USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of Omaha from the pioneer days to the present time > Part 3
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It was upon the suggestion of Colonel Peter A. Sarpy, the American Fur Company's trader at Bellevue, that James C. Williams decided to establish a new town upon the site of Winter Quarters. He accordingly employed a surveying party under Colonel Pleyall and laid out the town in the fall of 1853. The resettlement of the place began im- mediately thereafter, and in the spring of 1854 there was quite an immigration. Among the newcomers during 1854 were Philip Chapman, J. B. Stootsman, B. R. Pegram, J. M. Parker, J. C. Mitchell and others who were interested in laying out the village, organizing the Florence Land Company, and in other ways promoting the general welfare of the place. In the fall of 1854 the village was resurveyed and platted into 270 blocks, by L. F. Wagner. a surveyor. Buildings were erected rapidly and once more Florence had a bright outlook. A great many of the buildings put up during the fall of 1854 were constructed by Samuel Forgey
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and Mr. Driver, carpenters. About this time the Florence bank was established by J. M. Parker. Florence was named by Mr. J. C. Mitchell in honor of Miss Florence Kilbourn, a niece of Mrs. Mitchell.
It was expected that the Mississippi & Missouri rail- road, now the Chicago & Rock Island, would cross the Missouri river at Florence, as it was known that this was the easiest and most practicable place for the construction of a bridge. The first survey of the road was made down the Pigeon valley, with Florence as the objective point on the west side of the river: but the road never got there. the route being changed to Council Bluffs.
In 1856 the Florence town company was organized, the banking house of Cook, Sargent & Parker, of Davenport, Iowa, being heavily interested in it. In consequence of the energetic efforts made by this firm, the town, which had been chartered as a city in 1856, kept on growing quite rapidly, until the winter of 1857-58, when Cook, Sargent & Parker went down, as did nearly every banking house in the country during the memorable financial crisis of that period, and then the town began to go backward.
A claim club had been organized there, and acted in the same manner as did similar clubs in the early days of the territory.
Among the people of Florence the Germans were very numerous, and in 1856 and 1852 they had a theatre in full operation, and went so far as to attempt the representation of Schiller's "Robbers."
On the 4th of July, 1857, one Biggs, a blacksmith, stabbed and killed a man named Kingsley, the latter hav- ing been too intimate with Biggs' wife. Biggs gave himself up to Dr. Heath, then city mayor, who turned Biggs over to the sheriff at Omaha. The sheriff allowed Biggs to take a swim in the river, and crossing over to the Iowa shore, he has never been heard of from that day to this.
In August, 1852, an election was held in the territory, at which election Florence gave Fenner Ferguson, who was running for delegate to congress, 700 votes. When the news came that Ferguson had been elected over Thayer and other candidates, a grand jubilee was held at Florence. An iron cannon, which was brought out and fired, exploded, killing Dr. Hardcastle, who had served in the Mexican war.
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HISTORY OF OMAHA.
In the winter of 1857-58 a singing society and a brass band were organized. A newspaper, called The Courier was published there, but it could not have been in a very flourishing condition, for a ball was given in its behalf, by which $40 was realized.
During the same winter the legislature at Omaha broke up in a row and adjourned to Florence, and there held its session in two adjoining stores, formerly occupied by Baugh and Heath & Græter. Over the rear doors of these stores was painted the sign, "Terms Cash," which, it is said, scared away many applicants for bridge, ferry, and other charters.
These two buildings were afterwards removed to Omaha and were occupied by Dewey & Stone, the furniture dealers, until the year 1875, when they tore them down and erected in their place one of the largest brick business buildings in Omaha.
Up to about the year 1863 the Mormons contributed a great deal to the prosperity of Omaha merchants, who furnished the immigrants with large quantities of supplies at Florence, their outfitting point. Megeath & Co., who carried on a large mercantile business in Omaha, did a thriving trade with the Mormons during these years. They ran delivery wagons from their store to the Mormon estab- lishments in Florence, and when the Mormons outfitted their trains for Salt Lake, Megeath & Co. sold them im- mense bills of goods. which frequently ran as high as $2,000 a day. Joseph Young, nephew of Brigham, very often an- nounced in church that the Mormons could find at the store of Megeath & Co. anything that they needed, and could secure the same upon the most reasonable terms. After the Mormon emigration ceased for the year, generally about the last of July, the last train out, which was called "the church train." would take the balance of the entire stock of Megeath & Co.'s merchandise.
