History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 13

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 13

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).

saw, just ahead of them in the darkness, some- thing that they took for a post, and, believing they had come to a fence, Strong walked up to it and felt on both sides for the wires, but finding none, he put his hand on top of the supposed post and discovered to his conster- nation that it was a stovepipe, and still warm.

By the time his investigations had resulted in this warm discovery. Morrison had driven the team up quite close to him and demanded a reason for his stop. He explained the nature of his find, and suggested a careful backing up of the team for fear of a tumble through the roof, which would be likely to disturb the sleepers below. He had seen enough of "dug- outs" to know that they had discovered one, but just how to get inside they did not yet know. After getting the team out of all pos- sible danger, Strong started on a voyage of discovery. The problem of the lay of the dugout was soon solved to the satisfaction of all concerned. Of course it was dug out of a bank, but just where the bank ended and the house united with it he could not make out in the darkness ; but he soon discovered that there was a space of about four feet between the end of the dugout - which liad a wall of logs at the end - and the bank which sloped towards the house. The way he discovered this open- ing was by the happy one of falling into it ; the way he gained admittance into the house was by rolling down the sloping bank and in at the window. and the way he aroused the household was by alighting on a promiscuous collection of tinware, which made noise enough to stampede a bunch of plow horses.

From the time he had started across the hills with the intention of asking the hospitality of Mr. McEndeffer's roof and board for the night, it had been with misgivings, if not with fear, as it will be remembered that he had been in some measure connected with the Olives in their fight with Mitchell and Ketchum. He was a cattleman, and his interests were not enhanced by the settlers. What were Strong's feelings to find himself precipitated in that fashion into the house and finding himself clawing and kicking around among the dish pans and milk pails, while a gruff voice was

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demanding : "Who's there?" "Get out!" "Scat!" "Get a light!" "Get the gun!" and like exclamatory remarks, interspersed with more or less profanity and a chorus chiming in from other members of the family?

Had a team fallen through the roof it would have raised no greater row than did Strong's plunge through the window. But he finally extricated himself from the tinware, kettles, and frying pans, and beat a hasty retreat under cover of the darkness and the excitement of the enemy out through the window and around to the door, where he gave a loud rap, more in accord with civilized ways. When a light was procured and explanations made, and an inventory taken of the kitchen utensils to find what actual damage was done, they were made welcome, and as the ceremony of "breaking the ice" was not necessary after breaking his head and a milk crock, McEndeffer's cob pipe, and several other articles of less importance, they were soon comfortable and quite at home.

CUSTER COUNTY PIONEER HONORED

The next morning Strong and Morrison started for Merna, and at noon of that day they stood upon a hill that overlooked the beautiful valley that was to be their future home. Merna at that time consisted of one small sod house, with an annex of one room. The sod house was filled with sundry articles of merchandise, such as tobacco, soap, codfish, buttons, and thread. A cubby-hole in the wall served as the postoffice, which was kept by W. G. Brotherton. The annex was occupied by Mr. Brotherton and his wife as a living room. and was presided over by Lizzie, whose chief business seemed to be looking after the wants of new arrivals and making them comfortable and happy.

One-half mile north of Brotherton's store, and the site of the future lively little railroad town of Merna, they struck their tent on claims previously bought of Samuel N. Dunn- ing and Floyd Field. Mr. Dunning had lo- cated farther north, on the Dismal river, going into the cattle business. When the B. & M. Railroad was extended through the Black Hills, a town was located near his home and given

the name of Dunning, which perpetuates the name of one of Custer county's pioneers. Floyd Field also located on the Dismal river, or on the Loup, and from a modest beginning in the cattle industry, he and his brother, Fred, have grown into two of the wealthiest ranch owners in this part of the state. The post- office of Merna was first kept by Mr. Dunning and the name of Merna was that of his young- est daughter. After the railroad had been built, and the town finally and for all time lo- cated by the Lincoln Townsite Company, it was quite natural that the infantile city, struggling for life and metropolitan honors, should be given the name of the original post- office, so that Merna became a fixed geographi- cal landmark.

