Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties, Part 120

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 820

USA > Nebraska > Adams County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 120
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 120
USA > Nebraska > Hall County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 120
USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 120

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 (link on the Part 1 page).

George Elliot Winn, contractor and builder and proprietor of the Grand Island planing-mill, was born in the "Green Monntain State," at Wind- sor, in 1850, being a son of James and Adaline (Bruce) Winn, both being members of old Scotch families and natives of Vermont. Upon reaching manhood George E. Winn determined to follow the advice of Horace Greeley to young men and "go west," and the year 1877 found him in the State of Nebraska, located at what is now Benton, but the following year he came to Grand Island, and became an employe in the car shops at this place, remaining thus employed for five years. At the end of this time he engaged in contracting and building, and many of the handsomest build- ings in the city were erected by him, among which may be mentioned the residences of A. H. Baker, W. H. Platt, John Voetle and W. B. Dingman. He is conducting business on an extensive scale, and gives employment to about eighteen hands throughout the year. While a resident of his na- tive State he was united in the bonds of matri- mony to Miss Emma S. Thornton, of Middlesex, a daughter of Stephen Thornton, and by her has two sons and two daughters: Lena, Paul, Harry, and Alice. Mr. Winn has been identified with the business interests of Hall County ever since locating here, and as a carpenter and builder he is, as all will acknowledge, an adept of a high order, and all things of a public nature which point to a material benefit of the county receive his hearty support.

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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

Very Rev. Dean Wunibald Wolf, the able and eloquent pastor of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Grand Island, Neb., and dean of the Grand Island District, was born in Westphalia, Germany, February 22, 1854. He received his education in the college of Paderborn, which in- stitution he attended for nine years, and in 1876 he emigrated to the United States, and landed in New York City on November 1 of that year. He at once proceeded to Milwaukee, Wis., where, upon his arrival, he entered St. Francis Theolog- ical Seminary, in which institution he completed a full course, being ordained on June 27, 1880, for the diocese of Nebraska. He at once entered upon his ministerial labors, and after spending one year in Greeley County, Neb., and five years as pastor of the Roman Catholic Churches at Crete and Friend, Saline County, Neb., he on October 9, 1886, entered upon his duties as pastor of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Grand Island, and here has discharged his duties with distin- guished ability ever since. March 1, 1887, he was appointed by Bishop O'Connor, of Omaha, dean of the Grand Island District, and is now serving in that capacity. He is an able pastor, is a pleasant- spoken, agreeable gentleman, and is very popular with all classes.

Jesse Woodward holds an enviable position among the prominent and successful men of Hall County, Neb., and the property which he now owns has been obtained through his own earnest endeavor. He is a native of England, born in Gloucestershire, on July 22, 1832, and is a son of Jacob and Harriet Woodward, also of En- glish birth. Jesse Woodward emigrated to the States in 1852, landing in New York City in June of that year, and first took up his abode in Wash- ington County, N. Y., but two years later went to Worcester, Mass., which place he made his home for several years. He was married there March 24, 1868, to Miss Hannah A. Wentworth, a native of Connecticut, and a daughter of Benjamin Went- worth, and there resided until he came west and settled in Hall County, Neb., on an island in the Platte River, where he remained for about eighteen months engaged in cutting and hauling

wood. At the end of this time he moved to the town of Grand Island, and after residing here one year took up a homestead claim, and now has eighty acres in a good state of cultivation, on which are erected a good residence, barn and other out. buildings. His farm is situated about two miles from town, and here he has made his home since 1870. He and wife have a family of five children: Harriet L. (wife of Byron N. Ring), Ellen F., Stephen T. (married), Laura Ann and Emma I.

David C. Zink is a straightforward and pros- perous real estate agent of Hall County, Neb. He was born in Davidson County, N. C., November 10, 1862, and is a son of Solomon and Elizabeth (Clod- felter) Zink, the former of whom was killed in the War of the Rebellion in 1863 near Richmond, Va., when about thirty-five years of age. The mother died in Liverpool, Perry County, Pa., in 1869, having removed from North Carolina to that State in 1863. David C. Zink is the youngest of three brothers, the other two members of the family be- ing Samuel J., who was born in 1858 and now resides in Davidson County, N. C., and William D., who was born in 1854 and resides in Liverpool, Pa. David C. began to make his own way in the world at the extremely early age of seven years, and after working for his board for one year in Liver- pool, and also attending school. he began working on a farm for Levi Hunter, six miles from that town, where he remained until he was sixteen years of age, then went to Harrisburg, and for two years was in the employ of Hon. Don Cameron. In 1881 he came to Grand Island, Neb., and in the spring of that year began working on a farm which was then one mile out of the town, but is now a part of the city. He continued to remain here for seven months, then entered the employ of J. B. Murray & Co., and was an efficient clerk in their grocery for about four years. In 1884 he embarked in this business on his own responsibility, and successfully conducted affairs for two years under the firm name of Zink, Hunter & Co. At the end of this time he became a traveling salesman for Kennard & Miller, of St. Joseph, Mo., and on January 1, 1888, en- gaged in the real-estate business under the firm name of Zink & Hathaway, which connection con-

