USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of Omaha from the pioneer days to the present time > Part 4
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Among those who crossed the river in 1853, to prospect, were A. D. Jones, Tom Allen and Bill Allen, who came over in November, in a leaky scow, borrowed from Mr. Brown. One rowed, one steered, and the other had all he could do to bail out the water as fast as it came in. They landed down the river in the vicinity of where Boyd's packing house is now located. They there staked out their claims, the north line of Mr. Jones' claim being marked out on the north side of the present residence of Herman Kountze. Mr. Jones maintains that his was the first claim, and that he is entitled to the honor of being called the pioneer squatter and first settler.
"It was in November, 1853, that I came to the conclu- sion that it was time to make a strike on the Nebraska side of the river," says Mr. Jones, "and I accordingly made a proposition to Thomas and William Allen, to cross the river and take up some claims. The Allens were sub-contractors in the construction of the grade for the Council Bluffs and Nebraska ferry company. They agreed with me, and pro- curing a scow from William D. Brown we made the trip. We camped out that night, and early next morning we started out to mark our claims. With a hatchet I blazed a corner tree near our camp, and stamped the initials of my name therein with a survey-marking iron. I then blazed lines north to the point now occupied by Herman Kountze's residence, thence south to C. F. Goodman's present place,
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which I wished to include in my claim as it was a very prominent location. I next marked a corner on the ridge. east of Tenth street, and thence proceeded eastward, blaz- ing live trees, until I reached a deep ravine heavily timbered with tall trees. I gave the name of Purgatory to the valley, by which name it was long afterwards known. In the lower end of the ravine I discovered a bed of excellent building stone of lime formation. Upon regaining the plateau I located my fourth corner, and marked a line along the margin of the plateau to the place of beginning. The next step was to lay my claim foundations, which was regularly done, in compliance with all the requisites for making a good and valid claim according to the laws and customs among squatters in other new sections of the pub- lic domain. Meantime the Allens each marked out a claim, after which we returned to Council Bluffs. I claim that this was probably the first survey ever made in Douglas county."
In anticipation of the extinction of the Indian title in the near future. Mr. Jones shortly afterwards resurveyed his claim. and took every possible step to confirm his rights. The Indians, however, became uneasy over the en- croachments being made by Mr. Jones and others, and they accordingly requested Mr. Hepner, the Indian agent, to order him to vacate Park Wild, as he called his claim. Other claimants were served with the same notice, and the command was obeyed.
Mr. Jones then applied for the establishment of a post- office here, a piece of strategy to enable him to hold his claim. The application was made through J. D. Test. of Council Bluffs, and resulted successfully in the spring of 1854. The correspondence was follows:
WASHINGTON CITY, May 6, 1854.
Dr. TEST :- Yours of the 10th ultimo, relative to Omaha City post-office has been received. I got the office estab- lished to-day, and had A. D. Jones appointed postmaster. Yours truly,
BERNHART HENN.
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WASHINGTON CITY, May 6, 1854.
A. D. JONES, Omaha City, Nebraska Ter.
Dear Sir :- Yours of the 15th instant has been received, but as the post-route bill has already received final action, I cannot carry out your suggestion as to the route from Council Bluffs to Omaha City at this session. Perhaps, however, it is not necessary, as it is already covered by the route I had established last congress, from Council Bluffs to Fort Laramie, and although said route has not been let, you may get that part in operation by petitioning the Department to do so; which course I would suggest be adopted at once. If you do so, send me the petitions directed to Fairfield, and I will forward them.
Yours truly, BERNHART HENN.
This then must have been the very first letter directed to Omaha City, and that, too, at a time before there was anybody living here, and before the town was surveyed.
The post-office department authorized the employment of a mail carrier, who was to be paid out of the proceeds of the office. As the funds of the office amounted to nothing, Mr. Jones was unable to secure a carrier. He therefore performed the duties himself, by carrying the mail, as well as the post-office, in his pocket or hat.
CHAPTER VII.
THE BIRTH OF NEBRASKA AND OMAHA.
PASSAGE OF THE TERRITORIAL ORGANIC ACT- THE IMPORT- ANT PART TAKEN BY HADLEY D. JOHNSON IN THE CREA- TION OF THE TERRITORY-HIS REMINISCENCES-THE SUR- VEY OF OMAHA-FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC, 1854, ON CAPITOL HILL-A REMINISCENCE BY JOHN GILLESPIE-THE SIGNIFI- CATION OF THE NAMES OMAHA AND NEBRASKA.
