USA > Nebraska > Dixon County > History of Dixon County, Nebraska > Part 9
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
The peninsula of Great Bend was one of the largest on the river. It was in the form of an elongated ox-bow very narrow at the points. Across its neck was only half a mile. while to make the distance around by the river it was necessary to pull about eighteen miles against a stiff current. This freak of the river left Vermillion an inland town so far as the Missouri is concerned by about three miles.
The farm of Mons Nelson lay on the neck of Great Bend,
102
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
and the channel cut across, taking his buildings and im- provements and literally destroying the farm. Thus, Great Bend, hitherto belonging to Dixon county, and having rich lands and the richest body of timber within a hundred miles became an island belonging to Dakota.
On the river bottomsof the Dixon county side of the river, as on the low lands in Dakota, not a farm escaped the devastating raid of water and ice. Houses, barns, and im- provements were greatly wrecked and many destroyed, and the loss in cattle drowned and other personal property ruined or carried off was enormous. J. Brocke in the north- western part of the county, near the river, had a good house and barn, sixty head of cattle, nine horses, farm machinery, etc. The river came upon him and ruined him in one night. Huge cakes of ice dashed in his house, his barn was wrecked and with its contents washed away, and his horses and cattle were drowned. In the neighborhood of Mr. Brocke, several hundred head of cattle were drowned, every farm was deluged to the depth of from ten to fifteen feet and the in- habitants lost everything and were indeed glad to escape with their lives.
Such is an outline of the great flood of the spring of 1881 so far as it related to the Missouri river bottoms in Dixon county. There were great floods also, along the Aoway and Logan, but aside from carrying off a few bridges the loss was comparatively trifling.
In Ponca, on that occasion, people saw Venice without going away from home. A large part of the town appeared as though built in the sea. Four spans of the new railroad bridge went out, and eighty rods of railroad track were de- moralized and in part carried off. Sidewalks rose from their foundations and sailed away and piles of cord wood were distributed in all directions. Cellars. generally. were filled and many residences and some business houses had water from one to four feet deep above the lower floor. It was unpleasant except to those who enjoyed navigating the streets on rafts but it was nothing compared to the loss and suffering on the Missouri bottoms.
At Martinsburg the damage was not as great as had been expected. the main losses being a part of the mill dam and the bridge across South Creek.
103
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
In spite of flood or other mishaps, the citizens continued in the season of ISSI in good heart, and plowed, planted, harvested and improved with usual energy and had suc- cess and good crops.
During this season the line of the Norfolk branch of the railroad then building up the Logan valley. was vigorously pushed, and in August the new town of Wakefield was started. The first building was the barn of Mr. Skinner, fol- lowed by D. D. Lash's hotel. J. T. Marriott's store and sev- eral dwelling houses. Mr. Marriott became the town's first postmaster October 31. The railroad was completed to that point in December, and a commodious depot was fin- ished about the first of January. The town was named after Chief Engineer Wakefield who located the railroad line from Emerson to Norfolk. The town of Wakefield. thus advantageously located and having a fine water power and a rich tributary country around it, started with encour- aging prospects. In the previous spring and summer many had settled in Logan valley, and within a radius of five miles around Wakefield about sixty farms had been opened and improved.
The central and northern part of the county during 1881, were not behind the Logan valley, and new farms were opened and new houses, barns, groves and fields were seen in every direction.
On November 10, 1881. a tragedy took place at the farm of W. H. Ancmoody. a few miles northwest of New Castle. The cattle of a neighbor, L. S. Bishop, had strayed upon the land of Auchmoody. Bishop came for the cattle and at- tempted to retake them, whereupon Auchmoody shot him. from the effects of which he died a few days after. Auch- moody was afterwards tried, convicted of manslaughter and sent to the penitentiary two years.
In February, 1882. the agricultural society project. which had slept since 1878, was revived. A meeting of prominent farmers met February 17, at Ponca, and resolved that Dixon county should no longer be without an agricul- tural society and fair. A committee was appointed to draft the constitution and by-laws of the society, which, at an ad- journed meeting in March were adopted, and P. G. Wright of South Creek. was elected president, and Dayton Ward. of
104
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Silver Creek, secretary. At a subsequent meeting held May 27, it was decided to locate the fair grounds at Ponca, that town having donated $500 to the society. The time fixed for holding the fair was September 6, 7 and 8. Forty acres of land were procured for fair grounds a short distance northwest of town and steps were taken to make the fair successful.
