USA > Nebraska > History of Nebraska > Part 40
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TIMBER .- There is an abundance of timber for fuel in the County, the banks of the streams being skirted with a fine natural growth, and almost every farm having a well grown domestic grove. 598,520 forest trees and 425} miles of hedging are reported under cultivation.
FRUIT .- 42,515 apple, 474 pear, 71,237 peach, 1,454 plum, 15,839 cherry trees, and 17,889 grape vines are reported. The orchards are very prolific, and have been in bearing for several years past.
STONE .- Excellent building stone is abundant along the streams and in the hill sides. A beautiful cream-colored limestone found here is extensively used for building. Sand stone is also plentiful.
COAL .- South of Pawnee City coal of good quality is mined in a seam from twelve to eighteen inches thick. It is preferred to any other coal in the market.
HISTORICAL .- Mr. Christian Bobst, Robert Turner, Jacob Adams, and Robert Archer, the first settlers of the County, arrived at a point on the South Fork of the Great Nemaha, on the 4th day of April, 1854, where they selected claims and located permanently that spring. Mr. Bobst selected one of the best timber claims in
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the County-the north west quarter, section twenty-five, town one, range twelve; Mr. Turner located on the south east quarter, section twenty-five, town one, range twelve; Mr. Archer on the south west quarter, section twenty-five, town one, range twelve, and Mr. Adams on the south west quarter, section twenty-four, town one, range twelve. George T. Bobst, arriving shortly after, took the remaining quarter section twenty-five, town one, range twelve.
Mr. Christian Bobst's was the first house erected in the County. After making the necessary preparations, the party re- turned to St. Joseph, Mo., where they had left their families and effects, to bring them to their new homes, and before their return Joseph Fries, William Barnes, and a Mr. Dragoo, arrived in the same neighborhood with their families, and located. In the same year, John Morrison, Martin Fisher, Henry Shellhorn and family, and E. J. Shellhorn settled on the South Fork, and James M. Hinton on the North Fork. Mr. Hinton originally held the land now occupied by the Table Rock mill. He first projected the mill, which was ultimately erected by other parties.
In July of this year, James O'Loughlin, and Charles and Arthur McDonald, ascended Turkey Creek, from the South Fork of the Nemaha, as far as the present location of Pawnee City, and going upon the high ground where the house of J. S. Davenport now stands, they saw a large party of Indians, with ponies grazing, just beyond where the cemetery now is, and deeming discretion the better part of valor, they quietly made their way back to the Nemaha.
Christian Bobst was appointed Probate Judge for Richardson County, by the Governor, in the fall of 1854. His jurisdiction extended over all contiguous settlements west of the Missouri River, no lines at that time having been established. At the same time and by the same authority, Joseph Fries was appointed Justice of the Peace, and Robert Turner, Constable.
In 1855, H. G. Lore, W. S. Lore, and J. P. Lore, with their families, settled on the South Fork, and L. G. Jenkins, Elijah Mar- kce, Daniel Powell, and Elisha Kirkham, on the North Fork of the Nemaha. A. A. Jordan, L. D. Jordan, Eben Jordan, and Charles McDonald, settled on Turkey Creek.
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In the spring of this year, the first sermon was preached in the County, by Rev. David Hart, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the house of Henry Shellhorn, on the South Fork of the Nemaha. In the fall following, a class was organized by Mr. Hart.
Mr. Henry Shellhorn died on the 4th day of May, 1855, after a short illness; and in the fall following, Mr. John Barnes died, being the first deaths among the settlers.
During 1856, many families located in the County, among whom were P. M. Rogers and family, on Turkey Creek; Joseph Steinaner, and others, on Upper Turkey Creek; John Williams, and several families, on the North Fork; and the Thallimers, Dr. A. F. Cromwell (the first physician in the County), and family, on the South Fork; Wmn. Mcclintock, and several others, on Taylor's or Hogan's Branch; John Jordan and Branick Cooper, on the West Branch of Turkey Creek; James B. Robertson, on Jake's Run; and the Messrs. Buckner, two colored men, on Nigger's Branch.