The bill organizing and admitting Nebraska as a terri- tory soon followed the extinguishment of the Indian title, it being passed by congress May 23rd, 1854, after a fierce and angry struggle, the circumstances of which have not yet been erased from the public mind, as this fight was but the forerunner of the efforts soon afterwards made to dis-
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sever the Union, the result being the great civil war. The Kansas-Nebraska bill, as it was called, was introduced by Senator Stephen A. Douglas. It was a compromise by which the people of the territories were given the right to adopt or reject slavery. The New York Herald, in com- menting upon the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act, said: "The passage of the Nebraska bill is one of those great events which, in a nation's history, inaugurate a political revolution and a new cycle in political affairs. It is the triumph of a great principle over temporizing expedients of the constitu- tion over sectional fanaticism, aud of popular sovereignity over the usurpations of congress. It is a substantial declaration of congress that they have no power over slavery, neither in the states, nor in the territories, but that in the territories, as in the states, it is a subject which belongs entirely to the people. This is true constitutional doctrine, and the constitution is a rock upon which the country, the north and the south, may securely stand."
At the annual meeting of the Nebraska State Historical society, held at Lincoln, January 12, 1887, Mr. Hadley D. Johnson, one of the pioneers of Omaha, read an interest- ing paper giving his reminiscences of the early days. That portion of his address relating to his connection with the creation of the territory of Nebraska is a valuable contribu- tion to history.
" As early as 1848 the subject of the organization of a new territory west of the Missouri river was mentioned," says Mr. Johnson, in his address, "and in congress I think a bill was introduced in that year, but did not become a law: and in 1852 the subject, having been long discussed, a bill was introduced, but again without result. In 1853, however, the railroad question having been agitated more generally during the preceding year, during the session of 1852-3, a bill was reported to congress providing for the organization of the territory of Nebraska within the bound- aries substantially, I believe, now embraced in the states of Kansas and Nebraska.
"Prior to this, however, some of the citizens of western Missouri and a few persons residing or staying temporarily in the Indian country west of the Missouri river, took steps to hold an informal election of a delegate who should attend the coming session of congress and urge the passage of the
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territorial bill. This election, though not sanctioned by any law and informal, was ordered to be held by a meeting of a number of persons in the Indian country south of the Platte river, who fixed a day on which the election was to be held, and designated certain places at which votes would be received. Among the names appeared Bellevue or Trader's Point. A newspaper, printed somewhere in Mis- souri, containing a notice of this election, accidentally came into my possession a few days prior to the date fixed for the election. On reading this annoucement I immediately com- municated the news to prominent citizens of Council Bluffs, and it was at once decided that Iowa > hould compete for the empty honors connected with the delegateship. An election at Sarpy's was determined on. Arrangements were made with the owners of the ferry boat at that point to transport the impromptu emigrants to their new homes, and they were accordingly landed on the west shore of the Missouri river, a few hundred yards above Sarpy's trading house, where, on the day appointed, an election was held, the result of which may be learned from the original certificate, a copy of which was sent to the Hon. Bernhart Henn, the member of the house of representatives from Iowa, by him submitted to the committee on elections, but for reasons obvious to the reader of the proceedings of congress immediately following, no report was ever made by that committee in the case.
"I may remark here that I consented with much reluct- ance to the use of my name in this connection, and for several reasons: I was poor and could not afford to neglect my business and spend a winter at Washington; the expenses of the trip I knew would be a heavy drain upon my limited exchequer, besides I had so lately neglected my private affairs by my service at Iowa City; however, I finally yielded at the earnest request of a number of my personal friends, who were also ardent friends of the new scheme, and con- sented to the use of my name, at the same time pledging my word that I would proceed to Washington if chosen and do the best I could to advance the cause we had in hand. In addition to the ballots cast for me for delegate at this election, the Rev. William Hamilton received 304 votes for provisional governor, Dr. Monson H. Clark received 295 for secretary and H. P. Downs 283 for treasurer.
