USA > Nebraska > Buffalo County > Buffalo County, Nebraska, and its people : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 11
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OMAHA IN 1871
The colonists began to understand that they were bound for a country or locality where there could be found no hotels or boarding houses, nor even con- venient store where supplies might be found, and most of the members laid in a limited supply of crackers, bread and like food.
Omaha in those days was an uninviting, dreary looking village or city. The buildings were cheap frame structures, devoid of paint, few sidewalks, and as the business part was some distance from the railroad station, it seemed the city was much smaller than it really was.
There was no end of saloons and gambling dens, in fact at that date and for some years later, there was an organization of gamblers known as "three card monte" men, with headquarters in Omaha, who regularly traveled on the "Overland" passenger train-in and out of Omaha-and robbed passengers who were foolish enough to play with them. It was some years before public opinion became strong enough to enact legislation to compel the railroad management to drive these gamblers from their trains.
At that date and for many years later no second class passengers were carried on the "Overland" passenger, but instead on an emigrant train, mixed passenger and freight, which ran through to the Pacific Coast.
The schedule time of this train was ten miles.
CHAPTER XIX
SOLDIER'S FREE HOMESTEAD COLONY, CONTINUED-TO THE LAND OF PROMISE-THE COLONISTS ARRIVE AT GIBBON-FIXING UP QUARTERS-VIEWING THE LAND- JIOLD RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
TO THE LAND OF PROMISE
The colonists left Omaha on the emigrant train at 6 P. M. on Thursday, and at once the statement was circulated that we were being taken on a night train because, if we saw the country in the day time we would desert before reaching the destination. Although in the night when we reached Fremont the train was boarded by German women with sandwiches, eggs and coffee and also land agents who assured us that nothing could be raised in Buffalo County, no one lived there, and that there were plenty of homesteads near Fremont. When we reached Lone Tree (now Central City), land agents came on board · and accompanied us to Grand Island, making the same statements in regard to the country as those made by agents at Fremont, only, the latter fixed the limit in the state, where one could live by farming, at Grand Island.
We reached Grand Island late in the forenoon, having breakfast and dinner at one meal, the Union Pacific having a large dining hall at this point for many years, until dining car service was established.
Grand Island was quite a trading point in those days, and had some fairly good grocery stores and some firms which carried small stocks of drugs, hard- ware and lumber. Grand Island was also the location of the United States land office.
THE COLONISTS ARRIVE AT GIBBON
On Friday, April 7, 1871, at 2 P. M., the colonists arrived at Gibbon switch and the cars we came in-some passenger cars, some box cars-were placed on the siding and left for our use. It was a warm, spring-like day, sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing. An ideal day, and an ideal time of the day to reach our destination.
On Sunday, April 2d, a prairie fire had swept over the entire country leaving it black, bleak, desolate and uninviting. No rain or snow had fallen since the previous August, and not a green tree, shrub or sprig of grass was to be seen. As the bleak and black prairie lay glistening in the sunshine, it seemed at a distance that we were surrounded by water (a water mirage it is called and very common in the early days of the colony), and to the writer it seemed as
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REV. J. N. ALLEN AND DAUGH- TER MERTIE
Mr. Allen was a soldier of the Civil war and pioneer settler and mission- ary in Buffalo County in 1871. He conducted the first religious service after the arrival of the colony at Gib- bon, on the open prairie, Sunday, April 9, 1871.
REV. J. MARSH
A pioneer Methodist missionary and father of the Methodist Church at Gibbon.
REV. WILLIAM MORSE
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
though he was again upon the ocean, out of sight of land. Along Wood River were fringes of bushes. Everything which would make a railroad tie or a stick of wood had been cut and used in the building of the railroad, built through the county in 1866. No trees were on the Platte River or its islands, only here and there bunches of willow brush. At the end of the switch was nearly a hundred cords of wood, cottonwood, for use on the railroad, as some of the engines at that date were wood burners. There was but one house in sight, that the railroad section house, standing where the present one does in 1915, in fact the same house, the only changes in forty-four years being a new roof, chimney, floor, sidewalls and a coat of paint of another color.
