USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of Omaha from the pioneer days to the present time > Part 16
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When the settlers came flocking into Omaha one morn- ing, between two and three o'clock, in the latter part of August, 1864, it caused the most intense excitement. Busi- ness was entirely suspended that day. A meeting was called at the court house at two o'clock in the afternoon, and before sunset, nearly able-bodied man in the city was fully armed, equipped and prepared for anything that might occur. A strong guard was organized and stationed that night at all the approaches to the city, and this vigi- lance was continued for about two weeks. It is a fact that quite a number of the citizens of Omaha became so fright- ened that they went over to Council Bluffs, where they remained till the scare had subsided.
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The precautions that were taken no doubt prevented an attack on the city either from bushwhackers or from Indians. Our authority for this statement is a gentleman who is one of the oldest settlers, as well as one of the lead- ing and most respected citizens of Omaha. He has always been of that opinion, for soon after Quantrell's raid in Kansas, he accidentally met in Omaha a man who was a member of Quantrell's band. He had known this man for a long time, and during the civil war he was little better than a highwayman. There were two others of Quantrell's men in Omaha at the same time. The trio were evidently looking over the ground preparatory to raiding the city.
Roving bands of Indians were committing depredations and murders in the Platte valley. Men were found killed at Thirty-two-mile creek, Lone Tree and Plum Creek, and other places in Nebraska, especially along the overland mail and stage routes. Stock was driven off along the Fort Kearney and Atchison mail route, and the pickets were fired upon at Fort Kearney. A wagon train had been de- stroyed at Plum Creek, and thirteen men killed. It is claimed to be a fact that in many instances the Indians were commanded by white men, disguised as savages. This is easily explained by the fact that the civil war was then in progress, and these white savages were undoubtedly rebel emissaries. It was not strange, then, that, in the face of all these circumstances, a general uprising of the Indians who infested western Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, should have been feared at that time. It was thus that the Indian and guerrilla scare of 1864 originated.
Governor Alvin Saunders made a call for the militia for self-protection and to put a stop to the Indian outrages, and in accordance with that call his adjutant-general, W H. S. Hughes, issued a special order for two regiments of mounted infantry, each regiment to be composed of six companies of sixty four men each-one of the regiments to be raised south of the Platte and the other north of the Platte. The commanding officers of all north Platte companies were to report to Brigadier-General O. P. Hurford, of Omaha, and those of the south Platte companies to Colonel O. P. Mason , of Nebraska City. The term of service was four months.
Adjutant-General Hughes' next order, No. 4, dated August 22, 1864, by order of the commander-in-chief, Gov-
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ernor Saunders, commanded that all able-bodied men in the territory between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, who did not belong to some militia company, meeting regularly for drill, should enroll themselves and form companies in accordance with the laws of the territory. Under the four months' call of Governor Saunders, seven companies were organized, among them being the following at Omaha:
Company A-R. T. Beall, captain; George C. Yates, first lieutenant; J. H. Barlow, second lieutenant.
Company B-John Taffe, captain; Edwin Patrick, first lieutenant; Abraham Deyo, second lieutenant.
Company C-Charles S. Goodrich, captain; Martin Dunham, first lieutenant; David T. Mount, second lieutenant.
Company D-Jesse Lowe, captain; E. Estabrook, first lieutenant; O. B. Selden, second lieutenant.
A gun squad was also organized and officered by E. P. Child, captain, and A. J. Simpson, first lieutenant.
These companies were more of a home guard than anything else. Company D was called the "gray-beard company," on account of its being composed entirely of old men. These companies were organized during the latter part of August. The Republican of August 26, 1864, says: " Organization is progressing satisfactorily, and we shall soon be in fighting trim. The city is now safe, and we can resist any attack which can be made upon it by the Indians or guerrrillas."
The Republican of the same date notices the departure of Captain Taffe's company, as follows: "Captain Taffe's company of cavalry started west Wednesday afternoon, provided with five days' rations. They go direct to Junction Island, near Forest City, and after reconnoitering in that vicinity will pass up the Elkhorn and return home."
On Monday night, August 23, it had been reported in Omaha that two hundred head of cattle belonging to Mr. E. Creighton and Mr. E. Loveland, were driven off by the Indians from an island where they were being herded, only twenty miles from Omaha, and that a large number of the hostiles were on the south side of the Platte river, in the vicinity of Forest City. It was on the morning of this day that the frightened settlers-about twenty families- came into Omaha.
