USA > Nebraska > History of Nebraska > Part 36
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May 3, 1867, a settlement was established on Union Creek, near the present town of Madison, by H. M. Barnes, P. J. Barnes, W. J. Barnes and F. W. Barnes. Shortly afterward, Henry Platts and Charles Huylar and family located on this stream; and before the close of the year, Henry J. Severance and a number of others, settled in the vicinity. A substantial bridge was erected over Union Creek in 1867.
S. H. Thatch, A. J. Thatch and many others, settled on the Elkhorn, near Norfolk, during the summer of 1867.
Captain O. O. Austin built a house on Shell Creek, in June, 1866, but did not occupy it. John Bloomfield arrived in 1868, and was the first bona fide settler on this stream. He was soon fol- lowed by Lewis Warren, George Whitcher and William Meniece.
In 1869, the Sioux Indians made a raid on the Shell Creek settlements, killed some stock belonging to Lewis Warren and oth- ers, and shot a Mrs. Nelson, who afterwards recovered.
January 21, 1868, the first election for County Officers was held, which resulted as follows: Henry M. Barnes, August Raasch, Herman Braasch, Commissioners; Samuel H. Thatch, Clerk; Fred- erick Wegner, Probate Judge; Fred. Heckendorf, Treasurer; Fielding Bradshaw, Sheriff; August Lentz, Surveyor; Fred. Boche, Assessor; John Allison and William Bickley, Justices of the Peace; Thomas Bickley and Fred. Haase, Constables.
Said election was held at a small frame house located on Tay- lor Creek. The County was named Madison at the suggestion of the Germans of the Norfolk settlement, who came from Madison County, Wisconsin.
In the summer of 1869, the Commissioners divided the County into two Precincts, designating the north half Norfolk and the south half Union Creek Precinct.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
In 1869, L. D. Barnes, John Teigden, John Leueke, A. Eyl and J. W. Risk, settled on Battle Creek. The Hales came in 1870 and settled on Upper Battle Creek. Battle Creek derived its name from the bloodless battle which occurred on its banks between the Territorial militia and Pawnee Indians during the first Pawnee war.
During the summer of 1871, a settler named Fuller was mur- dered in a field, near Shell Creek. Two cattle dealers, strangers in the County, were arrested on suspicion of being the murderers,. but after an examination were released. The mystery of the mur- der has never been solved.
The first marriage in the County was that of Mr. Frederick Spawn to Miss Frederica Waggener, May 3, 1868. The first. natural death was that of Mrs. Carr, in March, 1867.
The first term of the District Court was held in August, 1871; Hon. Lorenzo Crounse, Presiding Judge.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- Number of districts, forty-eight; school houses, forty ; children of school age, males, 863, females, 761, total, 1,624; total number of children that attended school during the year, 940; qualified teachers employed, males, twenty-four, females, thirty-three; total wages paid teachers for the year, $5,298.56; value of school houses, $11,533; value of sites, $231; value of books, etc., $223.50.
TAXABLE PROPERTY .- Acres of land, 222,967; average value per acre, $1.24. Value of town lots, $26,257. Money used in merchandise, $24,925; money invested in manufactures, $12,132; horses, 2,707, value $59,782; mules, 116, value, $4,193; neat cattle, 5,156, valne $41,820; sheep, 789, value, $910; swine, 6,316, value, $5,331; vehicles, 695, value, $9,704; moneys and credits, $8,525; mortgages, $13,325; stocks, etc., $2,000; furniture, $3,109; libra- ries, $750; property not enumerated, $24,431; total valuation for 1879, $524,710.
RAILROADS AND LANDS .- The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad has been constructed through the County the pre- sent year, and is now in running order to Norfolk. The Omaha, Niobrara and Black Hills Railroad, is now in running order from Jackson, on the U. P., to Norfolk.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company owns 60,000 acres of land here, the price ranging from $2 to $6 per acre. All the desirable Government land is taken. Improved farms are worth from $5 to $20 per acre.