PELHAM STRETCHES THE QUILT

The next day the journey of Mr. Strong and Mr. Morrison was uneventful, and they put up for the night with C. D. Pelham, at or near where the present city of Broken Bow stands. Pelham kept the postoffice and a small stock of groceries, and the first hotel in Bro- ken Bow. They had often seen the puzzle of the innkeeper who could put thirteen men in twelve rooms, but Pelham could discount any such Cheap-John mathematical problem as that. He could easily stow away thirteen men in one small room. It is related of him on good authority that he had a most ingenious way of making six blankets suffice for a dozen or more guests. When late arrivals were ready to retire they were tucked snugly away under a blanket that was deftly removed from some guest who had gone to bed earlier, and who. being fast asleep, would never know the dif- ference. Of course if the weather was very cold the uncovered sleepers were liable to wake up after a time and make a roar, but before this stage was reached the other fellow was sound asleep and the covering was restored to the original sleeper. By shifting the cover- ing judiciously and systematically during the night, Pelham always succeeded in keeping all of his guests as warm as a pie in the coldest winter weather, although in cases of a rush of business every one of them would be un-

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covered two-thirds or three-quarters of the time.

A FLOCK OF BACHELORS

Standing at Brotherton's store in May. 1882, and looking out over the valley spreading to the west and north, one could see a few marks that indicated the beginning of a small settle- ment. A group of "old bachelors" off to the northwest were holding various claims in vari- ous parts of the valley, but were mostly "batching" together in Al Thomas' dugout, where they discussed the future greatness of the country, and studied the faces of the four queens they usually held in their hands, while they mentally cogitated upon an improbable consignment of femininity to be shipped out to supply wives for this miscellaneous assortment of masculinity.

It is only justice to these men who cut such a sorry figure at stag housekeeping, to say that they were all men of liberal education and refined tastes, and to leave behind them the influence of eastern homes and the society of women were the worst hardships they had to endure in the wild west. Most of them in time found good wives, who have helped them to make comfortable and happy homes. this bachelor dive were Al Thomas, Joe Sitler. A. Sommers. John Jacquot, Len Thomas, Charles Thomas, Scott, Hanna, MeWorthy, and others whose names are not now recalled.

At this time had one looked inside all of the houses within a radius of five miles from Brotherton's store, he would have found but three women within the entire circle - Mrs. C. P. Foote, Mrs. Brotherton, and Mrs. Dunning. What they lacked in quantity, however. they made up in quality, for no new settlement was ever blest with better women to mother the community than this trinity of maternal excellence. They have all gone on before to another country, but the blessings of all early settlers in this vicinity will follow them.

. GIBBONITES ON THE LOUP

[ This volume is indebted to Miss Marguer- ite George, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ne

George, for this account of the settlement on the East South Loup.]

In the spring of 1875 many settlers left their homes at Gibbon, Nebraska, on account of the grasshoppers. Among the first to leave was Nc George and family. They took a little band of cattle and a lumber-wagon load of house- hold goods and started for the Loup. Will Trew and Ne's sister Cora (the late Mrs. A. L. Morgan) helped to drive the cattle. They were three days on the road, making the jour- ney without any unusual event except a little trouble with one old cow. The men left Mrs. George in the wagon with her baby, seven months old, and went ahead to help Cora drive the cow. They were gone so long that Mrs. George became greatly worried, thinking that they had been made way with by desperate characters, perhaps. She made up her mind what she would do if they did not return soon. She climbed down from the wagon and went to the top of the hill to see if she could see anybody, and when she looked back to her team they had turned around and were headed towards Gibbon. Not daring to set her baby down she held him in her arms and ran as fast as she could to the team; managing to reach one of the traces, she finally got to the bridle and stopped them. In a little while the men returned and the journey was resumed without further mishap. They reached their destination on Deer creek May 21, 1875. There was not another settler in that vast expense of prairie. Only a few transit cattlemen, with their small camps here and there, were their companions.

FIND AN OLD DUGOUT

An okl hunter's dugout was found in the bank along Deer creek and this became the home of the new settlers until another dug- out. with more room in it, could be made. The cattle were allowed to roam at will, graz- ing on the prairie but staying near the water.

The country abounded in deer. elk, and other wild game. The men spent a great deal of their time in hunting and trapping. Often trappers spent much time in this locality

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and when they had secured a good supply of skins they would come to Plum Creek, now Lexington, where they received a good price for them.