Hon. John C. Miller, Probate Judge of Richardson County, in accordance with the provisions of the Act creating Pawnee County, issued an order, in 1856, for an election to be held in Paw- nee County, on the 25th of August of that year, for the purpose of County organization.
At this election, three localities entered the contest for the County Seat, but neither received a majority of all the votes cast, consequently neither was chosen; but notwithstanding this, when the returns were sent to Archer, the County Seat of Richardson County, the Clerk of that County, N. J. Sharp, declared the south- west quarter of section twenty-six, town two, range eleven, duly chosen as the seat of Justice of Pawnee County. This point was then called Enon.
Considerable dissatisfaction existing in regard to the election, the matter was brought before Judge Miller, who declared the cer- tificate issued by the Clerk null and void; that no choice of County Seat had been legally made; and ordered a new election to be held on the 4th day of November, 1856.
With the prestige of the certificate already issued in favor of the above named place for the County Seat, immigration rapidly
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changed to that point; and when the election of the 4th of No- vember came off, it was found to have a majority of sixteen votes over its competitors, and was therefore duly declared the County Seat.
At this same election, the following County Officers were elected, to-wit: Commissioners, John C. Peavy, E. W. Fowler and Joseph Fries; Probate Judge, H. G. Lore; Clerk, G. G. Thallimer; Treasurer, W. B. Arnett; Sheriff, Rufus Abbott; Superintendent of Public Schools, Rezin Ball; Surveyor, John J. Lebo; Register, William S. Lore; Justices of the Peace, C. Huntley, H. Billings, A. A. Jordan and J. Adams; Constables, Wm. McClintock, L. F. Roges, J. O'Loughlin and - Bedgood.
The first Commissioners' Court was held on the 5th day of January, 1857, at the house of Rufus Abbott, at which time the County was divided into three Commissioners' Districts.
The name of Pawnee City was chosen for the County Seat. The town site was surveyed and platted by John J. Lebo; and a public sale of town lots was held by Sheriff Abbott, between Jan- uary and July, 1857.
During the year 1857, many settlers arrived with their families. In the spring of this year, John Fries' grist and saw mill commenced operation. P. M. Rogers' saw mill, just beyond the west line of Pawnee City, and a mill by J. S. Woods and Eben Jordan were erected; and in the fall the Table Rock water-power saw mill commenced operation. During this fall the most des- tructive prairie fire ever known in this County, occurred, many of the settlers being burnt out of house and home.
On the 6th day of July, 1857, two mills were levied upon the taxable property of the County for the building of a court house, and in the following year a contract for its erection was entered into with E. W. Fowler. This enterprise, however, was carried no further than the raising of the frame, which so stood until leveled to the ground, in 1860, by a severe storm.
Rev. Mr. Copeland, of the Methodist Church, organized a class, in the fall of 1857, at Ball's Branch.
The first marriages in the County were those of James O'Langhlin to Lydia Adamson, and Richard Clency to Priscilla Adamson, on the 13th of March, 1856, by Joseph Fries, Justice of
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the Peace. These were the first and only marriages within the limits of the County previous to its organization.
The first house erected on the town site of Pawnee City, except Mr. Galligher's blacksmith shop, was that of F. F. Linning, in the spring of 1857. The next was Joseph B. Morton's. Messrs. Linn- ing & Morton were also the first merchants in the town, and Mor- ton was the first hotel-keeper.
The first child born in Pawnee City, was Andrew Perry Linning, son of F. F. Linning, in October, 1857.
The first school house erected (frame) was in the District west of Pawnee City, which afterwards received the classic name of "Rosin Weed Seminary." The first teacher in this building was Miss Sarah H. Ball, now the wife of Hon. J. L. Edwards.
