USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 53
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 53
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
They came in on Saturday six hundred strong. Bailey afterward said the sus- pense was the hardest thing to bear. A little knot of men would gather, gestieu- ate excitedly and fade away. to reassemble elsewhere, and the day tensely dragged its weary length without grave incident. Gust said : "My Mayority was ten and I want my yob." But when the crowds left town on Saturday evening it did not seem that he was very likely to get it. But to the surprise of both sides the crowd came back Monday, as large or larger than ever. The Bailey boy, in the hall of the courthouse, sidled up to a little friend : "I came down to see them Swedes," he confided. "They are going to throw my pa out of the courthouse ; but he's got ahead of them. He ain't coming down." Finally the excitement culminated and the crowd swayed to the counter in front of the clerk's office. Some one gave F. M. Howard a leg over, and of Harry Dodd he demanded the keys. The latter used the lately established telephone to tell his principal that the crowd were in the office demanding the keys, and Bailey whose heart was not in the contest and who was inspired by the lawyers and political friends said "give them up," and the incident was closed.
Silas Barton was deputy in the office of Frank Hammond, county treasurer, when he was elected Grand Recorder of the. A. O. U. W. and from the popularity thus obtained he was able to obtain afterward the position of congressman from the Fifth district. Leading fusionists of an early day were Henry Smith, John Peterson, Carl Huenefeld, Fred Newberry, William Dodds, Mark Castle, S. E. Evans, L. C. Genoways, J. L. Evans, Jap Cunningham, A. W. Steele, G. W. Grosvenor, Peter Wind, A. P. Moberg, Wm. H. Fall, J. M. Day, Wm. L. Stark, George L. Burr, F. M. Howard, Mike Pressler, Fred Peterson, J. HI. Edmond- son, Fred Jeffers, Jonathan Foster.
Another interesting phase of Hamilton County's populist record is that even np as late as 1914 Hamilton County was probably one of the three last counties in Nebraska, or even the Nation, to forego all traces of the populist movement. For many years after the republican and democratic parties gained their old position back again, one or the other being dominant party and hold- ing the State Ilouse prizes, the custom held on of nominating candidates upon the populist state ticket.
This was generally exercised by the cirenlation of a few petitions through the state asking that the name of the particular democrat "who affiliates with the Populist party" be placed on the primary ballot for the designated office. These petitions were usually circulated in Polk County at Osceola, Custer County at Broken Bow and Hamilton County at Aurora, each of those three points having a few faithful ex-populists who, while they were really affiliating with the demo- cratie party, had never quite erased from their hearts the true devotion to populist doctrines, and it was not until in the elections of 1914 and 1916 that the populist party failed to muster votes enough to comply with the percentage fixed by state law, and disappeared from the ballot that this last remnant of devotion to its former "fusive" power was relegated from Nebraska politics.
CHAPTER V
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF HAMILTON COUNTY
THE CHANGE OF YEARS-NEBRASKA IN 1895-1915-FIRST COUNTY FAIR AND HIS- TORY OF ASSOCIATION -- MINUTES OF MEETING OF 1879-MODERN FARM ORGAN- IZATION-WHEN THE GRASSHOPPPERS CAME-HARD TIMES IN NEBRASKA, BY GEN. DELEVAN BATES.
THE CHANGE THROUGH THE YEARS
One could spend page upon page in discoursing about the wonderful trans- formation brought about in Hamilton County in the years. There is extended here a short account written by the Editor of the Aurora Sun in 1920, dwelling shortly upon the corn crop of 1920, the greatest ever harvested in this locality, but which underwent the after-war slump in priees which brought about the depression of the winter of 1920-21. To this is appended a little sugges- tive piece on "Why Boys Leave The Farm," a simple commentary upon the fact hereinbefore reflected upon that the eities are gaining and the rural dis- trets losing in proportionate population.
"THE GARDEN OF EDEN"
The editor of the Aurora Sun is enthusiastie, and with good reason, about the 1920 corn crop. IIere is the way it looks to him as he tells the story in last week's Sun.
"The farmers of central Nebraska are justly and richly entitled to two things this year-a big corn erop and a good price for it. The past ten days have made the first a sure thing, and the worldwide eall for corn should insure the good price. All of the world must have corn, and while some of the big corn producing states like Iowa and Illinois are compelled to reduce the estimate of their 1920 erop on account of unfavorable weather conditions, Nebraska has had just the opposite kind of weather and the estimate has been raised. It is very probable that central Nebraska will harvest the best crop of corn that ever hung its ears above this splendid soil.