POPULATION .- The County is divided into nine Precincts, the population of each in 1879, being as follows: Center, 414, Fair- man, 272; Emerick, 143; Deer Creek, 478; Shell Creek, 254; Schoaleraft, 432; Norfolk, 957; Union Creek, 874; Jefferson, 456.
Total population of County, 4,280,-males, 2,288, females, 1,992.
MADISON,
The County Seat, is a beautiful village of 400 inhabitants. It is located on Union Creek, in the southeastern part of the County; was laid out as a town in January, 1870, and made the County Seat at the general election in 1875. It has just been reached by the (). N. & B. H. R. R., and new buildings are being erected very fast. The Chronicle, a weekly newspaper, is published here, and it con- tains, besides the County offices, two Churches, two hotels, a fine school house, a large flouring mill with three run of burrs, a bank, four dry goods and grocery stores, one drug store, one harness shop, one jewelry store, a lumber yard, broom factory, etc.
NORFOLK,
Located on the North Fork of the Elkhorn River, in the northeast- ern part of the County, contains 500 inhabitants. It was laid out in December, 1869, and is the oldest and largest town in the County. The United States Land Office for this district, is located here. It has a good weekly paper, the Journal, three Churches, the Methodist, Congregational, and German Lutheran, five general stores, two hotels, a bank, two drug and one hardware store, two furniture and one shoe store, blacksmith and wagon shops, lumber yard, livery stables, a fine flouring mill, large school house, real estate offices, etc. It is also the present terminus of two railroads, the O. N. & B. H. and the F. E. & M. V., and is rapidly becom- ing a prominent business center.
BATTLE CREEK,
Located on a creek of the same name, in the central part of the County, contains about 150 inhabitants. The townsite was survey-
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
ed in 1873, by J. D. Hoover, who erected houses and opened a store here the following year. At present it has two general stores, one drug store, two blacksmith, wagon and carriage shops, one hotel, harness and shoe shops, and a grist mill with two run of burrs.
NEWMAN GROVE,
Situated on Shell Creek, in the southwestern part of the County, contains two stores, a fine school house, two blacksmith and one wagon shop, drug store, etc. Excellent water-power for a flouring mill, is close at hand. There is also a fine natural grove of timber on the creek, near the town.
NEMAHA COUNTY.
Nemaha, in the first organization of the Territory, was called Forney County. It was re-organized by the First Territorial Leg- islature, under its present name. It lies in the southeastern part of the State, bounded on the north by Otoe County, east by the Missouri River, south by Richardson and Pawnee, and west by Johnson County, containing about 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres.
WATER COURSES .- The County is watered by the Missouri River-which washes the entire eastern boundary-the Little Nemaha River and numerous smaller streams. The Little Nemaha flows diagonally through the central portion of the County from northwest to southeast, and empties into the Missouri near Nema- ha City. Muddy Creek, a large tributary of the Great Nemaha River, waters the southwestern portion of the County. Long Branch, Plum and many smaller creeks meander through the County, leaving not a single township without running water. Water-power abundant.
CHARACTER OF THE LAND .-- Fifteen per cent. of the area is valley, about five per cent. bluff, and the remainder gently rolling prairie. The valley of the Little Nemaha varies from two to five miles in width. Wide sloping bottoms are also found on Muddy
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
and other streams. The bluffs of the Missouri are here quite promi- nent, and frequently cut through with deep ravines. The soil every- where is of an excellent quality and magnificent crops are raised. No returns for 1879.
TIMBER .- There is plenty of timber in the County. Numer- ous large artificial groves dot the hillside and plain, and there are, besides, many fine natural groves in the valleys and along the bot- toms of the Missouri.
FRUIT .- No returns have been made of fruit trees under culti- vation, yet this is one of the very best fruit growing Counties in the State, many of the apple orchards returning their owners a yearly revenue of $500 to $2,500. In 1878 the orchard of Ex- Governor Furnas, near Brownville, yielded several thousand bushels of peaches.