The fair was duly held at the time and place appointed and was largely attended. The grounds had been suitably prepared, and buildings for offices and an amphitheater for the accommodation of those who attended had been built. There was also a half mile race course and stalls and stables for horses and cattle. This, the first fair of Dixon county, was a success, not only in the display of fat cattle, horses. hogs, corn. grain, vegetables, fruits and flowers but also in the social enjoyment it brought to old friends who met there.
The first day of the fair was devoted mainly to making entries and arranging articles for exhibition. On this day also, eating houses, lemonade stands, shooting galleries. swings, etc., were put up and by night things looked gay and attractive. On the second day an immense crowd attended from all parts of the county. Horse racing. ladies riding. an eloquent address by Lieut. Norris and a thousand other in- teresting matters made an enjoyable bill of fare to all present.
The number was also large on the third day. There was horse racing, mule racing, glass ball shooting. etc .. and the examination of the articles on exhibition and the decision of the judges. At night when the fair closed. it was declared without a dissenting voice that this, the first fair in Dixon county. had been triumph that could be spoken of with pride by the citizens.
The amount of money taken for gate money and stands, swings. etc .. was $423.20. enough to pay premiums and debts and have something left to keep things in order and fix up for another year. Dixon County's Agricultural Society and Fair, thus auspiciously inaugurated has continued from that year to this and its fair has since been regularly and success- fully held every year. excepting 1894.
The record of general growth in the county in 1882 was fully up to what it had been in previous years. Wakefield. commenced the fall before. had in March (1882) two general
105
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
stores, a hardware store, a bank, hotel. drug store. lumber yard. grain buyers and ware houses and numerous offices, shops and dwellings. In the spring, Philo Graves. one of the proprietors of the townsite, built a school house and donated it to the town. Village lots were in demand and were selling at good prices. It was thought Wakefield would double in size and population before the close of the year. At Ponca a creamery was started in April as well as various other enterprises of general benefit.
At a suburb of the new town of Emerson the citizens had an experience. May 6. not altogether pleasurable. The suburb was a mere collection of temporary shanties planted on land belonging to the Winnebago reservation where it had no right to be. Those who put up the shanties, probably never thought the day would come when retributive justice would visit them in the shape of a war like Indian chief and anni- hilate their works. But so it turned out. On May 5, the Winnebagos solemnly decreed in council to blot that part. of Emerson out of existence and early the next morning the residents suddenly heard issuing from the mists along the plain the hoarse voices of the Winnebago retributionists who were advancing in force upon the place.
Mounted on ponies and presumably carrying an irresista- ble arsenal. the Indian band rode into the town and ordered the people to get off the reservation forthwith, giving them one hour in which to do so. Then there was a wild hurry- ing and scurrying to and fro. No one thought of offering resistance, but all went to work and soon their town. to the last board of the last shanty was toted off the reservation and up the hill. There, where is now the prosperous town of Emerson the discomfitted squatters on Indian land rebuilt their homes before resting from their toil. The Indian braves shook their fists after their vanquished foes and then hied back to their tribe.
Aside from this little raid on Emerson. (which more ludi- crous than serious, is here inserted to break the monotony of dry facts and figures, there were no occurrences in the county in the spring and summer that readers will specially care to hear of. except the rapid settlement. good health and cheerful outlook. On the Fourth. the good times seemed to increase patriotism, so that on that day the usual celebrations
106
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
were largely attended and much enjoyed at Ponca, Martins- burg, New Castle, Wakefield. Springbank and other points in the county.
After the agricultural fair was over, (previously described in this chapter, the old soldiers on October 4, held an enjoy- able re-union in Ponca, on which occasion a post of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized. The name given it was Stoneman Post and the following officers were elected: L. W. Herring, post commander: J. T. Finch. senior vice-com- mander: E. R. Richmond, junior vice-commander: A. G. Kingsbury, adjutant: J. W. Jones, officer of the day: Jacob Sides, surgeon: Elijah Beller. quartermaster: and T. J. Caffee. sergeant major.