"The first of the week the editor of the Sun and members of the household made an auto trip of 130 miles and on that trip the principal thing was the inspection of cornfields. Sunday was one of the hottest days of the late sum- mer, the thermometer reaching the 96 mark during the day. The great corn- fields under the heating rays and drying breeze waved and rustled and browned as if by magic, and the days that have followed since have carried nature's maturing process forward with uninterrupted certainty. The corn erop in this section is today an assured fact. It is now but a question of the size of the
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
yield, getting it husked and receiving an adequate price. Even the latest corn has been hurried along the past ten days until it is safe from the ordinary frost. Nothing but a hard freeze would work damage to the late corn, and a destructive freeze at this time of the year is a very uncommon thing.
"Leaving Aurora in the morning the auto party drove to Marquette, noting the myriad ears of corn hanging downward from the stalk on either side of the road, mile after mile in unbroken repetition. From Marquette through the Kronborg neighborhood, then to Hordville, east through old Bluff and on clear across Polk county and through southern Butler to Ulysses-everywhere the same-cornfields as far as the eye could reach and every hill burdened with its load of white or yellow ears bending low under their own weight and hardening beneath the processes of sun and wind. It was a trip never to be forgotten. because it was through God's Country indeed, if the Creator ever selected any spot to be looked upon as his very own and very best. How many people, we wonder, who live amid these scenes and conditions realize that in no other part of the world can they be duplicated ? The route deseribed lies through and is a part of the garden spot of the world-a section of country that has no equal in the world, and we are led to wonder if we have not become so accustomed to it that we fail to know or understand the greatness of it all. Nine-tenths of the world's people would be ecstatic with joy could they have a residence in such a land and they would herald it as the Garden of Eden, because it is tenfold richer and more productive than was the Garden of Eden of our Sunday school.
"The writer passed along roads over which we walked or drove broncos forty years ago. We passed the very fields from which we husked corn that many years ago and which later was hauled to market ten to fourteen miles and sold for a few cents per bushel-in fact for but little more than the charge for husking nowadays. We passed the spot where stood the first school we ever attended and just a little distance away we could see the field where we worked for fifty cents per day. In that same field this year the harvest hands received seven dollars per day. That is the change which forty years have wrought. Where stood the sod shanties of forty years ago now are the splendid modern homes with every convenience, and the cattle barns are much better now than the family domicile was before. The bronco is gone and the auto is at the door. The serubby pig and forlorn calf have disappeared and the proud thoroughbred now feeds in the same yard. All is changed, and the frowning expanse of unpro- duetive prairie which greeted the eye of the pioneer has in the half century changed to a smiling empire of garden, flower and wealth beyond the dream of the most visionary man or woman who ever prophesied the future of the world's bread basket. Do we appreciate it ?"
WHY BOYS LEAVE THE FARM "Why did you leave the farm, my lad ? Why did you bolt and leave your dad ? Why did you beat it off to town And turn your poor old father down?
Vo! I-28
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
Thinkers of platform, pulpit and press Are wallowing in deep distress. They seek to know the hidden cause Why farmer boys desert their pas."
"Well, stranger, since you've been so frank, I'll roll aside the hazy bank : I left my dad, his farm, his plow, Because my calf became his cow.
I left my dad to sow and reap Because my lamb became his sheep.
I dropped the hoe and stuck the fork Because my pig became his pork. The garden truck that I made grow Was his to sell, but mine to hoe."
"It's not the smoke in the atmosphere, Nor the taste for life that brought me here.
Please tell the platform, pulpit, press. No fear of toil nor love of dress Is driving off the farmer lads; It's just the methods of their dads."
Now dads had better change their ways, They'll surely find it always pays To give the boys a little share- It really isn't more than fair. They'll stay at home and be content And Dad will say 'twas coin well spent.
For after all don't BOYS count more Than all the MONEY one can store ?
