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 36

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 36

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).

"It was then that the work was begun, by the appointment of the necessary committee to arrange the details, to carry the Broken Bow proposition and invitation to the board of managers of the state association, which would meet, at Aurora, in June. 1914.

"When the convention assembled, Custer county Sunday-schools and association were greatly in evidence. With a large delegation from the county, with badges, banners, and yells, with Scripture mottos, Big Custer was put on the map. Result, the 1915 State Sun- day School Association convention was coming to Broken Bow.

"To many of our people this was their first opportunity to meet the lecture-speakers and specialists in Sunday-school methods and modern equipment, and all this would surely leave some ideals and aspiration in the minds and hearts of some young workers, the im- press of noble, spiritual men and women. But the greatness, and magnitude of the job was yet before us. Would we be equal to the occasion ? Could we do what we had promised the workers of the year ago? The task was yet before us.

"In the meantime every phase of the work necessary to meet, greet, and welcome the great host that would surely come to us, had been looked after, so that every one was en- tertained and cared for in the homes and pub- lic houses. The spirit of doing great things had caught our people to a degree that brought praise and compliments from our guests, from the first to the closing day of the convention."

What was the Broken Bow state convention, as to numbers and enthusiasm, as compared to former conventions ? We will let State Secretary W. H. Kimberly tell: "I want to say, friends, to the people of Broken Bow, and to the Custer county association, that this is the record-breaker convention; the registra- tion has gone nearly 600 above the high mark of former conventions. We never before spoke to such large audiences. We never saw so much enthusiasm in the convention work: entertainment and management have been of the highest order. We have never had smoother working machinery. The officers of the state association thank the committees, the people of Broken Bow, and the officers of Custer County Sunday School Association for our great convention."

The enrollment of the state convention was thirty per cent. greater than any previous con- vention.

COMPARISON CONVENTION ATTENDANCE

Year 1914 Year 1915

Total attendance

796

16446

In convention town

390

813

In state outside

406

833

Mileage delegates .

2394

6983

Number counties

represented

CHAPTER XII

LODGES AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

AN EARLY-DAY FEED - A STAG PARTY PERFORMANCE - FUN WITH A MEEK-EYED BRON- CHO - A PIONEER PICNIC - AN OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION - 1883 WAS THE BOOM YEAR -OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH LOUP - ANCIENT FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS - INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOW'S - MODERN WOODMEN OF CUSTER COUNTY - ANS- LEY'S LODGES - MASON CITY LODGES - ROYAL NEIGHBORS OF ARNOLD - THE GRANGE - WOMAN'S CLUBS IN CUSTER COUNTY - SHAKESPEARE CLUB - CALLAWAY SOROSIS CLUB - HISTORY OF BROWNING CLUB - THE BOOK LOVERS' ORGANIZATION - BROKEN BOW ART CLUB - ARNOLD WOMEN'S IMPROVEMENT CLUB - THE BROKEN BOW WOMAN'S CLUB - SARGENT WOMAN'S CLUB - WOMAN'S CLUB. OF ANSLEY

Nowhere on the planet can be found a more sociable people than the Custerites have always been. In pioneer times they were not given to overmuch formality, but possessed that free and easy sociability and hospitality that always mark the western people. They vis- ited in each other's homes, they congregated in the schoolhouses, they held public celebrations, a picnic was a favorite way of spending the day, informal dinner parties were served as of- ten in the society of forty years ago as in that of to-day, according to population. Many of the prominent settlers had, before their migra- tion, belonged to lodges of the east. and, with a lodgeman's nose for smelling out fraternal kin- ship, they formed their cliques and clans, which ripened into warm friendship before enough kindred spirits had arrived to form the lodge.

To illustrate some of the gatherings of pio- neer days, elsewhere in this chapter will be found an account of a stag party and broncho entertainment which gives a very vivid por- trayal of early society. before the advent of ' women. Reference is made to Mrs. Stuckey's dinner-party story, to show the improvement in society after the advent of women.