This firm continued to do business with the Mormons during the construction of the Union Pacific railroad. They carried on a forwarding and commission business, and moved along with the terminus of the road, having for that purpose several portable warehouses for the storage of their goods. Their trade with the Mormons amounted to between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 a year.
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HISTORY OF OMAHA.
In 1883, Ex-Mayor Deland, of Florence, who was then in his eightieth year, said to the writer of this volume: 'Twenty-seven years ago I located at Florence. There was a time when that place was a large city, and there was almost as much difference between Florence and Omaha as there is now between Omaha and Florence. The Mormons were at Florence when I came there. Brigham Young had gone west, but his house stood in front of my place, and a little tree which he planted there has grown to mammoth proportions. I am about the only one left of the pioneers of Florence."
The growth of Omaha, together with the consequent rise of suburban property, has recently turned the attention of real estate men to Florence. The probability is that it will soon become a very attractive suburb of Omaha, and be connected with this city by a street railway. It is beautifully located for country residences, and a great deal of property has recently been purchased there by Omaha parties.
CHAPTER V.
BELLEVUE.
AN HISTORIC SPOT-ONCE THE RIVAL OF OMAHA-THE AMERI- CAN FUR COMPANY'S TRADING POST-COLONEL PETER A. SARPY-THE INDIAN MISSION-THE PALLADIUM, THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN NEBRASKA-CREATION OF SARPY COUNTY.
The history of Omaha would be incomplete without a chapter devoted to the old town of Bellevue. When the territory of Nebraska was organized Bellevue was one of Omaha's most powerful rivals in the spirited contest for the capital, and even after it was located at Omaha, Bellevue entered into nearly every capital-removal scheme that was afterwards projected at every session of the territorial legislature. At one time when the permanent location of the initial point of the Union Pacific hung tremblingly in the balance, Bellevue came very nearly snatching the prize away from Omaha. Although work had been begun at Omaha, and the citizens had made liberal donations in land to the company, operations were stopped in this city,
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BOND CO.OMAHA.
OLD TRADING POST, BELLEVUE, IN 1854.
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and steps were actually taken to move everything to Belle- vue, from which it was proposed to build the road west- ward from that point. The reason assigned for the pro- posed change was that the Bellevue route afforded a much easier grade, and would permit the road to be constructed much more rapidly, and enable the company to build the first one hundred miles within the time required by law to secure the land subsidy. The citizens of Omaha made a most vigorous protest against the contemplated action, and finally succeeded in defeating the scheme. While this question was in doubt, which was only for a short time, Omaha stock was considerably depressed and Bellevue en- joyed a little boom.
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Bellevue's early history reaches back to 1804. It was on July 22d of that year that Lewis and Clark, the explor- ers, camped on the Bellevue plateau. The next year a Spanish adventurer, named Manuel Lesa, as the story goes, gave the place its name. Upon first viewing the spot he greatly admired its beautiful location and exclaimed " Bellevue!"-a beautiful view. The American Fur Com- pany, in 1810, established a trading post at this point, Francis Deroin being placed in charge. He was succeeded by Joseph Roubideaux, who was widely known throughout the Missouri Valley, and all over the western country. He was generally known as "Old Joe," and in later years he founded the city of St. Joe, Missouri. John Carbanne was the successor of Roubideaux, and held the position of trader at Bellevue from 1816 to 1823, when he was super- seded by Colonel Peter A. Sarpy. In 1823 the Indian agency was located at Bellevue, it being removed from Fort Calhoun, where Lewis and Clark, in 1804, had held a council with the Indians. After the removal of the agency it was referred to in the government reports as the Council Bluffs Indian agency at Bellevue. It now became a very important trading post. The Indians for hundreds of miles in every direction came to Bellevue to dispose of their furs and make purchases. Colonel Sarpy, who continued as . trader for the American Fur Company from 1823 until after 1855, was the principal man in this part of the country during all those years. In his way he was an eccentric and interesting character. The Omaha Herald, of December 8, 1874, published some reminiscences of Colonel Sarpy, writ-
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ten over the signature of "Duncan." The correspondent, who first met Colonel Sarpy in the spring of 1855, described him to be at that time a man of about fifty-five years of age, rather below the medium height, with black hair, dark complexion, well-knit and compact features. He was a fluent and entertaining talker, his manners were polished,
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COLONEL PETER A. SARPY.
and in the presence of the fair sex he was very polite and refined in his conduct. He was always welcome in the wigwams of the Omahas and other Indians encamped in the vicinity of the trading post. Colonel Sarpy had an Omaha Indian wife, Nokome by name. It is said that on more than one occasion she saved his life when attacked by hostile Indians. Nokome was a woman of great influ- ence among her people, whom she frequently feasted in the
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most liberal mannner at the expense of the Colonel, who never found fault with her on that account.
