USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 5
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 5
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The sycamore is represented on the alluvial lands of the Missouri and its tribu- taries from Omaha southward. There are only a few trees.
The honey locust and the Kentucky coffee tree are found in the natural forest along the Missouri and the lower course of the Niobrara, and the former occurs also in the lower part of the Republican Valley.
The buckeye is in the extreme southeast corner of the state.
The blufflands of the eastern counties support oaks, basswood, hiekories, and a few other trees.
The oaks are represented principally by the red oak and the bur oak. the latter having wide range on the rough valley sides of the eastern, southern, and northern parts of the state. Some of the best stands are in the Niobrara and its tributaries, as at Wood Lake, Long Pine, and Valentine. This tree is in practically pure stands at some of these places. The black oak, scarlet oak, white oak, swamp white oak.
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chestnut oak, and the black jack oak have been identified in the southeastern corner of the state.
Hiekories are represented by four species, but the shellbark and bitternut are most common. They occur on the flood plains and rough lands bordering valleys of the southeastern counties.
Mountain maple, black birch, and a few representatives of quaking aspen oceur in the canyons of Pine Ridge.
The paper birch grows on some of the steep slopes of the Niobrara Valley, the best stands being about ten miles east of Valentine.
Pines and Cedars. Pines occur at a number of places in the western part of the state. Growing among the pines are red cedar and a few junipers. Most pines occur in the Pine Ridge, Wildcat Ridge, North Platte and Lodge Pole areas, occupying about 500 square miles. The trees are at their best on Pine Ridge, being 12 to 24 inches in diameter and 40 feet or more high. The trees are quite free from disease and the timber is of good quality. Pines are also found in good stands along the Niobrara, as in Schlagle Canyon south of Valentine, north of Ainsworth, and in Long Pine Canyon. The broad-leaf species of the east and the pines and cedars from the west meet along the Niobrara.
Forest Reserves. The federal government has experimented with tree planting near Halsey, and shown conclusively that certain species can be grown on the sand- hills of Nebraska. Many ranchmen, profiting by this experience, have beautified their places and grown large wind breaks for protection. The Reserve now has several hundred acres of very good pine forest which can be seen from the Burlington trains as they pass through the Middle Loup Valley above Halsey.
WILD FRUITS
By G. E. Condra, Director Conservation and Soil Survey
The wild fruits of most importance in Nebraska are gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, grapes, chokecherries, and the sand cherry, phun, buffalo berry, erab apple, elderberry, and pawpaw.
The Common Gooseberry is on most of the bottom lands of the eastern and southeastern parts of the state where there is forest. It comes into fruitage early in the year and the fruit is eagerly sought by many people from the country and towns. The western wild gooseberry is found principally in the northwestern counties. The red raspberry and the black raspberry are found on the slope lands of the timber belts. They give a limited amount of food. The wild eurrant is quite plentiful at places in the canyons of the Pine Ridge and Niobrara areas. It also occurs in the ravines bordering the North Platte.
Wild Grapes of two kinds oeeur in the state, being found in practically every county with timber. They are the early wild grape and the summer grape. The fruit of these has considerable value, especially along the Missouri and in the French- man and Niobrara valleys.
Wild Cherries of four species grow in Nebraska. They are the wild black cherry of the eastern counties, the sand cherry of the sandhills, the western chokecherry and the common chokecherry.
The Sand Cherry is a valuable fruit. It grows on very sandy ground, principally
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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
on the sandhills and at places on the high plains of western Nebraska. The ranch- men gather this fruit in large quantities and use it for a number of purposes as for jelly, jams, sauce and wine.
Chokecherries are widely distributed in the state. The western form produces large amounts of fruit, which are used for jellies, butter and other purposes. The chokecherry is a common plant along the Niobrara and its tributaries, in the canyons of the Pine Ridge, along parts of the Platte, and at places in the Loup and Elkhorn valleys.
The Buffalo Berry, sometimes called the bull berry, grows along most streams and ravines of the western and central counties. The plant is a strong branching shrub, 3 to 8 feet high, and with thorns and light colored leaves. The fruit is reddish when ripe. Probably most fruit of this kind is produced in the North Platte Valley on sandy land near the river. The fruit is gathered in large quantities late in the fall and used principally for jellies and jams.
The Wild Plum has wide distribution in Nebraska. It is especially abundant in the Frenchman, Medicine and Niobrara valleys. The fruit is used for butter and sauce.