AN EARLY-DAY FEED

Mrs. H. C. Stuckey gives this glimpse of

early-day society "pulling off" a dinner party : "We would arrange to get together, as many as possible, on some set day, and go all together to the ranch of some neighbor. We never sent any warning when we might be ex- pected, but we were always welcome, always had a good dinner. and the cook was never put out. Let me describe a ranch dinner of the olden time. This. of course, is an invited dinner. There were no menu cards, but there were turkey, chicken, quail stuffed with oysters, chicken salad, all kinds of vegetables, jellies and preserves made from wild fruit which grew in abundance in the canyons. cakes and dainty desserts of various kinds. coffee, tea, or chocolate. The table was al- ways beautiful, no matter how plain the sur- roundings. No fine paintings adorned the walls, but many pretty things for the table had been brought from eastern homes. Sometimes there was a knife short, but the butcher knife was drafted into service and proved an excel- lent substitute. Perhaps there were not enough chairs to accommodate all of the guests, but several molasses kegs, with which the ranch always abounded, were brought into requisi- tion ; a long board was laid on them and cov- ered over with robes, which made a seat good enough for a king -a cattle king. at least. The hospitality of ranch days was unbounded

276

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

-not the chilly and what-did-you-come-for hospitality of to-day."

.A STAG PARTY PERFORMANCE

Anent the hilarious times of early days, when whole-hearted hospitality was extended by every ranch to anybody that might pull the latch-string, and where neighbors were always welcome to shove their feet under the table or crawl into a bunk, R. E. Brega, of Callaway, gives an interesting account of an early-day stag party that took place on the Benger & Brown ranch, which was then located in Brown valley, about five miles southwest of the present Callaway. Brega describes it some- what like this :

"On that memorable occasion there were present : Charles Thornburg, M. E. Schnerin- ger, Fred Brown, George O. Benger, J. J. Douglass, R. E. Brega, and others, now for- gotten. The first act on the program was to kill a sheep, the next to elect a cook, and by the way, in those days, the men were all pretty good cooks. The balance of the programme went round in circles. In turn, each told a story, sang a song, danced a jig, or played a tune on an old accordeon which Fred Brown brought from England, and the awful screeches of which told stories of neuralgia, rheumatism, and gout - and made the screech owls green with envy.

"At the end of each round, there was served, lamb, ram, sheep-meat, or mutton, together with pancakes and coffee. This continued through the night, until the lamb had entirely disappeared, and the pancakes ceased to be made, for lack of flour.

"That you may better determine the degree of enjoyment experienced by the participants, it is added that forty-eight hours later, George and Fred were located under a hay-stack, sound asleep-while the sheep wandered on the hills far away."

FUN WITH A MEEK-EYED BRONCHO

A diverting record is that which follows : "In early days they enjoyed life in various ways and one of the great factors of our early life, were the antics of the playful broncho.

To get an innocent tender-foot on 'Sky- scraper,' 'Starjumper,' 'Dynamite,' 'Thunder- bolt,' or some other 'cowboy-buster,' afforded much amusement, and I recall now, how mean we were, for the higher he went, and the harder he fell, the better we liked it. My sides ache when, I think of one instance. Finch- Hatton Brothers had just received a friend from England, who was making a short stay, and who was afterward known as Frank Ban- nister. Frank was a very humane and kind- hearted fellow. He thought it was wrong - very wrong - to put a heavy saddle on a little broncho, and, in addition, he thought it was unnecessary. To be brief, he presented a very forcible lecture along this line, and insisted that we should use light saddles or ride our horses bare-back. Still further, to back up his assertions, he longed for an opportunity to demonstrate the correctness of his idea, re- marking, 'If I only had what you term a mean horse, I would be glad to show you how nice he would act.' Well, this was something 'soft.' We had been looking for him for a long time, and before he concluded his sermon on the pony, Frank Brega slipped into the barn and brought forth a very pretty black mare called 'Deceiver.' By way of introduction, I will say that Al Wise, a noted broncho man of those days, had given her up as a had job, and sent her further west. This pony was quiet and very gentle about the barn, which fact had given rise to her name, 'Deceiver.'

"Mr. Bannister's nerve was with him; he threw a blanket on the pony, and was on her back in a jiffy. Round and round he went ! Not a pitch : not a buck. The crowd felt like -the boy the hen ran over, but our time was yet to come. 'All things come to those who wait.' Yet the crowd was impatient. Finally the pony was called to a halt just in front of the cabin door. Then it was that our punish- ment commenced, for how he did boast! I will now,' he said, 'be able to go back to Eng- land and tell the people how the pony will be spared in the future.' In this manner he con- tinued for a time that seemed like ages, when a gentle wind came to our relief. A small whirlwind turned over a paper near the pony.

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

It would take an eye-witness with a circus ed- ucation to tell the rest. 'He didn't know it was loaded,' but it went off just the same. He struck the building like a thousand bricks. How the crowd did double up and howl. They had laughing-stock enough to last six months. Frank has been in this country now many years, and no one has ever heard him talk of light saddles since, and if you see him riding, take notice that he rides a forty-pounder."

