USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 8
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume I > Part 8
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CHAPTER II
DISCOVERY AND OCCUPANCY BY WHITE MEN
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE-OTHER VIEWS OF THE "PURCHASE" -- THE
MISSOURI COMPROMISE AFFAIR-THE NAME "NEBRASKA"-TERRI- TORIAL ORGANIZATION-ADMITTED AS A STATE-THE CONSTITUTIONS -EARLY EXPLOITATIONS-FUR TRADERS-GREAT EXPLORING EXPE- DITIONS-MORMON ADVENT-GOLD HUNTERS' PANIC, 1849.
The purchase of the vast region from the French under Napoleon for $15,000,000 was admired, not so much for its agricultural and min- eral wealth as for its value in obtaining the right to establish our own western frontier clear through to the sea on the west.
Between 1785 and 1789, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, at the court of France, negotiated the "Louisiana Purchase" from Napoleon Bonaparte, the same being completed in 1803 at a cost of 2 3/5 cents per acre. The aggregate amount paid for this new empire was $15,000,- 000. Of this purchase price France received in United States bonds $11,250,000 and by the agreement the remaining $3,700,000 was paid to American citizens in liquidation of claims against the French govern- ment. When the United States took possession of these lands on Decem- ber 20, 1803, the Union consisted of but seventeen states-Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hamp- shire, New Jersey, New York, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Penn- sylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia and Vermont. The total acreage of these states amounted to 444,000 square miles. This amounted to 384,411,520 acres, but Mr. Jefferson's purchase of contiguous terri- tory covered 890,921 square miles, including both land and water sur- face amounting to 878,641 square miles, and it lacked but little of being twice as large and certainly contained twice the value of the seventeen states enumerated. This territory comprised about one-fourth of the area of the republic of the United States of America.
From this vast purchase of territory adjacent to the previous hold- ings of the republic have been created twelve great states, namely : Louisiana in 1812; Missouri in 1821; Arkansas in 1836; Iowa in 1846; Minnesota in 1858: Kansas in 1861; Nebraska in 1867; Colorado in 1876; Montana in 1889; South Dakota in 1889; North Dakota in 1889; Wyoming in 1890. The estimated population of the land ceded by Napoleon in 1803 was 50,000 whites and 40,000 slaves and 2,000 free blacks. More than four-fifths of the whites and all of the blacks, except about 1,300, were in and adjacent to New Orleans. The rest were scat- tered throughout the country now included in Arkansas and Missouri. The population of the "Louisiana Purchase" is now over 15,000,000, or was in 1890, and if as densely settled as Belgium, which has 536 human beings to the square mile, it would contain and maintain about 474,000,000 people. Historian Rhoades remarks: "The possession of the mouth of the Mississippi River was a commercial necessity, and Thomas Jef- ferson showed wisdom in promptly seizing the opportunity presented by a fortunate combination of circumstances to receive the magnificent purchase of this rich domain."
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The statesmen of the South opposed the "Purchase," as did parts of New England. A Massachusetts politician said : "I consider Louisiana the grave of this Union." Even so great a political figure as Governor Morris contracted his usually clear vision to this: "Among other objec- tions they (the Western States) would not be able to furnish men equally intelligent to share in the administration of our common interests. The busy haunts of men, nor the remote wilderness, is the proper school of political talents. If the western people got the power in their hands they will run the Atlantic's interests."
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PURCHASE
An early writer on Nebraska history has said: "A vast unexplored almost illimitable empire was ours ; perpetual immunity from dangerous neighbors; sole possessor of this river of rivers, with all of its tribu- taries ; a sure dominating influence in the affairs of the North American continent ; national opportunities for the future almost depressing in their sublimity."
