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 58
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 58
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 58
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 58
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As forest countries claim celebrated choppers; hemlock countries, famous bark-peelers, and moun- tain countries, hunters notorious and otherwise, so also do the rich corn fields of Nebraska claim heroic workers. In 1889-90, Albert Walters picked and cribbed 1,750 bushels of corn in seventeen days for Hugh Loudin, and for Davis, superintendent of the poor farm, 3,994 bushels in thirty-three days.
The blizzards of 1857-58 do not seem to have damaged person or property in this county. In No- vember, 1871, a severe snow storm swept over this section. During its progress a settler named Me- Goon, and his son, living three and a half miles south of Harvard, started for the village, and had almost arrived there, when the older MeGoon became dazed with the cold and failed to keep up with the son. After the storm a search was instituted, and his frozen body was found at the edge of the vil- lage corporation.
The blizzard of April 13, 1873, commenced with a heavy, cold rain, which, during the night, changed to sleet. On the 14th the air was filled with a heavy, watery snow, and this, driven by the strong wind, penetrated the heaviest clothing. The storm continued with unabating violence until the morn- ing of the 16th. Snow banks were as high as the house tops in many places, and the ravines and creeks were packed full of this peculiar snowy sub- stance. Cattle growers suffered heavily, their stock being driven to death before the gale. A Mrs. Kelly, of School Creek precinct, ventured to a neighbor's, a few rods away, saying as she started out that she would die with her baby. Both were lost and were frozen to death, In the transactions of the commissioners the names of many other suf- ferers are given.
The hail storm of 1881 was as phenomenal as it was disastrous. It swept across the northern sec- tions from the northwest in the summer time, pound- ing into the earth the growing crops. This storm
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cleared a five mile course. and during its forty- five minutes advance through the northern townships of the county left nothing in the way of crops un- touched.
The storm of May 6, 1889, destroyed a good deal of property in and around Fairfield. Anawalt's new house in Canada was blown down.
The prairie fire of November 14. 1872, originated in a dug-out near Harvard, and spread out toward the Morgan homestead. His stable, four horses, two cows and farm implements were destroyed. large area was burned over at this time.
The prairie fire of the same year was started by the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad section men on the south side of the track. Some cinders were carried across the track by the wind. the tall grass caught fire, and from this very small begin- ning the blaze spread out until it had licked up the prairie grasses almost to the banks of the Platte River. Many residents lost heavily in this fire, but the losses were partly met by the railroad company.
In July, 1884, sparks from a St. Joseph & Western Railroad locomotive set fire to the prairie one mile south of Fairfield, and, spreading to the farms of Horace Tibbits, John Palmer and A. B. Pahner, destroyed their erops, orchards, hay and other property.
The prairie fire of April, 1885, originated on the Lewis farm, five miles north of Edgar. The people turned out in large numbers and organized to fight the fire, and at the bridge, near M. H. Cushing's house, elected A. G. Jacobs captain. The work of back-firing, plowing and wet-sacking the prairie was carried out systematically and with success. In the chapters devoted to local history references are made to smaller prairie fires.
The exploration of this territory by the Spaniards in the long ago is legendary rather than historical. In 1739 the French explorers placed on record an undoubted account of their travels along the Platte, and special explorations beyond the valley. The names of the adventurers were Pierre and Paul Mal- let, Philip Robitaille, Louis Moven, Michel Bislot, Joseph Bellecourt, Manuel Gallien and Jean David, all from Quebec except David. Their mission was to establish trade with the Mexicans, and to find an
easy route from the great lakes to that country: they gave the title La Riviere Platte to this stream.
Lewis and Clarke, O'Fallon, Maj. Long, Fre- mont, the Argonauts, the pony express messengers. Halliday's stage drivers and the Indians and fur traders were the only travelers or temporary resi- dents here up to 1857, when the first irregular at- tempts to locate permanently were made.
