USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 49
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 49
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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
(By Courtesy of Blair Tribune)
LEWIS-CLARK MONUMENT, FORT CALHOUN
"This centennial is to be a gathering of the pioneers and others of Nebraska, but it is not to be for them alone, as indications are that there will be hundreds of visitors from Iowa and other nearby states.
"An immense picnic dinner is to be served at noon, and that none may go away hungry, other arrangements have been made for feeding the multitude. On the grounds will be numerous cafes and eating houses, and in addition a regulation army kitchen will dispense hot food and drinks during the day."
Everything promised-more too-was fulfilled and a large gathering assembled will long remember the noted celebration.
Among other features was the circulating of a "Centennial pocket coin," same size as the United States dollar piece, and about its weight. It has the dates "1819-1919" inscribed on its face; also the thirteen emblematic stars of our coins. One can but ask himself the question : "What will the conditions be on these grounds at old Fort Atkinson (Calhoun) when another hundred years have rolled away into oblivion ? Will the day be observed as a celebration day? Will there be in evidence a single one of these pretty pocketpiece-coins?" Time alone can answer this for we will not be present to record the proceedings of the day.
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ROCKPORT -- A TOWN OF THE PAST
Bell's History of this county, written in 1876, gave the following con- cerning a long-since-passed-away "town":
"Time was when Rockport, situated on the Missouri river, about a dozen miles above Omaha, was one of the best known, and one of the most flourishing towns in Nebraska. It was settled in 1857. William H. Russell was one of its founders, J. P. Burkett, Hawley Bros., David and Stephen Neal and Doctor Lewis were also among the early settlers of Rockport. Burkett was later agent of the Yankton Sioux Indians.
"Rockport boasted at one time a fine large hotel building, but for some reason was never furnished, and was finally moved down to Flor- ence. It was built by the Town Company. A splendid body of hard- wood timber surrounded the town, and extensive stone quarries were opened up and successfully worked in the vicinity. But the timber was cut down by the Union Pacific railroad company, who also bought the quarries. There was no good agricultural country surrounding the place, hence soon dwindled down to almost nothing after the stone and timber interests passed away. In the long ago the heavy timber and deep ravines surrounding this settlement, afforded excellent facilities for the hanging of horse thieves, which facilities were utilized, until finally extensive and prosperous leaders of lawless horse-fanciers who made their headquarters near De Soto were effectually broken up. It is a sig- nificant fact that the county lost a number of its most prominent citizens in consequence of the disorganization of this band of horse thieves." Today there is no evidence that there was ever a village here. News- paper files and old men's memory must be depended on today for all that is known of Rockport.
An account of this old-time village was given in 1912 in the World- Herald, Omaha, in which the writer stated that the changing of the river's channel was what put Rockport out of commission. When this article was written there was still the remains of a good-sized foundation built from brick at that point. At one time it had almost 500 people and was an important steamboat landing. It was built up in the early years of the nineteenth century, about the date of old Fort Atkinson. Its site is near the present Carl Holst farm home. The shifting waters and uncertain river-beds of the Missouri caused it to vanish in a few days.
VILLAGE OF FORT CALHOUN
Fort Calhoun Village is the oldest village in Nebraska, and was incorporated in 1855, one year earlier than Omaha was. It is situated in section 11, township 17, range 13, east. It is about two miles west of the present banks of the Missouri River. The early annals of this historic place is treated later in this work, and has descriptions by local writers whose lives have been spent largely in this vicinity.
Here one finds the most picturesque scenery in all the commonwealth. Just to the west of the village is a high bluff overlooking the pretty meanderings of the Missouri as well as a glimpse of the waters of the Elkhorn. From near the cemetery one can view the country up and down the valley and from west to east for a distance of many miles, both on the Nebraska and Iowa sides of the Missouri. The public park in the village, proper, was set to artificial trees more than forty years ago, by the hand of that much-beloved and highly honored pioneer and local historian, W. H. Woods, who still survives to tell the story of old Fort
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Calhoun. The many beautiful shade trees in this park now tower up thirty, forty and fifty feet; their branches and great trunks stand out as so many living, growing monuments to the forethought and good sense of the pioneer who planted them out, just on the eastern slope of the ridge which runs just to the west of the village. This park reminds one of the saying, "A thing of beauty and a joy forever."