The writer in the Herald gives a good illustration of the character of Colonel Sarpy. During a general conver- sation in the main room of the Bellevue trading post, one evening in 1855, he portrayed in glorious colors the noble traits of the Indians, and denounced the injustice and wrong which they had suffered at the hands of the whites, who had by means of one-sided treaties deprived them of their lands. He was rather rudely interrupted by a stran- ger, who said:
"This talk about the Indians, as good, brave and intelli- gent, may suit you traders, who have been enriched by exchanging your gewgaws for their valuable buffalo robes, but I have lived among them, too, and I know them to be a lying, thieving, treacherous race, incapable of dis- tinguishing right from wrong, and the sooner they are exterminated the better it will be for the country."
Colonel Sarpy walked up to the stranger and said to him in a very excited manner: "Do you know who I am, sir? I am Peter A. Sarpy, sir, the old horse on the sand-bar, sir ! If you want to fight, sir, I am your man, sir; I can whip the devil, sir ! If you want satisfaction, sir, choose your weapons, sir ! bowie-knife, shot-gun or revolver, sir! I am your man, sir !" Thereupon he whipped out his revol- ver and fired at a candle on a table, about ten feet distant. The bullet extinguished the light, leaving the room in dark- ness, under cover of which the strongly frightened stran- ger made his escape.
Bellevue was for a long time an Indian missionary post. As far back as 1834, Rev. Moses Merrill, who died the next year, erected a mission house among the Otoes. Rev. John Dunbar and Samuel Allis, who were sent out in 1834 by the Presbyterian board of missions, attempted to conduct a school at Council point, near the site of La Platte, but being annoyed and harassed by the Sioux, they returned to Bellevue and and there taught the Indian children at the agency. Rev. Edward Mckinney was sent to Bellevue in the fall of 1846 by the Presbyterian board of missions. Mr. Mckinney built a log cabin for his residence and headquarters, and the next spring he was visited by Walter Lowrie, secretary of the board, who formally estab-
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lished the mission. A new mission house was completed in 1848, and a school opened for the instruction of the Indians. The school was in charge of Mr D. E. Reed. In 1855, after the removal of the Indians, Rev. William Hamilton converted the mission building into a Presby- terian church. The next year a church building was erected. It is still standing, as a landmark of the early days, and is still used for divine services.
A large portion of the Mormon and California immigra- tion crossed the Missouri river at Bellevue, and during the years that this travel continued Colonel Sarpy's ferry and trading post did a thriving business. The Mormons. how- ever, were in many instances in very destitute circum- stances, and such cases Colonel Sarpy not only generously transported them across the river without charge, but gave them food and other necessaries. The first Nebraska post- office was established at Bellevue in 1849. It was called "the Nebraska post-office." but two years later the name of the post-office was changed to "Council Bluffs," to correspond with the name of the Indian agency. All letters mailed here by the California gold-seekers were dated "Council Bluffs." There was an agency on the Iowa side of the river and it was known as the Council Bluffs sub-agency. It will be seen, therefore, that the name "Council Bluffs" had been used by several places before it was appropriated by the city opposite Omaha.
The Bellevue town company was organized February 19, 1854, by the following persons: Peter A. Sarpy, Stephen Decatur, Hiram Bennett, Isaiah N. Bennett, George Hepner, William R. English, James M. Gatewood, George T. Turner, P. J. McMahon, A. W. Hollister and A. C. Ford.
The first territorial officers arrived at Bellevue during the fall of 1854. Governor Francis Burt died October 18th, ten days after his arrival, and Secretary Thomas B. Cuming became acting governor. Governor Cuming offered to locate the capital at Bellevue in consideration of the donation of one hundred acres of land. Rev. Mr. Hamilton, who was in charge of the Presbyterian mission, refused, and hence the governor convened the first territorial legislature at Omaha. Bellevue, however, continued for some time to attract a large number of the newcomers. In 1855 the Benton house, erected by Silas A. Strickland, was opened by the mayor,
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George Jennings, and soon afterwards James T. Allen converted the large old mission house into a hotel.