Captain Taffe's company of fifty mounted men left
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Omaha on Wednesday evening, August 23d, reaching Forest City on Thursday. It was there learned that the cattle reported to have been driven off by the Sioux, had been stampeded by the Omahas, on the return from their annual hunt, and that most of the cattle had been recovered, no hostile Indians having been engaged in the affair.
Captain Taffe then proceeded with his command up the Elkhorn, and made a thorough reconnoisance for several miles in the direction of Elkhorn City. Nothing was learned of any hostile Indians, and becoming satisfied that the alarm was the result of a mistake, for which nobody was really to blame, Captain Taffee returned to the city, arriving on September 1st. This expedition demonstrated the fact that no hostile Indians had made their appearance on the north side of the Platte. This quieted all appre- hension of an attack of Indians on Omaha, and most of the settlers returned home. The fear of a raid on Omaha by guerrillas was still entertained, however, and strict vigi- lance was maintained for some little time. The home guards were drilled every day from four to six o'clock in the afternoon, and all stores, shops, workshops and places of business generally were closed during those hours. Captains Taffe, Goodrich and Beall were ordered to attend to the enrollment of all persons subject to military duty.
Captain Beall was ordered to take command of all the militia forces within the limits of the city, and to keep the city under guard at night. All this was done by command of Brigadier-General O. P. Hurford, commanding First Ne- braska militia.
About this time General Curtis, who was conducting the Indian campaign, made a call on Governor Saunders for mounted men, and in accordance with this request a com- pany of volunteer cavalry was raised in Omaha, principally through the efforts of John R. Porter. He had been drill- ing his company of "home guards" every Saturday, and being considered a thorough military tactician he was elected captain of the cavalry company. A. T. Riley was elected first lieutenant, and Martin Dunham, second lieu- tenant.
The cavalry men were without horses, but this important necessity was supplied by the late Colonel Hayes, father-in- law of Judge Lake, who organized a press-gang for the
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purpose of pressing into the service the requisite number of steeds. They made a pretty clean sweep of the city stables, taking every horse that they found, as well as saddles and bridles, wherever there were any to be had. An order was also issued by command of Brigadier-General Mitchell that no horses should be crossed to the Iowa side of the river by the ferry company, as it was feared that some owners might transport their animals out of the reach of the press-gang, whose operations entailed considerable hardship upon some persons. People living out of the city, farmers and others, would not come into town for sometime afterwards, except with bull teams, leaving their horses at home for fear of seizure.
Elder Shinn had a very fine horse, and when Colonel Hayes said to his men, "Take him, boys," the elder put his hand in his pocket and remarked, "Colonel, you had better come and take him." Colonel Hayes didn't take that horse. "Come on boys," said he, and they rode off to the stable of some other man.
The deficiency in bridles and saddles was supplied by the government quartermaster stationed at Omaha, who also furnished blankets. The horses and accoutrements were turned over to the cavalrymen, who were thus pretty well equipped. After being sworn into the United States service, and inspected by Major Armstrong, they left Omaha, fifty-two strong, sometime in September, and scoured the country north and south as far west as Kearney and Julesburg, and other points along the stage line, over which travel had been temporarily suspended.
The Omaha cavalrymen had several little skirmishes and one real fight, which took place at Plum Creek, where the Indians had burned a train of fourteen wagons a short time previously, and killed the emigrants, who had after- wards been buried by some of the whites. Captain Porter's company had run a party of Pawnees to this point, occa- sionally picking them off one at a time. They finally cornered them and killed fourteen of them. They also took three captives, who were brought to Omaha and delivered to General Mitchell. No one recollects what became of them. but it is very likely that they were soon released.