The first store in Fort Calhoun Village was that conducted by A. P. Allen, in the '50s. He kept groceries and also a good stock of "Wet Goods" (liquors).
The second business house was the store of Col. George Stevens.
With the passing years many have been connected with various busi- ness enterprises in this village. Today the commercial and professional interests of Fort Calhoun consist of the following :
General Merchandise-Otto Kruse, William Sievers.
Drugs-William R. Goll.
Banking-Washington County Bank, Fort Calhoun State Bank.
Blacksmithing-Henry Schmidt, Louis Clausen, G. V. Beadle.
Meat Shop-Frank Wolff.
Newspaper-The Chronicle.
Lumber-Calhoun Lumber Company.
Garage-Henry Schmidt.
Real Estate-Adams & Cook.
Hotels-The "Clary Chicken Dinner Inn," R. A. Johnson's Hotel.
Physician-Dr. E. S. B. Geesaman.
Milling-The Washington County Alfalfa Milling Company.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY ITEMS
Through the untiring energy of that wonderful "historical digger," W. H. ("Granddad") Woods of Fort Calhoun, it has been learned that this is Nebraska's oldest incorporation-older than Omaha-incorporated in 1855 and its first mayor was W. B. Beals. When the Town Com- pany was incorporated in August, 1857, Elam Clark was elected presi- dent of the town; again in 1867 he was elected and doubtless held the office until 1873, when E. N. Grennel was mayor; also in 1874. Under Grennel, Farm Brooks got a license to sell liquor from a saloon. Whis- key was considered "groceries" then and sold over the counter by such men as A. P. Allen and Norman Jacoby, who moved to Salt Lake. The records also show mayors as follows: L. Crounse, 1886; A. R. Toozer, 1887; George Neale, 1890; Henry Taylor, 1891; Henry Rix, 1893; L. Crounse, 1896; B. F. Adamsons, 1902; John Hendrichsen, 1904; I. I. Wager, 1905; Doctor Curtis, 1907; Fred Frahm, 1909; James Walton, 1912; W. Sievers, 1913-14; Fred Frahm, 1915; W. Sievers, 1916; James Walton, 1917 ; Wallie McMillan, 1918; John Hendrichsen, 1919, who died and was succeeded by James Vaughn in 1920.
PRESENT VILLAGE OFFICERS
The 1920 village officers of Fort Calhoun are as follows: Mayor, James Vaughn ; clerk, Mr. Wagers; treasurer, Henry Picke.
The corporation has a town hall-a two-story frame structure; also a small cement block jail ; the fire department and its equipment of hook and ladders, chemical engine, etc., are all well housed in the town build- ing. Electric lights are provided by connection with the City of Omaha. This improved means of lighting was had first in January, 1917.
.
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SCHOOLS, ETC.
The village has excellent educational advantages for so small a place. It has a good two-story frame schoolhouse which stands on the old courthouse site. (See account of County Seats of Washington County.) This schoolhouse was erected in 1900 but has been added to since. It has six rooms. On the ground which the house stands stood the first courthouse ever erected in Nebraska.
FORT CALHOUN POSTOFFICE HISTORY
Through the genius of getting at the facts of local history possessed by W. H. Woods, the editors of this volume are enabled to give the fol- lowing on the postoffice at Fort Calhoun :
. . ..