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HALL COUNTY.

tinned until August 1, 1889, since which time Mr. Zink has been alone in business. He is also a general loan agent, and annually handles about $200,000. Mr. Zink is a capable and energetic man of business, and is active in every measure advanced for the general good of the city and county, and deserves much credit for the admirable way in which he has surmounted the many difficult . ies which have strewn his pathway from early boy- hood. His marriage to Miss Nettie E., a daughter

of Levi Hunter, was consummated ju 1883. His wife . was born in Pennsylvania, and they were reared together, for in his youth, as above stated, he resided with Mr. Hunter for a number of years. Her mother was Sarah E. Hunter, who died in 1877. Mr. Zink is a stanch Republican, and his first presidential vote was cast for James G. Blaine. He is a member of the M. W. A., the Equitable Aid Union, and he and wife are members of the English Lutheran Church.

712

HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

713

HAMILTON COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION-BOUNDARY AND AREA-PHYSICAL FEATURES, STREAMS, ETC .- GEOLOGIC FORMATION-SOIL- PRODUCTIVENESS-STATISTICAL VALUATION-POPULATION-CLIMATE-STORMS-DAYS OF OLD- ZOOLOGY-EARLIEST INHABITANTS IN COUNTY-ABORIGINES-EXPLORATIONS-MOR- MON TRAIL-RANCHES-FIRST SETTLEMENTS-A NUMBER OF PIONEERS- REMINISCENCES - INDIAN DEPREDATIONS - A FEW FIRST THINGS-EARLY AGRICULTURISTS NOW OTHER- WISE OCCUPIED-DECEASED PIONEERS.

O knew he but his happiness, of men The happiest he! who, far from public rage, Deep in the yale, with a choice few retired, Drinks the pure pleasures of the rural life. - Thomson.

AMILTON COUNTY is located in the finest ag- ricultural section of the State, and is bounded on the east by Polk and York, on the south by Clay, on the west by Hall and on the north by Mer- rick Counties, the Platte River, flowing in a northeasterly direction, forming the boundary line between Merrick and Hamilton. It includes the territory lying between the east line of Range 5, and the west line of Range 8, and the south line of Township 9, and the Platte River, and contains 345,045 acres of land, of unsurpassed fertility and productiveness. The surface is gently undulating, rising in long, grad- nal "slopes," from the valleys of the streams, to 45

the tops of the " divides," separating them. Four principal streams have their sources in this county, and flow in an easterly direction through it. The North Blue heads in Town 12, Range 7, and flows in a northeastern direction; Lincoln Creek, rising in the north part of Town 10, Range 8, follows closely along the town line, between Towns 10 and 11, to the east side of the county; Beaver Creek heads in the southwest part of Town 10, Range 8, and also flows in nearly a direct easterly course through the entire breadth of the county; and the Blne River flows eastwardly through the southern tier of townships. The latter stream is the most important, always containing a plentiful supply of running water, and having some excellent mill sites. The soil is a rich dark loam, from one to four feet deep, with an alluvial sub-soil extending to a depth of from ten to twenty-five feet. This sub-soil is strongly charged with comminuted sil- ica, and is virtually identical with the celebrated

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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

Loess deposit of the Nile Valley. So long as this alluvial shall endure the fertility of Hamilton County's broad acres will be undiminished. Un- derlying this deposit is a bed of sand, which con- tains a never-failing supply of pure fresh water, which is easily reached by " boring," or by " driv- ing." This water is of the greatest imaginable benefit, as it is carried to the surface by capillary attraction, and sustains vegetation through long periods of drouth, and keeps it green and vigorous under conditions which would utterly destroy it in most sections of the country. The soil is eminently adapted to nearly all varieties of cereals and grasses, especially so to corn, rye, oats, flax, etc. ; the cere- als, and blue-grass, timothy, clover and millet, of the grasses; potatoes, garden vegetables; fruits, such as apples, pears, cherries, grapes, plums, and all the small fruits adapted to this latitude, flour- ish here to the highest perfection. As a reference to other pages will show, there were in cultiva- tion in 1889, 249,876 acres, and the large amount of products annually shipped out of the county at- test their productiveness. The following is the total assessed valuation of the county, for the pur- pose of taxation, for the year 1889:

Lands $950,432 50

Towns. 170,902 00

Personal 645,417 00

Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company 315,896 55

Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad.