TWIN FAWNS AT THE CENTENNIAL

One day when Mr. George was out hunting he found two little fawns hidden in the cat- steps, while their mother was away feeding. He took them home and made pets of them. They were about a week old, he thought. They were red in color, like a calf, with white spots on their sides but were not as large as a calf. They lay in the brush until called to their lunch, when they would come bound- ing towards tlie house like two rab- bits. They drank milk from a pai!, sticking their noses clear to the bottom of the pail. even if the milk covered their eyes. Mr. George kept them until they were a year old, when he sold them to the Fairmont Park As- [Photo by S. D. Butcher ] sociation, Philadei- phia, receiving fifty dollars for the two. They were one of the unique attractions at the Cen- tennial exposition at Philadelphia, in 1876.

In the spring of 1877 a fierce storm came up which developed into a cloud-burst. The rain fell only twenty minutes but in that time, the level prairie was covered with water. A hole as big as a stove pipe was washed in the roof of the dugout where Mr. George lived, and the water swept in in torrents. Luckily the door was directly opposite the opening and the water had a straight course through the house. After this the dugout was abandoned and a small log-house built. Later Mr. George moved this house two miles further down the river to the place where he now resides. An election was held in 1878 in which this log cabin was used as a polling place. Josh

Woods, Coe Kilgore, Frank Young, and L. D. George were the only ones present.

WOULD NOT STAND FOR THE NAME

A mail route from Plum Creek to Loup City passed near the George homestead. Nc George applied for the appointment of post- master but the officials demanded his full name and could not understand his explanation of a name consisting of two consonants so Nc failed to be appointed. Mr. Kilgore received the appointment and the postoffice was called Georgetown.

In the meantime many settlers had come to the Loup. Most of them lived in hunt- ers' dugouts. Those arriving during the years 1875

A TYPICAL DUGOUT

and 1876 were John E. Myers, John Ma- hon, and Christo- pher Hazelbaker.

THE HAUMONTS

Belgium gave Custer county a contribution in the early '70s when Ed. and Jules Haumont settled in the coun- ty and located claims northeast of Broken Bow. During the first winter they endured many hardships, but managed to look after a small flock of sheep.

One of the unique achievements was the building of a two-story sod house with shingle roof, sod kitchen annex, and round-tower cor- ners. This was the most aristocratic building ever constructed of prairie marble in the coun- ty. Edward Hanmont is now deceased. His widow still lives on the place and is very re- sourceful in reminiscences of early days.

WHERE BROKEN BOW NOW STANDS

The first settlers on the Muddy in the vicin- ity of where Broken Bow now stands were Wilson Hewitt, who had moved up from the South Loup country, and Dan Lewis, who

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

[ Photo by S. D. Butcher ]

JACOB COVER'S Son HOUSE ON THE MUDDY, 1886

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

came with a wife and two children. Mrs. Lewis' step-father, Henry Graham, came at the same time with Lewis. Lewis found a bachelor named Jesse Garringer holding by squatter's right a claim on which he had a dugout. Lewis bought the right and settled in the dugout. This place is now the Willis farm, just west of town. Graham filed on the Cornelius Tierney place, east of the present town. Later C. D. Pelham, Moses Lewis, Ed and Mark King moved in. Mrs. Dan Lewis, who is now Mrs. Tuttle, had her experience in the dugout. It was a common experience for her to go out at night and wave a sheet to scare the cattle away. Her second daughter, Ida Lewis, born June 14, 1881, was the first child born in Broken Bow or vicinity.

Mrs. Eliza Graham, the mother of Mrs. Lewis and wife of Henry Gra- ham, died August 10, 1880, and was buried down on the Tierney place. This was the first death in this part of the county.

EDWARD HAUMONT'S SOD PALACE - THE ONLY TWO-STORY SOD HOUSE IN THE COUNTY

EARLY DAYS - HARD TIMES

[The following paper, read by Mrs. Alice Dowse Sims at the old settlers' picnic in Bro- ken Bow, 1903. contains enough of historical value to entitle it to a place in this chapter. While some statements are duplicated on other pages, the article, nevertheless, presents the viewpoint of the first white person born in Custer county and one who was reared to womanhood amid the scenes and in the times she describes.]

Much of what I have written for to-day is sketches of life among the early settlers of this

county, which have not found their way in the published history of this county. Also what I have written is from direct dictations from some of these old settlers. Therefore they will vouch for its veracity.