At another time they corralled old Two-Face and his band near Alkali, and in crossing the Platte river to reach
HISTORY OF OMAHA. 185
them the Omaha men came very nearly losing several of their horses. Just as they were about to charge them, a white man stepped out from among the Indians and raised a flag of truce. He presented a passport of protection and freedom, a sort of letter of credit, from General Mitchell, say - ing that they should be allowed to proceed unmolested by anyone to Cottonwood, down the river. Captain Porter respected the letter, and allowed them to depart, notwith- standing the opposition of his troopers, who wanted to an- nihilate them. The Indians did not go to Cottonwood, but switched off at Ash Hollow and went up to the vicinity of Fort Laramie, where the late Colonel William Baumer was commanding. Colonel Baumer took Two-Face prisoner, and hung him in chains, he being a renegade and a thief as well as a hostile. Two-Face was a hard character and no doubt deserved his fate. He had several white children whom he had captured.
Captain Porter's company also did valuable service in escorting supply trains and stage coaches between Jules- burg and Fort Kearney. The cavalry men returned home in November. The Nebraska First and the Iowa Seventh were then returning from the south, and these two regi- ments relieved all the volunteers along the stage road, and on the frontier.
Captain E. P. Childs also raised an artillery company of volunteers and went to Fort Kearney, where he did some active duty with his command.
Omaha has for many years been quite an important mili- tary point. It is the official headquarters and supply depot of the department of the Platte, now under command of Gen- eral John R. Brooke. Fort Omaha, formerly called Sherman barracks, was built about the year 1868, and since that time it has been considerably improved. More or less troops are stationed there all the time, and hence the military form quite an element in Omaha society as well as in her busi- ness affairs.
To United States Senator Paddock is due the credit for the establishment of the military district of Nebraska, which naturally resulted in the department of the Platte, with headquarters at Omaha. The first order for the organiza- tion of the district was procured by Mr. Paddock. This was done in connection with the organization of the Second Ne-
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braska cavalry, for which he secured the order as acting governor from Secretary Stanton to General Pope, who was then in command of the department of the Northwest with headquarters at St. Paul. General Pope sent to Nebraska his chief of staff, General Elliott, who was entertained by Gover- nor Paddock at his residence. General Elliott accepted the entire plan as recommended by Governor Paddock. The Second regiment was for home protection against hostile In- dians, and General Elliott issued the order for raising the regi- ment and establishing rendezvous headquarters at Omaha. He also established a number of frontier posts, and as com- panies were being mustered in they were distributed among these posts, all reporting at Omaha. When this plan was per- fected Omaha was made permanent headquarters, with Gen- eral James Craig temporarily in command of the district of Nebraska. All this was the result of the efforts of Mr. Pad- dock, who also secured the only direct and independent appropriation for military headquarters buildings, as an amendment in the senate to appropriation bills. The amounts thus appropriated were $60,000 for Fort Omaha, and $30,000 for quartermaster and commissary depot.
Omaha now has two excellent independent militia com- panies, the Creighton Guards and the Omaha Guards, composed of young men. These two organizations are a credit to the city.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE FIRST CHURCHES.
THE PIONEER MINISTERS-REMINISCENCES BY REV. REUBEN GAYLORD, THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL PASTOR-FIRST CHURCH EDIFICES-THE METHODISTS, BAPTISTS, CONGREGA- TIONALISTS, EPISCOPALIANS, CATHOLICS. PRESBYTERIANS AND LUTHERANS.
The pioneers in religion in Omaha were the Metho- dists. The Rev. Peter Cooper, a Methodist clergyman of Council Bluffs, had the honor of preaching the first ser- mon in this city, the services being held on Sunday, August 13, 1854, at William P. Snowden's residence, which was the "St. Nicholas," or rather the ferry company's "claim house."
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The next preacher of this denomination was Rev. Isaac F. Collins, who came here in the spring of 1855, as a regularly ap- pointed missionary, for the purpose of organizing a society. He held services in the territorial capitol building, and in September organized a church with a membership of six persons. The ferry company donated to the church two lots, 132 by 88, on Thirteenth street, which were sold for $1,500 to raise money for the erection of a church edifice. The church building was completed in the fall of 1856, the dedicatory services being conducted by Elder Moses F. Shinn. Rev. Mr. Collins was succeeded by Rev. John Chiv- ington, who, in 1862, gave place to Rev. W. M. Smith. He remained but nine months, being obliged to leave on ac- count of the unpleasantness created by a political sermon, in which he said he would "rejoice to see our people wade through rivers of blood, and climbing over mountains of flesh. rather than the north should fail and the freedom of the slaves be unaccomplished." During his administration the church, which had been built in 1856, was sold, and a busi- ness building known as Methodist church block, was erected upon the ground. The Omaha National Bank building now occupies the site. A brick church was afterwards erected on Seventeenth street. Mr. Smith's successor was Rev. Thomas B. Lemon, but in 1865 Mr. Smith returned and re- mained his full term. The Methodists are a strong body in Omaha at the present time, having several church edifices and large congregations.