COAL .- An excellent quality of coal is mined at Aspinwall, in this County. The seams vary from eighteen inches to two feet in thickness.
BUILDING STONE .- Along the bluffs of the Missouri, limestone of a superior quality for building is abundant.
HISTORICAL .- Richard Brown has the honor of being the first settler in the County. He crossed the Missouri in a canoe August 29, 1854, and laid the foundation of a elaim cabin on the land now occupied by the town of Brownville. A number of pioneers quickly followed Mr. Brown, among whom were Rev. Joel M. Wood, Jesse Cole, Newton Kelley, Henry Emerson, Elder Thomas B. Edwards, Talbot Edwards, Josiah Edwards, B. B. Frazer, Houston Russell, James W. Coleman, Allen L. Coate, Israel R. Cuming, Stephen Sloan, A. J. Benedict, Henry W. Lake, O. F- Lake, W. A. Finney, Hiram Alderman, W. H. Hoover, Homer Johnson, R. J. Whitney, Mat. Alderman, Eli Fishburn, B. B. Chapman, Hudson Clayton, Thomas Heady, Sr., Mr. Christian, J. N. Knight,, Dr. Hoover, Wm. Hall, Wm. Hawk, Thomas Jeffries, Wm. Hays, Arch Handley, and others.
The first officers of the County were appointed by Governor Cuming, and are recorded as follows: A. J. Benedict, Probate Judge; H. W. Lake, Register of Deeds and County Clerk; Thomas B. Edwards, Sheriff.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
The first election for County Officers, held December 12, 1855, resulted as follows: A. J. Benedict, Probate Judge; W. H. Hoover, Register of Deeds and County Clerk; J. W. Coleman, Sheriff; W. Hobbitzelle, Treasurer, and Allen L. Coate, County Surveyor.
Richard Brown was elected to the Council, and Wm. A. Fin- ney and Joel A. Wood, to the House, of the First Territorial Leg- islature.
Mrs. Thomas B. Edwards was the first white woman to settle in the County. Talbot Edwards erected the first house in Brown- ville. A daughter was born to Thomas and Mary Fitzgerald, at Brownville, October 20, 1854, this being the first birth in the County. Shortly after this event Mr. Samuel Stiers and Miss Nancy Swift were married by Rev. J. M. Wood. The first death in the County was that of an infant daughter of John Mullis, Jr., near Brownville, in September, 1854.
A. L. Coates surveyed the townsite of Brownville during the spring and summer of 1855. Messrs. I. T. Whyte and Win. Hob- bitszille opened the first stock of goods at Brownville in March, this year. In March, W. A. Finney built for R. Brown, the first flat-boat, to be used as a ferry across the Missouri River at Brown- ville. During this spring R. Brown, Henry Emerson and S. E. Rogers, built the first steam sawmill in the County. The Chris- tian Church organized a society at Brownville, in January, 1855, Rev. Joel M. Wood, Pastor. H. S. Thorpe, on July 10, opened the first school at Brownville, with a dozen or so of scholars. Dr. A. S. Halliday located at Brownville November 2, 1855, and was the first physician in the County. Richard Brown was the first Postmaster at Brownville, receiving his appointment in the summer of 1855.
Brownville was incorporated and made the County Seat by the first Legislature, in March, 1855. About the same time, and by the same authority, Thos. B. Edwards, W. A. Finney, and H. W. Lake, were appointed Commissioners to locate the first Territorial Road in the County, commencing at Brownville and ending at. Marshall's Trading Point, on the Big Blue River.
Daniel L. McGary, the first lawyer in the County, located at Brownville, in February, 1856.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
In June, 1856, the first military company was formed in the County, at Brownville, called the "Home Guards;" O. F. Lake, Captain.
The first number of the Nebraska Advertiser was issued on the 7th day of June, 1856; R. W. Furnas, publisher and editor.