(By Courtesy of Blair Tribune)
HIGH SCHOOL. FORT CALHOUN
He writes as follows: In 1854 Congress passed a bill for a United States post road from Table Creek, now Nebraska City, to Bellevue, Omaha and Florence to Fort Calhoun, probably called for by the Iowa Company at Kanesville, or Council Bluffs, that employed veteran E. H. Clark to lay out our town and build a log cabin opposite our present Fort Calhoun City Park.
"Omaha, August 16, 1904 .- Friend Woods :- The following were the first postmasters in Fort Calhoun: George W. Newell, 1856, (2); E. H. Clark, (3); Lewis McBride, (4); George Stevens, (5); W. A. Jacoby, (6) ; George Stevens, second time and I became the seventh in 1865 and resigned thirteen years later when I took my family to Europe. "Yours truly,
"JOHN B. KUONY."
The first paper on our desk reports that George Stevens has been appointed postmaster at Fort Calhoun, Territory of Nebraska, and swears he will perform his duty as regards postoffice and postroads in the United States and support the Constitution and his wife, on the
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same blank affirms that she will do the same and signs herself, Helen D. Stevens in the presence of William B. Beals, mayor of the City of Fort Calhoun, who swears he believes them to be over 16 years old and this required 15 cents revenue stamp for him and 5 cents for her.
Again required by an act of Congress in 1862, he again has to swear that he has never voluntarily borne arms against the United States while a citizen or voluntarily given any aid, counsel or encouragement to per- sons engaged in armed hostility thereto. He has never yielded any authority to any pretended government of the United States and he promises to help defend against any domestic or foreign foes of the United States ; and he received notice from Washington that his bond for $1,000 required 50 cents in revenue stamps and his security was given by Dr. J. P. Andrews and Hiram Craig; and Mayor Beals had to swear that he believed that they were worth double the amount of the bond.
The next one reported was Hon. P. W. Hitchcock, at Omaha, that John B. Kuony has been appointed postmaster to succeed George Ste- vens then running without bonds. Kuony's commission, instead of letter size, blossoms out in spread-eagle style. He had to have an assistant and give bonds for both. He must not give credit for postage but make his returns at least two days after the ending of each quarter, and want of funds will be no excuse for not mailing funds as ordered; neither must he change the name of the postoffice without Government consent. In those days the postmaster was not allowed to loan, use, deposit in banks or exchange for any other funds. Those were days of "wild-cat" bills and counterfeit silver and as the postmaster was supposed to know all such by smell or otherwise, the exact money taken in must be sent to Washington. As occasionally a postmaster was robbed at night and his only recourse if he had enough to make a squeal about was to apply to his congressman to have a special bill' passed through Congress that was worded, "For the relief of John Doe who had met with a fire, tor- nado, thieves, etc., and wanted reimbursement from the government." Of this list George Stevens and E. H. Clark are buried here. Jacoby the Mormon, that the boys when he was drunk laid on the floor and turned the molasses faucet loose on him and pried him loose with shovels in the morning, went to Salt Lake City.
LATER POSTMASTERS
More recent postmasters here have been these: Mr. Fenner fol- lowed John B. Kuony, then George Neale and Miss Minnie Neale. With- out giving the order in which they served it is certain that others have been : Mrs. George Stevens and two daughters, Mrs. Deane Slader and two daughters, Mrs. Pettingill and two daughters, Robert Livingston, Mr. Rowher, Henry Taylor, W. R. Goll, Wallie McMillan, Frank Adams, Miss Freda Paulen and in July, 1920, came Miss Finch.
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
EXPLANATION TO OLD FORT ATKINSON MAP (Later known as Fort Calhoun)
The readers of this work are indebted to the untiring efforts of W. H. Woods, a pioneer and veteran of the Civil war, now residing at the Village of Fort Calhoun, for the information contained herein con- cerning this, the oldest United States fort west of the Missouri River. It was established in 1819 and abandoned in 1827.
Nos. 1 and 2 represent stone houses north of the fort and northeast of the present locust grove.
No. 3, locust grove planted in 1822-still growing.
