USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 44
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 44
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"I, therefore, call upon the citizens of Blair and vicinity to meet at the park at 3 P. M. to take such action as the sad event requires and that business be suspended during the meeting. I further request that at the hour named the bells of the several churches toll.
(Signed) "ALONZO PERKINS, "Mayor."
The preliminary meeting resulted in the appointment of a committee (to make arrangements for a memorial) of the following citizens: J. S. Bowen, Theodore Haller and J. H. Hugate.
At the appointed time many came in from the country and the town people usually turned out at the park. It was estimated that 1,500 were present long before the hour of 2 P. M. The Grand Army of the Repub- lic met at the barracks and from there they marched to the park, over 100 strong in a single column, with colors draped, muffled drums and arms reversed, each veteran wearing a badge of mourning on his left arm. Theodore Haller called the meeting to order and Warren Billings, of Grant precinct, was elected chairman. Rev. John Patrick, of Herman, made a very touching and appropriate prayer, followed by G. W. Wain- right in a forty minute address in which he, with signal ability, reviewed the lessons of moral responsibility to be evolved from the death of Presi- dent Garfield.
Hon. Lorenzo Crounse next spoke upon his political life. He spoke without notes and his words were dictated by a feeling that frequently brought tears from the eyes of the hearers. He had been a personal friend of the lamented president.
Gen. John S. Bowen then gave a short address upon the loss to the people, followed by Rev. J. P. Andrew, upon the moral and Christian
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character of Garfield. Last on the program was L. W. Osborn, who gave an able address upon the military career of Garfield. The exercises closed with an address by George Bigelow, of Ohio. It was an eloquent speech and well received. Those present will long remember the solemn memorial services in Blair for President Garfield, second president to be assassinated in the United States.
ON THE DEATH OF GEN. U. S. GRANT
August 8, 1885, the loyal citizens everywhere throughout the country assembled in mourning for the death of President Ulysses S. Grant, who died after many weary months, caused by a throat affection. He was a great sufferer but bore all his pain with fortitude and patience.
The Blair memorial services over this great military chieftain and honored ex-president, were observed in an appropriate manner. An immense throng of people lined the streets early in the forenoon. Various societies and organizations joined in the procession, some in uniform, and took up the line of march under command of J. S. Cook, of the Grand Army Corps, headed by a martial band composed of William Swihart, James Denny and J. W. Boggs. Arriving at the park, there was a short address by Judge Crounse, also by Messrs. Davis and Halmar, all of which were listened to by a large multitude. After appropriate resolu- tions had been offered the exercises ended.
The business places in Blair were all closed, flags were at half-mast and draped in mourning. At the close, all retired orderly to their respec- tive homes, to perpetuate the memory of one to whom the country still owes a debt of gratitude.
ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY
The assassination of President Mckinley at the Pan-American Expo- sition at Buffalo, New York, in September, 1901, caused a very deep- seated sorrow throughout the entire country-north, south, east and west. At Herman, this county, appropriate memorial services were held in the Baptist Church. Reverend Patrick spoke. The saloons of the country were then running under full sanction of the law of the land, but on that day all were closed out of respect for the fallen president. Indeed, all business houses were closed from 1 to 4 o'clock P. M.
At Blair there was no regular memorial exercises in a united form, but the Pilot, the local newspaper, published a bulletin each day for about a week prior to the final passing of the beloved president, giving the physicians exact reports at certain hours of the days and nights. He died at 2:15 A. M. Saturday, September 14, 1901. The following day (Sab- bath) the ministers in the various churches of Blair and other points in Washington County, made appropriate remarks concerning the death of the beloved President.
CHAPTER XVI INDIAN TROUBLES
The following reminiscence by pioneer J. H. Peters was read before the Old Settlers Association of Dodge County at one of their early annual meetings. It relates to "The Pawnee War" and reads thus :
I arrived at Fontanelle, a part of which was then Dodge County, April 28, 1855, after a long and tedious voyage on the ill-fated steamer Mary Cole, which sunk a total wreck twenty miles below Omaha. I was a member of the Quincy colony that located and settled in Fontanelle. When we arrived we found men engaged in the survey of a townsite and after we came it was determined to lay out fifty twenty-six-acre lots around the town on three sides so that each member of the company could have a small farm adjoining the town.