Late in the fall of 1852, the great brick flouring mill of Ponca Mill Company was finished and commenced business. This was a most important help. not only to the town. but to all the tributary country.
A few words in review of the county and towns as they were at the end of 1852 may now be interesting.
Ponca, located in a beautiful valley and then developed into a town of abont 1,200 inhabitants, had many prosperous bus- iness establishments and enterprises, fine schools, churches and residences, and it seemed that it would in the near future become far more extensive.
Between Ponca and the healthily growing town of Mar- tinsburg at the junction of two wide valleys, and from there up South Creek and over the divide to the Logan, one saw a continnons snecession of splendid farms. fine farm houses. buildings and groves and numerous herds of cattle.
Another of Dixon county's lively towns, Wakefield. located in the valley of the Logan. largely had the trade of the southern part of the county. Two years before, Wake- field did not exist, but now had five hundred inhabitants.
Twelve miles northwest of Ponca was New Castle, which contained a hotel, a large store, a school, a Catholic church, residences, etc. From New Castle across the country to Daily Branch, as well as through Silver Creek and along the valley between Ponca and New Castle a grand and thickly settled country was seen.
Dixon county was. then as now. all right. Its location on the Missouri. gives it along that river. vast forests of
107
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
timber. comprising oak, elm, cottonwood and black walnut. Back from the river the county is traversed by the rich valleys of the Logan. Silver Creek. Daily. South Creek and Aoway, which with their numerons tributaries, are wonder- ful hay producing regions, five tons to the acre being not an unusual yield. while the ranges of hills between the valleys are the best of pasture lands. In all the county there is not a marsh nor an acre of poor land. On the contrary the soil is from two to six feet deep, and is equal to any in the world. as is shown by its crops of corn and wheat. Hence the old saying "that an acre of Dixon county land is equal to five in the Genesee valley." is not so wild an assertion as might at first be supposed. In all the valleys are clear, cold and unfailing streams and indeed there is scarcely a quarter section in the whole county that is not well watered.
With all these advantages of rich soil. meadow, pasture. water and wood in abundance. the whole presenting a land- scape of surpassing beauty, and over the whole a clear air and healthy climate. Dixon county is naturally a favorite with those seeking homes in the west.
Y
1
108
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
CHAPTER XI.
FROM 1883 To 1886 THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY HOLDS ITS ANNUAL FAIRS -. TALK OF A RAILROAD BRIDGE - ROBBERY OF THE COUNTY TREASURY - TREASURER KNAPP AND HIS BONDSMEN - TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION VOTED ON IN 1883 AND GOES INTO EFFECT IN 1886 -ANOTHER COUNTY SEAT PROJECT VOTED ON -- GREAT STORM IN JUNE, 1885 MURDER OF ALEXANDER BY BLAIR IN 1885.
The year of 1883, was without events of more than ordi- nary nature. There was some talk this year as there had been in 1882 of rebonding the county in order to pay the old C. C. & B. H. R. R. bonds and thus settle the suit which the county had in the U. S. supreme court, but such talk came to nothing. Dakota county had rebonded, and good attorneys thought the wisest course for Dixon county would be to do the same. But Dixon county refused then and afterwards, and was wise in so doing, as in the next year, 1884. the U. S. court settled the hash of the $87.000 fraudu- lent C. C. & B. H. bonds and Dixon county had that burden lifted from its shoulders forever.
In February the business of the agricultural society came to the surface again, and its officers for the ensuing year were elected. P. G. Wright was re-elected president and JJ. W. Radford was elected secretary. From the interest which citizens throughout the county took in the society it was evident that the second fair would be as well patronized as the first.
In Ponca. Wakefield and other towns, as well as generally all over the county, everything tended to encourage citizens, and a healthy advance was made during the year. Crops. and especially wheat and oats. were good, as in fact they usually were every year.
