USA > Nebraska > Seward County > General history of Seward County, Nebraska > Part 5
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
as a lark singing its sweetest strain. But with all their sim- plicity those days appear in the far distant past, through gathering tears, as the brightest and happiest of all, now gone forever. The old time tunes and dances have about all "passed in their checks" and gone to slumber with the closing scenes of their days of usefulness on the prairies of Seward county, but they must not be forgotten.
A POPULAR SONG.
A little rime suited to its time became, by the addition of music, a popular pioneer song. It would be out of place to mention this song without also mentioning two popular young gentlemen of Seward county who, although both of them were single, and one of them is still enjoying the bless- ings of bachelorhood, Henry and Fred Bridenball, frequently sang the song as a duet at social gatherings.
As near as we can get the poetry it ran like the follow- ing under the title of:
IN THE SOD HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. In the sod house on the prairie Where I took my little wife,
We couldn't think but that we'd love it
For there's naught but toil through life. CHORUS:
Here we are, naught but chilling winds around us. And no better we can do
But toil on though some be discouraged, For 'tis God 't will help us through.
We are lonely but we are happy There are better times before :-
Hark! I hear a friend a knocking At our lonely sod house door.
CHORUS:
Here we are, naught but chilling winds around us,
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY,NEBRASKA.
And no better we can do,
But toil on though some be discouraged
For 'tis God 't will help us through.
'Tis toil for those who are here -- And toil for those who roam;
Welcome! welcome friend and stranger, To our lonely sod house home. CHORUS.
Independence Day Celebration. July 4th. 1872.
What seems to have been the first 4th af July celebration in Seward county was held on that day 1872 in what was then callded C. D. Clark's grove, about ono mile south-east of the present location of Beaver Crossing. It was an event which had been talked of for several weeks, the principal mode of advertising, but was thought, by many, to be a pre- mature undertaking which wonld fizzle for want of interest and patronage. But when that bright morning arrived, on the roads in every direction, there were scenes of activity. It appeared as though there had been a great awakening of people throughout the entire county and they were respond- ing to an important call for their presence. Milford sent a delegation of several wagon loads of people which were met by Beaver Crossing people, just over the hill, and escorted to the grounds, and before the time for opening the exercises the woods were full of people. Elder W. G. Keen was the principal orator of the day, whose eloquence on that occasion is seldom surpassed on a 4th of July platform. This was fol- lowed by a brilliant address by Dr. J. H. Woodward, and timely addresses by Daniel Millspaw and W. J. Thompson. The program was interspersed with music by a male quartet composed of S. G. Merriam and son George A. Merriam, and George Smiley of Milford and William Livesley of the Walnut creek district. And this part of the program was
Pioneer scene. This sod house is represented in an end view of the structure, showing a window. The growth of weeds and grass that have sprouted and grown from the shingles of the roof are visible evidence that there has been previous growing weather in that vicinity. Where this old time abode was located we are unable to state, but it represents a general spectacular appearance on the western frontier. And the character in the front view call up memories of the good old times when vent to happy thoughts were frequently expressed in the follwing feeling stanza.
Oh, the hinges are of leather And the windows have no glass, The roof lets in the sunshine and the rain, But I'm as happy as a clam On this land of Uncle Sam In my little old sod shanty on the claim.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
of a high grade, seldom, if ever equaled on such occasions in this vicinity. In addition to the vocal music instrumental music was furnished by "Anderson's string band," consist- ing of two violins and cello, by William Anderson, John An- derson and Boone Anderson. three brothers. They made quite a musical display along the road from their homes in York county to the celebration ground, adopting the soul stirring manner of a circus band on parade. They were conveyed by a four horse team of which James G. Anderson, an older brother was the driver. And they stirred up the dreary spirits all along their route by delivering the "Devil's Dream," "Money-Musk" and such popular tunes of the day in artistic style while they stood up in the wagon. The ex- ercises closed with a grand ball at John Osborn's new hotel.
CHAPTER XI.
The Timber Craze of the First Settlers. Wind Breaks for Orchards- Fruit.
