History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time, Part 22

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120

USA > Nebraska > Gage County > History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time > Part 22

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ALGERNON SIDNEY PADDOCK

Algernon Sidney Paddock was born at Glens Falls, New York, November 9, 1830. He died at Beatrice, Nebraska, October 17, 1897. He was the son of Ira A. Paddock, a well known and prominent lawyer of Glens Falls. He received his elementary education in the com-

PIONEER RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL JONES

The old stone mansion erected as a family home by Samuel Jones in 1866 is in process of demolition and will soon be a thing of the past. Time was when this pioneer residence was a place of great interest and importance. It was the abode of hospitality, generous, ungrudg- ing, and was a center of the social forces of the surrounding community. It stood, staunch and inviting, near one of the old trails that led from Beatrice up Indian creek bottom and on past its portals to the head of Salt creek, and down that stream to the salt basin, where it connected with the old trails from Nebraska City, Plattsmouth and Omaha. One after an- other the pioneer homes have disappeared, un- til at the present moment there are probably not twenty of these ancient buildings left in

mon schools of his native city, and, preparing himself for college in the academy of Glens Falls, at the age of eighteen years he entered Union College (now university), at Schenec- tady, New York, where so many of the able men of the nation have received their educa- tion. On account of financial affairs he was compelled to leave the college when just en- tering upon his senior year. For a while he taught school, reading law at the same time, and, having been admitted to the bar in his native state, he, in May. 1857, came by steam boat from St. Louis, Missouri, to Omaha. He was a man of great amiability and pleas- ing address, and these and other qualities won him influential friends in Nebraska from the moment of his arrival. He was always an

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ardent, unflinching and loyal Republican, and in 1860 he was a delegate from Nebraska, to the national convention of his party which nominated Abraham Lincoln for president. In the convention Mr. Paddock, however, sup- ported his friend William H. Seward for that office, a service which that able and good man never forgot, and in 1861, through his influ- ence, Mr. Lincoln appointed Mr. Paddock territorial secretary of state for Nebraska, an office which he both adorned and exalted for the period of six years, retiring only upon the admission of Nebraska to the Union, March 1, 1867. At the first state legislature Mr. Paddock was a candidate for United States senator, but was defeated by General John M. Thayer, a Civil war hero of Nebraska. In 1869 he became interested in the construction of the Burlington Railroad system in Ne- braska, and for a while maintained business relations with the officers of that railroad company. In 1872 he moved from Omaha to Beatrice, which was his home for the remaind- er of his life.

Mr. Paddock was elected United States senator for Nebraska in 1875, in place of Thomas W. Tipton, for the term of six years. In 1881 he was defeated for that office by Charles H. Van Wyck, and in 1882 he was appointed a member of the very important "Utah Commission" by his friend President Arthur, upon which body he served with great distinction until October 1, 1886, when he resigned. In 1887 Mr. Paddock was again chosen United States senator for the state of Nebraska, serving until 1893, when his place was taken by William V. Allen.

On entering the United States senate few western senators were as well equipped as Mr. Paddock for serving their section of the coun- try. He was familiar with western conditions, versed in the land laws under which title could be obtained to land in the public domain, he was acquainted in detail with questions growing out of Indian depredations, school- land selections, surveys and re-surveys of pub- lic lands, Indian and military reservations, and the necessary military equipment for all the great west. He was indefatigable in his ef- forts to secure proper legislation for the en- tire country and particularly for the western

states and territories. Perhaps it is no more than just to say that Nebraska has never had in either house of congress an abler, more con- scientious and more faithful and intelligent servant than Senator Paddock.

For many years Senator Paddock was not only a citizen of Beatrice but he was also a force in this community. In 1887-1888 he built the Hotel Paddock, which in many re- spects is the most important private property in the city of Beatrice. He platted and laid out Fairview and Paddock additions to Beatrice, and in other ways exhibited his in- terest in the destiny of the fair city of Beatrice.