The talk about extending the railroad from Ponca began to revive again and it appeared there was also a possibility
109
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
of a road being built from Omaha to this county and here crossing the river into Dakota. Both of these projects fell through.
It was and is a fact that at Ponca landing there is a better crossing for a railroad bridge over the Missouri, than can elsewhere be found on the river within a hundred miles. The river at that point has a rock bottom and has never since the first settlement of the country, changed its course.
Instead of extending the railroad west from Ponca, it was finally decided by the company to build a branch into Cedar county from Wakefield. On that branch work was com- menced in July and late in the fall was completed and in running order to the new town of Hartington near the center of Cedar county.
The second Agricultural fair of Dixon county was held on the 18th, 19th and 20th of September and like the first fair had a large attendance of citizens, and a great number and variety of exhibits in every department. Those who attended realized that one great advantage to be derived from a county fair is by seeing what others are doing. Men have their specialty. Some succeed in one thing. some in another. By coming together from all parts of the county, each one bringing with him specimens of his peculiar skill and comparing notes, the whole county is benefited. One man learns from his neighbor the method of procedure by which he attained success in his department, and in turn he imparts the secret of his success in another department, so the fair is in one sense an agricultural school: the best kind of a school: one of practical instruction which leads or should lead to immediate results in improved farming, im- proved stock, improved fruit culture and general elevation of agriculture in all departments.
On Sunday of fair week. a great sensation was occasioned by the announcement of County Treasurer Knapp, that dur- ing the night before, the treasurer's office had been entered and the safe broken open and robbed of between $3,000 and $4,000. Detectives were at once sent for for the pur- pose of unraveling the suspicions mystery which seemed to surround the affair, but they were not able to fix the robbery upon those whom Mr. Knapp had pointed out as possibly the guilty parties. Mr. Knapp had been treasurertwo years and
110
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
had not been renominated at the republican convention held a few days before the robbery. While treasurer, Mr. Knapp had operated at Ponca an extensive creamery, which it was alleged had resulted in a financial loss. These facts together with the fact that he had little property when he became treasurer, occasioned some doubt among many as to the reality of the alleged robbery.
This matter occupied much attention for two or three years and finally, on the charge of defrauding the county, Knapp was tried in the district court at Dakota City. (to which place the trial had been transferred from Dixon county ) and on such trial he was acquitted.
The acquittal. however, did not save Knapp's bondsmen as treasurer. There were forty of them, each of whom had to assist in filling up the vacum in the county treasury. At the time the bondsmen settled the affair with the county commissioners, (August, 1884.) Knapp in addition to what his bondsmen paid, deeded to the county a tract of 160 acres in Ponca township, which tract afterwards appropriately be- came the county poor farm. Knapp'sdeficiency was claimed to be about $9,000.
Late in the fall. (ISS3,) the new court house was com- pleted. It had been commenced in the summer and was on one of the most desirable locations in Ponca. It was built of brick and had a large court room in the second story and commodions offices for the various county officials beneath.
At the fall election of 'S3. the question of township organization was again voted on and carried, but did not go into effect until January. 1886.
During the years 1883 and 1884 a very large amount of building and improvement was seen in the county. The county was filling up rapidly and land was in greater de- mand and at better prices since the decision in the railroad bond case.
Among the improvements during these years it may be mentioned that at New Castle were built a gristmill. a church and several dwellings. A great number of farms in the county had in 1884, new houses, barns, fences and groves. A general awakening seemed to have taken place all over the county to the desirability of citizens
111
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
making improvements and additions to their possessions. Such improvements were mainly substantial and valuable and from them it might be certified that those who made them were contented with Dixon county and had concluded to stay in it. A few of the many farmers who thus helped to swell the list of improvements, were the Ellyson Brothers near Ionia, Enders near Ponca, S. Welden, G. D. Russell, A. Caffee, Pat Casey. H. H. Jenkins, P. Bennett, John Roden, Wm. Porter. V. Wilcox. E. Wilkinson, E. Manley. W. Blake, Aaron Smith, S. I. Hart, etc. In Ponca the value of im- provements in '83 and '84 was about $60,000. Of the more prominent improvemens were the brick M. E. church and the brick business houses of Thomas Crew. J. A. Mikesell and the Dorsey Brothers. The large flonring mill was also enlarged and improved. The largest skating rink in this part of the state was built and Gamble's opera house was doubled in size and attractions. Near the school house, S. P. Mikesell at a cost of $6,000 erected a magnificent resi- dence and Mrs. Addis transformed her place into one of the best in town. These are a few of the most expensive build- ings erected during the year. There were many others in all parts of town. some costly and others cheap. but there was not a house or building in town unoccupied.