Indians were then very numerous and by this arrangement each mem- ber of the colony could live in town and cultivate his farm. On May 1, 1855, the colony made a division of town lots, timber claims and a quarter section of land near town. The division was by lot. All went on peace- ably about a month, when 100 Indians came yelling and running their horses and making war-like demonstrations and stayed around about two hours. They did no violence, only alarmed the settlers. All went well until the last of June while Porter and his wife and George Demoree were coming home from breaking prairie on Bell Creek; on Saturday evening they were overtaken by a heavy rain storm and camped. On Sunday morning they heard heavy firing of guns near a lake a half mile south of them. They thought it was the Fontanellers down there shooting fish as that was a favorite sport, so they all went down to see them. When they arrived they found a large number of Indians on horseback and one rode up to Demoree and took off his hat. Demoree could not get his hat back from the Indians; their demonstrations were unkind. Demoree said he would go to his wagon and get his gun and shoot that Indian. They all started for the wagon ; when they had gone but a short distance an Indian rode hastily up and raised his gun and shot Demoree through the head, and Porter, who was near in range turned that way to look at the Indian and the same ball pierced his breast and they both fell dead. The wife, while bending over her dying busband saw a hole in his breast and the blood rapidly gushing forth ; while in that position an Indian rode by and with a spear pierced her hip and motioned for her to "go to white man." She saw the Indians scalping Demoree-they did not scalp her husband-then she ran towards Fontanelle, throwing off all of her heavy skirts and all her clothing but her dress so that she could run faster. I, and others saw her coming and went out to meet her. Among others present was John Cramer, the man they were work- ing for. She threw her arms around Cramer's neck and cried out : "My God, the Indians have killed my dear husband George," then she fainted away, but upon coming to herself again told the sad story. Whereupon excitement ran high in every breast, the men all rushing around for their guns; the women rushing around to get their children together.
A wagon was soon ready to convey the smaller children, while the women and older children walked hurriedly up the hill, to the remainder
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of the settlement. When we got a half mile away the Indians got around the horses we had left, but saw the white men coming with guns in hand so only had time to rob a tent and cut it loose. They had taken some skil- lets and pans and when so closely followed they threw them all away and ran through the river to evade the pursuers into thick brush and thus escaped unhurt. We then sent out and brought home the dead men. A council was held to see what we had better do and it was decided to send two men to Omaha to the governor who, with General Thayer, hurried around and got thirty men with Captain Moore and Lieutenant Reaves and on their arrival we mustered thirty men with Captain Kline and Lieu- tenant Patterson. In a few days General Thayer and Secretary Cuming came up to review the little army and see how the war progressed. General Thayer said to our men:
"All you men who have horses put them in service for we cannot keep these livery horses at five dollars per day ; and you men of a family must board yourselves ; you shall be amply paid, for the Governor and I have to provide these single men on our own responsibility"; so we furnished horses, wagons and boarding through the campaign. We mustered at ten and four and patroled the camp which took in all the settlers. Some gave alarm one night, just after dark, that Indians were seen and fired upon by our soldiers going to a spring in a hollow, northwest of the Fontanelle house ; then the drum beat the alarm, all the families rushed to the Fontanelle house for the fort. I grabbed my two little girls in my arms, my wife took Jim and the ax and Sam carried the musket to the "fort." Mr. Whittier brought his family ; he had no gun but brought a pitchfork ; then he borrowed a gun of the landlord and hurried to the ranks ; all was dark and great excitement prevailed. The soldiers were forming line on the higher ground, near the hotel, and the squad of us were hunting the Indians and were observed by the men in ranks and mistaking us for the Indians, they had their guns to their faces with orders to "make ready," "take aim," and the captain discovered it was his men and did not fire on us. That was only one of the many alarms, but after drill the "boys" would get furloughs to hunt and fish. Lieu- tenant Reaves was the champion deer hunter, he nearly always shot one or two each time out. The men said he could shoot them as well where there wasn't any as where they were thick! The two hard winters of deep snow nearly exterminated the deer.
