USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 33
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 33
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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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
The first death was that of a government surveyor, who was killed by lightning in the summer of 1857 and buried in section 1, the site of a later cemetery.
Jared Munderloch built the first frame house in the township.
POSTOFFICE
Everett postoffice was established about 1870, with S. D. Pickard as postmaster. Henry Block was postmaster in the early '90s. A small general store was conducted at that point several years.
IN 1920
After the toils and perplexities of more than three-score years, for the first and second generations of men who have had to do with the
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development of this goodly agricultural section, one today finds a charm- ing country where land ranges from $150 to $300 per acre and is a good investment at these seemingly high prices. If one could view the vast hundreds of thousands of tons of various farm commodities that have been harvested from the soil of this inland subdivision of Dodge County with the coming and going of more than sixty years since its first settler invaded its domain, it would indeed be a wonderful amount to behold. This includes hay, grain, stock and vegetable growth.
CHAPTER XXXII
RIDGELEY TOWNSHIP
LOCATION-BOUNDARIES-POPULATION -- ORGANIZATION - SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-RIDGELEY POSTOFFICE, ETC .- WEBSTER POSTOFFICE -- MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS - MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY --- EARLY SETTLEMENT OF TOWNSHIP.
Second from the west and also from the north line of Dodge County, comes Ridgeley Township, which is constituted of Congressional town- ship 19, range 6. It is bounded on the north by Pebble Township, on the east by Everett Township, on the south by Cotterell and on the west by Pleasant Valley. Strictly speaking, this is one of the truly inland sub- divisions of Dodge County, as it is without railroad or hamlet. Its chief trading point and market place is Scribner, while Crowell and Dodge villages are not far distant from parts of the township's territory.
POPULATION
The United States census gives the population in 1890 as being 807; in 1900 it was 847, and in 1910-ten years later-it had decreased to 675, while the present (1920) enumeration has not yet been made public.
ORGANIZATION
What is now known as Ridgeley Township was formed as a separate township when the county was placed under township organization in 1886. The first election after it was a "precinct" in government, was held in section 28, at Mat Robert's house. The township affairs have been well managed and is today fully up to the Dodge County township standard.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES
The pioneer school was kept in 1871 and some of the scholars were over twenty-one, but many things illegal then went for lawful. For school history see Educational Chapter elsewhere in this work.
The earliest church in this township was the Evangelical Lutheran, formed in 1874. See Church Chapter for details.
POSTOFFICES
The first postoffices of this township were Ridgeley and Webster. The former was established in 1868 with A. Holbrook as postmaster. In 1882 it was removed to the home of Patrick Owen, remained a few years and then rotated back to Mr. Holbrook, his wife being made post- mistress. It was discontinued and after a time re-established. It was about 1885 that it was located in section 26, when H. L. Shomsher was postmaster. He also conducted a country store at this point. Mail was received tri-weekly on a mail route from Fremont to Webster.
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Webster postoffice moved from place to place. In the early '90s it was on the extreme western line of the township, with Isabelle Honey as postmistress, whose husband was a mail carrier, and ran a small gen- eral store in connection with the postoffice. This office was established in 1870 at the pioneer home of F. C. Scott, who served seven years, when John Ferguson took the office and it was then removed to Pleasant Valley Township. Other changes were made in its location until it was finally abolished.
FIRST SETTLERS
In an account of this part of Dodge County found in the volume entitled "History of the Elkhorn Valley," published about 1891, there is found the following account of the early settlement in this township. It seems to have been corrected and approved by competent committeemen, hence as such events are unchangeable, we will assume the statements made therein to be correct at this time:
To have been the first settler to invade and make his permanent abiding place in so splendid and highly fertile domain as the Township of Ridgeley is composed was indeed an honor to be appreciated by any man. To such honor, the record says, is attached the name of Frank M. Tillman, who located by right of pre-emption in the northeast quarter of section 26, in June, 1868 fifty-two years ago. He and several others brought their families from the Lake Superior country. Mr. Tillman proved up and continued to cultivate his land until 1880 when he moved to the Village of Hooper and purchased a hotel property, conducted it for a time, after which his son, Frank, took over the property and became landlord.