Another county seat removal project came up in 1884 and was voted on at a special election held September 18. It resulted in 779 votes for Ponca and 605 for Martinsburg.
The first lawless act in the history thus far of the Agri- cultural society took place at the fair held September 23, 24 and 25. T. J. Caffee was attacked and stabbed by W. W. Westbrook. The trouble grew ont of a dispute on the race course. Caffee, though badly hurt, recovered and West- brook was arrested, tried and sent to the penitentiary.
In the spring of 1885 a proposition to issue $30,000 in bonds to pay the debts of the county, was voted down at a special election.
In April, the Logan Valley Agricultural Society was organized by citizens of Wakefield and the southern part of the county, and it was resolved to have a fair in the fall.
The month of June of that year, is noted as having had the worst wind storm ever experienced in Nebraska within the memory of man. On Sunday. June 14, a hurricane inter-
112
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
spersed with a myriad of small but vindictive tornadoes. swept over the county like a besom of destruction. At about ten o'clock in the evening an immense cloud, extending as far as the eye could reach to the north and south, and so low down as to nearly touch the ground, was seen approaching with rapidity from the southwest. The tremendous roaring of the wind, the vivid lightning and peals of thunder gave warning that an appalling storm was at hand.
Doors and windows were hardly closed to make everything as secure as possible. before the storm burst in unexampled force. In its grasp, as in the hands of an army of giants. every house in the county was shaken, some were moved from their foundations and others were crushed and scatter- ed before the gale. Fortunate houses indeed, were those which lost only chimneys or roofs. Barns, sheds and out- houses were tossed about and in many instances were broken up and their fragments sweptaway. Fences were overthrown and trees were torn up by the roots. But little was seen of the storm by the people, beyond their own houses. Without. its devastating energy moved forward in its work wrapped in nearly impenetrable darkness. Occasionally a flash of lightning lit up the scene for a moment, and gave a tran- sient view of what was transpiring in the distance.
The storm raged an hour. Those who had cellars went into them for safety, and in a few instances saw their houses carried away over their heads. Some went out of their houses intending to find safer quarters elsewhere. In such efforts they were beaten to the ground in a moment, or blown before a wind which the strongest man could not withstand.
In this terrific shaking up, Ponca fared badly. Its churches seemed special objects of fury. The new brick M. E. church was crushed into a shapeless mass of briek, mortar and broken timbers. The Baptist and Lutheran churches were also vis- ited. the former being wrecked and the latter so racked and twisted as to render a new one necessary to be built. Ou Third street. Bauer's implement warehouse. an immensely large building which was filled with machinery, was blown down and ruined, together with much of its contents. Stough & Mikesell's store, the mill. the store of John Davey. the railroad depot. Gamble's warehouse, the livery stables and many residences lost their roofs: some were removed
113
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
from their foundations and the new houses of A. Porter and P. H. Beller were entirely swept away. Nearly every build- ing was more or less damaged, and barns and sheds general- ly here and elsewhere were tossed to destruction by the gale. A hundred chimneys were overthrown in town, windows were blown in, costly fences were torn in pieces and groves and gardens were ruined. The wind blew from seventy-five to one hundred miles an hour.
For miles in every direction around Ponca, evidences were seen of the destructive march of the storm. The house on the Blackard farm, the Green brick house, Shomber's honse, the houses of Carnell, Smith and Marble, the school house in the Roden district and the next one west, W. Matte- son's mill near the landing, the Silver Creek school house, were total wrecks. Rev. Clark's academy at Silver Ridge lost its cupola and chimneys, and near New Castle, Tim Rahn's large two story house was scattered with all its con- tents.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.