In his personality Senator Paddock was one of the most attractive of men. He was ex- tremely optimistic in temperament and his faith in Nebraska was unbounded,- and this through good, as through evil report. Mr. Paddock stood four-square to all the world, and, though often subject to adverse criticism by his political opponents, no man ever had the temerity to attack him in his private life.

On the 22d day of December, 1859, Mr. Paddock married Anna L. Mack, of St. Law- rence county, New York, a daughter of Daniel Mack, an honored citizen of that state. It was a most felicitous marriage, covering a period of thirty-eight years. His devoted wife still (1918) survives him, and makes her home in Lincoln. The children of this marriage were Daniel Mack and Susan, both of whom died at an early age; Harriet, wife of O. J. Colman, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Francis Amelia, now deceased ; and Franklin Algernon Paddock, of Kansas City, Missouri.

Both time and space forbid the further ex- tension of these sketches of territorial pioneers of our county. The reader will find in the biographical department of this work and else- where, the life history in more or less detail of a large number of these pioneers. The chief aim of the writer in these sketches has been to show the kind of men and women who were the first to people our county, and who set in motion those forces and influences which eventuated in the creation of a great, free commonwealth, one of the most attractive and interesting in the sisterhood of states.

CHAPTER XVIII

NARRATIVE OF GEORGE GALE, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .

George Gale was born in Columbia county, born to Mr. and Mrs. Gale, namely, Edward New York, May 17, 1828, and died at his B., Mary A., Charles F. and Margaret. home in Adams township, Gage county, Jan- uary 9, 1899. He was descended from a well known family of the Empire state, members of which had participated in both the Revo- lutionary war and the war of 1812. His par- ents were Alonzo and Phoebe (Peck) Gale, both natives of Dutchess county, New York. His father was of Irish descent, his mother a Hollander. When he was six years of age his parents moved from New York to Con- necticut, where he was reared and educated. March 26, 1850, Mr. Gale married Margaret M. Shaw, the daughter of Stephen P. Shaw, himself a well known pioneer immigrant to Gage county.

Shortly after his marriage George Gale moved to the new state of Michigan, and in 1854 he went still further west, settling in Neosha county, Wisconsin. From Wiscon- sin, in 1858, with his family and household effects, carried in two ox-drawn wagons, he migrated to Otoe county, in the territory of Nebraska. He remained in that county until 1860, when he came to what is now Adams township, Gage county, but then part of old Clay county. Here he purchased land, and in 1863, under the homestead law, he added to his purchase one hundred twenty acres more. Mr. Gale was a most reliable, conscientious man. He had a keen sense of right and was accustomed to follow the inner light of con- science wherever it led. By occupation he was a farmer, and was content with that simple, uneventful life. He was well and favorably known in Gage county and esteemed as a man of strong common sense and sturdy integrity of character. Four children were

Mr. Gale was the second assessor of Gage county, having been elected to that office in 1869. For over twenty years he was a meni- ber of the school board of his school district and filled other neighborhood positions. Not only was George Gale himself thus accredited but members of his family also have been useful and esteemed citizens of our county. His sister Carrie was one of the early and successful school teachers of the county. In 1865 she taught the Beatrice summer school and in 1866 she taught both the fall and winter terms in the old cottonwood, frame school-house in Beatrice, this writer having been much honored in being one of her pupils at the winter term. She became the wife of Louis T. Griggs, and though long since gath- ered to the bosom of Mother Earth both she and her husband are represented in the world of work by their children, George, Clifford, Albert, Kirk, and Mollie, all honored and use- ful members of society. Mr. Gale's son, Charles F., but recently deceased, was for many years prominent in the social and busi- ness life of the city of Beatrice.

The following narrative was written by Mr. Gale in 1876. Primarily it was intended as a history of old Clay county, but it is so largely devoted to the various phases of pioneer life as he saw and lived it as to im- part to it historic value of a high order. It is first-hand matter and probably stands alone as a contemporary narrative of pioneer condi- tions in our county. It supplements to some extent other chapters of this volume, and as evidence it has the weight of an eye witness on most of the subjects considered by its

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author. For all these reasons, as well as from respect which the author of this work bears to the memory of Mr. Gale, his narrative is given place here. The interesting article is reproduced without formal marks of quotation.