The homesteaders or pioneers of 1871 to 1873, who resided on their original claims in 1888, are named as follows and the location of their lands given: Mrs. A. S. Harding (husband deceased), from Illinois, settled on Section 22: J. W. Smith, from Illinois, on Section 28; Riley Thurber, from Ohio, on Section 34; J. W. Stacy, from Ohio, on Section 34; James Woodhead, from Wisconsin. on Section 8; Albert and William Woodhead, from Wisconsin. on Section 2; Mrs. Charles Hurlbut (husband deceased), from Michigan, on Section 14; Charles Ashley, from Wisconsin, on Section 8; Charles Bump, from Illinois, on Section 21; Peter Bures, from Illinois, on Section 32 (all the forego- ing in Township 5, Range 5); J. N. Johnson, from Illinois, on Section 4: A. Wiggins, from Michigan, on Section 9; R. Culp, from Illinois, on Section 10; John Marshall, from Illinois, on Section 22: William Trent, from Illinois, on Section 9 (all in Township 4, Range 6); Mason Hungerford, from Michigan, on Section 4, Township 5, Range 6; J. Sanderson, from Wisconsin, on Section 22; J. J. and O. W. MeCloughen, from Wisconsin, on Section 24; C. A. Bush, from Illinois, on Section 14: H. 11. Perry, from Michigan, on Section 10: S. D. Beck, from Illinois, on Section 10; Otto Sirini. from Illinois, on Section 10: H. Linscott, from Maine, on Seetion 12 (all in Township 5, Range 5); J. G. Graham, from Illinois, on Section 2. Range 4. Township 5; S. T. Caldwell, from Illinois, on See- tion 4, Township 4, Range 6; William Prouty. from Michigan, on Section 32. Township 4. Range 6; Mrs. Daniel Lenfest (husband deceased), from Maine. on Section 4. Township 5. Range 5; David Smith, from Missouri, on Section 22, Township 6, Range 6; J. Il. Hazlett, from Hinois, on Section 22, Township 6, Range 6; B. F. Nall, from Ilinois, on Section 22, Township 6, Range 6; Mrs. L. Gra_
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ham, from Illinois, on Section 12, Township 4, Range 5; Jeff Adcock, from Illinois, on Section 34, Township 5, Range 6; F. Northrop, from Illinois, on Section 34. Township 5, Range 6; D. B. San- burn. from Illinois, on Section 4, Township 5, Range 6; Jesse Dalton, from Illinois, on Section 32. Township 4. Range 6: A. G. Jacobs, from Ohio, on Section 12. Township 5. Range 6; E. S. Smith, from Illinois, on Section 12, Township 5, Range 6; A. J. Long, from Indiana, on Section 20, Township 5. Range 5; C. Isham, from Ohio, on Section 4. Township 5, Range 5; S. Northrop, from Illinois, on Section 34. Township 5, Range 6; D. Essinger, from Illinois, on Section 2, Township 5, Range 6.
The first settler of this county was John B. Wes- ton, who in 1857 located on Section 16, Township 5, Range 8, on the Little Blue, built a log house and called the place " Pawnee Ranche. 7 Prior to this time a spot at the mouth of Liberty Creek, on the Blue, was a favorite camping ground for the mail carriers. In 1858 James H. Lemon kept Lib- erty Farm Ranche here, as agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., and in 1867 Benjamin and John Royce arrived. In 1864 James Bainter settled at Spring Ranche. In the spring of 1870 came A. D. Peterson, followed by Louis Peterson and Jonas Johnson, all Swedes. They were here in April, 1872. when the Virginian, John L. Lewis, arrived. This settlement was given the name Lewis precinet, in 1875. On November 1. 1873, a Dane named I. C. Christianson settled in this precinet, and he is said to be the first of the sixteen Danes who were in the county in 1882. In the summer of 1870 two brothers named Norman, also natives of Sweden, settled in School Creek pre- cinet, and in the fall John Kennedy, an Ohioan. located his homestead on Section 2, Township 8. Range 5. On January 27, 1871, A. K. Marsh built a log house on the creek, below the Normans' dug- out, Mrs. Marsh being the first white woman in this precinct. A. A. Covey, J. Steinmetz. the Ballzer brothers, F. M., Charles W., George and R. G. Brown came prior to April 11, 1871; W. Cunning and his wife followed in May, and later came R. L. Garr and W. E. Bemis. The Conant brothers ar- rived in Lincoln precinct in May, 1871, and on August 14, that year. W. T. MeKnight arrived.
