USA > Nebraska > Richardson County > History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions > Part 13
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The Omahas, Iowas and Otoes, for themselves and in behalf of the Yankton and Santee bands of Sioux, having earnestly requested that they might be permitted to make some provision for their half-breeds, and par- ticularly that they might bestow upon the tract of country within the fol- lowing limits, to-wit :
Beginning at the mouth of the Little Ne-mohaw river and running up the main channel of said river to a point ten miles from its mouth in a direct line; from thence in a direct line to strike the Great Ne-mohaw ten miles above its mouth, in a direct line (the distance between the two Ne- mohaws being about twenty miles) ; thence down said river to its mouth; thence up with the meanders of the Missouri river to the point of begin- * * The President of the United States may hereafter assign to any of the said half-breeds * any portion of said tract not exceeding a section of six hundred and forty acres to each individual.
ning.
This territory was surveyed in 1857, and the domain of the half- breeds thus officially designated, but, before the line was fairly run, it was condemned as being incorrect, and a new survey ordered. The new line started at a point some distance farther up the Great Nemaha river, but preserved the original point on the Little Nemaha. The additional terri- tory thus given the Indians was of little value, but the new line passing through the county seat, Archer, forever destroyed that thriving village. The existence of a county seat on an Indian reserve was an anomaly, and it was at once removed. Archer had been designated as the county seat in March, 1855.
FIRST CENSUS AND POLLING PLACES.
The first formal census of Nebraska Territory was ordered taken ill 1855, for the purpose of making a readjustment of the legislative repre- sentation. Reports from Richardson county showed a total of two hun- dred and ninety-nine persons on the enumeration rolls. The census was taken by deputy marshals Joseph L. Sharp, Charles B. Smith, Michael
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Murphy, E. R. Doyle, F. W. Symmes, Munsen S. Clark and Charles W. Pierce. They were empowered to designate suitable places for voting pre- cincts and also name the judges and clerks of election. The work incident to the enumeration was commenced on October 24th, 1854, and to be com- pleted by November 20th. The voting precincts designated in Richardson county were two in number : One at the house of William Level, with John Purket, Robert T. Archer, and James M. Roberts as judges; William \. Soper and John A. Singleton, clerks. The second precinct was at the house of Christian Bobst, with Henry Shellhorn. Henry Abrams, and Will- iam J. Burns, judges; Christian Bobst and W. L. Soper, clerks." The house of William Level referred to was located north of the present site of Falls City, while that of Christian Bobst was near the present town of DuBois in Pawnee county, then a part of Richardson county.
Following the enumeration, notices of an election were distributed among the people stating that the same would be held for the purpose of choosing a delegate to Congress and a territorial Legislature to convene during the following winter. The election was held on December 12 and Richardson county cast forty-seven votes.
The proclamation ordering the census was as follows :
Proclamation by the Acting Governor.
Executive Deportment, Nebraska Territory.
October 21, 1854.
An enumeration of the inhabitants of the territory will commence on Tuesday next, October 24, 1854, under the officers instructed to complete the same, if possible, within four weeks. Immediately after said census, notices will be distributed for the election of a delegate to Congress, and a territorial Legislature, to convene this winter. Said enumeration in the districts bordering on the Missouri river, will commence one week from the above date, viz., on Tuesday, October 31st, and simultaneously on that day in each of said districts. The purpose of this notice is to enable persons who have removed temporarily from the territory to return in time for said census, but in no case will names be enrolled except of actual and permanent residents of the territory.
Given under my hand at Omaha City, Nebraska Territory, on the 21st day of October, 1854.
T. B. CUMING,
Acting Governor of Nebraska.
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION.
Based on a population of two thousand seven hundred and thirty-two found by the first census in the Territory of Nebraska, ordered by Acting Governor Cuming, Richardson county was given the following representation in the first Legislature : One councilman, two representatives.
That session of the Legislature met at Omaha on January 16, 1855, and was a day fraught with intense excitement owing to the disappointment of men throughout the territory over the fact that the territorial capitol had not been located in their part of the territory and many had vowed that no session of the Legislature should he held. The day passed off, however, without serious friction.
In that session, J. L. Sharp had the honor of representing Richardson county in the upper branch, or council, as president. In the House the honor fell to D. M. Johnson and J. A. Singleton. There were thirteen coun- cilmen and thirty-six representatives, a total of forty-nine members.