NEBRASKA : 1895 AND 1915
How times have changed in Nebraska. I recall a "country" Fourth of July celebration twenty years ago in a county. It was in many respects an assembly to excite sympathy. It was the year following the great "dry spell." Not a farmer on the grounds had harvested in 1894 enough wheat to feed his family, not enough corn to fatten a single hog. The hot winds of the preceding year had destroyed about everything the farmers possessed except their supply of hope. Almost pathetic were the attempts of the women folks to make a good appearance. Many of them wore garments which had been contributed to the drought sufferers by the collectors of cast-off clothing in the eastern states. Practically every farmer in the crowd had been compelled to accept either offerings from the hand of charity, or seed grain from the county or state. The crop prospects were good on the day of celebration, but the anniversary of the
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
hellish hot winds of the preceding July were nearing, and mingling with smile of hope on every face were traces of a fear which could not be dispelled-fear that again the hot winds would come to finish the blasting and the blighting of hope in the hearts of men, even as the former scorching winds had blasted every- thing in all the fields. Feeble were the efforts of the people on the publie pro- gram to appear blithe and gay. Even the songs of the children were subdued and almost melancholy. Few of the teams which had drawn people to the cele- bration were treated to a feed at noon, because only here and there was a farmer who had any other feed than grass for his team. Last Saturday I attended another "country" Fourth of July celebration in Nebraska. Marvelous transfor- mation. A thousand people from the farms assembled at the George Clarke home, near the Woodville railroad station, at the cornering of Nance, Boone and Platte counties. There was a smile on every face, and the cheer of the voices of birds escaped the lips of happy children. The women were garbed in garments which Dame Fashion decrees. The men wore clothes of comfort and of latest cutting. The horses were fat as seals, and the mirror-like bodies of the automobiles reflected the faces of girlhood and young womanhood as beautiful as the dream-face of a goddess of Greece. Only twenty years from the reign of pinching poverty and fear to the era of plenty and peace, and when a talented young official of the farmers' organization proclaimed the goodness of God and the glory of the Nebraska farm, I uttered a glad and reverent amen !- Edgar Howard in Columbus Telegram.
FIRST COUNTY FAIR.
HELD AT ORVILLE CITY FORTY-THREE YEARS AGO-HORSE RACING A FEATURE.
According to the best information available, the first step toward the organ- ization of a fair association in IHamilton County was taken in the store of David Stone in the brand new "town" of Aurora in the fall of 1871. The plan thus inaugurated was perfected at Orville City, then the county seat and a promising village whose long abandoned site is now included within the boundaries of the county poor farm (July, 1872). Joseph F. Glover was elected president at that time, James Rollo vice-president, George F. Dixon secretary, E. J. Lewis assis- tant secretary and John Laurie treasurer. Others who were active in the enter- prise were Norris Bray, C. O. Wescott and T. C. Klumb.
The first county fair was held at Orville on the 5th and 6th days of October, 1872. The court house was used as an exhibit building and the race track was a grassy road around the public square-three circuits of the square being con- sidered one mile. The grandstand was the great outdoors, and there were no reserved seats. The courthouse was afterward moved to Aurora and turned into a dwelling. For many years it stood on the present site of the United Brethren church but when that building was erected in 1911 it was again moved to Third and G. streets, where it is now occupied by the Dan Gion family.
The first fair is described by T. C. Klumb and others who were present as being a regular old-fashioned pienie with long tables at which a big dinner was served. There was a large crowd, people coming in all sorts of conveyances,
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on horseback and afoot from many miles around. The exhibits, while small in number, were splendid in quality for those pioneer days. "But the hogs," says Mr. Klumb, were kept at home, "for with bacon at 40 eents per pound they were too valuable to be subjected to the shrinkage from hauling over rough roads in lumber wagons."
In the trotting raees a man from Aurora named Marion Pfrimmer rode a gray mare belonging to J. C. Rateliff, a homesteader east of Aurora, and James Rollo down on the Blue, had a horse hitched up to a rig consisting of the front wheels of a wagon with home-made shafts. Pfrimmer took first money on account of Rollo having to stop and repair his harness at the half distanee. T. (. Klumb had two horses in this race and took seeond and third money.
There was a ladies' equestrian exhibit, and Miss Lizzie Henderson, from just over the York County line on the Blue, was deelared the winner. She rode a little black mare belonging to T. C. Klumb. She stood beside the animal, leaped upon its back without saddle or blanket and rode a circle of about a half-mile as hard as it could go. Miss Belle Laurie. now Mrs. Robert Waddle, was the other contestant.
In the running race Bob Waddle took first money and Alex Laurie seeond.