The Western Crab Apple is present, but not plentiful in the state, occurring principally in the southeastern counties.
The Elderberry grows abundantly near streams in the southeastern counties. It is used to some extent for jams and preserves.
The Pawpaw grows along the Missouri in the southeastern part of the state. It is most plentiful at or near Nebraska C'ity, Peru, Brownville, Nemaha and Rulo. The ripe fruit is eaten raw.
Nuts grow in parts of Nebraska. Hazelnuts occur in some of the timber areas of the southeastern counties. The hickory nut is found in this part of the state and the black walnut is more widely distributed.
FISHI RESOURCES
By G. E. Condra, Director Conservation and Soil Survey
Nebraska has several kinds of fish in small streams, rivers, natural lakes, and artificial lakes. The following are the principal kinds: Channel cat, bullhead, crappie, pike, perch, trout, sunfish, carp and buffalo.
A subdivision of the State Department of Agriculture looks after the propaga- tion, distribution and protection of fish, licensing and the enforcement of fish and game laws. There are three state fish hatcheries in Nebraska. A chief game warden and many deputy wardens are employed to conserve the fish resources of the state.
Speckled and Rainbow Trout occur in many of the small, swift streams of the northwestern part of the state, as in the Pine Ridge area and in tributaries of the middle course of the Niobrara. Some of the trout streams are Monroe Creek, Sow Belly Creek, West HIat Creek, East Hat Creek, White River, Big Bordeaux, White Clay, Boardman, above its junction with the Snake. Schlagle, Minnechaduza, McFarland and Phim creeks. Trout occur also in the drainage ditches of the North Platte Valley and at the head waters of the Elkhorn and Loup rivers. One can find very good sport among the trout of Nebraska.
Bass of different kinds, of which the big-mouthed species is the most representa-
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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
tive, grow in several natural and artificial lakes throughont the state and fishing is very good at some of these places. At one time bass fishing was best in some of the sandhill lakes. Most fish here were winter-killed in 1915. Lakes were again stocked and fishing has become quite good. Beaver, Rat, Hackberry, Red Deer. Dewey, Willow, Enders, and C'enter lakes are well known bass lakes. Willow Lake is the best bass breeding ground in the state. Bass and perch minnows are collected here for stocking other waters. There are bass in the dredged lakes along the Platte. in a number of eut off lakes along the Missouri and Republican, in artificial lakes of the Loup, Elkhorn and Niobrara valleys and in some of the reservoirs of the irrigation districts.
Bluegills, Sunfish and Crappie occur in most waters suitable for bass and perch. Some of the largest catches of crappie and sunfish are from dredged lakes near Fremont, Valley. Ashland, Meadow and Louisville.
Striped Perch are present in great numbers in Dewey. Red Deer, Hackberry and several other lakes of Cherry County. They occur also in many natural lakes, artificial lakes and reservoirs, and in some streams. This fish is well suited to Nebraska and is easily caught. Its firm meat makes good eating.
Piekerel and Wall-eyed Pike grow principally in the Niobrara and North Platte, but are found in the Loup, Elkhorn and Republican, and several lakes. Large num- bers of pike are eanght below the diversion dams in Scotts Bluff County. The catch each year is equal to many tons. The pike has been planted in several streams and lakes.
Bullheads are common in Nebraska, in the streams, ponds and lakes. The yellow eat is a desirable fish. It has been distributed quite generally for stocking purposes.
Channel Cats are in all rivers of the state. They afford good fishing in the Republican, Little Blue, Nemahas, Loup. Elkhorn and Niobrara, and at places in the Platte. They are also found in many lakes.
German Carp, Ameriean C'arp and Buffalo are found in many streams and lakes. The carp are caught mainly in the southeastern part of the state. The buffalo is widely distributed, occurring in practically all streams of the western counties. Gar and sturgeon are large stream fish. They occur principally in the Missouri and Platte. The eel has been caught in the Elkhorn, Loup, and Platte.
Frogs have some importance as a source of food. The small leopard frog thrives in most marshes and fresh water lakes. Though edible, it is not much used for food. The greenish bullfrog is native to the southeastern counties. Many of the streams and lakes in the central and northwestern counties have been stocked with this frog. One of the best results obtained is in the boggy places of Long Pine Canyon. Frogs, now quite numerous in these places, are becoming of value for food.