No. 4, headquarters buildings.
No. 5, blacksmith shop.
No. 6, gun shop.
No. 7, moat running west from the river bluff to present school build- ing and then south to Turkey Creek ( see dotted line).
Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 11 was the parade ground.
The river bluff to the east of the reservation or grounds, where the buildings stood, are from 75 to 100 feet high, and the river now runs almost three miles to the east of where the channel then ran.
No. 12 is steamboat landing.
No. 13, a path or trail to the river and a wagon road running to the stream also. The officers and hospital gardens were south of the ravine.
No. 14, bakery.
No. 15, the flouring mill.
Nos. 16 and 17, two warehouses with stone foundations near the mill.
No. 18, powder house.
No. 19, probably the flagstaff.
No. 20, guardhouse.
No. 21, Contell's residence.
Rifle-pits along the high bluff overlooking the Missouri River, still visible.
Note by W. H. Woods: "This map of course is not perfect, but we have spent much time and labor over it and is the nearest I can outline after years of study. Sergeant Contell was a large, portly man, a soldier under Napoleon, then emigrated to Canada and in 1819 passed over to New York and enlisted as drum-major and came with the first troops and left with the last ; his son, a small boy, was here the whole time; was educated by the government at Jefferson Barracks, served in the regular army twenty-one years and retired as a captain and came to Blair several years before his death and with the writer (W. H. Woods) walked over the fort grounds to the brick-yard west of the present city park, pointing out the position of the Council House, the rifle-pits, and placed the guard line at what is now Seventh Street in West Calhoun, First Street then being Water Street, below the bluff and as near as he could determine, they lived just west of the guard-line at No. 21- see diagram."
CHAPTER XXIV RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
AN OLD SETTLEMENT-HOW IT OBTAINED ITS NAME-FIRST TO SET STAKES-BEAUTY AND ACTUAL VALUE OF TOWNSHIP AGRICUL- TURALLY-POPULATION-BOUNDARY-ORGANIZATION - FIRST A PRE- CINCT THEN A TOWNSHIP-VILLAGES OF KENNARD AND WASHINGTON.
Richland Township is situated on the southern line of Washington County, bounded on the north by Blair Township, on the east by Fort Calhoun, on the south by Douglas County and on the west by Arlington Township. The villages of Washington and Kennard-both good rail- road points-are within this subdivision of the county. Its chief stream is the Pappillion River, flowing from north to south, and has many smaller tributaries or little creeks. Its present population is about 1,400. In 1900 it was placed at 1,179 and in 1890 at 1,000. Up to 1883 it was under "precinct government" but since then with other subdivisions of the county, is under "Township Organization." For long years this part of Washington County has been noted for its beautiful farms and natural scenery. The pioneer settlers lost no time in setting out shade trees, which have long since towered skyward as much as fifty feet. These beautiful artificial groves give a cooling shade for both man and beast in the heated days of midsummer, while in the wintry season they provide a duly appreciated windbreak for stock.
SETTLEMENT
This settlement in the southwestern part of the county, was effected in part, as early as the summer of 1856, when Russell Miller and his three sons-in-law made the first actual settlement. Each of these men took a half section claim of land agreeable to the Omaha and Elkhorn Land Clubs. Miller took the north half of section 28. Adams, Lyons and Dowling, the sons-in-law, took adjoining claims. Two or three houses were built and Miller broke out some prairie. Miller bought the claim of another who did not long remain in the country, but possibly had broken a small patch of ground before leaving. That "first" squatter here built a log house in which Mr. Adams lived and died. When the township (precinct) was formed it was called Richland because Mr. Mil- ler refused to have it called by his name and suggested "Richland," that being the place in Ohio from which he came.