William Thurbur was the first County Superintendent of Common Schools. The first school district was organized at Brownville, June 21, 1856, with A. J. Benedict, President; R. W. Furnas, Secretary; and Homer Johnson, Treasurer.
The first Fourth of July celebration was held in 1856, at Brownville. Nearly every inhabitant in the County attended. R. J. Whitney was President of the day; Capt. Thurbur, Marshal; and N. Meyers, Assistant. Henry W. Lake read the Declaration of Independence; and R. W. Furnas delivered the oration.
Nemaha Valley Bank was established during the summer of 1856; A. Hallam, Cashier; S. H. Riddle, President.
The town site of Brownville was entered at the Land Office at Omaha, in February, 1857, by the Mayor, A. S. Holliday. At the same time and place, William Ferguson entered the land now known as South Brownville, being the first claim entry in the County.
The Brownville Stone and Stone Coal Company was organized in March, 1857. John Jackey was the first adult to die in Brown- ville, which occurred March 25, 1857.
In the spring of 1857, the U. S. Land Office for Nemaha Dis- trict was located at Brownville, and commenced business in Sep- tember following.
The first school house in the County was erected at Brownville, and was used for several years as a Church also.
The first apple orchard to bear fruit was in 1857, and belonged to John W. Hall, on Honey Creek. The Nemaha County Agri- cultural Society was organized in 1857. Its first Officers were: J. S. Minick, President; J. W. Coleman, Vice-President; R. W. Furnas, Secretary; and Jesse Cole, Treasurer.
In October, 1857, the first steam ferry-boat, the "Nemaha," arrived at Brownville. The event was hailed with loud rejoicing, and in the evening a cotillion party was held on board the boat.
Brownville Union Sabbath School was organized November 15, 1857.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
First meeting for the organization of Nemaha Valley Lodge, No. 4, A. F. & A. M., was held at the residence of Jesse Noel, at Brownville, on the 26th day of September, 1857. Date of Charter, June 2, 1858.
The first County Commissioners were elected in November, 1856. The Board consisted of D. C. Sanders, J. N. Knight, and John W. Hall. First meeting, Dec. 1.
The first city election, under the new Act incorporating Brownville, was held February 9, 1857, and resulted as follows: Mayor, A. S. Holliday; Recorder, B. B. Thompson; Aldermen, J. T. White, J. D. N. Thompson and George W. Bratton; Marshal, Homer Johnson; Treasurer, J. T. Dozier; and A. L. Coates, Sur- veyor.
The first code of ordinances was adopted February 23, 1857.
The first term of District Court was held in a log cabin, at Brownville, in May, 1856, with Hon. James Bradley, Judge; J. W. Coleman, Sheriff; Wmn. Mclellan, District Attorney; and W. H. Hoover, District Clerk.
The Methodist Church at Brownville, was organized in Febru- ary, 1858; Rev. Gordon in charge. At the same time the first protracted meeting was held, Revs. Goode, Cannon, Powell, Gor- don and Horn officiating.
The Brownville House, now a part of McPherson's Block, was completed in the spring of 1858, and opened on the 4th of July of the same year, by Robert Morrison and C. W. Wheeler.
In the fall of 1858, the Presbyterian Church of Brownville was erected through the efforts and under the supervision of Luther Headley.
The first Lodge of the I. O. O. F. was organized at Brown- ville, January 29, 1858.
January 14, 1857, B. F. Lushbaugh and John L. Carson estab- lished a Bank at Brownville. This firm dissolved in 1860, and J. L. Carson continued the business of private banker until August 28, 1871, when the private bank was consolidated with, and organ- ized as the First National Bank of Brownville, John L. Carson, President.
The first daily mail commenced from Rockport, Missouri, to Brownville, on July 1, 1858.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
In January, 1857, the first number of the Nemaha Journal was issued at Brownville; S. Belden, editor and publisher. Shortly after, Langdon & Goff commenced the publication of the Daily Snort, which was short lived.