The greatest and most depressing need felt by a large majority of the early settlers of Seward county was timber for fuel. Some of the very early ones were fortunate enough to secure homesteads with enough timber to supply their own wants and some to spare their less lucky neighbors. But many of those who had been thus fortunate shared the prevalent timber craze of the time, and fearing a timber famine before they would be called to a warmer place, refus- ed to part with a stick of their wood for love or money. And those who didn't share the fear of freezing to death if they let their neighbors have a little of their surplus wood placed as much value upon it as if it had been obtained in the same manner as dust of the precious metal, panned out. Scrag- gly cottonwood trees, twisting once and half around in an ordinary stovewood length, the only way of getting it small enough to go into a stove was to hew it --- it couldn't be split --- sold for from five to ten dollars each, according to the size. And four foot wood of the same timber was valued at from six up to ten dollars per cord, the price being governed by the locality. If in a locality where one or two, modernly called "tight wads," had a monopoly the higher price pre- vailed. And it required about four cords of this high priced fuel, for heating or cooking purposes, to equal one cord of hickory, oak, beech or hard maple. In fact willow timber or basswood when seasoned is better fuel than cottonwood.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
But the price of the fuel was not always the greatest obstacle in the way of having something to keep warm with and cook the wild onions and potato soup-very many of the settlers' homes were so far from timber that it required as much time to get a wagon load of poor wood from the woods as it does at the present time to get a car load of coal from the coal bank. In accordance with the real conditions of the time and the apparent future situation, the existing pinching necessity was viewed by nearly all with apprehen- sion if not with alarm. The prospects for relief from the ever present burden of providing fuel was so discouraging that a general opinion prevailed that the country was worth- less unless timber could shortly be produced upon the baren land. In view of this idea there was a general rush for young trees to set out. Cottonwood was the most rappid growing and the only kind of native timber that would do to saw into lumber therefore young cottonwood trees were in great de- mand. Some of those fortunate ones who had secured homesteads with a little timber along the rivers entered into speculation in the tree trade and started cottonwood nurser- ies by breaking patches of ground near the timber to catch the cottonwood seed and after it sprouted they sold the sprouts to their later arriving neighbors for from fifty cents to one dollar per hundred; price being governed by the size and age of the trees. But after two or three years the bottom was knocked out of this speculation by the discovery that cottonwood limbs stuck down in the ground would grow faster and make timber quicker than the little trees. This new discovery lightend the labor and expense of tree plant- ing to such on extent that cottonwood groves soon sprang up all over the prairies of Seward county, and rows of that timber were growing on homestead lines. There was no discount on the rapidity of the cottonwood's growth. It had one rival in that line --- the wild sunflower --- which also rivaled
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
it in point of value. It ruined land for the production of other timber or vegetables and nothing would grow within a circle of several rods around it, and timber so greatly desired proved to be an undesirable nuisance. Farmers were rais- ing an abundance of corn, the cobs being better fuel than cottonwood, and the rail roads were bringing coal so cheap and plentiful that it did not pay to chop poor wood for fuel. It made poor fuel and shaky, warpy lumber not worth the expense of sawing. Many of the over zealous homesteaders to plant cottonwoods were at a loss to know how to get them out of the way fast enough. Some cut them down and some girdled them an let them stand until they rotted down. But there are thousands of them remaining and robbing the farmers of many acres of very valuable land. The catalpa, soft maple and white ash, where they have been cultivated are making fine growths of valuable timber and do not rob the soil.