Henry Wright broke a strip where S. S. Blanchard later resided. He sold to W. E. Purchase, and "held" the claims for him for awhile. Pur- chase bought a sawmill that summer or fall, the third in all this section of the Territory of Nebraska. The first was at Fontanelle; Shield's, at Elkhorn Ferry, on the Military road to Fort Kearney, was second, and the one at Iron Bluffs, or West Point, made the fourth.
A man named Oaks also held down a claim and carried the mail on foot to and from Omaha, forty miles.
Some time during the summer of 1856 H. R. Benjamin, C. A. Whit- ford and Odillon Whitford, took claims in sections 8 and 9. They built a good log house very near the C. A. Whitford place. It was for years
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known as the Indiana house on account of that being the state from which they came. Silas Masters built a log house on his farm in the autumn of 1856. Dennis, Caleb, Winch and Adam Studt bought claims and occupied them in the fall of 1856 and winter of 1857-the "hard winter." Theophilus Thompson and R. B. Brown wintered at Thomp- son's on Walnut Creek. In the summer of 1856 also came in Orrin Colby and built a small house and improved as fast as possible his claim. In 1876 Bell's history of the township stated Colby had one of the finest farms in the township, if not in the whole county.
In the early spring of 1857 a number of settlers wended their way into the township. Judge J. S. Bowen, later editor of the Blair Times, his son, Will R. Bowen and Doctor Heaton took claims in section 13 and section 14. Joseph, Levi and Hiram Johnson took claims in section 23. Azariah Masters, Sr., father of Azariah, built a large log house. McVicker also joined McNaughton in sections 15 and 22. In the sum- mer of 1857 Mrs. Adams, daughter of Russell Miller, died, leaving a husband and two children, who soon after returned to Ohio. Nathaniel Brewster, early in the summer of 1857, built a house on the hill north of the present depot at Kennard.
In 1858, David Bender came in and erected a good house in section 9. About the same time came his son-in-law, Amos Shick, and he engaged in the sawmill work. Later he improved his claim. John Hilton came to the township in 1858, but died in a short time at the old Thompson house. After his death the house and contents was burned. Doctor Ben- jamin sold to Simon Hammer and his brother-in-law, Hadley. The Ultz family, being related to Hammer, came in about that date.
John A. Unthank came in the fall of 1858, as did also Peter S. Reed and T. C. Powers. They took land in section 24. Reed was an energetic man ; had seen service in the Mexican war; became captain of Company "A," Second Nebraska Regiment, formed in 1862, chiefly from citizens of Fontanelle, Richland and Fort Calhoun. Richland Township fur- nished eighteen men for the company named.
The breaking out of the Pike's Peak gold fever, the on-coming Civil war, caused this township to depopulate considerable. But when peace was finally restored in 1865, the settlement again commenced to increase with returned soldiers and others.
THE VILLAGE OF KENNARD
Kennard is situated on the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad in section 5, township 17, range 11, east. It was platted by the Sioux City & Pacific Railway Company, named after Hon. Thomas F. Kennard, secretary of state in 1867. Its present population is about 400. It was incorporated as a village April 29, 1895, and its chairmen have been as follows : Al Brewster, John Nissen, O. A. Alloway, W. H. Har- rison, C. M. Weed, L. E. Ward, J. C. Neal, E. C. Nelson, O. W. Mar- shall, H. C. Blaco.
The list of village clerks to date is: J. I. Norton, W. H. Terwillager, John Butts, W. E. Swihart, Charles E. Kelley, George Menking, L. E. Ward and the present clerk, G. E. Kronberg, who has served since 1916.
The 1920 village officers are: Chairman, H. C. Blaco; clerk, G. E. Kronberg; treasurer, R. H. Denton. The board consists of the last named gentlemen, together with James A. Sip and W. R. Seger.
A system of waterworks was installed in 1909, costing $7,000. The bonded indebtedness of Kennard is now only $2,000. It has a volun-
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teer fire department of twenty-four members. The present fire chief is C. E. Lautrup. The equipment of the village for furnishing water consists of the old well, 100 feet deep and the new well 180 feet, with double-acting pump, 850 feet usable hose, with a building suitable for the equipment to be stored and where the council now assembles.