Vangilder Banghart, section 28, homesteaded eighty acres in 1868. With others, this pioneer homesteader saw great hardships for a decade or more when prosperity smiled upon his efforts. Henry Banghart arrived the year last named as did Isaac Banghart, claiming land in sec- tion 28. At one time he sold lumber and bought grain in the Village of Scribner. Peter Therens and John Mohr came to the township to effect their settlement the same year.
About 1869 the following made settlement in the township: James M. Cruickshank, section 31; John Eckroat, section 21; Daniel Jones, John Yosten and a few others came. In 1871 came Thomas H. Heywood to section 10.
Old Mr. Berriman homesteaded in section 30; he died many years ago. Others settlers in this goodly township were: Nicholas Reise, sec- tion 24; Henry Sievers, section 18, in 1869 and in 1890 was counted one of the richest men in the township; A. L. Holbrook, section 28, came in 1869 and sold out in 1882 and moved to Kansas. August English settled here in the '70s in section 7, and died in 1887. William Herman located in section 6 in 1870. D. Stagerman came at about the same date; also Mr. Schuler of section 8. Dr. Thomas Street and Matthew Thernis were pioneers.
In the grasshopper days-the times that tried men's souls-lands were offered at $1 per acre, but fortunate indeed for the owners, no buyers could be found to take it off their hands. This land is today selling as high as $300 per acre in several instances.
Among the first events in this township may be mentioned the birth of August, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Tillman, born in August, 1870. He was beyond question the first child born in the township.
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OTHER ITEMS
The German speaking farmers of this vicinity organized a strong insurance company known as the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany, in 1885.
Pebble Creek Farmers' Club commenced its operation in about 1885 and in 1888 in section 11 was built a large two-story frame hall build- ing. In this building was conducted the business of the Mutual Insur- ance just mentioned. This club had in 1890 over 200 excellent farmers enrolled on its books as regular members.
A branch of the Farmers' Alliance had headquarters at what was known as the "Red School House."
CHAPTER XXXIII
UNION TOWNSHIP
LOCATION-BOUNDARY-ORGANIZATION-FIRST DEATH -- FIRST BIRTH- FIRST LAND PLOWED FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICES-SETTLEMENT SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC .- POPULATION.
Union Township is the extreme southwestern civil township in Dodge County, and comprises all of township 18, range 5, east, and a small por- tion of township 17, of the same range. It is bounded on the west by Colfax County, on the north by Pleasant Valley Township, Dodge County, on the east by Cotterell Township, and on the south by the Platte River and Saunders County.
The Union Pacific Railroad courses through the township from east to west, following the meanderings of the Platte River largely.
Before 1886 when township organization obtained in Dodge County, this was within what was known as North Bend Precinct. The rule of the new law was to have each civil township conform to the lines of the surveyed township of six miles square, and this holds good in Dodge County, except in places along the Platte River, where a part of other townships are included.
POPULATION
According to the United States census returns this township had at various periods a population as follows: In 1890 it was 660; in 1900 it was 723, and in 1910 it had decreased to 633. The 1920 figures have not been made public as yet.
FIRST EVENTS
The first death in the township was the wife of pioneer George Young, December 20, 1856.
The first white child born here was Seth W. Young, in November, 1856-also the first birth in Dodge County.
The first furrow turned in the township by a plow was the garden patch of Robert Miller, in the fall of 1856.
The first religious services in the township were held by Rev. Isaac E. Heaton at a private house. He was the pioneer Congregational min- ister who founded the Fremont Congregational Church.
FIRST SETTLERS
Union Township has the distinction of being the first place where Dodge County's pioneer settlement was made-Union and Cotterell town- ships had the first, or 1856-57 colonies of immigrants within their borders. July 4, 1856, was "commencement day" for the county, for it was on that date that the newcomers camped and got their breakfast where now stands the thriving City of North Bend.
This colony consisted of Robert Miller and family, and his brother, John, with his family; George Young and family ; George McNaughton
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and family ; William and Alexander Miller, single men and brothers of Robert and John Miller, also the sister Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Ely, of Fremont. (See account of colony in history of North Bend.)
Robert Miller located in what is now Union Township, in section 12. William Miller settled later in Sarpy County, Nebraska, and Alex- ander in Utah. McNaughton becoming disheartened after a few days returned to his old home in the East. George Young remained and became one of the county's well-known citizens. He chose a part of sec- tion 12 for his home. His son, James R., when old enough took land in section 11.