In 1859, the first camp meeting in the County was held at Table Rock.
The first District Court held in the County was on September 8, 1859; Hon. Joseph Miller, Presiding Judge; Wm. McLennan, District Attorney; Allen Blacker, Clerk, and Eben Jordan, Sheriff.
In the year 1860, Independence day was celebrated at Pawnee City for the first time in the County. A general table was set in the grove above Turkey Creek bridge, then only a ford. Judge E. W. Fowler was the orator of the day.
The first building that was burned in Pawnee City was the dwelling of Hon. David Butler, in 1861.
In 1861, Table Rock had obtained a Postoffice, and within the next year Pawnee was blessed with a tri-weekly mail.
During the years 1861-2, bands of horse-thieves were organ- ized throughout the west, including in their numbers men in Paw- nee County who long had had the confidence of the people. These bands were popularly known as Jay-hawkers. By the year 1863 this organization had laid their plans with such shrewdness and cunning, that Pawnee County seemed to be within their grasp and at their mercy. This state of affairs ultimately culminated in a determination of the people to protect themselves, and if necessary, take the law into their own hands. Near the close of the rebellion, a fine span of horses, belonging to Mr. Andrew Fellers, was miss- ing. Mr. Fellers and several others, under the leadership of John
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C. Peavy, pursued and captured the thieves, with the horses, in Iowa. They were brought back as far as Table Rock, where the next night a disguised mob took the thieves from the guards by force, and hung them. The leader of the thieves, Catteran, escaped with two or three gunshot wounds in his body, only to be recaptured next day and hung. Many of the citizens of Table Rock, among whom was Elder Giddings, used their utmost efforts to prevent this terrible violation of the law. The effect of this summary mode of dealing with thieves was salutary, and increased the security of life and property a hundred fold. The confession of these men involved several men in Pawnee County hitherto of good standing, who at once left the country.
In 1861, the M. E. Church commenced the erection of their present fine building at Pawnee City, which cost, when completed, near $7,000.
The Christian Church was organized in the fall of 1865, by Elder D. R. Dungan.
In the summer of 1856, the Presbyterian Church at Pawnee City was organized.
The first Baptist Church in the County was organized on the West Branch, in the fall of 1866, by Elder Robert Turner.
The Dunkards, or German Baptists, have a flourishing organ- ization five or six miles southeast of Pawnee City. The Method- ists also organized a Church on the South Fork, at an early day.
The people of the County having voted $15,000 for the erec- tion of a Court House, the Commissioners, in February, 1869, advertised for bids for its erection, the building to be built of white limestone, forty by sixty fect, and two stories high. The plans and specifications for the building were prepared by Mr. J. L. Edwards, and it was erected in accordance therewith.
Contracts were also entered into the same year, with W. Wheeter, of Nemaha County, for the construction of bridges across the three principal streams of Pawnee County, to-wit: one across Turkey Creek, south of Pawnee City; one across the South Fork, near Fries' Mill, and one across the North Fork, near Table Rock Mill.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- The number of districts in the County, in 1879, was fifty-eight; school houses, fifty-three; children of school
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
age-males, 1,186, females, 1,220, total, 2,406; qualified teachers em- ployed,-males, thirty, females, fifty-seven; total wages paid teachers for the year-males, $3,361.10, females, $5,268.30; total, $8,629.40; value of school houses, $42,826; value of sites, $2,054; value of books and apparatus, $1,254.10.
TAXABLE PROPERTY .- Acres of land, 259,423, average value per acre, $2.80; value of town lots, $50,432; money invested in merchandise, $25,390; money used in manufactures, $3,550; horses, 3,282, value. $90,506; mules, 162, value, $5,040; neat cattle, 8,216, value, $91,318; sheep, 6,604, value, $6,480; swine, 10,246, value, $13,850; vehicles, 935, value, $20,641; moneys and credits, §22,- 948; mortgages, $14,455; stocks, etc., $4,500; furniture, $1,384; libraries, $775; property not enumerated, $14,490; railroads, $52,210.76; total valuation in 1879, $,1,144,506.76.