49,600 00

Western Union Telegraph Company . 545 60

Grand Total $2,132,793 65

A conservative estimate of the actual value of the real estate of the county would probably be $7,500,000, farm lands ranging in value from $15 to $40 per acre.

The following statement sbows the increase of population from the settlement of the county to the present time: Census of 1870, 130; census of 1880, 8,267; census of 1885, 12,065; estimated population 1890, 14,500.

The climate is unsurpassed by that of any section of the country in this latitude. Spring and summer are characterized by frequent showers of rain, while fall and winter are dry, compara-

tively little snow falling in this section. The hot sun of summer is rendered pleasant and agreeable by the cooling breeze which is almost constantly blowing. The rigors of winter are rendered much more endurable here than in other portions of the country by the extreme dryness of the atmosphere. No miasmatic influences prevail and malaria is comparatively unknown.

Occasionally the county has been visited by se- vere snow storms termed " blizzards," which usually continue from twelve to forty-eight hours. They are characterized by a high north wind, while the air is filled with a whirling, driving, sifting mass of snow. Probably the most severe of these storms was the celebrated " Easter storm " of April 13, 1873, which raged with great fury during three days. The air was filled with a blinding cloud of snow, which was so dense as to render objects at a few yards distance entirely invisible. The weather was not cold and the snow was wet and heavy. Considerable stock perished during this storm, but no lives were lost in this county, although some of the adjoining counties were not so fortunate. The storm was very seriously felt by the settlers, as they were in many cases poorly pro- vided, not only with proper shelter for stock, but even in the matter of shelter for their families. One can hardly appreciate the hardships to which the early settlers of this county were exposed, cer- tainly not one who has come here within the last decade. The conditions now are so entirely differ- ent that it is difficult to realize that scarce a score of years ago this was a boundless plain, unmarked by the hand of civilization.

Where now are seen peaceful farms and ham- lets, with herds of cattle and horses quietly feed ing in the green meadows, vast herds of buffalo, elk, deer and antelope were wont to roam, when first the feet of the settler trod these plains. These herds contributed liberally to supply the larder of the pioneer, however, and were highly appreciated at a time when the nearest trading point was Ne- braska City. They soon disappeared, however, before the advance of civilization, and the last great herd of buffalo left in 1869 to return no more. Elk, deer and antelope remained a little longer,

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HAMILTON COUNTY.

and ten years after the disappearance of the buf. falo, occasional bands of antelopes could be seen.

Hamilton County of to-day, whose beautiful surface is covered by well-improved, productive farms, and busy, thriving cities and villages, was but a few years ago the hunting grounds of the Indian, who "untrammeled by law" pursued the immense herds of buffalo, elk, deer and antelope, which fed on the luxuriant grasses, with which bonntiful nature had carpeted her valleys, hills and sloping plains.

The first white men to encroach on the domain of the savage was the Indian expedition of Gen. Kearney, in 1835, which crossed this county on the line of the old trail between Lincoln and Beaver Creeks. J. P. Elliott, one of the first settlers of Aurora Precinct, accompanied that expedition. In 1842 the exploring party of Gen. John C. Fremont crossed the county, and they were followed five or six years later by the Mormons, in their long, weary journey from Nauvoo, Ill., to Salt Lake. A deep, wide, "trail" marked the course of their march. This was known as the "Old Mormon Trail," and was the route traveled by the freight and stage lines, between Nebraska City and Fort Kearney, until the building of the Union Pacific Railroad superseded these modes of conveyance. One of these transportation companies tried the experiment of drawing the freight wagons by a steam road engine. The experiment proved a failure, but it served to give the old trail a new name, that of the "Steam Wagon Trail."

"Ranches" were established along the trail, for the accommodation of freighters. The first of these ranches established in this county was that of David Millspaw, on Section 11, Town 10, Range 5, in the year 1861. The next year, 1862, John Harris and Alfred Blue established the famous "Deep- Well Ranch," on the Beaver, two miles and a half north of the town of Bromfield. In 1863 an overland stage line was put in opera- tion between Nebraska City and Fort Kearney, and "Prairie Camp," a relay station, was established six miles west of the Millspaw Ranch. A second trail crossed the county following the Platte bottom. This was first traveled by the military, and subse-

quently by the " forty-niners," and was called the "Old Fort Kearney," or "Pike's Peak Trail." About 1862 J. T. Briggs established a ranch on this trail near the Platte. These several ranches flourished until 1867, when the advent of the iron horse supplanted the ox and mule team of the freighter. Traces of these old trails can be seen at this day, but they are rapidly disappearing un- der the plow of the husbandman.