The first governor of Louisiana Purchase was Gen. James Wilkinson. He was untrue to his country and like Aaron Burr was tried for treason, though acquitted. Captain Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was appointed governor to succeed Governor Wilkinson, in 1807. He it was who concluded a treaty with the Osage Indians for the cession of 48,000,- 000 acres of land extending from Fort Clark, thirty-five miles below the mouth of the Kansas River, due soutli to the Arkansas and along that stream to the Mississippi. The Sacs and Foxes sold 3,000,000 acres in 1804. In 1803 this tribe and the Iowas claimed all the State of Missouri, as well as the northwest quarter of Illinois and a part of southern Wis- consin. In 1810 Howard succeeded Governor Lewis. In 1810 the popu- lation of the territory was 20,000 and had pushed its way along a strip from fifteen to twenty miles wide from Arkansas River to a point not far above the mouth of the Missouri River and had necessitated treaties with the Indians. "Louisiana," by act of Congress June 4, 1812, became the Territory of Missouri, and its government was advanced to the sec- ond grade, same as other portions of the Great Northwest Territory. This act provided for a government headed with a governor appointed by the President, a House of Representatives elected by the people and a legislative council of nine members appointed by the President. Gover- nor Howard divided its settled portion into five counties by proclama- tion, and for several months Frederick Bates served as its governor until William Clark (of Lewis and Clark expedition fame) was appointed in 1813. He held the office until Missouri became a state in 1821, and afterwards was superintendent of Indian affairs until his death.
In 1819 Arkansas Territory was carved from Missouri Territory. Up to 1834 that part of the original Louisiana Territory had no gov- ernment, but by congressional act, June 30, 1834, one provision was : "All that portion of the United States west of the Mississippi River, not within the State of Missouri and Louisiana or the Territory of Arkan- sas, and also that part of the United States east of the Mississippi River in and not within any state to which the Indian title has not been extin- guished for the purpose of this act, shall be taken and deemed to be 'Indian Country.'" This act also provided for a superintendent of Indian affairs, who resided at St. Louis, Missouri, and had a salary of $1,500. He was provided with two agents.
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By the congressional act of June 28, 1834, that part of the territory east of the Missouri River and White Earth River and north of the state line of Missouri, was "for purpose of temporary government attached to and made a part of Michigan." That part west of the Mis- souri River, which included present Nebraska, was left without govern- ment or political organization until the passage of the famous Kansas- Nebraska Bill of 1854.
THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE AFFAIR
The first direct controversy over slavery took place when John Tay- lor of New York, February, 1819, moved to amend the bill for the territorial organization of Arkansas by the same anti-slavery provision which Tallmadge sought to incorporate in the enabling act for the admis- sion of Missouri as a state. It provided that no more slaves should be introduced into the territory and that all children born after admission should be free, though they might be held to service until twenty-five years of age. This started a fierce fight over the question of American slavery, which in the minds of far-seeing men could but end in disrup tion of the Union and Civil war, and which was only postponed by the three great Compromises-the last of which was the Nebraska Bill Stephen A. Douglas was the pioneer projector of a territory organization for Nebraska. As early as 1844 he introduced a bill in the House of Representatives "to establish the Territory of Nebraska." The bill was twice read and offered to the committee on territories, from which it was not reported. In March, 1848, he introduced a bill of the same purport, which was recommitted on his own motion the following December, and, like its predecessors in the house, was pigeonholed by the committee. The boundaries of the bill of 1848 were as follows: "Commencing at a point in the Missouri River, where the 40th parallel of north latitude crosses the river; thence following up the main channel of said stream to the 43d parallel of north latitude; thence west on said parallel to the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence due south to the 40th parallel of north latitude; thence east on said parallel to the place of beginning."
THE NAME NEBRASKA
From the time the region of the Platte Valley was known to white men till it was politically divided by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the name of the principal river was applied, roughly speaking, to the country between the watershed of the Platte and Arkansas rivers on the south and the forty-third parallel on the north, the Missouri River on the east and the Rocky Mountains on the west. It was known as the "NEBRASKA COUNTRY."
TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION
February 2, 1853, William A. Richardson, member of the House from Illinois, introduced House Bill No. 353 to "organize the Territory of Nebraska." This bill, which made no reference to slavery, passed the House February 10, 1853, by a vote of ninety-eight to forty-three. The northern boundary of the territory described in this bill was the forty-third parallel line, the present boundary of Nebraska on that side, its eastern limit was the west line of Missouri and Iowa, its southern
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boundary the Territory of New Mexico and the parallel of 36 degrees and 30 minutes, and its western the summit of the Rocky Mountains.
