 1875 the Neligh "Journal" continued to be the only paper published in the county until April 7, 1877, when the "Pen and Plow" was started at Oakdale by Taylor and Noble, with I. N. Taylor as editor. The "Pen and Plow," however, soon changed hands, E. P. McCormick becoming owner and editor. In 1883 Mr. McCormick sold out to Boyd Brothers, who changed the name to Oakdale "Journal," and con- tinued its publication at Oakdale. The Neligh "Journal," and the "Pen and Plow" continued to be the only papers published in the county until October 3, 1879, when Charles F. Bayha started the Neligh "Republican," which was afterward sold to R. K. Beecham, who continued its publication at Neligh. In January, 1881, the publication of the Antelope County "Eagle" was begun at Neligh by Wellman and Leake, but on August 6th of the same year the paper was sold to Judson Graves, who established the Neligh "Advocate" and issued the first number August 13, 1881. There were no other newspapers published in the county until the year 1885 which takes us beyond the limit of time that this present history is intended to cover.
Nearly all these early newspapers were ably edited and
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well printed. M. S. Bartlett of the Oakdale "Journal," and afterward of the Neligh "Journal," E. P. McCormick of the "Pen and Plow," C. F. Bayha and R. K. Beecham of the Neligh "Republican," and Judson Graves of the Neligh "Advocate" were men of ability and experience in the newspaper business, and their publications were a credit to the profession, as well as an honor to Antelope County.
CHAPTER XL
THE DISTRICT AND COUNTY COURTS OF ANTELOPE COUNTY AND A SKETCH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BAR
BY F. L. PUTNEY OF TILDEN
N OT unlike others who are contributing to the history of Antelope County, I have been disappointed in not getting information from sources that would make this narrative more interesting. In but few instances have attorneys responded to inquiry and I have no other re- source than memory of both men and events. Writing the lives of men, if nothing else, is hazardous to the popularity of the writer, especially if the persons written about are yet alive. Legendary history, while often exaggerated, in most instances finds firm footing in some facts from which the legend sprung. In these memoirs I have attempted to write impartially. I became acquainted with most of the men of whom I write in the formative period of life, and what I say of them and contemporaneous events is fairly accurate. However, as amazing as it may seem to others, to discriminate between imagery and fact requires constant vigilance. In moments of abstraction there are conjured up by the brain many phantasies. To illustrate, in times of reverie and reflection the image of R. T. Maxwell, who once practiced law in Oakdale, appears and disappears like a phantom of delirium, until I am doubtful if he had an existence.
Forty-one years intervenes between the past and the present in the general history of the county. Amidst desert wastes and a productive commonwealth lie the ex- tremes; but what of the interim? Mr. Leach, who is a volume of fact and energetic in research, is putting the events of that interval into history with painstaking ac- curacy and detail. But I ruminate. Away back on the break-line of memory, shadows are coming and going. I
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see men and women at not quite middle age, stumbling, struggling, advancing, beaten back, and again encouraged to a last effort to preserve the nucleus of a home. They are fighting, bravely fighting,- builders of empire, fit objects for hero worship. I see boys making toward stalwart manhood, girls budding into womanhood, with no other thought but the simple life, innocent and pure as the wild nature about them. It may be fanciful, but I think of them as being as much a part of Antelope County as its streams and prairies. The Acadian life, the primitive habitat, the Johnny-cake like mother made, the lyceums, the school teachers and school mates, the wearing apparel so scanty at times that it approached the paradisical abbre- viation, the ball games between Oakdale and Neligh, the protracted meetings in the old school-house, where that good old patriarch, Father Lawton, so often prayed for both spiritual and material blessings, and where Uncle Jesse Bennett, with tears streaming down his cheeks, asked for absolution from sin - and I never heard of his committing any - here in this hallowed atmosphere followed the dance, which in those days was as pure as any parlor social, and I hear even now strains of Mike Wolf's violin and the voice of Doc Snider as he calls out, "Salute your partners and all promenade."
Yes, I see and hear all of this and more. I see seams of care, chiseled into the cheeks of parents in 1872 in a single day, when they witnessed, after a year of hope and expec- tancy, a bounteous crop consumed by unwelcome marauders from the skies. These and kindred thoughts are well in the foreground of memory as I write these lines, and I would like to span the intervening years and take by the hand at least all the pioneers of the first decade. Intermingled with these struggles a species of grim humor often would flame up to brighten the pathway of hope. I shall mention two incidents at the risk of becoming tiresome. In 1874, when the grasshoppers had eaten everything but the earth itself - for they were not epicureans by nature - there appeared a number of poems over the signature of Hans
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