RAILROADS .- The Atchison & Nebraska Railroad, following the Nemaha Valley, traverses the northeastern portion of the County, a distance of about eleven miles. The surveys for other lines have been made through the County.
MISCELLANEOUS .- The price of lands ranges from $3 to $10, wild, and $5 to $25, improved. There are fifteen Churches, three flouring mills, two saw-mills and one cheese factory, in the County.
POPULATION .- The following is the population of the County, in 1879, by Precinets: Mission Creek, 290; Plum Creek, 328; Tur- key Creek, 156; West Branel, 344; Miles, 266; Steinauer, 417; Clay, 631; Pawnee City, 1,042; South Fork, 745; Sheridan, 366; Table Rock, 1,314.
Total, 5,899-males, 3,102; females, 2,797.
PAWNEE CITY,
The County Seat, is a beautiful little city of 900 inhabitants, situ- ated on Turkey Creek, near the geographical center of the County. It is surrounded by a fine rolling country, and has considerable natural timber in the vicinity. There are also a number of large orchards and vineyards in the neighborhood. It contains several neat Churches, a $12,000 school house, an excellent court house, two newspapers-the Enterprise and the Republican -- a bank, two hotels, several good stores and minor business places. A substan- tial bridge spans Turkey Creek just south of the city.
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ST. JOE STEAM PRINT
SCHOOL BUILDING, PAWNEE CITY.
TABLE ROCK,
On the A. & N. Railway, in the northeastern part of the County, is a rapidly growing town of about six hundred inhabitants. The town site was selected in 1875, by the Table Rock Town Company, of which Robert W. Furnas, James Hinton and John Fleming were active members. The town is pleasantly situated in the Val- ley of the North Fork of the Nemaha, and was reached in 1872 by the railroad, which made it the chief shipping point for the County and an excellent business center. It is well supplied with stores and grain houses, and has excellent school and Church advantages. The first Church in the County, it is claimed, was organized here in 1857, by Rev. C. V. Arnold, of the Methodist denomination.
CINCINNATI, MISSION CREEK, STEINAUER, WEST BRANCH, TIP'S BRANCHI and NEW HOME, are flourishing young towns in the County, of fifty to 200 inhabitants each.
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PIERCE COUNTY.
Pierce County was created in 1859, and organized in 1870. It is located in the northeastern part of the State, in the third tier of Counties west of the Missouri River, and is bounded on the north by Knox and Cedar, east by Cedar and Wayne, south by Madison, and west by Antelope County, containing 540 square miles, or 345,600 acres.
WATER COURSES .- The North Branch of the Elkhorn River, a fine, large stream, affording some excellent mill privileges, flows through the central portion of the County, from northwest to southeast, supported on either side by numerous small branches.
TIMBER .- Considerable natural timber is found along the streams and in the adjacent ravines. Tree planting-both forest and fruit-has received a large share of attention. The groves are thrifty and growing rapidly.
CHARACTER OF THE LAND .- The surface of the County consists chiefly of undulating prairie, about ten per cent. being valley and bottom. The valley of the North Fork varies in width from two to five miles, and there are also wide bottoms on several of the tributaries. The uplands are especially adapted to the growth of small grains, and large crops are raised wherever tested. The prai- rie grasses are nutritious, and afford a wide range of pasturage. Good well water can be obtained on the prairies, at a depth of thirty to sixty feet.
CROPS .- Acres under cultivation, 54,470. Rye 1,712 acres, 26,725 bushels; spring wheat 26,692 acres, 372,997 bushels; corn, 13,900 acres, 545,553 bushels; barley, 626 acres, 16,068 bushels; sorghum 24 acres, 170 gallons; flax, 181 acres, 993 bushels; brooni corn, twenty-five acres, 6} tons.