Orrin Conant was shot and killed here on May 10, 1875. by D. A. Smith, the trouble arising about the ownership of a claim. The same year Glenville precinct claimed the pioneers, Daniel Fitch, the trapper, J. W. Small, and Leroy S. Winters. B. F. Hocket constructed a sod-house on Section 2, Town- ship 7, Range 7, in May. 1871, his contemporary settlers being W. H. Chadwick, J. D. Moore and L. J. Starbuck. C. D. Moore and M. L. Latham ar- rived shortly after, and when the precinct was organized in 1875, the name Lynn was given to it. Sutton precinct claims L. French, an Ohioan, as its first settler, in 1870. He built a dug-out on the northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 7, Range 5, and soon after was visited by Capt. Charles White and Nellie Henderson, who rode from the West Blue in pursuit of an antelope, which they captured. H. W. Gray, his son and G. W. Bemis arrived May 4, 1871; William and Henry Smith, J. S. Schem- merhorn, James Vroman, the Angbergs, Hollings- worths, Brownells, Evans and Maltbys came about this time.
Leicester precinct was settled early in the winter of 1871-72, by Joseph Rowe, Stephen Brown, Wil- liam Woolman and A. Woohnan. With William Woolman was his adopted child, Miss Truelove Tibbles, who was drowned in April. 1876. G. W. Briggs and George MeIntire were the first settlers in Scott precinet, and in 1871 John P. Scott was the solitary occupant of Lone Tree precinct and the only settler for some time between School Creek and Spring Ranche. White Elm postoffice was presided over by him from the fall of 1871 until its removal to Fairfield, June 27. 1873. Reuben Peachy ereet- ed a house for general mercantile purposes in 1870, and was the first postmaster appointed in Clay County. After the re-establishment of the mail ser- vice, Richard Bayley, a blacksmith, located at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, followed by H. J. Higgins. In 1871 a water-mill was constructed near the Lib- erty Ranche, by Al. Mills. Sheridan precinct was settled in 1872, by John Yates, Patrick Nagle, R. Hilliard, R. M. Mariner, T. R. Elder and Dennis Lahane. Logan precinet was first settled by Albert Curtis, March 7, 1871. Within a short time Riley Thurber, John Yandle, Wright Stacy, E. M. Isham,
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Nathan Tucker, A. Christison, Fletcher Page and the Pasealls arrived. J. B. Dinsmore came in May, 1872. The first settlement in Marshall precinct was made in July of this year by Flavius Northrup, followed by W. S., Addison and Warner Randall, J. Prawl and William Tolle. In November, 1871, J. K. Sanborn arrived in Edgar precinet as its pio- neer, followed by the Carrs. Jacob Ritterbush came in 1872 and was appointed postmaster in June, and the same month the Jones family arrived. In the pages devoted to local history and biography. the details of the various settlements throughout the county are given.
The history of the early years of this division of Nebraska is based largely npon the relations of James Bainter, just as the early history of Adams County is told by Bill Kress, and of Hall County by William Stolley. Mr. Bainter, writing in 1889, for the Fairfield News, gives the following sketches:
After arriving here I found a man named Lenard, who owned the ranche, having bought it of the Roper boys, whose unele had built it in 1860. I traded for it in January, 1864, and moved my family in February .. There was then no settlement in Clay County, except at Pawnee Ranche, and a stage depot at Liberty Farm. During the fall of 1863 I hunted and tended the ranche. Emigration west was very heavy the entire year, principally men dodging the draft and going to Pike's Peak or any place where they could escape the war. During this year there must have been an average of nearly 300 teams daily. The Pony Express had been dis- continned, and stages were used and running, one each way daily. There were plenty of buffalo, elk, antelope, and thousands of wild turkey; but the lat- ter nearly all disappeared after the big storm of April, 1873.