The Omaha company went home and we all went to preparing for winter and had no further trouble with the Indians until 1858. In June that year, the Pawnees, 5,000 strong, were going to join the Omahas way up the Elkhorn and there both tribes would join and hunt buffalo in the Sioux country. They camped near the lakes southeast of where the Village of Nickerson station now is, for several days. I was amused to see the lake full of children like a pond full of ducks. After a few days they passed on, but as soon as they got eight or ten miles up the river they began robbing the settlers. A bachelor named Thomas they tied in his cabin, robbed him of his provisions and $100 in money and left him tied in the house. They drove away his work oxen and went on to Cuming Creek. There they found a large drove of cattle in care of the Parks boys; they compelled them to drive them up for them to slaughter, and when the boys saw they were to kill all the cattle they said : "Let us go and get more cattle," but when they got away they ran toward Fontanelle and several families came down in the night and told Captain Kline how the Indians were destroying the settlements above and north of Fontanelle. In the morning Captain Kline was around mus-
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tering his army into service; when he came to me he said: "Peters, the Indians are driving out all the settlers-we want to go and start them out." I replied : "As soon as I eat my breakfast and load my musket I am ready." He said : "Take me a lunch along for we will have to go to Cumings Creek at least and we will drive around to get you." So the teams were soon ready and we in pursuit of the Indians. We went on till we came to Logan Creek where we had to cross the men on a large tree fallen across the creek and swim the horses, and put ropes to the wagons. At noon we reached Cuming Creek; we found no cattle, but of bones, heads and horns a plenty. There we lunched and looked for the herd, but found no trace of them and thought they had driven them along so they could have plenty of meat.
We started for West Point and about five miles out we saw the whole tribe in camp, on the west side of Elkhorn River. They had tents. At West Point we were greeted with a right hearty welcome. The Indian foragers had been there. They tried to compel a man to take his oxen from a wagon, saying: "Heap Indians must have heap meat." The only way he could get rid of them was by giving them a fine heifer. The ladies of West Point hastened to get us our suppers. Messengers were sent over the river to bring in all the settlement and before sunrise all were in West Point and most of their valuables, too. The Indians did not know we were there after them until after breakfast. Then about twenty came on the trail of the settlers and their cattle. We held a coun- cil as to how to protect West Point and the settlement at DeWitt, five miles above. The agreement was to send Lieutenant Patterson and twenty-five men to that settlement and, Captain Kline in command of the remainder of the army to protect West Point, and in a few moments were were enroute by wagons. On arrival we found the settlers unalarmed, having heard nothing, but having seen a few foragers that morning, they readily believed the report. In a few moments we saw eleven Indians approaching on foot, all having guns or bows.
They were more than a mile away, so we again councilled. We would leave the old man Moore and his neighbor at the gate to entice them into the house, and we conceal ourselves in the kitchen and when the Indians came in we rush upon them and take them prisoners, not to shoot them, and I think twenty-five of us boys could tie eleven Indians. The plan was complete. The Indians came in and wanted powder of the old man and in one minute we were at the door, Lieutenant Patterson at front with Thomas Canaga by his side. John Evans and I came next. Patter- son grabbed the door knob to shut it, but the Indians seeing they were trapped made a desperate rush for the door and came with such force as to tramp Patterson and Canaga under foot, and Evans and myself grasped our guns with both hands and by the boys at our backs pushing on our shoulders, we held them back for a while. They made a terrible "Oh, Ouh, Ouh." Part of the men came in at the kitchen door. They were knocked down and while we held sway at the front door, I heard two shots fired; the third hit my left arm near the shoulder and it was paralyzed. My gun went down and the blood flowed from my arm freely. Evans saw this and while I was still holding an Indian back as he was passing me, Evans shot him in the breast and he fell at my side. As the rest of the Indians ran out over the dying Indian and Patterson and Canaga, the boys stepped back a few steps and everyone was his own captain, shouting, "Shoot that Indian," and they nearly all got some shot as they ran away. They went first to the right, then to the left to avoid bullets, but when fifty yards away, they ran straight. One Madison
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laid his gun on the fence and as soon as an Indian quit going crooked, he dropped him dead. Those who could, got away in great haste ; some of the wounded hid in the brush on Plum Creek, but the rest ran for- ward. After the skirmish Patterson and Canaga got up. Thomas, the man who the Indians had tied in his own house and robbed, came along in time to meet the dying Indian at the door and he struck him with his fist, cursing him for stealing his money.