HISTORICAL .- The first settlements in the County were made in the spring of 1867, by a colony of Germans from Wisconsin, consisting of Christian Heubner, A. J. Heubner, August Nenow, Jacob Bernhardt, and others, who located on the North Fork, in the southeastern part of the County. Many others came soon afterward; and during 1870-71, most of the choice land along the
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Fork and its principal tributaries was taken. In the summer of 1870, R. S. Lucas and J. H. Brown, from Iowa, settled in the Val- ley of Willow Creek, at the confluence of that stream with the North Fork. They erected a substantial log house on the sonth side of Willow Creek, near the present bridge crossing, which soon became the general headquarters for the County, serving as a hotel, Postoffice and Court House.
The first regular County election was held on the second Thes- day in October, 1870, and resulted as follows: Commissioners, R. S. Lucas, Angust Nenow and T. C. Verges; Probate Judge, R. S. Lucas; Treasurer, H. R. Mewis; Clerk, J. H. Brown; Sheriff, John Tietz.
The County Seat was located on the south half of the north- east quarter and north half of the southeast quarter of section twenty-seven, township twenty-six, range two west.
The first Postoffice in the County was established at the County Seat, in October, 1870.
In the spring of 1871, Pierce-the County Seat-was laid out on land belonging to Messrs. Lucas and Brown. That same spring, the people of the County voted bonds to the amount of $15,000, for the erection of a brick Court House, which was completed the following year.
In June, 1871, a large number of settlements were made in Dry Creek Valley, in the northwestern part of the County. The succeeding winter was one of unusual severity, and the settlers in this section of the country were poorly prepared to meet it. Their honses were mostly built of prairie sod, and at times they were entirely covered up with the snow drifts, a column of smoke issueing from the snowy surface, being the only indication of life beneatlı. This part of the County also suffered to a greater extent than any other from the ravages of the grass hopper, yet the people manfully clung to their homes, and to-day they have farms to be proud of.
The first death in the County was that of John Teitz, who was drowned in the North Fork on the 26th of July, 1870.
There is no record of the first marriage and first birth in the County, but both of these interesting events occurred in 1871.
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.
The first term of the District Court for Pierce County, was held at the Court House on the 20th of August, 1873; Hon. Samuel Maxwell, presiding. Twelve cases were on the calendar,- one criminal, one for divorce, and the balance civil actions.
On the 27th of March, 1876, the people voted bonds to the amount of $85,000 to aid in the construction of the Covington, Columbus & Black Hills Railroad through the County.
This County has furnished two representatives to the State Legislature-Hon. R. S. Lucas and Hon. C. II. Frady.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- The first school districts were organized in 1871. At present there are ten districts, nine comfortable school houses, and 224 children of school age; qualified teachers employed, males, seven, females, seven; total wages paid teachers for the year, $2,591.52; value of school houses, $6,799; value of books, etc., $275.50.
TAXABLE PROPERTY .- Acres of land, 203,150, average value per acre, $2.90; value of town lots, $3,458; money used in mer- chandise, $,791; money used in manufacture, $75; horses, 421, value $11,290; mules, 22, value $730; neat cattle, 1,323, value, $8,855; sheep, 685, value $670; swine, 926, value, $812; vehicles, 154, valne, $2,308; moneys and credits, $790; mortgages, $900; furniture, $198; libraries, $100; property not enumerated, $5,809; total valuation for 1879, $634,653.00
RAILROADS .-- The nearest railroad point at present is at Norfolk, in Madison County, three miles from the south line of this County. The Omaha, Niobrara & Black Hills Railroad which has just reached Norfolk, is to be extended northward through this County early in the Spring of 1880.
LANDS .- The price of improved lands ranges from $5 to $12 per acre. The B. & M. R. R. Company owns 13,000 acres of land here, the price ranging from $1.25 to $6 per acre.