A PIONEER PICNIC

Twenty-six years after the organization of the county, the old settlers organized an Old Settlers' Association and arranged for the first annual picnic, to be held at Broken Bow, August 5, 1903. The account of the picnic, as it appeared in a local paper at the time, is inserted here, to show the spirit of the pio- meers at that time and also because it contains valuable data :

"The first annual picnic of the Old Settlers' Association of Custer county, held in the pub- lic park at Broken Bow, August 5th, was a far greater success than was anticipated by any one. The crowd commenced to gather early, and by eleven o'clock quite a represent- ative number of people had assembled. In the forenoon a business session was held, at which time officers were elected for the ensuing year. The officers are as follows: President. L. H. Jewett ; first vice-president, J. E. Cavanee ; second vice-president, J. R. Land ; secretary- treasurer, E. R. Purcell ; historian, George B. Mair. With the exception of Mr. Lang the officers were the same as for the preceding year.

"At twelve o'clock, dinner was spread in the park, and a very large number of picnic parties were scattered about the grassy plots in the splendid shade. It is estimated that about 500 people occupied the park during the noon hour. At 1:30 o'clock the Broken Bow band gave a half-hour concert, while the people were assembling. At two o'clock the gather- ing was called to order and the program com- menced. By this time the crowd had swelled to immense proportions, and upward of 1,500 people congregated around the speaker's

stand. President Jewett called the meeting to order, and made a very appropriate speech. The address of welcome on behalf of the city was then delivered by Mayor E. R. Purcell. Harry O'Neill, of Omaha. speaker of the day, was introduced. and entertained the audience for half an hour with a splendid talk. Mr. O'Neill is one of the old-time residents of Custer county, and his speech, as well as his presence here, was enjoyed by all. The Ryer- son quartette then favored the audience with a choice selection, after which Daniel Sage, the long-haired poet, read one of his popular poems. Mrs. Stuckey, Broken Bow's popular singer, also favored the audience with a se- lection, which was heartily applauded. An- other number on the program, which was ap- preciated, was a poem written by Tommy Burlin, and it was read by Mrs. G. O. Joyner, of Ortello. Mrs. Alice Dowse Sims read a paper descriptive of the first settlers of the northeast corner of Custer county, which was very entertaining.

"The balance of the program was given over to reminiscent talks from quite a number of old-time residents of Custer county, and this part of the program was a genuine treat to everyone. Among those who spoke were J. M. Fodge, Jess Gandy. H. M. Sullivan, Mrs. Moses Lewis, Alpha Morgan, Jud Kay. C. H. Jeffords, J. D. Ream, and G. R. Russom.

"The award of medals was an interesting feature of the day. The following are the winners: The earliest male settler of Custer county in attendance at the picnic, L. R. Dowse, of Comstock, who dates his residence from August, 1873. Mrs. L. R. Dowse won the medal for the earliest female settler of Custer county in attendance at the picnic. She came here in January, 1874. The earliest male child born in Custer county, in attendance at the picnic, was John F. Bell, of New Helena. Mr. Bell was born in New Helena. in March. 1876. The oldest female child born in Custer county, in attendance at the picnic, was found to be Mrs. Alice Dowse Sims, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dowse, who won the medal for the oldest settlers. Mrs. Sims was born Feb- ruary 22, 1875. The four winners were called

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

to the platform, where the medals were pre- sented by Mr. Fodge. The committee on these awards consisted of J. M. Fodge, John Reese, and J. J. Douglass.

"The unsuccessful contestants for these medals were as follows: For oldest male settler Florian Jabobs, New Helena, November, 1875. For the oldest female settler, Mrs. Nc George, May 20, 1875. For the first-born boy, Lilburn Oxford, born July 22, 1876 ; and C. O. Taylor, born January 26, 1880. For the first-born girl, Mrs. Hattie Carr Osborne, born Septem- ber 6, 1878; Mrs. Maude Noble Gliem, born September 11, 1878; Miss Myrtle Allen, born February 28, 1881 ; Miss Madge Potts, born May 25, 1881.

"Mr. Dowse, who up to the present time holds the record of being the oldest member of the association in attendance at the picnic, has been a resident of Custer county for al- most thirty years. Whether he will be able to retain this, we cannot say. It is the intention of the association to award these medals each year, to the oldest settlers and the earliest born who are in attendance at each picnic. The program continued until nearly five o'clock, but the visiting and intermingling continned in the park for several hours later. The day was a decided success from every standpoint. The weather was all that could be desired, the program was replete with splend- did things and the sociability of the crowd was a feature that was noticeable on every hand. It is a foregone conclusion that the old settlers' picnic of this county will be a great event every year. The membership of this organ- ization at this time numbers something like 300 people, and it will no doubt continue to grow until the membership reaches into the thousands. Next week we expect to publish the papers that were read at this meeting.