Turtles occur in all parts of the state in both dry and wet places. The snapping turtle is widely represented by a number of varieties.
MODERN GAME RESOURCES
By G. E. Condra, Director Conservation and Soil Survey
The state's game consists of birds and mammals. Among the birds are the quail, grouse, prairie chicken, ducks, geese, snipes, plovers, and the curlew. The wild turkey
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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
was formerly found in the eastern and southwestern parts of the state. The mam- mals are the rabbits, raccoon, antelopes, and deer.
Bob White or Quail oceur in parts of the state where there is brush and timber. They are quite numerons along the Niobrara and parts of the Republican, and are among the best game birds of the state, but have greater value in agriculture. There is no open season on quail at this time. 1192537
Prairie Chickens were formerly plentiful in the eastern and southern counties. There are few birds now except in the eastern part of the Sandhill Region. Grouse occur in the sandhills, mostly in the central and western parts. They are closely related to the prairie chicken, but the feet are feathered whereas the feet of the prairie chicken are bare. Grouse are mueh lighter below and this is partien- larly noticeable in flight. The prairie chicken flies less smoothly than the grouse. Both birds afford good shooting in the sandhills. Sage hens are not now found in Nebraska, but they do occur across the line in Wyoming.
Dueks are in Nebraska in large numbers during periods of migration and breed- ing. Some of them remain during the winter. Those breeding. principally in the lake distriets of the sandhills are: Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Ruddy or Butterball, Redhead, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, and Shoveller.
Hunting Ducks and Grouse. Duck and gronse shooting have considerable importance in parts of the sandhills. There are lodges or hunting camps at many lakes and marshes. The number of birds killed at these places during the open season is large. Hunters come from all parts of Nebraska and from other states. Duek shooting is very good in other parts of the state, and a number of geese are bagged each year.
The Upland Plover formerly was plentiful throughout the state. The numbers dwindled until a few birds were observed, since which time there has been a steady increase.
The Jaek-snipe or Wilson's Snipe is found in small numbers about marsh land, but seems to be decreasing as these areas are drained.
The Long-billed Curlew has increased in numbers the past few years. It occurs throughout western Nebraska but principally in the wet valleys of the sandhills. There is no open season on this bird in the state.
Shore birds and the Mourning Dove are hunted some in Nebraska. The dove receives natural protection in that many people are opposed to killing it on account of sentiment. There is no open season on the dove.
The Chinese Pheasant has been introduced at places in the state. If the bird is as successful here as it is in Colorado, it should become a source of food within a few years.
Rabbits are common in all parts of Nebraska. There are four species-the prairie cottontail, common in the eastern counties; plains cottontail of the western part; the black-tailed jack rabbit, principally in the southern counties; and the white-tailed jack rabbit, mainly in the northern part of the state.
The rabbits are hunted universally. They afford sport and supply a considerable amount of meat. It would be possible to further develop them as a resource.
The Western Fox Squirrel occurs in native timber in eastern and southeastern counties. It is also found in planted groves in most parts of the state. The squirrel is hunted to some extent for meat.
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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
The Raccoon occurs along practically all streams in the state, especially where there is brush, and about the marshes of the sandhills. It is hunted very generally in wooded areas and is trapped in the lake districts. The opossum occurs in the timber belts and is found occasionally a considerable distance from forests.
The Prong-horn Antelope, onee plentiful in all parts of the state, remains in Kimball, Banner, Sioux, and Garden counties. The largest bands are in Sioux County, south of Agate, and in Garden County, near Crescent Lake. The antelope is protected throughout the year.
Deer of two species remain in northwestern Nebraska. The white-tailed deer occurs in the Dismal River country of the sandhills, where for several years it has been protected by ranchmen. The black-tailed deer is found at two places in the Pine Ridge country. There is no open season for deer hunting in the state.
Wapiti or Elk were very plentiful in what is now Nebraska. They are reported to have occurred in largest numbers along Dismal River. A few animals are now in parks and game preserves.
The Bison, now extinct except for a few animals in parks and on the federal game preserve located about four miles east of Valentine, was formerly the most important hunted animal in Nebraska.
FUR BEARING ANIMALS
By Frank H. Shoemaker, of the Conservation and Soil Survey
The largest fur-bearing animals found in Nebraska at the present time are the beaver, raeeoon, badger, lynx, bobcat, and coyote. Smaller animals with furs of value are the muskrat and the various species of skunks, weasels, and minks. For- merly the black bear, the wolverine, the marten, and the otter occurred more or less commonly in Nebraska, but all are now extinct within our borders, excepting possibly the otter.
