USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 10
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 10
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August, 1856, the first settlers having claimed the site of Fremont, a town was formed under the name of Pinney, Barnard & Company, whose doings with the Platt Valley Claim Club, were among the first promoters in this part of the county. September 3, 1856, the new town was named Fremont after the great western pathfinder-Gen. John C. Fremont, who was the republican candidate that fall for President of the United States. At the same campaign the democrats named a townsite twenty- five miles to the west "Buchanan."
In June, 1856, O. A. Himebaugh entered a half section of land on Maple Creek, three miles south of the present Village of Hooper. He and his brother lived in a cottonwood hut together. There was then a sawmill at Fontanelle, lumber selling in Omaha at $100 a thousand feet. John Batie had previously marked a tree in section 5, township 18 and entered his claim in the books of the club at Fontanelle. Of him Mr. Himebaugh purchased fifty acres of hardwood timber for $200 in gold. His experience in that region during that never-to-be-forgotten winter of 1856-57, was but the common lot of all who then undertook to spend the winter months here. Cold weather and deep snows obtained from December till almost May 1, 1857. Food was scarce. Once in a great while some hardy persons would face the storm to Omaha from
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Fontanelle and thus get in touch with the river points and the east. One of these terrible trips to Omaha was made by Mr. Himebaugh. He started out Monday morning and arrived home late Saturday of that week. He affirmed that on a level, the snow was fully three feet deep, and drifted entirely over many of the cabins, stables and haystacks. Cattle perished in the blinding storm, or were smothered in the rude shelters. Strychnine was applied to their carcasses to prevent a pesti- lence when spring thaws came, and many hungry wolves perished like- wise, but crawled away and died without such thoughtful preservation.
The first death of a human being (white) that ever occurred in Dodge County was Steadman Hager, who perished while driving from North Bend to his home west from Fremont. His remains were found the following spring when the snows melted away under the welcome sunshine. His was the first funeral and Reverend Cooley, a Disciple minister, preached the sermon.
The twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Abram McNeal were born April 8, 1856. McNeal was a son-in-law of pioneer Mrs. Wealthy Beebe, first to settle in the Platte Valley proper.
Seth Young, son of George Young and wife, was born at North Bend November 30, 1856. December 20 the mother died and was buried where cold winds and driving storms could reach her no more. It being impossible at such a time to secure a coffin, cottonwood boards were torn from the house flooring and a casket made from it in which the deceased pioneer was buried. About 100 persons braved the terrible winter of 1856-57.
The Pawnee Indians were then stationed just south of the Platte River and their chief village was nearly opposite Fremont. An early writer speaks of them thus: "They had looked on with angry faces at the inroads which the new settlers were making upon their timber land. In the fall of 1856 the people of Fremont derived an advantage over the Pawnees by sending for military aid to Omaha, the 'force' being piloted by James G. Smith. When this terrible winter came upon this country, the Pawnees were firmly of the belief that the 'white man brought the big snows' and were 'Bad Medicine' for them. They threatened dire calamity and 'looked blood,' sending at one time twenty of their strong- est chiefs across the river for the purpose of commanding the settlers to depart. After parleying a time, the brave men of the tribe decided to take 'much good supper' instead of many scalps, and their thirst for blood was thus appeased. They were hungry-that's what ailed them- and fully satisfied themselves, they left and never returned to molest or threaten. They became unpleasant neighbors, however, and hardly a day passed during 1857 that they did not come to Fremont in large numbers either to trade with Smith Brothers, or steal back some of the goods they had sold the firm. By the treaty of September 4, 1857, they were removed to their reservation in the valley of the Loup Fork River. In 1859 when the Pawnees passed through Fremont, going north, bound on the warpath up the Elkhorn Valley, they committed no depredations upon that village, avoiding hostilities of any nature until they reached the settlements on Maple Creek. A full account of the Pawnee war will be found elsewhere in this work, hence only mentioned here.
"The financial panic of 1857 had its effect on Dodge County's settle- ment. The summer had been spent mostly in breaking prairie for crops, only a little sod corn and a few potatoes. The settlers were therefore illy prepared for the oncoming severe fall and winter. Money became a thing almost entirely unknown to this band of settlers. Even postage stamps were a curiosity."