The county fair was held regularly every fall in Orville, to the best reeollee- tion of early settlers, until after the county seat was located in Aurora. J. F. (Hover was president, E. J. Lewis secretary, and Samuel Whitesides treasurer di ring the grasshopper years of 1843-4-5-6, with a few other hardy souls are entitled to the credit of having laid the foundations upon which the present thriving agricultural society and county fair have been built.
There is some question abont the date of the first fair held at Aurora. Robert Miller, the only survivor of the original colony which established the town. thinks it was in 1873. Ifis recollection is that the school house near where the Catholic church now stands was used that year for exhibition purposes and that the race track was somewhere in the vieinity of the present high school building. At any rate, he is quite sure that Jim Glandy was nearly killed in a race when a horse fell on him and that there was an interval of several years between the first fair in Aurora and the second.
This corresponds with Charley Whitesides' claim to having printed the first premium list for a Hamilton county fair in 1876. The book consisted of constitution, by-laws and list of premiums and was printed on a Washington hand press by Mr. Whitesides with "Billy" Reber swinging the brayer (a hand roller with which the type was inked). The type pages were just the width of an ordinary newspaper column, and the book was printed on common "print" paper with brown wrapping paper for cover and was sewed by hand with needle and thread. Mr. Whitesides was at that time publishing the Hamilton County News in the little town of Hamilton, which also had entertained designs upon the county seat. The agreed price for the job was $75.00, but after the fair was over the society found itself short of funds and Mr. Whitesides compromised on the basis of $65.00 cash and a life membership. Ile got his money all right but the society was reorganized shortly afterwards and the membership was never issued. Several others who paid from $10 to $20 apiece for life memberships about that time claim to have received nothing in return.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
RELIC OF OLD TIMES. DISFIGURED BUT LEGIBILE.
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN 1879 TELL HOW PRESENT GROUNDS WERE ACQUIRED.
The earliest record of the present Hamilton County Agricultural Society is found in a secretary's book which went through the court house fire of 1893. The edges are badly charred and the margins of some pages are deeply burned, but the writing for the most part is fairly legible. At the first meeting recorded, March 1, 1879, the following officers were elected; President, J. II. Farris; vice- president, J. S. Miller; secretary, F. M. Timblin; treasurer, A. V. B. Peck; marshal, James Fodge; directors, A. D. Scott, John T. Price, Jesse Evans, Jonathan Foster, T. W. Manchester, J. II. Sauls, Charles Pela-(last part of name burned away). The treasurer's report at that time showed a balance on hand of $175. The amount brought forward from preceding year was $158, received from eounty fair $92, account advertisers, etc .. $49, county warrant $128; paid ont for premiums $113, general expenses $135.
When this meeting was held J. II. Bell was president and II. G. Cass secre- tary. Steps were then taken toward securing the present grounds for a per- manent home of the fair, the secretary being instructed to communicate with D. Stone in regard to purchasing 40 acres in section 9, township 10, range 6. At a meeting held a few days later, March 22, 1879, the following record was made : "Proposition of D. Stone in regard to 40 acres of land in 9-10-5 read (for propo- sition see letter on file in secretary's office). Mr. J. S. Miller moved that the proposition to buy partly on time be accepted. During the discussion of the motion, Mr. D. Bates came forward and, on behalf of the town of Aurora, offered the society 20 acres west of the cemetery free of charge, but the society not deeming the land suitable for a fair ground, sustained the motion of Mr. Miller and the proposition of Mr. Stone was accepted. Upon motion, the secre- tary was instructed to correspond with Mr. Stone and state that the society will pay him $100 down and $100 annually at 10 per eent per annum in one and two years.
"J. S. Miller moved that the proposition of Mr. Huff to make a race track free of charge to the society be accepted, Mr. Huff to have exclusive control of the track for one year except during fair time, at which time the society will have exelusive control. Motion prevailed.
"Seeretary anthorized to prepare premium list and report first Saturday in May. Compensation $10."
At the May meeting the premium list as prepared by secretary was adopted with an amendment providing for a premium on untrained trotting horses, the secretary was paid $10 for his labor on same, superintendents of the varions departments were appointed and the time of holding the fair was fixed for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 18th, 19th and 20th. An order was drawn at the same time for $100 in favor of Mr. Stone, being first payment on the grounds.