The early homesteaders were greenhorns in the matter of fruit production in about the same degree as they were in growing timber. And by misconception of the reqirements of the country for fruit growing were placed several years behind in that industry. There was a general opinion form- ed among them that fruit could not be produced in Nebraska unless there was first a good "wind break" of growing tim- ber at least on the north and west sides of the orchard ground. While this caused a delay in getting the young fruit trees started it was not the greatest discouraging fea- ture to a large majority. They made their "wind breaks" of cottonwood trees and after a time and the cotton trees got well rooted apple trees would be set out close up to the "wind break." Then after the cottonwoods had sapped the ground and killed the apple trees frequent expressions of doubt about "raising fruit in Nebraska" were heard. But the truth still remains as solid as a rock that while oranges,
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
lemons. bananas and such southern fruit cannot be produced, fruit that will grow in any northern state will grow and do well in Nebraska. No state in the United States produces finer apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries and all kinds of berries. The first doubts and half-hearted efforts to raise fruit in Seward county, gave it such a backset it was "side- tracked" by farmers for other more easy raised, and per- haps less profitable productions, while other portions of the once Great American Desert, no better for fruit production, are banking thousands of dollars for their apple, pear and peach crop every year, Seward county barley produces its own fruit. While farmers can make quick and profitable crops of corn, wheat, oats, hogs, cattle, horses and hens'. eggs they prefer to buy their fruit instead of taking the time to raise it. But the fault for its non production cannot be attributed to the soil, climate nor wind.
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CHAPTER XII.
BEAVER CROSSING. Pioneer Postoffices and Postmasters-The "Star Route" Served on the Back of a Broncho .- Beaver Crossing Moved. Its Location and Name a Missfit-A Story.
Although Beaver Crossing was perhaps better known throught the country in early times than any other locality in Seward county, there was nothing to indicate a town nor village, the name originating, as has previously been stated, from the freight route crossing of Beaver creek. But early in 1867 Roland Reed succeeded in getting a postoffice estab- lished under the name of Beaver Crossing, he receiving the appointment as the first postmaster, located the office in his ranch, about one-half mile east of Beaver creek. Mr. Reed served as postmaster two years, resigning the office to move upon his homestead when Daniel Millspaw was appointed, becoming Beaver Crossing's second postmaster. About the time of Mr. Millspaw's appointment Thomas H. Tisdale arrived from the state of Wisconsin and established a gen- eral mercantile business in the John E. Fouse ranch, a short distance west of Beaver creek, Mr. Fouse having retired to his homestead. And in this store Mr. Millspaw located the postoffice, and appointed T. H. Tisdale his clerk. In con- nection we will quote a paragraph from W. W. Cox's history which is somewhat missleading. On page 260 of that work in the general write-up of M precinct Mr. Cox says:
"Smith & Ingals opened a little store in 1871 and Mr. Smith built the flouring mill the same season. At this time Thomas Tisdale had a little store at John E. Fouse's ranch at the crossing of the Beaver creek in the corner of L pre- cinct. Mr. Tisdale had secured a postoffice which was sup- plid by a star route. Mail was carried on a broncho and
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
was weekly; some said it was a weakly affair."
Mr. Cox practicially makes the opening of the "little store" by Smith & Ingals the starting point of Beaver Cross- ing and gives no previous account of it. As has been seen, Roland Reed secured the post office two years before T. H. Tisdale opened his store in 1869. The postoffice had been established four years and six months, at least, before the "little store" mentioned as being opened by Smith & Ingals was built. Mr. Smith, who was in the flouring mill business at Pleasant Hill, Saline county, built the mill in the spring and early summer of 1871, and in the fall of the same year he built and stocked the store as an ajunct to the mill. But the firm of Smith & Ingals was scarcely known in the local- ity as the store was opened and conducted under the man- agement of Ed. Nye, a brother-in-law of Mr. Smith. And Ed. Nye was realy the only person interested in the success of this "new store" as it was commonly called. The writer had the honor of sawing on an old fiddle while neighbors and settlers from several distant points "warmed" the floor of the new store before the interior was fitted for merchan- dise.