HISTORY OF OLD CLAY COUNTY FROM ITS SET- TLEMENT UP TO 1876

BY GEORGE GALĘ

In writing a history of this section of Ne- braska, that is to say that part of it once

settlement under the policy usually known as popular sovereignty, by which the question of freedom or slavery was left to a vote of the people at the time of forming state con- stitutions.

All this is necessary to be understood in order to understand why Nebraska, with a superior soil, climate and geographical posi- tion, was comparatively neglected by settlers, who agreed by common consent to make Kansas the battle-ground between freedom and slavery, and who rushed to that territory

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE GALE

comprised within the limits of Clay county and now attached to the counties of Lancaster and Gage, it will be necessary, or at least proper, to go back to the organization of the territorial government, and also to touch some- what on the history of other and adjoining counties.

As is well known, the act of congress or- ganizing the territories of Kansas and Ne- braska was passed in the spring of 1854, thus opening up at once these two territories to

in order to assist in establishing such institu- tions as they personally approved.

Very little permanent settlement was made in Nebraska this year. Some towns along the Missouri river were located by parties who had been watching the land for years and waiting for it to come under the provisions of the preëmption laws. Omaha, Plattsmouth, Ne- braska City, Brownville, and perhaps other towns were laid out this year.

The first session of the legislature of Ne-

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braska was held this year, some surveying was done, and some few farm claims were taken near the river, but many of the settlers went back to lowa or Missouri to winter.

In 1855 some farm claims were taken fif- teen or twenty miles from the river, but nothing in the way of provisions was raised in this or the following year.

In 1856 people in search of first-class loca- tions explored the country on the Nemaha, and as far west as upper Salt creek, but few, however, of the claims then taken were ever occupied by them, but were afterward taken up by others.

The first permanent settlement in Clay county was made on Salt creek by the Preys - father and sons - Mr. Davison, the Wal- lingfords, and others whose names are not now remembered, all of whom are now gone ex- cept the Preys.

These settlers were all driven out by the Indians in the fall of 1857. They wintered at Nebraska City and returned to their claims in the spring of 1858, but the Indians troubled them more or less for several years, as we shall have occasion to relate further on. They laid out the town of Olatha this year.

In 1857 a great many settlements were made in Clay county. On the Nemaha, Mr. John (. Adams settled early in the spring and put in and raised a crop of sod corn. Mr. John Stafford came this spring and also raised a crop. Mr. Golden and sons, Mr. H. Reynolds and brother, Charlie Hickock and, farther down the east branch, Mr. John Watson, Mr. William Freeborn, R. Swallow, B. J. Baker and others.

In July of this year came Stephen P. Shaw and sons - William, John, James, and Stephen - and James and William Silver- nail. They located on the branch above Mr. Adams at Lacona. Jacob and Leroy Hilde- brand also came this year, and settled on the branch known as Jake's creek, near Adams.

About the same time a settlement was made on Indian creek by E. C. Horner, Charley Austin, a gentleman named Phelps, H. W. Parker, besides others who proceeded to lay out the town of Austin, which now exists only

on paper, if anywhere. Also, further down in Gage county, the Pethouds - father and son. Beatrice was also located and surveyed this season by what was and still is known as the Beatrice Town Company.

In November the Nemaha settlement was further augmented by the arrival of Egbert Shaw and John Lyons and their families. There was another settlement made this year on the head of the little Nemaha, by Mr. Noble, Mr. Rodencamp, Mr. Meecham and others, and I think they laid out a town near where Bennett now stands.

At the time these settlements were made in Clay county there had been raised in the state nothing of any consequence toward sup- porting the people. Everything had to be im- ported from the east. Those who had money could buy at the Missouri river anything they wanted but many had very little money, while some had to sell their best team or cow in order to live until a crop could be grown.