J. Mason Smith, a farmer of section 12, came to the county June, 1857, with Mathew S. Cotterell, Alexander Morrison and James Humph- rey, who brought with them a steam sawmill. (See North Bend history.)
In 1859 Michael Johnson pre-empted a part of section 8, Union Town- ship, and there constructed a dugout in the side of the hill, and there he managed to live two years or more. He moved to his place in section 21 in the spring of 1877. His brother, Edward Johnson, located in the county in the spring of 1859, first locating on Maple Creek. About 1866 he homesteaded eighty acres in Union Township where he was living in the '90s.
Part of section 18, this township, was settled by the parents of John M. Dickerson in the autumn of 1860. As soon as the homestead law went into force David Dickerson, the father, took his homestead.
Charles Thrush came to the county in March, 1861, and became a permanent settler in Union Township.
David Scott, section 23, located in Dodge County in the autumn of 1863.
Josiah Dickerson took a homestead in 1865, the same being in sec- tion 34.
James and William McVicker arrived in the spring of 1867, locating in sections 30 and 20 respectively.
In the fall of 1866 Hiram Burger effected his settlement, rented until the summer of 1867, then homesteaded in section 28.
Andrew Quigley came to Dodge County in 1869, rented land and finally settled permanently in section 18, Union Township.
Mathias Ruff and John Kern arrived in the spring of 1869. Ruff took a homestead in section 26.
William R. Black, section 18, came to Dodge County in July, 1874; Thomas Gaughen, section 15, came in 1875, and Daniel A. Boggs, March, 1877.
Later settlements were made by: Martin Gaughen, section 9; William L. Hatcher, 1880; Joseph Krause, section 28, in the fall of 1881 ; George J. Campbell, manager of the Bay State Stock Farm, arrived in the county in 1882; C. M. Black, section 16, spring of 1884.
Dennis Killeen came here in the spring of 1877; was a native of Ire- land and arrived in America in 1868. His son became county clerk of Dodge County.
Another settler who should not be left from the record was James Sloss and family, who located in Union Township in October, 1858, locating in section 12.
Eighteen hundred fifty-nine saw the following immigrants locate in the township: David Dickerson and family, of New Jersey, and John B. Waterman, of New York. Waterman remained until 1864 then removed to California.
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It should be here stated that during the eventful years of 1869-70, the greater portion of the land within this township was taken up by actual settlers, who flocked from all parts of the globe.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES
The reader is referred to the special chapter on such subjects for these are treated in general with all other schools and churches in the county. (See index.)
The Protestants and Catholics both have a cemetery within Union Township.
GENERAL ITEMS OF INTEREST
Purple Cane postoffice in section 18, of Union Township, existed from 1885 to 1892.
The Bay State Live Stock Company had a very extensive ranch in the southeastern part of the township. There immense numbers of cattle and horses were raised and fed annually. The ranch included all of sec- tion 11, upon which the Bay State station of the Union Pacific Railroad was located. There large barns and yards for stock and extensive corn and grain warehouses were erected.
From this point a branch railroad was projected, and known as the "North Bend and Elkhorn Valley" Railroad. For reasons best known to railway men, this line was never constructed.
CHAPTER XXXIV PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP
DESCRIPTION-POPULATION-ORGANIZATION-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES -POSTOFFICES-GENERAL CONDITION TODAY-LIST OF EARLY SET- TLERS.
Pleasant Valley Township is situated on the west line of Dodge County, second from the north line, and hence comprises Congressional township 19, range 5, east. It is bounded on the north by Webster Town- ship, on the east by Ridgeley Township, on the south by Union and on the west by Colfax County. This is another of the civil subdivisions of Dodge County in which there are no towns or villages, neither a railroad. The Federal census in 1890 gave the population as 815, but a state census of schools gave it 1,000 in 1892. In 1900 it had dropped down to 734 and in 1910, the same authority gave its population as only 646. The figures on the present (1920) census have not yet been given out.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIP
Up to 1886 this township was included in Webster precinct, but at the time this precinct system of the county was changed to township government, it was changed to conform to its present territory and its domain has since been known as "Pleasant Valley Township."
PIONEER SETTLEMENT
A single man named James Ferguson is supposed to have been the first person to permanently locate within this township. He claimed land in section 24 in the autumn of 1868.