"These proceedings at Sarpy's landing were followed
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by various public meetings in Iowa (and also in Missouri), at which resolutions were adopted urging the organization of Nebraska territory. Amongst others, meetings were held at Council Bluffs, St. Mary's, Glenwood and Sidney, at which the action at Sarpy's was endorsed; earnest and eloquent speeches were made by such leading citizens as Hon. W. C. Means and Judge Snyder of Page county, Judge Greenwood, Hiram P. Bennett, William McEwen, Colonel J. L. Sharp. Hon. A. A. Bradford, L. Lingenfelter, C. W. McKissick, Hon. Benjamin Rector, Charles W. Pierce. Daniel H. Solomon, Mr. Downs, I. M. Dews, George Hepner, William G. English, George P. Stiles, Marshal Turley, Dr. M. H. Clark and others.
" In the month of November Council Bluffs was visited by Hon. Augustus C. Dodge, Colonel Samuel Curtis, and other distinguished citizens of other states, who attended and addressed meetings of the people of the town, warmly advocating the construction of our contemplated railroads, and the organization of Nebraska territory.
"On my arrival in Washington (early in January, 1854,) I found that a bill had already been introduced in the sen- ate, and I think referred to the committee on territories, of which the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas was chairman. This bill provided for the organization of the territory of Nebraska, including what is now Kansas and Nebraska, or substantially so. I also found, seated at a desk in the house of representatives, a portly, dignified, elderly gentle- man, who was introduced to me as the Rev. Thomas Johnson; he was an old Virginian, a slave-holder and a Methodist preacher. This gentleman had also been a candidate for delegate at the informal election, and was credited with having received 337 votes; he had preceded me to Wash- ington, and together with his friends, ignoring our Sarpy election, had, through some influence sub rosa, been in- stalled in a seat at a desk, as aforesaid, where being duly served with stationery, etc., he seemed to be a member of the house.
"On being introduced to Mr. Johnson, who appeared somewhat stiff and reserved, I alluded to the manner of my appointment to the present mission which, like his own, was without legal sanction, but was for a purpose; told him there was no occasion for a contest
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between us for a seat to which neither of us had a claim; that I came there to suggest and work for the organiza- tion of two territories instead of one; that if he saw proper to second my efforts, I believed that we could succeed in the object for which we each had come.
"After this explanation the old gentleman thawed out a little, and we consulted together upon the common subject. Hon. A. C. Dodge, senator from Iowa, who had from the first been an ardent friend and advocate of my plan. introduced me to Judge Douglas, to whom I unfolded my plan and asked him to adopt it, which, after mature consideration, he decided to do, and he agreed that. as chairman of the committee on terri- tories, he would report a substitute for the pending bill, which he afterwards did do, and this substitute became the celebrated 'Nebraska bill,' and provided, as you know, for the organization of the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. * I ought, perhaps, to mention the fact that in our negotiations as to the dividing line between Kansas and Nebraska a good deal of trouble was encountered, Rev. Mr. Johnson and his Missouri friends being very anxious that the Platte river should constitute the line, which obviously would not suit the people of Iowa, especially as I believe it was a plan of the American fur company to colonize the Indians north of the Platte river. As this plan did not meet with the approbation of my friends or myself, I firmly resolved that this line should not be adopted. Judge Douglas was kind enough to leave that question to me, and I offered to Mr. Johnson the choice of two lines: first, the present line, or, second, an imaginary line trav- ersing the divide between the Platte and the Kaw. After con- siderable parleying, and Rev. Mr. Johnson not being willing to accept either line, I finally offered the two alternatives: the fortieth degree of north latitude, or the defeat of the whole bill for that session at least. After consulting with his friends, I presume, Rev. Mr. Johnson reluctantly con- sented to the fortieth degree as the dividing line between the two territories, whereupon Judge Douglas prepared and introduced the substitute in a report as chairman of the committee on territories, and immediately probably the hardest war of words known in American history commenced.
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"I have omitted thus far in this sketch to record a circumstance which perhaps ought to have been mentioned in its order, and which was one of the incidents which lead me to believe that the American fur company was opposed to our scheme, because I felt sure that Missouri men were on good terms at the Indian department.