POPULATION .- The following are the Precincts and population of each in 1879: Dry Creek, 113; Pierce, 87; Slough, 168; South Branch, 260; Willow Creek, 56.
Total, 684,-males, 357; females, 327.
PIERCE.
The County Seat, is located on the North Fork of the Elkhorn, at the mouth of Willow Creek. It contains several dwellings, two 33
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stores, a hotel, blacksmith shop, large school house, a weekly paper-the Pierce Connty Call- and a fine brick Court House, surrounded by a beautiful grove of cottonwood. Mrs. A. M. Lucas was the first school teacher. The German Lutherans and Methodists are well organized and hold services every Sabbath.
PLAINVIEW
Is a small village in the northwestern part of the County. It has a Postoffice, store, blacksmith shop, school house, etc.
POLK COUNTY.
Polk County was created in 1856 and organized in 1870. It is located in the middle-eastern part of the State, and is bounded on the north by the Platte River-which separates it from Merrick and Platte Counties,-east by Butler, south by York and west by Hamilton County, containing about 425 square miles, or 272,000 acres, at an average elevation of 1,600 feet above the sea level.
WATER COURSES .- The Platte River flows on the north western border of the County, a distance of about thirty-five miles, and receives several small creeks. The central and southern portions of the County are watered by the North Fork of the Big Blue River and tributaries. The Blue affords good mill advanta- ges.
TIMBER .- 1,865 acres, or 1,124,610 forest trees are reported under cultivation. Large domestic groves adorn almost every quarter section of land that is improved. Considerable natural tim- ber is found along the streams. Twelve miles of hedging are re- ported.
FRUIT .- 10,567 apple trees, 221 pear, 7161 peach, 2,259 plum, 1,227 cherry, and 2,764 grape vines are returned.
CHARACTER OF THE LANDS .- About fifteen per cent. of the County is valley, the balance consisting of broad tables and gently rolling prairie, with occasional high bluff along the rivers. The valley of the Blue is very fine and can be cultivated to the water's edge. The soil is everywhere exceedingly rich and productive.
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CROPS .- Acres under cultivation, 65,994. Winter wheat, 506 acres, 7,541 bushels; spring wheat, 32,131 acres, 398,540 bushels; rye, 2,817 acres, 37,692 bushels ; corn, 17,840 acres, 601,484 bushels; barley, 1,196 acres, 28,524 bushels; sorghum, four acres, 339 gal- lons, flax, twenty six acres, 212 bushels; broom corn, 286 acres, eighty two tons; potatoes, 275 acres, 32,190 bushels.
HISTORICAL .- The first settlements are here given by Precincts as follows:
HACKBERRY PRECINCT is the oldest and one of the best set- tled. The North Blue runs through it from west to east. Thomas Donolly has the honor of being the first settler. He located in 1867, and was followed in the same year by Albert Seaver. In 1868, Mr. John Patterson and wife, with their sons, Richard, James and William, James Clark, John H. Mickey, and W. W. Maxwell made settlement. In 1869 Messrs. James Query and V. P. Davis settled on what is now known as Davis Creek, this creek taking its name from Mr. Davis.
The first child born in the Precinct, and, in fact, in the County, was Edgar Roberts, son of Mrs. Louisa Roberts, born November 30, 1868. School district No. 1, was organized in 1871, with thirty-eight scholars; John A. Giffin, teacher. In the fall of 1872 and winter of 1873 the Methodists organized the first Church, under the charge of Rev. James Query, Polk County's pioneer preacher. In the winter of 1873-4 the Church of God was organ- ized in the Hoffer settlements, and in the spring of 1876, Rev. Mr. Earnhart, organized a Baptist Church. Wayland Postoffice is located in the southern part of the Precinct. At the end of the year 1871 about 100 acres of land were under cultivation.
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