"Among the very old settlers who were in attendance at the picnic in this city on Wed- nesday, we note the following: 1873: Mr. and Mrs. L. R. Dowse, of Comstock. 1874: J. R. Forsythe, New Helena ; Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Lang, Algernon : W. H. Comstock, Com- stock .· 1875 : William O. Boley, New Helena ; Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Stuckey, Tuckerville ; Mrs.

Nc George, Cumro ; Florian Jacobs, New He- lena : J. J. Douglass, Callaway. 1876: John E. Myers, Georgetown; John F. Bell, New He- lena. 1877 : R. E. Glass, Broken Bow. 1878: Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Amsberry, Broken Bow ; J. E. Cavenee, Georgetown. 1879: J. O. Tay- lor, Berwyn; J. G. W. Lewis, Broken Bow ; Jules Haumont, Elton. 1880: E. Taylor. Broken Bow; J. D. Ream, Broken Bow : Jacob Mank, Broken Bow : Mrs. M. E. Lewis, Bro- ken Bow; C. S. Elison, Ansley; W. P. Trew, Georgetown; P. F. Campbell, Georgetown; Mr. and Mrs. Jess Gandy, Broken Bow ; James Lindly, Anselmo; A. L. Morgan, Cumro ; C. W. Hoagland, Gates: J. H. Price, Broken Bow; Mr. and Mrs. James Daly. Merna; Mr. and Mrs. James Wood, Merna ; R. R. Robin- son, New Helena : John Snyder, New Helena ; W. T. Powers, Broken Bow ; J. H. Molvaney, Georgetown: Mrs. I. A. Reneau, Broken Bow."

AN OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION

The first old settlers' association ever or- ganized in the county, so far as obtainable records show, was the old settlers' association .of the northwest quarter of Custer county, which was organized in 1890. At this time the oldest settlers in the district would have been residents only nineteen years. The meet- ing for the organization of this association was held in the home of J. J. Joyner, seven or eight miles west of the present town of Merna.

At this time temporary officers were elected. J. J. Joyner was made temporary chairman and D. V. Joyner temporary secretary. A committee, consisting of J. M. Fodge. S. H. Read, and S. K. Redman, was appointed to report on form of organization. The commit- tee made an informal report, and after its adoption the permanent officers were elected. as follows: J. J. Joyner. president ; J. M. Fodge, first vice-president ; S. H. Read. second vice-president : W. M. McCandless, third vice- president ; G. O. Joyner, secretary. The pro- gram committee of that year's picnic consist- ed of J. K. Cooper, Joe Kellenbarger, and Mrs. H. C. Fodge.

From this time on until the present time,

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

the association has not failed to hold its an- nual picnic. These occasions have always been of a very enjoyable nature. The minutes of the association have been well kept and the organization is to be congratulated upon the data they have compiled. The minute book, which contains the membership roll, gives the names of 231 old settlers, with the respective years of their settlement.

1883 WAS THE BOOM YEAR

The dates of settlement show that of the first one hundred, two came in 1874, one in 1875, one in 1876, two in 1878, two in 1879, eleven in 1880. three in 1881, twenty-one in 1882. thirty-four in 1883, eighteen in 1884,

Association of the South Loup was organized. Then was held our first picnic. The thought of organizing and holding an annual picnic was first suggested by Mr. William Brown, who now resides. I believe. in Buffalo county. The grounds were located by Mr. Brown, Mr. Sammie Robinson, and Nc George. The speaker at our first celebration was Rev. Alex. Boyd, who recently moved to Illinois.

"Speakers, distinguished for their ability, from different parts of the country, have an- tertained us year by year. Among them we remember Rev. Crist, N. Dwight Ford. J. J. Douglass, Rev. W. L. Gaston, and Judge Sut- ton, of Omaha. Judge Sullivan, of Broken Bow, addressed us last year. His address was

[Photo by S. D. Butcher ]

FARMERS' PICNIC NEAR ANSLEY, IN JULY, 1917

four in 1885, and one in 1886. Thirty-three present of this hundred came in the years 1882. 1883, and 1884. Those were the influx years, not only of the northwest quarter of the coun- ty but also in all parts.

OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH LOUP

One of the most successful and aggressive old-settlers' organizations of the county is the South Loup association, which has been in ex- istence for ten years, and holds annually a picnic, the atendance and entertainment of which are famous throughout the county.

Mrs. Nc George. in a brief paper written not long since, outlines the inception and details the history of this organization. Because of its historic value the paper is here submitted : "Ten years ago, in 1908. the Old Settlers'

replete with patriotism and stirred the red blood of every patriotic citizen.

"We elect officers annually. Mr. James B. Jones was our first president and has served in this capacity a number of times since, which proves that some officers at least, 'are born, not made.' Mr. William Shoemaker is our pres- ent president, and I am sure you will concur with me in the dictum that he has done splen- didly in giving us a pleasant and happy time together to-day. We have always been helped with the programmes rendered, and amused with various sports, but best of all is the greet- ing from old friends. The spoken word. the hearty handshake, and the forming of new acquaintances year by year. is a wonderful inspiration.

"Roughly speaking. at our first gathering

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

there were 500 people in attendance. At that time we were made happy at the prospect of the association being a success, by there being two automobiles on the grounds, one owned by Mr. Lambert Johnson, of Sumner, and the other owned by Mr. Venus Goodwin, of the same place. Now all have noted the difference in this respect to-day.

"Since the first year or two, the increase in attendance has been plainly manifest, and a thousand people would not be an exaggeration. Last year was a record-breaker and there were probably 1,500 people on the grounds. To-day we miss some familiar faces, -those of per- sons who have left us in recent years and months, among them being Mr. George Lash, Mrs. Ezra Wright, Mrs. Whitman Robinson, Mrs. Walter Brown, Mrs. George Williams, Mr. Eulie Brown, Mr. Joseph Cherry, Mr. Adelbert Mason, Mr. David Downey, Mrs. A. L. Downey. Most of these, if living, would be here to-day. Many of our younger men are in our national cantonments, training for service. Two boys from this immediate local- ity who were with us one short year ago are now in France. One, Arthur Stuckey, born and reared partly in a nearby neighborhood, sleeps the last, long sleep in France to-day. "It has been the endeavor of the association to keep the morale high and to make the an- nual picnic a day in which all can find enjoy- ment of a high order."

ANCIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS

The annals of Masonry in Custer county date back to the coming of the settlers. Al- though no lodge was organized until 1885, eight years after the organization of the coun- ty, a number of the settlers were Masons and connected with lodges in their former homes. The late Frank H. Young, who during the last forty years had been the first apostle of Masonry in the county, if not in the state, joined the Masons in 1874, and in 1877, the year that the county was organized, he atten 1- ed for the first time the grand lodge of the state. Thereafter he attended every session of the grand lodge up to and including the ses-

sion of 1917. This remarkable record made him an attending delegate for forty consecti- tive annual sessions. With the record of such a man, and those of other kindred spirits, the work of Masonry had place in the county he- fore the organization of the first lodge.

Credit is due to Alpha Morgan for the fol- lowing epitome of Free Masonry history in the county :

The records of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Nebraska, show that on July 13, 1885, a dispensation was grant- ed by the then grand master, Monoah B. Reese, late supreme judge of the supreme court of Nebraska, to fifteen Master Masons to open a lodge at Broken Bow, under the name of Custer Lodge, U. D., with Frank H. Young, as worshipful master ; James M. Kelsey, senior warden; and Hollis G. Rogers, junior warden of the new lodge. In addition to the above named brethren, the fifteen named included Isaac Merchant, Robert H. Miller, Leander H. Jewett, Michael Conley, James Lindly, Har- vey Said, William H. Russell, Thomas T. Williams, Cornelius R. Pratt, Albert G. Be- mis, Charles Kloman, and Ira M. Foster.

Brother Edward F. MeClure informs us that during the previous spring he inter- viewed Robert H. Miller, the then editor and proprietor of the Custer County Republican, and suggested the calling together of the Free Masons of the county for the purpose of tak- ing steps to organize a lodge. This undertak- ing may be judged when we consider that above named gentlemen lived from Lee's Park, on the east, to where now Callaway is, on the west ; from New Helena, on the north, to near where Oconto is, on the south -a varying distance of sixty miles apart.

Brother MeClure took it on himself to write each of these brethren a letter setting forth the object of the meeting, and fixed the time at the convening of the spring term of the dis- trict court, which was presided over by Judge Savage. The place of meeting was the Coni- munity building, which is now a part of the Burlington hotel, and the upstairs of which was a hall for all manner of meetings, as well

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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 36

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