"When I first called on Colonel Manypenny, the com- missioner of Indian affairs, being introduced by General A. C. Dodge, and after informing him that my object in calling was to request him to take preliminary steps towards making a treaty with the Omaha Indians for the purchase of their lands in order to open the country for settlement by the whites; the Colonel, in a somewhat stilted and pomp- ous manner, replied to my request by saying: 'Mr. Johnson, the Omaha Indians do not wish to sell their lands, and it would not do any good to make the attempt.' As I had heard similar remarks from friends or representatives of the fur company, I supposed that the colonel had received his impressions from that quarter ; but in answer, I said to him : 'Colonel Manypenny, you are misinformed, and are laboring under a mistake, for I know positively that they are willing to sell, and assure you that if you will send for some of the principal men of the tribe you will be able at once to make a satisfactory treaty with them.'
" After some little delay Colonel Manypenny, who had in the meantime had an opportunity to obtain some more information than he was in the possession of when we had our first conversation, sent for some of the chief men of the Omahas, who went on to Washington, when, as I fore- told, a treaty was made and ratified by which their lands were turned over to the government, and in the following July were opened for settlement, whereupon quite a stam- pede took place, that is, after the Nebraska bill became a law and officers were appointed whose duty it became to legally set in motion the machinery of a territorial govern- ment."
The time had now come, after the passage of the terri- torial organic act, for the ferry company to lay out their contemplated town. For this purpose they employed A. D. Jones to make the survey of the site, covering the claim of the company. Mr. Jones surveyed it from North Omaha creek to South Omaha creek, as these small streams are
HISTORY OF OMAHA. 51
now called. The Omahas had lived along the former, originally named simply Omaha creek, and the Otoes along the latter, which was formerly called Otoe creek. The work of surveying occupied the greater portion of June, and the first part of July. Mr. C. H. Downs assisted in the work by carrying the chain and driving the stakes. The city was laid out in 320 blocks, each being 264 feet square; the streets 100 feet wide, except Capitol avenue, which was made 120 feet wide, but which was given no alley in the blocks on each side of it. The lots were staked out 66 by 132 feet. Two squares were reserved- Jefferson square, 264 by 280 feet, and Capitol square, on Capitol hill, 600 feet square. A park of seven blocks, bounded by Eighth and Ninth, and Jackson and Davenport streets, was laid out, but was afterwards given up to busi- ness purposes, being now occupied by the Union Pacific headquarters, the Canfield house, formerly called the Wyo- ming hotel, the Cozzens house and other buildings.
1
During the latter part of the survey, the Fourth of July, 1854, was celebrated by a picnic on Capitol hill by quite a party of excursionists from Council Bluffs, among whom were several persons who soon afterwards located in Omaha-Hadley D. Johnson, A. D. Jones and wife, A. J. Hanscom and wife. William D. Brown and wife. Harrison Jonnson, Mr. Seely and wife, Thomas Davis and wife and children, Fred. Davis and his sister, who is now Mrs. Herman Kountze, and several others. Addresses were made by Hadley D. Johnson, A. D. Jones and one or two others. It has been handed down to posterity that a general good time, as the phrase goes, was had by everybody, and the event still lingers in the memory of those who participated.
Mr. Hadley D. Johnson, in his address before the State historical society, 1887, briefly refers to this event as fol- lows : "It may not be interesting to you to be informed that the first celebration of our nation's birthday, July 4, of which I have any knowledge as having occurred in Nebraska, took place July 4, 1854 (before any whites were permitted under the treaty to permanently locate on these lands), on the hill at Omaha, near where the capitol build- ing formerly stood, and as near as I can locate it, on a spot now occupied by Davenport street.
"A small number of persons, on the day just mentioned,
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crossed the Missouri river from Council Bluffs, taking a few articles for a picnic. I remember that on the spot named some resolutions were adopted and a few brief speeches made. The stand on which the speakers stood was a common wagon owned by my old friend Harrison Johnson. now no more, who, with some of the members of his family, constituted a portion of the party."
John Gillepsie in the Lincoln Journal of January 13 1887, says : "Now I wish to add to that brief bit of history of the early days of Nebraska, that the Hon. Hadley John- son, then reputed to be Nebraska's delegate to Washington, was called upon for a speech. He responded and got up into the only wagon on the ground, that had hauled over the baskets of provisions and two blacksmith's anvils to fire a salute, and after firing the salute he commenced a spread-eagle speech, but had not gotten very far along when the reports of the anvils brought in sight a number of Indians. The women became frightened and baskets and anvils were piled into the wagon and the driver started the team for the ferry-followed by the entire audience. The result was that that speech was never completed, unless the honor- ble gentleman intended his speech of last eveing as the fin- ish. His modesty no doubt prevented him in giving the details. Your writer was one of the crowd present, and re- members offering the following toast:
'Nebraska-May her gentle zephyrs and rolling prairies invite pioneers from beyond the muddy Missouri river to happy homes within her borders, and may her lands ever be dedicated to free soil, free labor and free men.'