The first settlement made in the county for the purposes of agriculture was made on the Blue River, near the south line of the county, by Jarvil Chaffee and George Hicks, who settled on Section 34, Town 9, Range 6, in the month of June, 1866. Mr. Chaffee built a "dug-out," which was the first residence constructed in the county, its size being 10x12 feet. In January, 1867, James Waddle and John Brown made settlements on Section 26, Township 9, Range 5, in Farmer's Valley Precinct. These, with their families, were the next to make Hamilton, County their home, and they built the first log-houses in the county. J. D. Wescott, C. O. Wescott, N. M. Bray, Michael Steinmetz, arrived in May of the same year, and also located in Farmer's Valley. In the month of June, 1867, Robert Lamont and James Cameron settled on Section 26, Town 9, Range 6, and Jolin Harris took a claim on Section 28, Town 9, Range 5. In October of the same year, James Cummings and William D. Young located in Farmer's Valley Precinct.

In the month of February, 1868, George Proud settled on Section 26, Town 9, Range 6, and in December John Salmon, Alexander Salmon, James Rollo and Frank Dickson made settlements. The Messrs. Salmon made their claims on Section 28, Mr. Rollo on Section 30, Town 9, Range 5, and Mr. Dickson on Section 26, Town 9, Range 6.

In April, 1869, S. M. Hunter and Philip Hun- ter settled on Section 34, Town 9, Range 5, and in the month of June, John Lanrie settled on the claim of John Harris, Section 28, Town 9, Range 5.

The first settlers on Lincoln Creek were Mar- tin Werth and family, William Werth and An- gust Werth, locating on Section 24, Township 10, Range 5, in October, 1869. Jacob Erickson also

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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

settled about this time on Section 22. The fol- lowing spring of 1870, S. W. Spafford and family and N. P. Spafford settled on Section 32, and Henry Spafford on Section 34, Township 11, Range 6. L. W. Hastings and James McBride settled on Section 2, Township 10, Range 6. In the fall of 1870, G. C. Boyce, Noah Brotherton, William S. Boyce, S. F. Ganis and R. E. Boyce, came out here from Iowa to locate, but returned and came out the next spring.

J. M. Fodge, G. Haner, A. P. Hendrickson, A. Mogenson, J. M. Sechler, John Mathews, J. C. Ratcliff, J. P. Elliott, John Hagerman, P. C. Culver, John Tweedy, D. Grant, C. H. Kimball, John and Christopher Hazelbaker, made settle- ments during the spring and summer of 1871, and in the fall of 1871 Messrs. Fodge and family made settlement on Section 32.

The Blue Valley in the north part of the county was settled by W. L. Whittemore, in 1870, who took np his claim on Section 2, Township 12, Range 5. B. F. Webb also settled on Section 12, Township 12, Range 5. T. W. Manchester, M. Vanduzen and others located here in 1872.

John Danhauer settled in South Platte Pre- cint in 1871, Stephen Platz and James Odell in 1872.

Mr. Hewitt settled in the extreme northeast corner of the county on Section 24, Township 10, Range 5, in 1872, and shortly after J. W. Ward, C. Thurman, James Foster and J. A. Foster, who took up their claims in Bluff Precinct.

S. K. Butler and Henry Jennings are also among the early settlers who came to Hamilton County with the heavy frosts of many years resting upon their honest faces, but showing as much youth and vigor in subduing its fertile soil as many of the younger settlers. Mr. Platz brought with him quite a herd of cattle, but most of them perished during the Easter storm of 1873, while that tremendous storm of snow and wind was sweeping over the county. Among the older settlers of the extreme west side of the county are Charles Tompkins and family, Jacob Jeffers and family, and Mrs. Char- lotte Ward, who arrived and camped on their homesteads on Section 4, Township 10, Range 8.

The next settlers were H. B. Hall and Rev. A. D. Tremball. Mr. Hall settled on Section 28, and Rev. Tremball upon Section 32, Town 11, Range 8, and S. P. Cowgill, another early settler, located upon Section 4, Town 10, Range 8.

The first settler in Hamilton Precinct, formerly a part of Deepwell Precinct, was G. K. Eaton, who took up his claim in the spring of 1872, and shortly after was followed by H. B. Miller, Robert Eyres, S. B. Gebhart, B. F. Iseman and Samuel Miller.