FIRST VALUATION OF PROPERTY.
From a report of the auditor made in 1855. we learn that the valuation returned on both real and personal property in Richardson county totaled the sum of twenty-six thousand six hundred and forty-three dollars.
REPRESENTATION IN TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURES.
First session-Councilman, J. L. Sharp, president. House, D. M. John- son, J. A. Singleton. (January 16, 1855.)
Second session-Councilman (no change.) House, A. D. Kirk, Rich- ardson, W. H. Hoover. Richardson and Nemaha, jointly. (December 18, 1855. )
Third session-Richardson and Pawnee counties, Charles McDonald. (January 5, 1857.) House, A. F. Cromwell, N. J. Sharp.
Fourth session -- Councilman, no change from preceding session. House, .A. F. Cromwell, Wingate King, Richardson and Pawnee counties. Decem- ber 8, 1857.
Fifth session-Councilman, Charles McDonald, Richardson and Pawnee ; seat contested by E. S. Dundy. (Extra session September 21, 1858.) House, Richardson and Pawnee, William C. Fleming, A. C. Dean. . At this session Governor Richardson, for whom this county was named. was then
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
chief executive and in his message he called attention to the fact that the previous Legislature had repealed the criminal code, and the sole method of procedure then in vogue, was the common law of England, under the pro- visions of which perjury, forgery and other crimes less than capital, were punishable by death.
Sixth session-December 5, 1859 (no change in council). House, Richardson, Houston Nuckolls. J. E. Burbank and Nathan Meyers.
Seventh session-December 3, 1860. Council, Richardson and Pawnee, E. S. Dundy. House, F. A. Tisdel, A. M. Acton, H. B. Porter.
Eighth session-( No change in council). House, Richardson, L. Allga- wahr, J. S. Ewing, H. B. Porter.
Ninth session -- January 7, 1864. House. Richardson, Lewis Allga- wahr, J. C. Lincoln, M. W. Breman.
Tenth session -- January 5, 1865. Council divided into districts and Richardson county, IIth and represented by J. N. McCasland. House, Richardson, Oliver W. Dunning, F. A. Tisdel, Charles F. Walther, E. H. Johnson.
Eleventh session-January 4. 1866. (Omaha) J. N. McCasland, coun- cil. House, Richardson, Lorenzo Crounse ( later governor), William Parchen, J. D. Ramsey, John Jay Hart. At this session Hon. E. S. Towle, of this city, was chosen as assistant clerk of the house.
VOTE ON ADOPTION OF STATE CONSTITUTION.
At an election held in the territory on June 2, 1866, upon the adoption of the constitution. Richardson county voted as follows: For, 503; against, 373.
Under the terms of that constitution, provision was made for the meet- ยท ing of the Legislature on July 4, 1866. At this meeting Richardson county was represented as follows: House, William Parchen, B. F. Cunningham, J. M. Deweese, J. T. Hoile.
Twelfth session-January 10, 1867. House, Richardson, G. Duerfeldt. J. M. Deweese and Joseph T. Hoile.
ORGANIZATION OF PRECINCTS.
Board of county commissioners meeting at Salem on July 6, 1857 :
The county commissioners of Richardson county had divided said county into three precincts and to include, respectively, the following described terri- tory, to-wit :
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
No. 1-Archer precinct contains townships Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of ranges Nos. 16, 17 and 18, in said county.
No. 2-Salem precinct contains townships Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of range No. 15 and the east half of townships No. 1, 2 and 3 of range 14, in said county.
No. 3-Speiser precinct contains the west half of townships Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of range No. 14 and townships Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of range No. 13 in said county.
By order of the board of county commissioners of said county. F. L. Goldsbury, county clerk.
The county commissioners met according to law and ordered that there be three notices for each precinct naming the various officers to be balloted for at the August election in 1857 in Richardson county, Nebraska Territory.
Ordered that Alexander Rickard, Wingate King and William Goolsby be and the same are hereby appointed judges of election, at Archer precinct and Joseph Hare, John W. Brinegar and John Ogden be and the same are hereby appointed Judges of election at Salem precinct, and John Luginbill, Henry Abrams and James Cameron be and the same are hereby appointed judges of election at Speiser precinct. Ordered that notices be given to each of said judges at least ten days previous to said election. Court adjourned until July 6, 1857.