" There was one log cabin erected on the town site of Omaha on that day. It was built up to the square and no roof upon it. The prairie grass upon the second bottom, where now Douglas and Farnam streets are, was very high and it was difficult for the ladies to reach 'old' Capitol hill. Your writer remembers meeting A. D. Jones, postmaster, who carried the mail for Omaha in his hat. He said to me, 'Young man, take a claim up there on the hill and it will make you rich some day,' but I could not see it. The town of Omaha had been platted in the month of June preceding, and lots were offered for $25 each, and the town association offered to deed lots to parties building if they would com- mence at once. It was that fall Omaha commenced to
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grow. but on the day of the celebration the United States marshal was on the watch to see that no settlers located in Nebraska pending the ratification at Washington of the treaty made with Indians for the lands bordering on the Missouri river."
The map of the first survey of Omaha was lithographed in St. Louis, and one of the original copies is now in the possession of Byron Reed. In one corner is the following note : "Lots will be given away to persons who will im- prove them-private sale will be made on the premises. A newspaper, the Omaha Arrow, is published weekly at this place; a brick building, suitable for the territorial legisla- ture, is in process of construction, and a steam mill and brick hotel will be completed in a few weeks." Dated, Sep- tember 1st, 1854.
Omaha was the name given to the new town. General Estabrook is our authority for saying that it was probably adopted by the ferry company simply because it was pret- ty and was borne by the nearest tribe of Indians in the vicinity, the Mahas. It is said by some that the honor of suggesting the adoption of the name belongs to Jesse Lowe, now dead, while others claim that to J. E. Johnson, then of Kanesville, is due the credit of naming the town. Aside from its prettiness it has a meaning full of significance- "Above all others upon a stream!"
Mr. A. D. Jones, when secretary of the Omaha Old Set- tlers' association, now extinct, wrote in 1868 to the Rev. William Hamilton, who was one of the first missionaries in Nebraska, inquiring as to the origin and meaning of the word Omaha. Mr. Hamilton says in his reply, dated Omaha Mission, March 4, 1868 : "The Omahas encamped above on the stream, E-ro-ma-ha, contracted into O-ma-ha, which means 'above' with reference to a stream, or 'above on a stream.' To understand the word, I must add that they have three words translated 'above.' Mangre, with reference to height, air; A-mer-e-ta, with reference to a country bordering on or near a stream; E-ro-ma-ha, with reference to where your position is."
Hence the natural inference is that Omaha is "E-ro- ma-ha-above all others upon a stream." In connection with the name of Omaha there is a tradition that two tribes of Indians had a great many years ago met on the Missouri
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river, and had engaged in a hostile encounter, in which all on one side were killed but one, who had been thrown into the river. Rising suddenly from what was thought to be a watery grave, he lifted his head above the surface, and pro- nounced the word "Omaha" which had never been heard before. Those who heard it adopted it as the name of their tribe.
It will not be out of place here to give the meaning of the name of Nebraska. The Platte river was also called the Nebraska, which is an Indian word signifying Ne, water, and braska, wide or shallow. So we have "shallow- water" as the meaning, which is very appropriate as applied to the river referred to, and from which the territory took its name.
CHAPTER VIII.
FIRST INCIDENTS.
THE FIRST BRICKYARD-COMMENCEMENT OF THE STATE HOUSE-FIRST ACTUAL SETTLERS-FIRST BUILDING, THE "CLAIM HOUSE"-FIRST PREACHER AND FIRST RELIGOUS SERVICES-FIRST SAW-MILL-FIRST HALF-DOZEN HOUSES- FIRST DANCE-FIRST WHITE CHILD-FIRST MARRIAGE-FIRST GRAVE-FIRST WHITE BURIAL-FIRST PHYSICIAN-FIRST LAWYERS-FIRST STEAM FERRY BOAT-FIRST DRY GOODS STORE.
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