Other meetings were held during the summer at which various details were arranged for the fair, and on September 13th the Baptist Society was granted permission to put a refreshment stand on the ground. On motion of Jonathan Foster, it was ordered "that church societies with refreshment booths or stands
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
be admitted to the fair grounds free ; others with refreshments shall pay $5 for the privilege during the fair; permits for the sale of melons, $1 per day." Thomas Worthington, John E. Soward,-Downey and Mahlon Worthington. were appointed gate-keepers at compensation of $1.50 per day. Charles Me- Kibben subsequently was named to take the place of Thomas Worthington.
No business was transacted at the annual meeting held on the fair grounds September 20th, pursuant to law, and although several attempts were made no quorum was secured until March 6, 1880, when the treasurer's report showed $542 received, and the same amount expended.
At a meeting held April 8, 1880, some objection was raised by A. Johnson on account of the preminm on pure bred Shorthorns not being high enough, indi- cating that even then faney stoek was receiving some attention. The elergy's traditional fondness for chickens was recognized by naming Rev. A. M. Totman as superintendent of the poultry department and special provision was made to admit the common grades of fowls to enter. A four-day fair was planned and a decision was reached to compete in the county exhibit at the state fair.
At a ealled meeting in July, 1883, "a talk was had about the propriety of put- ting a house on the grounds for some one to take care of the property, and it was the unanimous conviction that it should be done." October 4, 1884, T. Widaman, M. Freneh & H. Cole were appointed to draw plans of buildings and to estimate cost. One week later a decision was reached to build a house 16 x 24 and G. H. Spalding, D. L. Toof and Frank Stevens were chosen as the building committee.
During the early days of the fair the job of printing the premium list was awarded to the lowest bidder and the society solicited the advertising contained therein. In 1887 the present plan of permitting the printer to assume the entire responsibility for what advertising he could secure was adopted.
October 6, 1887, it was voted to replace the old board fenee with wire and to ereet permanent stalls and cattle sheds. T. A. MeKay, J. H. Moore, D. L. Toof and D. A. Seovill were the committee on location, plans ete. There is an unexplained interval from October 15, 1887, to October 6, 1888, when, accord- ing to the secretary's records, no meetings were held.
The following action was taken August 7, 1889: "Motion prevailed that society build an amphitheatre as per plans on file, the dimensions being 64 feet in length and 28 feet in width, height 20 feet, to contain 12 rows of seats and having a seating capacity of about 500 people."
Considerable indebtedness having aeeumulated against the society, a plan was formulated February 9, 1892, to ask the county commissioners to appro- priate $1,000 for its relief. On the following day E. J. Hainer appeared before the county board and "showed the amount of money aetnally paid by the society for buildings and other improvements upon the society's grounds, the value of the real estate and improvements at the present time, the actual indebtedness of the society at the present time; he also offered the commissioners that if they would appropriate $1,000 the same would not be paid out until the society would cause the difference to be raised and paid first, at which time the $1.000 was to be paid by the county. This proposition was aeeepted and it was so ordered by the commissioners."
The following gentlemen have served as officers of the Hamilton County Agri-
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
cultural Society according to existing records: 1878, J. H. Bell president, HI. G. Cass secretary ; 1879, J. H. Farris president, F. M. Timblin secretary ; 1880, J. H. Farris president, W. D. Pemberton secretary ; 1881 J. II. Farris president, J. N. Cassell secretary ; 1882-3 W. A. Johnson president, E. S. Phelps secretary ; 1884-5, George Wildish president, Harvey Cole secretary; 1886 T. A. Mckay president, Harvey Cole secretary ; 1887 T. A. Mckay president, D. A. Scoville . secretary; 1888 J. II. Farris president, D. A. Scoville secretary; 1889 T. A. MeKay president, R. II. Peard secretary ; 1890 T. A. MeKay president, D. A. Scoville secretary; 1891-2, T. A. MeKay president, W. W. Shenberger secretary ; 1893-4-5-6-7-8 T. A. McKay president, L. W. Shuman secretary; 1899-1900 T. A. MeKay president, J. A. Isaman secretary ; 1901, T. A. Mckay president, Delevan Bates secretary; 1902, T. A. MeKay president, D. A. Scoville secretary ; 1903, F. W. Hammond president, D. L. Machamer secretary ; 1904, J. A. Isaman president, D. L. Machamer secretary ; 1905-6-7, R. L. Mabon president, D. L. Machiamer secretary ; 1908-9-10-11-12-13-14, R. L. Mabon president, S. B. Otto secretary ; 1915, E. J. Eggert president, S. B. Otto secretary.
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