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SPRING OF 1857 SETTLEMENT
In the spring of this year quite a number of settlers came into this county, including H. P. Wolcott in May, who in August was joined by G. W. Wolcott. Their claims were northwest of Fremont, near the Elm Grove Claim, later the property of John Batie, who moved over from Fontanelle. H. G. Wolcott, a brother of H. P., received frequent letters from him, full of glowing accounts of the country. Later in the autumn such letters ceased to come to his brother, and later it was explained that "they had no money with which to pay the postage on letters."
The land pre-empted by Mr. Himebaugh came into the market in 1858, and he was obliged to hire $150 of a banker in Omaha, at 60 per cent interest. The note was compounded the second year at 25 per cent. The third year the same banker's terms were given him. It was virtually impossible to secure money. Finding it one failure upon another Mr. Himebaugh abandoned his farm operations and started out to dis- pose of his crop. From his farm on Maple Creek, he was compelled to haul his wheat to Omaha and have it ground into flour. With two ox teams he started on a journey of 600 miles to Denver. He took with him 6,000 pounds of flour and was two months on the road. His sea- son's work netted him $360. The payment which he was finally obliged to make on the original note for his land amounted to $415. He could not meet it and nearly lost his land, with improvements. Many people in this county were making preparations to leave. Pioneer Himebaugh, however, was "given another chance" and he improved it well.
PIKE'S PEAK IMMIGRATION
The season of 1858 was extremely wet, little was grown save some soft sod corn and soggy potatoes. This diet allowed settlers to exist. The winter of 1858-59 was fortunately quite free from cold and storms. In the spring of 1859 the Pike's Peak immigration brought into the country considerable money which revived trade somewhat. Soon after, on the return of these gold-seekers, they brought back with them much money (in some instances only) and also valuable provisions, which they sold cheaply to the settlers in both village and country.
The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1866 was the mark- ing of another special era in the history and settlement of the domain of Dodge County.
An account of many settlers will be found in the township and vil- lage chapters of this work, hence need not here be enlarged on.
THE COUNTY'S TOPOGRAPHY
The Relative State History section of this work gives much on the general geology and topography of Nebraska, including that of Dodge and Washington counties, but in this connection this much should spe- cifically be said concerning the topography, streams, etc., of this part of the state.
The surface of the wonderful valley now under consideration ( Platte) constitutes a vast domain with undulating prairie lands of great extent, diversified by a few low hills and ridges.
From the west and north the land slopes gradually toward the Mis- souri River, which bounds the state on the east and northeast. The Elkhorn River is the greatest natural drainage for this whole section
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assisted by the Niobrara and Union rivers. The Elkhorn Valley which stretches itself across the northern part of the state is one of extreme fertility and its many tributaries and several lakes render the country well watered. The western part of this section is well suited for graz- ing purposes. Generally speaking, the wonderful fertility of the soil and the absence of sloughs have attracted its thousands of actual settlers who at once commenced planting out groves of timber which now have come to be miniature forests and lend both beauty and utility to the otherwise monotonous prairie landscape.
In the lower counties embraced in this valley grains of all kinds (including winter wheat) do well. Corn, the staple crop, is unsurpassed by any section of the West, while the flat lands produce a luxuriant growth of both wild and tame grasses. Hence stock-raising is a predomi- nating feature of the inhabitants.
Good water is obtainable at almost any point in this valley at depths ranging from 20 to 100 feet. Much concerning the streams and general formation of this valley is treated in other sections of the work.
The chief streams of the county are the Elkhorn, Rawhide Creek, Pebble Creek, Logan Creek, Clark Creek and Maple Creek.
The Elkhorn River, a stream of the third class and the largest in Dodge County, flows from the northwest to the southeast. Its length is, in this county, about thirty miles. It was named in 1804 by the explorers Clark and Lewis. Its meanderings as well as the soil through which its cuts its changeable channel is very similar to that of the Missouri.
Rawhide Creek took its name from the fact (or tradition) that during the 1849 emigration to California it was said that a white man was bound by the Pawnee Indians on the banks of this stream and there literally burned to death, his skin being left in great rolls resembling rawhide. It rises near North Bend and flows eastward to the Elkhorn River.
Pebble Creek derives its name from the many white pebbles found at a ford at which the soldiers crossed in 1849 during the "Pawnee war." This stream has its source in the northwestern part of the county and forms junction with the Elkhorn River in Everett Township.