Bellevue has the undisputed honor of having had the first newspaper in Nebraska. It was called the Nebraska Palladium and Platte Valley Advocate. The first fifteen numbers were issued at St. Mary's, on the Iowa side of the river, when it was moved to Bellevue, where No. 16 was published. Thomas Morton and D. E. Reed & Co. were the editors and proprietors. Mr. Morton, who died recently, was for many years the editor of the Nebraska City News and was the pioneer newspaper man of Nebraska. The printing of No. 16, the first number of the Nebraska Palla- dium published in Nebraska, was quite an event and was witnessed by Governor Cuming, Chief Justice Fenner Ferguson and wife; Rev. William Hamilton and wife, of the Otoe and Omaha mission; Major James M. Gatewood, of Missouri; Bird B. Chapman, candidate for congress from Nebraska territory; Arthur Ferguson, and other prominent persons of that day. The first proof-sheet was taken by Governor Cuming and was read by Chief Justice Ferguson.
"Thus quietly and unceremoniously," says the Palla- dium, "was the birth-time of printing in Bellevue, Neb., celebrated. Thus was the Nebraska Palladium inaugurated into the public service. This event, although to some it may seem unimportant now, will form an epoch in history which will be remembered ages after those present on this interesting occasion are no more. As the Indian disappears before the light of civilization so may the dark- ness and error of the human mind flee before the light of the press of Nebraska."
The first column of the last page of this issue of the Palladium contains this announcement: " This is the first column of reading matter set up in the Territory of Nebras- ka. This was put in type on the 14th of November, 1854, by Thomas Morton." Among the articles of this first number were: "Newspapers," "Support Your Local Pa- per," "The Newspaper Press," "Location of the Capital," "Know-Nothing," "Bellevue Claim Meeting," besides sev- eral selections of miscellany and poetry. . There were also several advertisements.
The existence of the Palladium ceased on April 11, 1855, when the announcement was made that the proprie-
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tors would suspend the issue of the paper "until a sufficient amount of town pride springs up in Bellevue to pay the ex- pense of its publication."
The Young America newspaper was the next journal published in Bellevue. It had but a brief existence, and was followed by the Gazette, which was started by Silas A. Strickland & Co. Like its predecessors it was short-lived.
Until February, 1857, what is now known as Sarpy county was a portion of Douglas county. Douglas county was divided by the legislature, and the south half was named in honor of Colonel Sarpy. Bellevue was made the county seat, and remained such until 1875, when by a vote of the people the county capital was moved to Papillion.
CHAPTER VI.
THE PIONEERS OF OMAHA.
WILLIAM D. BROWN'S "LONE TREE FERRY"-MR. BROWN IN 1853 TAKES UP A CLAIM COVERING THE FUTURE SITE OF OMAHA-ORGANIZATION OF THE STEAM FERRY COMPANY- OTHER CLAIMS MADE DURING THIS YEAR-A. D. JONES' CLAIM-MR. JONES APPLIES FOR A POSTMASTERSHIP AND RECEIVES HIS APPOINTMENT IN THE SPRING OF 1854.
Omaha, as it has been aptly said, had a history before it had a name. In the opening chapter of this work, we have given the history-as much as was in our power to obtain-of the spot where Lewis and Clark landed in 1804, and on which Omaha was founded fifty years afterwards. The intervening period is not known to have been marked by any other important historical incidents than those already related.
The majority of the founders. or first inhabitants of Omaha, came over from Council Bluffs and vicinity, where they had resided one, two. or three or more years. The California immigration, which had been in progress for three or four years, was then at its height, and many of the immigrants who had started for the occident with golden dreams and visions halted by the wayside in Iowa, attracted by the natural beauties and the fertile resources of that state. Council Bluffs thus became the stopping place of
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many who abandoned the idea of making the long. tedious and dangerous overland trip to California, and of these there were many who afterwards came to Omaha and per- manently located here.