One Indian gun was picked up by Mr. Sprick, who gave it to me, as I was the only white man shot. While I was getting my arm bandaged the families of the settlement were getting stock and teams together to leave in haste. The soldier boys gathered up two dying Indians and put them in the wagon. There was still another too heavy to load. We soon hurried back to West Point, but soon one of the Indians died. The boys yelled to Patterson that one of the Indians died, and the order came to throw him in the creek (we were then on Plum Creek). As the other Indian saw what we did with his comrade, he feigned to be dead, and we had orders to throw him into the creek, which we did, and as he commenced swimming out, one of the company fired a charge of buckshot which caused his death. We were then at West Point and the whole town and settlement determined to leave, fearing that the Pawnees would turn in and wipe the whites all out. We had but little ammunition and knew the Pawnees had many brave warriors. Before the families could get loaded up our company was hurrying for Fontanelle, some men hurrying the cattle after the army and the wagons. Then the men in charge of the cattle looked back and saw the wagons stop and were sure the Indians were killing the families and they then threw off their shoes and ran after the soldiers, letting the cattle run on the prairie. The men ran until they were exhausted, but could not overtake the soldiers so they saw a flag pond nearby and there they hid with their mouths out of the water until after dark, when they came forth but feared to go on the road for fear the Indians would kill them, so they went through the prairie bare- footed to Mr. Hinerman's on Clark Creek.
He took them in, fed and lodged them and brought them to Fontanelle the next day. When the families came up to the cattle they drove them along, arriving safe without seeing a single Indian. But two young men hastened to tell the news at Fontanelle, of the battle with the Indians and they feared all would be killed soon. When we arrived at Fontanelle those who remained at home railed on us for killing any Indians, as it would excite the blood-thirsty savages. Some families loaded their valu- ables and left that night for Omaha ; some went out part way and camped. We gathered the rest into the old college building and I assured them no Indian would come in range of a white man's gun and we kept a strong guard all that night. In the morning the excitement had cooled off, but those who went to Omaha saw (or said they did)' the college building in flames, when they got ten miles out of Fontanelle. That wild report caused an alarm in Omaha and some went over to Council Bluffs for safety. Then Governor Black and General Thayer gathered an army of 300 men, with cavalry and artillery, determined to wipe the Pawnees out, and when General Thayer arrived in Fontanelle he congratulated the soldiers and said: "I give you the greatest praise for scourging them yourselves. I have often been called on to scourge them, but before I can do it they raise the white flag, then if I should scourge them I should be called a murderer." He also gave the citizens of Fontanelle a Fourth of July address while he was waiting for Governor Black and reinforcements, and he finally arrived and the army pursued until they
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overtook them. There was no bloodshed, but there were many things of interest, including a big pow-wow and a settlement of damages of the war.
INDIANS
At the time of the now famous expedition of Lewis and Clark, which was organized in 1803, but which did not start out on its tour of explora- tion until May, 1804, the Indians inhabiting what is now Nebraska, were the Missouris, Otoes, Omahas and the Pawnees. There were other tribes in Nebraska at the time, but not in this portion. Since the organization of Nebraska Territory in 1854, no tribes have made their headquarters in Washington County. Up to 1855 a few Omahas were still lingering around this county. Big Elk, a chief, was the last Indan to die in this county. He died and was buried in 1854, near Fort Calhoun. The early history of Washington County was not without interesting Indian inci- dents. Among these incidents should not be forgotten the celebrated council held at Fort Calhoun, near the present southern boundary line of the county, between Captains Lewis and Clark on the one side, and the deputation of six chiefs from the Missouris and Otoes on the other. This council was held August 3, 1804, and established friendly relations between the expedition and the Indian nations represented thereat.
It was claimed by citizens at Council Bluffs many years ago, that this council was held near their city, but there is no doubt from the best of evidence that such treaty was held at Fort Calhoun.