CHURCHES, LODGES, ETC.
The lodges of Kennard include these: Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Rebekahs, Masons, Modern Woodmen of America Danish Brotherhood.
¿By Courtesy of Blair Tribune)
KENNARD SCHOOL
The churches are the Methodist Episcopal, Lutheran, Church of God, all of which, with the lodges above mentioned, are treated in detail in special chapters on such subjects elsewhere in this volume.
The public schoolhouse is a frame structure two stories high with basement. It contains six school rooms and there are now five instruc- tors. The building was erected about 1910. (See Educational chapter.)
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN 1920
The following constitutes the chief business factors of Kennard in the summer of 1920:
Auto Garages-Minking & Seger.
Banking-Farmers and Merchants Bank, Home State Bank.
Barbers-Chris Petersen, John Wagner.
Blacksmiths-J. A. Swihart.
Cream Stations-David Cole Company and the Almito Company.
Drugs-B. R. Jones.
Elevators-Farmers Co-operative Company, Nye, Schneider, Fowler Company.
Furniture and Hardware-E. O. Fairchild.
-
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General Merchandise-Farmers Co-operative Company, James Sip and D. Hall.
Hotel-"Dixon."
Harness-James Applebee.
Implements-H. C. Blaco.
Lumber-This is handled with coal, etc., by the above named elevators.
Meat Shop-Samuel Hall.
Millinery-Mrs. D. Hall.
Newspaper-Kennard Weekly, by Otto Olsen.
Physician-Dr. J. B. Anderson.
Photographer-J. B. Wright; also handles school books.
Postmaster-William McCourdy.
Restaurant-B. Abels.
Stock Buyers-Burgess Brothers.
Shoe Repairs-S. Olsen.
Temperance Billiard Hall-Frank Franksen.
Veterinary Surgeon-Doctor Mock.
VILLAGE OF WASHINGTON
Washington is situated in the southwest quarter of section 32, town- ship 17, range 11, east. It is a station on the Chicago-Northwestern Railway between Arlington and Omaha and has a population of about 125. The place was incorporated in 1915 and its present (1920) officers are: Chairman, Herman Busch; clerk, Gus H. Peterson; treasurer, S. K. Rosenkilde; other members of the board are J. B. Wardell and W. A. Kerstetter.
So far the village has made but few improvements, has neither elec- tric lights or waterworks. It has a brick-frame school building, with two rooms, and employs two instructors. This schoolhouse was erected about 1916.
There is one church in the place-the Methodist Episcopal-which owns its own building. (See Church Chapter.)
BUSINESS INTERESTS-1920
Bank-The Washington State Bank.
Barber-R. G. McDonald.
Blacksmithing-S. K. Rosenkilde.
Dry Goods and Notions-Mrs. H. Busch.
General Merchants-Gus Peterson, Theo Jensen.
Grain Dealers-Roger Gorman and Herman Busch.
Lumber-Roger Gorman.
Postmistress-Miss Carrie Peterson, since 1917.
Meat Market-Theo Jensen.
Garage-C. E. Lee.
Farm Implements-H. E. Lyons.
Restaurant-Kerstetter & Co.
The postoffice has one rural delivery route of about twenty-eight miles in length. The office is a fourth-class postoffice.
The only lodge in the village at present is the Woodmen of the World.
CHAPTER XXV
GRANT, SHERIDAN AND LINCOLN PRECINCTS
GRANT TOWNSHIP-ITS CHARACTER- ITS NAME-ITS ORGANIZATION- ITS POPULATION AT DECADE PERIODS-FIRST SETTLERS-GENERAL FEATURES-SHERIDAN TOWNSHIP-BOUNDARIES-POPULATION-SET- TLEMENT-POSTOFFICE-LATER SETTLERS-KILLED IN INDIAN SCARE -LINCOLN PRECINCT-ORGANIZATION-BOUNDARY-PIONEER SET- TLERS-POPULATION-SETTLERS OF 1856-57 AND 1858-EXPERIENCE WITH INDIANS-GOING AFTER PROVISIONS.