The profits of the ranche business were wonder- fully good; everything sold by the pound; potatoes sold for five cents per pound, the same for hay and other things in proportion. There were many In- dians around during the summer, principally the Pawnees and Omahas-all friendly.
In 1863 I was at Hackney Station, kept by a German named Myers, when a Pawnee came without an arrow. He said that two Sioux had chased him
from the Solomon, and would soon overtake and kill him unless he could get some arrows. Myers had a lot of them, but would not loan him one, Hle started to leave when the Sioux rode up, shot him dead, and after scalping him rode off.
The winter of 1863-64 was rough and cold, but the travel continued good. In the spring I planted ten aeres of corn, which promised well. This spring the Sioux, in great numbers, made their appearance on a hunting trip. They continued to come at in- tervals until August, paying for their goods in pelts or cash. Their camp at this time was down, or in, the Indian Territory. About the first of August 1 began to notice a change in their demeanor. They seemed sulky and ill-natured, so that I became un- easy. I seut word to the ranchmen along the route to look ont for them, and also wrote to Fort Kear- ney, informing Gen. Heath of their actions. He replied that there was no danger, and that the In- dians were friendly. I continued, however, to pro- pare for them. On the morning of August 9, 1 was going north of the ranche, and while riding along saw an Indian coming toward me. As we approached each other he suddenly left the path and, descend- ing a ravine, was at once lost sight of. Something in his manner aroused my suspicions, and getting off my mule I cantiously approached the place where he disappeared; presently I saw him, dismounted, and stretching his neck to see me. Twice I drew my revolver and could have easily shot him; but they had always been friendly, and I would not be the first to kill. While debating this question he discovered me, and, leaping on his pony, rode off, lying on one side of the pony, as Indians usually do when in danger of being fired upon. I knew now that business had begun. He descended the ravine into Pawnee Creek, where he was joined by two others. I then rode as fast as possible to my ranche, and told my wife to get ready for an attack. My son and hired man had gone to Pawnee Ranche that morning, so my wife and I went to work, she to moulding more bullets and I to trimming them. Soon we heard the clatter of horses' hoofs, and my son and hired man rode in very much excited, say- ing the Indians had attacked Pawnee Ranche; and had killed and scalped Burke, a freighter. They
22
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described the Indians and I was satisfied, from the description, that they were the ones I had seen to- gether. That day and the following night passed without further disturbance. The stage had failed to arrive that night, so in the morning I mounted a race mare which I owned, and started up the Blue to see what had become of it. I met it about three miles up the river, with several passengers, among them being the stage agent, at Lone Tree, and his wife. They reported that the Indians had sur- rounded the stage the night before, but that toward morning they had withdrawn. The morning before a man named Smith, from St. Joe, passed my ranche in charge of a train loaded with provisions and two threshing machines. The stage people did not meet Smith or his train. I suspected his party were either killed or captured, and so followed along the river to where I supposed they would camp for din- ner, about six miles from Spring Ranche, now (1889) White's farm. There a fearful sight met my gaze. Every man of them, six in all, had been killed and all scalped except a red-haired Hibernian, who was shot in the temple and above the hip with arrows, and