A post-office was established here in 1874 under the name of Hamilton and afterward changed to Alvin. Benjamin Abbott was appointed post- master.

The southwest part of the county embracing Scoville and Union Precincts was settled in 1871; Union, by M. Farrell, D. Kensinger, J. E. Jackett, A. V. B. Peck, W. H. and C. M. Garrison, taking up their claims on Sections 20 and 28, Town 9, Range 7; Scovill, by D. A. Scovill and D. W. Garrison, who held full possession until the spring of 1873, when they were joined by A. Murdock, J. M. Livingstone, T. D. Case and S. N. Case. Messrs. Scovill and Garrison settled on Section 24, Town 9, Range 8. In the fall of 1872 there was quite a sensation created in this precinct, caused by a party of men hunting antelope. The report of their guns frightened a woman into the belief that the Indians had made a raid upon the settlement. Taking her two small children she fled from her home, partly dragging them across the prairie spreading the news of carnage and desolation among the settlers as she went, and finally concealing herself in an old sod stable.

Brave men were soon under arms willing to die for their homes and families. The women, after the first occasion of alarm had passed, showed themselves worthy, and quietly went to work run- ning bullets and preparing ammunition for their husbands, who were out waiting to give the first Indian that appeared a warm reception. After a time the true state of affairs was discovered, and after a hearty laugh all returned to their homes, and peace and quiet once more prevailed.

The first settlers on Beaver Creek were R. M.

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HAMILTON COUNTY.

Hunt, Samuel Yost and S. B. Chapman, in 1870, and very soon after they were followed by J. W. Jones, H. M. Graham, Henry Newman and Frank- lin Jacoby.

During the years 1872 and 1873 settlers poured into the county from all parts of the country. Since that date settlers have continued to arrive with each succeeding season, transforming its fer- tile soil from a mere uninteresting plain of rolling billowy prairie into a very garden, teeming with a busy population of intelligent, well to-do people, possessing every social advantage enjoyed by com- munities having greater opportunities and hoary with the frosts of a century.

From the little handful of eighteen sturdy pio- neers who assembled at the house of John Harris barely twenty years ago to organize the county, their followers have increased to a population of nearly or quite 15,000, and their possessions to an assessed valuation of over $2,000,000.

While the early settlers were never really mo- lested by the Indians, they were in constant appre- hension of a visit from these turbulent denizens of the plains, and the slightest indication of their ad- vent served to call the little band of brave men to- gether, armed for the fray. One or two incidents will serve to illustrate this. In the fall of 1868 a stranger dashed up to the door of " Jarv." Chaffee's dng-out, his horse covered by foam, and said he had been chased six miles by a band of Indians. The alarm was at once spread down the river, and in a short time a dozen men were assembled, well armed and mounted. Among them were Charles White, Robert Henderson, Alex Salmon, Hugh Ketchum, Robert Waddle, Norris M. Bray, C. O. Wescott, Dan George, R. Fairbanks, John Harris and Alex Laurie. They at once started up the river to meet the foe. After riding for several hours, scouring the "draws " along the river, night over- took them, without their having seen any traces of Indians. They had reached what is now Scoville Precinct, and concluded to camp there till morning, which they did, sitting down on the prairie and holding their horses. During the night they were disturbed by observing some kind of animal prowl- . ing around through their camp. Investigation re-

vealed the fact that it was one of their own num- ber, Alex Salmon, moving around on his hands and knees. Asked what he was looking for, he replied that he was " hunting a hole in which to put his picket pin, so he could go to sleep."

The next morning, no signs of Indians being seen, they decided that the stranger had been lying and returned to their homes. The same day a party of Indians attacked the ranch of Mr. Wall, a few miles farther west, in Hall County.

On another occasion Mrs. James Waddle was alone at her home with her children, when she ob- served a party of horsemen coming over the hill toward the house. As this was off the line of travel, she concluded at once that the strangers were Indians, and determined to defend her home and little ones to the death. The house consisted of two rooms, the front or main room being built of logs, and the rear being a "dug-out," with a door connecting them. Instantly putting the chil- dren in the dug-out, she placed a large meat barrel in the open doorway, then arming herself with several revolvers, and Bob's rifle, she concealed herself in the barrel and awaited the attack. When the party came up she was relieved to find they were whites, a band of "gold diggers," on their way to California. With her characteristic hos- pitality, for which she is so deservedly famous, she supplied their inner wants, and sent them on their way rejoicing.

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Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co. Number of Pages: 820

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 820