The Baptist Church was organized at Brownville on January 29, 1859.
First Nemaha County Agricultural Fair was held at Brown- ville, Oct. 6 and 7, 1859. October 10, 1859, the first Church bell arrived in Brownville, for the Presbyterian Church.
R. W. Furnas published the first number of the Nebraska Farmer, the first journal of the kind in Nebraska, in January, 1860.
The telegraph line was completed and an office duly opened for business, on August 29, 1860.
On the 1st of November, 1867, Brownville Chapter No. 4, R. A. M., was duly organized.
Brownville High School Building was completed in 1865. The Congregational Church was erected in 1859, and sold to the Methodists in 1861. The Christian Church, erected in 1859, was blown down by a hurricane in 1866, and rebuilt by the Baptists in 1868-69.
The first number of the Brownville Journal was issued Jan- uary 1,1868. The office was removed to Falls City the same year.
Holladay & Hill commenced the publication of the Brown- ville Democrat on July 11, 1868. The name of this paper was changed to the Nemaha County Granger by Holladay & White- head, and the first number was issued by them January 23, 1874.
The first railroad train arrived in Brownville, on February 1, 1874, over the route known as the Midland Extension, from Nc- braska City, now called the Nebraska Railway.
The corner stone of the Catholic Church in Brownville, was laid July 24, 1870, by Rev. Father Curtis, of Omaha.
The corner stone of the Episcopal edifice, was laid by Rev. Geo. R. Davis, in October, 1857.
Furnas Council, No. 3, R. A. M., was organized April 25, 1871. Ada Chapter No. 2, was organized February 10, 1872.
Brownville Division, No. 19, Sons of Temperance, was organ- ized November 12, 1872. Excelsior Lodge No. 15, Knights of
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
Pythias, was organized October 21, 1873. The State Bank of Ne- braska organized on October 1, 1870.
The State Agricultural Fair was held at Brownville, in Sep- tember, 1870, and October, 1871. The first graded or high school, was organized at Brownville, during the term commencing April 6, 1868.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- Present number of districts in the County, seventy-five; school houses, seventy-four; children of school age- males, 1,906, females, 1,925, total, 3,832; qualified teachers em- ployed,-males, forty-nine, females, eighty-four; total wages paid teachers for the year, $13,849.06; value of school houses, $46,194; value of sites, $3,117; value of books and apparatus, $1,069.
TAXABLE PROPERTY .- Acres of land, 246,762; average value per acre, $4.13; value of town lots, $146,570; money invested in merchandise, $63,935; money used in manufactures, $13,460; horses, 4,892, value $111,050; mules and asses, 630, value $18,146; neat cattle, 13,630, value $130,019; sheep, 591, value $419; swine, 34,739, value $31,267; vehicles, 1,668, value $26,026; moneys and credits, $23,978; mortgages, $35,425; stocks, etc., $,26085; furni- ture, $36,192; libraries, $1,499; property not enumerated, $76,760; railroads, $62,831.69; telegraph, $676.80; total valuation for 1879, $1,823,002.49.
RAILROADS .- The Nebraska Railway, under control of the B. & M., runs through the eastern portion of the County, a distance of about thirteen miles, Nemalia City being its present terminal point. Track laying for the extension of this road to a connection with the B. &. M. branch at Beatrice, Gage County, sixty-five miles distant, via. Tecumseh, on the A. &. N. road, is now being vigorously pushed forward, and is nearly completed to the latter point. The surveys for several other lines projected through the County have already been made.
LANDS .- Improved lands are worth from $7 to $30 per acre; wild lands from $4 to $10.
The estimated population of the County in 1879, was 10,504.
BROWNVILLE,
The County Seat, is an enterprising city of about 1,500 inhabitants. It has a handsome location on the high ground facing the Missouri
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
River, near the center of the County from north to south, and is also on the line of the Nebraska Railway. The bottoms and bluffs of the Missouri in the vicinity are well timbered, while the sur- rounding country on the north, west and south, is highly culti- vated, and dotted with numerous large orchards and beautiful artificial groves.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL BUILDING.