It may be said that Louisiana Territory was conceived by the exigen- cies and on the threshold of a mighty international struggle which resulted in the annihilation of the greatest and most powerful poten- tates ; and Nebraska, the child of Louisiana, was conceived by the exigen- cies and in the beginning of a great national struggle, in which the no less imperious power of human slavery was also to meet its doom.
When organized, "the summit of the Rocky Mountains" became the western boundary line of the vast territory. Just where the lawmakers believed the "summit" to be no one can but conjecture at this late day. But it is supposed to be where the waters of the great watershed fall toward the Pacific Ocean and others toward the eastern slope and to the waters of the Yellowstone and Missouri and their tributaries. The northeast boundary of the territory followed the Missouri River and the White Earth River to the British line. In February, 1861, Colorado Territory was created, taking a small piece from the southwestern cor- ner of Nebraska. Two months later Dakota Territory was formed, which removed all the stretch of country north of the forty-third paral- lel. At the same time two tracts were added to Nebraska from Utah and Washington territories. The effect was to change the western boundary from the indefinite "summit" to the thirty-third meridian west from Washington. Nebraska Territory was four times' as long as it was wide, stretching, in fact, about fifteen degrees of longitude. It so remained for about two years. In March, 1863, all west of the twenty- seventh meridian was taken away. Only one change in boundary has since been made. The original boundary of 1861 followed the Niobrara River and the Keya Paha to the forty-third parallel, which was the north boundary line. In 1882 Congress changed the boundary, so that it fol- lowed the Missouri River to the forty-third parallel, thus throwing the Niobrara River and ancient Ponca Indian lands entirely within Nebraska. (See Lewis and Clark's Government Reports, page 56.)
ADMITTED AS A STATE
Before the Territory of Nebraska was five years old, the matter of its being made into a state commenced to be discussed in political party circles. Governor Black's message to the Territorial Legislature in 1859 was largely along this line. That session of the Legislature provided for the election in March, 1860, to decide on statehood, but at that elec- tion the people favored the continuance of the territorial form of gov- ernment. In February, 1864, Congress was asked by the Legislature to admit it as a state, and two months later went forth the petition for an "enabling act." Nothing came of this save the meeting of delegates to a convention at which nothing was accomplished. The Civil war was on and the Territorial Legislature did not further discuss this matter until in the session of 1866. This time it was not left to a constitutional convention to act, but the Legislature took action themselves, and through their committee one was drafted and submitted to the people for approval or rejection June 2 that year. The contest was close and at times very exciting. There were nearly 7,800 votes cast, and the measure carried for statehood by a mere 100 majority. It was made a party measure-the democratic party opposing the territory being made into a state and the republican party espousing the side of statehood, and won out by the rule of a "miss is as good as a mile."
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From election time in June until early in 1867, Nebraska had both a territorial and state government. The authorities of the territory con- tinued in office, and the Legislature, on January 10, 1867, met for its twelfth and last session. Meanwhile the new State Legislature had its first meeting July 4, 1866, and was called together again February 20, 1867, two days after the adjournment of the Territorial Legislature, to make good certain Federal requirements.
FIRST CONSTITUTION NOT SATISFACTORY
The Constitution of 1866 not proving satisfactory to a mass of the state's citizens, another convention was ordered by the eighth session of the Nebraska Legislature, and it was voted upon by the people Septem- ber 19, 1871. This was also counted worthless and voted down. Among its provisions were these-taxation of church property ; compulsory edu- cation, and one clause opposing and forbidding the aid to any railroad line within the state.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1875
October 12, 1875, the people finally adopted a constitution by a vote of 30,202 for and 5,474 against. This state constitution went into effect November 1, 1875. Since that date the people have sailed along with the remainder of the sisters of the Union, making a fair showing in all things that are for good government and progress.
EARLY EXPLORATIONS
Before completing the story of discovery and occupancy by the white race it will be well for the reader to peruse the following concern- ing some of the recorded accounts of early explorations, the entry of fur traders, etc.