William D. Brown, a pioneer, who had from his youth always been a little in advance of civilization in its west- ward march, was one of the many who started for Califor- nia during the years 1849 and 1850. He had been for several years a resident of Mount Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa, of which county he was the first sheriff, having been elected to the office in January, 1837. He halted at Council Bluffs, and seeing that there was money to be made in the ferry business across the Missouri river at this point, to accommodate the California travel, which was being ferried at Florence, Bellevue and at other places, he embarked in the enterprise shortly afterwards. either in 1851 or 1852. Obtaining a charter from the Pottawattamie county com- missioners, he equipped his new ferry line with a flat-boat which was rowed with oars. This ferry was for a long time called the "Lone Tree Ferry," from a solitary tree at which the boat arrived and departed, on the Nebraska side of the river .*
Notwithstanding his poor facilities for transportation, the ferry business proved a profitable undertaking to Mr. Brown, the pioneer ferryman, who was also the first pioneer of Omaha. He was also engaged at the same time in the hotel business at Council Bluffs. being for sometime a half partner in the Bluff City house.
The beautiful and commanding position of the future site of Omaha; its plateau, where now stands the business portion of the town; its numerous hills, especially Capitol hill, one and all now thickly dotted with magnificent resi- dences and picturesque grounds; all these attractive features combined, impressed upon the far-seeing Brown the fact that this spot was destined to be the location of a great city at some day. "Westward the star of empire takes its way." The great tide of travel was then, as it is now, to-
*The Lone Tree stood for several years, and the immediate vicinity became quite a notorious spot, owing to the ferry landing being continued there. A noted desperado named Bill Lane had established a saloon and dance house of very loud character there in 1860. It had become a very rough place. and was working a great deal of harm. One night a crowd of men marched down to this "ranch," and gave Lane twenty-four hours to leave. In a few hours he packed up everything. even the lumber of which his shauty had been constructed, and putting his effects on a steamboat he departed for Leavenworth.
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wards the occident. The site of Omaha was west of Coun- cil Bluffs. and it was a well-known fact that for years the cities on the line of the western immigration which were located on the west bank of the streams had always soon eclipsed those on the east bank in growth. The site was near the river, and at that time the head of navigation on the Missouri. These facts also had great weight with the men who were to found the city.
Mr. Brown, while superintending his ferry, frequently came over to the Nebraska shore and looked over the loca- tion of the proposed town. the idea of starting which originated with himself. He made a claim in 1853, which about covered the town site as it was afterwards laid out. His claim was the first made. and it was located at a time before any treaty was effected with the Indians, which im- portant event did not transpire till the next year.
Mr. Harrison Johnson, one of Omaha's old settlers, says in his "History of Nebraska," published in 1880: "To William D. Brown, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, it is generally conceded, belongs the honor of being the first white settler to stake a claim on the plateau now occupied by the city of Omaha."
Of course many of the people of Council Bluffs, who afterwards located at Omaha, undoubtedly took advantage of Mr. Brown's ferry to visit this lovely spot, either in excursions for pleasure, or in small prospecting parties, to get an idea of the situation with a view of making claims, and of carrying out. at the earliest practicable moment, the project of Mr. Brown-the idea of which he had im- parted to others-of founding a town, the future great city of the Missouri valley.
Among those, besides Mr. Brown, who favorably con- sidered the enterprise, were Dr. Enos Lowe, Jesse Lowe, Jesse Williams, and Joseph H. D. Street. all of whom resided at Council Bluffs. This was in June. 1853. and on July 23d, 1853, a steam ferry company, under the name of "The Council Bluffs and Nebraska ferry company," was organized under the general corporation laws of Iowa. their charter to continue twenty years. The president was Dr. Enos Lowe, and the other members were Tootle & Jackson. S. S. Bayliss, Joseph H. D. Street, Bernhart Henn, Jesse Williams, Samuel R. Curtis, Mr. Tanner. C. H.
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Downs, and others. A substantial steam ferry-boat-the General Marion-was purchased in Cincinnati by Dr. Lowe. It reached Council Bluffs in September, 1853, but did not begin running regularly across the river from that point until May, 1854.
Mr. Brown, not having means enough to carry out his scheme alone, had previously sold six-eighths of his ferry interest and of his claim to a majority of the above men, and the organization of the ferry company was the result, Mr. Brown still retaining his interest, which consisted of two-eighths. He afterwards sold one of these eighths to S. R. Curtis, who did not comply with the terms of purchase. The land included in this share was accordingly reclaimed by Brown. Curtis, in the course of events, set up his claim to it again, and the result was in after years, a long and tedious law-suit, which was finally compromised.
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