F. L. GOLDSBURY, County Clerk.
The county commissioners met at Salem, July 6, 1857, according to law, Joseph Yount being absent, the following business being transacted: The account of R. W. Furnas was presented for striking two hundred assessors' blanks for the sheriff of Richardson county-but was not accepted. The account of W. H. Mann was next presented for services rendered in record- ing the plat of the road from Archer in Richardson county to Brownville in Nemaha county. Allowed for said services-$5.00. An account of said Mann for services rendered in writing election notices for Richardson county was allowed by said commissioners-$6.00.
TAXES COLLECTED, 1857.
Samuel Keiffer on behalf of Isaac Crook, county treasurer, presented a statement of the amount of taxes collected by him for the year 1857, which was as follows:
Whole amount of county tax $291.91
Whole amount of territorial tax 179.94
Whole amount of school tax
59.98
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
The sum of two hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-one cents of county tax was paid over to the court and an order issued to Samuel Keiffer for the sum of fifteen dollars for commission as collector on the part of the county, the territorial and school tax remaining in his hands.
William Tramwell presented and was allowed by the commissioners at Salem on January 4, 1857, the sum of seventeen dollars for making tax list of Richardson county.
TAX LEVY, 1857.
5 mills on the dollar levied for county. 3 mills on the dollar levied for territory. I mill for school. Poll tax of 50 cents.
Samuel Keiffer was county assessor of the county in the year 1858 and was paid for that service the sum of twenty-seven dollars and seventy-five cents. The assessment rolls contained three hundred and seventy names.
At a meeting of the county commissioners held at Salem, Nebraska Territory, on January 4, 1858, a petition was presented by F. L. Goldsbury for a precinct to be called Rulo, with the following result :
TOWN OF RULO.
At a meeting of commissioners held at Salem. Nebraska Territory, in April. 1858, A. D. Kirk presented a petition signed by M. H. Woodfin and twenty-seven other citizens of the town of Rulo, praying for a municipal corporation for said town of Rulo, with the following result :
The court being satisfied that a majority of the taxable inhabitants of said town have signed said petition praying for such corporation it is there- fore ordered that the inhabitants within the following boundaries as set forth in said petition to-wit: Beginning at a point on the Missouri river, where the line dividing sections 8 and 17 strike the same, thence west along said line to the northwest corner of section 18; thence south to the southwest corner of section 18: thence east to the Missouri river; thence up said river to the place of beginning, be and they are hereby declared incorporated as a body corporate and politic by the name and style of the town of Rulo. Charles Martin, Eli Bedard, James D. Ramsey, A. D. Kirk and P. B. McCoy
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
are hereby appointed trustees for said town until their successors are elected and qualified.
Eli Bedard, A. D. Kirk and P. B. McCoy were at once appointed judges of the election, for offices of the said municipal corporation, to be held on the first Monday of May, 1858.
ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES.
Richardson county was bounded as follows: Commencing at the north- west corner of the half-breed tract, thence westwardly along the south bank of the Little Nemaha River, thence westwardly to a point sixty miles west of the Missouri river, thence south to the fortieth parallel (the boundary between Kansas and Nebraska), thence east along said territory boundary to the Missouri river, thenice north along the Missouri river, and west ten miles to the southwest corner of the half-breed tract, and thence northerly along the boundary of said tract to the place of beginning.
Precincts .- There shall be two precincts or places of voting in said Rich- ardson county, viz., one to be held at the house of William Level (a cabin in the woods, northeast of present site of Falls City), in precinct No. I. The second at the house of Christian Bobst, precinct No. 2. John Purket, Robert T. Archer, and James W. Roberts shall be the judges of election of the first precinct, and William W. Soper and John A. Singleton, clerks of the same; and Henry Shellhorn, Henry Abrams and William F. Burns, judges of elec- tion of precinct No. 2, and Christian Bobst and W. L. Soper, clerks of the same.
RICHARDSON COUNTY REDUCED IN SIZE.