There is a legend, partly backed by history proper, that the Spanish cavalier, Coronado, came up from Mexico with several hundred men looking for a supposed gold region, as early as 1541, and on his trip came as far northeast as the southern part of Nebraska. Whether that be simply romance of which the Spanish were so fond, or whether it was actually correct matters little to this generation, so long as they left no positive record of such an early expedition. The best historians of the western country agree that probably this Spaniard did come as far north as the Kansas-Nebraska line, and that it was several years before 1600. This was the same year that De Soto was wandering through Florida and on to the slopes of the Mississippi River. Henry III was then still on the English throne; Francis I held the throne of France, and Paul III was Pope at Rome. All Europe was in the midst of the Martin Luther Reformation. It was also then that the red man occupied this vast prairieland, and was entirely ignorant of his pale-faced brother, who was destined to finally occupy his extensive hunting grounds and cause him to be kept within a small "Reservation" for the betterment of "Christian Civilization."
In 1601 there was, as shown by actual record, an expedition by the Spaniards, taking about the same route claimed for that of Coronado. Then there is another account of an expedition in 1662, but the latter is not clear enough delineated to make it safe to go into history as correct.
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However, it is certain that Father Marquette in 1673 floated down the Mississippi River and learned from the natives about the Missouri River; also about the Platte. He made a record in map form of this section of the west and it is believed that his was the first map of this portion of the western world.
In 1719 Dustine came across the country from the northeast and met tribes of Indians in the eastern part of what is now known as Kansas. This is significant of the coming of the French into the plains of the west. Twenty years later (1739) two brothers by the name of Mallet came into the North Platte region, exploring the river as far up as its forks.
THE FUR TRADERS
The first great commercial industry in the Northwest was that of the fur traders, by the French. As early as 1634 in Wisconsin this trade commenced. After England obtained possession of Canada, this fur- trading interest was followed by the British. This period was from 1763 to 1816, when Congress passed a law prohibiting foreigners from trading within the limits of the United States. The Americans com- menced very early to compete with Great Britain, but the formation of the large companies of the United States commenced when John Jacob Astor chartered the American Fur Company. Two expeditions were sent out in 1810, one of which was by the way of the Missouri River. It was during that year that a trading post was set up at Bellevue, Nebraska. And even long before that barter in pelts and furs had been going on on the banks of the Missouri. Such trading was with the Indian tribes then living along the streams of what is now Nebraska. American explorers found traders on Nebraska soil soon after 1800, and the annual business in furs was very large. It is said that for forty years up to 1847 the annual value to St. Louis was from $200,000 to $300,000.
THE GREAT EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS
The Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804 marked an era of progress for the new American Republic. Following this came the undertakings of Major Long in 1819 and that of the illustrious Pathfinder-Gen. John C. Fremont in 1842 and 1843. Among the travelers to Nebraska may be given these: Lewis and Clark, July 13 to September 5, 1804; August 31 to September 11, 1806. Thomas Nutall and John Bradbury, 1808 (botanical trip), Major Long, 1819-20; W. H. Ashley, 1822; Rev. Sam- uel Parker, 1835; I. N. Nicollet, 1838-39; Capt. John C. Fremont, 1842; Lieut. G. K. Warren, 1855-57.
The news spread throughout the east about this "beautiful, fertile country" and the chances to become wealthy by easy methods. Traders still got many furs and buffalo robes, missionaries came to bring the glad tidings of the Gospel to the Indians. One of the earliest mission- aries within the borders of this state was Moses Merrill, who resided and preached among the Otoes from 1833 to 1840.
THE MORMON ADVENT
Among the interesting incidents of the early days in this state was the advent of the Mormons from Illinois in 1844. They had been driven from Missouri to Illinois and again established themselves and built an immense temple, but after a few years were driven out of the state,
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crossed the State of Iowa and stopped on the west bank of the Missouri, a few miles above present Omaha, at Florence, then called "Winter- Quarters," for it was at that point the Mormons remained two years and then marched toward their "Promised Land" in Utah, and became the founders of Salt Lake City. The Mormons who halted at Winter- Quarters numbered about 15,000 souls, men, women and children. About one-half of this number in the spring of 1846 decided to separate them- selves from the Brigham Young faction that believed in and practiced polygamy, and settled the southwestern counties in Iowa, being the pioneers of those counties. The other half of the Mormon body, with their famous hand-cart expedition, crossed the great plains of Nebraska. Such things as the country afforded for both food and shelter these strange religionists helped themselves to. For a city to spring up on the frontier in a month and have 15,000 population was indeed an unheard-of event in any part of the world. The land then belonged to the red men and the Government was compelled to stand by his rights. The Mormons had to move. Not a few of these Mormons, or, as they style themselves, "Latter Day Saints," located in different parts of Nebraska and Iowa, aside from the general settlement already named in southwestern Iowa counties. As late as 1857 they made a settle- ment at Genoa, now in the eastern part of Nance County. A hundred families received shares of the 1,000 acres which they enclosed and in a few years their colony was very prosperous. The Pawnee Indians, how- ever, came to occupy the reservation assigned them by the Government. Wars came on between the Pawnee and Sioux tribes, so that six years after Genoa had been founded, they had to again disperse and hunt other homes, and today one finds no trace of Mormondomi there, save a few sections of earthworks.