In the early spring of 1869 came John Ross, locating in section 22. He homesteaded a quarter section and became a permanent figure in Dodge County. He had served in the army and navy of the United States from 1861 to 1865.
John L. Brown came here in June, 1869, and pre-empted a quarter section of land in section 10. He also took a homestead of eighty acres in the same section.
John Emanuel, of section 28, this township, was postmaster and store- keeper at Pleasant Valley, was numbered among the pioneers of this township. He came in during 1869, taking a homestead.
Among those who came to this township from other parts of Dodge County may be recalled : Eben Ives, who first located in section 32, Ridgeley Township, but later moved over to section 36, Pleasant Valley. Also James Robertson, who came with his family and located in section 14 in March of that year, but later moved to section 26.
Joseph Cross came to Fremont in the early autumn of 1870. In the spring of 1871 he rented in Union Township. In 1872 he homesteaded in section 28, where he died in August, 1891.
Henry Rose came to the county in 1870 and made his settlement in Pleasant Valley Township in 1871. John Andrews took his homestead of a quarter section in section 8, in the fall of 1870. He had been a soldier
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in the Civil war and therefore entitled to a quarter of a section in his homestead.
Besides those already named as being settlers in Pleasant Valley Township in 1870, were also these: James Harvie, whose parents set- tled in section 14; Henry Sturbaum, section 2; John Arps, section 32; in 1871 came Hans P. Stoltenberg, located a homestead which had been claimed by another, in section 28, but he paid the former claimant $100 and thus secured what soon came to be a valuable place.
In 1873 Peter Emanuel located in this township, purchasing railroad land. Edwin Hook also located in section 6 that year.
Frederick Zadehoff, of section 31, came to Dodge County in 1874 and bought 200 acres of land.
Hon. Charles Feichtinger, section 22, came to Dodge County in 1868. He was a native of Germany where he mastered the jewelry trade. He came direct from the fatherland to Dodge County, Nebraska.
Jacob Longacre came in the spring of 1873.
John Haase, section 29, dated his settlement from the spring of 1880. Frederick Haase settled in section 19, in 1883.
In 1869 when John Ross came to this township he found residing here: William, John and James Ferguson, who belonged to a Scotch colony on the eastern line of the township. They all came in 1869; John Johnson, who took a homestead, came that year, and later moved to North Bend.
William Ross came in 1870 and took his homestead, remained until 1884, when he sold and went back to New York State. He sold to John Hair. John Ross came in 1877, purchased railroad land in section 27, remained in the township until 1889, then moved to Box Butte County.
Hon. John R. Cantlin, section 26, came in as a homesteader in 1870. Quite a goodly number of Germans located in the northeast part of the township in 1870; these included the family of Martin Heckenroder, in section 12.
Charles Warnsdorf claimed a part of section 22. J. W. Porter bought him out in 1881, and he returned to Germany. He was an odd character, but highly educated. He had been wealthy before coming to this country, but had spent most of his fortune before settling here. He took a homestead and lived a single man, doing his own cooking.
Other early settlers were Thomas M. Stubbert and Hugh Robertson.
It may be stated that many of the first settlers in this part of Dodge County were young single men, who took land, made rude houses from sod and other cheap material, and then sent for their intended wives, their marriage taking place after they had arrived from some of the older settled places in the East, and in many cases from across the great Atlan- tic Ocean. It took stout hearts and strong bodies to thus leave home and firesides where they had been reared and attempt to make a home in a wild, prairie land like Nebraska was at that date. These women made the best wives and mothers and have centainly accomplished their share of developing this township and county.
The first marriage in this township was that of James Ferguson. This marriage was dated sometime in 1869.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES
The first school was held in a sod shanty-see special chapter in this volume on Educational interests.
Reverend Wilson, of North Bend, held the first religious meeting- see chapter on various churches of the county.
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POSTOFFICES AND CEMETERIES
Prior to 1890 there were two cemeteries laid out in this township- one in section 28, and one in section -"Pleasant Valley" and "Glencoe."
It is likely that the first death in the township was that of the mother of John L. Brown.
The first birth recorded was that of Bessie Ferguson, May 22, 1869, the daughter of John and Jane Ferguson.