Muskrats, by reason of their numbers, are probably of the greatest economie importance in Nebraska as fur producers. They occur in all parts of the state along streams and lakes, ponds and marshes, sometimes in large colonies. Considerable trapping is done, chiefly in the western part of the state and about sandhill marshes. and with good returns. The raising of muskrats for furs might be greatly developed there, as it has been in some states farther east.
Minks, Weasels and Skunks are found chiefly in woodland along streams. Their furs are highly valued if taken at proper seasons. These animals are all destructive to poultry, and for protective if no other reason, should be trapped systematically where poultry is threatened.
CHAPTER IF
TIIE NEBRASKA INDIANS
CHRONOLOGICALLY, 16:3-1804-THE PAWNEES-PAWNEE WAR OF 1859-PAWNEE- SIOUX MASSACRE, 1873-MAJOR FRANK NORTH AND PAWNEE SCOUTS-TILE SIOUX -DEPREDATIONS, DAWSON COUNTY-BUFFALO AND HALL COUNTIES-HALL COUNTY MASSACRES-THAYER COUNTY-GENERAL CARR'S BATTLE WITH SIOUX-THE OMNIIAS-THE OTOES-THE WINNEBAGOES-THE PONCAS-IOWAS, SACS AND FOX -ARAPAHOES AND CHEYENNES-BATTLE OF AUGUST, 1860-BATTLE OF ASH HALLOW-WHITE MAN'S TREATMENT OF THE RED MAN.
"The land was ours-this glorious land- With all its wealth of wood and streams, Our warriors strong of heart and hand, Our daughters beautiful as dreams. When wearied at the thirsty noon, We knelt where the spring gushed up. To take our Father's blessed boon - U'nlike the white man's poison eup." - Whittier, "The Indian Tale."
Except for the prehistorie races that have been heretofore spoken of, and con- cerning whom no facts can be recorded here, the Indians were the first settlers of Nebraska. While their coming may have only antedated that of the first explorers by a few hundred years, their elaim to precedence of residence cannot be doubted.
Before undertaking a chronological survey of the part the Indians played in formation of early Nebraska annals, we may first make a brief survey of the history of the various tribes found to be flourishing to any very marked degree in Nebraska. This will be interwoven into the first portion of the chronology to follow here.
1623-June. Father Jacques Marquette, accompanied by that devout Christian worker and missionary, Louis Joliet, embarked upon his great exploring trip of the "Father of the Waters." While he made a trip as far south as the Red River, the interesting feature to our narrative is Marquette's deseription of the hitherto un- known Missouri country, and thereby giving forth a first report on Nebraska Indians. In a most interesting chart of that expedition, now in the archives at Montreal, Marquette locates, in what is now Kansas and Nebraska, the following Indian villages :
The Quemessouriet ( Missouri). The Kenza ( Kansas). The Ousehage (Osage). The Paneassa ( Pawnee), and the Maha (Omaha).
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That his information was surprisingly correct is seen from the fact that the French explorers found these very tribes in relatively the same position as indicated in the chart nearly two hundred years later.
1701. Governor D'Iberville of Louisiana reported the location of the Maha and Otoe tribes.
1719. Dustine, French explorer, visited the Pawnee nation.
1720. Massaere of a Spanish expedition under Pedro Villazur by Nebraska Indians, purported to have been aided by hostile French.
1721. Charlevoix reports of the Missouri tribe, but not upon Nebraska soil. He reports concerning the extent of the tribes of Indians inhabiting the Missouri River above the Missouri nation, "Higher up we find the Cansez (Kansas) ; then the Octotatas (Otoes), which some call Maetotatas; then the Ajouez (Iowas) and Panis (Pawnees), a very populous nation, divided into several cantons, which have names very different from each other." This would lead to the conclusion that during the first half of the seventeenth century, the country now forming the State of Nebraska was inhabited along its southern border by the Kansas Indians : that the Platte River, then called the Rivere des Panis, was the home of the Pawnees, who had also villages to the northward-at a point a considerable distance up the Missouri River. And to the westward, lived the Padoucahs-a tribe long since extinct.
(While there is uncertainty as to whether some of these explorers just named above really visited Nebraska, it is known to a certainty that Dustine visited Kansas as early as 1719, and Bourgmont was there in 1224.)