Smith's flouring mill was built upon a portion of Ross Nichols' farm in M precinct, four miles south-east of Beaver Crossing. And every indication pointing to that locality as the coming business center for the surrounding country, the determination to select a permanent location for his business while the opportunity was favorable, was soon settled by T. H. Tisdale and securing sufficient real estate form Ross Nichols he errected a new and commodous store building upon the site of the proposed town. And to these new quarters he transferred his mercantile stock. At the time he opened his "little store at the Fouse ranch" he was not vet a resident of Nebraska not having resided long enough in the state, and therefore was not eligible to appointment
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
as postmaster; therefore could not have had anything to do with getting or securing a post office as stated by Mr. Cox. But having become a citizen in due time, Daniel Millspaw resigned his postmastership and T. H. Tisdale became the third postmaster. Of course when the store was moved the postoffice had to go too or remain without a postmaster and it went with the outfit and Beaver Crossing was thus moved from L precinct four miles south-east and set down in M precinct where it remains without any other reason on earth for being called Beaver Crossing than that Tom Tisdale was postmaster and wanted to move his store to another part of the county. But there is not the first thing in sight to jus- tify the name it bears. It is not even on or near Beaver creek and is merely a namesake or shadow of the old matter of fact name established many years before the new village was thought of. In regard to the "star route, served upon the back of a broncho" as a "weakly affair," we will illustrate the facts in a recital of a little personal experience of the writer in
A True Story of Marriage Under Diffiulties.
In the fall of 1869 my "best girl" emmigrated with her parents from Harrison county, Iowa, to the wild plains of Seward county, Nebraska and located in a little log house on the West Blue river bottom a mile and a half west of the site of the present village of Beaver Crossing. By a little dilligent inquiry I learned that her post office address was Beaver Crossing. And to and from that place the back of 'the broncho was heavier laden each week for a period of six months at the end of which I concluded to ride the broncho myself. In accordance with this determination I left Logan, Iowa, on the 20th day of March, 1870, bound for Beaver Crossing via Council Bluffs. As there were no railway ac- commodations in the direction I wanted to go, I had plan- ned to cross the Missouri river from the Bluffs to Omaha
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
and take stage passage to Lincoln where I would connect with the "star route" to the Crossing. I stopped at the old historical Pacific House in Council Bluffs for dinner and told the landlord where I was going and how I wished to get there. And I was very much surprised when he told me that there was no connecting line either by stage or any other way between the city of Omaha and Lincoln, the cap- ital of the state. He said my only way to get to Beaver Crossing and avoid a week's lay-over was to go by rail that evening to Nebraska City and take the stage which would leave the next morning for Lincoln where the hack for my desired destination would leave the following morning. I boarded the south bound train on the Hannibal & St. Joe road early in the evening for Nebraska City, fifty miles down the river and arrived at what was then called East Nebraska City, on the opposite side of the river from the city proper, at about ten o'clock. A young gentleman representing the Sherman House in the City met the train and as he was checking baggage to be delivered at the Sherman House I permitted him to check my valise. In the morning when the stage was ready to leave for Lincoln I presented my check at the baggag room in the hotel and found that the highly prized article had been left on the other side of the river. This caused me more trouble than can well be im- magined. The stage would not wait a minute, and I either had to go with it or miss the hack from Lincoln to Beaver Crossing which meant a lay-over for one week. but in that satchel was a forty dollar wedding suit which I expected to need as soon as I reached my jorney's end. I made up my mind, in a hurry, to leave the valise and get married in the clothes I had on, which were middling fair. Boarding the stage I found three traveling companions bound for Beaver Crossing, the trio consisting of a gintleman, lady and little boy. The gentleman was Mr. McCall, the lady his wife
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