Roger Hayes was section foreman and had a corral and a considerable number of cattle. That afternoon the section men placed a box car on a spur on the north side of the main line and an agent of the company, Charles Smith, who had come from Omaha with us, set up his telegraph instrument and opened the station for business. S. C. Ayer, a colonist, at once transferred his belong- ings to the box car station, making it his temporary home. William Nutter (a "squatter," or as we termed, an "old settler") was planting potatoes on old land near the siding and was at once surrounded by colonists and deluged with questions about the country and what could be raised. He said no rain had fallen since the previous August, and while the prairie was very dry, the old land, which he was plowing and planting, was moist and plowed easily. He had raised the previous year, and was then planting, as fine, large potatoes as one would care to see, and in this sign or sight the colonists found great encourage- ment. On the previous day a box car, with horses, wagon and other emigrant movables, including a considerable supply of lumber, all belonging to Mr. and Mrs. George Gilmore-Mrs. Gilmore being a sister of Colonel Thorp-and in charge of F. S. and Willmot P. Trew, had arrived, and a like car of emigrant movables, including a team of horses, belonging to D. P. Ashburn, J. S. Chamber- lain accompanying Mr. Ashburn. A small shanty, answering for both kitchen and a place to eat, was hastily constructed, so that Gibbon had a hotel or board- ing house without delay.
One newly married couple, who were entirely without means, and had no household goods whatever, found employment, for their board, at the boarding place, sleeping on the floor of a car, covered with bedding furnished them. One colonist had shipped his household goods by express instead of freight and the charges amounted to $75. Not having the money to pay the charges, he hired out by the month to earn the necessary amount.
FIXING UP QUARTERS
Some found box cars on the siding and managed to fix up quite comfortable quarters ; for a time some were in passenger cars and slept on the floor between seats or in the aisle. On Saturday morning one colonist took the passenger train for "back East," the only one who did not stay and file a homestead claim.
VIEWING THE LAND
On Saturday the colonists ranged the prairies from the Platte to the bluffs and beyond; some to the east where resided the few early settlers ; some to Fort Vol. 1 - 6
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
Kearney, some to Kearney station (now Buda), where there was a station for the convenience of Fort Kearney, and at which place there were a few houses, belonging to hangers-on around the fort, among the number one or two where liquor was sold. Thomas K. Wood was living on the Boyd ranch, about a mile west of the switch; Mr. Wood had a family of several children and also had a herd of native cattle owned jointly with J. E. Boyd, the owner of the ranch. Sam Boyd was making his home with Mr. Wood and had charge of 770 head of Texan steers, ranging between Wood River and the bluffs and corralled at night in a bend of Wood River on the Boyd ranch.
On gathering around the camp fire that evening, a young man, Kingman Fisher, related a terrible experience with thirst. He had gone into the bluffs, some six miles north, and finding no water had nearly perished, being so far gone, as he said, as to "spit cotton." When an old soldier remarked that it took more than a few hours, traveling light, for a man to become so famished for want of water as to "spit cotton," Fisher concluded his degree of thirst was largely imaginary.
On Sunday came James Ogilvie, appointed station agent at Gibbon.
Mr. Ogilvie was a Scotchman, a strong friend of education, a Christian gentleman in all that the term implies, and in the educational, social and religious activities in the community was one of the most useful and helpful of men. He served as station agent until his death in February, 1881.
HOLD RELIGIOUS SERVICE
Sunday was a bright, sunny day. After breakfast it was planned to hold a religious service at 10 o'clock. Out on the open prairie, with the blue vault of heaven above and the warm, bright sunshine of an April day shining over all, seats were improvised from the lumber pile and a sermon preached by Rev. Josiah N. Allen, a member of the colony.
C. Putnam also spoke, calling attention to the fact that we had come to make homes in this new land and that it was equally important that we establish char- acters for honesty, integrity and sobriety. Practically every member of the colony attended this service. After dinner most of the colonists went sight seeing-land viewing, some as far east as where lived William Nutter, an old settler, he having come with his family two years before.
CHAPTER XX
SOLDIERS FREE HOMESTEAD COLONY, CONTINUED-AN APRIL BLIZZARD-BOX CARS TO LIVE IN-THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY OF THE PLATTE-TIIE FIRST MEETING HELD BY THE COLONISTS-DRAWING LOTS FOR CLAIMS-LOCATING THE CLAIMS -FILING ON HOMESTEADS-SIXTY-ONE CLAIMS FILED UPON APRIL 17 AND 18, 1871-NAMES OF THOSE TAKING CLAIMS.
AN APRIL BLIZZARD
About 2 P. M. Sunday it began to "spit" snow, the wind shifting into the north. By nightfall a furious storm of wind and snow was raging. When Monday morning came the snow was piled as high as the tops of the cars in which the colonists were staying. In the two emigrant cars there were stoves which the emigrants had brought with them.