was still breathing. I pulled the arrow out of his temple, and went to a pond of water to obtain drink for him. I filled my boot with water, but when I returned the man was dead. There was the appearance of the desperate fight he made. The wagons were all gone except the ones on which were the machines; the flour was scattered around and the bacon piled up. I returned to my home; the Indians could be seen approaching. Knowing that my ranche could not be successfully defended I loaded my family in a wagon, while my two hired men (the Rev. C. W. Wells, of the Methodist Church of Davenport, Neb., and his brother) mounted horses, and all made for Pawnee Ranche, which was located one mile east of Joseph Meehan's present farm. Richard Wells was riding a fractious horse, and when approaching Pawnee Ranche the horse reared and threw him. The hammer of his rifle caught the horn of his saddle and it was dis- charged, wounding him severely. He called out that he was shot, and running to him I picked him up, threw him into the creek, washed his wounds, drew a silk handkerchief through them, cut out the
bullet with an ordinary pocket knife, placed him in the wagon and proceeded to the ranche, where we found the coach with three or four men and a woman. There were now fourteen persons in the ranche, among whom were " California Joe " and Joe Roper, father of Laura Roper, who arrived by a stage that morning. The Indians could now be seen, near the Llewellyn farm, approaching from the east. " California Joe " proposed to reconnoiter, and, mounting the best horse, went forth. I stayed on the house top to signal to him, while four or five men rode out to support him, should he require assistance. He had ridden about eighty rods when I noticed that the Indians were about to cut him off. He was busy watching them, but soon saw my sig- nal and retreated, pursued by two Indians. When one Indian came within ten paces Joe turned and fired, hitting the Indian. He also received a hit in the arm, the other men going to Joe's relief. The savages came on in force. Seeing that the whites would be overtaken, I signalled them to dismount, which order was carried out, when the Indians went to cover, leaving the venturesome whites time to re- turn to the ranche. The Indians lost three war- riors, the chief and two others shot east of the ranche. That night their bodies were removed by the tribe.
During our fight at Pawnee, Joe Roper was on the ranche. He was rather fond of fire-water, and had indulged freely that day. I had placed a lad- der against the house, and would occasionally go upon the house to see what the Indians were about. Joe Roper also concluded to look around, saying: " I'm going up to see the posish." I told him he had better stay down or he would get a posish, but up he went. As he was about to step from the lad- der to the house, White Antelope sent an arrow after him which grazed his cheek and parted the hair on the side of his head. Joe, like a bear, let go all holds and dropped. The Indians made a great racket, as they supposed Joe to be dead; but they were as much surprised as the whites to see him up again as sober as a judge. After several months a company of United States troops carried away the skeletons of the murdered whites. The next morning, about 10 o'clock, we sent Mrs. Met-
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calfe and the two wounded men to Fort Kearney on the stage coach, and the others of us went with them as far as Hook's Ranche, ten miles cast of the fort, where we met a company of United States troops going after the Indians, Heath having learned at last that they were not as friendly as he thought. On our way we stopped at my ranche. Nothing re- mained but the smoking remnant of my property. All my stock was killed, except one poor team, and my total loss was $5,872.50, for which I have a claim before Congress.