A splendid steam' ferry connects the city with the Kansas City, St. Joe and Council Bluffs Railroad, on the opposite side of the Missouri. Two excellent weekly newspapers are published here, the Granger and the Advertiser, and there are besides, two banks, a large number of stores, representing all the various lines of trade, several handsome Churches, a very fine high school build- ing, accommodating a graded school, etc.
PERU
Is a beautiful city of 600 inhabitants, situated on the banks of the Missouri, and on the Nebraska Railway, seven miles north of
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
Brownville. The State Normal school is located here. Business is represented by a weekly paper, the Herald, a large three story flouring mill, one manufacturing establishment, several grocery and dry goods stores, two drug stores, a brick yard, harness, boot and shoe, millinery, confectionery and a host of smaller establish- ments. It has several Church organizations and neat Churches, and an elegant school house, supplied with complete apparatus and all the modern improvements.
NEMAHA CITY,
Located near the mouth of the Little Nemaha River, about five miles south of Brownville, was one of the earliest towns located in the County. Allen T. Coates came here in the summer of 1854, and in December following, the townsite was surveyed by Drs. Hoover and Wyatt. It was incorporated by the Legislature in 1856, and during the same year a Postoffice was established, with Dr. Jerome Hoover, postmaster. The Methodists organized the first religious Society, Rev. Philo Gordon, Pastor. Joel W. Wells, elected in 1857, was the first Mayor of the city. S. Belden issued the first number of the Nemaha Valley Journal here in January, 1858. Geo. W. Fairbrother and T. C. Hacker commenced the pub- lication of the Nebraska Herald here in October, 1859. The first white child born in the Precinct was a son of Alex. Weddle, on June 23, 1855.
Nemaha City is at present the terminus of the Nebraska Rail- way, and has made more substantial progress during the past year than ever before. The railroad has put new life into it and new buildings are going up very fast. It contains about 250 inhabi- tants, two Churches-Methodist and Episcopal-a good school house, stores, grain houses, etc.
ASPINWALL,
Situated on the Missouri, in the southeastern part of the County, was surveyed in 1857. Hobbitzill & Co., opened the first store in the town. Among the first settlers of the place were Darius Phipps, Wm. Thurman, Henry Hart, Hegler and Paulin. Miss Clara Parker taught the first school here in the fall of 1861. The town was incorporated in 1870. At present it contains several mercantile
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
stores and other business establishments, good school and Church advantages &c. Extensive coal mines are being worked at this place.
SHERIDAN
Is a flourishing town of two hundred inhabitants, situated near the geographical center of the County. It was surveyed and recorded in 1869, and the first store was opened the same year by Wesley Dundas. Dr. A. Opporman located here in May, 1871, and was the first physician. The first hotel was erected in 1874 by A. W. Morgan. The first school was taught by E. E. Savage, in November, 1874, and during the same year the Methodist Church was organized. Sheridan is located on the Branch of the Burling- ton and Missouri River Railroad now building through the County, and is improving very rapidly. The railroad will make it one of the best business centers in the County. All classes of business are represented and well sustained. It has excellent Church and school facilities, and a weekly newspaper, the l'ost.
ST. DEROIN
Is an old village located in the southeast corner of the County. It was laid out in 1854, and surveyed by Greever, Nuckolls and others. Judge A. J. Ritter opened a general merchandise store here in 1859. A Postoffice was established in 1861. It contains a fine brick school house, a first class flouring mill, two blacksmith and one wagon shop, stores, and other places of business.
HOWARD.
Located on the Little Nemaha, in the northwestern part of the County, is a new town and contains a grist mill, hotel, tin shop, wagon and blacksmith shop, grocery and dry goods stores, two physicians, etc.
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