When Local Historian Bell wrote his Centennial History of Washı- ington County in 1876, he mentioned the then quite new townships of Grant, Sheridan and Lincoln in language as follows :
"The above named precincts are of comparatively recent settlement ; but wonderful changes have been wrought within the past half dozen years.
"Grant precinct is in the northern part of the county, west of Herman. Among its first settlers were L. P. Thone, Martin Peterson, Gilbert Thone, William Raver, L. D. Cameron, Foxwell Fletcher, Edward Fletcher, S. C. Rose, Perry Selden, Frank Whizinand, Mr. Crane, Josiah Pace, Alfred Van Valin, Samuel Spiker, Thomas Wilson, M. A. Preston, Daniel Geary. Nearly all of the men have splendid farms, and are more or less engaged in stock raising. This part of the county is well watered by New York Creek and its tributaries, along which are fertile, beautiful valleys especially adapted to grazing, the grass growing rich and luxuriant."
ORGANIZATION, POPULATION, ETC.
Grant Township was organized after the Civil war and named for that illustrious commander and President-U. S. Grant. It had a popu- lation in 1890 of 926; in 1900 it was placed at only 886, and the United States census returns in 1910 gives it at only 775. The writer is at a loss to account for so great a decrease in population, but such seems to have been the fact. Possibly a change in boundary lines may account for a part of the loss in population. The 1920 enumeration has not yet been made public.
Sheridan Township is situated in the extreme northwestern corner of Washington County. It is bounded on the north by Burt County, on the east by Herman Township, on the south by Fontanelle Township and on the west by Dodge County. It contains thirty sections of land. Within its borders and in section 33 is situated the little Hamlet of Admah. There is no railway in this township. It is chiefly given over to extensive farming and stock raising. There are no large streams but a large number of small water courses break up the otherwise monotonous appearance of the territory.
The population of the township in 1890 was 649; in 1900 it was 575, and in 1910 placed at 546. The 1920 census returns have not yet been made public.
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(By courtesy of Blair Tribune)
R. PETERSON FARM
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
ITS SETTLEMENT AND HISTORY
Sheridan had for its original settlers people who stopped along the banks of Clark Creek in 1856-57, at a date when this part of the county was yet counted as a part of Dodge County. The interior and eastern parts of this township were not settled until many years later. Among the Clark and Logan Creek settlers may now be recalled such men as Chris Leiser, Charles and Fred Eisley, Uriah Thomas, Harvey J. Robin- son, who built the first grist mill at the fine water power later owned by A. C. Briggs & Son, John and Silas Seeley, Samuel Williams, Tom and Sam Parks, Sullivan Gaylord, J. B. Robinson, John and Dick Shur ( who was accidentally killed by Tom Parks during the Indian scare of 1859), John Clayton and his father-in-law, Mrs. Clark, Chris Hinneman and Mr. McBroom.
Once there was a postoffice in this township called Lewisburg, on Clark Creek, but it was sacked by the Pawnees in June, 1859, and dis- continued soon thereafter.
Between 1866 and 1876 the following located in this township: W. A. Johnson, Phillip Gossard, David Clark and son, Hiram G. Clark, Archie Bovee, W. O. Hatch, Robert Adams, John Adams, Anson Hewitt, C. B. Sprague, Robert Schenk, J. M. Jackson, Joseph Cook, Henry E. Meser- vey, L. L. Arnold, Matthew Maloney and Thomas Dunn.
ADMAH HAMLET
In the northwest corner of Washington County, in section 33, town- ship 20, range 9, east, is the Hamlet of Admah (named for a Bible name). The earliest settler there was G. Pegau, who was appointed first postmaster there also. A general store and a shop or two, a physician, a Presbyterian Church and a Lutheran Church, with possibly a hundred souls constituted all the interests the place ever had in its best days.