Thirty years ago, in the summer of 1873. my parents. Lewis and Sarah Dowse, with two little babies - Willis and Eliza -came to Loup City. There they made their acquain- tance with Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Allen. My mother stopped there while my father and Grandpa Wagner came on up into the Middle Loup valley in August. 1873. My father picked out his land and went back after his tools. He came back and put up hay during September and October. He left his tools and things and re- turned for his family, but had to make two trips to Grand Island for provisions before he brought his family np.

To his knowledge there was only one claim taken in all Custer county, and that was what is known as Douglas Grove, taken by Ed Dong- las, an old soldier. Next Mr. Ohmes picked out his land and sent men up to begin build- ing. In January, 1874, my parents moved from Loup City to Douglas Grove. Father came first with a load. In those days the Middle Loup had no bridges above the one they had just erected at Loup City. By the time he reached the banks of the river on the opposite side of the Grove it was very dark. He was uncertain as to the safety of the ice for crossing his team, so he unhitched and left it there. He then crawled across to Doug- las Grove on his hands and knees. Mr. Doug-

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las had not moved up on his claim yet. but a man by the name of Henry Snell had arranged a kind of a dugout, a little above the Grove, the way of entrance being a small hole at the top to slide down through. It was nicely ar- ranged, so as not to be easily discovered by Indians - my father thought by white people as well, before he was able to find it. He beat up and down the river. yelling and hallooing to awaken Mr. Snell. but the resounding of his echo was the only response. Finally he gave it up, came back to the Grove, built a rousing fire to keep away any wild animals that might be lurking about, and rested as hest he could till morning.

He returned im- mediately for moth- er and the children. From oft repeated stories I have forni- ed a little picture. I see my mother. , then only twenty years old. glance over that lonely valley and note the wild herds of deer and elk grazing on the hillside or rov- ing up and down the valley. I see her survey that insignificant little dugout, and imagine her heart beats wildly as she clasps those little ones close to her bosom, praying that God would protect them in that wild and lonely place. She has often told me of the lonely hours and days she spent in that solitary hut, during the greater part of the next four months. Day after day she was alone with the babies and her little sister, Clara.

In the month of February my father had gone to Loup City after a load. leaving his family in the care of IIenry Snell. The eve- ning they expected him home, supper was prepared and waiting. It was a very dark night and little Willie was fretful and began crying. Clara tried to think of something to say to keep him still. Jokingly, she said,

[ Photo by S. D. Butcher. 1886] J. A. WOODS, FIRST SETTLER IN WOODS' PARK, MIDDLE. LOUP RIVER

"There's some Indians at the door; let's go and see them." At this the little fellow hushed and started with Clara to see the Indians. A small door to this little dugout had been made since the arrival of the family. As Clara and the baby slipped outside. there stood four large Indians right in front of them. Poor, fright- ened Clara darted back into the dugout. leav- ing the baby to entertain the Indians as best he could. They pushed their way into the room. The scent of the cooking supper had guided them to the dugout. Mr. Snell was sitting reading. They demanded supper. by grunts and motions. Mother seated them at the little table and placed before them all the victuals she had prepared. While they were filling themselves my father arrived. Mother had on the stove a very large tea-kettle, full of boiling water. When they had drunk all the coffee in a large coffee pot. they grunted for more. Father kept filling the cof- fee pot, from the kettle of boiling water and pouring it in the large coffee cups, until the water in the tea- kettle was exhausted, then they seemed satis- fied. They were not hostile Indians, however. but were some poor Pawnees whose ponies had been stolen by the Sioux Indians up on the North Loup river. After they had eaten all they could get they wanted to pile down on the floor and go to sleep, but father would not let them.

Mr. Connell was then living in the Grove in Ed Douglas' house. Henry Snell took the Indians down and left them with Mr. Connell. Before they would leave him the next morn- ing, they grunted and motioned for him to take them through the settlement down by Loup City. So he wrote a pass and gave

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them. The papers stated that they obtained fourteen square meals by presenting that pass, which read as follows: "These are four good Pawnees. Grease them and let them slide."