Some few who had their houses built went to the river and worked for those who had work to do and money to pay for it. How- ever, the most of these supposed when they came that they had money enough to keep their families until they could get a crop and then make enough by farming or in some other way to pay for their land, for it must be borne in mind that there was no home- stead law then. Their land was taken under the preëmption law and they did not expect the land would be brought into market for many years, and that perhaps before that time came congress would pass a homestead law and save them all further trouble. In this they deceived themselves, as they found to their great disgust a year or two afterward.

Although land could be taken from the first under the preemption law it could not be entered at private sale until it had first been offered at public sale to the highest bidder. This being the case, the settlers felt perfectly safe with regard to their claims as long as the land was withheld from market. But in the summer of 1858, to their great astonish- ment and consternation, the land from the Missouri river to range 8 was advertised to be

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offered for sale in September. Only a few of the settlers were prepared to pay for their land, while most of them had no recourse but to hire a land warrant at forty per cent. in- terest, for such were the very moderate terms of the gentlemen who petitioned the President to bring the land into market.

Of course they had the choice of selling their teams and fighting the battle bare-handed, or letting the matter take its own course and run the risk of their claims being bid on by specu- lators, and losing their land, and in some cases costly improvements besides. But as nearly every man thought his claim was the center of the universe, the very pivot around which all the rest of the world revolved, and that consequently it offered an irresistible temptation to some speculator to buy it, near- ly all were frightened into buying land war- rants on time, at forty per cent. interest, and proving up their claims.

After this little game had been successfully played, the land was withdrawn from sale for one year. The next year, however, in 1859, it was all offered for sale as far west as to include Clay county. This produced very little excitement, people having recovered from their fright, and very little land was sold - perhaps none that was held under the pre- emption law. Some proved up and paid be- fore the sale, and some let it run and took their land under the homestead law, in 1863.

We may as well say here that most of those who located borrowed land warrants on their claims lost them with all their im- provements, and in some cases after paying interest at forty per cent. for several years.

There were no roads at this time except Indian trails, nor bridges on the streams, and when they were obliged to go to the river or anywhere else, three or four would go to- gether, traveling on the divides as much as possible, and when a stream had to be crossed they would take all the teams across except one, then run one of the wagons down the bank into the creek, then hitch on all the teams with chain enough to reach to the top of the bank, then pull the wagon out and then

repeat the process on all the rest of the wagons.

But this was too much trouble for an every- day business and nearly every settler soon had a good bridge or a ford for his own use, which were always and for many years used by the public.

At the time of which we are treating, the settlers all used ox teams, and there were very few horses in the country.

The possession of a riding nag was an indication of the wealth of its owner, and the man who owned a horse team was set down at once as a blooded aristocrat.

In making long trips on the road they always carried their own provisions and bedding, and in winter feed for their teams. If the weather was fine they always camped out nights, but if it was cold or stormy they would always be welcome to spread their beds on the floor of some kind-hearted settler - Joe Sanders', the widow McKee's, Solonberg- er's, Brownell's, or almost any house from here to Nebraska City. But in the winter time Brownell's was the most popular place to stop of any on the road and your historian and nearly all of the Nemaha settlers have many times had experience of the hospitality of this genial, kind-hearted old gentleman. The old settlers of the Nemaha will never for- get the nights they have lain on his floor, be- fore the broad, open fireplace piled with blaz- ing logs, and listened to the old gentleman's stories, and told others to match them until sometimes they would all fall asleep in the midst of a story, only to resume it at the same place in the morning.

Those were pleasant times to look back up- on, but they seemed not so pleasant then, and probably if the same times were offered 11s now we should decline with many thanks.

These trips to the river, though not strictly pleasure parties, were occasions of consider- able fun and enjoyment, provided the weath er was good, but if the weather proved bad and stormy, the situation offered but few at- tractions, even to an old settler.