the boy his step-son, well known in more recent years in the vicinity of Beaver Crossing as A. E. Sheldon, now the hus- band of Margaret Thompson, a pioneer girl of ranch days. The kid was about five years old and annoyed his mother and step-father by insisting in climbing out of the stage every time it stopped to run a race with it, a race in which the boy would certainly have been winner. Leaving Nebraska City at about eight a. m. the trip of fifty miles to Lincoln was completed at seven p. m. Stops were made along the route to change horses and mail. There were no metropolitan hotels in Lincoln in those days, but I found a very fair place to stay and where I eat my first buffalo steak, a much better and more digestible meat than is served at many up- to date hotels of the present time. In the morning I realized for the first time that the loss of my satchel had deprived me of a clean shirt at least, and that my chance to meet my girl and get married in a dirty shirt was very much too ap- parent for pleasant thoughts and looking down the street, which I think is now O street, saw a sign-board accross the sidewalk which displayed the words in large letters, "Clothing Store." It didn't require a second suggestion-I was soon within the portal of that establishment and if my voice shook a little when I asked the proprietor if he had any laundried white shirts it must have been caused by the flight down the street. But the shirt with a box of paper collars were purchased and I hurried back to the postoffice where I was to meet Mr. Adams, propritor of the Adams hack line to Beaver Crossing. Stepping into the postoffice a peculiar- ly giddy sensation passed over me and glancing down to the floor I discovered that it was composed of wide cottonwood boards which had not only shrank, leaving wide cracks be- tween them, but had perhaps warped some making the floor rough and a little shaky. There were a number of full mail sacks laying by the side of the postoffice door and to the in-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
quiry of where they were to go Mr. Adams replied: "With us; the most of them to Beaver Crossing." He then loaded them upon his spring wagon and started with his mail and one passenger on a two day's journey to Beaver Crossing, and while I assure the readers of this sketch that I did not ride a broncho they may rest assured that if the mail that was loaded onto that wagon had been laid on the back of a broncho the animal could not have moved a foot. The load consisted of mail for Milford, Camden, West Mills and Beaver Crossing. I took dinner at Milford, supper, lodging and breakfast at Camden. Leaving Camden the next stop was at West Mills of a half hour while the postmaster change 1 the mail. Continuing the journey Daniel Millspaw's ranch was reached in time for dinner. Here, after enjoying a lit- tle amusement at the expense of the star route man, I met a surprise almost equal to the one over the loss of my satchel. There was a very fine appearing lady visitor at the Mills- paw ranch and the amusing feature was brought up by the mention, in some way, of whiskey from which the lady took occasion to denounce the wet goods and every one who used it. And the star route driver, Mr. Adams, joined in and gave vent to his hatred of the vile stuff and denounced its use in terms so plain that a "way-fareing man, though a fool. need not err therein." He assented to everything the lady said and in the language of card players, "went several chips better." But he failed to state that he had a gallon jug full of the "oh-be-joyfull" under the seat in his hack which he had been "sampling" at the cornor of every section on the road from Lincoln. I immagined at the time that she had noticed the perfume of his breath, but perhaps not. After this interesting conversation the grand surprise in store for me was next in order, and after I had donned my overcoat and buttoned it up to continue my journey to the little log house of John D. Salnave, about one mile further west, the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
fine temperance lady advocate stepped up to me and without the least sign of a doubtful thought, extended her hand, say- ing: "Mr. Waterman, we would be pleased to have you visit us before you return to lowa." Following her came an elderly lady --- God bless her kind heart --- and grabbing my hand she shook it till my teeth rattled, calling me by name and wishing me much joy; and then came the third lady, grand enough to grace the finest habitations of a prince and giving me cheering welcome to the community she congrat- ulate l me in a very kindly manner. Well, I didn't faint, but did forget where I was at and didn't come to my right mind sufficient to try to learn the names of the ladies until I got started with the hack and Uncle Dan Millspaw in the back seat, who gave the name of the first lady as Mrs. Ross Nichols, the second, his wife, Mrs. Daniel Millspaw and the third their daughter, Mrs. Rosa McClellan.
The facts are, I had been expected to appear in person in that neighborhood about a month before and business matters had forced me to postpone the trip. And as the young lady had made all necessary arangements for the wed- ding, with guests invited her disappointment at my non-ap- pearance was thoroughly understood by sympathizing neigh- bors. Those ladies knew this and perhaps had heard of the second proposed trip, and as the travelers over the star route to Beaver Crossing were limited in number, they felt sure that I was the man they were expecting to see.
Here I wish to mention Daniel Millspaw, because con- nected with his name is a memory which remains and will remain with me until my time passes to eternity. He is the one who as justice of the peace, prounounced the ceremony uniting myself and life companion in holy wedlock at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Salnave, near Beaver Crossing, March 26, 1870. This occuring a few days after the experience at his house and also following
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