Pawnee county, which now joins Richardson county on the west, was made up from territory contained in the original boundaries of Richardson county-the latter being originally. sixty miles long east and west from the Missouri river. The new county, later to be known as Pawnee, was laid off in 1855 into townships, and sectionized in 1856. At first it contained but four townships, or twenty-four miles square. One row of townships was taken from off the north side later and added to what is now known as John- son county.
Christian Bobst, residing southeast of the present site of Pawnee city, arrived there on the 4th of April, 1854, in company with Robert Turner, Jacob Adams and Robert Archer ( the latter being the man for whom Archer village in this county was named). Christian Bobst, the leader of the party,
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
selected the best timber claim probably in southern Nebraska, the northwest quarter, section 25, township 1, range 12, South Fork precinct. Mr. Bobst erected what was the first dwelling house in that part of Richardson county. He was appointed probate judge by Governor Izard, in the fall of 1854, for Richardson county. No lines at that time having been regularly established, his jurisdiction extended over all the settlements west of the Missouri river. Joseph Frey, who came the same summer, was appointed justice of the peace, and Robert Turner, constable, by the same authority. For the first few years after the territorial government was formed, Pawnee was attached to Richardson county and for the most part during that period the offices were held by men living in the eastern part of what is now Richardson county, which state of affairs was not the most pleasing to the settlement to the west and had much to do with the early effort to form the new county of Pawnee. For a considerable time the whole of the country to the west had to get their mail at the residence of Judge Christian Bobst on South Fork. An office was established at Pawnee city long before there was any estab- lished route to supply it, and had to depend on private enterprise for its sup- ply from Pleasant valley-Bobst's office.
An election was held on the 25th day of August, 1856, for the purpose of selecting a seat of justice for the new county. Three points were entered in the contest, Pawnee city, Table Rock and Turkey creek. By some means the poll books of the election held at Table Rock were not signed by the officers of the election board, but when the returns were carried down to Archer, the then county seat of Richardson county, the county clerk, Neal J. Sharp, after canvassing the returns, declared the Pawnee city site duly elected as the seat of justice (county seat ) for Pawnee county. This point was then called "Enon" (Bibical reference.)
Notwithstanding the certificate had been issued by Mr. Sharp in favor of Pawnee city, the Hon. Judge John C. Miller, probate judge of Richard- son county, when the matter was brought properly before him, declared such certificate null and void; that no choice had been legally made, and therefore ordered that a new election be held on the 4th day of November, 1856. At this latter election Pawnee city, the present county seat, was chosen. All accounts agree that the first white men who were ever on what is now the present site of Pawnee city, formerly a part of Richardson county, were James O'Louglilan, Charles McDonald and Arthur McDonald. These men had settled at Salem in this county and visited the site on July 20, 1854. Looking over the ground from a point of vantage, they espied a large body
MAS-SAU-QUIT. CHIEF OF SAC AND FOX INDIANAS AT NEMAHA FALLS, 1856-7-8.
FALLS OF THE GREAT NEMAHA, NEAR FALLS CITY.
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
of Indians with ponies grazing. They did not make themselves known, but withdrew to their homes on South Fork. This was doubtless the first time white men had ever stood on this ground.
MARKING BOUNDARY ROAD.
From minutes of board of county commissioners, Falls City, August 29, 1860.
Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska Territory. Commissioners Court, August 29, 1860.
Richardson County,
Nebraska Territory, ss:
Having been appointed and commissioned to view and locate a county road by the county commissioners court of Richardson county, Nebraska Territory in July, 1860,' I proceeded on the 7th day of August, 1860, with Joseph Broady, surveyor, and F. Broady and John Furrow, chain carriers, and were all sworn as the law directs by A. D. S. Ayers, a justice of the peace in and for Richardson county, Nebraska Territory. We then pro- ceeded with the aforesaid surveyor and chain carriers and J. G. Babcock, for flagman, and J. S. Babcock and E. P. Tinker with four yoke of oxen and plow to mark the road. J. S. Babcock furnished two yoke of oxen and E. P. Tinker furnished two yoke of oxen.
We then went to the line between sections thirty (30) and thirty-one (31), town three (3), range thirteen (13), in Richardson county, Nebraska Territory.
Commencing at the west line of said county we proceeded on route described in said petition to the Nemaha county line, observing all the points mentioned in petition. The surveyor will make a report of said road. I find it a good and practicable route. I therefore report favorable to said road and recommend your honorable body to establish the same.