The only other stoves were small affairs in each end of the passenger cars. It is recalled that in one of the passenger cars were four women and four chil- dren besides several men. In each end of this car were small stoves fed by cottonwood. The force of the wind drove the snow through the ventilators and window and door frames so that the seats, bedding and floor were wet. The women and children huddled about the stoves and the men took turns bringing wood from the pile of cordwood some forty rods distant and cutting in lengths to fit the playhouse stoves. About noon three men, headed by I. D. LaBarre, came into the car and began taking down the stovepipe to one of the stoves with the evident intention of removing the stove. They were landed outside, and then concluded to explain that in a box car was Dr. I. P. George and wife with no stove in the car. The situation is best explained by stating that on May 15th, following, occurred the first birth among the colonists, Gibbon Thorp George, son of Dr. and Mrs. I. P. George. Understanding the situation, the occupants of the car helped to remove the stove to Dr. George's car. With the going down of the sun, on Monday, the storm ceased. Tuesday was. bright and sunny. Investigation showed no snow on the prairie, but all sloughs and Wood River packed full and so hard as to be crossed readily on the snow. On Monday, during the storm, word was telegraphed from railroad headquarters at Omaha to take all women and children to the section house, but only one or two women availed themselves of the offer, all others cheerfully accepting conditions in the cars and making the best of them.
Such a storm as occurred on April 9, 1871, would not at this date be con- sidered at all serious or worthy of mention. With groves of trees, fields of corn stalks, the prairie covered with dead grass, with comfortable houses, with
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY .
barns, sheds, fences and the like to break the force of the wind and cause the snow to cover all the ground and not be drifted into sloughs and other depres- sions so as to fill level with the surrounding prairie; but on the bare prairie, devoid of everything, burned bare of all vegetation just a week previous, the wind swept along with nothing to obstruct its force and the drifting snow filled every slough and Wood River level with the prairie.
The storm itself had no discouraging effects on the colonists, but there were many other factors which did tend to discourage.
Ranchmen like the Boyds and Woods, who kept large herds of cattle, did not want homesteaders, because it would destroy the range for their herds. The early settlers, as they were called, those living on squatter claims before the arrival of the colonists, discouraged the colonists. Not one of these early settlers had filed on claims ; most of them had small herds of cattle with an unlimited range for them, and also their source of revenue or market for the corn and vegetables which they raised had been the emigrants which traveled the trail. The coming of so considerable a number of homesteaders as comprised the colony, meant the taking of all government lands in nearby Wood River Valley and a complete change in local conditions. A few of these early settlers had been here living for quite ten years, yet their habitations were mere huts ; some of logs, covered with a dirt roof, others living in a habitation part dugout (a hole in the ground), part sod with a dirt roof. Not a thing about such habitations was inviting, especially to members of the colony who had just come from long settled locali- ties in the eastern states, where people took pride and pleasure in their immediate surroundings, houses were comfortable, buildings painted, fields fenced and all the surroundings showed thrift and comfort.
One young wife, with two small children, had plead with tears in her eyes to be permitted to accompany her husband on the morning of April 4th, and when it was explained that there would be no place for her or the children until a house could be built, replied, "I'll be perfectly happy to put up our tent in the corner of a fence until a house can be built." But here was a country with no fences, no nothing but the bare prairie, and while these few early settlers had caves filled with potatoes and other choice vegetables, and also had small cribs of corn, some of the colonists were inclined to reason that if in ten or more years these early settlers had not been able to raise enough to build frame houses, and have tables, chairs and like furniture, as well as horses and wagons and farming utensils like farmers in eastern states, it was not much use in trying to make a home out here where it hardly ever rained and settlers did not seem to prosper and get ahead. It is recalled that a story became current that one of these settlers, living in a dugout, was worth $10,000, and at once colonists began to speculate what they would do if they were worth such a sum, and it is quite sure their speculations or dreams did not contemplate living in a dugout, though such was in reality the habitation of many of them for some years. The state- ment that one of the early settlers was worth $10,000 is greatly exaggerated; of these early settlers living in the immediate vicinity of Gibbon Switch, the record of the valuation of their property for purposes of taxation was as follows: James E. Boyd, $6,830. This represented the Boyd ranch with its thousand and
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
more head of cattle. The valuation of the other settlers ran as follows: $940, $425, $335, $540.