They always started on these trips in good weather, with the intention of making certain

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well known points each night to camp, and if no accident happened and the roads were good and if the weather was not too hot for the cat- tle, the points were sure to be made. Some of the most popular camping places with the Nemaha people were Syracuse ford, Brow- nell's. Rock ford, Delaware City, and after- ward at Solenberger. Nursery Hill, Wilson Bridge, etc.

They generally managed to camp near enough to Nebraska City to go in, and get out again at night to the same place or, at least out of town. While a part of the men, and perhaps some of the women ( for they liked to go to town just as well then as now), were gone. those left in the settlement looked after the families and stock of those who were gone. And when it was time for the absent ones to return, those at home would watch for the teams coming over the hill and would some- times gather at the first house on the road to meet them and get the first news, receive their letters from friends east, and the children to receive their presents, for, in spite of poverty, something for them was sure to be found in some of the packages that came from the city.

As we have before remarked, there was a little sod corn raised in Clay county in 1857. Nearer to the river there was considerable, and it was sold for a good price to those who had not yet raised any. This served to dem- onstrate the fact that corn would grow in Ne- braska, and to encourage the settlers to plant all they could the next year, when most boun- tiful crops of corn, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, squashes and all manner of garden vegetables were grown, and this was the last one and only good crop of sod corn grown in this section of country.

This success in farming solved the provision question so far as the raw material was con- cerned, but mills were needed to grind the corn. Several small mills were established at different places along the river this year or the year before, but the people here who were out of flour and out of money could not wait for the new crop to mature and dry sufficiently to grind. Thus they commenced living on the new corn as soon as it was in roasting ears,

and as soon as they could get it dry enough to grind they hauled it to the river and had it ground, if they could find a mill that was in running order, for they were generally out of repair and sometimes our people would have to wait a week for their grinding; sometimes they would return without it and make an- other trip for it; and in the meantime they would borrow meal or flour of each other until the entire stock of the whole settlement was exhausted - and then all would go to making hominy, grinding in coffee mills and pounding in mortars or grating on tin pans, sometimes for weeks together until grinding could be had.

When the Austin mill started there was great rejoicing on the Nemaha, for now grinding could be had within from fifteen to twenty-five miles, and the trip could be made in two days. This mill only ran one day in' a week and sometimes only one day in two weeks, but it proved a very convenient thing for us until we began to raise wheat, when we were again obliged to go to the city, or some other point on the river, or into Iowa. Your historian and many others have been to Iowa to mill and been gone on the trip ten days.

The Beatrice mill was built in 1861 and burned in 1862, but it was rebuilt in 1863, and since that time there has been very little trouble about mills.

There are people who think we are not now very well provided with mill facilities, but it was worse during the days of the first settle- ments. One word more about the Austin mill. If from any cause the mill could not be started on the regular day, or the day had not been appointed, Mr. Austin would either ride over to the Nemaha or send a man to let us know when it would start, so that no one would come to the mill and be disappointed. Such men were millers in those days, but they are all dead, and they died poor.

The settlers commenced farming on a very small scale at first, raising garden vegetables, potatoes, etc., for their own use but nothing for sale for several years except corn, for which there was a market at Nebraska City, though after the first good crop prices were low.

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In the meantime they had tried wheat to a small extent and it had not proved successful, and people had got the idea that the country was not adapted to wheat.

In the year 1858 news came of the discov- ery of gold near Pike's Peak, and this greatly raised the hopes of the people with regard to markets for their produce, which would not at this time pay the expense of hauling to an eastern market, but it was two or three years before their hopes were realized and the gold fields afforded a market for anything of con- sequence: In the meantime many of the set- tlers had become discouraged and had gone back to the east, to the mountains or to the war, and those who remained looked dubious- ly at the prospect of making homes here, with the result that there were actually less people in the territory in 1862 than there were in 1859, by about ten thousand, fully one-third of the people having left the territory.

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History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time, Part 22

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849- Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company Number of Pages: 1120

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120