1724. De Bourgmont, French commander, is reputed to have made a military expedition as far as the Nebraska region and counseled with at least the Otoes and Padoucahs.
1239. When Mallet brothers reach and name Platte River, they journey up river as far as its forks before striking sonth.
1743. La Verendrye brothers, on trip on which they discover the Rocky Moun- tains, describe the Pawnee Indians.
1620. Otoe Indians reputed to have established their chief village on the Platte, about three miles from the present village of Yutan.
1789. Jean Baptiste Monier, of St. Louis, reported to have found the Ponea Indians at the mouth of the Niobrara River.
1:94. Jean Baptiste Truteau, under the Commercial Company, visited the Maha and Ponca tribes.
This brings the record of the principal intercourses between the white men and Indians of Nebraska down to 1804, the year in which, on August 3d, the first council held with Indians in Nebraska by representatives of the United States was held, at Council Bluff, now Fort Calhoun.
1804. Lewis and Clark, in the year of 1804, report finding Pawnees, Missouris, and Otoes in possession of the Platte, the Poneas near the mouth of the Niobrara and the Omahas in the northeastern part of the state, eentering around what is now Sioux City.
This gives us a roster of the principal tribes in Nebraska and their respective locations, and is probably a proper point at which to divert and divide the record of Indian history of the state into tribal divisions.
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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
THE PAWNEES
Origin. Some early writers have taken the position that the Pawnees were the descendants of the ancient Aztec nation, but the best authorities agree that the tribe belongs to the Caddoan family, and that the original habitat was probably on the Red River of Louisiana. In the Caddoan migration toward the northeast the Pawnee became separated from the main body and established themselves in the Valley of the Platte, where the Siouan tribes found them at an early date. Some of the tribes, though, moved on northward. Thus the Arikari moved by way of the Missouri, penetrating far into North Dakota. Sometime later the Skidi (Wolves) advanced northward and halted at the Platte, there to be overtaken by the Pawnees proper.
The Pawnees called themselves Skihiksihiks, or "men par excellence." The popular name, and the one most in vogue, is Wolf People. They were a warlike and powerful nation, claiming the whole region watered by the Platte from the Rocky Mountains to its mouth. They held in check the powerful Kiowas of the Black Hills and waged successful war against the Comanches of the Arkansas.
There were from an early day four grand divisions, or clans, of the Pawnees, having distinct government, though with language in common.
There were Shani (or Tswa), the Grand Pawnees, with villages on the south bank of the Platte, opposite the present Grand Island; the Kitkehaki (Tskithka Petower Kattahankies), or Republican Pawnees, on the Republican River in northern Kansas; the Pitahanerat (Tapage), or Noisy Pawnees, also on the Platte; and the Skidi or Loup ( Wolf), Pawnees, on the Loup fork of the Platte Valley.
Customs. Among many other customs that might be narrated :- They lived in well built log houses, covered with turf and earth, preferring these to the movable tepee, which was only used when the bands were on extended hunts. They depended very much on agriculture, the raising of corn and pumpkins-more so than upon the buffalo hunt. In this manner they probably never outgrew the sedentary and agricultural habits peculiar to all southern tribes.
It is narrated that from time to time they sacrificed prisoners to the sun to obtain good crops and success in warfare. "Anyone was at liberty to offer up a prisoner that they had captured in warfare. The victim was clothed in the gayest apparel and fed and feasted on the best that could be had, and when sufficiently fattened for their purpose, a suitable day was appointed for the sacrifice, so that the whole nation might attend. The unfortunate victim was then bound to a cross in the presence of the assembled multitude, after which a solemn dance and other ceremonies were performed, and at their conclusion the warrior whose pris- oner he had been stepped forward and cleaved his head with a tomahawk, the other warriors filling his body with arrows. This barbarous custom, however, was finally stopped in 1820, through the influence of the missionaries."
1806. Lieutenant Zebulon Pike's exploring expedition, when on its way to the mountains in this year, encountered the Republican Pawnees in northern Kansas. This was a few years before they moved north to join their brothers already established on the Loup Forks. On September 29th, Lieutenant Pike and his aid Lieutenant Wilkinson held a grand council with the chiefs of that nation, a short account of which serves to give an idea of the northward limit of Spanish activity at that late time, and the degree of intercourse attainable with these Indians.
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