Immediately after the storm the railroad company sent box cars for members of the colony to live in, and such cars remained as long as occupied ; in fact some members of the colony lived in such cars during the winter of 1871-2. These cars did not make a very comfortable home, as often in the nighttime a passing freight train would take the siding, come bumping into the box car, upset the stove, and cause a fall of crockery and cooking utensils. The railroad company at once removed the pile of cordwood beside the siding, but as there were plenty of old ties there was no lack of fuel.
THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY OF THE PLATTE
The writer has often wished that some one, gifted, might have written, for the benefit of future generations, a fitting description of Wood River and the Wood River Valley of the Platte before the hand of the white man came to change it. In the fall of 1871, C. Putnam, a member of the colony, wrote as follows of Wood River:
"It is a vast serpentine vineyard, literally festooned with wild grapes."
To this delightful description might be added that in the bends of this wind- ing river were orchards of wild plums, in their season loaded with fruit, the red and yellow of the ripening fruit with the green bordering of trees making a picture of surpassing beauty and loveliness, while the fruit itself was most delicious to the taste.
Did one wish to cross this river there were, at convenient distances, bridges built by those ingenious and cunning workmen, the beaver.
Standing on either bank of this meandering stream, which with its fringe of trees lay like a thread of dark green in the midst of the far reaching valley, and looking across the smooth prairie as far as the eye could reach, could be seen herds of innumerable buffalo feeding and fattening on the nutritious grasses. Always there could be seen flocks of timid antelope, their white "flags" discern- able miles distant.
Occasionally would pass herds of stately elk and bounding over the prairie were smaller herds of black tail deer, while the accompanying whir of prairie chicken and quail seemed but the echo of fast fleeing footsteps.
THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY OF THE PLATTE
Before the coming of the white man, a land of fatness, a scene of loveliness passing description. To the white man and his descendants a home of plenty, a dwelling place of contentment, peace and happiness.
A third of a century after the coming of the colony, Chancellor Samuel Avery of the state university, having visited this valley, in a public address at Omaha, spoke of it as follows:
"A few years ago I stood on the bluffs overlooking this valley, near the Vil- lage of Gibbon. Below me as far as the eye could reach were fields of wheat, corn and alfalfa. I have made a similar survey of the Rhine Valley from the
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
mountains of the Odenwald. I have seen the best of the Columbia and the Willamette from the bluffs of their borders, but I have never seen an agricultural paradise to compare with the valley of the Platte as I saw it on that July day."
THE FIRST MEETING HELD BY THE COLONISTS
On Tuesday, April IIth, there was held the first meeting of the colonists. This meeting was held on the open prairie, on the south side of the railroad track and to the south of the present section house. Who presided as chairman or served as secretary can not be recalled. The first question, whether the colonists would remain, was decided in the affirmative, as recalled, unanimously. As each member wished to locate a claim as near as possible to the proposed Village of Gibbon, to be the future county seat of Buffalo County, it was voted that choice for such location should be determined by lot. As some members desired to secure claims adjoining each other, it was also decided that two or more might unite in drawing together.
There were sixty-two who took part in the drawing, divided into twenty- eight lots. In a hat were placed slips of paper containing numbers ranging from one to twenty-eight. The one who drew was to mark on a United States land office map his choice for a claim, and no member of the colony could take that claim until the party had decided he did not want it. This rule held good with all members of the colony with a very few exceptions. Some members did not take part in the drawing, and it developed later that (doubtless having inside informa- tion) they had secured claims in the immediate vicinity of Gibbon Switch, which claims the government maps, as furnished, did not disclose were open to home- stead entry.
DRAWING THE LOTS
A few only of the lot numbers, as drawn, can be recalled, or anything definite learned in relation thereto.
William Brady drew lot No. I and chose the northwest quarter of section twenty-four (24) adjoining the proposed town site of Gibbon. Choice No. 2 was drawn by John W. Wiggins, Charles E. Brayton and Charles Monks, who took the remaining quarter sections of section twenty-four (24). Choice No. 3 fell to S. C. Ayer, F. F. Blanchard, F. S. Trew and Dr. I. P. George, who located claims on section eighteen (18) immediately adjoining the proposed town site on the east. Choice No. 22 fell to John M. Bayley, who located on section twenty-two (22) in town nine, range thirteen (13). Choice No. 26 was drawn by S. C. Bassett, B. C. Bassett, Robert Waters and Henry Fairchild, who located claims on section six (6), town nine (9), range thirteen (13).