OLIVER J. TINKER, Commissioner.
In the bill of expense for the use of the oxen appears the following claims :
J. S. Babcock and 2 yoke of oxen $8.00
E. P. Tinker and 2 yoke of oxen 8.00
A. J. DESHAZO, County Clerk. (10)
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
ORGANIZATION OF VOTING PRECINCTS.
Clerks Office, Falls City, Nebraska Territory, January 6, 1862.
Commissioners court. Commissioners met pursuant to adjournment. Present-C. S. Cornell, George W. Scott and Levi Forbe, commissioners, and George Vandeventer, county clerk.
Ordered that the election precincts of Richardson county be described and bounded as follows, to-wit:
Franklin precinct consists of congressional township, No. 3, north, range 13, east.
Porter precinct consists of township 3, north of range 14, east.
Humboldt precinct to be bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of congressional township No. 2, on the dividing line between Pawnee and Richardson counties, thence south five miles to the south- west corner of section 30, township 2, range 13, east; thence east along the section line nine miles to the southeast corner of section 28, in township 2, north of range 1.4, east ; thence north along the section line five miles, to the township line, between townships 2 and 3 north of range 14, east; thence west along the township line nine miles to the place of beginning.
Speiser precinct to be bounded as follows: Commencing at the north- west corner of section 31, township 2, range 13, east on the dividing line between Pawnee and Richardson counties, thence south along the county line to the line between Kansas and Nebraska; thence east along said line, nine miles, to the section line between sections 33 and 34 of township 1, range 14, east ; thence north along the section line to the northeast corner of section 33. township 2, north range 14, east; thence west along section line nine miles, to the place of beginning.
Salem precinct bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of section 3, township 2, north of range 14, east; thence running south, along the section line, dividing townships one and two, north range 14, east to the line between Kansas and Nebraska; thence east along said line to the range line; between ranges 15 and 16, east; thence north along said range line nine miles, to the northeast corner of section 24, in township 2, north, range 15 east ; thence west along the section line to the range line between ranges 14 and 15; thence north along the range line three miles, to the township line between townships 2 and 3, north ; thence west along the township line to the place of beginning.
Commissioners Court, Special Term, May 14, 1860.
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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Muddy precinct. A petition praying for a voting precinct to be formed out of Falls City and Salem precincts. The petition was granted. Said pre- cinct to be called Muddy precinct and bounded as follows beginning at the southeast corner of section 13, township 2, north of range 16, east; thence west on said line to the Franklin precinct; thence north to the county line ; thence east to the range line between ranges 16 and 17, east. William J. McCord was appointed justice of the peace for Muddy precinct. O. M. Johnson and E. S. Slagle were appointed constables for Muddy precinct.
Humboldt precinct. A petition was presented on April 1, 1861, signed by A. J. Halbert, Merrit Wells, James Cameron and twenty-two others, pray- ing that a new precinct be organized in township 2, range 13, bounded as fol- lows: Commencing one mile north of the southwest corner of township 2, range 13, at the Pawnee county line and running east nine miles to the center or range 14; thence north along the section line to the north line of said township, five miles; thence west along the township line, nine miles to the Pawnee county line : thence south five miles along the county line to the place of beginning, all of which was granted by the board.
Falls City precinct bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of section 19, township 2, range 16, east on the range line between ranges 15 and 16; thence sonth on said range line, nine miles to the line between Kansas and Nebraska; thence east on said line, nine miles to the section line between sections 33 and 34 in township I, north of range 17; thence north along the section line eight miles to the northeast corner of section 28, township 2, range 17; thence west along the section line, three miles to the range line between ranges 16 and 17; thence north one mile along the range line to the section line dividing sections 13 and 24, township 2, north range 16, east; thence west along said section line six miles to the place of beginning.
Muddy precinct bounded as follows: Commencing at the place where the range line between ranges 14 and 15, east, intersects the county line between Nemaha and Richardson counties; thence south along said range line, nine miles to the section line, between sections 18 and 19 in township 2, north of range 15, east; thence east along said section line, twelve miles to the range line between ranges 16 and 17, east; thence north along said range line, nine miles to the county line between Nemaha and Richardson counties ; thence west along said county line, twelve miles, to the place of beginning.
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