It was in 1819 that the government established Fort Atkinson, after- ward Fort Calhoun, on this same spot of ground. As a regular military post this fort was abandoned in 1827. To show that this council was actually held here it may be stated that a letter was written by Father De Smet, bearing date December 9, 1867, in reply to a letter of inquiry by N. Ramsey, secretary of the Historical Society, of St. Louis. Father De Smet replied as follows : "During the years 1838 and 1839, I resided opposite what is now called the City of Omaha. In 1839 I stood on the bluffs on which the old fort was built in 1819; some rubbish and remains of the fort were then visible, and some roots of asparagus were then visible in the old garden. Fort Atkinson was located where now stands the Town of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska Territory, about sixteen miles in a straight line above the City of Omaha, and forty miles by river. I met Captain Joseph and Capt. John LaBarge, and proposed the question of the former site of Fort Atkinson, in order to test the accuracy of my memory, and they confirmed it in every particular."
CHAPTER XVII
BLAIR TOWNSHIP AND CITY
BOUNDARY-STREAMS-RAILROAD LINES-POPULATION-GENERAL FEA- TURES-DRAINAGE DITCH-CITY OF BLAIR-PLATTING-COMMERCIAL INTERESTS - RAILROADS - POSTOFFICE AND MUNICIPAL HISTORY - FACTORIES, ETC.
Blair Township, carved from other precinct territory when John I. Blair built the railroad through the county in the later '60s. It is now bounded on the north by Cuming City Township, on the east by the Mis- souri River and De Soto Township, on the south by De Soto and Rich- land townships, on the west by Lincoln Township.
Its streams include Pappillion Creek, besides there are numerous lesser streams that drain and water the goodly farming section.
The railroads of this township are the various divisions of the great Chicago & Northwestern system, including the "Omaha" line running from Omaha to Sioux City and on to St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The lower end of a great drainage ditch coming down from the north- west, courses through the northeastern sections of Blair Township.
The population of this township according to the last three United States census enumerations was: In 1890 (including City of Blair), 2,069 ; in 1900 it was 2,970 and in 1910, 2,584. It is now about 3,400.
It is an excellent agricultural district and the hundreds of fine farm- homes with modern improvements are indeed a charming sight for the traveler to behold as he glides along over good roads in his automobile.
THE CITY OF BLAIR
The beautiful City of Blair, the county seat of Washington County, has a history dating back to 1869. It is situated about two miles from the western shore of the Missouri River, and its altitude is eighty feet above the low water mark of that stream. It is in latitude 41 degrees and 30 minutes. The first of the white race to permanently locate here were three brothers-Jacob, Alexander and T. M. Carter-who set their stakes here in the month of May, 1855.
Blair was platted on a 1,705 acre tract of land purchased by that great railroad builder, John I. Blair. This land was bought from the three Carter brothers, James S. Stewart, William Temple and C. H. Beekman. Town lots were sold at public auction to the amount of $61,000 worth the first day of the auction which was March 10, 1869. The highest price of any single lot was $350. John I. Blair being in reality the owner of the land and controlled the railroad operations was very naturally the per- son for whom the town should be named. In fact, Mr. Blair has a num- ber of townsite namesakes-Blair, New Jersey, his old home ; Blairstown, Iowa, and Blair, Nebraska, as just shown.
The county seat was removed from Fort Calhoun to Blair the same year of the town's platting-1869.
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(By Courtesy of Blair Tribuno)
MT. HOPE FRUIT FARM
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RAILROADS
Blair was really a child of the railroad interests of the locality. In 1864 the Northern Nebraska Air-Line Railroad Company was organized, and three years later received a land grant of seventy-five sections of land, which grant was transferred to the old Sioux City & Pacific Com- pany, during the same year, the company being composed of John S. Bowen and four other men. In 1868 John I. Blair and associates got control of the franchise, and in June, the people of Washington County voted at a special election to the Sioux City & Pacific Company $75,000 in county bonds, and immediately thereafter Mr. Blair pushed the road forward across the Missouri from California Junction, and on through this county to Fremont, Nebraska, which point it reached December 1, 1868. From the date of Mr. Blair's purchase of the Carter property the
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