Choice No. 28 was drawn by George H. Silvernail, John Silvernail, Daniel R. Davis and T. J. Hubbard, who located on section ten (10), town nine (9), range fourteen (14).
LOCATING THE CLAIMS
Having made a choice of a claim, on a map, the colonists spent the next few days in locating the claim, looking it over and deciding if they would file upon
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
it. Some could not find the corners of their claims and were assisted by J. N. Paul, a surveyor, who had been sent by the railroad company for that purpose. The J. N. Paul referred to is now Judge J. N. Paul of St. Paul, Neb. Mr. Paul had helped to survey government lands in the state, and while with the colony began a survey of the proposed town site of Gibbon, which later was completed by C. Putnam. From the 11th to the 15th of April was thus spent in locating and viewing claims as selected.
FILING ON THE HOMESTEAD CLAIMS
The United States land office was located at Grand Island, thirty miles distant. The railroad fare for the round trip was $4.20.
Arrangements were made with County Judge Patrick Walsh to open an office in a box car and before Judge Walsh the entries were made.
Judge Walsh was paid a fee of one dollar ($I) for each entry, and the government fee was fourteen dollars ($14) for a quarter section, and was entitled "surveying fees." Very little friction, as between members, developed in filing on the claims, and it appeared then and later that each felt, all things considered, that he had secured a most desirable location.
On the 17th and 18th days of April, the following named colonists filed upon homestead claims, sixty-one in all :
NAMES OF THOSE TAKING HOMESTEAD CLAIMS
S. C. Ayer
K. Fisher
O. J. Oviatt
J. N. Allen
H. C. Green
C. Putnam
B. Austin
W. W. Gibson
William Patterson
S. C. Bassett
A. F. Gibson
H. P. Rogers
B. C. Bassett
L. D. George
Isaac Starbuck
Jacob Booth
Dr. I. P. George
B. F. Sammons
I. D. La Barre
W. N. Gray
George H. Silvernail John N. Silvernail
William Brady
John Grabach
C. E. Brayton
T. J. Hubbard
J. P. Smith
F. F. Blanchard
J. M. Irwin
John Stern
J. M. Bayley
W. H. Kenney
F. S. Trew
G. W. Barrett
W. J. Knight
M. D. Thomas
Ira · Bunker C. O. Childs
John Lucas
L. A. West
J. S. Chamberlain
Clara E. Lew
Robert Waters
William Craven
John Lloyd
R. F. L. Willard
D. R. Davis
C. A. Monks
A. Washburn
H. Fieldgrove
J. F. Mckinley
J. W. Wiggins
D. Fox
W. F. McClure
Aaron Ward
Asa Fawcett
Samuel Mattice
H. Fairchild
E. Northrup
John Thorp
Coe Killgore
CHAPTER XXI
SOLDIERS' FREE HOMESTEAD COLONY, CONTINUED-OFFICIAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE COLONY-A HABITATION-A PLACE TO LIVE-RANGE OF PRICES-FIRST CROPS GROWN-CONDITIONS CONFRONTING COLONISTS-INSECT DEPREDATIONS -LACK OF MOISTURE-LIVE STOCK CONDITIONS-GROWING SMALL GRAIN- WHEAT AND OATS-THE QUESTION OF FUEL.
OFFICIAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE COLONY
The following is an official list of the members of the Soldiers' Free Home- stead Colony as adopted at the forty-fourth annual meeting of the Soldiers' Free Homestead Colony Association, April 7, 1915, held at Gibbon :
Allen, Josiah N.
Craven, William
Gibson, William W.
Allen, Homer J.
Darby, John H.
Gilmore, George
Armbus, Valentine
Davis, Daniel R.
Glanville, Mrs. Ann
Ashburn, D. P.
Davis, Perce T.
Goss, H.
Austin, Benjamin
Davenport, C. W.
Grabach, John
Ayer, Simon C. Ayer, Mrs. Lois N.
Drury, Delos P.
Green, Henry C.
Barrett, Abram
Drury, Peter K.
Haines, Robert
Bassett, Benjamin C.
Drury, William C.
Hancock, O. C.
Bassett, Samuel C.
Danner, John A.
Henninger, S. F.
Bayley, John M.
Fairchild, Henry
Hick, Robert H.
Blanchard, Frank F.
Fargo, Ezra M.
Hillficker, Henry
Blanchard, John
Fawcett, Asa
Hough, Lemuel S.
Boardman, Frank D.
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