Logan Creek derives its name from Logan Fontenelle, a friendly chief of the Omaha Indian tribe. It was given this name by Col. William Kline in 1854. It finds its source in Burt County and unites with Clark Creek in Hooper Township.
Clark Creek was so named by Col. William Kline in honor of Dr. M. H. Clark, the first, territorial representative from Dodge County. It rises in Logan Township and enters Logan Creek in Hooper Township.
Maple Creek takes its source in Union Township and flows eastward across the entire county, emptying into the Elkhorn River near Nick- erson in Maple Township.
CHAPTER V
ORGANIZATION OF DODGE COUNTY
ORIGINAL AND PRESENT BOUNDARIES-COUNTY SEAT CONTEST-MEET- ING OF FIRST COUNTY COMMISSIONERS-PLATTING OF FREMONT- AGITATING ERECTION OF COUNTY BUILDINGS
Counties, like states and nations, have their own peculiar forms of government-here in Nebraska the two systems obtain, County Commis- sioners' Court for Precincts and the present "Township Organization" plan under which Dodge County has been governed since 1886.
Dodge County is bounded on the north by Cuming and Burt counties ; on the east by Washington and Burt counties ; on the south by Saunders and Douglas counties ; on the west by Colfax County. As now constituted it comprises about fourteen congressional townships. Its seat of justice is the City of Fremont. This county was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature of Nebraska in the winter of 1854-55. The act which fixed and approved its first boundaries was dated March 15, 1855, and read as follows :
"Commencing at a point on the Platte river at the southwest corner of Douglas county, running westerly along said Platte river to the mouth of Shell Creek-thence north twenty-five miles; thence east to the west- ern bounds of Washington county ; thence south to place of beginning. The Town of Fontenelle shall be the place of justice in and for said county."
The act approved November 2, 1858, read as follows: "An act to establish boundary between Washington and Dodge counties :- Begin- ning at the Fourth Standard parallel two miles east of the southwest corner of township 17, range 10, east of the Sixth p. m .; thence north twelve miles to the line between ranges 9 and 10; thence north to the south line of Burt county."
The act of 1869 established the line between the counties of Dodge and Burt as follows: "Commencing at the northwest corner of town- ship 20, north of range 8, east ; thence east along the Fifth Standard parallel to the northeast corner of section 6, township 20, north of range 9 east; thence south on the section line one mile east of, and parallel with the Guide Meridian four miles to the north line of Washington county as defined by the act of the Legislature of the Territory of Nebraska approved February 9, 1857."
Dodge County is the second west of the Missouri River and is sit- uated in the point not very far distant from the confluence of the Elkhorn and Platte rivers.
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By the above acts it will be discovered that at first that part of present Washington County in which the Village of Fontanelle is located was a part of Dodge County originally. Fontanelle was then the county seat, and so continued until in 1860 when the county's boundary was changed, by act of the Territorial Legislature, and in February, 1860, by a vote of the people the seat of justice was changed to Fremont.
It should be stated in connection with the organization of Dodge County that it was one of the original subdivisions in the Territory of
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Nebraska. Acting Gov. T. B. Cuming (who acted after the death of Gov. Francis Burt) divided the territory into eight counties-Burt, Washington, Dodge, Douglas, Cass, Pierce, Forney and Richardson. Dodge County was bounded as follows: Commencing at a point on the Platte River twenty miles west of Bellevue thence westerly along the said Platte River to the mouth of Shell Creek, thence north twenty-five miles, thence east to the dividing ridge between the Elkhorn and the Missouri rivers, thence south to place of beginning. The voting precinct was established at the house of Dr. M. H. Clark of Fontenelle. William Kline, Christopher S. Leiber and William E. Estley were appointed judges of election and William Taylor and E. G. McNeely clerks. The county was named in honor of Augustus C. Dodge, a United States Senator from Iowa and an active supporter of the Kansas-Nebraska bill. In accord with the proclamation of Acting Governor Cuming made October 21, 1854, an enumeration of the inhabitants of the territory was made. The apportionment of Dodge County was one councilman and two representatives.