We remained at Hook's all night, and in the morning Metcalfe and wife returned, and we took the trail for Nebraska City. Following the Blue, we struck the location of the present town of Crete; thence proceeded to Beatrice, where I left my family and returned to bury the dead and gather np my stock. At Big Sandy. near where Alexandria now stands, we found a few men who were not molested by the Indians. About seven miles above that we came to the claim of two Germans, and found their bodies minus the scalps; buried them and went on to Hackney Station (Holiday's), which was destroyed. At Yuliek's Ranche, six miles below Oak Grove Ranche, we found the two German owners dead and scalped. We found Kiowa Station burned, and near by the body of Joe Urbanks, who formerly had charge of Little Blue Ranche. Ile was shot by arrows and sealped. Oak Grove Ranche was de- stroyed, and near it lay the bodies of Kelly and Butler, the former a part owner of Pawnee Ranche, and the latter a farmer from near Beatrice. At this point the men resisted the Indians, but lost the two men named. Hurrying on to Ubank's Ranche, kept by Thanks & Son (not Joe Ubanks who was killed), we found the remains of the old gentleman, his three sons and his daughter, aged eighteen years. She was a feeble minded girl, but this did not save her from the vengeance of the savages. Her body was horribly mutilated. The body of the youngest child, a boy about five years old, was found some distance from the house with seven arrows in it. The Indians sealped him, taking all his hair. Mrs. William Ubanks, her two small children and Laura Roper were captured and carried away. At the Narrows, a water place on the Blue, Mr. Canada's
body was found. He was lying on his face grasping a rifle, and the savages fearing him, did not ap- proach to get his scalp. A short distance away we found two men and a boy dead and scalped. Close by were two wagons, one robbed of the team, and the other having the oxen attached, one of which was killed, and the other unable to stand from starva- tion. Up the Little Blue we came to a train of twenty wagons. There was no stoek visible, and nothing was left of the wagons but the irons. Bo- yond this about a mile we found a number of bodies of men and boys. I have forgotten how many. This was near Little Blue Station, which was also burned. From this point onward we found many wagons either burned or ransacked, but no dead bodies. Buffalo Ranche, at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, southeast of Fairfield, on Thomas Shaw's farm, escaped injury, and was afterwards used as a stage station. Liberty Farm Station, near De- weese, was burned and never rebuilt, Mr. Royce used some of the logs in his new house of 1869- the same which was burned in 1888 or 1889. The next point was Pawnee Ranche, which we found about as we left it after the fight, except that a large quantity of provisions had disappeared, proh- ably at the hands of the soldiers, who were pretty tough men, most of them having been captured from John Morgan in his raid on Ohio. The next morn- ing we went on to my place, having buried forty- eight bodies on our way up. The following morn- ing we started down the river and found nearly 1,000 head of cattle, fifty of which, found at the mouth of Elk Creek, were elaimed by the Eagle Gold Company as belonging to their wagon train. We found horses and mules with harness, bridles and saddles on; but they were so wild that it was almost impossible to get near them. This stock was all taken to Big Sandy, advertised and dis- tributed among the surviving owners, my share for labor being $90. After this I took my family to Missouri, but returned in a few weeks with my brother, only to find Capt. Flagg's troops at Pawnee Ranche. Next day I accompanied the troops up Thirty-two Mile Creek; found Lone Tree Station. the first above Spring Ranche, burned. and buried the six men whose bodies we discovered the morning
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after the first fight. We found Elm Creek Station destroyed, while George Comstock's Station at Thirty-two Mile Creek was undisturbed, the owner having fled to Beatrice before the attack was made. Returning to the ruins of Spring Ranche, I found the station at Pawnee re-established, and immedi- ately began the work of rebuilding Spring Rauche. In the spring of 1865 I brought my family from Missouri, and found Metcalfe and family at Pawnee Ranche. We each carried a small stock of goods. My store goods destroyed cost $1,600. After this it was considered safe to leave the place, and the consideration was acted upon.
On my return in 1870, I found my claim jumped by Tom Smith, of Marysville, Kan. I stopped at Hackney Station and raised a erop while I defended my claim, and succeeded in obtaining possession of it. My buildings were nearly all ruined. John Crossman and John Holmes were living in one of my pilgrim houses, a small building used at ranches for pilgrims or immigrants to cook in. I found Lou Thayer, Robert Cargill and D. W. Evans on home- steads south of the Blue. They had settled there in the spring and summer, and in the fall assisted me in repairing my buildings. William Kress and Joe Fouts lived two miles farther up the river, on the edge of Adams County. John Llewellyn had his claim, but had not moved on it. G. W. Noble, Cyrus Griffith, F. M. Lewey, or Lney, and wife, L. F. Fryar, B. R. Royce and W. S. Work resided at Liberty Farm. At this time I made it a business to locate people on claims up the river into Franklin County, but could not induce any to settle on the upland until all the bottom lands were sold.
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