The Baptist church was represented in Omaha as long ago as 1855. It was in the summer of that year that Rev. William Leach came here as a missionary. During the few months that he remained he conducted services in the ter- ritorial capitol. He was.also a dentist, and added somewhat to his small income by attending to the dental repairs of the community. Mr. Leach, however, did not succeed in effecting a permanent organization. Nothing more was done towards establishing the Baptist church in Omaha until 1859, when Rev. Mr. Barnes, originally from the state of New York, who had been struggling in the church field at Florence for a brief period, came to Omaha, under direction of the board of missions, on a salary of $400 a year. He succeeded in organizing the First Baptist church, and a small one-story frame house of worship was erected on
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Douglas street, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth. In 1862 the society, overburdened with debt and discouraged in many ways, disbanded and sold its property, and Mr. Barnes sought a more encouraging field. A reorganization of the Baptist church was brought about in 1866, and the Rev. W. J. Kennott was called to officiate. Services were conducted for some months in the court house, until the completion of a frame church at the southeast corner of Fifteenth and Davenport streets, in December, 1866. The brick church, on the same location, was built in 1870.
In September, 1855, Rev. Reuben Gaylord visited Omaha, and in December following he moved here with his family, arriving on Christmas day. He made Omaha his home ever after, and watched the city's religious, social and com- mercial growth with a deep interest.
The first Congregational church building erected in Omaha and Nebraska was a brick structure located on the west side of Sixteenth street, between Farnam and Douglas streets. When Redick's alleged opera house was built in 1870, this church building was absorbed in this larger structure, and it now projects as a sort of wing on the west side. This wing was used for several years as a city coun- cil chamber and United States court room.
At the farewell services, held in it in 1867, by the Congre- gationalists, previous to going to the then new church at the corner of Nineteenth and Chicago streets, Rev. Mr. Gaylord delivered a very interesting sermon, in which he gave his religious reminiscences in Omaha, extending over a period of fourteen years. From a published extract of his sermon some interesting facts have been obtained as follows: "The winter of 1855-6 was of terrible severity. The territorial legislature was then in session, Omaha having been made the capital by Acting Governor Cuming. But few of the then residents now remain. Among the early settlers were O. D. Richardson, Mr. Goodwill, Dr. Miller, A. D. Jones, A. J. Poppleton, Major Armstrong, Gen - eral Estabrook, General Thayer, T. B. Cuming, G. M. Mills, A. J. Hanscom, and their families. He [Mr. Gaylord] com- menced preaching in the council chamber, in the old state house, on the last of December, at a salary of $600 per annum, not more than half enough to support his family. There were here then Rev. Mr. Collins, of the Methodist
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church, and Rev. Mr. Leach, a Baptist clergyman. They were occupying the council chamber morning and evening, and he took what was left-the afternoon. There was no church organization here then, except a Methodist class of not more than six members. They organized a union Sab- bath school, with Mr. B. H. Chapman as superintendent. On the 4th of May, 1856, Mr. Gaylord organized in the council chamber, the first Congregational church in Ne- braska, with nine members-O. D. Richardson and wife, B. H. Chapman and wife, James W. Seymour, Mrs. Allen, himself and wife and daughter. Early in 1856 the first Congregational society was organized to take measures to build a church, and T. G. Goodspeed, E. Estabrook and L. Miller were chosen trustees in July. The population of Omaha was then about five hundred. When they de- termined to build a church, by the foresight of Rev. G. G. Rice, then of Council Bluffs, a location, the site of the edifice, had been set apart for them by the ferry company. The Methodists were then erecting their first house of worship, on Thirteenth street. The work of gathering the means to build the Congregational church, making contracts and getting material, had devolved upon the