Pleasant Valley postoffice was established in 1871, with Matthew Stubbert first postmaster, section 34. Other postmasters were: Messrs. Huffland, Hans P. Stoltenberg, section 28, who was followed by John Emanuel. The postmaster then conducted a general store.
GENERAL HISTORIC ITEMS
During 1873-4 and '75 the grasshoppers ruined the fair prospects of scores of farmers in Pleasant Valley. Excellent "eighties" of land could have been purchased for $100, but most of them held on because they found no one to buy them out, and their sons and daughters can now sell the same acres at not less than $300 an acre. Twenty-five years ago these lands sold at $40.
A town hall was built for public meetings and election purposes in the northeast quarter of section 21, in 1891, costing $200.
A Grange or Farmers' Alliance hall was also erected in section 24.
A German Farmers' Club hall was erected in the '80s in the western portion of this township. This cost $500. It was a six-sided building and built by a stock company.
CHAPTER XXXV
LOGAN TOWNSHIP
ITS EXTENT - BOUNDARIES - POPULATION - RAILROAD FACILITIES - SWEDISH COLONY-LATER SETTLEMENT-VILLAGE OF UEHLING- GENERAL CONDITIONS TODAY-ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIP OR PRECINCT AS THEN KNOWN-FIRST TOWNSHIP ELECTION-SWA- BURGH POSTOFFICE.
Logan Township is in the extreme northeastern corner of Dodge County. It comprises all of the Congressional township 20, range 8, east. Until a few years ago it was without railroad facilities and purely an agricultural section, but in recent years transportation facilities have been furnished by the building of a branch line of the great "Burlington" system, with a station near the northern line of the township and county -Uehling. Logan Township is bounded on the north by Burt County, on the east by Washington County, on the south by Hooper Township, Dodge County, on the west by Cuming Township, making a six-mile square tract of land.
POPULATION AND ORGANIZATION
The township was organized as a precinct in 1857. The first election was held at the house of C. H. Lisers; the judges were Hiram H. Ladd, Willis Carr and Martin Shearer. The population in 1890 was, according to the United States census, 673, in 1900 it was only 621, and in 1910 had increased to 857. The 1920 enumeration figures have not yet been given out.
SETTLEMENT NOTES
A colony from the north of Sweden, just at the close of the Civil war in this country, made the pioneer settlement in Logan Township, aside from a few who preceded them. This Swedish colony was headed by Peter Saspair, of section 15. Many remained and took homesteads, while some went to Omaha for settlement. Among those who may be termed "first settlers" were: Andrew Larson, O. Larson, Lars Lund, M. M. Frost, Peter Dahl, Andrew Linn, M. Olson, P. A. Anderson, Nels Hanson, Oscar Bergquist, Carl Morrell, Christian Dueholm and N. P. Westlin.
Theodore Uehling came to this county in 1860, settling in section 18, township 19, range 9, and there built him a log house and covered it with slough grass. He bought and traded for many tracts of land until he owned 1,000 acres.
In 1865 Andrew Bowman and his mother came. They homesteaded eighty acres in section 10 and built a log cabin which was burned, and later they were driven from the premises by high water, but they were not the type of people to easily give up, and after a few years of great privation and hardship they became well circumstanced.
In 1867 George Briggs, later of section 34, located in this township. He purchased a quarter section of wild land and made his own improve- ments as best he could.
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In 1868 the township had other settlers in the persons of John Samp- son, section 26. He stopped in Fremont one year and then took his home- stead. Peter Swanson, Peter Anderson, T. H. Mallett and others came about the same time or a little later.
Hon. N. P. Nelson settled here in 1869. His mother took a homestead in the fall of that year, in the west half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 34.
Ole Johnson was another settler of the last named year and he claimed a part of section 34. He also bought railroad lands in section 35.
Fred Daubert settled in section 7 in 1872.
Gus J. Bergquist bought eighty acres of wild land in section 24 in 1875.
Other settlers included Gus Swanson, John Daubert, J. G. Myer and Howard Myer.
Of the churches and public schools the reader is referred to special chapters in this volume on such topics covering the entire county.
EARLY POSTOFFICE
Swaburgh postoffice was established in 1881 in section 14, but in 1888 it was moved to section 24. E. Morrell was postmaster in the '90s. Mail was then being received at that date three times a week on a route from Hooper to Herman station.
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