Eight votes were cast at Fontanelle on December 12, 1854, by which Dr. M. H. Clark was chosen to the Territorial Council and Judge J. W. Richardson and Col. E. R. Doyle to the lower house, constituted the first election ever held in Dodge County. In regard to their "constituents" left at home Doctor Abbott had the following in his history :
"The first Territorial Legislature convened at Omaha on January 16, 1855, and while Messrs. Clark, Robinson and Doyle were attending the legislature, the Town of Fontenelle and the county of Dodge were deserted by their inhabitants until Col. William Kline, then and later a respected citizen of Fontenelle, and a half breed Indian named Jo, were the only constituents left to the honorable members of Dodge. Colonel Kline can truly be said to have had at one time in his life the largest representation according to population of any gentleman in Nebraska if not in the United States." In November, 1855, Thomson Gibson was elected a member of the House of Representatives from Dodge County. At the third election for members Silas E. Seely secured forty-four votes and Thomas Gibson forty-one votes. Gibson contested Seely's seat on the ground that Seely had not resided long enough in the legislative dis- trict. The Legislature vacated the seat held by Seely on his certificate, but did not declare for Gibson, thus leaving Dodge unrepresented in the lower house in the winter of 1857.
Prior to the coming of the first settlers at North Bend, in the south- western part of Dodge County, a town company had been formed by speculators in Omaha and land disposed of without even being seen at high prices. In November, 1856, after a colony had been induced to locate by the paper company, George J. Turton built a double log house. It was here that the first election in November within the present limits of Dodge County was held, Mr. Turton being selected as commissioner, Silas E. Seely, representative, and Robert Kittle and George Young, justices of the peace.
By legislative act of March 2, 1858, the eastern boundary of Dodge County was re-defined and in January, 1860, it was so changed (the Elkhorn River being its limits) that Fontenelle, the county seat, was cut off. By an election held the next month the honor was transferred to Fremont. The southern boundary had already been changed to its present limits; the northern and western boundaries were left in peace. In February, 1867, a portion of the territory cut off by the act of 1860 known as the Logan precinct, was re-annexed to the county. In March,
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1873, slight changes were made in the boundaries and in February, 1875, the Legislature prescribed the present limits.
The first commissioners of the county met January 6, 1857, the session being held in Fontanelle at John Batie's house. William E. Lee and Thomas Fitzsimmons were on hand while L. C. Baldwin of Golden Gate precinct was absent. An order of business was adopted, after which the county was divided into three precincts. All the territory east of the Elkhorn River was fixed as No. 1, all between the Platte River and a line running west, starting from the Elkhorn River on the township line between townships 17 and 18 to the western boundary of the county, No. 2; all north of said line and west of the Elkhorn River to be known as No. 3. The county was also divided into road districts.
LOG HOUSE OF HON. E. H. ROGERS, FREMONT, ERECTED IN 1857
On April 6, 1857, the commissioners met, but on account of the drowning of Seth P. Marvin at the ferry, "without adjournment" repaired to the river. The next day Robert Kittle resigned his office as justice of the peace. On May 30, Fremont precinct was organized so as to include all south of township line between townships 17 and 18 and east of range line between 7 and 8.
Soon after Fremont was platted by the town company in 1856, it became evident that Fontanelle was to be vigorously pushed for the county seat by its somewhat younger competitor. The excitement reached its climax during the winter of 1859-60 when Fremont was growing rapidly and pressing her claims more strongly than ever for the county seat.
E. H. Rogers of Fremont was the representative from this county in the lower house; James Stewart of Washington County and John Rick of Platte. Rogers was sent to the Legislature in 1859 and was pledged to work against any attempt to change the boundary between Dodge and Washington counties. There were eight delegates present at the nominating convention, Mr. Roger's opponent was Thomas Gibson, then a resident of Fontanelle and therefore interested in removing the western boundary of Washington County so far west as to bring the village some- where near the center and throw Fremont in a corner, and therefore out
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of all chances for becoming the county seat. The delegates from the Fontanelle region numbered four, and the delegates from Fremont way numbered four when they entered the nominating convention. They voted by ballot, and what was the consternation of Fontanelle when the result was announced-five for Rogers and three for Gibson! In haste and trepidation the Fontanelleites returned homeward, and there each and every man formally swore that he voted for Gibson. It has ever been believed that a delegate named Saint forgot himself and his candidate.