speaker, and it had been no easy task: The saw-mill on the bank of the river, owned by Mr. Salisbury, was continually besieged, and to get the lumber as fast as it was needed it was necessary to have a team ready to haul it away as soon as it was cut. The whole work he had done during the illness of his family, except when his family physician, Dr. Miller, volunteered to aid him. While the church was building service was oc- casionally had in the dining-room of the Douglas house. By the 26th of October, 1856, they were enabled to hold services in the basement of the new church. Six new members were then added to the congregation, and a Sunday school was established, with Mr. Kellom as superintendent, and from that time they had been kept up without interrup- tion. In 1857 the Boyd brothers had completed their contract for the carpenter work on the church, Mr. Robb had finished the painting, graining and seats, and Mr. McAusland had placed the bell rim and lightning rod upon the steeple, and on the 9th of August, 1857, the dedication sermon was preached to a full house. In 1858, and again in
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1860, there was a marked degree of religious interest, and in the latter year a union prayer meeting was held nightly for several weeks in this and the Methodist churches. The Episcopalian church was the next organized, in the old state house in 1856. In June, 1857, an Old School Presby- terian church was formed, with Rev. Mr. Bergen for its min- ister, and a New School Presbyterian church was organized in 1860. The speaker had continued the pastor of this church until 1864, in the spring of which he accepted the agency of the American Home Missionery society for Nebraska and Iowa, and in the following autumn he resigned his charge of the church. Including the original nine, he had received eighty members into the congregation. The church had originally. cost $4,500, and was wholly furnished by the proceeds of a fair given by the ladies in the building known as the St Charles hotel-the first fair ever held in Nebraska."
Rev. Mr. Gaylord was born at Norfolk, Connecticut, in 1812. He graduated from Yale college in 1834, standing at the head of a class of seventy. In the spring of 1835 he accepted a tutorship in Illinois college, at Jacksonville, remaining there for two years. His leisure hours during that period were spent in theological studies. He entered Yale Theological Seminary in 1837, and graduated the next year. Coming to Iowa he at once entered upon the life work of the ministry. Mr. Gaylord was one of the founders of Iowa college, and for many years was one of its trustees. From Iowa he moved to Nebraska in 1855. He died in Omaha, January 10, 1880.
After the retirement of Mr. Gaylord from the pastorate, in the fall of 1865, the Rev. Mr. Stowell ministered for a while in the Congregational church. Rev. W. W. Rose then preached a year or two, and was followed by Rev. E. S. Palmer. Rev. Mr. Sherrill, the present pastor, was ordained in 1869, and in 1870 took charge of the church. He continued in that position until the fall of 1888, and built up a large and flourishing congregation, which now occupies a new and handsome brick edifice (erected in 1888), upon the site of the old church. Upon the resignation of Rev. Mr. Sherrill, the Rev. Mr. Duryea, of Boston, accepted a call to preside over the congregation.
The Episcopal congregation of Trinity church was or-
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ganized in 1856. In the summer of that year, Bishop Kemper, of Wisconsin, missionary bishop of the northwest, visited Omaha in company with Bishop Lee, of Iowa, and Rev. W. U. Irish, of Missouri. Services were held on Sun- day, July 13, Bishop Lee preaching in the morning and Bishop Kemper in the afternoon. A parish was organized at that time, consisting of Samuel Moffat, senior warden : C. W. Hamilton, junior warden ; Thomas B. Cuming, A. J. Hanscom, A. F. Salisbury and Jonas Seeley, vestrymen. The 'services of Rev. G. W. Watson, then missionary at . Council Bluffs, were secured, and he continued to officiate as rector until July, 1860. A lot was purchased in 1857, on the northwest corner of Davenport and Fourteenth streets, and the corner-stone of a proposed church building was laid with imposing ceremonies by Bishop Lee, assisted by the rector and Rev. Eli Adams. This location, however, was abandoned, and a lot was leased for ten years, on the southwest corner of Farnam and Ninth streets. A small brick church was built, it being provided in the lease that the improvements on the lot should revert to the owner at the expiration of the term, which was in 1869. The little brick church was then converted into a beer garden and music hall, for which purpose it has been used ever since. The Trinity people had, however, in 1867, moved to the southeast corner of Capitol avenue and Eighteenth street, where they had purchased a lot and erected a large frame church, at a cost of $15,000. This building was destroyed by fire November 10, 1869. Another frame structure was immediately built, being intended only for temporary quarters, but it continued in service for several years, until the Trinity cathedral was completed.
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