Lincoln Precinct (as formerly called but now township) is situated almost in the central portion of Washington County, with Grant Town- ship at its north, Blair Township at the east, Arlington Township on the south and Fontanelle on the west. It contains thirty-six sections. It is without a railroad or town, except the Hamlet of Orum in section 19, where there has been for years a country store and a shop or two for the accommodation of farmers.
There are no large streams, but numerous small watercourses of value in watering and draining the domain within its borders. The largest stream is Little Bell Creek in the western part of the territory.
POPULATION
In 1890 the population, according to the Federal census reports, was 856; in 1900 it was 850, and in 1910 had decreased to 791. The depart- ment at Washington has not made the 1920 enumeration figures public as yet for the subdivisions in Washington County, hence they are not here added.
SETTLEMENT
This township was organized about 1866. The first attempt at claiming land within this part of Washington County was in 1856, by Pomeroy Searle on a portion of the farm later owned by E. S. Gaylord,
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DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
who was state's representative in 1876 from Washington County. Bell's Washington County History, published in 1876, gives the best account extant of the first settlement in this township.
In 1857 Searle broke out about twenty acres and set out both fruit and forest trees. In 1858 he went to California and the first permanent improvement was made in the township in 1868. In that year there were only two families living on the route from Cuming City to Fontanelle, viz .: A. Sutherland and Benjamin Taylor. F. Curtis had his cabin up but it was unoccupied. On the north to the line of Burt County there were only four settlers. There were a few settlements on the southern border of the township.
In 1857 John Mattes pre-empted the land later owned by William Hilgenkamp and the next year a Mr. Coyle settled on the adjoining place north, subsequently owned by William's father. With the exception of Mr. Parker, who settled on land later owned by Herman Stork, there were no new settlements made in the township until about 1862.
James R. Tharp bought the land he later owned among the early purchasers but went, it is believed, to California and then to China, returning to his old home in New York in time to enlist and go through the Civil war, after which he returned and located on his place in this township in 1868. In 1865 or 1866 the influx of homesteaders com- menced and settlements were effected by George Morley, Frank Curtis and John A. Young and sons, followed soon after by H. N. Mattison, his son George, Mr. Ostrander, Soren Jensen, Henry Hilgenkamp and others, who secured good farms and made valuable improvements in this township.
In 1857 William R. Hamilton, county commissioner for six years prior to 1876, and W. M. Saint settled on the west side of Bell Creek. In the autumn of the same year a party of nine Indians made a raid on Saint's cabin, he being absent at the time, robbed it of all the provisions, cut open a feather bed, gave its contents to the winds and replaced the same with the stolen property secured upon a pony and then mounting, raised a whoop and charged upon Mr. Hamilton and his brother-in-law, who were building a sod stable at his place and who stood upon the defensive, arms in hand. After circling around them a while in a menacing manner, and finding they "didn't scare worth a cent" the redskins came to a parley and wanted something to eat. Upon being refused they made a break for the house but were beaten in the race by Mr. Hamilton, who finally drove them off. On the following day Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Saint went to the Indian camp on the west side of the Elkhorn River to try to recover the stolen property but failed.
The spring of 1858 opened with scarcity of provisions among the pioneers and Mr. Hamilton with a team of three yoke of oxen started in search of supplies and in the course of his travels found himself at Magnolia, Harrison County, Iowa, having crossed the Missouri River on the ice. After obtaining the needed supplies and starting for home he was told that the crossing was unsafe, but there was no alternative. The family at home was in need and the stream must be crossed at all hazards, so locking the wheels of his wagon he drove down the bank upon the ice. While trying to undo the lock the ice sank about eighteen inches ; he not wishing to travel in that direction whipped up his team and came over in safety.
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