The following March, 1874, Grandpa Wag- ner came up again, accompanied by Mr. Will Comstock, Mr. Caswell, and Mr. Allen. They selected their land and returned for their families. (Mr. Comstock filed on his claim April 15, 1874.) A few days later Denio, Eu- bank, and Darnell come up, looked at land, and then they returned east for their families. About the latter part of April Grandpa Wag- ner, with Mr. and Mrs. Allen and their little baby, Jennie, came up and father boated them across the river. Then father hitched his team to the wagon and they all went just a short distance above the present site of Wes- cott, and began making garden. Grandpa Wagner said while they were making garden he would go and find something for dinner. He took his gun and strolled off across the hills. Shortly he returned with a piece of antelope, built a fire and soon had a roast pre- pared for dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Allen went back and soon returned in time to tend to their garden, stopping with my parents at the time. In a few days Grandpa Wagner brought his family up. Father's little slab house couldn't hold them all, so Mr. and Mrs. Allen moved in with Ed Douglas for a few weeks.

Soon following came other mnen with their families - Mr. Ed Eubank, Darnell, and Ox- fords. About the last of May, Mr. Allen and his family moved from the Grove into their new house, which was just one-quarter of a mile north of Captain Comstock's present dwelling place. Immediately Mr. Comstock and wife came, and they stopped with Mr. Allen till their little dugout was completed. Later other families came, but moved east again on account of the Indian scares.

No new story is so fascinating as are the oft-repeated stories of the early events as given to me by these old settlers. Mrs. Allen says she thought then, and she believes to this day, that the best bread she ever ate in her life time was made out of wheat ground in

my mother's coffec mill. She verily declares she would gladly exchange her present lux- uries for the happy days she spent in those little dugouts, with her neighbors - Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Comstock, and Mrs. Dowse. One sweet little story is connected with Mrs. Allen's little Number 7 cook stove. Grandma Wagner's and Mrs. Comstock's stoves had no ovens to them, and they would carry their bread to Mrs. Allen's little Number 7 to bake it. "And," says Mrs. Allen, "many a nice loaf of bread did that little stove bake. I would look out the door and see Mrs. Wagner and Mrs. Comstock both coming, carrying their bread - then I'd think: 'Well, Mrs. Comstock will have to bake her's first, for she makes salt- rising, then Mrs. Wagner's turn.' And such a nice time we liad." Mr. Comstock declares yet that the best biscuit he ever ate were baked on top of their little stove, and he still likes them best baked that way.

Mr. Darnell and Grandpa Wagner ever kept broken the monotony of life, by their quaint lives among their old neighbors. Mr. Dar- nell spent most of his time killing snipe and catching fish, and, says Mr. Comstock, "When the snipe all left, and the fish wouldn't bite, Mr. Darnell left too." He also said he was going to start a town while he was liere. He. sent his neighbors up the river to cnt cedar trees and float them down the river. They tried it but the trees wouldn't float ; therefore Mr. Darnell's town never got started. And the old neighbors all still express their deeply felt gratitude to Grandpa Wagner for his abundant supply of deer, elk, and antelope, which kept many families from starving. Mr. Comstock tells of once when they crept up on four deer : of course the deer ran as soon as they saw them, but by Mr. Comstock handing him cart- ridges. Grandpa shot them before they were out of range. He never missed his game when it was in range of his old rifle. and his marks- manship was still remembered long after the large game had left the country. About the latter part of August, 1874, the sun began to darken, and within a few days the air and every nook and corner were alive with grass- hoppers. Most of the settlers had some kind

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SOD RESIDENCE OF THOMAS J. BUTCHER, ERECTED IN 1880

This picture is a reproduction of a photograph taken in 1886 and shows Mr. and Mrs. Butcher with their children and grandchildren.

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

[Photo by S. D. Butcher, 19 4]

NEW RESIDENCE OF THOMAS J. BUTCHER, WHO CAME TO CUSTER COUNTY IN 1880 AND SETTLED ON THE MIDDLE LOUP RIVER, IN TOWNSHIP 20, RANGE 20

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

of crops nicely started, and fair prospects, by close management, of raising enough to carry them through till the next summer. But now, what could those poor families, who had toiled so hard through the summer months, do to save their small crops, which were all they possessed? Must they stand, as it were, and see the food taken from the mouths of their little ones? My father thought he would save a little corn by shocking it up, but as soon as he would complete a shock it was covered with millions of grasshoppers. And thus every- thing was almost entirely annihilated.

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History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 13

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180