THE GOLD HUNTERS' PANIC-1849
Next to the Mormon incident canie the exciting gold-hunting years, when thousands of men came on from the remote East, even from New England, and crossed the Great American Desert, including Nebraska, headed for the gold fields of northern California, that being the year in which much pure gold was discovered in that far-away Pacific state. The valley of the Platte was the natural avenue by which to approach the mountains, especially from the Northern States. At points on the Missouri River where teams could find a crossing, thousands took advan- tage and crossed over and making up long trains of horses, mule and ox teams, started on their tedious route. Many were illy prepared and perished by the wayside. Some gave up trying to get to the gold fields and settled down to make homes for themselves, and these persons were among the pioneer band that made permanent settlement in Nebraska. However, their number was not very large. As Barrett says in his "Nebraska and the Nation," one must have a strong imagination to realize even dimly the long lines of toilers across the continent, the hardships and heartaches, and the terrible' suffering, which left the whole way strewn by castaway garments, by beasts of burden that had perished, and by graves of weary pilgrims. This sad picture points to a moral about fortune-hunting.
CHAPTER III
INDIAN OCCUPANCY AND FINAL DEPARTURE
CONCERNING THE INDIANS-PAWNEES-PIKE THE EXPLORER AMONG THE INDIANS-THE PONCAS-THE ALGONQUIAN FAMILY-SAC AND Fox PURCHASE-OTHER INDIAN TRIBES-THE KIOWAN FAMILY- HALF-BREED TRACT, ETC .- STILL OTHER TRIBES-CHARACTER AND RELATION WITH THE WHITES-IMPLEMENTS AND WEAPONS-HOSTIL- ITY TOWARD THE WHITES-INDIAN WAR OF 1890-91.
There was a stronger influence than the contour of the land which drew the tide of emigration, although this had its effect, doubtless, to such an extent that the route of travel had a west-by-northwest course. The food supply became the main factor in determining the real direction of migration. The buffalo, which are indigenous to the whole central region of North America, were partial to the open country and enticed the Indians to the Nebraska plains which they possessed in vast herds. This noble animal was the source of supply for almost every want; food from the flesh, raiment and shelter from the hide, implements from his bones, vessels for holding liquids from his intestines and fuel from his dung. The buffalo made it possible for great numbers of Indians to subsist in comparative ease on the treeless prairies of Nebraska
By far the greater number of Indian tribes, which have from time to time inhabited this territory now known as the commonwealth of . Nebraska, followed the general rule of migration from east to west. These tribes belonged to two linguistic families-the Algonquian and the Siouan. Both these great families sprang from the region east of the Appalachian Mountains and in turn occupied nearly the entire Mississippi Valley.
The first occupants of Nebraska did not follow this rule. The Cad- doan linguistic family had its home in the South near the banks of the Red River, and migrated northwest, occupying the valley of the Kansas River and reaching northwest to the valley of the Platte River, finally going west to the foothills of the mountains. Two other linguistic fam- ilies, the Shoshonean and Kiowan, encroached on our territory from the west. They hunted along the headwaters of the Republican and Platte rivers and claimed a part of the territory of this state, but few, if any, ruins of their permanent homes are found within the present limits. Only these five linguistic families were found in Nebraska and but two of them-the Caddoan and Siouan-are of importance in this connection. Tribes of these two families had their permanent home within the state and fought with one another and among themselves for supremacy on our eastern borders and up and down the Platte Valley.
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