By January, 1860, Fremont had outgrown Fontanelle so that the county seat could be removed to the former place by the crowding of the latter out of the county. The first election after the selection had been made was held on the first Monday of February, 1860, resulting as follows: E. H. Barnard, probate judge; William S. Wilson, sheriff ; H. C. Campbell, treasurer ; J. F. Reynolds, county clerk ; George Turner, George Turton and Thomas Fitzsimmons, commissioners.
It was settled that Fremont was to be the permanent county seat, but it was six years later-April, 1866-before any move was made toward providing the county with suitable buildings in which to keep its various offices. In June, 1866, the specifications for a courthouse by John Ray were accepted. Lots 1 and 2, block 155, having been selected for the site of the buildings. A good two-story brick courthouse was erected thereon, the same being forty by sixty feet, and it was completed in the winter of 1867-68, being accepted in January the last-named year. Its cost was $11,800. A jail was built in 1875, costing $15,000. (See COUNTY GOVERNMENT chapter.)
CHAPTER VI
DODGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COUNTY ORGANIZATION PERFECTED - PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AND COUNTY ATTORNEY SYSTEMS-ACTS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS- MAKING OF FIRST PRECINCTS-FIRST ROAD DISTRICTS-NAMES OF COMMISSIONERS-CREATION OF "TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION"-FIRST COUNTY SUPERVISORS-THE BURNING OF COURTHOUSE IN 1887- BUILDING A NEW COURTHOUSE-SECOND COURTHOUSE FIRE, 1915- PRESENT STRUCTURE - THE NEW JAIL - HIGHWAYS - BRIDGES- LADIES' REST ROOMS-PROPERTY VALUATIONS-COUNTY FINANCES -BOARDS' ESTIMATE, 1891-COUNTY TREASURER'S REPORT, 1892- COUNTY SEAT AND COUNTY BUILDINGS-COURTHOUSES AND JAILS- BIDS FOR PRESENT COURTHOUSE-DEDICATION-COUNTY POOR FARM -COUNTY OFFICIALS, 1920-COUNTY OFFICERS' SALARIES-TAXES- ASSESSED VALUATIONS-BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR 1920-STATE AND COUNTY LEVIES-AVERAGE VALUE FARM LANDS, 1920.
After the organization of this county had been perfected and the machinery set in motion usually speaking Dodge County has been a well governed subdivision of Nebraska. True, in early days, under the old and somewhat crude form of territorial government, matters were not cared for as they have been since statehood was obtained. The pioneer forms used under the original county commissioner court system here were patterned from those brought from eastern and middle states, from which many of the Dodge County pioneers came, with a number from Ohio. The affairs of the county were administered by the commissioners' court until "Township Organization" came into operation in 1886 by the popular vote of the people of this county. By this plan each civil township or precinct is entitled to at least one representative on a board of supervisors. The officers of clerk of the court and county clerk were one office up to 1869 (except in 1860-61).
The original office of district attorney was changed to that of county attorney in 1888.
The county commissioners were the guardians of the people for a third of a century. They were three in number, representing three various districts of the county. Their assembling at the county seat was termed "County Commissioners Court." The following constituted some of their more important acts :
ACTS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The first board of county commissioners consisted of William E. Lee, Thomas Fitzsimmons and L. C. Baldwin. They first met (the last named not present) "at the house of Batie and Blinn's at Fontanelle, Dodge County, Nebraska Territory," January 6, 1857. This was while Fonta- nelle was yet included in Dodge County-the change of boundaries taking place in 1860. The order of their first business was :
First-Dividing the county into districts.
Second-Dividing the county into precincts.
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Third-Dividing the county into road districts.
Fourth-Appointing of officers.
Fifth-Approving of official bonds.
Sixth-Locating public highways.
Upon motion of Commissioner William E. Lee, the county was divided into three precincts bounded as follows: No. 1. All that portion of the county east of the Elkhorn River. No. 2. All that portion of the county between the Platte River and the line running west from the Elkhorn on the township line between township 17 and 18 to the west line of the county. No. 3. All territory lying north and west of said line.
The road districts-five in number-were under the care of the fol- lowing supervisors: No. 1, E. H. Barnard; No. 2, "Mr." Miller, of North Bend; No. 3, David Bloomer; No. 4, Hiram H. Ladd; No. 5, I. Warner.
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